wc rebels your voice down the hall } houndthistle

[RATTLEHEART]

It was odd, just how quiet the twoleg barn could get at times. Even with a large chunk of a newly exiled Windclan hidden within its walls, there were times when the barn felt silent and still - quiet, save for the occasional clucking of chickens outside. That much was especially true in the mornings, when most of their band of misfits were asleep and resting for the coming difficult days. Rattleheart often found themself among that crowd, happily curled in their nest and dead asleep as they refreshed themself and let their wounded body heal. This particular morning though, they found that they were hopelessly restless. Their mind wouldn't stop racing over everything that had happened, desperate to be back within the thorny walls of the camp that they had called home for moons. With such a return still being impossible for the moment, they instead settled for pushing themself up to their paws and heading for outside. Not far outside, just enough that they could settle and watch the rest of the world around them slowly awaken. The grass of the moors swayed in the morning light off in the distance, and for a brief second they could imagine themself dashing through it like a mere kit.

They were yanked back to reality by the sound of movement from inside the barn, apparently not the only one saying hello to the world so early. They turned and smiled when they saw who it was, long tail waving in greeting as Houndthistle grew closer. "Morning. You're in luck, things are very pretty this early." Their voice was soft and hoarse, a side effect from having not been awake for long. Though it was also a lingering side effect from the yellowcough that had once held them in its iron grip, their voice never quite the same as it had been before. The tunneler allowed a peaceful silence to settle in between them and Houndthistle, gaze focused outward rather than on their companion. "...What is it that brought you out here with us? Not that I ever considered you to be one of Sootstar's lap dogs, but..." Rattleheart finally looked towards him once again, a certain sadness in their eyes. "I suppose I'm wondering more about those who did stay." Some of the loyalists made sense to them, the ones that had constantly sung Sootstar's praises and refused to see her flaws. But faces like Peonypaw, or Rumblerain... they made the Rattleheart's chest ache.
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[ PENNED BY EO ]​

 

[HOUNDTHISTLE]

"BECAUSE COWBOY DAN'S A MAJOR PLAYER IN THE COWBOY SCENE"​

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An early riser gets the first kill, as his father used to tell him. While his father had meant that the earlier they got up, the more prey they'd hunt, Houndthistle now saw that meaning for much darker connotations. The first cats awake, the cats on guard before the rest, the ones who gathered strength first were always the ones more prepared for things to end badly, for blood to be shed. Nonetheless, as Houndthistle rose from his makeshift nest, shaking hay and wool from his bristly coat with a muttered grumble, he trudged toward the entrance, narrowing his eyes at the painful brightness that raged war on his already limited vision. But the air smelled fresh, the clouds fluffy, and the frosty dew upon the grass glittered like perfect crystals, and he inhaled deeply as he took it all in. Today... seemed like it could be the start to something better.

Rattleheart's voice interrupted Houndthistle's thoughts as he savored the morning air, the large brutish tom swinging his head around to look at the smaller cat, offering a nod in agreement. It sure is, He agreed silently, sitting down to look out with the other out upon the land. His mouth parted in a yawn, large fangs flashing in the early light. Rattleheart's next question made Houndthistle tilt his head, pondering a moment. That was an answer he wasn't even sure of, the only thing he knew was...
"There's a silent agreement, I think, 'tween leader an' follower. The leader ensures th' follower's safety an' makes sure they're able t' live a happy an' full life, whereas th' follower supports their leader when needed. Sootstar broke that agreement wit' me, proved to me that she don' care 'bout my safety or my son's safety or anyone I care about's safety. She proved it wit' th' Shadowclan raid, th' Skyclan attack, an' more. She nailed it in wit' stealin' those kits aswell," He mused out, thumping his stubby tail. His blinded eye, the scar he earned on that Shadowclan raid, was on the same side Rattleheart sat next to Houndthistle, its vacant, cloudy pupil staring straight ahead as he spoke, the wind softly buffeting their fur. "I'm not th' sharpest thorn in th' bush, but I've seen more an' more of what happens when ya follow those who only care 'bout their own hides an' their pride. The others... the others are caught up, perhaps, in her... fancy words, or maybe they're scared of change. Sootstar was our founder. The other clans, who's founders have died, we look't down on 'em, so it's only natural that when the power shifts... others would be uncertain," His words were thoughtful and even philosophical as he spoke, turning to glance at Rattleheart with a curious gaze. "That's my reason, atleast... what's yers?"

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"speech"

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OOC CURRENT STATS INTERACTION RULES

• text
• Physical Health
  
  100%
  ⤷ left eye is blinded
  Mental Health
  
  98%
• 
  Single | Bicurious | Not actively looking | Interested in Wolfsong, Scorchstreak, Sootspritespark
  
  Houndthistle is both an easy one to gain the trust of and impossible to gain the trust of. He'll rarely reveal personal information or be vulnerable-if he's even capable of such things-but he will show trust in his willingness to lay his life down. To gain it, he needs evidence that you're loyal and strong, same as him, otherwise he understands he may one day have to come head to head with you.
  
  — will start fights / will not flee / may show mercy
  — excels at Fighting, Tracking, Following Orders, Intimidation
  — poor at climbing, swimming, stealth, talking, strategy, politics
  — sounds like: deep, gravelled and thick with a sort of country accent / Arthur Morgan
  — smells of iron, leather, and wood
  — speech is #435E75

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[RATTLEHEART]

They listened intently as Houndthistle offered up his own explanation of why he had chosen to follow Sunstride and the others, nodding slowly as he took it all in. The other warrior's words were blunt, but they held a great deal of truth to them as well. They knew of plenty of warriors that would argue with such an explanation - say that you followed the leader because of your loyalty to your clan, and that loyalty for the leader was just an extension of that. Rattleheart had never agreed with that way of thinking, though. At one point perhaps Sootstar had represented the best interests of Windclan, but as time had gone on she had clearly grown farther and farther away from the ideals that she had once preached. She claimed that she was their leader and she kept them safe and secure, yet she also had led them into potential ruin over and over again without a single thought to those that would be hurt because of it.

Houndthistle was right - she hadn't kept up her end of the deal. Not by any means.

As their own question was - predictably - turned back on them, they couldn't help the slightly pained chuckle that left them. They glanced up towards the sky, as if the early morning colors could provide them with all the answers in the world. "Honestly... I never really trusted Sootstar in the first place. I wanted to. After all, she provided my siblings and I with a home, and with a community that we loved. But when it came to the way she acted... I just couldn't see her way of doing things leading to anything but ruin and destruction. I would never want some weak leader that always rolled over and never allowed us to defend ourselves, but it's just like you said. She was willing to sacrifice the safety of us all for her own gain, and that was the breaking point for me." There was a brief pause, their jaw clenching as they thought back to when Sootstar had first brought the Shadowclan kits into camp, proudly proclaiming them as new fodder for the war machine she seemed determined to turn Windclan into. "Her bringing in those kits was just when I found I couldn't keep my mouth shut anymore. I had tried for so long for the sake of my family, but her tearing them away from their father and trying to convince them they were better off... it was too much. Far too much." That was when they had finally allowed their voice to join the crowd of others proclaiming that Sootstar was in the wrong, no matter her position.

Finally allowing their chin to fall once more, they focused their pale green eyes back over at Houndthistle, rather than the welcome distraction of the sky. "I don't regret doing it, and I certainly don't regret following Sunstride when things finally came to a head. I just... I guess I just wish some others had been able to see the same things as me. I lost both my apprentice, Peonypaw, and my sister's child, Rumblerain, that day. They're still in her clutches. Following her for some reason." Their words were full of pain, gaze distant as they thought back to the desperation in Peonypaw's eyes as they had turned and fled alongside Venomstrike.
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[ PENNED BY EO ]​