[nindroidzane]

Username: nindroidzane
Clan: FrostClan

Quest Number: 3
Response:
"Foxpaw...?"

Turtlepaw almost flinched when her denmate glanced back at her, eyes narrowed. It seemed she already knew what she was here for.

"Before you say anything, you know that was absolutely hilarious."

"It was not!" Turtlepaw glared, flattening her ears. "You could've really hurt somebody!"

"But I didn't." Foxpaw returned to grooming her paw, thoughts carefully blocked off as usual. Not that she needed to read her mind; her feelings were coming through pretty clearly, with the way she was watching her through the corner of one slitted eye.

"Foxpaw, come on. Cats are already suspecting that it was your fault." Turtlepaw shuffled her paws slightly. She wished her sibling were here, but they'd wanted nothing to do with Foxpaw. Especially not if they were "helping her out".

"And if they are?" Foxpaw drew a paw over her ear as if she hadn't a care in the world. "They have no proof."

"Foxpaw, this is serious! You threw Spiderbite in the lake, she could've frozen or- or drowned!"

"Uh huh." Foxpaw glanced up again, before switching paws. "But she didn't. She's perfectly fine now, right? All thanks to Horsefly."

"And that must be such a confidence boost for him," She continued before Turtlepaw could interject. "He's usually such a pushover - and now he's saved his best friend? It would be a shame to take that away from him, just to get me in a couple days worth of trouble."

"But they-"

"Sent you to pin the blame on me?" Foxpaw interrupted again, which was really starting to make her miffed. "Read my mind, grab a confession from my guilty subconscious and be done with it?"

"Well, that's not exactly-"

"You're such a suckup, Turtlepaw. You know that's all they like you for, right? Using your silly powers for all their own selfish needs?" Foxpaw's attention was finally settled on her fully, and a smidgen of anger leeched into her voice. "Can't you be normal and hang out with cats your own age? When's the last time I asked you to read some random cat's stupid thoughts, huh?"

Turtlepaw bit her tongue.

"Yeah, that's right." Foxpaw's tail twitched, and she leaned down to groom it, relaxing her composure again. "So why don't you do me a favour for once and tell them I didn't do it? I'm sick of cleaning nests and I'm sick of the elders. If I get stuck in there another day longer I'll age 100 moons older myself."

Turtlepaw gazed down at her paws for a moment. Foxpaw had definitely done it; she'd basically confessed it as soon as she'd walked in. But... Horsefly had seemed pretty proud of himself... and she'd been doing a lot for other cats, lately... and she supposed Spiderbite was okay...

"Alright." She murmured, and swept out of the room before Foxpaw could drone on any more. She knew the warriors would believe her - they believed almost everything she said. And usually it was the truth, so... maybe one little lie wouldn't hurt, just this once?

Word Count: 505

[Deercan]

Username: Deercan
Clan: The Roundtails

Quest Number: 1
"what is one of your cats' relationship with their family like?"
Response:

Sunnyside loves his family very much, although they can be quite a handful at times! Crepe and Waffle remind her of herself when he was younger... he often wonders if he was also a little menace to his parents? Oh well, he can only imagine!
Sunnyside loves taking the kits to her job (as a castle bard), they love their dad's stories so much!! They're currently off to visit their mother, Hana, now; that is, if they can get their without running off to chase each other! Oh, Sunnyside just loves her kits, and she's so happy to see them growing up in a loving environment with lots of friends around!
Word Count: 111 words

[sunny-skies]

[ Start of Round ]

"i'm back with prizes! thank you all for your patience, i loved hearing what everyone had to say!"

May Quests

Quest #1
Archaeopteryx. -- +20 xp
Goatmom -- +50 xp
OmbreCoyote -- +35 xp
shawty, -- +60 xp
Deercan -- +60 xp

Quest #2
Goatmom -- +20 xp
coolrat -- +35 xp
I Like Bees -- +40 xp

Quest #3
I Like Bees -- +25 xp
nindroidzane -- +35 xp


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

"and here are some special prizes for those who put extra effort into their entries!
you can use this to buy some cool stuff from starclan's shop!"

Goatmom -- +140 stardust
shawty, -- +120 stardust
Deercan -- +120 stardust
I Like Bees -- +130 stardust

"thank you all for participating! I loved hearing about each of your clans!"

"even though I loved everyone's entries, these ones especially stood out to me! here's something extra for your hard work!"

Quest #1 - shawty, & Deercan
+1 ur myo each

Quest #2 - coolrat & Goatmom
+1 c myo each

Quest #3 - I Like Bees & nindroidzane
+1 uc myo each

"wait wait wait, I still have more questions!"

A new round has begun!

QUEST #1
what is something that plays a big role in one of your cats' lives, and how does it affect them?
you may write and/or draw your response to this prompt.

QUEST #2
when was a time that one of your did something that they were proud of? was it something minor or impactful in their life?
you may only draw your response to this prompt.

QUEST #3
when was a time when one of your cats had to overcome some sort of obstacle?
you may only write your response to this prompt.

[Goatmom]

Username: Goatmom
Clan: Grove Clan

Quest Number: 2
Response:
Word Count: (If applicable)

[Divantae]

Username: Divantae
Clan: Shaded Hollow

Quest Number: 1
Response:
Ever since he could remember, even as a wee kit, this cat's love of food was second only to his love for his family, consisting of two living members: his grandmother Leopardleap and older brother Lynxprowl. Today, lounging nonchalantly on a rickety chair-swing strung from his old family home high up among the fir trees, he jokes that perhaps food truly did have the number one place in his heart, much to the chagrin of Lynxprowl, who threatens to stomp on the floorboards until he "finally falls off that old wobbly thing." I content myself with poring over my notes so far, jotting down witty anecdotes as he finally rises to give me a tour of the interior, the subject of my visit: a little hut covered with moss and fresh morning dew, spotted with dandelions poking out from crevices in the wood planks. Just as Lionbloom responds to challenge after challenge, it seems new life has taken over this hut in the village, too. I wonder if these dandelions plus the ones dotting his fur have any special meaning, but hold off for now, taken aback as I lower my head through the doorway.

While the outside may seem rather decrepit compared to some of the more neatly groomed homes of Shaded Hollow, the real guts of his kithood home are immaculate, preserved in amber from what I could only imagine were his parents' days of breathing in this space. Although the matriarch Leopardleap still lives here, I sense none of what I'd call "elder den hallmarks," no carefully carved wooden figurines of kits with wings nor even any lingering stench of perfumed floral pillows. The lady herself looks as young and spry as the paintings that depict her in the High Council with very little gray crossing her features. She kisses my cheek sweetly as she greets me, offering me apple tart slices. I surmise that cooking really is a family affair for him, and although it's far too early for desserts, I decide to munch on one tentatively as I am led through room after room by Lionbloom, where he stops briefly to snicker over an old family photo, pointing out his pudgy cheeks. He takes notice of many an old boot or other article of clothing from his father particularly, rugged and torn from working as a pioneer who'd often be away for days, panning for gold or precious ores by the riverbeds. His mother would leave her mark by way of paintings: meticulous renditions of flower fields and cows are seen in one room, untouched, though carefully dusted. I comment that both of his parents were quite talented, just as he is, which makes him beam.

I note in my journal that for his young age, he's taken the loss of his parents strikingly well, recalling memories with optimism and hope. His claim is, "They're never truly gone, for they still live on through all the cats who knew them. All the lives they've touched in some small way," a sentiment reflected by many of Shaded Hollow, where the mother's paintings still hang in many a home and where many precious jewels from the father are still worn today. But I don't wish to dwell too much on the past in this interview so much as the effects they've had on his life now, of course, as his parents have had their own legends and accounts penned under lamplight. For now, I simply pen that there is nothing crestfallen about him, nothing even remotely scandalous or indecent I know readers of this town's print would enjoy.

Still, I can't help but think that behind those kind and welcoming eyes there lurks a deep, perhaps dark determination. To do what? You'd naturally think it'd be to make his parents proud postmortem, which he clearly has with his career as a chef, but I also sense some need to rise even greater than that, to not be seen as just a tragic orphan that the older cats of the village feel sorry for. Or maybe it's something else. I struggle to read a cat like Lionbloom since he seems so simple in the way he lives, the little tiny insignificant things he finds joy in, that there must be some other driving force in his life lying beneath his sunny exterior. Everyone has their ambitions. Perhaps I'm just cynical.

Finally to the meat and potatoes of this meeting, I sit down neatly across from Lionbloom in front of the smoldering embers of the living room fireplace. His gaze is captured by the flicker of the flames as I begin.

"When did your passion for cooking truly begin?" I can tell he's been asked this plenty of times, even if off-the-record, but any good journalist gets narrow in focus as they get through the more general questions.

"I always say that I've loved food for as long as I could remember. But if I'm being honest, I was too lazy and bratty as a teen to appreciate my grandma's cooking. My injury changed things, you know." He's talking about his missing arm, of course, lost in the same incident as his parents' death. "I was laid up from training to be a hunter, actually. Stuck inside. It was difficult not to feel guilty and antsy after that. I still wish things could be different. My grandma really saved me in a lot of ways. Lynxprowl, too." He flashes me with a sad smile.

"I'm so sorry. How did you pull through it?"

"Well, I figured one arm was enough," he chuckles. "I knew my parents wouldn't want me and Lynxprowl to be feeling sorry about everything. They protected us. I'm sure they'd do it over and over again, so, I couldn't let it be in vain. It was hard at first, I was mostly in bed and not only grieving but dealing with pain from my arm, adjusting. I figured one day that I'd use the time I had off from training to learn something new, something I never really appreciated until then. That's when I started cooking, baking, actually."

"I see, and look where you are now. The wealth of Shaded Hollow is scrambling to snag you for catering!"

"Yeah, well, I wasn't any good at first. Leopardleap can tell you about the time I seared our rug. But if I could learn this skill with one arm freshly shaved off, I'm sure anyone can. I'm always looking for fledglings to take under my wing," Lionbloom smiles. He's a bit young to be training other cats, but his celebrity status might make him an exception if Chief Morelmare ever finds himself reading the papers.

"Maybe I'll have to take you up on cooking lessons, if you have time later. For right now, your optimism is impeccable. Many in Shaded Hollow believe some skills to be inherited, like the arts, in your case, cooking. You seem like the prime candidate to disprove their theories."

"Thank you. Well, I think you just need a bit of help and you really have to want something to actually get it. No matter what challenges come your way. I guess some could say I had an advantage already with my grandma being a wonderful cook, but what if my life went as planned? If I continued on as a hunter? I don't think I'd ever care to cook beyond the basic dishes. I was pretty content with catching mice between my paws in those days, but now it's a bit of an issue with my balance. I believe life persists, no matter our setbacks, I made do with what I had. Doesn't mean it wasn't hard, because it was even with help. It wasn't always a natural thing for me. But I wanted it to be, and eventually it was."

"Your story is an inspiration, thank you." I suddenly remember something else, about the dandelions. "Sorry for shifting the subject, but is there any reason you wear those dandelions? I noticed they match the outside decor. Not many weeds like that decorating other cats' homes."

"Oh, yeah, I get questions about them all the time. Yellow is a warm, sunny color, dandelions are plenty hopeful. They're a sign of spring. Make good salads, too," he gives a hearty laugh at that. "Really I think they're underappreciated. These little guys are natural born survivors. We should take care of them, just as we do every other flower. That's what I think at least, no need to trim them. They aren't doing any harm."

I nod. "When you put it like that, I can see why they mean so much to you. You're a survivor too... Maybe next spring we'll see your fans wearing dandelions next, huh?" We laugh together. He's known for being popular, of course a gang of adoring fans is part of that. Usually young ones about his age who rapidly change their appearances with the times. No doubt, Lionbloom is handling success well for how down to earth he remains.

I figure it's time to wrap things up. My closing question. "So, any new recipes we should watch out for? Any big plans?"

"I'll shock you when I say that I actually don't plan that much ahead," he shakes his head. "I couldn't tell you even if I wanted to. I think rest and relaxation is just as important as working for what you want. Setting schedules and deadlines on things will only set you up for disappointment. Life never goes as planned, but I don't see that as a bad thing. Let life guide you, it'll take you to some exciting places. That's what I want to leave with my fans."

I guess I was truly wrong about Lionbloom. I would've thought he was really aiming for grander plans of Shaded Hollow, with even more acclaim than he has now, but I could tell from today that his mind goes where the wind takes it, just like the dandelion blooms he's named for. He lives a simple life full of his love for food and family. The fame is simply a byproduct he deals with, entertaining writers like me in his few free days, reminding me that perhaps I too should learn a few things from a simple cat like himself, who dreams of dandelions high up in the trees of Shaded Hollow.

Word Count: 1,734

[I Like Bees]

Username: I Like Bees
Clan: The Travelers

Quest Number: 2

When was a time that one of your did something that they were proud of? Was it something minor or impactful in their life?

Response:

Puddle's proud of this flower crown he made for himself!

Word Count: N/A

[Shiver Hohojiro]

Username: Sha the Sheep
Clan: Clan of the Sea Breeze
Quest Number: 1
Response:
The two biggest things in Beech’s life have been music, and ghosts. The song of the wind whistling in the trees, his own quiet humming as he makes up new tunes and echoes something much older, a song he’d never been taught but has always known. He hears it when he sleeps at night, someone else singing, always just out of reach. A song in tune with the wind, a song of someone aware by how it blows of the smallest changes in the weather, aware of when a pleasant day is about to turn into a storm.

He wants to learn the song. Alas, like its singer, it always eludes him, just out of reach.

These are not the only dreams he has. He dreams of starry fields and long dead cats, sees things in feathers and grass that no other cat can. Something is happening. Some cat is important. If you don’t do something, this will happen. No one is particularly inclined to believe him, even though he is always right; whenever the thing he’d predicted comes to pass, they all seem to forget he’d predicted it in the first place.

Because of course they do.

But there are cats who have faith in him, the starry and shimmering ones who seem to believe he has some greater destiny. They welcome him with open paws, praise his talents. There’s something special he’ll do one day, something only he can do.

In the warm light of dusk, on the cliffs overlooking the sea, sometimes he’ll glance off into the distance at a little island off the shore. He doesn’t know why, but it feels… sad. Like something very wrong happened there once, long, long ago.

Something only he can put right…

Word Count: 292

Quest Number: 2
Response:


Quest Number: 3
Response:
It's one of the scouts. She doesn't like them.

It's not like her behavior is going under the radar, either; the clan is aware, and doing their best to curb it from progressing. Heatherstar has talked to her; Ternfeather, too. Haywing thinks it hasn't done much. If anything, it's only made her resent them more.

Not that they can blame her. She's right, of course; they are all the things she says. Lazy and undisciplined, flippant towards their supposedly high position in the clan, not so elegant or serious. She takes her own job very seriously, of course; of course she expects others to do the same. And it doesn't matter, that there are others in the clan who are equally silly or undignified towards their positions. It doesn't matter when even other cats that the scout holds in high regard for being "dignified" try to soothe them, tell them it doesn't matter if they're sometimes silly or a slacker, because they have always been serious and trustworthy when the time called for it. It doesn't matter, because it's just an echo of the same old refrain they've always heard, and they know in their heart of hearts that it's true.

They'd be better off a wanderer.

What are they still doing here? Why can't they seem to get away?

It's a relief when Pebblefoam joins the clan, meaning they're no longer the only messenger. The clan no longer needs them - or at the very least, it no longer needs them to stick close by even when they leave to wander the mainland shores. They're allowed, finally, to go further than they've ever gone before. It's freedom, the very thing they've desired since the beginning. Their paws itch to explore, to leave this island farther behind than they've allowed themself in months.

They think the scout knows. They think she'll be happy once they're gone. They wonder if she'll think they plan to never return.

They wonder if they do plan to return. Sometimes they miss their old life. They certainly haven't given up their old name, not completely anyways.

They tell Heatherstar their plan in the early dawn light at the shore, waves dappled in the purples and golds of the sky above. Heatherstar is uncertain, perhaps uncomfortable - worried. It's very far, he says. Haywing soothes him as best they can - they've been doing this for years. They know the rails better than anyone. They need fresh blood for the clan, from colonies further out than the little one on the mainland shore. They need a way to establish communications with other clans out there, with other colonies. This is their job. And they'll be back again, right?

Heatherstar agrees, eventually, and they part on the shores. Haywing does not say their goodbyes to the other cats. Perhaps they'll never see them again. Who knows.

They take the rails like they always have. They travel, it clears their mind. They feel better. More at home. They meet other clans, establish communications. It gives them a reason to go home eventually, to deliver the messages and goodwill from those clans back to the Clan of the Sea Breeze.

And yet. They still can't bring themself to go back.

Their paws start bringing them somewhere else, instead. They're almost there before they even realize where they're going. It was one of the first places they stayed on their travels.

The first place they had ever considered calling home.

But things had a funny way of working out, and - well. They had been a coward then. And an idiot, too. They'd been driven out, and they'd wandered ever since.

They try to stop their paws from taking them there. No, not there, anywhere else. They don't need to go back. They don't want to. Hell, they probably weren't even allowed to! But their paws keep turning them back, back.

Home?

No, not home. It wasn't home. The Clan of the Sea Breeze was home now. This hardens in their heart like resolve, resolve to go back, and yet-

Their mission was to connect with other colonies, right? Establish diplomatic relations. And this was another colony. And it was one that only they knew about. No one else would know how to find it.

They steeled themselves, took a deep breath, and let their paws carry them where they may.

They were not forgotten, but their return was more - welcome? - than they'd expected. The cats who find him don't chase him off, but instead herd him to safety. "The leader mustn't know you've returned," they whisper to them, and Haywing's heart sinks and crashes, heavy in their chest. They don't know why they'd ever hoped otherwise. They'd clung to scraps, thinking that if only they could explain-

The cat they're led to, in the name of safety, is Bluebell. She looks as surprised to see them as they feel to see her. That couldn't be right. Bluebell had been first in line for leadership when they'd left, and the old leader had surely either passed on, or was too old by now to harm them. So why...

Bluebell tells them she knows, now. She found out the truth behind the incident they were driven out for, and she knows who set them up.

The problem is, he's become the leader of the colony.

It is not a messenger's first line of duty to fight. The Clan of the Sea Breeze rarely has much need for fighting, anyway. And even with all the cats who resent the current leader, it is difficult to do anything at all against him. He's sly and cunning and manipulative, and ruthless when he can't get his way.

But Haywing can be sly and cunning, too, full of their own tricks. They've had moons of experience, streetwise smarts from places these cats couldn't even imagine.

And they have Bluebell back by their side.

They succeed in driving out the cat who'd become false leader, opening the way for Bluebell instead. And suddenly they realize, they have a new problem - because the Clan of the Sea Breeze has become home, and they're supposed to return, but returning would mean leaving this colony behind, leaving Bluebell behind again. And they don't want to.

So they ask her to come with them. To join them back home, on the island.

And she agrees.

They leave together after she appoints one of the other cats in her place, leave with fond farewells and promises to return and bear news sometimes. Their path back home is fairly straightforward, none of the winding ways Haywing had taken to get to the colony. When they return, there's a cat with a makeshift ship awaiting them, who ferries them back to the island. The cats all poke out of their dens, news spreading fast among them as Haywing and Bluebell stroll back into camp - Haywing? Is that Haywing??? Where have they been all this time? Who's that with them??

They don't miss the look of utter shock on the scout's face, and they feel a jolt of grim satisfaction.

They tell their tales to Heatherstar in front of all the clan, about the places they'd seen and been and of Bluebell's colony. The other cats listen with rapt attention, spellbound awe. And when at last they finish and Heatherstar accepts Bluebell into the clan, and they are allowed to go where they may - the scout approaches them, tail and ears drooping.

"I was wrong," she says. "And I'm sorry."

Word Count: 1252

[ethium]

Username: ethium
Clan: elmclan

Quest Number: 1
Response: foxglove & his relationship to painting

what is something that plays a big role in one of your cats' lives, and how does it affect them?
foxglove stared at the rock face before him, his heart thrumming in time with the pattering rain beyond the cave's entrance. fireflies danced around him, fat and lazy, the lightning bugs planted themselves on leaves, the stone rock he faced, everywhere. they were on the ceiling, clinging to the thick stalactites, and even deeper within the cave where the air began to chill and mist began to gather upon the stone. he was grateful for them and grateful for their light as the rainy skies beyond the cave entrance gave off only a faint blue glow. he hummed softly to himself, the air around his face warming.

before him, he stared at that thick slab of stone and opened his mind.

the picture was as clear as day, and it ran across the rock before him in vivid hues that matched the pigments he had before him. pigments he had collected from the forest before he had taken the long trek up the mountain and into the caves. blue from smeared blackberries, dried petals from a rose he had stolen from the two-leg village mixed with honey for red, and bee pollen for yellow. the rock face before him was no longer just a stone wall, insulating him from the gentle storm outside, no, this wall was now a canvas. a canvas for his art. foxglove did not waste any additional time, lurching forward to begin his process, with nothing but the fireflies, the wind, and the rain to accompany him.

showing off his artwork, however, would prove to be more of a challenge, but when he finally managed to haul eiderdweller up into the caves, he would find that the healer would be far more impressed with his abilities than foxglove had ever really considered. eiderdweller would eventually petition that this become a regular occurrence with foxglove (granted that he approves) and that he would chronicle elmclan's history through paint. and thus the tradition was born, thanks to the creativity of a cat who felt called to swipe his paws over stone.

Word Count: 343 words

[sunny-skies]

[ Start of Round ]

"thank you all for being so patient!! i loved hearing everyone's responses!"

Month Quests

Quest #1
Divantae -- +95 xp
Sha the Sheep -- +65 xp
ethium -- +25 xp

Quest #2
Goatmom -- +30 xp
I Like Bees -- +35 xp
Sha the Sheep -- +40 xp

Quest #3
Sha the Sheep -- +70 xp


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

"here's something extra to those of you who put in some extra effort! you can use this to purchase items in starclan's shop!"

Divantae -- +190 stardust
Sha the Sheep -- +350 stardust

"thank you all for participating! I loved hearing about each of your clans!"

"even though i loved everyone's responses, these ones were my favorites!"

Quest #1 - Divantae & ethium
+1 UN myo each

Quest #2 - I Like Bees & Goatmom
+1 UC myo each

Quest #3 - Sha the Sheep
+1 UC myo each

"wait, don't leave yet! I still had some more questions!"

A new round has begun!

QUEST #1
what is a legacy that one of your cats wishes to leave behind after they pass?
You may write and/or draw your response to this prompt.

QUEST #2
what does your clan's camp look like?
You may only draw your response to this prompt.

QUEST #3
aside from its founding, what is a historic event that has happened in your clan?
You may only write your response to this prompt.

[Griff]

Username: Griff
Clan: Clan Ember

Quest Number: 1
Response: Blossomcrown found herself staring out into the waters in silence, one of the few times she had ventured past her den and towards the ocean. Actually, the only time that Crowcall could remember. It was this that struck both his concern and his curiosity, and as such he went to follow the Medicine Cat. As he came closer, his ears folded back as he heard what sounded like muffled sniffs and... crying. Was she crying? His ears flattened, the fur on his neck stretched upwards. He had known Blossomcrown for some time now and he had never seen her... well. Like this!

With this in mind, he knew he should leave her be. But, when could he ever leave anyone be... especially someone he cared so deeply about? He walked beside her, before placing his entire head on her shoulder rendering her unable to bolt, unable to run. "What is on your mind?" He asked, softening his usually boisterous tone.

"...Seeing the newest kitten. Hopepaw. Emberstar was so proud and I... what will I leave behind? I do not regret becoming a Medicine Cat but... it means that there are certain things I am not allowed. Certain things that..."

"Certain things that can eat a gull butt and stuff it," Crowcall replied, chuffing before he inhaled deeply. "Alright, so. Listen up and listen good. I know your 'rules.' I also know its stupid. You have enough love, enough sense, enough heart to still do your job right kits, mate, or no! I not only know it, I have seen it! Just because certain cats might not... I do not believe for a bloody second you could not. You... are one of the best cats I know. And I-" He paused, looking to meet her gaze. In that moment, their eyes met.

"Crowcall you-"

"...Yeah yeah, I like ya. Always have. And ya know what? I think the Clan would accept that, they would want ya to be happy. To have that legacy to leave behind. I want you to be happy. And if they didn't? We'd start a new clan. Wherever we wanted to. I don;t care. There, been wantin' to say that forever and-"

There was a pause, as Blossomcrown's tears flowed freely onto Crowcall's dark coat. "...Stay with me tonight," she whispered softly. "Stay with me and... don't let go."
Word Count: 393

Username: Griff
Clan: Clan Ember

Quest Number: 3
Response: A storm was brewing. The seaside cats, so used to the patterns of the waves and the winds, could smell the rain in the air. The clouds were darkening. The humans had all abandoned their normal spots. Before they had left, there were whispers about, the coming of a 'hurricane.' Bunker down, they were told. Bunker down, keep safe, keep together. Run inland, keep away from the shores.

"What will we do Emberstar?" The clan asked. The young leader was unsure, as he had never heard of a hurricane before. So he sought out the guidance of Starclan, of the Elders, or any of the older seaside creatures that would listen. The answers were all the same. Get to safety. Find solid ground. Move inland, do not risk your lives. Find a new home. Rebuild. Flee. Flee to safety. For the proud clan leader, fleeing however seemed like the only option he could not take. His clan had worked so hard to create their home here... how could they simply leave it behind? They could never! Never!

Instead he gave the order to huddle close together in the Clan Tree, to bunker down. He could not have anticipated however the howling winds, the debris, the carnage that followed. The Hurricane was like a ravenous creature, sucking everything into its path for no reason at all. It only wanted destruction, and it did not care who or what was in its way.

He paid dearly for his pride. He could only watch as some cats were tossed into the air, never to be seen again. Others were pelted with debris, one struck to death before his eyes. Many were left scarred, and once the winds did die down they saw that really all that remained was their tree. Many others trees had been uprooted, along with plants, debris, wildlife... it would be a long time before life was normal again. And some of his own clan stared at him, eyes filled with rage, grief, and needing someone to blame.

He was the leader, he would shoulder their feelings, their blame. They would rebuild, this he knew. But they would never be the same.
Word Count: 362