WHO DO YOU CALL GOD? — OMEN

[WOLFSONG]

── .∘°°∘. ── Under the sun at its zenith, wearing a crown of thin, delicate clouds, Wolfsong hunts. It is not for the prey he once caught, alive and wriggling beneath his paws, but for the plants that keep WindClan strong in the face of their many obstacles. Though the days are still warm, he prepares for the colder months when growth is scarce and hides away from the threat of snow. Catmint and tansy are at the forefront of his mind's eye, though he does not intend to limit himself, just as he would not pass over a mouse for want of a rabbit.

He spies a tall stalk of burdock, not far from the proposed start of the new tunnel. Wolfsong sets to unearthing the roots, and though he has yet to discover burdock's use, he cannot do so without a supply to test with. But rather than finding the bitter plant's thick ground-boughs, his paws catch on something altogether different. His thoughts fall back to the rabbit he buried with Sunstride, fearful that he has uncovered their ceremonial offering. It cannot be. We buried it far from this place.

Still, his heart is rabbit-pawed until the dirt gives way to reveal the slender shape of a fish skeleton. Its small, delicate bones are not present wholly, but it is unmistakable. The large head with its empty, cleaned socket stare up at him and he goes still. Is this meant to herald a victory over RiverClan?

He pauses, centers himself. No, this is close to where our tunnelers will begin clawing their way to the bridge. Perhaps it is a sign from the starry-strewn cats. The tunnel is hoped to be an achievement over RiverClan, an attempt to prevent further attacks on WindClan patrols. A small victory, quiet, below the earth— but clear as bone in the sun. "It must be time," he rasps to himself.

//this is for you, tunnelers! moor runners are of course free to post as well, just know that this is intended to help kick off the tunnel building! :)
​

WOLFSONG of WINDCLAN FORMER ROGUE TURNED MEDICINE CAT. 36 MOONS, HE/HIM, NPC X NPC. MATES WITH SUNSTRIDE (07/05/2023). BIOGRAPHY, PINTEREST, & PLAYLIST.

medicinal expertise med. part ii med. part iii med. part iv

• — ★★★☆☆ WOUNDS: You're (mostly) in safe paws. You'll know if he's less experienced if he asks for your permission to try a treatment. No wound can scare him away from knowledge. — ★★★☆☆ INFECTION: He can prevent most infections. If you feel feverish, let him know— he'll hum thoughtfully over herbs and sniff your wound before saying, "With your blessing..."
• — ★☆☆☆☆ ACHES & PAINS: If you complain to him of pain, he'll ask where. If it's a headache, you'll likely feel a bit better. For anything else, "Try this, if you'd like, and tell me how you feel." — ★☆☆☆☆ BROKEN BONES: At best. he can ask you to remain lying down in the den. He may try to distract you with conversation while he considers what herb to feed you.
• — ★★★★★ TRAVELING HERBS: Going somewhere? No worries; Wolfsong knows just what you need to stay hale and healthy during your journey. The rest is up to you. — ☆☆☆☆☆ KITTING: He doesn't remember what it was like to be born. Coincidentally, that is the extent of his familiarity with kitting. At least he won't leave you without moral support.
• — ★☆☆☆☆ POISONS: It's best if you avoid eating anything unfamiliar to you— it's probably just as unfamiliar to Wolfsong. The best he can do is offer you yarrow and sit with you. — ★★☆☆☆ ILLNESS: If it's white or greencough, you'll likely recover. Otherwise, prepare for odd concoctions and the usual request that you consent to a little trial-and-error.

​

 

[Mouseflight]

When Sootstar had mentioned that the tunnelers would be doing a very important project, Mousepaw had been very excited. They were finally going to stick it to the RiverClanners who dared to think they were any better than those who reside in WindClan, and the tunnelers were going to be the ones that were going to show just how strong WindClan is. Most - if not all - of the clan knew about where the beginning of the tunnel would be, it had been announced after all, but so far there hadn't been any news on where exactly they would start digging, or when it would happen. Antsy, the apprentice had been told to go out to hunt, gather moss, do anything to get him off his mentor's back about things, and so he had wandered off towards the new tunneling site, just in time to watch Wolfsong go for a plant. Mousepaw watched for a moment, confused as the medicine cat stopped the digging to stare at something within the ground.

Coming forward to look - for all Mousepaw knew it was a normal thing that was found in the ground that Wolfsong didn't know about, the other wasn't a tunneler after all - Mousepaw couldn't help but be confused. "Why's there a fish here? Time for what?" He'd scoff at last, head dipping lower to try to look at it closer, only to pick his head up and look around. How could a RiverClanner come into their territory to bury a fish - and why? "Why was it under whatever that plant is?" Too many questions, such an odd circumstance to the young feline.

OOC INTERACTIONS ✧.·:·.*

• [ooc]
• windclan (sootstar) loyalist
  dirty fighter/will aim to kill
  will bully anyone (some more than others)
  

  
  

  likely to attack first
  powerplay peaceful actions okay
  ping if needed in a thread
  
• 
  8 months old
  ftm calico -- he/him
  tunneler apprentice
  
  large ears
  always looks grumpy

​

 

[cottonsprig]

Cottonpaw, like many others, is excited at the prospect of new tunnels to explore. Better yet, tunnels made by their paws. She can already imagine - one day, having a little apprentice of her own, showing off the walls she's molded and carved with her many comrades... it's so unbelievably thrilling! And with having Scorchstreak as a mentor - just so long as she keeps her tail in line, she may be one of the few constantly helping out. At least, that's what she hopes.

The blue furred girl is busy hunting, much like many others nearby. She's not so aware of Wolfsong's proximity until the tom speaks, causing her to startle slightly. Blue eyes sweep around, deeply hoping that none of her Clanmates saw her jump, before she gathers with Mousepaw and the medicine cat. Like the young calico, she too is confused with the prospect of a fish so far inland.

"I'd claw the ears off of whatever RiverClanner brought that nasty thing here," she huffs, nose wrinkling. Thing is, there is no water-logged stench nearby. Her gaze stills on the thin bones and empty skull for far too long. "Ohhh..." she hums, tail twitching, "This is one of those medicine cat things." Her tone is almost matter-of-fact, and she bumps her shoulder to Mousepaw's, "I bet fish bones are good for cleaning the gunk out of your teeth." That's something medicine cats worry about, right?​

 

[RATTLEHEART]

It was difficult to imagine Rattleheart being a particularly prideful feline, considering his usual shaking demeanor and general attitude. Like most, though, he often wanted something that he could hold up as an accomplishment of his. Anything that he was truly pleased with, that he could point a paw to and say I did that. The tunneler had never been one to want that achievement to be related to battle - he wasn't like the apprentices that dreamed of one day saying they were the ones that had taken a life from an enemy clan's leader. Instead he dreamed of contributing to something larger, and more peaceful. Building, rather than destroying. That was why it was such a boon that he had been born in the petite form that he possessed, which had led to him being able to take on the job of a tunneler. Of course, he'd never imply that the moor runners didn't contribute, but he wanted his contributions to be different.

Needless to say, he had been among the crowd of excited faces when Sootstar had gathered everyone around for Windclan's latest meeting.

Though he didn't want to get ahead of himself - or any of the other tunnelers - he had spent his last few days venturing out near where their tunnel was set to begin, trying to get a lay of the land and make a plan in his head. The tunneling itself would be a collaborative effort, of course, but no one could blame him for wanting to see what the most efficient path to the bridge would truly be. Rattleheart wasn't even really focused on the other end, not caring much about the ultimate destination. It could offer an advantage over Windclan, sure, but he didn't want to think about destruction. He wanted to think about creation, and the hard work that went into it.

Padding over for his usual glance around, the small tom was caught off guard by the presence of Wolfsong and two apprentices already lingering. The area hadn't been very popular before save for hunting, so his curiosity drove him closer to where their new medicine cat stood. Though Rattleheart's ears immediately flattened when he spotted the fish skeleton, startled by its presence within their territory. "Wolfsong? Do you know what it means?" He couldn't catch a whiff of the telltale stench of Riverclan nearby, so it didn't seem likely that one of their warriors had come and buried it themselves.
​

[ PENNED BY EO ]​

 

[heathermoon !!]

Wolfsong as a warrior was not Heatherpaw's favorite Clanmate, often driven by his teenage angst and selfish drive to act on his own without the wisdom of an adult. However, Wolfsong as a medicine cat felt more... likable. Maybe. With the mountain-born tom busy with more medicinal tasks than warrior, Heatherpaw hadn't many instances of interacting like they used too. Perhaps later into adulthood the ruddy apprentice would come to miss the days they patrolled side-by-side, but at the moment he found freedom from his lessons.

Alongside Cottonpaw he practices his crouch for above-ground techniques. His back to the Moorland princess, he's ignorant to her stumbling pounce as Wolfsong's mutterings also took his attention. He turned to her just as she began to pad away with Mousepaw, and he hurried after the pair to join them. Rather obnoxiously, Heatherpaw made himself comfortable practically climbing over the smaller she-cat to see what it was that had the older toms attention. His muzzle scrunches in a look of disgust, sticking his tongue out at the mere mention of RiverClan.

"Medicine Cat things?" He echoed Cottonpaw's suggestion curiously. What could fish bones possibly do? He never saw them when Vulturemask or Dandelionwish were around. Mismatched eyes flicker to Rattleheart, who's question implied it was a StarClan message and his attention was captured further.

StarClan? Speaking to their Medicine Cat already... This was what he and Peonypaw had talked about. That night, when he couldn't sleep. How lucky they were to talk with StarClan. Heatherpaw's eyes widened with excitement as he looked to Wolfsong expectantly. ​

WINDCLAN APPRENTICE ✦ RED MACKEREL TABBY ✦ 9 MOONS ✦ TAGS​

 

[cygnetstare]

♱—— unlike some of her clanmates, cygnetstare is not here to scout out the area of the new tunnel. it's certainly a good idea to get the lay of the land, yes, but she thinks she will save that for when the digging begins, when they need to start really thinking about it—where might a rock dive sharp through the new tunnel's ceiling? perhaps a burrow of skunks lurks under than innocuous patch of ferns? this and more they will learn when the digging begins, be it from their own observations or those of their well-prepared clanmates. tunneling is a collaborative effort, after all—the small team of tunnelers and their apprentices know each other by voice and scent more than sight, working together beneath the ground for moons.

they wriggle forth from one of the entrances, @LUCKYPAW likely to be just behind them; the pair aren't emerging for duties, but to quickly navigate to a different entrance under the watchful eye of the sun. it's the sight of wolfsong that pauses their determined trek; perhaps intending to greet the medicine cat, she pads over with a twitch of their long tail to luckypaw—he is free to make conversation with the small group of cats that have gathered here, but not stray far. a small group of her fellow tunnelers have clustered around his unmistakable golden pelt, and she joins them to peer at what is settled into the dirt at his paws—a fish skeleton. he looks down at it, rasping some cryptic phrase, and cygnetstare's head tilts.

it's mostly apprentices who have gathered, she notes with amusement, always curious. mousepaw scoffs in confusion, prodding wolfsong with the questions that must be settling in the grooves of the little gathering's minds. rattleheart and heatherpaw ask the same, cottonpaw offering a useful, if childishly worded contribution—unsurprising for sootstar's daughter—of "medicine cat things". cygnetstare nods in agreement, adding their own gravelly voice to the fray, "perhaps wolfsong sees things in the fish we don't. it's he who talks with starclan 'round here, after all. it's up to him to decide whether we oughta know what it means." her raw accent conceals a careful eloquence, a chilled philosophy. this fish is certain to mean something, brought here with little physical explanation, uncovered by their new medicine cat. she shrugs.

the mysteries of the medicine cat's world were not hers to know. she trusts wolfsong, and that is enough.

---

┏━⋆⁺｡˚⋆˙‧₊ OOC ☽ ◯ ☾ INFORMATION₊‧˙⋆˚｡⁺⋆━━━━━┓ ‎‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎‎ ‎‎‎‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎‎‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ☄. *. ⋆♱･ﾟ:

• ooc: ——
  

• 

• ♱ cygnetstare — for their downy kitten-fur and perceptiveness (or uncanny gaze) she/they ; afab gender apathetic — windclan — tunneler — 34 ☾s —— cygnetstare is a corpselike chimera, split between long albino fur and a short black smoke pelt; their eyes are an unsettling pink. her creepy demeanour distracts from a strange fascination with death and an obsessive loyalty to windclan. —— smells like grave-dirt and blood ; sounds like vc tbd ; speech in #BF959C, thoughts in #000000 —— peaceful / healing powerplay permitted ; attacks/contact in underline ; will start fights ; won't flee unless ordered ; won't show mercy ; will kill or maim —— pansexual panromantic monogamist, single, not looking ; open to friendships, enemies, casual interactions, long-term romance, plotting ; not open to unplanned battles, flings penned by dejavu— desklamp9 on discord for plots

• battle stuff goes here for fights

​

 

[SOOTSTAR]

SOOTSTAR ♀​

Sootstar and @BLUEPAW had just gotten done shoring up a nearby tunnel. They’d emerged mere moments ago to take in some fresh air, even experienced tunnelers would be thankful for it from time to time. Gathered around Wolfsong are three apprentices with Rattleheart and Cygnetstare. Flicking her tail for her apprentice to follow she trots over with loose dirt rolling off her pelt. Now close enough she witnesses the fish and scowls, like the apprentices before her she too immediately pondered how it had gotten here… Had it been a RiverClanner? Her nose begins to twitch right as the prospect of a prophecy is brought up, her eyes grow dark and narrowed. ”Is this a sign about RiverClan, Wolfsong?” Her warriors are given a weary glance.

 

[WOLFSONG]

── .∘°°∘. ── His clanmates gather quickly with questions. He knows it was not the work of a RiverClanner, but far more likely a bird who displaced its meal. Why it did not retrieve it, Wolfsong cannot say— perhaps that is StarClan's work. He does not yet understand the breadth of their influence; calling forth lightning at the Gathering is a great power, but does it prove their sway over the will of life? If the fish is an omen as he feels it must be, then that may be true.

His ears twitch as the voices of his clanmates form a lingering cloud of speculation and curiosity above his head. Wolfsong hears each distinct comment, though he does not respond, his remaining eye slitted with both thought and realization. It is, as Cottonpaw put it, medicine cat things, which Cygnetstare concurs, albeit a bit more eloquently. It is not his intention to seem that he is ignoring them all, but when Sootstar speaks, he recognizes that he has done so inadvertently.

"My apologies," he says, lifting his gaze to rest briefly on each apprentice and warrior, from Mousepaw to Cottonpaw, Rattleheart to Heatherpaw, Cygnetstare and Sootstar. "I was lost in thought. I believe it is a sign, Sootstar. It is no coincidence I have found RiverClan prey so close to this new tunnel." He inclines his head in its direction. "Perhaps it is time to truly begin, that it will herald a victory over RiverClan."
​

WOLFSONG of WINDCLAN FORMER ROGUE TURNED MEDICINE CAT. 36 MOONS, HE/HIM, NPC X NPC. MATES WITH SUNSTRIDE (07/05/2023). BIOGRAPHY, PINTEREST, & PLAYLIST.

medicinal expertise med. part ii med. part iii med. part iv

• — ★★★☆☆ WOUNDS: You're (mostly) in safe paws. You'll know if he's less experienced if he asks for your permission to try a treatment. No wound can scare him away from knowledge. — ★★★☆☆ INFECTION: He can prevent most infections. If you feel feverish, let him know— he'll hum thoughtfully over herbs and sniff your wound before saying, "With your blessing..."
• — ★☆☆☆☆ ACHES & PAINS: If you complain to him of pain, he'll ask where. If it's a headache, you'll likely feel a bit better. For anything else, "Try this, if you'd like, and tell me how you feel." — ★☆☆☆☆ BROKEN BONES: At best. he can ask you to remain lying down in the den. He may try to distract you with conversation while he considers what herb to feed you.
• — ★★★★★ TRAVELING HERBS: Going somewhere? No worries; Wolfsong knows just what you need to stay hale and healthy during your journey. The rest is up to you. — ☆☆☆☆☆ KITTING: He doesn't remember what it was like to be born. Coincidentally, that is the extent of his familiarity with kitting. At least he won't leave you without moral support.
• — ★☆☆☆☆ POISONS: It's best if you avoid eating anything unfamiliar to you— it's probably just as unfamiliar to Wolfsong. The best he can do is offer you yarrow and sit with you. — ★★☆☆☆ ILLNESS: If it's white or greencough, you'll likely recover. Otherwise, prepare for odd concoctions and the usual request that you consent to a little trial-and-error.

​

 

[BLUEFROST]

Bluepaw follows her mother dutifully from the bowels of the earth, her nose twitching as stale dust-tainted air is replaced with wind gusts and heather. She takes a moment to sit beside Sootstar, using her claws to rake clumps of dried mud from her fur. There’s an audience gathering around Wolfsong—she can see his golden pelt through their curious bodies. Her green eyes narrow thoughtfully; she tries to catch her sister’s eye, hearing Heatherpaw echo her comment about medicine cat things. Leaving the remaining tunnel debris in her pelt, she pads closer to the circle, close at Sootstar’s side.

Their newest medicine cat gives her mentor a look through one gleaming cyan eye. “I believe it is a sign, Sootstar.” Bluepaw eyes the sign in question—a near-perfectly preserved fish skeleton, its bones bleached by the sun. She inhales sharply. “This tunnel could have something to do with victory over RiverClan?” She passes her mother a questioning glance through slitted emerald eyes. She remembers her conversation with her littermates and her older siblings, remembers Sootspots’ comments about StarClan, and she feels her paw pads tingle with excitement.

He was wrong. StarClan favors us still. They want us to be victorious over RiverClan.

✧ INFO.

•  
• 
  — bluekit . bluepaw
  — she/her, apprentice of windclan
  — bisexual ; single
  — long-haired blue she-cat with white and green eyes
  — “speech”, thoughts, attack
  — penned by Marquette
  — art by Meg

​

 

[RATTLEHEART]

I believe it is a sign. Perhaps it is time to truly begin.

Wolfsong's words echoed in Rattleheart's mind, his tail twitching with excitement at the prospect of starting on their tunneling work. He wasn't nearly as enthused over the victory over Riverclan part, but he could push that to the back of his mind for now. The monochrome tom would focus on what he could actually do, rather than the bloodlust that fueled a good portion of his clanmates. Most especially Sootstar, whose narrowed gaze set his pelt twitching with anxiety even when it wasn't focused anywhere near him. At least Wolfsong's words foretold something positive for Windclan for once, instead of another future defeat. Hopefully that would bring a smile to her face.

Pawing briefly at the ground, he watched his claws pull at the dirt beneath them. The actual tunneling would be a huge undertaking, but Rattleheart had no doubt that the strength of their tunnelers combined could handle it. "Then I say we heed the word of Starclan. We knew that we'd need to get started before too long, and this is just the sign that we needed... I'm sure Scorchstreak would feel the same way." He spared a glance around all of them, wondering if his sister was lingering in any of the nearby already completed tunnels. He was certain she had to be just as antsy as he was, eager to please both the clan as a whole and Starclan.

Ego-driven had never really been a phrase Rattleheart would have used to describe himself, but he couldn't deny there was a bit of want for validation burning inside of him. It was easy for moor runners to think of tunnelers as odd, or weak, but he wanted to make sure they continued to know just how useful they really were - and how vital they were to Windclan. And if some small part of him wanted to impress a certain moor runner in particular at the same time... well, then that was his business.
​

[ PENNED BY EO ]​

 

[LUCKYPAW]

It would be a lie to say Luckypaw isn't curious about the new tunnel system to be put in place beneath RiverClan soil, announced at the same time as his own apprenticeship; Cygnetstare had said they'd be working on them together eventually, and yet there's hardly been anything more than talk, as far as he's aware. Were they waiting for anything in particular, he wonders? For some new season to come upon them, perhaps? There's not much else he can think of that might delay their efforts - even if they had already started and he wasn't allowed to help, still too new and inexperienced, surely he'd still have heard of it. Whatever the reason may be, he can't say he's not at least a little grateful for the chance to have a start on learning the tunnels before being thrust into something so uncharted and new; the prospect of helping to dig out an entirely new tunnel, one that might be there for generations to tend to, is still very much intimidating. It's not like shoring up already-made tunnels under the guidance of Cygnetstare - this would be like shaping something from nothing, and, of course, if he didn't get it right the first time, the walls may not be stable enough to stand, with the very thought sending a shudder through his whiskers.

Thoughts of the RiverClan tunnel aren't typically at the forefront of his mind, though as he follows after Cygnetstare onto the moors, Luckypaw can't help but be reminded of it, seeing just how close they are to where the underground channel is slated to begin. The sight of Wolfsong throws him off for a moment, as it's not every day he spots the medicine cat while they're both out of camp, though as his mentor signals to him, it's the gathered group of his fellow apprentices he approaches first. While he can't say he's particularly close to any of them, being a tunneler necessitates a certain level of camaraderie - you have to be able to trust those around you with your life in an emergency, which, in his eyes, results in a peculiar sort of bond. Offering only a dip of his head and hoping he doesn't look as awkward as he feels, Luckypaw settles nearby as he regards the fish skeleton with curiosity. Though he knows RiverClan is known for their swimming and fishing, this is still the first time he's ever seen a fish, dead or alive, and it looks...well, it looks weird. It's hard to imagine just what it might look like as more than bones, and even harder to imagine what it's doing here so clearly on WindClan territory.

Wolfsong speaks of signs, of timing and of victory, and that gives him pause; how did he get all that over some bones? Did it not just mean that some RiverClanner had left the remains of their meal, that some WindClanner had sampled the strange prey at some point previously? Of course, it's not as though it's his place to raise questions against Wolfsong's judgement; like Cygnetstare had pointed out, only one of them gathered here receives guidance from StarClan. That, however, raises an entirely new set of questions, ones that perhaps Wolfsong is more apt to answer. "Does that really mean someone from StarClan left these here for you to find? Did you have some sort of feeling something was gonna be here, or is it like, when you see it you suddenly just...know that it's supposed to be a message?" The words are punctuated by a slight tilt of the head as Luckypaw looks up from the skeleton to instead take in the scarred medicine cat. He's certainly glad he doesn't have that duty, speaking to StarClan - he'd never have recognized the bones as meaning something, and certainly not something as specific as pertaining to the new tunnels! No, he's content just to listen to and believe Wolfsong's words, and now to ready himself to start work on the new tunnel system sooner than he'd quite expected.​

[ PENNED BY HIJINKS ]​

 

[SOOTSTAR]

SOOTSTAR ♀​

The tunnel? Sootstar looks at her paws as if she could see through the soil, of course… She can’t help but smirk slyly, even StarClan themselves could not deny the genius in their idea. To her long-haired apprentice she nods, ”Yes, it must be so now that StarClan has shared their approval.” ’Or was this some sort of trap?’ Her pelt twitches in paranoia. For now the blue she-cat chooses to swallow it down. ”Rattleheart, you should return to camp and fetch as many tunnelers as you can find. If we have the numbers we can begin right away.” Sootstar instructs as Luckypaw prods Wolfsong for knowledge on if and how he knew the fish bones would be here.