- Nov 20, 2023
- 86
- 8
- 8
⋆.ೃ࿔*:･ Juncoclaw's parents were rogues. Formerly, anyway; given sanctuary by Sootstar after she slain their leader. They watched her come back to life. Listened to her pledge of wealth and safety. She was a invincible then, an undying war machine. They owed themselves to her as soldiers; in return, Juncoclaw owed herself as part of WindClan's grand future.
Juncokit was an only kitten, a miracle kitten; thusly, given all the attention in the world by her parents - all the leniency, defense, and protection she could have ever needed, coddling meant for a litter compiled into one little girl. The only thing she was missing was love. Her parents raised her on the moors with one thing in mind; that this child was going to make a phenomenal warrior and serve Sootstar for many moons. She would bring honor to her family one day. It was her purpose. If only Juncopaw wasn't so adverse to the tasks and comradery that came with being a Clan cat.
She quarreled more than she made friends. Her parents became distant and absent as she was apprenticed, tired of the responsibility and passing it on to her new mentor, Mockinggrin. Oh, how she loathed that cat, but loved him all the same - a brother in all but blood to her. They bickered like old friends, and bonded like family over their shared ideals. She was lucky enough to get a cat to tolerate her the way he did; conversely, she would never show an ounce of friendship to any other. Though the other loyalists were objectively on the same side as her, she viewed them as none other than competition for Sootstar's approval. She thought that if she came out on top, she would be handsomely rewarded with power of her own. If she participated in the mocking of other Clans, the infighting within her own, she could finally bring honor back to her parents.
Bloodthirsty she was, always eager to sink her claws into the flesh of a rebel. But Juncoclaw had never known true conflict, war, pain. She was but only a sheltered child with morbid fantasies. She thought she had the world in her paws, truly; she thought she could win this war. The first battle was insignificant; she came out nearly unscathed, save for a few scratches. The second battle, she was left to guard camp, much to her chagrin. The third battle, that fateful night, marked the fall of everything she ever knew. It would change her life forever.
Failure was a thorn of poison in Juncoclaw's heart. It enshrouded her, muddling her judgement with confusion and what she would later know as regret. Feeling that her home was not with WindClan's rebels, she followed Granitepelt and the others into exile. From there on, she excluded herself and shunned them, including Mockinggrin and the new 'leader' himself. Though the tail end of winter was bitter, she'd frequently sleep on her own when temperature permitted. She did not hunt for them, share tongues with them, talk with them. She was a ghost amongst her 'true' Clanmates, a rogue within a sorry band of cats who still sought to call themselves a Clan.
Sootstar must have been weaker than she thought - her 'invincibility' as taught by her parents and enforced by the moor queen's attitude was a hoax. They were gravely outnumbered by the start; she should have known then. There was no 'Sootstar's WindClan', no grand future, no wealth. The other Clans would not fear them, but loathe them for what they were and what they were not. Whatever she had been promised, whatever she had fought for, it was long since over, if it were real at all. This realization only deepened the emotional pit she found herself stuck in. Juncoclaw's life was over, and it was all for naught.
Despite her newfound apprehension for her fallen leader, Juncoclaw's warrior ceremony was met with apathy. She didn't deserve her warrior name after the way she had failed her leader. What good was it, anyway, given to her by an exiled ShadowClan pest in front of a pawful of beaten rogues? What was the point? She had pledged her undying loyalty to her 'true Clanmates' then and there, but her promise was empty. Her voice was passive, eyes dull. She would not risk any more for cats she knew would not risk a rat's tail for her. Cats she knew from the beginning that she never cared about - they were only ever in her way.
Starved and still sore with haphazardly healed wounds, Juncoclaw came to a final decision. This life was not meant for her; though she may not have deserved it, she needed more. She needed to get away from all these sore memories. Perhaps she could find cats that she was unknown to, change her name, her personality - become anew. She had always fought against the idea of companions, but the thought of wandering this world truly alone hit her heart like a rock tossed into a well.
Without snow, all that would trail her is her scent, and she was certain that nobody would bother to track her. With these contemplations in mind, Juncoclaw stayed awake one night, feigning sleep until the moon was high, and slipped away from her ostracized nest. It was time to begin a new chapter of her life; this time, it it her story to write.
Juncokit was an only kitten, a miracle kitten; thusly, given all the attention in the world by her parents - all the leniency, defense, and protection she could have ever needed, coddling meant for a litter compiled into one little girl. The only thing she was missing was love. Her parents raised her on the moors with one thing in mind; that this child was going to make a phenomenal warrior and serve Sootstar for many moons. She would bring honor to her family one day. It was her purpose. If only Juncopaw wasn't so adverse to the tasks and comradery that came with being a Clan cat.
She quarreled more than she made friends. Her parents became distant and absent as she was apprenticed, tired of the responsibility and passing it on to her new mentor, Mockinggrin. Oh, how she loathed that cat, but loved him all the same - a brother in all but blood to her. They bickered like old friends, and bonded like family over their shared ideals. She was lucky enough to get a cat to tolerate her the way he did; conversely, she would never show an ounce of friendship to any other. Though the other loyalists were objectively on the same side as her, she viewed them as none other than competition for Sootstar's approval. She thought that if she came out on top, she would be handsomely rewarded with power of her own. If she participated in the mocking of other Clans, the infighting within her own, she could finally bring honor back to her parents.
Bloodthirsty she was, always eager to sink her claws into the flesh of a rebel. But Juncoclaw had never known true conflict, war, pain. She was but only a sheltered child with morbid fantasies. She thought she had the world in her paws, truly; she thought she could win this war. The first battle was insignificant; she came out nearly unscathed, save for a few scratches. The second battle, she was left to guard camp, much to her chagrin. The third battle, that fateful night, marked the fall of everything she ever knew. It would change her life forever.
Failure was a thorn of poison in Juncoclaw's heart. It enshrouded her, muddling her judgement with confusion and what she would later know as regret. Feeling that her home was not with WindClan's rebels, she followed Granitepelt and the others into exile. From there on, she excluded herself and shunned them, including Mockinggrin and the new 'leader' himself. Though the tail end of winter was bitter, she'd frequently sleep on her own when temperature permitted. She did not hunt for them, share tongues with them, talk with them. She was a ghost amongst her 'true' Clanmates, a rogue within a sorry band of cats who still sought to call themselves a Clan.
Sootstar must have been weaker than she thought - her 'invincibility' as taught by her parents and enforced by the moor queen's attitude was a hoax. They were gravely outnumbered by the start; she should have known then. There was no 'Sootstar's WindClan', no grand future, no wealth. The other Clans would not fear them, but loathe them for what they were and what they were not. Whatever she had been promised, whatever she had fought for, it was long since over, if it were real at all. This realization only deepened the emotional pit she found herself stuck in. Juncoclaw's life was over, and it was all for naught.
Despite her newfound apprehension for her fallen leader, Juncoclaw's warrior ceremony was met with apathy. She didn't deserve her warrior name after the way she had failed her leader. What good was it, anyway, given to her by an exiled ShadowClan pest in front of a pawful of beaten rogues? What was the point? She had pledged her undying loyalty to her 'true Clanmates' then and there, but her promise was empty. Her voice was passive, eyes dull. She would not risk any more for cats she knew would not risk a rat's tail for her. Cats she knew from the beginning that she never cared about - they were only ever in her way.
Starved and still sore with haphazardly healed wounds, Juncoclaw came to a final decision. This life was not meant for her; though she may not have deserved it, she needed more. She needed to get away from all these sore memories. Perhaps she could find cats that she was unknown to, change her name, her personality - become anew. She had always fought against the idea of companions, but the thought of wandering this world truly alone hit her heart like a rock tossed into a well.
Without snow, all that would trail her is her scent, and she was certain that nobody would bother to track her. With these contemplations in mind, Juncoclaw stayed awake one night, feigning sleep until the moon was high, and slipped away from her ostracized nest. It was time to begin a new chapter of her life; this time, it it her story to write.
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ooc - thank you for reading! this is meant to be a oneshot for development but anyone is welcome to post a discovery thread. juncoclaw is missing.
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JUNCOCLAW ✩ she/her, rogue of duskclan, 9 moons.
⭃ a blue-silver tabby chimera she-cat with green eyes.
⭃ n/a family // formerly mentored by mockinggrin
⭃ peaceful and healing powerplay permitted / / underline and tag when attacking
⭃ penned by ixora ↛ @.ixora on discord, feel free to dm for plots.
