duskclan will you ever win? — meeting

[RUMBLERAIN]

"DuskClan, gather for a meeting."

Rumblerain sounds ... calmer, this time. They're growing used to being the centre of attention, their words heeded at once even if it may be begrudgingly so. Their scruffy fur is freshly groomed, though it does little to hide the weariness in their eyes, blue turned molten gold by the rays of the setting sun.

"Gravelpaw." A tinge of sadness touches their expression as they gesture for the pale-furred molly to step closer. Rumblerain wishes Thriftfeather was here. He deserved to see his apprentice graduate. DuskClan deserves their deputy. Rumblerain deserves their friend. "From this moment on, you will be known as Gravelspark. I believe you'll make a great warrior."

For what it's worth, I'm proud of you.

"Mm ... Vixen, Coyote, Viper. Step forward." Those were the names of the cats who had requested an addition this moon, they think. It's hard to tell, with so many new DuskClanners joining them at once. Thankfully, the cats who step forward don't seem blindsided by this development, and they relax a little. "As leader, I welcome you as DuskClan warriors and give you your names.

"From now on, you will be known as Vixenblood." It had all but been a request from the ginger-flecked molly, the impression of a cool warrior name fixed firmly in her mind. It's just about the silliest name they would ever give, they think, but she seems pleased.

Rumblerain's gaze lingers next at the top of the younger she-cat's head, red fur between her ears turned bloody in the last light of the day. They would never forget that image, would they? Eyes dropping to meet steely gaze, they meow, "You will be known as Coyotecrown."

Finally, the brother among the three. Sharp-eyed and stoic, quietly expectant before them now, Rumblerain suspects they may fall readily into the company of the acerbic Dustwhisker. "You will be known as Viperstrike."

Not all of them had chosen to take on new names, and that was alright. Rumblerain doesn't mind so much, so long as they were here. They dismiss the trio with a nod, their gaze then straying to other new faces in the crowd. "Thank you for joining us. All of you.

"Mizzlekit, Berrykit, step forward." They haven't used their daughter's name much since they'd returned. Resistance had met their attempt at calling them Berrykit at first, but maybe hearing the transition said in full would make a world of difference to the young adolescent. "The two of you are old enough to become apprentices: to experience the world as a training warrior. You'll learn to hunt and fight, and you will follow one cat in particular: your mentor."

It wasn't the kits' fault that they hadn't been properly taught how a Clan worked.

"Mizzlekit, you will be known as Mizzlepaw. Privetfrost will be your mentor." They seek their first apprentice in the crowd, solemn eyes piercing him. With it, a silent warning: Do not mess this up.

Then, second, Rumblerain stands before their daughter. Their expression does not change, but their gaze shifts minutely towards something softer as they meow, "Berrykit, you will be known as Berrypaw. I will mentor you myself.

"Now you touch noses with your mentor to say hello." They explain to the two quietly, waiting for Mizzlek- Mizzlepaw and Privetfrost to touch noses before they lean down to make brief contact with their own. Whether she recoils from the tap or not, Rumblerain returns to their place with squared shoulders and addresses the Clan.

"Thriftfeather has been missing for almost a moon now. I ... want to- I will lead a patrol close by WindClan. With any luck, if he is there, we can end this before he says too much." Their heart isn't in the threat, though it beats, harried, in their throat. They can only hope that they find his bones instead.

"Privetfrost, I want you to take a patrol to hunt close by ShadowClan's borders. See what you can find. It's got to be better than this." A touch of bitterness laces their meow, resigned and out of place among their general demeanour. Privetfrost would be ruthless enough to handle this.

"Meeting dismissed."

ooc ✧ 𝘩𝘦𝘢𝘳 𝘪𝘵 𝘧𝘢𝘭𝘭 𝘧𝘳𝘰𝘮 𝘢𝘣𝘰𝘷𝘦

• warriors: @GRAVELPAW @vixen @Coyote. @Viper
  apprentices: @Mizzlekit @berrykit
  
  privetfrost is to lead a hunting patrol to shadowclan!
  rumble will be taking a patrol to windclan to look for signs of thrift :3
• 
  
  [ art by antiigone ]
• RUMBLERAIN ✧ they/them, leader of duskclan
  
  
  — "a lanky, scruffy seal and white point with blue eyes."
  — single ; mentoring berrypaw
  — speech is in #858AC0
  — tags | penned by mercibun, contact on discord for plots.
  
  
  
  

​

 

[vixenblood]

"Yay, Gravelspark!" Vixen calls, her casual cheer for the other new warrior out of place among the calls that more experienced Clan cats gave. Oh, just the new name then? Right. Oops. Vixen doesn't seem too troubled by the minor faux pas, hopping to her paws as soon as her name is called and she makes eye contact with the leader briefly.

She hadn't noticed that Coyote and Viper had chosen to take on a second part to their name, so entranced by learning the way that their new territory worked, but she's pleasantly surprised to hear Rumblerain call them forward too.

She still doesn't quite understand the whole warrior name thing, aside from the fact that DuskClan followed a two-part convention like that weird Clan bordering the Twolegplace. Right from the start when Rumblerain had offered to give them proper warrior names, Vixen had known that she wanted something awesome. Something that would make her enemies run scared, where whispers of it would make them tremble.

It just so happens that Vixenblood is probably the coolest name she's ever heard. Her jaw drops open, delight bathing her features. Oh, yes. This would do quite nicely, especially after they'd gone and left that mouse-brained WindClanner to die a few days ago.

"Coyotecrown! Viperstrike!" She doesn't add the extra whooping this time, catching on to the general atmosphere a little better now. Again, when the two little ones become apprentices, Vixenblood calls out: "Mizzlepaw! Berrypaw!"

ooc ✧ 𝘪𝘯 𝘭𝘰𝘷𝘦 𝘸𝘪𝘵𝘩 𝘫𝘶𝘥𝘢𝘴

•  
•  
• VIXENBLOOD ✧ she/they, warrior of duskclan
  
  
  — "a lean tortoiseshell with yellow-green eyes."
  — single ; loyal to her siblings before her clan
  — speech is in #AC315A
  — tags | penned by mercibun, contact on discord for plots.
  
  
  
  

​

 

[PRIVETFROST]

"Gravelspark! Vixenblood! Coyotecrown! Viperstrike! Mizzlepaw! Berrypaw!" Privetfrost called from the crowd, with his voice a callous smoothness that wove through Duskclan's cheers, like a breeze cutting through the stillness of air. By now, he had grown far better into his snakeskin than the last meeting that Rumblerain conducted. Intonation unfurled into a glossy tongue, of which gossamer words flowed from, though never fraught in the heat nor the saccharine of honey and ambrosia. Fern-green gaze still did not shine in tender warmth, though never meek like a lifeless prey animal's, instead fermenting in a far colder and wintry light. To him, gifting those outsiders some semblance of a warrior's name stood as a mere facade, a stageplay to scorn and mock from his self-sustained perch. There was no earning of those names, no glory to be found in the quickness of which they had attained them. It was unlike his own, honed and deserved after moons of fruitful training and heaving exhaustion. He knew that Duskclan would need the manpower to survive through ingracious leaf-bare, but that did not mean that he had to enjoy the presence of rogues within his territory, as though their kind only sought to stir tumult into the brave hearts of the noble and righteous (like himself). There was little gentleness extended even to the two incoming kittens, of which had not merited their place as Duskclan's generational heirs. I wonder what this clan has come to, sometimes.

Only a flicker of acknowledgment traipsed upon an angular countenance as he stared at Mizzlepaw, like purls of consternation rippled silent and unseen upon Privetfrost's face, waves of curiosity hurling at each other just beyond the surface. His former mentor's gaze seemed to pierce straight through his own, like a hawk observing the earthly creatures below him. They would not be disappointed with him, not if the sable-and-snow tomcat could help it. The magpie-coated warrior dipped his head to briefly touch noses with the sable-streaked apprentice, the unusually tender gesture like a mere breath dissipating into the winds, never to be caught again by mortal memories nor hands. It would be the last vaguely vulnerable movement that Privet would afford Mizzle, though it appeared that the bright-eyed boy had hardly caught upon the fate that he had entwined himself into. "Come." Privetfrost flicked his tail in a display of impatience, as though turbulence birthed and emerging from his own naivete - he had been granted a protege, but had not even completed a full cycle of the seasons. Still, he found himself much more mature and intelligent than even those that had lived tens of his lifetimes - for it was not the age but the time done with that age that mattered to him. "We must not waste any time. If you are to accompany me to Shadowclan, then you must be trained in the basics of combat." The warrior padded off without ever waiting to see if Mizzlepaw would duly follow.

𝐀𝐍𝐃 𝐀𝐋𝐎𝐍𝐄 𝐈𝐍 𝐌𝐘 𝐑𝐎𝐎𝐌 ⋆ ˖ ⁺ ‧ ₊ ☽ ◯ ☾ ₊ ‧ ⁺ ˖ ⋆ 𝐈 𝐀𝐌 𝐓𝐇𝐄 𝐋𝐀𝐒𝐓 𝐎𝐅 𝐀 𝐋𝐎𝐒𝐓 𝐂𝐈𝐕𝐈𝐋𝐈𝐙𝐀𝐓𝐈𝐎𝐍

• OOC:
  
• 
• 

  PRIVETFROST & HE/HIM & 11 MOONS
  —— Warrior of Duskclan / Formerly mentored by Rumblerain
  —— Wine-dark and white-tipped, almost like a magpie. He has black fur except for the tips of his ears, his muzzle and chin, a blaze on his chest, bottom portion of the legs, outer end of the tail, and along the upper ridges of eyes. He has ghost striping that can only be seen in certain sunlight. He has fern-green eyes.
  —— Cool, calculating, and much too mature for such a young age. Enamored with the life of a warrior and burdened by the expectations of his people. Hard to befriend and harder to maintain a steady friendship with.
  —— Penned by Tempest. Contact on Discord (naruk4mi) for plots and threads.

​

 

[berrypaw]

༻✦༺ Finding out that not only is Raindrop living with a strange group of wild cats out in the middle of nowhere, but that they’re the leader of these cats, had been quite the shock for young Arethusakit. It makes her feel even more upset with them, because if they’re the leader then they didn’t have to leave Mama behind. Edenberry could have come with them. But maybe Mizzlekit is right—maybe their Mama had things to do before they catch up with Ari and Mizzle. Either way, the girl frowns as Raindrop calls the clan together for a meeting, changing Gravelpaw’s name to Gravelspark immediately. They sure do like changing other cats’ names (and their own, it seems), don’t they?

Her dark-pointed parent has been calling her Berrykit since they first arrived, but she still calls herself by her real name. And Mizzlekit still calls her Ari, so what everyone else calls her just doesn’t matter. But it seems that changing her to Berry isn’t enough—they have to take away the kit part, too. Berrypaw is nothing at all like the name that her mama gave her when she was born. It’s all wrong. But at least she isn’t the only one who’s getting her name changed this time. Vixenblood (what a gross name), Coyotecrown, and Viperstrike all get their names changed to something different, too. And Mizzle gets called Mizzlepaw, which sounds so much different from Mizzlekit. She doesn’t like it. Her brother touches noses with his new mentor, but the girl hesitates when she’s faced with Rumblerain leaning down to tap their nose against hers. She stiffens, black paws unmoving; it’s the first time she’ll willingly touch the parent who had been unknown to her until they’d arrived to take her away from Mama forever. Mismatched eyes widen, locking onto icy blue… and finally, the girl shifts forward. Her nose presses against Rumblerain’s, uncomfortable but accepting.

There isn’t anything she can do about it now, is there?

The newly-named apprentice scrambles back away from her parent-mentor as soon as Rumblerain withdraws, but lingers close to listen to the rest of what they have to say. Some Thriftfeather is gone, and her parent wants to search for him. Will she be expected to search for him as well, she wonders. "What’s WindClan and ShadowClan?" This clan is called DuskClan, so does that mean their Thriftfeather guy is in a different place right now? The girl blinks, confused, and looks to her parent for answers.

kore kore 𓆩✧𓆪 fauna and flora

• ooc: —
• 
• BERRYPAW ☾₊‧⁺˖⋆ she/her, apprentice of duskclan
  ☆ small white apprentice with a black dorsal stripe, black paws, and blue point markings fading up her forelegs. eyes are mismatched blue and green.
  ☆ daughter to edenberry and rumblerain ; sister to mizzlekit
  ☆ mentored by rumblerain
  ☆ peaceful and healing powerplay permitted
  ☆ penned by foxlore

​

​

 

[Possumscratch.]

IF I DON'T GO TO HELL
WHEN I DIE I MIGHT GO TO HEAVEN ​

---

possumscratch & 22 moons & trans masc & he/they & duskclan rogue ​

---

When Rumblerain calls, Posumscratch meanders over - whiskers twitching with thinly veiled curiosity. The tom coils himself taught - like a viper ready to strike, or a dog waiting to go in for the kill. The newcomers are called forwards - given new names far faster then he himself had taken on on, though perhaps thats something that reeks of desperation more then any trust. An apprentice renamed, the kits given to train - and i]oh[/i], he's supposed to cheer now, isn't he? High pitch voice giggles for a moment, before echoing after Privetfrosts, far slower. " ...Gravelspark! ...Vixenblood! ...Coyotecrown! ...Viperstrike! ...Mizzlepaw! ...Berrypaw! "

━ actions & " speech, " & 'thoughts/quotes' ━

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M I G H T ━ G O ━ T O ━ H E A V E N , ━ B U T ━ P R O B A B L Y ━ N O T !

---

 

[Coyotecrown]

It's easy for Coyote to blend with the gathered group at Rumblerain's beck and call. A little too easy, she has never been to make large rocks of the boat, instead making waves in subtle ripples. She sits primly next to her sister and brother, not making a sound as the DuskClan leader bled into the presentation of a meeting. She's careful to take note of it, peeling back the language used and the body language given. She attempts to break it down to It's rawest form.

Gravelpaw is now Gravelspark, Vixen cheers for him. It's immature, as she always has been. An ear twitches as she notices the lack of theatrics given by anyone else. Interesting, so nothing beyond the parroting of a name is expected. Rumblerain calls for her, alongside her siblings, this earns her kin a curious flick of a glance. Had they also requested additions? Did they also yearn to blend in better?

She is mature, she doesn't laugh at the name given to Vixenblood but the thought crosses her mind. How much of this was Rumblerain's own desire versus her older sister? Nevertheless she looks thrilled to have it, and she would never dream of actually laughing at her. It's hard to not stare at the leader, dissecting gaze intaking how they look at this moment. Fur tinged that slightest orange in the embers of the sun, it highlights something alluring. Painting a strong figure, holding her respect.

There's a crack in her cold demeanour, a flicker of a smile breaking free in approval at the name bestowed to her. With a graceful dip of her head and nothing more she turns her attention to Viperstrike. Thankfully it didn’t sound as ridiculous as Vixenblood, this one she was confident was from Rumblerain's clever mind. She takes her place again nestled against the bulk of the crowd once dismissed.

The rodents of the clan are called up next, they're to be apprentices. She listens eagerly, learning what this all means alongside the youth gathered even if she hates that fact. Soon she can surpass them in knowledge, after that will be the older clan cats. Mizzlepaw is assigned Privetfrost and Berrypaw to Rumblerain, it's over without any wailing thankfully. It's amusing to watch them have to touch noses with their mentors, there's something tender to the DuskClan leader here and ridiculous in regards to Privetfrost.

“Gravelspark! Vixenblood! Viperstrike! Berrypaw! Mizzlepaw!” she doesn't raise her voice to the heights everyone else does. Under the belief that she would look like a fool, she does make an effort to make sure it’s louder than normal for her. There's a false pride there, the effort into trying to appear like she has comradery. As close to it one can find in this clan at least.

There's that desire to laugh again at the mention of Thriftfeather. She had never met him, anyone who is daft enough to leave here is laughable in her eyes. Especially if he's sold his soul back to those these cats ran from to begin with, how fickle. There's interest for her to return to those moors, if anything to go see if that stupid tom with the hare had bled out on the grass yet.

‎‎ ‎OOC ✙ BABY NOTHING COMES FOR FREE ‎

• 

• COYOTE
  She / her, Rogue, 17 moons (ages on the 3rd)
  ✥ NPC x NPC | Sibling to Vixenblood, Viperstrike, Kitestorm, Hawk, Wolf, Spider & Shrike
  ✥A long haired tortoiseshell with hazel eyes | Judgemental and spiteful, a cat that lacks respect for others and refuses to feign it.
  ✥ "speech" | thoughts | attacking
  ✥ All opinions are IC only!

​

 

[GRAVELSPARK]

Rumblerain calls for a meeting and robotically does Gravelpaw rise from where they had been laying, approaching the scene before roughly seating themself. The leader pauses for a moment and their mind slips away from the present, thinking of their last meeting with Vulturepaw, can you keep a secret? Even thinking about this threatens to break the floodgates even if Gravelpaw had never cried since they were a small little kit.

Gravelpaw, they're startled out of their mind by being called. Fearful, at first, Gravelpaw rises and steps forwards in a cautious manner, desperately trying not to swivel their ears back upon their skull in disdain. A punishment does not come, nor does anything else... They do not miss the smallest display of sadness flicker over Rumblerains face and their own mirrors it. It must be time, and Thriftfeather hadn't even stuck around to witness it; a shared thought between the pair, unbeknownst to them...

You will be known as Gravelspark, and something about being a good warrior that they miss... Gravelspark. Why Gravelspark? They step back, blending back in to the crowd before they let their lip curl ever slightly. Such an ugly name, or do they think this simply just because it is theirs? Would Vulturepaw think its cool? They think it an awfully cruel thing, that their only friend lives in an enemy clan that refuses to accept their existence.

Cheers rise all around them, chanting their name, their new name, the others new names and instead of being proud, Gravelspark feels nothing but dread. They're a warrior now... And no longer an apprentice. And no longer what they were used to, and no longer is their life going to be the same, and no longer- they take a gasp of air in, almost suffocating herself by forgetting to breathe. As soon as Rumblerain dismisses the meeting, the newly-named warrior turns tail and flees the scene, needing to get far, far away to collect their thoughts.

𝖨𝖵𝖤 𝖡𝖤𝖤𝖭 𝖠𝖫𝖫 𝖮𝖴𝖳 𝖮𝖥 𝖣𝖱𝖤𝖠𝖬𝖲 ˚⋆｡°✩₊🦇 𝖸𝖮𝖴 𝖢𝖠𝖭𝖳 𝖲𝖠𝖸 𝖨 𝖣𝖨𝖣𝖭𝖳 𝖳𝖱𝖸

• 
  ❥ gravelspark 𓆩✧𓆪 baby, gravelkit, gravelpaw
  ❥ demi-girl 𓆩✧𓆪 she/they 𓆩✧𓆪 09 months
  ❥ duskclan warrior 𓆩✧𓆪 mentored by thriftfeather
  ❥ black/blue smoke chimera with high white and blue eyes
  ❥ "speech, 9d9adf" 𓆩✧𓆪 thoughts
  ❥ single 𓆩✧𓆪 not interested in love (unknown sexuality)
  ❥ smells like chilled rain and pine needles 𓆩✧𓆪 nostalgic & icy
  ❥ penned by chuff

​

 

[Ebonylight.]

*+:｡.｡ TW FOR CRUEL IC OPINIONS </3

Eboylight watches with eyes upturned in a permanent state of amusement as he watches Rumblerain stand tall despite the wariness staining blue eyes grey. What must it be like, to be the head of a handful of lives? Ebonylight doesn't take the time to look at those present - he doesn't need to, doesn't care to. They're all as significant to him as a mass of shadows; writhing snakes to step over or playfully allow to curl about his legs like worms on the offensive. Fireflies that glow only for Ebonylight's amusement, nameless and small.

But Rumblerain cares. Ebonylight watches with a rising smile as they call her treasure's name, the sadness as obvious as dew on a mouse's trembling whiskers. She recalls Thriftfeather's repulsion when Gravelpaw had been brought to camp, the devastation when Ebonylight christened the girl with his former mentor's name. Now the golden-furred coward was gone, but his impact on Duskclan was significant. That was not a funny enough joke for Ebonylight.

They watch as their treasure receives its new name and feels, ironically enough, a spark of irritation. They hate it. Gravelspark. It's not a name they chose for their treasure - their treasure , theirs. Teeth grind as they watch the little grey-patched nothing they'd kindly taken in accept their new name with reluctance, staring at Rumblerain as if the point-painted creature was worth their undivided attention. Ebonylight isn't seeing the joke, and it's beginning to grate on their nerves.

When had the little child grown up? Ebonylight suddenly finds their paw on their belly, thinking about the other three scraps of nothing they'd given life to. Where were they? Swallowing thickly, they hold firm to their permanent grin, refusing to let Nightingalecry steal it from them, just as she had with their kits. But just like back then, there was little choice in the matter for Ebonylight.

She doesn't even get to congratulate her treasure - though forced as the words may have had to be - as the girl suddenly picks up and flees. Who the fuck raised that broken toy to be such a coward? Certainly not Ebonylight! He watches, disgust fuming steam behind their clenched teeth as the pathetic little thing runs away. They were supposed to be Ebonylight's ticket to a higher standing among the mongrels. They were supposed to be Ebonylight's second chance to play house. They were supposed to be hers and hers alone!

Instead, Gravelspark won't so much as look at her.


The meeting is dismissed, and Ebonylight slinks back into the shadows.

Thoroughly unentertained.

*+:｡.｡ Updated 4/13/24

• 
  
• 
  
  
  
  GENERAL:
  ‡ Ebonylight
  ‡ DFAB— He/They/She — Pansexual
  ‡ 18 moons — Ages 1 moon every month real-time
  ‡ Duskclan (Rogue)
  ‡ Mates with Nightingalecry, father to Frightkit, Deathkit and Witherkit
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  COMBAT:
  ‡ Physically hard | mentally hard
  ‡ Attack in bold black
  
  injuries: None currently
  

​