[Wretched.Felidae]

Username: Demonic.Canine.
Clan: Zenith

Quest Number: #3
Response:

Wolf’Kissed’s Rise
The small patrol including Vixen’Snarl, Fox’Born, Grave’Paw and the leader Wolf’Star himself had stopped upon Hana. Annoyed yet friendly, Wolf’Star had come forward with a small chuckle. “If you are so curious of our lifestyle, why not join?” He had let his tail rest at half-height to signal the other three that Hana wasn’t to be mistaken as a threat. The glares from the three ceased then and they had given the two some space, though Grave’Paw couldn’t help but decide to easedrop on his father and Hana’s conversation.
“It was the night after I had overthrown Lost’Star. I was still recovering from my wounds and was put in a very lucid state from the herbs that Withered’Flame had given me for the pain. All I can remember before I fell asleep was the heavy rain- It wouldn’t let up no matter what. After I laid down in the new, leaky den,
I felt myself drift off, but awoke in a world of shadows and small light besides what the moon and stars allowed us. Once I took in the details, Lost’Star and many other cats I hadn’t seen before appeared before me. I could sense the amount of power and respect each one of those cats had earned; all except Lost’Star.” The black smoke ghost tabby paused, shaking his head.
“Some cats looked.. upset. Some were happy, I think there were mixed emotions about my actions that night. They argued whether I was worthy of their lives or not. Lost’Star’s reign has been cut short because he was losing his head, getting too obsessed with power. It was my job as his successor to make sure I did what was best for our clan and kin.” The stressful topic had caught Wolf’Star off guard, his claws seeped into the earth as some grounding technique for himself. “But when they finally decided, they sung the saga of Valhalla to me, the sky lit up with many new colors. blues and greens so bright I wasn’t sure what to even compare them to besides a welcoming flame. A much older, frail tom touched noses with me, and that is when I had woken. My wounds no longer pained me and I felt as if my body were renewed.” His ear flickered, they were now half back. “It is not a story for the faint of heart how our battle went down. That is a tale for another time.” Wolf’Star motioned for the patrol to keep going. “I hope to see you around, not so close to the border.” There was a teasing factor hinted at in his tone. Maybe he enjoyed always answering Hana’s questions and sharing his stories in the hopes that his saga would be sung after his death.

Characters
Wolf’Star


Lost’Star


Withered’Flame


Vixen’Snarl


Fox’Born


Grave’Paw

Word Count: 460 Words

[Griff]

Username: Griff
Clan: https://toyhou.se/griffhighwind/charact ... er:2507939

Quest Number: One
Response: It was a quiet night for Clan Ember. Well, quieter than the usual, even. It had been such a simple question from Cloudrunner. She had asked him, "Where did you come from?" And he had fallen silent, heart filled with unease and regret. How could he possibly explain to her, in a way that did not make him look like a terrible coward? She counted on him, looked up to him! He was supposed to found this amazing new clan, and how could he do that with such a past?

She had found his silence to be just as terrible however, and with a heavy sigh turned her back to him and fell asleep. "I am sorry..." he whispered to her before glancing up at the stars. Why had he been chosen anyways? He had no outside experience, just a lot of instinct and heart. How could he tell her he regretted keeping silent, but he regretted his past even more? That he had stayed in that life of comfort, of luxory of his own free will. It was only because of the fire that he had ever left that life behind. ANd even now, even now... if they found him? He would come back. He would leave it all behind and come back to that family which had loved him so much.

How could he tell her all of this? He regretted his silence, his decision to stay, his decision even now that he would still go back. He was her leader... why could he not leave his past where it belonged? Why must he hurt her so, over Two-Leggers who might not even care that he was out of their lives? Why did they seem to mean more to him than she did, despite the fact she would give her life for him? He groaned, disliking all of the thoughts battling about in his mind. Let them be gone, gone like the past!

He barely heard it from her then, a soft whimper in the night. Without thinking, he quickly curled up next to her for warmth, placing his head against her shoulder. ...She meant so much to him, she really did. And perhaps one day, with her help, he really could leave the past behind. But for now, his biggest regret was that they meant as much as they did to him.
Word Count: 395

Username: Griff
Clan: https://toyhou.se/griffhighwind/charact ... er:2507939

Quest Number: 3
Response:

Stray. He never once in his life thought the word would apply to him. He was a stray now, had lost his home and family to the fire. Were they alive? He had no idea. Was he even alive? He was not sure. He could hear the whisper of voices around him, but they sounded nothing like the Two-Leggers he knew. Groaning slightly, he shook his head to try and come to.

"Ah- there he is!" Ember blinked, staring up at what looked like a massive cat. Larger than any Two-Legger he'd ever seen. He screamed, staggering back, only to have another massive cat gently catch him.

"Easy there Ember, easy. We know this all can be a bit unsettling..." Ember stopped, staring up at the massive cats. One a gold tabby like the sun. The second was a silver spotted mackerel, like the moon.

"How did you know my name?" He asked, head tilted. Sun smiled, shaking his fur.

"We see all cats under our skies born, live, and die. They are all our wards. Even the kittypets. But, Ember, we saw what happened. You... died, down there. You helped guide your family out but you in turn died for the trouble. But your noble act of love did not go unnoticed. Tell me, do you wish to live?"

"Well, yeah I mean... I'm not that old! I still have so many foods to try, couches to climb, counters to explore and-"

"Ember..." Moon spoke, her voice hushed and sad. "We can... restore you. But you could never go back, do you understand? You would have to forge a new life... there are cats that we need you to find. To bring together, form a clan. They need a leader, and I fear you will need a family..."

"But my family is-"

"...Mourning, they saw you die. They must never know that you yet live. Can you leave the past behind, and serve your fellow cats? You can all forge a better life together, a new tomorrow..." Ember swallowed hard.

"...Will they be okay, my family?"

"In time, yes. As will you. So, will you accept our offer?" Ember nodded, and he found a silver and a gold paw placed on top of him. He gasped, as energy began to pour into him. Not just any energy but the essence of life.

"I grant your four more lives, and the knowledge of the sun. Rise above, and lead." Sun spoke.

"I grant you four more lives, and the knowledge of the moon. Rise above, and care." Moon spoke.

Before Ember could say anything, he found himself awakening in the middle of the forest, alone. He knew that Sun and Moon had forged a new star... him. He was Emberstar now, and he had a duty. But where were these leaderless cats, and what lied ahead for him next?
Word Count: 479

[Wretched.Felidae]

Username: Demonic.Canine. Teaming up with BigFrog4231
Clan: Zenith
Quest Number: #1

Frost’Claw’s Exile
“It were a long night of tension that followed the day that Wolf’Kissed had overthrown Lost’Star by challenging him to a holmgang. It was a close battle, the corrupted leader had left his successor in shreds. Not even Withered’Flame could say he would’ve made it the night without him being given 9 lives.” Frostclaw shook her head, her ears posted back as she took a moment to recollect her memories from that night. “Dead’Eye and Wolf’Kissed had been rivals since their birth. Just as their fathers were. It’s rumored that Wolf’Kissed father only had him because he wanted to be a better parent than the other. It’s all sorts of twisted. Anyway- Dead’Eye seen the opportunity to kill Wolf’Kissed while he was weak. It couldn’t have been a fair fight, the Tom was playing dirty just to please his own father and follow in his paw prints. I had to do something.” Her slate tail began to lash. “I confronted him, he didn’t stop his stride towards the den Wolf’Kissed was recovering in. The only way I could’ve gotten his attention was if I called him to a holmgang. The loser either had to yield and brought shame.. Or be Exiled.”

-------------------------------------------------

``Dead`Eye! I told you to stop``, she hissed, tail lashing. The tom stopped, turning to the angry she-cat. She tried not to show her anxiety, worried what would happen if Dead`Eye made it to Wolf`Kissed. ``And what do you think you're doing? This is between me and Wolf`Kissed``, he sneered, curling his lips into a cruel smile. She didn't back down, standing taller and trying to appear larger. She knew she wouldn't be able to talk him out of it. She only had one more card left up her sleeve. ``I challenge you to a holmgang. For the position of Iarl!`` The camp went silent, all eyes on the pair. Dead`eye's smile grew, his claws extended now. He took a few confident steps over to Frostclaw already looming over her. ``Well, I surely wasn't expecting this...`` Sarcasm was laced heavily in his voice as he chuckled. As if on cue, Wolf`Kissed stepped out of his den, a stern expression on his face. It was obvious he was weak, but he still carried himself like a Skeppare.

``Why don't we settle this dispute. Dead`Eye will fight to hold onto his title of Iarl, and Frostclaw will fight for the position. The looser shall accept defeat and yield, exiled from the clan, or they shall face death. The battle will be held in three sunrises, and will be fought just outside of camp.`` Wolf`Kissed spoke loud enough for the whole clan to hear, his voice ringing out through camp. His words repeated over and over in her mind as she sharpened her claws and trained for the fight. The thing that made her most uneasy is that whenever she saw Dead`Eye, he didn't even seem bothered to train- just carrying on with his duties as normal.

-------------------------------------------------

The three sunrises came and went, and all that remained now was the duel. She walked out of the camp calmly, seeing Wolf`Star and Dead`Eye already outside. Frostclaw walked to the opposite side of Dead`Eye, not taking her eyes off of him. Wolf`Star stood in the middle of the two, with many Thegns surrounding the three watching in anticipation. Wolf`Star stepped from the center to join the surrounding Thegns and gave a curt nod, and the cheering began.

Dead`Eye crouched down to the ground, claws digging into the soft soil. Frostclaw's tail lashed as she unsheathed her claws, glaring at the opposing tom. Without hesitation, he lunged after her, hissing out as she darted to the side and jumped onto his back, trying to dig her claws into his pelt. Dead`Eye rolled to the ground, slamming Frostclaw into the ground and releasing her grip. The air was knocked from her lungs and her ears rang, hearing the rising cheers as Dead`Eye gloated. She heaved herself off the ground and lunged for his legs, knocking Dead`Eye to the ground for a second as she slashed her claws across his face. Frostclaw begins to sprint to the other side of the ring as the tom yowls out as he springs after her, grasping her flank and pulling her to the ground. She hisses at him, trying to kick herself free. Her head is slammed into the ground by one of his paws as he takes a step away, sneering at her. The ringing in her ears returns, accompanied by a roaring boom of thunder.

The crowd cheers even louder as Frostclaw shakes herself off, looking for a weak spot to attack. He's bigger than me, but I'm faster. I just have to outsmart him... she thinks, noticing the grass becoming slick with hazy rainfall. She begins to take a few steps around Dead`Eye, circling him. And suddenly, she bolts around him, knocking out his front paws and running to the opposite side of the ring yet again. He yowls out and begins to chase after her, trying to dig his claws into the muddy ground. Frostclaw looks behind her once she hears a thud, skidding to a halt seeing Dead`Eye in the mud. She smiles and jumps onto him, trying to pin him down. She grabs hold of his collar with her teeth and pulls, trying to get him out of breath. Dead`Eye yells out and rolls onto the ground again, attempting to squash her like before. Try a different move next time! She thinks while hopping off of his back and onto his stomach. His eyes widened in horror as she held him there, realizing in one move it could be all over. The crowd erupts into cheers.

``Do you yield?`` She hisses, having to shout over the now pounding rain. ``Never!`` Dead`Eye snarls and slashes at her neck, then kicking her off of him with his hind legs. She flies off of him, struggling to get off the ground before he pins her down. The cheering of the crowd was now drowned out by the thunder and she watched Dead`Eye approach her slowly, knowing this was his win. Her mind raced, trying to grasp at any thought of what to do. A heavy paw slammed onto her stomach, and Dead`Eye lowered his head to her ear. ``Do you yield?`` His voice was quiet, barely audible over the rain. This was meant for Frostclaw, and only Frostclaw. Her heart races and she swallows her massive pride, looking Dead`Eye straight on. ``I yield!`` Her voice rings over the rain, and the crowd cheers, chanting Dead`Eye's name. He removes his paw from her chest and smiles, walking over to the crowd to gloat. Out of the corner of her eye, she can see Wolf`Star frowning at her.

-------------------------------------------------

Wolf’Star held a heavy gaze between the two cats during the fight. He sensed something else was going on. Frost’claw wasn’t deemed a power hungry individual in his eyes. After a few moments, he cleared his throat and called out. “Frost’Claw, step forth.” This was it. This was her trial. Whatever final words she had left, he would hear now. He sat himself atop of his rock, looking down to the light colored molly as she approached- still riled up from battle.
“I plead trial.” Frost’Claw nearly yowled out. After this announcement, many cats grew confused. To plead for trial meant something was wrong. Horribly wrong. It was deemed as a last resort. Wolf’Star had given a confused look before narrowing his eyes. “I will hear your trial at nightfall.” He began. “I want you in a clear mind if you truly do want an honest trial.” After this, cats begun to scowl out in protest. The new Skeppare was sure to put the cats in their place. “Silence.” a new found tone boomed out; soon the voices ceased. “Every cat of Zenith is entitled to trial-” He was cut off by Dead’Eye himself. “She is no longer one of us.” He spat out, getting a few nods of agreement from the posse around him. “Have I exiled her yet, Dead’Eye?” A snarl came from Wolf’Star as he replied. This silenced the chocolate lynx point tom. His focus then returned to Frost’Claw. “Go visit the shaman, rest there until your trial.” He said in dismissal before returning to his den.
—-
The evening passes rather slowly, it picks away at Frost’Claw’s tension. “He doesn’t know what happened.. Why I did what I did! It was the only way to get his attention.” She mumbled to herself, coiled up in a moss nest within the back of the shaman’s den. Her mind began to weave the conversation in her head. How the trial could play out.
—-
The sun begun to shift into the horizon, Wolf’Star had come down to the meeting grounds and awaited. Frost’Claw could feel the many eyes on her as she had come out from the den and made her way to the black smoke ghost tabby waiting for her. “I am here to just listen right now.” Wolf’Star spoke softly, nodding. He made sure to keep himself silent while Frost’Claw spoke. “Dead’Eye was after you, right after you had fought with Lost’Star.” A frown cursed her lips as she spoke. Her throat tightened, she felt as if no matter what she said; it was exile. “He wasn’t listening- it’s the only way I could’ve gotten his rotten attention away from going after you while you were already down. Please, I had a good reason.” Her claws sunk into the moist earth, her head was down.
Wolf’Star took a few moments to take everything in. “You know the rules of a holmgang just as well as I do. Why didn’t you resort to calling out my name to warn me? Or any other cat?”
Frost’Claw’s ears shifted backwards, she hadn’t thought about it in the moment. “There wasn’t time for thinking, he was right outside your den. Please-“ “I appreciate your heart, Frost’Claw- But I would be no better than the very cat I overthrew if I didn’t follow the rules. I cast exile. I wish you the best travels.”

-------------------------------------------------

She felt as if the ground dropped out from underneath her paws. Wolf`Star's words echoed in her mind, and no matter how hard she tried, she couldn't get Dead`Eye's wicked smile out of her mind. Before she realized it her paws were carrying her away. Fast. Her claws dug through the muddy earth and she ran, her mind racing. Where do I go? Become an Outsider? No I can't... She ran as far as her paws would carry her- through the territory she grew up around- until her surroundings became foreign. The only thing worse than being exiled was being caught after exile. She couldn't bare to see Dead`Eye again, let alone any of her old clanmates. Her pace slowed, and the stars hung above her, looking different than they did from camp. Have my ancestors abandoned me too? Despair hung heavy in her heart as she curled up under a bush, drifting into an uneasy sleep.

-------------------------------------------------

It had been many moons since her exile. Her paws were rough and cracked from her travels, and Dead`Eye's claws had left a nasty scar on her neck. The wound never healed properly, and now her grave mistake from all those moons ago had left a permanent reminder, never letting her forget her past. She was far away from Zenith now, she wasn't even sure if she would be able to find her way back if pressed- she had just kept traveling, never once looking back. The familiar surroundings of her old home had now warped into a stinking two-leg infested territory. Hard concrete replaced the soft grass, and instead of trees there were now tall pillars of light where two-legs lived. She hopped down from the chain-link fence she was walking on, and was standing in front of a new clan she heard about. The "Star Striders", was it? Maybe They'll let me join...

Frostclaw had never explained why she truly needed a new clan to join, she just simply stated that she had been traveling for a long time and wanted somewhere to call home again. She was completely lying, but it sure wasn't the whole truth. She doesn't think she'll ever tell any cat about Zenith or how she lost her honor- it's already torturous enough that she has the scars to remind her of her mistake all those moons ago. It'd be too much on what's left of her pride to tell someone.

Total Word Count: 2,101
Demonic.Canine's Word Count: 764
BigFrog's Word Count: 1,332

Art

Demonic.Canine's Word Count: Sketch, Background Coloring
BigFrog: Outline, Body Coloring

[SushiFoxx]

Username: SushiFoxx
Clan: https://toyhou.se/Sushifox/characters/folder:2183891

Quest Number: 1
Response: Lavenderlake shook nervously. Her head was spinning and she didn't know what to do. They felt their mind whirl and twist in many moments. "What?" They asked them self confused and worried. Lavenderlake stared out at the sky. Luckily for them they were in their mind and the clan could not hear or see them. This was a funny trait Lavenderlake had. Her soft purple coat shined in the soft lighting above them. They paused nervously not knowing what they had just found out. There was no way they could tell the clan! They would all be to scared of this!

Lavenderlake paced in their mind. They just saw all the territories and they didn't know what to think. All of the cats seemed to be so happy! They all lived in their own ways! All of these cats had different ranks and everything! They seemed so in order! Elders were telling stories to the kits while the clan caught prey and it looked so friendly. Everybody looked to be having fun! Some cats looked so special! One of the groups of cats had scaled tails because they lived under the water! Mean while another group that lived in the clouds had these magical wings!

Lavenderlake looked around her nervously. She had to keep this a secret! But they did not want to keep this a secret! It seemed as though all the kingdoms were getting ready for something! What if MistClan was part of that something! Lavenderlake felt her mind spin like a whirlpool with all of the choices they could make! If they told the clan maybe they could prepare! But what if Echostar didn't believe her? What if she got the clan preparing for nothing? What would she say? The other choice, to not say anything could mean MistClan is not prepared and it would be all her fault for not saying anything!

Their mind raced with choices they could make for this. Every choice had something bad an something good that could happen with it. Lavenderlake looked at the trees are them hoping they could refocus their thoughts and pick something that would make sense. She wandered around the trees, her tail trailing behind her as she wandered though the trees. In a attempt to gather her thoughts that did not seem to be working quite well for Lavenderlake, unfortunately. Lavenderlake took a breath and cleared her mind the best they could attempt to do.

They had two choices, tell the clan about the other groups or keep their secret to them self. Lavenderlake felt their paws shake with a heavy amount of nervousness. "Calm yourself down Lavenderlake" A voice told them softly. Lavenderlake nodded without questioning the voice or where it came from. They took in a breath and shook out their pelt. They had finally decided to keep this a secret. Would they regret this choice? They honestly did not know yet. She took in a deep breath hoping this would be the correct choice.

Lavenderlake felt herself some back to reality. The wind rustled her soft purple pointed fur. She hoped silently she would not have put the clan in danger with keeping this secret to herself. She hoped she would not have any regrets with this choice. To her knowledge she was the only one that knew about these cats and they did not believe in a smallest amount that Echostar would believe her, let alone any of the clan! She took in a deep breath as she flicked her tail. She had ended up centering back to reality on top of a hill.

Her heterochromatic eyes shined in the soft sun lit field grass. "Please let this not be a mistake that causes regrets" Lavenderlake murmured to them self nervously. She took in a deep breath before releasing it back into the air in a soft cloud. This puff of air formed something. A battle it seemed? There seemed to be so much going on in this breath of air she just let out. There seemed to be fire a mess of water, clouds and plants aswell as cats. There was wings and scaled tails and so much going on in this picture!

There were cats attacking from the sky, cats attacking out of trees and the water as well as cats attacking from the ground! They all seemed to be trying to attack one group of cats. Though Lavenderlake could not make out any of the cats details to tell who they are. She could make out there were five cats all in the middle seeming to all be fighting one of them. Cats were all over the field, attacking each other. She walked around the field looking at everything around her. All the cats looked like clouds but all around her there were cats and fighting.

Almost all in an instant the wind whisked away the scene. The scene that was frozen in time for Lavenderlake to look at. Lavenderlake had seem so many cats all in one spot, all in the field she was in. "Oh dear, please don't let this be because I decided to keep this a secret" Lavenderlake whispered to herself nervously. Lavenderlake sat down picturing the scene in her head again. They looked like the groups she had seen before. Though she couldn't make out any of the cats she was looking at before.

She took in the scene in her head. Lavenderlake analyzed the scene with every speck of it she could imagine and remember. She tried to pick up on cats looks but they all looked the same and she could not make out their fur patterns as they were all just grey statues that were frozen in place. Lavenderlake took in a deep breath and tried to show the scene again but nothing showed up in its place like it had before. She thought to herself puzzled about what this scene could mean. She knew other cats couldn't have seen it so she was stuck with it herself.

They had a feeling they would regret this choice very deeply. Keeping this a secret already did not seem like a good idea but they barely had any choice about this! Hopefully this battle did not actually happen and she had made the correct choice and that was what would have happened if she had not picked to not say anything. But at this point Lavenderlake was clueless and they had no guesses as to what the scene that had shown itself before them could have meant. Lavenderlake thought to themself and felt a sinking feeling this was not a good idea to keep secret.
Word Count: 1,112


Username: SushiFoxx
Clan: https://toyhou.se/Sushifox/characters/folder:2183891

Quest Number: 3
Response: Echostar stared at the cat. The starry figure of her mother. The tortoiseshell she cat stared back at EchoStar. Echostar was clueless on what her mother could be wanting from her. The translucent starry figure of her mother who she had lost to a monster when she was oh so little. The leader had no clue how to react to seeing her mother in front of her own eyes again, finally. "Mother?" Echostar asked meekly to the figure in front of her. "Hello young one" The she cat started off softly her starry gaze never breaking from Echostar's.

The she cat who stared back at Echostar looked blank with a uneasy look on her face which caused EchoStar to be heavily nervous. "Do not be nervous young one, I am here barring a prophecy" Echostars mother told her softly. Echostar nodded silently to her mother letting her speak her prophecy to her daughter, the leader of MistClan. The tortoiseshell mother stared back at Echostar still having not started her prophecy yet as though they were waiting for something. Echostar stared at her confused on what her mother could be possibly delaying the prophecy for. It must be something important to wait for.

"Fire will bring unfortunate stories up again, Wind, Water, Forest and Mist must all become one in the time of need to escape the grasp of the flames" The she cat told to Echostar. The molly's eyes had become white as she told the prophecy. Echostar listened to each word more confused than before. "Thank you, mother" Echostar said softly to the figure standing in front of her. Echostar's mother dipped her head silently to her daughter. Echostar smiled to her mother, who she had missed ever so dearly. "This will help, thank you again" Echostar said softly.

Their mothers starry figure started to fade away,now showing the trees that were behind Echostar's mother. Echostar thought about everything her mother had said and what any of it may mean. Or if there was a way she could figure out what her mother had meant as she listed all those names. Echostar switched her weight from paw to paw as she thought to herself. She figured her mother meant MistClan when she had said "Mist" but if her mother had meant MistClan when she had mentioned that what would all of the other ones mean? What could it possibly mean?

Echostar tried to think of any other groups of cats that could start with Water,Fire,Wind or Forest but Echostar was unable to think of any. "What would any of this prophecy possibly mean?" Echostar asked herself confused about what her mother could mean with any of that prophecy. She tried to think to herself what it could mean. What could start with water,fire,wind or forest but her mind was blank on what they could mean. Did it have to do with the animals living within the trees of the forest? Or the fish in the river?

They were finally sent back to reality out of that starry world she was just in before. Echostar started repeating the prophecy to herself in her den "Fire will bring unfortunate stories up again, Wind, Water, Forest and Mist must all become one in the time of need to escape the grasp of the flames" Echostar whispered to herself puzzled on what it could mean. Echostar thought to herself about this "What could fire mean? Will a fire wreck the camp? And won't the wind make the fire worse? Why would wind be on our team?" Echostar asked herself puzzled.

"Surely Forest and Water must mean the animals in the forest and river after all, they live in the forest and water! That would work and make sense!" Echostar told herself proudly that she thought she had hit that on the head. "Of course! That must be it! The water must help us put out the fire!" Echostar exclaimed happily to herself. This much be right! Of course this is what the prophecy must mean! What else would make sense? They knew no other groups of cats that started with any of that so that would make no sense!

They stood at the entrance of their den silently. "Asking Bud will be a better idea then to just jump to conclusions" Echostar told them self taking a breath. Echostar stretched and padded out of her den over on the way to the medicine cat den. Echostar walked over to her three legged medicine cat. "Hello Bud, I would like to ask you for some assistance if you would not mind helping me" The leader told Bud softly. "I would not mind helping, what is your issue Echostar?" Bud asked her leader with a smile as she sorted her herbs.

The leader smiled to her medicine cat "Thank you, I got a prophecy last night and I would like to ask you if you think you know what it means" Echostar told her smiling. "I will try my hardest to understand it Echostar, what was the prophecy may I ask?" Bud asked smiling as she continued to sort her herbs while listening to Echostar. "The prophecy went; Fire will bring unfortunate stories up again, Wind, Water, Forest and Mist must all become one in the time of need to escape the grasp of the flames" Echostar repeated the prophecy.

Bud listened intently, her heterochromatic eyes focused on Echostar. "It sounds as though other groups of cats are coming to help us while one group is there to fight us" Bud said smoothly. Echostar nodded "But we do not know any other groups with those names?" Echostar asked confused. "Maybe they don't start with those words but those are just words the group focuses on" Bud offer to Echostar smiling. Echostar nodded still confused "Maybe? but I do not know, we don't even know any other groups in general so what would that mean?" Echostar asked puzzled to her medicine cat.

Bud nodded to her leader "you tend to over think things Echostar, I need you to take a breath and think that maybe we do not need to know the group for them to know us" Bud said softly to her leader as she continued to sort the herbs she had. Echostar nodded and took in a breath and sighed "Thank you Bud, I just thought maybe a fire would come over the clan and then those other names would help? But your idea makes a lot more sense than mine does." Echostar said with a soft chuckle to herself.

Bud nodded "I am glad I was able to talk some sense into you Echostar" Bud said in a joking tone towards her leader. "You always seem to do that somehow, thank you for that Bud" She said smiling at her medicine cat. Bud dipped her head to her leader. "Lavenderlake may be a good cat to talk to for help, they seem to know a lot of stuff they don't say" Bud said to Echostar smiling. "Of course, thanks again Bud, that was a very helpful talk, thank you for your opinion, I will be sure to ask them" Echostar said walking out of the medicine cat den.

Echostar took in a sigh. She decided to wander around and find Lavenderlake. She found Lavenderlake sitting in the warrior's den zoned out. "hello, Lavenderlake?" Echostar asked the zoned out warrior. Lavenderlake clicked back to reality, but moments before they did they had a swirl of leaves and wind blow around them before they were taken out of the den and teleport-ed by the winds. Echostar stared where the warrior once was a moment before the winds swiped them away. Echostar blinked puzzled on what had just happened to the warrior.

She padded out, looking for the purple warrior who had just teleported out of the camp. "Lavenderlake? Where are you? Lavenderlake?" Echostar called out for the warrior confused. She had heard cats talk about how Lavenderlake could just randomly, uncontrollably teleport out of sight. Though Echostar had never actually seem Lavenderlake teleport like that. They say she will normally show up outside of camp after awhile so Echostar just kept on looking for Lavenderlake confused. "Lavenderlake? Where did you go?" Echostar called out puzzled on where the warrior possibly could have gone to. Echostar huffed and shook her head.

"I'll ask Cometflame while I wait for her to show back up" Echostar told herself seeing her pure white deputy just ahead of her. "Hello, Cometflame I would like to ask for help with something if you are ok with helping" Echostar told her deputy. "Ok, ask away Echostar" Cometflame told Echostar welcoming the question. "I got a prophecy that went on the lines of Fire will bring unfortunate stories up again, Wind, Water, Forest and Mist must all become one in the time of need to escape the grasp of the flames" Echostar finished the prophecy looking at her deputy.

Cometflame looked over at her leader. The deputy's purple eyes full of confusion just like Echostar's had once been. Cometflame nodded, processing the prophecy her leader had just told her. The deputy repeated it to herself "Fire will bring unfortunate stories up again, Wind, Water, Forest and Mist must all become one in the time of need to escape the grasp of the flames..." Cometflame murmured to them self deep in thought "Will we get attacked or something? Or maybe a fire will happen" Cometflame asked herself and the leader "Or maybe, both will happen? A fire then attack?" Cometflame asked.

Echostar nodded "Thank you Cometflame, I do not know the meaning behind this prophecy so I am asking around for opinions on this" Echostar said smiling to her deputy. "no problem Echostar, I am glad I was able to help in any way" Cometflame dipped her head to her leader kindly. "I hope you are able to find a good answer to the prophecy, let me know if you need anything Echostar" Cometflame added and dipped her head again and padded away from her leader still thinking about the prophecy and what it could mean to the clan.

Echostar thought about her deputy's opinion and the continued to walk out of camp in hopes to find Lavenderlake. "They must know what this means, Lavenderlake teleported for StarClan's sake they must have knowledge about this situation." Echostar told themselves quietly. Echostar kept on walking out of the camp to see the lavender colored cat sitting on top of a hill seemingly staring at something in the distance. This time Lavenderlake did not seem to teleport when they zoned back. Maybe that was a just a one time thing? Maybe it just happened because Echostar tried to talk to her? She had no clue.

Lavenderlake looked over at her leader as Echostar came up in front of them. "Oh, hey Echostar, what is going on?" Lavenderlake asked her leader smiling softly. "I have a question for you if you have time to answer and help me out a bit with it" Echostar asked them. "Of course, what do you need help with, sorry if I was hard to find" Lavenderlake asked apologizing to her leader softly and a little bit more nervously. "It is fine Lavenderlake, no need to say sorry" Echostar told her "What was your question Echostar?" Lavenderlake asked.

"Bud told me you may be of some help about a prophecy I got, it went on the lines of Fire will bring unfortunate stories up again, Wind, Water, Forest and Mist must all become one in the time of need to escape the grasp of the flames" Echostar finished the prophecy, the words ringing in her head after saying it so much. "ah, it may be a battle of four groups against fire?" Lavenderlake asked "I do not really know what it could mean" Lavenderlake said nervously trying to not give away her knowledge of the specific subject.

Echostar nodded suspiciously to the lavender warrior. "Thank you Lavenderlake, you opinion is appreciated about this" Echostar told the warrior smiling to them. Lavenderlake nodded padding away out of sight of Echostar. "It does seem as though they know a lot more than they care to share about this.." Echostar mumbled to them self. "I hope they open up more about this soon, they will be a bigger help than they care to share" Echostar told them self and then sighed. They knew the warrior was reserved about their thoughts but was worried about what the warrior was possibly keeping as a secret.
Word Count: 2,103

[Shuurock]

Username: Shuurock
Clan: The Pride

Quest Number: #1
Tell me about a regret one of your cats keeps secret.
You may draw or write your response to this prompt.

Response:

Pearl has always been a fairly mysterious member of The Pride, showing up one snowy day smelling of crow food and blood. She was injured and she had said she had taken refuge near the human dump to recover her strength. While this wasn't necessarily a lie, she refused to tell others where she came from, feigning amnesia. It wouldn't benefit these new cats to know where she came from and she never planned on going back so it didn't matter regardless.

Her story starts high up in the mountains, in the valleys of the now dormant volcano. Pearl grew up a part of a long existing group of cats who had lived in the valley as long as any cat could remember. Growing up she was one of the strongest fighters the tribe had ever seen, and she saw great pride in her abilities. She easily became a protector, scaring off rouges, wild cats, and even large birds from time to time. No one dared mess with the tribe after seeing what she could accomplish. She had a nice life for herself, maybe even falling in love with a beautiful smoke grey girl named Granite.

Incredibly they were able to find a surrogate and Granite was expecting kits, but this is where Pearl’s perfect life began to fall apart. The two were out on a relatively late walk one night when Pearl spotted a small group of mangy rouges. All of them were covered in mats and loudly talked amongst themselves. Granite hid herself away in the thick brush, her grey fur blending in with the rocks, especially with the faint lighting. Pearl stood her ground letting out a warning hiss to the group.

A silence fell over them and Pearl could swear she could hear even Granite’s heartbeat. The rogues continued their approach, “Oh no a scary tribe cat, whatever are we to do?” Their tone dripped with sarcasm.

“Stay out of our territory, or else!” Her claws were unsheathed and the blood pumped in her ears, she was ready to fight all of them if she had to.

One of the rogues sniffed the air deeply, “Looks like we’ve got another one hiding in waiting!” He leaped into the bush, dragging a squirming Granite out with him, “This one’s expected she can’t fight back!” He began to drag his claws over her, just brushing her fur. Granite shot Pearl a pleading look. He was right, she was too far along to defend herself, the walk alone would wear her down.

“Stay away from her!” The next few moments were a blur as Pearl leaped on the intruder, she didn’t have time to think. The fighting came to a sudden halt as Pearl realized the rouge that was teasing Granite now lay motionless on the stone.

Her breath caught in her throat as she realized what this meant. “I… I didn’t…” killing another cat, even through self defense, was a great taboo within the cats in the valley and Pearl immediately knew of the great transgression she just committed.

The rogues hissed at her, hoisting their friend between them, “You didn’t have to go that far!“

“We just wanted to hunt.”

The group stumbled away, all injured in some way. Pearl had done a number on them, she was a trained fighter, they were just trying to survive.

Pearl turned to check on Granite, she didn’t have a scratch on her, but she flinched, not meeting her gaze.

“Granite I… I wanted to protect you.” Pearl muttered.

“They were scary, but you were much more terrifying. I didn’t know you could fight like that.” Granite backed away, nestling herself inside the bush again, legs weak she crouched down. Pearl took a step closer, “Stop! Don’t touch me. You’re covered in blood.”

Pearl had never seen Granite look so small, so weak, so scared. It was all cause of her, looking down at the blood on her claws she saw nothing but a monster. A tremble went through her body, “I’m sorry. I’m sorry Granite.” She turned around and started running, heading away from the valley, away from the volcano, away from Granite. She couldn’t bare the thought of being seen as the monster she’d been tonight. After what felt like days of running she stopped to rest in the human dump, catching a rat, but barely having the energy to eat. She missed her home, but she knew deep down she could never return, who would accept a cat who had done something so terrible.

She lived in this state for who knows how long, mostly sleeping. Slowly her appetite came back to her, but the memory would never be gone from her head. On a particularly beautiful night Pearl went for another walk, with no particular destination, just following the stars east.

“Stop, rogue, don’t come any further! This is our territory in winter!” Pearl kept walking, she wasn’t a rouge after all, she just didn’t have anywhere to go. A loner maybe, but definitely not a rogue. Despite this her next step was swiped from under her and she fell to the dirt, paws holding her down. “Why do you trespass on Pride territory?”

Pearl gazed up at the amber eyes drilling into her, “I,” she struggled to get the words out, “I don’t know. I don’t remember anything.”

While surly she wished this was true, this new cat didn’t need to know of her true nature. No one did. Maybe, not even her.


Word Count: 918 words

Quest Number: #2

QUEST #2
Tell me about your clan's relationships with twolegs!
You may only draw your response to this prompt.

Response:

Quest Number: #3

Tell about your leader receiving their 9 lives.
(Or meeting with their ancestors / something spiritual/supernatural)
You may only write your response to this prompt.

Response:

The Pride isn’t like your usual clan, they don’t follow Starclan, but instead they honor their ancestors by passing down stories and having holidays to celebrate the lost ones. While most of their ancestors cannot communicate there are those that can, these cats are called Suns and Moons.

Lion ran away from her human home, gathering together her most trusted friends, running into the woods. However once they were exhausted and past the human farms they didn’t know what to do next. This land was foreign to them. How did they know where to settle down? Climbing into the loft of a barn they all cuddled together falling asleep.

Lion felt herself floating in the darkness, a soft current pulling her forward. Then she saw a soft light, and she was headed right towards it. As the light approached she slowly found a form within the light, a tall graceful looking cat. He turned to look at her, nodding his head in greeting. Following his action Lion nodded back. “Welcome Lion’s Roar. We’ve been expecting you.”

“We?” Right as the words left her mouth she noticed more and more lights around her. All of them a soft blue containing a cat within them. Then a blaring light approached, it was a golden tone and it stung her eyes to look at.

“We are all Moons and they, they’re a Sun. We are all cats who have made a strong impact on our companions. I fought and won a decisive battle for my peers, saving many lives in the process. The Sun you see before you had done even greater things. I believe they’re a strategic genius who has brought nothing but victory to their clan.” Lion looked around in awe at the amazing cats around her, all had done something special to be here in her dreams.

The light from the Sun cat dimmed as they got closer, “Thank you for the introduction Whisker.” The two exchanged a glance that almost seemed hostile, before they returned their gaze to Lion. “We see that you’re on the path to become a Moon. Creating a safe haven where those you care about can live in harmony with nature is very admirable-“

“I want to become a Sun!” Lion stood up whiskers twitching.

The light from the cat in front of her sparked and their eyebrows twitched. “Now Lion. That’s not an easy accomplishment. I worked hard my whole life to get here. Are you prepared to make those sacrifices?”

“I’ll do anything to be as strong and revered as you are! Guide my path, uhm, what’s your name?”

“Blazingstar. I was the second leader of Brightclan. Whisker here told you my story already. I like your drive, from this day forward you are my apprentice. I’ll guide you when you’re having trouble and if you listen you’ll become a Sun in no time.” They leaned down to touch noses with Lion. She felt a hot energy coarse through her body making her fur stand on end. Out of the corner of her eye she saw Whisker shake his head, walking away into the darkness, however she was quickly pulled back to what was in front of her. “Your first mission as my apprentice will be to find suitable territory for your companions. Brightclan lays east, follow the river and they lay on the edge of the endless water. Once you smell their territory markers go south, that is where you will find a territory suited for you and your clan.”

Lion nodded, doing her best to remeber the directions. “Pride” Blazingstar lifted an eyebrow, “we’re a Pride and I’m the Queen!” They let out a small chuckle, waving their tail over her eyes.

“It’s time to wake up now. Queen.”

Word Count: 628 words

[I Like Bees]

Username: I Like Bees
Clan: The Travelers

Quest Number: 1

Tell me about a regret one of your cats keeps secret.

Response:

When a cat arrives in the Travelers' world, they have no memories of their previous life. That's just how it works; it's an accepted fact, and there are no exceptions. No exceptions that anyone knows of, that is, aside from Twist.

Twist is the only cat in the Travelers with clear memories of what happened to him and what his life was like before this new, twisted world. When he learned that no one else in the group had any memories of their past life, aside from vague feelings and knowledge of things they must have learned in the past, he immediately decided that he had to keep his memories a secret.

At first, this was because he was wary of how these new, strange cats would react. Now, after getting to know all of the others and growing to appreciate them all and consider them to be his friends, he's just continuing to keep this secret because he feels as if he's dug himself in too deep already. If he were to tell his friends that he's been lying to them this whole time, what would they think of him? No doubt many of them would grow to consider him a liar, and several would have trouble ever trusting him again.

No, it's much better to keep this secret. He's sure this will never backfire.

He has several memories of his general life prior to this new world, but many of the details -- such as family members and precise locations -- are blurred. Twist's clearest, most distinct memory is of right before he and his brother Pretzel were brought to the Travelers' world. He remembers going out hunting in the early evening, and staying out late as they struggled to find any prey in the rocky area they had chosen to hunt. Eventually, they came upon a cave.

Pretzel wanted to explore, and Twist decided it was safer to go along with his brother, rather than leave him to investigate an unfamiliar, new, and potentially dangerous location alone. Besides, there were some faint prey scents along the outside of the cave, and Twist was hopeful they'd finally find and catch their dinner inside.

And so the brothers entered the cave. They were startled by a small colony of bats at first, but as they ventured deeper into the darkness of the cave system, relying solely on their whiskers to guide them, the prey scents grew stronger. They were lured farther and farther into the tunnels.. until a light appeared behind them.

Twist, despite his initial hesitation to enter the caves, had been walking at the front for a reasonable distance now. (He had the better sense of direction and was less likely to trip over a tiny pebble in the path.) When the light appeared behind his brother, Twist was the one who was farther away. The two cats ran as the mysterious force chased the two cats down the tunnels, radiating a somehow evil and almost angry energy at them both. The light caught Pretzel first, since he was at the back of the group in the tight tunnel space, enveloping the cat in overwhelming brightness as Twist froze in horror. That's where Twist's memory ends, though he's sure that the light caught him next.

Twist's greatest regret in that moment was not being there to help his brother. If only he had stayed at the back of the group and been caught first, or he had turned around and fought whatever had been chasing them. Perhaps if he had done something more, Pretzel wouldn't have lost all of his memories; perhaps he wouldn't have become a recurring NPC whose mind resets every day. Perhaps.. he would still be able to recognize Twist, his own brother.

Twist isn't sure quite why what happened happened. Or how, for that matter. Was this what had happened to all of the cats in the Travelers? Was the light catching Pretzel first the reason that his brother became a recurring NPC, while Twist retained his memories and was able to join the Travelers? Perhaps the two of them being caught together is what allowed him to keep memories of his past. He's not sure, and thinking about it only brings up more questions. He's learned to just ignore his past, and focus on getting through each individual day, and protect the others in his group. But still.. those thoughts and memories nag at the back of his mind, questioning.

Maybe someday he'll find his answers, if only he's willing to share his secret.

Word Count: 760 words


Quest Number: 3

Tell about your leader receiving their 9 lives. (Or meeting with their ancestors / something spiritual/supernatural)

Response:

The walls shook, letting out a horrible groaning noise as if they were on the verge of death. Dragonfly looked back and forth between the exit and the two other cats with her -- Frog, her friend, and Ghost, the group's one kitten. The younger cat stared back at her with bright blue eyes, and Dragonfly turned to face the red button on the wall.

The exit only stayed open if that button was pressed down. One of them had to stay behind so the others could escape. Without any further hesitation, Dragonfly stood on her hind paws, pressing a forepaw against the button and glancing back down at her companions.

"Go!" she shouted, over the noise of the building shuddering again. A cloud of dust fell from the ceiling a short distance away, followed by the crashing sound of rocks. "I'll hold it open!"

Frog hesitated, eyes wide in fear, even as the dust began to fill the air. Then he nodded stiffly, grabbing the kitten by the scruff and bolting for the exit, leaving Dragonfly stayed behind. She'd be okay. He knew that.

Dragonfly watched the two race for the exit, breathing out a sigh of relief. The pair had barely cleared the building's doorway when the structure let out one last creak, and collapsed in an explosion of dust and rock and sound.

Everything went dark.

---

Dragonfly awoke to darkness, but a different kind of darkness -- the kind of darkness of a night lit by the far away stars and moon. No stars or moon shone in the sky, though, but there was still a faint glow to everything, as if it were lit by moonlight from an invisible moon. She could feel grass against her side. No breeze brushed her fur; the air was entirely still, silent.

"Again, really?" a sudden voice broke the silence. "Honestly, Dragonfly, one of these days we're just going to leave you dead."

Dragonfly scrambled to her paws, tail lashing and back arched. "Who -- who are you?!" The she-cat wasn't normally one to scare easily, but she'd just died and now she was awake and hearing things, so there definitely seemed to be some cause for concern.

A figure stepped out of the darkness -- a silhouette of a cat, almost like a shadow, but made of light rather than a lack thereof. The figure had no defining features, no face, no fur texture; just a solid, faintly glowing form of a cat made of light. Dragonfly hissed wordlessly as the mysterious light shadow sat down.

"Relax," the figure said, moving their head as if rolling their eyes -- though without any eyes, it was hard to tell. "You've met me, what, five times? Five times already, at least." The cat shape huffed. "You should stop dying. It's becoming awfully inconvenient for me."

Dragonfly narrowed her eyes, tail still slowing moving back and forth threateningly. "I don't remember you."

The cat sighed. "That's the whole point. Gah, I forgot how ignorant you mortals can be. You know so little..." They trailed off, head tilting to face some direction vaguely behind Dragonfly, lost in thought for a moment.

The cat shape cleared their throat, rising to their paws. "No matter, it's almost dawn -- time for you to go back to your friends." The cat trotted forward, and Dragonfly backed up several steps, until her back hit a rock behind her and she froze.

The glowing figure stopped a few whiskers away from Dragonfly, then continued, "I hope you know how nice I'm being, going out of my way to let you stay alive -- again. I might change my mind next time. Maybe." The figure shrugged, as if they didn't really care either way.

"Anyways, have a nice life. And do try to be a little less reckless in the future, alright?" Dragonfly didn't reply, so the glowing cat nodded and answered their own question. "Alright."

The glowing cat shape reached out a paw, tapped Dragonfly on the nose, and the tabbied she-cat began to fade away. Dragonfly looked down at her semi-transparent limbs in a mix of confusion and fear, then back up at the cat.

"Bye!" the figure chirped cheerfully. Even without facial features, Dragonfly could swear they were smiling. In a moment, she had faded away entirely, leaving only a rock in front of the glowing cat.

The cat huffed in annoyance. "She'll probably be back again tomorrow."

---

Dragonfly burst out of her nest in a flurry of leaves and twigs, several of which hit a nearby sleeping cat in the face.

"Hey!" Frog -- the nearby cat who just got hit in the face -- exclaimed, as he blinked sleepily. When he noticed who had disturbed his rest, his eyes widened, and he ran forward, grinning as he headbutted her shoulder. "Dragonfly! You're back!" he chirped.

The cream she-cat nodded, silently.

Frog backed up, tilting his head to the side curiously. "Are you okay?" he asked. "You did.. die yesterday."

Dragonfly shook her fur out, as if it were filled with dust. Then she blinked a few times as her vision refocused, and nodded in reply to Frog's question. "Yeah, I'm fine! Just had a weird dream, but I can't quite remember it..." She shook her head again. "Anyways, let's go see if Squiggle has any extra food we can snatch."

Frog nodded, offered an "okay," and then the two trotted off in search of the group's healer.

Word Count: 904 words

[/nyx.]

Username: /nyx.
Clan: Lé'echékyo

Quest Number: 3
Response:

There was nothing mystical about his coronation. Nothing arcane, nothing spiritual, nothing even close to magical. And that was fine for him, for the two-faced cadejo. He preferred the taste of bloodied flesh over the taste of bursting novas, anyhow.

Behind him, the metaphorical drums beat — boom, BOOM — as flames rose higher and higher into the air.

Again, it was nothing magical. Nothing spiritual. If anything, it seemed all too real.

He was the War General. Cadejo. Starfollower.

Their leader.

(Not that the Stars needed a leader. They already had a leader, one fifty times more vicious than him—)

“Move over, Estrar,” came the familiar hiss.

Stratum moved over, making away for the true leader — the Ephemeral. The Goddess Dîvani.

Behind them, the drums beat louder. The flames rose higher, twisting around the ferns and jungle leaves, and Stratumsmash burst, “What if we’re wrong?”

(Terrorists, the Great Clans called them, no different from the Fae two millennia ago. It hurt. Cadejo was no terrorist; he was a childe, only sixteen moons and fighting, grappling with his fate—

War General. At sixteen moons, War General.

Regardless of his prowess, was it right?)

“The Stars are always right,” the Ephemeral replied. As Poinsettiabriar, she cocked her head, eyes slit like a serpent. “Besides… you were the one to betray the Eternal. Isn’t this what you want?”

Yes. Or no. Maybe so.

Dîvani laughed, though it sounded more like a snake choking. She slid her tortoiseshell tail across his back. “You’ll figure it out, Estar.”

But what if he doesn’t?

(The Stars are always rising, falling; shining, fading; pulsing, imploding, exploding, KABOOM—

They’re Ephemeral, the Stars. Here now, now not. Gone for a moment, then there again. Flitting forever.)

There’s nothing magical about his coronation. The Fae stole the magic away. The Stars are monsters, terrorists, husks of mystical flowers.

They’re nothing but raw power, dirty and dark. The magic stolen away.

And Cadejo thinks of magnificent palaces, of crystalline fountains, of music on the tip his tongue. Of springtime sweetness in the air. Happiness and glee, excitement and beauty.

And then he thinks of the Ferals, the vicious rainforest, the venomous snakes. The slit eyes and the hunger and the pain that never seem to fade. (The hunger and pain that never seem to fade—)

Cadejo unsheathes his claws, looks at what could be, but shakes his head.

“Bring in the new recruits.” (It’s time for training, time to make them hurt — the smart ones will drop out when they realize it hurts)

And for a moment, Cadejo thinks: maybe magic would be nice, but — blood on his tongue, his claws rake through flesh —

really, there’s no place for magic in this life.

(and whose fault is that?)

Word Count: 462 words

[wildsight]

Username: wildsight
Clan: kingdom of khafra

Quest Number: 1
Response:

It was something that never let go of her. A thought that rested at the back of her mind, silent among the deepest, darkest parts, simply lying in wait to spring the dreaded reminder upon her. Grief and hatred entwined themselves upon the memory, painful pangs among her chest seeming to ring loud in her ears, an overwhelming sense of sorrow resting over her. She regretted everything...but her most recent actions had and would continue to be the most regretted of all.
XXXXShe'd always been one that sought after the care and wellbeing of others, she put such before herself more often than she should have, according to those around her. And yet, she refused such...until she met him, anyway. Such was when her life truly changed, the idea of one caring for her had been a foreign thought previously. But it was something she'd unknowingly desired quite a bit and despite the obvious danger they'd be in should someone find out, she refused to let it go. She couldn't let it go. She just couldn't…
XXXXAnd yet, such had been her greatest downfall. Her special friend...someone she loved dearly, was undeniably gone. Forever? Quite possibly. The memories of those cries and screams still echoed quite clearly in her mind, his pleas for her to run the most painful of it all. It was quite possible she'd been the cause of an innocent cat's demise...all for selfish reasons. He'd had a life too...and I ruined it.

To make matters worse, she'd also helped further along the rift between the two kingdoms. Already on uneven ground, there was no doubt war was in their midst and she harbored a few secrets she shouldn't due to her forbidden relationship. If anything, she was being sought after by the enemy and along with that, her own kingdom worrying about her wellbeing. It was quite likely there'd be something breaking out sooner or later over the sudden disappearance of two felines...with only one positively alive to her knowledge.
XXXXThis is all my fault. She was torn between returning to her home or merely roaming for the rest of her moons. The endless desert realm seemed to call to her, an easy route of escape due to her troubles. But then the guilt of abandoning her kingdom and loved ones came to mind and she had to reconsider. This was her doing, not theirs. Thus simply leaving them to deal with the mess she'd help create seemed terribly wrong. She could face them, however guilty she was...or run away for forever.

Whatever the case, no one has to know. I can just keep it to myself, regardless of what anyone believes or says. The guilt and regret might still rest heavily upon her shoulders, but such didn't mean anyone needed to know of it. She could come up with something to say instead, give some sort of reasoning for her disappearance...that would most certainly do. Right? But even that feels wrong... So what else could she do?
XXXXIn the end, she didn't change her plans. She'd think of some story to tell and hide the truth from the kingdom. No one had to know. Only she would suffer from the regret, guilt and grief she'd caused. Or at least, she hoped she'd be the only one.

Word Count: 559


Quest Number: 2
Response:

Quest Number: 3
Response:

"He's not doing much better...I don't know if he'll even make it through the morning" came the hushed whisper of Fadedhaze. The tom's singular visible eye was both fearful and tired, dark rings resting under it, though wide like the moon above. His tail twitched nervously as he fell silent, clearly drained by both constant work and the frustration of only receiving negative news. Flarefeather noticed all these things, feeling a pang of sympathy for the tom.
XXXX"Don't be too hard on yourself. You've done everything in your power, Fadedhaze. It just...might be his time." Now, sorrow fell upon the ginger tom. His shoulders wanted to sag, his ears wanted to droop and he himself wanted to cry out into the night. He had a horrible feeling that this situation would become reality sooner or later, but he'd hoped it would've been the latter. And yet, he was watching the older tom slowly die. He'd be among the ancestors quite soon if everything progressed as it currently did, but it didn't make anything easier. How were they supposed to survive without Hollowheart? We finally escape the dreaded lands of Menes and now this. What'll be next?
XXXX"Thank you for your help, Fadedhaze. If...if anything happens, let me know." the tom briskly arose and hurried off, before his words could falter any further. Blue eyes were unusually dull, as the tom fought back tears that threatened to flow. This couldn't be happening. It just couldn't be happening. Khafra won't survive without him. We're all going to meet the same fate.

Deciding to distract himself from the inevitable, the tom gathered some felines together and left the camp to head out on a patrol. He made sure to take those along who wouldn't - or at least, hope they wouldn't - question his actions. They were close friends of his and they'd understand the situation and his uncharacteristic mannerisms. There wouldn't be an overwhelming amount of questions or various toned whispers sounding from behind him. It'd be a mere quiet, normal patrol. Which was something he desperately needed. Normality.
XXXX"So, hunting or checking the borders?" Applesnap asked after a while, reminding the tom he hadn't stated what they'd be doing - he only gathered them together and led them away without a second thought. His ears heated in embarrassment at his mistake, blue eyes darting about the others faces to see if they had noticed - probably not, considering it was Maplewish and Weaselskip. But now, they turned to him curiously and before he knew it, they'd all paused to gaze at him expectantly.
XXXX"Oh. I must've...forgotten to say. How about a hunting patrol? It'd be nice to see what we can find out here." he answered at last, nodding in the direction they'd been heading to signal for them to move onward. His ears flicked as he led the way deeper into the territory, soon feeling the fur of another brushing against his. He flinched before relaxing at the sight of Applesnap, an odd look on her face. "What?" he asked, curiously.

"I know you don't want me to ask, so I won't about that but...are you feeling alright? You look unwell. Maplewish and Weaselskip have already left us a while ago...but you're still wandering about mindlessly."
XXXXHe knew her words hadn't been meant as offensive - but they felt such a way. He was perfectly fine. "I'm fine." he answered simply, flicking his tail dismissively. The feline beside him expression changed and this time, he had no problem deciphering the emotion - doubt. "I'm fine!" he repeated himself, though louder. For a moment or two, they stood facing each other before the tom whisked himself away, irritated. Perhaps he shouldn't have brought along Applesnap. I'm fine, just fine.
XXXXAs if to assure himself of this, the tom decided to start hunting. To his delight, the scent of jerboa wafted into his nose almost immediately and his mind began to focus on it. He trailed after it for a few moments, moving swiftly across the desert plains before spotting the small creature. With a huff, he lowered himself into position, slowly creeping forward with care. He held his breath as he came within striking distance. And now, he paused. Waiting...waiting…

Suddenly, a horrible pain struck him. It rippled down his spine, all the way into his bones and caused him to shriek in both surprise and anguish. He collapsed upon his side, writhing in pain, eyes forced shut as he laid there, helpless. The pain only grew worse and as it did so, his vision began to falter. What's happening?! He tried to call out for the others, but could only emit another cry of pain before blacking out. And then, there was only darkness and silence.

When the tom awoke, he was in the desert again, but alone. No jerboa, no friends. A chilly breeze swept through his fur, carrying the sound of various whispers. His whiskers quivered as he inhaled a shaky breath, daring to attempt to arise after quite the scare. Gingerly, he arose, blue eyes narrowing slightly with distrust directed at himself. He sat first, then stood and gazed about the vast, empty land. "Where is everyone...?" He was still among the Lands of Altan, right?
XXXX"Flarefeather." came a soft, yet familiar voice. It called him once more, then twice more as he stood there, gazing about in confusion. Who was there? Who was calling him? His faze darted about for a few more moments, before he turned around. And there stood the familiar form of Hollowheart. He's okay!
XXXX"Hollowheart! You're okay!" he cried aloud, racing over to the elder tom with kit-like excitement. But before he could reach him, something made him stop. Another cat appeared...and then another and another and another. Before he knew it, a small group of felines had gathered alongside Hollowheart, leaving Flarefeather rather dumbfounded. "Hollowheart...?"

"Flarefeather." the tom responded with a nod, drawing closer to the ginger tom. "Welcome to the realm of the Beyond. The realm of the ancestors." The elder tom then nodded to those behind him, before turning to gaze at the young tom once more. "You're confused aren't you?" When he received a nod in reply, the tom sighed. He blinked, a sad expression appearing on his face.
XXXX"Hollowheart...? You're not...no. This can't be it. No!" Flarefeather cried, realization becoming clear upon his face. If he was among the land of the ancestors, that meant he was... But if Hollowheart was, did that mean he was too?
XXXX"Yes, Flarefeather." came the dreaded reply. "Yes, my reign has come to an end. But do not fear for your safety and those among you, for I will remain by your side nonetheless. You will need such aid, with your new position."

"New position?" What could he possibly mean by that?

"Flarefeather, you've been a devoted pupil of mine since meeting me. It only seems right that you take my place as the leader of Khafra. You know my wishes and I have trained you in such ways that if you follow them, learn and grow in them, you'll make for a fine leader." Hollowheart rumbled.

"But no! I don't want to take your place."

"Flarefeather...you'll do fine. There is no room for arguing, this must be done." The elder tom spoke a set of words that the young tom failed to understand, yet a few other felines stepped forward. "It is time for you to lead the Kingdom of Khafra. It is time for you to receive your nine lives."

Now, the felines made a circle around the young tom, leading him to a pool of water. Guided by Hollowheart, the tom waded into the pool and then, the opposing felines surrounded it. With a nod from the elder tom, the felines began chanting and then, they started to speak.

"I, Heronsight, former leader of Junud of the Kingdom of Menes, grant you the power of strategy. War is not only won by strength, but that of wits." With that, pain was inflicted upon the tom.

"I, Tumblefern, former huntress of the Kingdom of Menes, grant you with the power of observance. Such is among the greatest of weapons." The tom flinched as another burst of pain flowed through him.

"I, Coyotespring, former soldier of the Kingdom of Menes, grant you the power of strength. You'll need such both mentallg and physically." Another burst of pain.

"I, Drizzlestep, former healer of the Kingdom of Menes, grant you the power of empathy. Do not lose such at any time. A leader is nothing without it." Yet another burst of pain. Would it ever be over?

"I, Duskwatcher, former hunter of the Kingdom of Menes, grant you the power of endurance. Endure until the end, young leader."

"I, Willowcloud, former healer of the Kingdom of Menes, grant you the power of selflessness. Others should go before you as leader."

"I, Pebbleskip, former hunter of the Kingdom of Menes, grant you the power of intelligence. Use such to your advantage."

"I, Raventrail, former royal guard of the Kingdom of Menes, grant you the power of devotion. Remain ever loyal to those around you."

And last, but not least one more burst of pain. But this one was even worse than any others. Flarefeather felt tears among his eyes once more. They began to fall as the tom spoke. "I, Hollowheart, former soldier of the Kingdom of Menes and former leader of the Kingdom of Khafra, grant you the power of wisdom. You are a wise young one. Never forget what you've learned." And with that, he laid his nose upon the tom's head. "I will be with you, Flarefeather. Now, go forth and lead your kingdom. It is waiting for you, Alani. It is waiting for Flarestar."

"Hollowheart, no!" came the sudden cry, but now he was back where he was before. No jerboa, but his companions surrounded him, concerned looks upon their faces. "Hollowheart..." he muttered, as he tried to rise but collapsed again.

"Something's wrong. He'll need to make it back to camp and quickly. Help me, Weaselskip." came the urgent orders from Applesnap. Flarefeather hardly noticed the two picking him up and carrying him home. He didn't care. He cared for Hollowheart. And he was gone...and he'd have to replace him, somehow.

Word Count: 1,728

[sunny-skies]

Start of Round

"thank you, everyone! I'm so sorry for the wait."

November Quests

Quest #1

Bigfrog4231 -- +95 xp
Demonic.Canine -- +57 xp
coffee.berry -- +25 xp
jazz. -- +40 xp
BunnoBlizzard -- +30 xp
Griff -- +25 xp
SushiFoxx -- +65 xp
Shuurock -- +55 xp
I Like Bees -- +45 xp
wildsight -- +35 xp

Quest #2

Bigfrog4231 -- +40 xp
coffee.berry -- +35 xp
jazz. -- +35 xp
wildsight -- +30 xp

Quest #3

Bigfrog4231 -- +120 xp
MutatedCry -- +30 xp
coffee.berry -- +45 xp
jazz. -- +80 xp
Vinson -- +135 xp
BunnoBlizzard -- +35 xp
Demonic.Canine. -- +30 xp
Griff -- +30 xp
SushiFoxx -- +115 xp
Shuurock -- +40 xp
I Like Bees -- +55 xp
/nyx. -- +30 xp
wildsight -- +95 xp

Please remember to link to this post in your next explore post to use your exp!

"some of you guys put in a lot of effort! here's something extra for your hard work, you can use this to purchase items in starclan's shop!"

Bigfrog4231 -- +510 stardust
Demonic.Canine. -- +174 stardust
coffee.berry -- +210 stardust
jazz. -- +320 stardust
BunnoBlizzard -- +130 stardust
SushiFoxx -- +360 stardust
Shuurock -- +190 stardust
I Like Bees -- +200 stardust
wildsight -- +320 stardust
Vinson -- +270 stardust

"wow, everyone's stories were so cool! these were my favorites..."

Quest #1: Bigfrog4231/Demonic.Canine and Shuurock
+1r myo each (for Bigfrog4231 and Demonic.Canine), +ur myo (for Shuurock)

Quest #2: jazz. and wildsight
+1uc myo each

Quest #3: I Like Bees and Vinson
+ur myo each

"Wait, don't go yet! I still wanted to ask if..."

A new round has begun!

QUEST #1
Hunger and cold always tests relationships within a clan, but apparently never this one. Tell me about a relationship that will never break.
You may draw or write your response to this prompt.

QUEST #2
Oh goodness, it looks like it's gotten too cold for some of our feline friends. Quick, design a jacket or sweater to keep them warm!
You may only draw your response to this prompt.

QUEST #3
Tell me about a time that something dangerous happened to your clan during leafbare. What exactly happened? (greencough? starvation? a death?) and how did your cats get past this?
You may only write your response to this prompt.

[BigFrog4231]

Username: BigFrog4231
------------------------------------------------
Clan: The Tribe of Singing Wind
Quest Number: 1

``Did you know I used to be a medicine cat back at my old clan?`` Snow perked up, her cold exterior dropping some. ``Really? My daughter Cloud is training to become the tribe healer. She's training under Flame right now, I think you've met them?`` Snow had never been extremely close with anyone, but she has always had a soft spot for Cloud in Nightsky. ``I think I have! She's doing a great job from what I can see. I wish I could get back in the old medicine den``, Echo's Chorus mews softly. ``Oh, look at that! How pretty... Hold still, I'll show you a neat trick my mentor taught me, the flower stays in your fur better this way...``

Characters included:

xxxxSnowxxxxxEcho's Chorus

-------------------------------------------
Clan: The Star Striders
Quest Number: 2

Characters included:

Rosewell xxxxxxSunspark xxxxStormcloud xxRaindrizzle

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Clan: The Star Striders
Quest Number: 3

sunstar's first winter as leader
WIP
Word count: [#]