[0Zero0]

Username: 0Zero0
Clan: Tsuki no Usahgi & Tailless Comet

Quest Number: #2 what is a goal that one of your cats hopes to achieve in their life?
you may only draw your response to this prompt.
Response:

Quest Number: #3 what was a time when one of your cats was rejected? how did they handle it?
you may only write your response to this prompt.
Response:

It had been ages since Izumi was hired. The golden cat was staring into a shallow pool of water near the base of the old abandoned building. In the reflection there were deep brown eyes staring back at him; curious, and wide pupils. The light wavered back and forth, weaving amongst itself in a never ending pattern that was both consistent, and not so much. The sound of steady water waving about steadily, the sight of the setting sun reflecting an orange glow upon the surface.

Sunset. SUNSET! The Tom bolted upward in shock, and scattered about in a frantic attempt to return to his master's den. He was late for serving the prince's dinner, and surely would be scolded. It was entirely his fault, so he felt he deserved the punishment, if he hadn't been dozing off thinking about his master so softly perhaps he would already have the food prepared.

The furnace was started, wood pushed in and heat produced with a strange machinery. The tool seemed to press air out of a strange folded thick skin. Izumi pressed on it rather quickly rushing to catch up. Soon enough, as the cat placed what appeared to be a skinned mouse atop the stones that lined the top of the fire Ai burst into the cooking cove.

His face disgruntled and eyes narrowed, the prince practically growled at the servant. No one really understood why Izumi tolerated this behaviour, but the truth was Izumi understood Ai's pain. "WHERE IS MY DINNER!!!" None the less even Izumi didn't want to be yelled at even by the silver beauty.

Izumi bowed to the silver cat, focusing on the darker swirls that faded in the middle. His slim strong legs, the softness of his long fur, the thickness of his jaw, and the blueness of his- Izumi was staring right at his masters face. It wasn't changing from anger anytime soon. After pinning his ears, Izumi bowed his head again. No words came out.

"WHY?!"

Izumi opened his maw, but retracted, knowing he could say anything to the lord. Nothing even if he wanted to. It had been ages since he said a single word.

Ai eventually turned away, flicking his tail in irritation. He knew yelling wouldn't make it come any sooner now, but maybe will stop a late dinner another time. He would badger the boy more after his meal was done. "Get it done soon or I'll have you turned into minced meat got it." The last part was grumbled out as the tom returned to his den.

After the two had eaten, Ai a well cooked mouse with herbs to the side and a small thing of cream to soften his rage, and Izumi a raw vole. Royalty ate fancy you see, and servants got what they could get. At least that was Ai's belief. Ai proceeded to chew Izumi out, and the working cat had no choice but to let it happen. Ai never hurt Izumi, and usually while Izumi hated being treated this way, loved that Ai felt so much better when it was over. He usually was so much kinder. Izumi decided to go through with it he would hope that Ai would leave his fancy life to live with a servant like him. He would still take care of him, cook, clean, and more, but with the added bonus of love. He hoped.

He couldn't say I love you though. He bit his tongue- How would he show his love? A kiss of course. After the Prince was done yelling at him, the golden feline snogged him. A quick one of coarse, nothing so deep or crazy. Ai Smacked him hard with his bare paw. "How Dare You!" Izumi was hurt bad. Not the slap, though that did sting, but he was certain Ai loved him back. He always looked his direction fondly, and so on. "You fox dung you!" Ai stomped off.

Izumi was left alone outside in the cold, unable to enter the shelter that once was a human settlement. No protection from the wind and cold that would soon come following the moons rise. He just stood there in shock. Many questions entered his mind. Did he still have his job? Did he still have a place to sleep? Would he be able to look Ai in the eye again? All these and more. It hurt, so he curled up, and slept, and slept long.

[744 words]

[wolfhaunt]

mark for quest 2

[nindroidzane]

Username: nindroidzane
Clan: FrostClan

Quest Number: 1
Response:
The past few days had been a blur.

Littlefog was leader now. Well technically, anyway - Huckleberry had been managing everything she was supposed to be doing so far. She just couldn't bring herself to get out of her nest and do any of them.

Her mother was dead, and nothing else in the world seemed to matter.

“Littlefog?”

She didn’t bother lifting her head when Huckleberry approached her, a few other cats trailing behind uncertainly. She didn’t want to see the pity in their eyes.

“I just came to see if you wanted to come on patrol.” Huckleberry bent down to her level, making the same stupid face he’d been making since it happened. She curled in tighter on herself.

“No.”

“But you-”

“No!” She hissed, flattening her ears. It probably wasn’t very effective when she couldn’t even look him in the eye, but he left without another word. And that was fine. All she wanted was to be left alone forever.

Forever only lasted a few more days. Though this time it was Leafshade, and somehow that hurt even more.

“Kid.”

Littlefog’s breath hitched. She didn’t look at her; how could she?

Leafshade didn’t speak again. But she didn’t leave, either. She lay, slowly and carefully, down beside her, wrapping her tail comfortingly around her flank. And it was comforting, for a moment. It reminded her of… of her…

Littlefog burst into sobs. Leafshade still didn’t speak - and if she had, Littlefog hadn’t heard it. She just held her close, gently licking her ears; letting her get out everything she’d been holding in. And it felt good, but it still felt too much like before. It felt too much like her.

She didn’t realize she’d been speaking until she calmed down enough to notice Leafshade was quietly murmuring agreement and reassurances to whatever she was rambling about.

Well. She could probably guess what it was; the same thoughts had been running through her head for several days. I should’ve been there. I should’ve been able to kill that mangy fox. It should’ve been me.

But… as she laid there, teary eyed and muzzle buried deep in Leafshade’s greying fur, the old cat's tongue still running along her fur feeling all too much like her, she found she did feel… better, if only the slightest bit. A bit of the weight had been lifted; the thoughts had relaxed ever so slightly.

She didn’t feel so alone. And this time, just for a little while… maybe she didn’t want to be.

Word Count: 422

[SushiFoxx]

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

Quest Number: 1
Response: Echostar was torn and her mind whirled in circles and she took her mind back. Rina stood in her nest 'oh please not again' the old Echostar pleaded to her dream. Rina looked for her mother and wandered around confused on where her mother was. 'please stop! stop walking! stop moving!' Echostar pleaded but she continued to walk on to find her lost mother. Rina continued to walk and stuck out her tongue at the horrible smelling "Garage", or what ever the two legs called it. This room stunk of monsters with their big faces and eyes that lit up. Echostar had no clue how these monsters had other monsters because there seemed to be enough of them in the wild.

Rina continued walking down her path that was set in stone and walking through the small opening by the big door on the monster room that the monsters drove through somehow. These big doors were strange and she did not understand how they opened. Rina shook her head and shook out her thoughts, it was time to find her mother not time to worry about the monsters that lived in the weird room that the two legs opened somehow.

The small tortoiseshell she cat just continued walking. "Come on mother, where are you?" Rina asked herself confused as she walked through the small door. Rina continued walking down the forested area trying to figure out where her mother might be. "MOM!" Rina called out as loud as she could possibly muster with her small voice. She heard monsters ripping and tearing down the thunderpath by the house she was in before. Rina gagged at the terrible stench of monster gas that was left behind after all the quickly running monsters. As she wandered clueless down the grassy terrain she was on the find her mother she had no clue on where to walk.

She had no clue on where to go to find her mother. Rina looked up at the trees that towered over her seeming to be as tall as the sun as they touched the stars. "Maybe I can climb one of those huge trees to find mother?" Rina asked herself thinking heavily. She attempted to climb the tree but after figuring out how difficult it was to climb the tree with no experience she gave up with her struggle and she sighed heavily "So much for that idea" She muttered to herself.

As she struggled back down the tree from how high she managed to climb up Rina continued to look for her mother, sniffing out for her scent but she unfortunately could not smell anything that had to do with her mother. "Please mother, where are you? I really need you now! We need to start heading back now, it is going to start getting light out" Rina called out looking for her mom that was seemingly nowhere. "You have to be somewhere? But where? Mom, please come out I need you, I can smell you went this way" Rina continued to call.

Struggling, she continued to search for her mother. Rina sprinted across the thunderpath as quickly as she could, as soon as she was in the middle though she unfortunately paused and freaked out was she saw a monster coming at her. She screeched and fell down hoping to dodge the monster as quickly as possible. Rina felt the monster whiz over her head and she let out a sigh of relief and she coughed from the smell. The kitty pet quickly hurried to the side and coughed quickly once she was off the thunderpath.

Rina struggled for breath and looked around for her mother again and she sighed. "Mom! Please come out" Rina begged her mother as she continued to look around for her. Rina finally picked up her mothers scent again and followed it along the side of the thunderpath. The small tortoiseshell continued to follow her mothers scent as she wandered along the side of the thunderpath. Rina continued following the path ad trotted down the scent line that her mother had caused from her drifted scent. "Come on mom where are you?" Rina asked confused as she continued to walk.

She continued to follow and she finally found her mother. She seemed to have a small metallic scent to her but Rina did not want to ask any questions, at least she was able to finally find her mom, that was great and that was all Rina had ended up wanting. "Mother, are you ok? Mom?" Rina asked confused as she looked at her mother laying on the grass in front of her "Hello my, dear" her mother finally responded as she coughed up her words to her daughter. "Mom! I missed you, I'm so glad I found you" Rina sighed relived.

Desperation filled the air as Rina's mom smiled softly through her struggle. "Hey, my love, please go, go change lives my love" Rina's mother coughed her words and Echostar kicked in through her past selves mind 'please mom! I miss you' Echostar thought to herself as she watched this all happen. "Oh mom? What do you mean?" Rina asked confused to her mother. "Oh my love, my life is coming to a close, please change lives, I will always watch over you, my little star" her mother mumbled to her daughter in a soft tone as she smiled softly.

Panic filled Rina. "Mom! Don't go, you can't leave me!" She begged her mother. "Oh I love you dear, please change lives" Rina's mother told her "I love you" her mother murmured. "Oh I love you mom" Rina mumbled heart broken to her mother.

Echostar broke out of the dream, her heart ached with pain for her mom. Oh how she missed her dearly. Why was she forever brought back to the moment? Oh well, she would never know but oh how it hurt to relive it again and again through her old eyes. "Oh I miss you" Echostar murmured to herself.
Word Count: 1,004

[sunny-skies]

[ Start of Round ]

"thank you all for your replies!"

February Quests

Quest #1

Whovian5EVA -- +140 xp
nindroidzane -- +30 xp
SushiFoxx -- +60 xp

Quest #2

Whovian5EVA -- +40 xp
0Zero0 -- +25 xp

Quest #3

Whovian5EVA -- +100 xp
0Zero0 -- +45 xp

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

"here's something extra for those who put extra effort into their entries, you can use this to buy items in starclan's shop!"

Whovian5EVA -- +560 stardust
0Zero0 -- +140 stardust
SushiFoxx -- +120 stardust

"these were my favorites! here's something special for your effort"

Quest #1: nindroidzane and SushiFoxx
+un myo

Quest #2: 0Zero0
+c myo

Quest #3: Whovian5EVA
+un myo

"don't leave yet! I wanted to ask you something else..."

A new round has begun!

QUEST #1
what is something one of your cats wishes to forget?
you may write and/or draw your response to this prompt.

QUEST #2
what is some sort of danger in your clan's territory?
you may only draw your response to this prompt.

QUEST #3
when was a time that someone in the clan disagreed with their leader?
you may only write your response to this prompt.

[0Zero0]

Username:
Clan: Tsuki no Usahgi & Tailless Comet

Quest Number: #1 what is something one of your cats wishes to forget?
you may write and/or draw your response to this prompt.
Response:

Sometimes, you don't want to forget the pain, the suffering, the longing as if it is the only thing keeping you going. Sometimes you just want to be an innocent child and forget everything that ever existed, enjoying life without worry. Out of the two, and a lot of the time, I want to hold onto the pain. I never want to forget the blizzard that blocked us in and many starved. The times I got in trouble and had to take care of the Arch's nests. I want to remember the sting of a bee when I thought it good to hunt to close to a hive. These things help you to live, to learn, to understand the comings of the days.

However I am disgusted by my lineage. My father, leader to the clan, and his father before him have taken care of the clan for ages, and now they expect me to do the same. I will do my part, I don't mind being leader that isn't the problem I have with being the child of SunStar. It's that it is expected of me, or rather the way I'm treated because it's expected of me. When I was a child, I wasn't just picked on no, I was pushed into doing all the work but that wasn't half of it. Half of those who wanted to be my friend purely wanted the honor of knowing me so that they may one day become deputy.

When I was an apprentice I thought of running away. Teenage hormones I suppose. I didn't want to be leader at that time, it wasn't really a pleasant thought having to take care of the whole clan, but in reality it was the best I could hope for. Studying was the worst. Father would take me out and show me the duties of my future. My other father would give me tips on deputies. The rest of my time was spent training with my mentor. In a sense, because of this, I had many teachers and I should have been grateful. That I don't want to forget, but...

I want to forget that I was born to such a great leader so that I may forge my own path into becoming leader to the clan.

[382 Words]

Quest Number: #2 what is some sort of danger in your clan's territory?
you may only draw your response to this prompt.
Response:


Quest Number: #3 when was a time that someone in the clan disagreed with their leader?
you may only write your response to this promp
Response:

Disagreed would be a light response to my feelings. Feelings of regret? no I believe in myself holy. I was right. I was just. I am leader now and no one can stop me. My mother, or father, or whomever you want to call her was a moron, and I hated her. She was so... So.... NICE. Nothing was ever done, or finished. She always took the kindness as priority, me I take in what needs to be done.

It was a cold night, raining even. Dramatic I suppose, but the truth was I needed the noise cover. I was planning something that might have been a bit immoral, but it needed to be done. Only one answer could solve the issues this clan deserved. I would be leader, even if it meant the end of Usahgi's life. I had sheltered against cold white stone walls to match my stark white pelt. I weaved through thick brush of potted plants to hide my stripes. I stepped softly on furred flooring to hide my steps. I learned how to hunt everything, even the enemy.

I had sharpened my claws for this moment, I waited for the light of the moon to hide behind the wall, and with the shadows slimmed raised my claws high. They reflected against something and shocked me, as I knew it wasn't possible, but I felt something strong against me. Between the flurry of pain and screeching I couldn't of guessed who it was. I assumed it was my mother due to the strength but a flash of seeing her asleep in her nest made me know. It was Tsushima, her powerful protector. She didn't need to worry, and I couldn't maim her despite my extra efforts.

I should warn you I wasn't going to kill her, but that didn't stop Tsu from tearing me limb from limb. Granted he also didn't know who I was due to my careful planning. At least not at first. Once he had me pinned, and was chewing me out, the knight recognized my ears. My tall ears are a symbol of who I am and everyone who knows me knows them. Including Usahgi's personal knight.

"Ai!?" his eyes had widened. "What are you doing!?"

I didn't answer him, instead I escaped in a flurry. The next morning, my mother had more then lectured me as I was patched up by the local doc. Even the medical professional didn't hesitate to gnaw on my ear. I was in more then trouble, but I got my word in, and my mother finally listened to my side. It was worth the trouble.

[#439 Words]

[Archaeopteryx.]

Username: Archaeopteryx.
Clan: Clan of Eternal Sun

Quest Number: 2
Response: What is some sort of danger in your clan's territory?

[LiLi041]

Username: LiLi041
Clan: Lissidom

Quest Number: 2
Response:

[knickknacks]

Username: Knickknacks
Clan: Knollclan

Quest Number: 3
Response:

"I don't believe this."

Sundance turned to face his friend, who was glaring at the ground, looking almost sick. Robinblaze's typically-bombastic manner seemed to have deserted her: her voice was subdued and quiet, ears pinned back in a mix of shock and anger, her tail giving small but furious twitches. They'd been walking a well-trodden path in the forest, but Robinblaze had come to a complete stop. On closer inspection, Sundance realized with some alarm that his friend was actually shaking, and darted back to her side, inviting her to lean on his shoulder for support.

"Don't believe what?" He asked- though he already knew the answer. A lump rose in his throat as he thought about it, and he swallowed hard, trying to ignore the way fear and sadness tightened in his chest.

"Finchpaw."

He had never known his friend to hesitate- even as new apprentices, she had never backed down, never lost the unceasing energy that she seemed to run on. But Robinblaze's voice cracked as she said it, her eyes shutting tightly as though to block out the grief and memory of it.

Sundance's heart jolted uncomfortably. The clan's eldest apprentice had been found badly injured several sunrises ago, wounds inflicted on her by an unknown foe. Despite being rushed back to camp, and the best efforts of their healers, she had passed away in the night. Her naming ceremony had been so close, too- a few days more and she would have been one of their denmates. All the same, her loss had been a shock, keenly felt by the clan.

"It's- it was a tragedy," he mumbled into her fur, the words feeling hollow. It was more than a tragedy- it felt reductive to think of it in such simple terms.

Robinblaze stiffened, slipping out from his hold, standing on her own weight to glare challengingly at him.

"It wasn't just an accident or a tragedy- you know that, right?" She hissed, fur ruffling in indignation. "Something's not right about this- the healers were more unnerved then they let on, that loner Haze looked like she was about to faint when she saw the body, and even Duckpaw- you know how he sometimes talks about seeing things? He reacted oddly to this, too. There's more we're not seeing, and Rookstar is just-" she actually clawed at the ground in frustration, tearing up a chunk of dirt. "Rookstar is just acting like everything is normal. It's not."

Sundance blinked at her, bewildered.

"I- I didn't know you felt that way," he said. "I didn't notice any of those things- why didn't you tell me?"

"Let's see," Robinblaze deadpanned. "You avoid the healers like the plague, you still don't trust Haze, and you think Duckpaw is crazy, just like you thought Finchpaw was crazy." She curled her lip at him, disdainful in a way Sundance had never seen. "I can't be the only one who's caught on to all this- there's something going on, and Rookstar doesn't want to let on about it. But you, Sundance- you're not stupid. You need to wake up."

She whirled away from him, darting farther along the path, pelt flashing between the trunks.

Sundance knew his friend well enough to know that she wouldn't want to be followed or comforted. Though his paws felt frozen in place from shock, his mind was whirling with the things she'd just told him. Robinblaze needed to think- and so did he. And then they needed to talk.



-----


"What's got you so frowny?"

Sundance sat up from where he was resting his head on his front paws, doing his best to adopt a non-mopey expression.

"I'm not in the mood for this right now, Smokebite."

"In the mood for what?" His denmate asked innocently, tilting his head. "Can't a guy check in on his denmate? We've known each other for an awful long while, haven't we? And Robin isn't here, either- she wouldn't want you to be moping all by yourself, would she?"

"That's what she's doing," Sundance deadpanned, glaring at the other cat. "I- have a lot to think about, I'm sorry. Please leave me alone."

A brief silence paused, and when the orange tom looked back in his denmate's direction her found an uncharacteristically somber expression on Smokebite's face. The gray-striped tom too often wore a smirk, or some teasing look- seeing him look this serious was so surprising that it stopped Sundance from objecting.

"If you need someone to talk to," Smokebite said, "You- or Robin, I guess- or even just someone to listen, I'm here. You two both seemed to take... it... pretty hard," he finished, scuffing his paws in the dirt awkwardly.

Sundance gaped at him- this cat that had declared himself Robinblaze's rival since their apprentice days, who had bugged the pair of them constantly through their training, and who now seemed sincere in his worry about the two of them.

Before he could ask what on earth had come over one of his most obnoxious clanmates, pawsteps sounded at his side and Robinblaze plopped down next to him, evidently having come back from the forest.

"Robin-!" Smokebite responded even before he could, an odd expression flitting across his face. "You're back! I was just- talking to Sundance about- how he hopes you didn't get lost, or something." It's a lie, a thinly-veiled one that none of them believe, but Robinblaze seemed too drained to respond by firing back a snarkyy remark as she normally would, instead slumping against Sundance's side.

"I'm sorry," she murmurs to him. Sundance gives her a quick lick on the forehead, murmuring "it's okay," and they settle into a comfortable silence.

"Are you two okay?" Smokebite asks, his words again overlaid with that oddly genuine concern. "You seem... worn down, or something."

Sundance shifts uncomfortably, unsure of how to respond. To his surprise though, Robinblaze straightens up, staring head-on at the cat she had considered to be a rival for as long as they both could remember.

"Smokebite," she began. The other cat looked startled at the sound of her saying his name in a non-confrontational manner. "What do you think about how Rookstar is handling Finchpaw's death?"

A tense silence fell between the three of them- Sundance glancing nervously between the two, Robinblaze staring placidly at Smokebite, waiting for a response, and Smokebite himself frowning, looking deep in thought.

"...I don't like it," he muttered at last. "It feels like there's something he doesn't want us to know- almost like he's trying to act as though nothing has happened, which feels disrespectful. And Duckpaw seems like he's been borderline hysterical for the past few days, and nobody seems to know why. It's a weird combination of circumstances, and I don't agree with the way Rookstar is handling it."

Sundance felt Robinblaze relax against him.

"That makes two of us," she said, sounding almost relieved. Smokebite looked at her, almost startled, and chanced a slight smile. It was the first time, to Sundance's knowledge, that they'd ever agreed on something.

"Three." Sundance spoke up, nodding to the pair of them. "So- what are we going to do about it?"

Word Count: 1,195

[Goatmom]

Username: Goatmom
Clan: Grove Clan

Quest Number: Quest 1
Response:

Thunder sounds over the Grove Clan camp. All but one of its inhabitants slept soundly in their dens.

Owlstar tossed and turned in her nest. The sounds of the thunderstorm filling her already fitful sleep with dreams of the past.

~~~~~

Owlheart stood in the center of Oak clan camp, the rain plastering her fur to her body. " Wake up! Cowstep ! Vinestar! The Leader's tree is going to come down!"

She ran from den to den yowling her desperate warning, unable to enter, unable to save her clanmates from what she knew was about to happen. The Winds picked up and a roar filled the air. Then...

CRACK

Owlheart froze. There it was. The sound of the old tree that held the leaders den snapping. And there was Vinestar, her pale fawn fur still ruffled from sleep at the mouth of the den.

Owlheart closed her eyes tight. " No no no not again." She still heard the crash of the tree as it hit the camp. The panicked and pained cry's of her clanmates.  And then silence.

~~~~

She slowly opened her eyes. A soft light filling her den. The gentle drip of water from the entrance, the only remnant of the pervious nights storm.

The sound of her clan, Grove Clan, beginning to stir outside her stony den as she stood and stretched. She quickly groomed her fur, trying to shake the memory out of her mind. That was many moons ago buy the memory of the loss of her birth clan still clung to her like a burr.

Word Count: 122