[espen.]

my post was probably buried aswell--

here

The post you linked was replied to here.
Your most recent post has only been up for three days, please be patient.

asdfgh small brain

I knew 9 days ago sounded off

[xem]

Skylight Walkers

Mudshine tipped his head up above, just barely seeing the thrush as it became distant in the sky. He stretched out his legs, “We’ll get ‘em next time.” He said, seeming rather optimistic compared to Cloudsplash. Nightbarn checked over Cloudsplash for injuries, but the tom brushed her away. “I’m fine, there’s no need to worry.” He said softly, moving up beside Mudshine. “Maybe you should let me handle the birds next time.” He said with a slight huff. Mudshine only chuckled, “First come first serve, I’ve got legs of lightning. The bird never saw me coming. I guess you’ll have to try harder next time.” He said with a grin, causing Cloudsplash to roll his eyes.

As the cats walked, Nightbarn made a quiet sound of delight as she spotted a plant that was ripe for the taking. She plucked it into her jaws, before trotting after the others. Catmint! But she frowned, noticing Tawnyshadow wasn’t following. “Tawnyshadow? You coming? I just found some catmint!” She said proudly, flicking her tail.

[+1 Catmint, +1 XP ]

Tawnyshadow was still watching the sky, long after the thrush disappeared. But she then frowned, “I think the thrush might be coming back to land in a tree!” She said, eyes wide. All the cats looked up to the sky, seeing a bird silhouette high above them, that slowly began to move down closer. But it was soon apparent, it was no thrush. It was a hawk.

Nightbarn panicked, “It’s coming right at us!” She exclaimed, frozen as the large brown bird came at them, talons extended with sharp claws, headed right towards Mudshine. Mudshine’s jaw fell open in pure shock, frozen, just as everyone else was. But as the bird swooped in to take the tom, Cloudsplash leapt on the bird's back. He sunk his claws into its wings and sunk his teeth into the bird's neck, killing it in an instant. The bird flapped slightly before falling limp, everyone still rather frozen and in shock. Cloudsplash could feel his heart hammering in his chest, and he finally let out a sigh of relief. “Perhaps it would be wise to leave the birds to me, Mudshine.”

[ +5 FP (Hawk), +5 XP ]



[ +20 XP for 208 Words Written ]
[ +10 XP for Patrol Sent ]
[ +10% Hunger for Nightbarn, Tawnyshadow, Mudshine, and Cloudsplash ]

Total:
[ +36 XP, +5 FP (x1 Hawk), +1 Catmint ]

Level 0 (88/100) —> Level 1 (24/200)

Level Up! You have received +1 FP of Your Choice!

[sunny-skies]

mesaclan

breathing a sigh of relief, ironbark allowed themselves to relax a little as they resumed their steps. their gaze swept over the clearing, keeping an eye out for any visible dangers or potential prey within the area. save for the few scraggly bushes that were scattered around, the open territory made it easy for the garrison to get a good view of their surroundings. it took little effort for them to keep the hunters within their sight, too, which fortunately made their job a little less difficult.

a quick flash of movement caught gilabite's eye as she crept alongside moonshine, her ears perked for the slightest sounds around her. as the molly gave a quick once over, she soon caught sight of the familiar speckled plumage that she instantly recognized to be that of a roadrunner's. her gaze met moonshine's, whose tail twitched in understanding as their gaze flicked over to where the creature had emerged from.

gilabite had just prepared herself to lunge forward when the roadrunner's head whipped around, its eyes widening in alarm as it spotted her through the sparse shrubbery. it had just turned to dart from her reach when the molly shot after it, her paws gliding against the ground's rugged surface. her pursuit was fortunately brief, and soon gilabite managed to bring it down with a swift pounce. the molly panted slightly as she stared at the creature that was still pinned under her paws, her chest heaving in exhaustion. the brief chase had used up a great deal of her energy, and she had to pause for a few moments to fully catch her breath. (+3fp, +3xp)

as gilabite rejoined them, moonshine's eyes were soon drawn to a cluster of small, red berries that lay within a small rock crevice. their bright coloring easily stood out among the duller tones of it's surroundings, and as she approached them, their sweet scent flooded his nose. though the ranger had never been too educated on herbs herself, they vaguely recognized the distinct berries that lay in front of them. holly berries, weren't they? stars, they even looked poisonous. they scooped a few of the berries into a broad leaf that he'd retrieved from ground, wrapping them neatly into a small bundle. mumblebrook might need them one day, after all, for whatever reason that may be. (+1 holly berries)

cottontail lingered a few feet behind the others as the patrol regrouped, the thin body of a lizard held limply in his jaws. ironbark glanced over at where the tom stood, giving him an approving look upon seeing the catch that he held, "not bad, cottontail". the tom acknowledged his clanmate's praise with a small nod of thanks, his head ducked and his gaze glued to his front paws. (+2fp, +2xp)

+15xp for 106 words written
+10xp for patrol sent
+10% hunger

total :

+31xp | +1 holly berries | +3fp (roadrunner), +2fp (lizard) | level 2 (257/300)

apsenleaf listened intently as cinderstar spoke, a gentle smile on her face as the tom described the encounter. her gaze flicked to the surrounding trees every so often, keeping an eye out for any creatures that may be lurking within the underbrush. the dense layers of leaves and branches obscured part of her vision, and despite her effort nothing seemed to catch her attention. the air seemed to be devoid of the any distinct scents, too, as the molly was only able to pick up the fresh smells of the trees and foliage around them.

cinderstar gave a start as a soft croak reached his ears, the sudden break in silence catching him off-guard. it had only taken him a couple seconds to spot a small pond that sat in a nearby clearing and, though part of his view was blocked by an overhanging branch, it wasn't difficult for him to spot the round body of a frog that sat in its shallow surface. he slowly lowered his body into a crouch, the soft grass brushing against his belly as he moved soundlessly through the thicket. the creature had taken no notice of the tom until his claws had already encircled it, piercing its soft body before it had the opportunity to slip away. (+3fp, +3xp)

the molly's eyes lit up upon catching sight of cinderstar, who was quick to notice the eager expression she carried on her face. "while you were gone, I found these!" aspenleaf grinned as she gestured toward the small bundle of herbs that lay by her paws. the sturdy-looking stick among the pile was easy enough for cinderstar to recognize, though he struggled to place a name to the others that she had collected. however, the healer had always been much more knowledgeable of herbs than any other cat he'd known, and the tom certainly trusted her to know more of its uses than he did. (+1 lamb's ear, +1 stick)

with their findings secured in their jaws, the two quietly continued their conversation, their voices soft as they weaved through the gathering of trees. aspenleaf had managed to snag the pelt of a squirrel, though she could hardly say that she caught it herself. the creature had practically stumbled over her paws during its search for food among the thick undergrowth, and it had taken little effort for the molly to bring it down. (+3fp, +3xp)

the sound of paws moving through the underbrush was quickly picked up by the two, who exchanged puzzled glances with one another. the pawsteps sounded much heavier than the silent tread of prey, and even before aspenleaf. "I don't think we're alone here," the molly said grimly, her voice low as she shot a concerned glance at cinderstar. they had only marked the borders days before, hadn't they? surely whoever had crossed into birchclan's territory would have picked up their scent. though, knowing the nature of most rogues, it was likely that they didn't care. the ones that he had come across went wherever they pleased and had little regard for the borders that marked the edge of clan territories. "I doubt we are," the leader finally said, his eyes narrowed as he surveyed the area for any signs of the unwelcome cats. it looks like a couple rogues have crossed the border! would the two go after them, or ignore their presence and continue with the rest of their patrol?

+20xp for 261 words written
+10xp for patrol sent
+0% hunger (no free posts left!)

total :

+38xp | +1 lamb's ear, +1 stick | +3fp (squirrel), +3fp (frog) | level 0 (90/100)

[faelyn]

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cats on patrol;;
essie|she / her |hp 100%| hup 10%
quinn| he / him |hp 100%| hup 10%

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inventory;;
shrimp | one fp| x zero
fishxxx| two fp | x zero
crabxxx| two fp | x one
duckx|three fp | x one
seagull | three fp | xzero
lobster | four fp | x one
x
goatweed | usage | x six
oak leaves |usage | x three
goldenrod |usage | x four
honeyxx| usage | x one
comfrey root |usage | x one

items in inven. used;;
[explore item used here!!]

notes;;
hi, writer!! feel free to p
ost just the rolls for my
explore! <3 i don't mind!

important info;;
last explore -- click!!
explore reply -- click!!
level 2 -- 263/300 exp
word count #900-ish

i want to risk death!
username: faelyn
clan link: faerie

predators;;
sharks, jackals, foxes, snakes!

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xxxxx
tldr;; essie recall a few of her memories!! the two on patrol have a sweet conversation
and watch the stars, but then go out to see if they can catch smth for the clan! c:

she could see entire galaxies.
dancing. spiralling. adorning the darkness with stars and constellations alike. little lights
that illuminated her heart in ways she could hardly imagine.

she could remember all too well.
it was a night such as this. a beautiful scene of countless stars on display. she could recal
l every detail, from the different types of constellations that streaked the sky to the littl
est of things. like the gentle tweet of a nearby dove.. a dove that had descended from a
bove to perch on her shoulder.

though, it had been a bond that had been quickly shattered. the little, white bird was sti
ll engraved in her memory.

tender and sweet. with eyes as dark as midnight and feathers that were quite the opposi
te, the dove had been so gentle. a kind soul that seemed to understand…. everything. th
e ache in her heart. the broken pieces of her soul. who lingered beneath the fierce warr
ior she was.

essie had named the dove, then. the bird who fell from the heavens to give her somethin
g she never had.
hope. and that’s what she named them.. hope.

hope for a future. hope for someone who could see beneath her passion, and see who wa
s underneath. a warrior whose heart was shattered beyond repair, and was in need for so
mething more than a second of short-lived happiness.

great feeterina. how things have changed.

she never believed in wishes. ones that came with falling stars.
she had heard the legends... that once upon a time, there had been someone whose wish
had come true when a star fell from the sky. that someone had been the princess of a far
away kingdom. and the legend went on to say she got everything she had ever wanted.
wealth. honor. riches. [more writing below! <3]

────────────────────────────────


if only things worked that way.
because unlike the princess, she wished for something far from wealth, honor and riches.

she wished for… happiness. someone who could lift her out of her already-dug grave. but, a lifetime ago, she had lost all hope for that wish
ever coming true.
because… there once was someone.

his name was cielo. and he was an angel. literally.
with wings of silver and gold, his eyes were the most beautiful thing she had ever seen. like jewels fashioned of diamonds. she had fallen for
him. that angel she had met all those moons ago.

she had been so foolish.
and like a ghost.. he was gone as quickly as he came. who had once been so real to her. but was now nothing more than a dream.
it didn’t matter anymore.

because she had someone else now.
someone who loved her. someone whose words healed all the hurt. someone who saw who danced beneath the fiery passion of a broken
warrior. someone who believed that she was better than what she thought herself to be.

someone named quinn.

she had met him on that beautiful night. that night where she had met hope. a little dove that was an angel in disguise.
she could see
him so clearly in her mind. with eyes of gold and curls the hue of earthly pastels, the gentleness he radiated was beyond anything she had ever
known. it was too much to fathom.

he had come to her. come to the weeping warrior who lay crumpled on the undergrowth. devastated. who thought that there was nothing else
to life than sorrows and hurt.
a warrior who had lost all hope. but.. quinn… he gave her hope. hope enough to last a lifetime.
it was only then when everything changed.

“essie?”
soft words reached for her in the fog of memory, shattering the barrier between reality, fantasy and memory. it was familiar. the glow of those
sunlit eyes, the gentle smile that twitched upon his features. it was almost enough to make her break.

“there you are, quinn.” gently patting an empty space that was a little ways away from her, she glanced up at the tom. beneath the moonlit
skies, he was a ghost. quiet.. still. but, beautiful all at the same time. “you took absolutely forever. what took you so long?”

for a moment, all was silent. but, it was a comforting silence. something that adorned reality with a peaceful essence that calmed even the
most frenzied of hearts.

“well?” leaning her head against his shoulder, she could see the tom’s fingers lacing around a flower. one that glinted amber in the moonlight.
a marigold. it reminded her of-

“do you remember?” quiet and seemingly fragile in the silence, his voice was a gentle song. one that broke the silence ever-so delicatlely.
“the night we first met?”

“of course. i’d never forget.” the marigold danced in his paws. its petals shimmering beneath the starlight before it was laced into her curls.
“we walked through a field of marigolds and-”

“i taught you the name of each and every constellation.” his paw traced a row of stars. stars that twinkled seemingly brighter than the rest..
it was the first constellation quinn had shown to her. “you remember that one?”

“do you?”

“i’m the one who taught you, darling.” at that moment, her laugh split midnight hush. and she seemed to forget. seemed to forget how many
times her heart had been broken and the darkness that poisioned the world beyond. “that one was hydra.”

giving him a gently nudge, essie ascended, her toes meeting the earth below.
“come, quinn.. it’s almost dawn. let’s see if we can catch something.”

[lovage]

last explore post | last response post | font credit

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level zero | exp 54/100 | word count 834

the patrol was going fine back to camp until the smell of fox started to linger heavy on the air for foxcall. and, a fox wasn’t what this patrol needed. foxcall was panicked already from the bear and with her kit within the nursery. then, a band of cats who necessarily didn’t get along too well just made it worse for her. “we need to go now and warn the clan. then, we’ll have you and morning-gaze lead a patrol back out here,” foxcall said. “only two of us had scout training!”

jayflight just lashed her tail back and forth as she stared daggers at the council member. the situation was obviously annoying her especially with how foxcall was already was and how it would be for her. she was already in her best state with her entire body being sore, but she just wanted to spite the worrisome council member. “i think we should go after it, foxcall.” jayflight sneered as she went towards foxcall, but before she could, she was being held back by haystalk. “it’ll be go experience for you hunters.”

“i’m not too fond of this idea,” haystalk murmured. though they did have fighting experience from their old barn life, he was rustier than rusty could be. “i don’t think we hunters need a battle lesson from a fox, i’ll prefer whitethroat over a fox.”

“i’m in different as it’ll affect any of my patrols regardless of where the fox is,” dustysun groaned. he hated the scouts on the patrol and wanted to usual hunters only groups. it was easier with then when scouts aren’t getting the way of catches. “i just want my usual patrols again.”

“i’m not going to let this happen,” foxcall warned. “there are cats in the camp who can battle the fox better than all of us, and besides, the camp has cats who need protection.”

“yeah, flamekit and you,” jayflight mocked.

foxcall looked taken aback by the young she-cat’s comment. “hold your tongue, jayflight, as you don’t know everything.”

finally pushing the other she-cat’s buttons, jayflight smirked. “and, what if i don’t?”

the group was going south and quickly even before they go against to the fox or not. puffing up her chest and standing tall, whitethroat entered the middle of patrol. “enough with the bickering already. and, jayflight, unless you want apprentice duties for the next few moons, you’ll cut it out with the taunts against the council member foxcall.” jayflight rolled her eyes as she sunk to the back of the group. “we’ll vote for this situation as we may end up with it not in our favor. what does everyone vote?”

“i’m not liking out odds as most of us are hunters,” foxcall hesitantly warned. “we will be destroyed by it.”

“i’ve dealt with worse on some exploration outings,” jayflight countered. cockily, she eyes the worried she-cat. “i’ve dealt with foxes with one other cat before and survived. we’ll be fine with just whitethroat and me.”

“to be fair, it’s better to get it off the territory now,” dustysun said. “i’m sure we can provide some help to whitethroat and jayflight. but, we can track it down better than any scout can. they’ll need our help, foxcall.”

haystalk shifted uncomfortably on their paws. they finally made up their mind to say, “i do have fighting experience, so i’ll help where i can. i want to see this fox off out territory”

“i veto the idea as a council member,” foxcall desperately exclaimed. the others looked displeased as foxcall tried to throw her rank into the mix. haystalk and dustysun were just upset while jayflight fumed behind them both, wishing give her a piece of her mind. sensing a problem arising from her veto, foxcall turned to whitethroat and whispered, “whitethroat, back me up here please.”

looking down at foxcall and nodding, whitethroat announced the final verdict. “jayflight and i will take the front and rear. the rest of you take towards the shadows,” whitethroat ordered. like most of the group, she wasn’t too fond of the patrols odds against the fox as only two had full battle training while the others only had defensive training. yet, it was certain that they needed to go off this fox to protect the rest of the clan. “foxcall, you’ll run back to warn the clan and get back up if things go south. we go after this thing now before it gets further into the territory. dustysun, bury the freshkill and herbs before we leave.”

and with that, they set off after the fox with a mixed bag of emotions. they are off into the undergrowth. whitethroat took full control of the patrol and placed herself before everyone. the hunters stayed clustered in the further undergrowth with foxcall cowering in the middle of them. they kept their noses open as jayflight took up the rear, being all too happy about the situation. it wouldn’t be long until they find the fox or something else.




--cats on patrol
foxcall | hp 100% | hup 0% | sick: no
jayflight | hp 100% | hup 0% | sick: no
dustysun | hp 100% | hup 0% | sick: no
haystalk | hp 100% | hup 0% | sick: no
whitethroat | hp 100% | hup 0% | sick: no

--inventorycrabs | 1 FP | x0
squirrel | 2 FP | x1
chipmunk | 2 FP | x0
salmon | 3 FP | x1
small bird| 3 FP | x0
large bird | 4 FP | x0

borage leaves | x1
dried oak leaf | x1
watermint | x1





-- other notes:
predators are bears, hawks, and foxes

--items in inventory used
n/a

-- active quests:
tracking down and chasing off a fox

[coffee.berry]

PeaceClan
Last Explore Post | Last Response Received


"Thank you so much for letting me come with you on a patrol today, Oakspeck!" Crowpaw, Oakspeck's apprentice said happily.

Oakspeck, his mentor, smiled and spoke to Ghostfeather.

"Remember what it was like, when we were kids?" Oakspeck asked.

"Duh! It was so fun; we used to run around and hide from Silverstar! She must've had a hard time controlling us." Ghostfeather laughed.

"I remember that too! I saw you hiding when our old medicine cat, Merryfur, was teaching me how to be a medicine cat and you hid outside the den!" Saltwater purred, nostalgic of the good old memories.

"Enough of that!" Crowpaw said, sounding bored. "What do we do now?!"

"Wanna see how to catch some vole?" Oakspeck had a cheeky look on his face.

"Oh, yes!" Crowpaw said, eyes whide. It wasn't that hard for PeaceClan cats to catch vole, since they were the fastest and the most agile. They could catch a vole in seconds!

"Well, I guess I'll go with Ghostfeather so we can collect some stuff." Saltwater said, and Ghostfeather nodded.

"We're going to catch some vo-ole! We're going to catch some vo-ole!" Crowpaw sang.

"Correction, sport: We MIGHT catch some vo-ole! We MIGHT catch some vo-ole!" Oakspeck sang, completely off-tune. Crowpaw groaned, embarassed that his mentor had slaughtered his song.
[center][ 217 words ]

--cats on patrol
Crowpaw | HP 100% | HUP 0% | Sick: Not sick
Saltwater | HP 100% | HUP 0% | Sick: Not sick
Ghostfeather | HP 100% | HUP 0% | Sick: Not sick
Oakspeck | HP 100% | HUP 0% | Sick: Not sick[/size]

--level 0
experience: 74XP

--inventory

Scraps | 1 FP
Vole | 2 FP
Squirrel | 3 FP

x1 Lungwort
x1 Mallow leaves
x1 Catchweed[left]

--items in inventory used
Any items used this post (or eaten)
You can choose any food from the inventory and any herbs (if you need them)

-- active quests:
None But I had a lot of fun reading about my cat’s last quest!

I'm picking my own!
new prey:
Scraps | 1FP
Vole | 2FP
Mouse | 2FP
Squirrel | 3FP
Rabbit | 4FP
Crow | 4FP
new predators:
Foxes, badgers, snakes, coyotes
Would you like your current inventory converted to the new prey list? Nope![/center]

[ICarinae]

⁘ [url][/url] ⁘ [url][/url]

Crook breathed in the cool, frosted air. Even deep into the heat of greenleaf, the early morning mountain climate still sent chills through his fur. Crook stood and shook the stiffness out of his mind and focused on the task ahead. It had only been a few moons since he discovered the crack in the earth, but it was quickly becoming a comfortable place to call home. However, there was still much of the surrounding territory to explore.

Crook padded out of the crack in the stone wall he had pilled with moss and claimed as a place to sleep. A few bats startled as he emerged and flew out into the open air. Crook did not give chase, he had seen many cats fall ill after eating those winged rats. Whether his fear was just superstition or carried merit he did not know, but thought it best not to test it. The bats loudly flew out of the crevasse and into the darkness that still stained the sky. They would no doubt settle in the abandoned twoleg place with the rest of their pack. Crook could not imagine why they would prefer such an unnatural place, but he was glad they did.

Crook washed himself until the sun began to peek over the morning spires and the fog began to fade. Crook took this as his sign to begin his expedition. He stretched and slowly padded to the mouth of the cave, picking up speed until he was leaping his way up the steep wall and into the world above. Light flooded his vision, making him hiss and blink rapidly until his one good eye could adjust for his poor one. His let the stinging feeling in his eyes fade before taking in his surroundings.

A thick mixture of pine and various deciduous trees crowded the sky around him, and Crook made a quick note to stay in their shade before making his way north through the relatively bare undergrowth. Pine needles coated the floor and limestone teeth jutted through the uneven earth. The temperature began to warm and a breeze bringing sweet scents through the air rustled the leaves above Crook's head. Crook ungracefully made his way over soft grass and jagged rock until a steep hillside rose before him. This was as far north as he had yet to explore. With the excitement of new prospects before him, he more quietly and quickly made his way to the summit. Trees faded into bushes and grass gave way to sandy stone. Reaching the highest point, he blinked rapidly at the loss of his shade, white and yellow splotches invading his view. Once his sight settled, he discovered that the hill was bare of tall growth and had the advantage of being able to see out over his surroundings.

To the west there was a valley of vicious stone where the earth appeared to have been raked by massive claws. More northwest resided a bridge of forest between the scars and a river. An odd scent that Crook didn't recognize carried on the wind from that patch of trees. He made a mental note to be more cautious on that side. He took a particular interest in what appeared to be a lake farther north with branching and connecting rivers coming from a mountain range that sprung up just beyond. On the east side he could see the break in the trees that housed the twoleg place and the spires that signaled the sun's arrival in the morning further to the south. He had passed between the two landmarks on his journey to find a new home, following the river that divided the natural and unnatural world.

Crook basking in the sun as he contemplated his options. Eventually, he resigned himself to just explore the lake for the day. Crook leaped his way down the other side of the hill and back into the shade of foliage and prickly grass under paw. Crook began to slow as he took in his surroundings, searching for anything of use, and perhaps a nice breakfast.

[683]

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⁘ Party ⁘

Crook|he/him|#1390
Health 100%|Hunger 0|no afflictions

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⁘ Info ⁘

Level 0 | (0/100)

Items used | n/a

Prey Available: Pika 1FP|Squirrel 2FP|
Trout 2FP|Weasel 3FP|Hare 3FP|
Grouse 4FP
Predators: Wolverine|Bald Eagle|
Mountain Lion|Grey Wolf (pack nearby)|
Black Bear
Quests: none
Roll for Deaths | no
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⁘ Inventory ⁘

Food
Nothing yet

Herbs
Nothing yet

⁘ Notes ⁘

This is my first Explore post!

∘ There is a pack of wolves that border the clan on the west side
∘ Crook has an eye disease which makes it difficult for him to adjust to bright lights

Fonts

[Flatterina]

𝕋ℍ𝔼 ℂℍ𝕆𝕀ℝ

Last Explore Post | Last Response Received

Alessia blinked as she came to, yawning and arching her back in a stretch as the morning light shone through the cave entrance, tickling her nose. Suppressing a sneeze, she shook her head slowly, enjoying the light twinkle of the chains and rings adorning her body as she moved.
Carefully, she turned around in the nest she shared with Raphael so as not to wake him, but when she faced him, he was already looking at her with that piercing gaze of his, a purr rumbling deep in his throat.
Even after many seasons of sharing a nest with him, she still had to watch out not to cringe back when she saw him this close. In the beginning, when he had picked her as a young authority, she had shivered when she had looked at him and recoiled at his touch, but he had trained that reflex out of her quickly. Right now, though, their noses were almost touching, and she could see the disfigurement that was his face clearly and in detail.
“Good morning”, she meowed quietly, forcing herself to lick his nose and nuzzle his face. She hoped he’d interpret her shudder as adoration.
“Good morning”, he replied huskily, reaching out with a paw and resting it on her flank. With a sigh, she leaned her head against his shoulder for a second, then drew back.
“I have to see to the sacrifices, Raphael. It’s pretty light outside, I reckon it’s close to sun-high already.”
The Principality growled, drawing her closer. “Only a few more moments. We never spend time together anymore, don’t you think?”
Alessia stiffened for a heartbeat before making herself relax between his paws. “There’s just so much that has been happening lately, hasn’t there? The kits, new members, the soulless attack a few days ago, and the Goddesses still demand what they are owed.”
“None of those are your worries, though. If you are too busy, I can have your tasks delegated to someone else, you need only tell me.”
She purred, this time from the heart. “It’s all right, I promise. I strive to aid my fellow angels as well I can, and I enjoy making myself useful. I feel like they feel closer to the Goddesses when I’m around, connected to you and them as I am.” She didn’t mention the main reason she kept herself busy, namely, to have some time away from him. Though he did grant her some freedoms as he saw fit, Raphael could be very overbearing when she spent too much time with him, and so she kept herself occupied with other tasks around the clearing.
“The Goddesses surely are glad to have such devoted a servant as you”, the Principality purred, praising her with words that didn’t reach her heart. Still, she smiled and agreed, then untangled herself from his limbs.
After pressing her nose to his forehead one last time she stepped out of the cave, allowing herself to breathe in deeply, savouring the fresh summer air. It wasn’t as late as she had feared, though the dawn patrol had returned already.
As she crossed the clearing, headed for the storage caves, she glanced towards Israfil and Kerubiel, who were laying on a sunny stone towards the edge of the clearing. Her two friends were sharing tongues, watching their son Abraxos training with his acolyte Remiel. The two were training fighting stances and the sight made Alessia’s heart ache. She had never had anyone look at her with as much pride as the two parents were looking at Abraxos.
Her mother hadn’t intended on getting pregnant, and certainly hadn’t welcomed Alessia into her life. She’d taught her daughter the barest bones of fighting and hunting and had then, when she had been moderately sure that Alessia wouldn’t be immediately killed by the next predator, banished her from her life.
It had hurt, but not much. She had always known her mother didn’t have any feelings of responsibility for her, let alone love. And so Alessia had made her way through the woods and the fields and crossed rivers and streets until she had found this clearing right here where she had made her home. There were struggles, sure, and things weren’t perfect, but when were they ever?
At least she was being a good mother to her own daughter, as well a mother as she could be with her multitude of duties. She thought about finding Abijah and her mentor Uriel, but discarded the thought. The acolyte had told her yesterday that she and Uriel would be outside hunting today, and Raphael didn’t like her to stray too far from the camp. She would have to catch them when they returned.
For now, she had more important things to do, anyway. The Goddesses were waiting, and it was important to keep them in a good mood.
Greeting her fellow angels left and right, she padded over to the cave where the sacrifices were kept, along with the Choir’s stores of prey and herbs. Zephon, the bookkeeper, greeted her with a deferential bow of his head as she approached.
“The dawn patrol brought something I think you should see,” he meowed in that husky voice of his.
Alessia raised her eyebrows as she followed him inside. “Did it, now?”
She had to stop for a heartbeat as she crossed the threshold, overwhelmed by a stench that made her eyes water. At once, she knew what the patrol had found, and purred. A sacrifice such as this for the highest of the goddesses would surely ensure a season of good hunting.
“Where did they find it?”, she inquired, a purr in her voice even as her eyes watered.
“I didn’t ask, but I assume they went hunting near the human’s place today. Also brought some scraps with them.”
Alessia nodded, then squeezed past the storekeeper’s round body to get to the cheese. Zephon almost never went out exploring or hunting, and it showed. It looked very yellow and stank like something three days dead, but for whatever reason Raphael said Feeterina liked it that way. And who was she to question the mother of goddesses herself?
And so, she steeled herself before sinking her teeth into the cheese’s rank body, trying to breathe as little as possible as she carried the sacrifice over to the den of devotion. A select few of the older authorities followed her inside, chosen to witness the ritual.
“Feeterina!” she called out, laying the cheese down on the earthen floor before the skull nestled in an alcove over her head. It was the skull of a rat, though bigger than any rat’s, and had been there longer than even the thrones could remember. Perhaps it had been there before the very first angel had arrived. Looking at it filled Alessia with equal measures of awe and dread, and a shiver ran down her spine whenever she stared at it for too long. After a while, she thought, Feeterina’s empty eye sockets began to look back into you.
“See us and our sacrifice for you, oh mother of goddesses!”
Her daughters’ skulls were placed in alcoves around that of their mother’s, seven of them. They resembled cats, but were elongated in ways that made them eerily rodent-like. Alessia made sure that all of them were revered and prayed to equally, and all of them received sacrifices in rotation, lest they anger one of the daughters. One day, shortly after she had taken over the ritualistic duties from Leviah, the former priest and mate to the principality, she had felt sick and forgone her task in favour of resting, and it had cost a queen a kit the next day. She would never make that mistake again.
“Bestow upon us your blessing and unto these lands fertility and bountiful prey.”
She dropped to her stomach, pressing her forehead to the ground. Behind her, she heard the authorities follow her lead and paused for a few heartbeats to give them the opportunity to say their private prayers. After she had waited long enough, she got back up and started digging a small hole which she then dropped the cheese into.
One last time, the cats bowed their heads towards the highest goddess before Alessia lead the way back out, most of the other angels following her. A few of them stayed behind and a few cats who hadn’t witnessed the ritual filed into the cave as they left, seeking to communicate and pray in private.
Alessia sometimes wondered what they wished for. She herself usually asked for freedom, though she knew her hope was futile.
She shook her head to clear it from these blasphemous thoughts, chains clinking pleasantly. Some time had passed since she had entered the cave of devotion, and it was now nearly sun high, time for the next patrol to leave. Azrael was already assembling the cats he had assigned to go hunting and gathering with him, Laylah among them. The pretty molly only had eyes for the tall tom, and Alessia had caught him watching Laylah when she was looking elsewhere. It was only a matter of time until the two of them would become mates, she thought with a purr.
Her heart skipped a beat when another cat approached the patrol – Maalik, who had just finished eating judging from the way she licked her lips. Alessia tore her gaze away from the black molly’s mouth and composed herself before joining the three cats.
“Tell the dawn patrol thank you for the cheese. The goddesses will be very pleased,” she meowed towards Azrael, pointedly trying not to stare at Maalik, who had stepped closer to hear the conversation. She couldn’t help her eyes flicking towards hers, though, and was startled to see that Maalik was looking back at her, smirking.
“I will forward your message, and am glad to hear it made a good sacrifice. I’m sure the cats will be happy to hear that the cheese has been removed from the storage cave”, Azrael meowed with an amused flick of his tail.
Alessia replied with a chuckle and then greeted Laylah before lastly nodding towards Maalik, who was still watching her.
“Do you want to accompany us on the patrol? We’re still waiting for three members, but more eyes to find prey and herbs are always welcomed”, the Domination offered, but Alessia declined with a shake of her head. “Thank you very much and I would truly love to, but I have other duties to attend to today. Perhaps some other day?”
Azrael flicked his tail. “Just let me know.”
Alessia nodded in thanks and turned as behind her the three missing cats joined the patrol at last.
“Sorry we’re late”, Sachiel meowed as she came to stand next to her mentor Maalik, who rolled her eyes. “Did you fall asleep in the sun again?”
The acolyte pawed the ground and declined to answer, but her brother Sraosha gladly took over. “She’d have so missed the patrol if we hadn’t woken her up!”
Sachiel folded her ears back and swiped at him, claws sheathed, but Ariel stepped in, protecting her acolyte from his sister.
“Anyway”, Azrael meowed from where he stood, having watched the siblings bemusedly. “We’re all here, so let’s go. And remember to keep quiet in the forest, we don’t want to chase the prey away, do we?” He shot a pointed look at Sachiel, then Sraosha, who both nodded dutifully.
“Thank you, Alessia, for stopping by. Give Raphael my regards”, he meowed to her before turning and leading the others through the brambles into the territory. Maalik was the last to follow him, but not without catching her eye one last time and winking at her. Alessia remained standing there for a few heartbeats, puzzled. She had been looking at Maalik when she thought the molly had been occupied for some time now, but it seemed she hadn’t been as inconspicuous as she’d thought. Well, that was certainly something to think about – not that she would be able to get her hopes up, what with her being the principality’s mate. Still, it was nice to fantasize about what could have been would things have been different, and Maalik’s flirty wink gave her quite a lot to dream about while she had breakfast.

[ 2057 words ]

--cats on patrol

Azrael | HP 100% | HUP 30% | Sick: N
Maalik | HP 100% | HUP 0% | Sick: N
Sraosha | HP 100% | HUP 0% | Sick: N
Laylah | HP 100% | HUP 10% | Sick: N
Sachiel | HP 100% | HUP 0% | Sick: N
Ariel | HP 100% | HUP 0% | Sick: N

--level 3
experience: 158/400

--inventory
scraps | 1 FP | x4
Vole | 2 FP | x1
Shrew | 2 FP | x1
Squirrel | 3 FP | x2
Frog | 3 FP | x1
prey | 4 FP | x0

Blackberry Leaves | x1 | Treats Bee Stings
Chamomile Leaves | x3 | Calms a Cat Down
Dried Oak Leaf | x2 | Stops Bleeding, Fights Infections
Alder Bark | x1 | use
Wintergreen | x1 | use
herb | x1 | use

--items in inventory used
--

-- active quests:
quest #1 --

[sprite cranberry]

★ last explore post ★ last response recieved ★

___________________
Cinderstar crouched down, "keep close, but stay behind me please" he cautioned the molly, "the rogues around here are nothing but bad news, I don't want you getting hurt" Aspenleaf nodded, keeping herself low, and with that the tom began creeping up on the rogues. He burst through the underbrush, unsheathing his claws and baring his teeth, "Are you aware that you're in MY territory?" The slim leader snarled at the rogues, bracing himself to pounce at any moment if need be.

Aspenleaf found herself cowering slightly behind him, the sudden change in atmosphere made her uneasy. "Your territory?" One of the rogues cackled, "We don't believe in 'territory', we go where we please, when we please" A smug grin plastered on the strangers face. "You don't want to be starting a fight with me you mouse-hearted loner" Cinderstar hissed, "I suggest you leave before I make you leave."

★ 149 words ★

___________________

★ cats on patrol ★

★ Cinderstar | hp 98% | hup 0% | sick; N ★
★ level 0 ★

___________________

★ Aspenleaf | hp 100% | hup 0% | sick; N ★
★ level 0 ★


___________________

★ inventory ★
★ prey | 1FP | x0 ★
★ vole | 2FP | x1 ★
★ mouse | 2FP | x1 ★
★ frog | 3FP | x1 ★
★ squirrel | 3FP | x1 ★
★ prey | 4FP | x0 ★

★ mint | used to treat fleas | x1 ★
★ coltsfoot | used to treat coughs, also used for cracked or sore pads | x1 ★
★ elder leaf | used to soothe sprains and aches | x1 ★
★ lamb's ear | gives a cat strength | x1 ★
★ sticks | used to distract cats from pain | x1 ★

___________________
★ 90/100 exp ★
★ inventory items used in this post | none! ★
★ active quests | none! ★

[xem]

𝘊𝘢𝘵𝘴 𝘰𝘧 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘏𝘪𝘨𝘩 𝘔𝘰𝘶𝘯𝘵𝘢𝘪𝘯𝘴

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Jaggedmoon followed beside the fisher cats as they made their way down the mountain, heading towards the stream that opened up into a decently sized river. It seemed so strange to associate with them, they seemed almost like a group of cats on their own. They were elegant and sleek pelted- and not to mention, all she-cats. The cats with the white collars seemed to be a debated roll amongst everyone. He’d heard various views on them, others calling them silly she-cats who liked to mess around. But some admired them, being able to handle being away from their kin and friends for so long, while trekking down the mountain on a daily to get an extra boost of food for their peers. But if these cats just left and never came back from a fishing trip, Jaggedmoon would not be surprised. This fact worried him slightly, as his own daughter, Cherrybreeze had been anointed as a fisher. It scared him, it really did. But fortunately for him, Cherrybreeze was back, safe, with the other cats. The fisher cats were free to stay behind if they wished, and generally one cat stayed back.

He found himself taking the tail end of the group as Inna, Featherflight, Lynxlily, and Dovefrost bounded forward. Soft giggles came from them as they chattered things into each other's ears, as they elegantly bounded forward with the grace of deer. They wound within each other, no one keeping the lead for long before another took over as leader of the pace. “Hey, you don’t need to whisper.” He said with a huff, his ears flattening for a moment. His admiration for the cats was beginning to dim, wondering if they truly enjoyed this due to being able to act like kits and do whatever they want without Buckstar ever knowing. But heck, living like that sounded rather peaceful. But would he really crave this life if Buckstar was actually a good leader? These beautiful cats were practically free now, but somehow, stayed bound to the cats of the mountains. Perhaps their relations with the mountain cats had proved too much for them to leave. Or did Buckstar threaten them against leaving? He now found he was rather interested in the generally illusive fisher cats.

Inna chuckled, “Sorry Jaggedmoon. But come run with us! Stretch your legs! Get yourself ready to hunt for the prey of the river.” She said with a smirk as she looked back at him. But Buckstar frowned, “I um, guess I didn’t recall saying I would be fishing. I’ll stay out of your way, I just wanted to-”

Featherflight scoffed, “If you’re coming with, you’re fishing, dear.” She said, causing the others to fill with laughter. “Don’t you worry, you might make a fool out of yourself, but you’ll learn how to fish in no time! It takes patience and agility, but you’ll get the hang of it.” She said, looking back at Jaggedmoon. At least, it appeared she was. Jaggedmoon was almost convinced she was looking straight past him, or moreso, behind him. As he turned his head to look back, he saw nothing peculiar. And as he turned round again, Featherflight was no longer looking in his direction. He sighed, but picked up the pace and joined the cats, frolicking like a young kit, letting the worries leave his mind. And for a moment, it seemed to work. It cleared his brain of the thoughts of Buckstar and Blueice, young Mala who had been attacked by the leader, and the whole ordeal of lies he’d been through as of late. It was bearable, yes. But it was more than frustrating to be pushed down by the one in control. How nice it would have been, to be a fisher. How different would his life be, if he had been chosen for that role instead? He was a hunter afterall, surely fishing couldn’t be too much harder. Right?

Soon the river appeared in the distance, something Jaggedmoon hadn’t seen in a very long time. It glimmered in the sunlight, looking rather stunning and beautiful. It also peaked his thirst quite rapidly at the sight of clear fresh water. He found himself frolicking even faster than he had been, letting loose for a moment. He took in the fresh breeze, the sounds of the she-cats laughter, and soon the taste of the waters edge. His paws met soft stones, worn and weathered from the lapping water. He let his front paws slide into the water just a hare, but cringed at how cold it actually was. But oh, how nice it felt. He dipped his head down, lapping up the cold water. It stung his throat slightly, but once again, felt rather good. He had been so used to stale cave water that this felt like a luxury. Oh what he would do to be a fisher cat! Now he seemed a bit more excited to learn how to fish, his tail flicking in anticipation as he lifted his head back up. “So, how do I start fishing?” He asked, clearly having pushed away his fears.

But the expressions on the fisher cat's face suddenly appeared more serious. Any sense of amusement that had clung to their fur was now diminished, now full of uneasiness and sharp glares. Jaggedmoon frowned, “Did I do something wrong? I-” He said, quite confused about what had suddenly changed. Was he not supposed to walk in the water? Was drinking it bad luck? Jaggedmoon opened his jaws to speak again, but was cut off by Dovefrost.

“Can we trust you, Jaggedmoon?” Dovefrost asked, her eyes practically claws burying into his pelt. Jaggedmoon stood there like a complete buffoon, still terribly confused about what had happened. Featherflight sighed as he didn’t respond, “You didn’t steal the food, did you Jaggedmoon? We know. We know Buckstar feeds himself as he pleases. And I can assume you share a rather… foul opinion of him, correct?” She asked, her tone sharp. Jaggedmoon nodded, rather dumbfounded. “Yes I… I had no idea you guys already knew about this- but why the grim faces?” He asked.

Inna sighed, “Because, Jaggedmoon, we don’t just come here to sit in the sun and gossip. Sure we catch fish, but it doesn’t take that long. We spend our time planning, learning, and speaking with others. It’s quite-” She started, but Jaggedmoon now took his chance to cut her off. “Others? What are you talking about, others? You can’t possibly mean other cats?” He asked, still in a bit of a shock. But Inna only glanced at the others, unable to come up with a reasonable explanation.

“Well, Jaggedmoon, there’s a lot we know, and a lot of it is quite, hmm, hard to understand. Things you may not be able to comprehend. But, in the end, it’s a plan to uproot this group of cats entirely. Murder those, such as Buckstar, Blueice, and his other followers. You may think, it couldn’t possibly be that hard to take down a few cats. Right? But you’re wrong. There is something within Buckstar, something quite… deadly, if that’s a good word to describe it. Something that shouldn’t be reckoned with. And the others Inna spoke of, they are indeed cats. These cats live in order, in harmony, in the ruins of the ancients. They are rather peculiar, and peculiar in ways that you may not imagine. But they are not the topic of concern now, there are greater things to talk about.” Featherflight concluded.

Lynxlily had been staying rather quiet, her face looking a bit strange. There was something in her eyes, was it distrust? Uneasiness? Jaggedmoon wasn’t sure, but what the cats had told him so far seemed more unrealistic than anything he had ever imagined in his mind. He chuckled, “You guys must be joking. Is this a test of some sorts?” He asked, looking between all the cats, hoping to see them crack a grin. But a serious tone remained set on their faces. He sighed, “Okay, so you’re trying to get rid of Buckstar and everything, but, why are you guys acting like another cat has just died? I don’t understand.” He said with an impatient sigh. This time, Lynxlily spoke up. “Because. We are fearful of a terrible event to come. And apparently, you have something to do with it. And it’s really hard to trust someone who could lead to devastation.” She said with the roll of her eyes.

Jaggedmoon couldn’t help but glare at her, “And why are you so afraid of this so-called event? How do you even know? And how do I know I can believe you?!” He asked, beginning to get a bit fed up with these cats. They made no sense, and sounded so irrational! It sounded like they were making up silly stories of fiction, or they were trying to mess with his head. But before he could say another word, the fisher cats all looked at each other, giving a nod of some sort of agreement. He blinked in confusion, before suddenly, the group of cats suddenly rushed at him. Jaggedmoon snarled and thrashed, but was no match for four cats. They took him down easily. He wasn’t sure what they planned to accomplish, because they were in no way actually hurting him. So he let them do as they pleased, but stayed wary just in case. “What is the meaning of this?” Jaggedmoon growled. Lynxlily stepped forward, her green eyes sinking into Jaggedmoon’s. “You have no business with Buckstar that you’re not telling us, right?” She asked.

“Yes.” A voice came from Jaggedmoons jaws, against his own will. His eyes widened, “I-I mean that’s true but I… I didn’t… “ He said, rather confused, having not even moved his tongue in the slightest to get the word “yes” from his mouth. Lynxlily looked at him again, “Are you honest, and willing to keep whatever we speak of here to yourself?” She asked. And once again, “Yes.” Came from him in almost an instance.

“Alright, let’s let him be.” Lynxlily said, and it seemed the cats became a bit more relaxed as they looked at him again. Jaggedmoon jumped to his paws, shaking out his pelt. “What in the name of the mountain spirits was that all about?!” He snapped, eyes wide with a fear unknown to him. Was this a dream? Or had Lynxlily just pulled the truth right off his tongue before he was willing to speak his mind? The she-cat flicked her tail, “You will be revealed to many new truths, Jaggedmoon. But I must assure you can keep your jaws shut. And what just happened, you might want to know? I harness the nature of life, and an aspect of truth from others. I can pull the truth out of anyone just by looking at their eyes. But abilities like these are more common than you think. You can be born with them, or be granted with one. And these other cats I was speaking about? They all have these special powers. Each one unique to its own. And as we said before, they live in harmony. Each cat has a unique purpose in life, and they live as one. Everyone is equal. Even their leader, who helps keep them organized, does not reign anything like Buckstar.” She hissed, her voice turning sour as she spoke Buckstars name. “And as I said before, these abilities can be granted to other cats. But only from one, the Emperor himself. Remember what we said about Buckstar having something within him that shouldn’t be reckoned with? Well, that’s the problem here. Buckstar already has an ability. How we obtained it, we are unsure. And what his ability is, we don’t know that either.” She said.

Jaggedmoon just stood there, even more dumbfounded than before. He still refused to believe any of this was real, but the way Lynxlily pulled the truth right from his lips seemed sickeningly real. “How- what other proof do you have?” He demanded, shaking out his rather ruffled pelt. “And just for the record, I would never willingly side with Buckstar. Not ever. There’s no need to pull the truth from my jaws again.” He hissed, looking away, and instead focusing on his reflection in the water. A scared and messy looking self looked back at him from between the ripples, seeming to ask his own self what to do now. Or perhaps, what to even think now. As he turned his attention back to the fisher cats, it seemed any serious tone had diminished. But then he realized why they had been that way. They knew he must be part of something possibly bad in the future, and they wanted to know if he could really be trusted. And if he was a liar, he would’ve been killed. All too easily.

The she-cats moved over to the water's edge, “Enough speaking for now, why don’t we teach you how to fish, Jaggedmoon?” Inna offered, her voice filled with delight. Jaggedmoon tried to feel a bit reassured by her tone, but still couldn’t help but feel uneasy. Something was going to happen, something truly terrible. A war, bloodshed, between Buckstar, his followers, and anyone against him. Which included these illusive ‘other cats’. He knew there was a time when Buckstar was a good cat, but it was a very long time ago. It wasn’t like Buckstar was old and frail, he was incredibly young. Jaggedmoon was quite older than him. But it couldn’t be that Buckstar was a bad leader because of his young age, but more so something else. When he first became leader, he was a damn good one. Something had to have changed to cause that.

He caught his attention back as the other cats began moving farther down the river, trying to find a spot where their shadows didn’t cast across the water. Jaggedmoon followed behind them quietly. And there they spent many hours, softly speaking to the tom as they showed him the ways of the trade. But no matter what they did that day, nothing could shake the ideas of fictitious power in the world, held within the bodies of unpredictable beings, cats.

Even though his mind was all over the place, he did rather enjoy fishing! It was quite harder than expected, the fish not being exactly where they seemed when your paw went down in the water. The fishers explained the reflection made the fish appear in a slightly different location, so when going in for the kill, they must aim lower. He managed to snag a few fish, the light of the moon soon lighting up the water gently. At last the cats took a break, moving over to their fish pile. “As if we haven’t broken the rules enough by plotting against Buckstar, I’m sure eating out of place will come as no shock to you.” Featherflight said, seeming a bit tired as she laid down. Jaggedmoon nodded, “It’s quite a popular belief that the fisher cats eat while they are away. Why wouldn’t they?” He mumbled, stretching out his legs. His paws were rather sore, and had grown a bit cold from being in and out of the water frequently. Now that the warm sun was gone, he was beginning to feel a bit chilled due to this.

The cats were silent as they moved in to take their share of the fish, eating slowly. Jaggedmoon was more than grateful to have however much food he needed. The stars cast down on their backs, their fur tips shining a beautiful silver. He had taken these seemingly silly she-cats for granted. They were incredibly intelligent, and actually shared the same views as him. Even though he was an older and experienced hunter, he was sure they shared more knowledge than he could ever wish to hold.
-
Buckstar was proud of how the patrol was going, plenty of herbs for Fernsong, and also plenty of food. His temper didn’t even make an appearance once. He felt proud of his cats, Timberfreckle, Willowdust, and Swifhare. He hoped these cats would grow closer to him as time went on, and if things turned sour, he hoped they would stand by his side. The sun was beginning to set, and the leader decided to call it a day. He caught Swifthare’s gaze, his amber eyes full of contentment. “You three sure made me proud today,” He purred, giving the other two cats a look of pride. “The mountain spirits have blessed us, and perhaps even, Feeterina.” He said with a grin, his eyes moving in a strange direction. Perhaps he was looking through the fourth wall.

But Swifthare suddenly froze in his tracks, “Buckstar, do you smell that?” He asked with a growl, suddenly becoming very tense. Buckstar felt his body tense as immediately tasted the scent of unusual cats on his tongue. Willowdust frowned, “Buckstar, it’s getting quite late. We’re worn down, should we perhaps leave this sit until morning?” She asked, becoming slightly agitated. It seemed Timberfreckle agreed with Willowdust, “Yes, it wouldn’t be wise to go after this scent right now.” She said, “We’ve gotten all these herbs and prey, there’s no use in them getting stolen.” She said with a huff. Buckstar’s eyes narrowed, “No. I will not let any strange cats advance on our territory! We mustn’t show any signs of weakness against any stranger, regardless of their origins. Willowdust, carry the prey back to base. Bring other cats back to meet me and Swifthare here. We’ll scout out the scent a bit more. And Timberfreckle, we are not far from where the fisher cats may be. Go grab them, they don’t see enough action in their lives. Time to toughen them up with a fight against these trespassers. Considering we can find them, of course.” He growled, watching the cats before him, who only stood there a moment, before quickly rushing off to do what they were told.

Buckstar took in the scent again. No, it couldn’t be who he was worried about. Likely some strays who didn’t pay attention to borders. They would pay, with their blood. And he wouldn’t hesitate to take their lives from them either. This land was his, and always would be. No one would change that. Not any cat, not any animal.

“Come Swifthare, let’s track slowly. I don’t want to get caught off guard.” He said, moving his position as he felt the wind blow. He wanted to be downwind of them, so they wouldn’t scent him. But so the wind would blow at him and Swifthare, and easily take in their scent. He got into a low crouch, the two toms slowly making their way after the scent.

-

Willowdust ran like the speed of light, carrying the frog and squirrel in her jaws, and the herbs tucked tightly in her collar. She had a bad feeling in her gut. But she knew it wasn’t regarding the strange cats on their land, it was something else. But what was it? She had no idea. As Willowdust broke through the thorn barrier, she was terribly out of breath, panting as the prey dropped from her jaws. As she arrived, many cats came out of their caves to see what the matter was. Many questioned her, asking if she was alright. She gave a curt nod, “Fernsong, take these and put them where they need to go.” She said, taking the herbs out of her collar and lying them beside the prey. “We’ve scented trespassers, Buckstar has ordered cats to come along to track them down and take care of them.” She said, scanning the rows of cats. “Some of the fishers will also be joining us.” She said. But the other cats looked at her strangely, “Isn’t it a bit late to be causing a ruckus? It would be best to wait until morning, with a full belly.” Speckledfox said. Hawksun nodded, “Yes, all of us have worked so hard today. A battle in the darkness with tiredness in our paws doesn’t sound like a battle worth fighting. Did they do anything wrong?” He asked. Timberfreckle frowned, “Not that we know of, but Buckstar insists. I agree with you all, but please, somebody step forward to come along. I do not need Buckstar to be upset with me.” She said with a sigh.

Heathertuft moved forward, “I’ll come along then,” She said softly, a fighting spirit in her eyes. “I’ll make sure we make quick work of anyone on our territory. Come along, Willowdust, no need to keep Buckstar waiting.” She said with the dip of her head, before scurrying off towards the thorn barrier exit. Willowdust sighed with relief as Heathertuft quickly agreed to go along. Heathertuft had quite the energy as she bounded quickly through the forest. She hadn’t had much to do today compared to the others, and was more than excited to accompany their leader in a possible skirmish. Willowdust lagged slightly behind as they made their way back to Buckstar.

-

Timberfreckle had made it to the river, bounding over to the fisher cats. The she-cats and Jaggedmoon all looked slightly alarmed at her sudden appearance. Jaggedmoon was the first to jump to his paws, “Timberfreckle, are you alright?” He asked, eyes wide with worry. The tortie nodded, “Yes, yes, all is well with me, but on our hunting expedition we scented some strange cats in the area. I was told to come and gather a few of you to bring back to help track them down.” She said.

Inna frowned, “Why us? There are plenty of other qualified cats back at the base. We are not guardians nor hunters. I don’t mean to be rude, but I think the others could put up a much greater fight than we could.” She said. Timberfreckle nodded, “I am aware, but Buckstar told me so. He seemed to see you as slacking a bit, and wanted you there.” She said with a defeated sigh.

Featherflight nodded in understanding, “Very well, but not all of us can go. Some of us need to carry the fish back, or someone else will find it.” She said sternly, defensive over their days worth of hard work. Dovefrost stepped forward, “I’ll go with Timberfreckle.” She said. Lynxlily nodded, “Me too. The rest of you can take the fish.” She said as she moved to join Timberfreckle. Jaggedmoon huffed, “I should come along, I’m an experienced hunter, you need me.” He said stiffly. Lynxlily shook her head, “No, Jaggedmoon. Help carry the fish, you are a very strong cat and would be more useful assisting the fishers than going on a silly cat chase.” She snapped. Jaggedmoon was shocked by her sudden hostility, his eyes narrowing slightly. “Alright then. Safe wishes to you all.” He said with an accepting dip of his head. The three cats soon ran off into the darkness, Timberfreckle falling behind due to being slightly tired already.

Jaggedmoon looked back at Inna and Featherflight, “These trespassers wouldn’t happen to be the strange cats you were talking about, right?” He asked with a raised brow. They shook their heads, “No, I assure you, they wouldn’t be here. Not now. Even if they were, they wouldn’t leave their scent around frequently visited places. Unlike Buckstar, they are highly intelligent.” Featherflight said as she began picking up fish in her jaws. “Come here, Jaggedmoon.” She said, the tom approaching her. Featherflight took the fish and shoved it down his collar, causing Jaggedmoon to cringe. “Blech! You want me to walk with a fish tucked in my neck and stuck beneath my collar?” He asked with a growl. Inna giggled, “Yes, we’re short on mouths to carry, we’ve done it many times before.” She said, smirking at Jaggedmoon teasingly. He grit his teeth, “Now I’m going to smell fishy!” He grumbled with a sigh, picking up some fish in his mouth. Featherflight smirked, “Smelling fishy isn’t a bad thing, Jaggedmoon. Toughen up, you’re whining like a kit.” She said, shoving another fish down his collar. Jaggedmoon sighed, unable to help but chuckle slightly. “Alright, alright. I’ll manage. But after this, don’t count on me hopping along with the fishers. I’ll stick to the forest, thank you very much.” He said, turning away. Inna looked at him rather seriously, “Well, now that you know more, I’m sure you’d enjoy coming along with us. There’s so much you don’t know, and so much you should know. Please, come with us more often. Or just when Cherrybreeze is along, and have some father daughter time.” She said happily.

Jaggedmoon enjoyed the thought of spending time with his daughter. “Alright that sounds like a plan. But no more fish down the collar, please.” He said with a huff. Featherflight grinned, “Alright, deal.” And with that, the cats took their fish and began making their way up towards the base at a higher elevation.

-

Heathertuft arrived at Buckstar and Swifthare’s location, standing proud. “Buckstar, how fresh is the scent?” She asked, keeping her voice down. Buckstar looked back at her as she arrived very silently, giving a nod of approval. “It seems decently so, but it’s hard to tell. Thank you for coming, Heathertuft.” He said looking past her with a frown. “Where’s Willowdust? Did she stay back at base?” He asked with a growl, “I told her to come back..”

It was Heathertuft’s turn to frown as she looked behind her, “She lagged behind the whole run here, she was just behind me moments ago. She should be here any second.” She said, rather confused. But as far as she could see, there was no shape of a cat in the distance, none at all. “I swear Buckstar, she was here with me.” Heathertuft said defiantly. Buckstar sighed and shook his head, “Nevermind her. She’ll show up if she knows what’s good for her. We’ve tracked the scent a bit more down the mountain, and it appears these trespassers are heading back towards the common lands. Perhaps these silly things will have collars for us to take for our up and coming cats.” He said thoughtfully. “No cat that gets food from a human and prances around for a living deserves any right to live.” He said with a dissatisfied head shake.

The sound of running could be heard, as two cat silhouettes appeared before them. Dovefrost and Lynxlily appeared, looking at the cats before them. “We’re here, what would you like us to do?” Dovefrost asked, “Are they a potential threat?” She added, wanting to know as much as possible. Buckstar nodded, “Any trespasser is a potential threat. We take no chances. We must-” He stopped speaking, “Where’s Timberfreckle? Did she head back to base?” He asked, looking behind them. Dovefrost and Lynxlily exchanged confused glances, realizing the chocolate tortie was no longer with them. “She was only a few tail lengths behind us a moment ago, I don’t understand.” Lynxlily said with a frown. Buckstar tensed, “You’ve got to be kidding me, Willowdust decides to go missing, and now Timberfreckle? They probably got tired and decided to go home… idiots. They’ll get what’s coming to them when we get back.” He growled.

Heathertuft looked dumbfounded, “But, Buckstar, shouldn’t we look for them? It’s terribly strange that two of them would just disappear. And how similar our stories sound? That they were just behind us before disappearing? Something must be wrong, Buckstar.” She said, Dovefrost and Lynxlily taking in interest in what Heathertuft had to say. “So Willowdust disappeared as well? Now that is rather peculiar.” She said, becoming a bit uneasy. Swifthare sighed, “I’ll go look for them. You guys can get to what you need to. Once I find them, or if there isn’t any sign at all, I will return.” He said with a nod, before dashing off. Buckstar didn’t say anything against Swifthare, not wanting to waste anymore time. The trespassers were getting away. “Let us be off then, we’re following the scent, and all the risks that come with it.. Flank me, we’re going to take care of these idiots.” He said with a prideful growl, hurrying after the scent, no longer caring about being stealthy as Dovefrost, Lynxlily, and Heathertuft crashed beside him.

-

Jaggedmoon’s walk back with the fishers was rather quiet, everyone's mouth stuffed tightly with fish. He took the time to observe the stars above, walking slower than the others. It was so beautiful, as it was every night. But seeing it from a different location was always enjoyable. The cats walked in a line, Inna in front, Featherflight in the middle, and Jaggedmoon taking up the rear. His eyes were fixed on the stars, but he suddenly had a strange feeling, something he couldn’t explain. He turned his head around quickly, seeing something dart in the shadows behind him. His ears perked up, tensing. He was about to drop the fish and say something, until something else made him drop the fish. A sudden and sharp cry that came from Inna, and the sound of her fish dropping to the ground. Jaggedmoon dropped his own fish, hurrying ahead to see what had happened. Inna appeared alright, but her face showed pure terror. And then he saw what she was looking at. A cat, lying on the ground. Timberfreckle. She showed no movement, no sounds of life. And her sides did not rise and fall. They were still, and he could only presume her heart was still as well.

-

Back at camp, Ashcloud was up keeping watch. As second in command, she felt it was right to be ready in case Buckstar needed backup. But also felt she should be awake to warn her cats if anything were to happen. Something was off in the air. But whatever it was, was also keeping her awake. The night was silent, too silent. Usually the crickets chirped and the sounds of bats flying overhead, their noises filling the night with life. But there was no chirping, and there were no bats flying either. The world was still. But, not for long it seemed, as she spotted movement from one of the caves. It was Mala. The young she-cat came over to Ashcloud, sitting beside her. She had known Mala since kithood, and had watched her grow into a fine cat. She was the sweetest, and most gentle cat she had ever known. But was incredibly loyal, and a strong fighter. There was a reason she now wore a green guardians collar. Mala had been abandoned here by her weakened mother, and fit into the group quite nicely, considering her great fascination with the stars. She had been weak and frail, barely living at all before they had nursed her back to health. Mala proved herself to be a strong cat to have in the group, despite the hardships she had at a young age.

“Can’t sleep, Mala?” She asked, the she-cat sitting beside her. She shrugged, “I don’t know. Maybe it’s just the fact that Buckstar and the others are out there, doing something exciting. I should’ve gone along with them, now I just feel worthless. Or maybe it’s something else, have you noticed that something feels strange? Or am I just going crazy?” Mala asked.

Ashcloud frowned, “You’re better off here, protecting your kin and friends if need be. They’ll be alright, Buckstar is an absolute maniac on the battlefield. He’ll make sure everyone is alright. But no, you’re not crazy. That’s also the reason I’m more awake than usual. The air is so still tonight, there is no sound. It doesn’t feel right. It makes me think there is something lurking, or perhaps it even feels like a calm before a great storm. But then again, maybe it is just our worry for our friends.” She said, giving Mala a gentle lick on the head. Mala leaned against her, “You’re probably right, Ashcloud. You don’t mind me staying up a while longer with you, do you?” She asked softly. Ashcloud shook her head. “Not at all, young one. Take all the time you need, I do enjoy your company.” She said with a smile. Mala relaxed slightly, letting the air fall into silence once more.

-

Jaggedmoon stared at Timberfreckle’s body in pure shock. Her chocolate covered coat was sticky with blood, a pool growing around her. He felt sick, and the scent of the fish wasn’t making things any better. No one knew what to say for a long time, Inna giving Timberfreckle a nudge, hopeful that the she-cat might move. But it was all too obvious from the vicious wounds on her side, that she was dead.

Had Timberfreckle been with Buckstar? Or en route to Buckstar? There was the faint scent of Heathertuft lingering on the wind, leading back down the mountain a ways. “Do you think Heathertuft did this?” He asked in confusion, his voice dry. Inna shook her head, “I don’t want to believe it, I don’t think she would. Let’s go after her scent, quickly now. The fish aren’t important at this point, drop everything, let’s go.” The ginger cat said as she took off running after her scent. Jaggedmoon was relieved to get the fishiness out of his neck, hurrying along after Inna. Featherflight hesitated, “I’m going to stay with Timberfreckle!” She called after them. Jaggedmoon suddenly felt selfish for not considering the fact that they would be leaving their friend's body for the coyotes. He looked back at Featherflight and nodded, to assure her he had heard.

It was only a few minutes into the mad dash that they almost ran directly into Swifhare. The three cats stopped in their tracks, looking at each other in confusion. “Swifthare? Why are you running?” Inna asked, looking at him suspiciously, the once gentle she-cat rather uptight and fearful. Swifthare was just as confused, but certainly didn’t look guilty, moreso confused. “I was with Buckstar and the others, but Willowdust and Timberfreckle didn’t return to the group, so I decided to go looking for them… What are you guys doing out here? Shouldn’t you be carrying the fish back? Or have you come to join Buckstar?” He asked.

The world seemed to stand still for a moment as Inna and Jaggedmoon took in what he just said. “So Timberfreckle was supposed to be heading back to you guys? Willowdust too?” Jaggedmoon asked faintly. Swifthare nodded, “Yes, Willowdust was supposedly with Heathertuft before she disappeared. “And Dovefrost and Lynxlily had Timberfreckle with them before it seemed she disappeared too.”

Inna’s breath hitched slightly, “Was Heathertuft with Timberfreckle at all?” She asked. Swifthare shook his head, “Not that I’m aware of. She would’ve ran through the area Timberfreckle had come from, at least. But it would’ve been impossible for the two cats to be in the same place at the same time, considering the times of each arrival to me and Buckstar. Why do you ask?” Swifthare compelled, his head tilting. “And I bring you to the same question, what are you guys doing out here?” He asked, his tone becoming incredibly sharp. Inna flinched, “We were on our way back with the fish but, we… found... “ Her voice suddenly became incredibly unsteady, as it seemed she might burst into a wave of sadness as the true reality of the dead Timberfreckle set in on her. “Just, come along. Quickly.” Jaggedmoon said to finish Inna’s statement, turning and heading back the way they had come. Swifthare and Inna both followed after them, and it wasn’t long before they arrived to Featherflight and Timberfreckle. Jaggedmoon nearly had a heart attack as he saw Featherflight laying beside Timberfreckle, fearing she had been murdered too. But she sat up in a heartbeat as the others arrived, Jaggedmoon realizing she had just been mourning her friend. “What’s going on? Swifthare?” Featherflight asked with wide eyes.

Swifthare gasped in shock as he suddenly saw the body, beginning to tremble. “No… Spirits no, this doesn’t make any sense- Willowdust! We must find her before it’s too late!” He yowled, heading another direction, the way in which he had seen Dovefrost and Lynxlily come from. Jaggedmoon hurried after his fellow hunter, while Inna stayed back with Featherflight to explain to her what had all been discovered. Both cats were fearful, sitting close to one another with Timberfreckle between them, worrying that whatever had gotten Timberfreckle would come for them too. Inna explained how it wasn’t possible for Heathertuft to have done it, according to Swifthare. Featherflight nodded in agreement, “And if I’m going to be completely honest, I don’t think it was a cat who did this. Do you see how large those gash marks are? It’s truly awful…” She said with a sniff, licking Timberfreckles fur in a sense of comfort. “Doesn’t it seem odd though, that you don’t smell anything else? No stench of a bear, coyote, or wolf? There’s Heathertufts scent, buts its rather old, and the scent isn’t even on Timberfreckle at all.” She said with a frown. Featherflight swallowed hard, “Whatever it was, I hope it doesn’t come back here. Not like this, as we’re vulnerable, all alone, stinking of fresh prey! Even if whatever did this doesn’t find us, something else probably will.” She mumbled. Inna sighed, “Should I go back to base to grab the others?” She asked. “No! Not by yourself… and you’re certainly not going to leave me here by myself.” Featherflight mumbled. Inna nuzzled Featherflight gently, “We’ll be okay, the spirits are watching over us.” She said reassuringly. Featherflight shuddered, “But they certainly weren’t watching over Timberfreckle, and maybe not even Willowdust by the looks of it.”

The death had truly shaken both fisher cats. It had been so long since a cat had died here. In the early days of the group of cats forming, times were harsh. The two had just been kits at the time, and could only vaguely remember it. But cats died on a daily basis. But now, they were stronger than ever, and knew the land better than ever, easily able to survive with minimal to no casualties. And even if there was a death, the cause was always known. So a death with no cause in sight was more than strange, it was terrifying.

-

Jaggedmoon ran at Swifthare’s side into the night, the two hunters were quite close. But this was no time for sharing views on their friendship, it was a stressful time to find someone that may already be dead. Things just didn’t add up in his mind, but for the first time that day, he pushed away his main thoughts and focused on one thing, one thing only. Recovering his friend, alive.

“I see something, Jaggedmoon. But it doesn’t look pretty.” He said, his voice sounding rather sickly. Jaggedmoon soon spotted what Swifthare had, a lump of what he assumed to be a cat, only a few tail lengths away. The two hurried to the scene, and sure enough, it was Willowdust. But her front legs moved slightly! “Willowdust, can you hear me?” Swifthare asked, quickly looking over her wounds. She was badly injured, her thick cream fur soaked in the red sticky substance from her throat to the middle of her sides. Willowdust coughed faintly, her eyes full of tears as she looked up at the two. “I-I can’t… it…” She sputtered, her eyes fading fast.

Jaggedmoon panicked, “Willowdust, stay with us! What happened?!” He asked in a frenzy of emotions, Swifthare trying to pack her wounds with his paws. Willowdust only looked at him sadly, her jaws opening faintly, trying to make out words to say. But then, the light in her eyes died, her body finally falling still. Switfthare cried out in grief, Jaggedmoon shaking harder than a kit in the winter. This couldn’t be happening… They both lagged behind in the group and disappeared. Suddenly, and quietly. He thought back to when he had been carrying fish with Inna and Featherflight, when he had that strange feeling in his gut. And that shadow he saw, could he have been next if they hadn’t discovered Timberfreckles body? “We should alert Buckstar right away, this can’t be happening, not now. Great spirits, the others at base better be alright!” He said, becoming visibly stressed. Swifthare shook his head, “Buckstar is already in a vicious mood to attack those trespassers, he will not handle the situation well while he is in this state of mind. We will go back to base, and alert Ashcloud. As second in command, she can take over this situation from here. We can alert Inna and Featherflight on the way back, and also assure they are alright.” Swifthare said strategically.

Jaggedmoon realized his friend was right. Buckstar would throw a fit if he had to end his stray cat chase and deal with something way over his head. Ashcloud would be able to deal with things much better than he would. He admired Swifthare’s mind, what an intelligent cat he was. But he frowned, looking at poor Willowdust. “You go, I’ll stay back with her.” He said, sitting down.

Swifthare frowned, “Are you sure? As far as we know, it isn’t safe. There is no scent of danger anywhere which is more than unusual, you might not know when something is drawing near!” He said, worried for his friend. With two cats dead, he didn’t dare risk losing one of his oldest friends. But Jaggedmoon shook his head, “I must protect her body. I will be more than wary, Swifthare, I am a born hunter, just as you. I will be alright.” He said, trying to make his voice sound strong. Because in truth, he was more than terrified to stay here alone. And looking at Willowpelt sent shivers down his spine. But it was the right thing to do. Swifthare sighed, hesitating a moment. “Very well. But if you see anything, anything at all, you get out of there immediately. Don’t try and fight, you’re one of the best, Jaggedmoon, and no cat here can afford to lose you.” He said before running off into the night.

Jaggedmoon was incredibly touched by his words, and as soon as he left, his emotions began to flood out, sadness, grief, and mourning. All at once. He did his best to stay quiet, but it was hard. He soon found himself praying, pressed up against Willowdust, as the quiet night dragged on.

-

Swifthare arrived at Inna and Featherflight, silently thanking the spirits that they were still okay. But his mouth became dry as he realized he had to be the one to bear the bad news to them. The fisher cat's ears were perked, awaiting a hopeful response. But if his grim expression didn’t already give it away, his words certainly spoke the harsh truth. “We found her. But, in the worst of ways. She was alive when we found her, but she passed before she could speak much of anything. I am incredibly fearful for what has become of the two of them. There was no scent at all, nothing! I don’t understand this at all, I-” Inna cut him off, “Jaggedmoon? Where’s Jaggedmoon?! Isn’t he supposed to be with you, did he get taken too?!” Inna asked in a frenzy of panic. Swifthare quickly shook his head, “No no, calm down! He stayed with Willowdust. You two remained safe with Timberfreckle, I’m sure he will remain safe as well. But for now, we must head back to base and alert Ashcloud. She will be able to handle these matters better than I. I can help carry some of the fish back in the process, but I would like to hurry. I hate leaving Jaggedmoon there all alone.” He said, taking as many fish as he could before hurrying up to base. Inna joined him, while Featherflight stayed behind once more, the duo racing up the mountain, fearing for everyone's lives.

They suddenly burst through the thorn barrier, fish dropping out of their jaws. Ashcloud and Mala jumped in surprise, Ashclouds' jaw opening quickly. “You two! You’ve got blood on your paws, what has happened?” She asked in a quick and sharp manner, ready to take action as soon as possible. It was more than obvious she was already a greater leader than Buckstar ever would be, in Swifthares mind. But how was he to explain such great events in such a short matter of time?

“There’s been two murders, Willowdust and Timberfreckle. Both were with other cats that were going to join Buckstars cat hunt before suddenly disappearing. There were no scents at either of the bodies, both were badly mauled. Buckstar, Dovefrost, Lynxlily and Heathertuft are still on the hunt and have no idea of any of this. Jaggedmoon is waiting with Willowdusts body and Featherflight with Timberfreckle’s. Please, do what must be done.” Swifthare said, realizing how exhausted he was.

Ashcloud felt as if she were dreaming for a moment, unable to comprehend that two cats she had just seen today were deceased. Without any sort of cause. Everyone must know, and she needed all hands on deck. They were to retrieve the bodies, and bring all cats back to base. No one was to leave. She knew dragging the bodies would leave the scent of blood right to base, but she knew everyone would be more comforted to see them in their final moments.

“Cats of the Mountains, rise from your caves! An emergency has arisen, everyone up!” Ashcloud called in her most loud tone, sending all the cats to their paws immediately. “Everyone outside!” She yelled.

Ashcloud made quick work of making groups, many cats to accompany Swifthare on his retrieval of Willowdust and Jaggedmoon, while many cats with Inna to retrieve Timberfreckle and Featherflight. Her voice was raw afterwards, sending cats to guard the barriers, and others to stay within the base to keep an eye on things. She sat outside with the others, her heart pounding in her chest. Everyone was terrified, asking so many questions, and asking if Buckstar and the rest of his party were alright. Ashcloud couldn’t provide as much comfort or answers to these questions as she would have hoped, but she did her best. The night fell silent again, as the last sound of crashing paw steps disappeared into the night.

-

Jaggedmoon laid against Willowdust, his eyes wet with tears. The night was so oddly peaceful, no clouds in the sky, the stars shining down brightly on him. This day had been full of oddities, his first time fishing and hearing about these strange abilities. He had the truth practically pulled out of him, against his will! He had learned the fisher cats shared his opinion, and actually planned to somehow take Buckstar down. They even claimed Buckstar had some sort of special ability. And now, this. Something he would’ve never imagined, happening before his very paws. He began to feel guilty, he should’ve gone along with them! He knew he had been told to stay back and help with the fish, but he shouldn’t have let Lynxlily influence his decision. He was an experienced hunter and fighter, he could’ve even saved Timberfreckle’s life. Now all he wanted to do was blame himself. It was all his fault, right? No. Or was it? His mind became so cloudy, he no longer paid any attention to his surroundings. The world became a blur, as his memories began to flash back into kithood. Playing with his siblings under the stars, praying. Cats died back then, when he was young. It didn’t affect him then. And as he became older, cats stopped dying. But now, it was happening once more. But back then, it was different. They died from lack of herb knowledge, old age, rock slides, and predator accidents. And now? He couldn’t actually remember the last time a cat had died. What had changed? Did it have something to do with what the fisher cats were talking about? Were times coming to a drastic change? Fear wracked his mind, and for a few moments, he fell asleep. Seeping in the last bit of warmth from Willowdust’s body. And while he slept, he dreamed.

A field wavered around him, tall sage grass high above his head. The sky was cloudy, and he moved forward in the grass, unable to see anything but that. For a while he walked in a straight path through the grass, or at least, what he thought was a straight path. But when he finally had the nerve to look behind him, he realized he was not making any sort of path. Any grass he stepped on moved right back up to being tall again, proving it to be impossible to figure where he had been. It seemed like ages as he tried to find his way out of the maze, beginning to sprint in a panic. The skies grew dark, and the grass and sky all blended into one deep shade of gray. He couldn’t tell up from down, the sounds of screaming cats echoing in his ears. And soon, he was one of them, cries coming from his jaws as he practically ran through a black abyss. But then, he saw it. Light. He ran, sprinted, bolted, all at once, until his body fell into the opening of light. Color filled his vision, as he lay out on an open field. It was the same one as before, with the sage grass. But this time, the grass was shorter, and he could see past it. And the sky was bright and sunny, his pelt filling with warmth.

“Hello?” He called, looking around, before suddenly spotting them. Them. Timberfreckle and Willowdust, carrying a soft white glow in the distance. He ran towards them, “You’re here! You’re okay!” He cried out, practically overcome with joy. But then he remembered. This was only a dream.

Willowdust nuzzled him, her pelt clean of blood and as soft as ever. “Thank you for keeping watch over my body, that was very brave of you, Jaggedmoon. You are a great cat, yes. But I’m afraid at some point, you will have your downfall. It will be incredibly hard, for a while. I assure you things will get better though, eventually. You will make a grave mistake, an inevitable one at that. You must be prepared for a challenge that even someone such as Ashcloud would struggle to handle alone.”

Jaggedmoon shook his head in desperation, “What? Please, what am I going to do wrong? Please tell me, so I can prevent it!” He begged, dread carrying in his stomach. Timberfreckle shook her head. “Your mistake will prove worthy in the end. But for now, or at least, very soon, you will become a traitor.” She said, causing Jaggedmoon to shake his head once more, begging for any sort of explanation. But they made no sound, the dream falling as silent as the night had been. It was short lived, as the sounds of cats began to break up the dream.

And then, he was awake.

He lifted his head, surrounded by his friends and kin. He sighed with relief, he was safe. He received soft grooming from some of the cats, everyone falling silent as they worked to take their late friend's body back up the mountain. Jaggedmoon took control of his mind and pushed away the dream for the meantime, assisting as much as he could to help with Willowdust. He was informed that everyone else was alright. But there was no word from Buckstar yet.

“Why doesn’t someone go out after their party, to see if they’re alright?” Jaggedmoon asked. But Swifthare shook his head, “We were informed to get everyone back to base, and no one else is leaving. Ashclouds orders. But we don’t need anyone else getting killed. And if time passes too long and they still haven’t come back, I’m sure Ashcloud will organize a group to go looking for them. Jaggedmoon fell silent again, their home soon coming into view. Both bodies soon arrived, placed in the clearing of the base. Cats gathered around, saying soft prayers and grooming their fur. Ashcloud ordered a quiet mealtime for everyone, even allowing those to eat out of order. Blueice questioned her breaking the law, but Ashcloud sharply told him that in such a stressful situation, she could change things as she saw fit. She knew he would tattle on her to Buckstar, but frankly, she didn’t care. All she cared about now was the safety of everyone. They had not eaten yet that day, and it was torture to keep these worried cats from something they craved, other than the truth at least. But she found that her hunger had diminished in the stretch of the situation, and couldn’t bring any prey to her mouth. She made everyone stay within the thorn walls, while she, Blueice, Muskystride, and Mala sat near the opening.

“How long do you think we should wait before sending out a search party for Buckstar and the others? I know until at least after morning, but I’m not sure how much longer we should wait after that. I would like your opinions.” Ashcloud said as she looked at the three guardians beside her.

Blueice spoke almost immediately, “Likely right at dawn. I hate having to worry about them. And if we take a bunch of cats and stick close together, it’ll be alright. I’d rather know now than wait until it's too late, and raise everyone’s stress level higher.” He said. Muskystride nodded, “That seems sensible. But perhaps a bit after dawn, when it is least a bit lighter out? So we can assure that the nocturnal predators have all gone away, at least. It would be safer.” He pointed out. Mala nodded, “I agree with Muskystride.” She said quietly. Blueice huffed, “Sure. I guess that works too.” He mumbled.

Ashcloud nodded, “Very well. Would any of you like to be on the search party tomorrow? I mean, I certainly hope one doesn’t have to be made. I would like them all to come back safe.” She said, looking down at her paws. But part of her almost wished that Buckstar wouldn’t return. It was so nice being able to handle things on her own. His guidance was helpful, but only sometimes. She pushed the greedy thought away, and instead forced herself to hope for his safety.

Muskystride spoke up, “Ashcloud, you did a very fine job taking over as leader this evening. You rarely get to do anything without his opinion, but I think you handled this situation greatly. The outcome of two deaths, regardless, was terrible. But your plan of action seemed to prevent any more deaths. Timberfreckle and Willowdust’s deaths were too untimely. They were old enough to bear kits and have a family, but whoever did this to them cut it short. It isn’t fair, not at all. They were great cats, and deserved so much better than this. I think you can all agree with me when I say that whoever did this will pay. After Buckstar returns, or we find them, we can let things rest. But not for long. We must act quickly if we hope to catch whoever did this. I trust that you and Buckstar will handle it well.” He said with a respectful nod.

Ashcloud was touched by his words, thanking him greatly. “We will do our best, as always. We have a lot of food right now thankfully, so we shouldn’t have to worry about sending out cats to hunt. Until things are figured out, I think we must establish some new rules. Such as, no cat goes out alone. Must be in a group of three or more, and they must stick close together. If a cat is slow, they will match their pace. I want at least two guards at the barrier at all times. Doesn’t have to be a guardian, just an adult.” She said.

The guardians nodded, “Those seem like very ideal suggestions, Ashcloud.” Mala said. “But may I suggest another?” She asked. Ashcloud nodded, “Of course, I would love your input.” She said, listening intently.

Mala nodded, “Well, if anything like a bear or large group of cats got in here, all they would have to do is guard the exit to keep us all in. I think we should have an escape route.” She said. Blueice huffed, “We’re not putting anymore holes in the thorn barrier, that’s more ways for the enemy to get in! One is plenty to keep watch for, and the guards at the exit will be able to warn us ahead of time if there is anything out of line.” He said, eyes narrowed at Mala.

Mala sighed, “You didn’t let me finish. I don’t mean an escape route to the outside. I mean… the one through the caves. Those caves that form in the leader's den. The one where Eve is rumored to have gone crazy and died in? That place is practically an abyss, but if we could map the pathways, it could be an easy place to hide if we ever had nowhere else to go.” She said. Blueice still didn’t seem too keen on this idea, but didn’t say anything.

Ashcloud pondered on the idea. She didn’t like the idea of the caves, the tight spaces, and endless passageways that could lead to a slow and excruciating death. “That is something I’ll definitely have to talk with Buckstar about. That is a very wise idea, yes. Very clever. But I don’t trust those caves and tunnels, not yet at least. And I don’t want anyone assuming it’s a safe place. The last thing I need is kits wandering in and getting lost. After this point, no one else should be dying. As your second in command, I will not allow us to lose anyone else. Just losing these two is devastating enough, it will take a while to recover from all of this. Too long, probably. But for now, please, hang in there. I hope Buckstar and the others make it back safely, but if they don’t, I will take the blame for not sending out a search party sooner, even though it seems like an incredibly naive thing to do. I just hope they don’t panic if they scent any blood, and hope that they come straight back here. Even if whatever happened to Willowdust and Timberfreckle doesn’t hurt them, doesn’t mean that those trespassers they found won’t. By dawn I want Fernsong and others prepared to treat any wounds. I will gather the search party by then, and lead it out. The bodies will have to be taken to the high rocks at some point, but for now, they can be moved into the shade, and taken care of by Fernsong until it is safe enough.” She said, the guardians nodding at her orders. “And most importantly, keep an eye on those kits and apprentices. With new and strict rules in place, the spirits know they will always find a way to break them and cause trouble. Why don’t you all get some rest, I will keep watch for now.” She said.

But all three guardians refused to leave, “You’re leading the search tomorrow Ashcloud, if they don’t return. You must rest. But, you should probably rest right here with us. We’ll alert you if anything happens.” Mala said, “You deserve it.” Ashcloud was relieved at the idea of sleep. “Thank you.” She said, soon laying down, tail curling around her paws. The times were scary, brutally terrifying even, but they would make it through. Ashcloud would make sure of that. And in the spirit of Muskystrides words, and likely everyone else's, whoever did this would pay. Pay, with their blood, soul and heartbeat.


[ 10008 words ]

--cats on patrol
Buckstar | HP 100% | HUP 20% | Sick: N
Heathertuft | HP 100% | HUP 0% | Sick: N
Dovefrost | HP 100% | HUP 0% | Sick: N
Lynxlily | HP 100% | HUP 0% | Sick: N

--level 4
experience: 182/400

--inventory

random fp of choice | 1 FP | x4
rabbit | 3 FP | x1
frog | 3 FP | x1
squirrel | 3 FP | x3
hawk | 5 FP | x1

free | random herb of choice | x4
sorrel | traveling herb | x1
mint | hides scent of death | x1
deathberries | kills cats | x2
willow leaves | pain relief | x1
lovage | helps cure coughs | x1
borage leaves | brings down fevers, soothes bellies | x1
wintergreen | treats wounds and poisons | x1
fennel | helps hip pain during kitting | x1
lambs ear | to give a cat strength | x1
celadine | soothes damaged eyes | x1
poppy seeds | helps with sleep and distress | x1

--items in inventory used

-- active quests:
n/a

I want to risk death!
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