you got your youth and your hair || successful hunt && food aggression

[betonyfrost]

Betonyfrost kills a bird, and that should be the end of it.

It's a fieldfare or a redwing; Betonyfrost's father had told her the difference moons ago, but Betonyfrost hadn't committed it to memory. Something about the wings. It has a gray head, brown body, and mottled breast— wholly unremarkable when compared to the countless other birds of a similar size and coloration. If not for it being a Leafbare visiting bird, Betonyfrost would know it only as a thrush.

There is a joy that comes with making a catch. Normally Betonyfrost isn't so capable.

"Should've stayed home," Betonyfrost whispers to where she presumes its ear to be, because if she doesn't do something with her mouth she's bound to make a terrible mistake.

With a sigh, Betonyfrost pushes the ground away, pushes herself up and away from that bird and makes to turn around. The joy of a catch leaks from Betonyfrost as water would from a tattered leaf. She isn't meant to— her punishment isn't over, as much as she wishes it to be— she shouldn't—!

Betonyfrost makes to turn around, away, but then three things happen all at once that prevent her from completing the action:

She licks her teeth and tastes blood. Such a normal thing, and yet it jolts her heart awake.

She senses something, the approach of a clanmate. Someone will see Betonyfrost's catch, they'll take it away from her.

And lastly, Betonyfrost realizes she has no choice in the matter, or her body realizes. There isn't any other option, to eat or not.

They'll take it away from her.

Her heart is thunder. The nubs of Betonyfrost's ears pivot before the rest of her snakes to follow, back to the bird laying limp behind her. She doesn't bother with any preparation, instead coughing on feathers as she tears the bird apart, desperately swallowing every scrap that she could. That's how her clanmates will find her, hunched over the scant, bloody remains of her kill, surrounded by a loose halo of spat up feathers.​

shadowclan warrior | blue mackerel tabby | 16 moons | tags​

 

[Starlingheart]

Betonyfrost is lucky that it is Starlingheart who happens upon her first and not some other clan-mate, someone like Granitepaw or Halfshade or Chilledgaze. While the clan's medicine cat is not particularly fond of the gray-furred warrior either she does not wish death upon her like some of her other clanmates seemed to. Did she think that she was wrong for hitting her sister? Absolutely. But did she also think that the punishment was way too harsh? Also yes. But Betonyfrost had hit a child and Pitchstar was making an example of her. She knows this. But this scene layed out in front of her is sad, its pathetic and it makes the black and white she cat frown.

She doesn't know what to do? Does she turn away without saying anything? Forget she saw this or go tell someone? Or does she speak up here and now and say something. Starlingheart simply does not know. "Be-Betony wh-what what a-aaare what are yuh-you do-do-doing?" she asks gently, giving her a chance to explain herself. Betonyfrost knows just as well as Starlingheart does what her punishment was, and what would happen if someone other than her found out, which she is certain will happen. The rest of the hunting patrol she had been out with is bound to show up looking for her sooner or later.
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[Tornadopaw]

If you don't like me, that's your problem

Tornadopaw had been looking for her own prey to tackle and bring back to camp. But so far her search rendered no results. Eventually the familiar tang of crimson wafted across her nose and the black smoke trailed it to find Betonyfrost and Starlingheart. To her surprise the older molly was tearing into a piece of prey as Starling questioned her. Tornado's brows pinched together as she took a step that would being her side by side with the medic. "Digging herself into deeper trouble, that's what." She mutters, watching the warrior tear ravenously into the bird with a light sneer. Even without the punishment of eating last there was still listed order to the chain. "Betonyfrost, there are hungry queens and kits back at camp. They always eat first, everyone knows that." She voices, taking several steps closer. ​

When I let it bother me, that's my problem​

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[Swiftclaws]

Out of all the cats in Shadowclan he trusted Betonyfrost the least, he didn't hate her or anything something that can't be said for a lot of their clanmates but he doesn't believe she was reliable enough to be trusted around any of her clanmates alone; especially the youngest among them. The pains of hunger and desire affected them all making many of their moods turn sour if not flat out dangerous, it was a burden they shared together and Swiftclaws desperately tried to keep himself in check. Staying positive was one of the things he did best, even if some days he too wanted nothing more then to ignore everything and curl into a nice warm ball and forget about his responsibilities and his hunger. He was mature enough to know better, the idea of stealing prey for himself though he couldn't ever fathom doing such a thing sure the thought crossed his mind but the moment he truly thought past instinctive impulses of self-preservation he knew it wasn't worth taking a meal from those who really needed it. He just thought of Magpiekit and Mothkit and how much they needed their fill more then him to grow into strong warriors and that was more then enough to humble him.

Betonyfrost though wasn't like him she was under strict orders that left her far more hungry then the rest. It's not something he can say he agrees with not for how long it's lasted. Even if what she did was utterly foxhearted wasn't it enough to kick her out of then den? It's not his choice to make though and he knows better then to try and sneak her anything, for the most part he keeps his distance unless he's with her on patrol or whatever else. He only comes padding up now because he can smell blood, something that stirs the beast within his stomach and carries him over curiously until he's right behind Tornadopaw and Stralingheart and quickly he'd access the situation before padding forward. The hostile warrior looked almost crazed blood dribbling from her jaws and parts of her catch strewn about haphazardly, it doesn't even look like she took much time at all before scarfing down the meal, the look in her eyes makes him nervous. He goes to stand in the way of Tornadopaw and the medicine cat, taking precaution just in case she wanted to go for thirds she'd rather her go for him then them.

❝Betonyfrost, c'mon you know better this isn't how we do things, you can't be selfish❞ he gestures with his paw towards the thrush ❝Least take the rest back to camp❞ there wasn't much but there was some remains still clinging onto the bones. It'd be better that way, maybe Pitchstar wouldn't be so harsh if she didn't eat the entire thing. He's not confident though, if it was anyone else then it could be waved off and they could just have extra duties and eat last for a few days but he doubts it'd be that easy when it came to her. He frowns pity in his gaze, he really wished it didn't have to be this way despite everything she was still a clanmate someone even he'd spent his apprenticeship around it's not a pretty sight to see her reduced to little more this savage she-cat in front of him.​

( TAKE MY LEAD ; ILL SET YOU FREE )

 

[betonyfrost]

The clanmate approaching materializes into Starlingheart. She's yet another bird that should have stayed home; Betonyfrost slinks rather than steps to block her prey from Starlingheart's sight, although Betonyfrost couldn't possibly hide what she had been doing. Starlingheart asks anyway, and while Betonyfrost knows that this isn't a question meant to be answered literally, she snorts regardless.

What does it look like?

"Something came over me," Body low, limbs stiff. The don't come a step closer doesn't need to be said out loud: Betonyfrost's body screams it with the fold of her ears and the arch of her spine. Something is still over her. Betonyfrost's body folds, gagging and lurching as if about to lose her meal, but miraculously Betonyfrost keeps it down. Through it all, she never takes her cold green eyes off of Starlingheart's own.

Betonyfrost wishes that Starlingheart could live a day in Betonyfrost's pelt. She would understand how Betonyfrost had as much a decision in this as she did the weather — that it was no more a personal misstep than a crack of lightning hitting too near for comfort.

Tornadopaw comes to shame her as well. Hungry queens, hungry queens, its always those damn hungry queens. Had they had any sense, they would have planned their kitting closer to Newleaf. Betonyfrost wants to tell those queens just what they could do with their hunger, because there wasn't the slightest chance that they had ever been hungry like Betonyfrost had been.

She flinches as if to cover the remains, but it is already covered. Tornadopaw is too near, Starlingheart is too near, and abruptly Swiftclaws is too near.

"Selfish," Betonyfrost mutters. He's calling her selfish. Betonyfrost's claws dig into the soft mud beneath her and, on impulse, she checks on her kill.

There isn't much to it. She'd swallowed it in large bites, and had apparently even eaten a portion of one of its delicate ribs in her haste. What was left then, for the oh so important queens? Featherful skin, a misshapen gizzard? Nothing anyone would want to eat, the typical leftovers. Betonyfrost should move, she should allow it to be taken back to camp — what little of it there is.

It isn't worth it.

Betonyfrost doesn't move. She should. Betonyfrost looks back to Swiftclaws, struck still with the thought that he was going to take it away from her, leave her hungry again. He was going to do that.

"I'm staying here," Betonyfrost lowers herself until she is laying directly on top of the scraps, a quiet and earnest tone taking over her voice, "If you think this little — if you find this worth mentioning to everyone else then... then go ahead and do it. I know you lot would rather see me starve than risk your own tails for what's right, so go on and keep yourselves safe."​

shadowclan warrior | blue mackerel tabby | 16 moons | tags​

 

[ROOSTERSTRUT]

Everyone in ShadowClan had been hungry for weeks now. Roosterstrut is convinced that his youthful energy and spirit are the only things motivating him to get up every sunrise and help contribute to the clan. Others, however, seemed to be struggling more with the lack of prey. That is made apparent as Roosterstrut is slightly late to join the crowd; Starlingheart, Tornadopaw, and Swiftclaws standing around a bloody-jawed Betonyfrost. Feathers, the metallic stench, the fresh whiff of meat and bone. Oh, it smelled heavenly, making Roosterstrut's belly pang for just one bite.

The weight of what the other warrior has done begins to dawn on Roosterstrut as soon as the sights and smells overwhelming him are pushed to the back of his mind. Betony... He almost opens his maw to ask if she's alright, but it's become quite clear that she isn't. Not mentally, nor physically, as her starving body has pushed her to tear into a kill like a feral dog and defend the scattered remains like her life depended on it. It was a disturbing sight to witness, knowing that the leaf-bare and bitter cold could drive his clanmates, his friends, to take drastic measures. Betonyfrost wasn't his close friend, not anymore, but Roosterstrut still found himself sympathizing with his fellow warrior and seeing this incident solely as an act of weakness, not as selfishness.

Maybe that was just his problem. Maybe Roosterstrut tried too hard to see the good in people. Maybe he didn't want to believe that someone he grew up alongside could spiral into an individual who stole food for themselves and hit their clanmates. Despite Betonyfrost's reputation amongst ShadowClan, Roosterstrut couldn't bring himself to stand there and point fingers at her like everyone else. That was not going to help anyone, not that the damage was now done.

"Leaf-bare has been hard for everyone." A dismayed sigh expels from the tabby tom's maw. A cocktail of emotions stirs in the pit of his stomach, though mostly just... pity. Disappointment. Betonyfrost could not stop getting herself into trouble, but this time around, the she-cat had seemed so desperate. So feral. Would Pitchstar punish her badly for acting on natural instincts? But, then again, she hasn't had the best track record as of late. "I say we just let her have it. Doesn't seem like there's much left, anyway." Roosterstrut slightly frowns, flicking his gaze down toward Betonyfrost once more.

He doesn't suggest that they report to Pitchstar, though he knows that his clanmates will be doing so anyway. It was the right thing to do, he knew it in his heart, but Roosterstrut felt nervous for Betonyfrost. Would this break the straw on the camel's back? Gorging upon freshly-caught kill in the dead of leaf-bare, especially when prey was so scarce, was likely to be a serious offense.​

— * ✰. ooc information recent events * ✰. —

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  ✰ ROOSTERSTRUT
  —— amab, uses he/him pronouns. sixteen moons old. warrior of shadowclan.
  —— laid-back young adult who utilizes humor and fun in order to distract from serious matters. he is a decent warrior, though he hesitates to take risks.
  —— link to tags. @ on discord for plots.
  
  roosterstrut is a vibrant orange tabby tom with pale green eyes. he stands at a height ever so slightly above the average. his fur is long and whispy and his tail is especially reminiscent of a rooster's. he sports a signature, goofy smirk and a mischievous glint in his eye.
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[Poppypaw ★]

There wasn't a serious bone in her body. Poppypaw lived each day with the careless and ignorant delight of a kitten let out of the nursery for the first time because its all she could think to do to handle her situation. Things had always been a certain way with her and her mother and leaf-bare hadn't changed it but it did make it much harder for her to keep up with and still enjoy life in her own way, but lately there was a nagging anxiety at the back of her head that surfaced with every failed hunting trip and she fretted constantly over it to the point she felt stiff and out of sorts; like she was watching something wearing her body go through the same motions she often did before. Greet everyone loudly, join every conversation, play fight with any apprentice who crossed her path, stalk Frostbite for fun...she did them, she watched herself do it but it didn't feel like her anymore. Even now she felt disconnected and in her wandering she came across this scene and watched from the side with an almost horrified delight before realization sunk in. Betonyfrost was being selfish.
Food. It was supposed to go to the important cats in camp first. The kittens, the queens, the elders, her mother. That's what she was taught, its all she knew. She went hungry so often because of it, even if there was nothing left to give she would chew branches and think of fat frogs and wish for newleaf to arrive sooner rather than later. The red and white apprentice stalks forward, her usual peppy composure broken and expression distraught and wide-eyed; tears building in her gaze. She stops next to Tornadopaw but continues to pace slightly in place, looking from the older warriors present and their too young medicine cat she considered a friend.
"We have to follow the rules! It's not fair, I follow them all the time! I want to break the rules too! But we're not allowed to! You're not an important cat! You're not allowed to do this! If I did this mama would be so mad! How can she get away with it?!"
Poppypaw wanted to go find herself something, anything, and gobble it up all in one bite and not share with anyone but the idea of being caught like Betonyfrost had was almost enough to make her feel physically ill. Her mother would not be pleased at all...
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