[faelyn]

username: faelyn
clan: the shore of dreams
prompt#7 response:
silver, gold and periwinkle. beautifully glistening, the pastel shine twinkled through what seemed to be a paradise. cascades of feathered water draped off the edge of a cliff, adorning the gently sculpted peak with the angelic shades of blue and white.

statues that shone with the lost kings and queens of iravol embellished the palace, sparkling with marble and ivory. the sculptures giving a majestic flourish to those halls that she had known and been trapped in all her life.

but outside, beyond the boundaries of the palace. she could see it.
flowers of blush and mauve that once danced alongside the bridge of crystals were now laying their heads across the bed of a dwindling autumn. a beautiful promise of a silver solstice. tears of angels would fall from the sky, covering the earth with a gentle layer of bliss. it was always so pretty.

but, as the daughter of a high lord. she never had the chance to be a child and delight in these beautiful flakes.
with a beautifully beaded crown of ivory roses twinkling on her head, she had always been the pawn in her mother’s game. she could remember those eyes that captivated violet and flecks of gold. somedays, they would dance, other days they would feast on her desperation to be perfect.

"you need to be better, eostre. you can’t impress any gentlemen with your chin tucked low.”
it stung. blinking back the throb of hot, raging tears, the harsh caress of her words stuck hard, all hope snatched away like a wish upon a star. how she longed for a chance to be free. to sing like those springtime birds that fluttered in the fountains of dew. “i..”
“ha. the lady of the courts can’t even speak for herself.” a sneer embellished her lips, savage and wild, she had seen it far too many times. it should be familiar by now. but, it wasn’t . “tears aren’t going to get you anywhere, sugar. words are..”

duchess eostre. daughter to the great duke of the iravol.
she was of royal blood, destined for greatness and prosperity. niece of the emperor.
but, she acted far from that. she was too soft. too lenient. she could never be like them. she would try so hard. try to impress like her mother had taught her. but, it would never last long.

she was pretty, but not enchanting.
eloquent, but never cold-hearted.

no matter how many petals she would weave into the braids that adorned her figure, it would never be enough.
not enough to make the souls of a foreign royalty fall for her. they would tell her she was beautiful. tell her that she would make the perfect princess. if only that were true.. but, somewhere deep within, her soul told her otherwise.

because her heart was already on someone else’s finger.
tear after tear, enough blue to fill an entire ocean. they were all the words that could never be spoken. all the disappointments. the let-downs. all of it crashing down upon her. she couldn’t take it. not anymore. it was all too much. if only, she could run. run far away from every trouble that would rise.
but, she couldn’t. she was no coward. not now. not ever.

she was of royal blood. nothing could change that. not even her most heart-felt emotions. she was a mistake. a mess of tangles that could never be undone. it was too late. she was too far gone.

a symphony of prayers touched her lips, wrenching a flutter in her heart. she would keep believing in the gods.
even though they were silent.

“you okay?” dancing and full of bright light, wide hazel eyes twinkled. almost at once, a smile adorned her features as if to hide the tears that had dried like crystals upon her cheeks.

“of course, why wouldn’t i be?” a gentle frown creased the stranger’s forehead, he was young. handsome, even.
no. she shouldn’t think that way.

“you just look… troubled.” the gentle words stuck home, shattering the walls that guarded her heart. a sob shuddered in her chest, and she couldn’t stop it when it came. much less silence it.

no lyrics formed at her lips. not even a simple reassurance that she was fine. nothing. just empty weeps.
stop. but, the symphony of the single word wasn’t enough, just a blade through her heart.

the gentle curl of paws caressed hers, he didn’t ask. the silence was comforting, a warm presence that blessed her heart. “it’s going to be alright.” a tender smile adorned his lips as she was captivated into a warm, unfamiliar embrace. “the gods are still here. watching over you… wherever your path might lead..”


she could see him, now.
with those eyes that held the halos of angels and a heart of gold, she had fallen for him. and hard. beautiful locks of pastel were gentle waves across his back, ripples of golden like the shores of the fairytales he had always fantasied about. he said if he were to go anywhere, he would go to a seaside and dance among the waves.
it sounded like a beautiful dream.

but, in reality, she was living a nightmare. a forbidden love. with shadows so dark.
“iyan!”
no. it couldn’t be happening. trapped like a bird with broken wings, he was behind bars, locked in a place with no light. with no stars. he wasn’t supposed to be here. not in prison. he didn’t deserve this.
“hush, love. it’s alright.”

“no, it’’s not going to be alright.” her heart had been torn apart, all over again. she could feel it. the familiar wrench in her soul. the sting of tears in her eyes that were forbidden to fall. “it’s never going to be.” the whisper seemed to choke her from inside and out. she couldn’t breathe. it was all too much to bask in.

“don’t cry, eostre. i’ll be okay.”
had the tears already fallen? no, they couldn’t have. but, the flecks of blue that embellished her cheeks told her otherwise. “i can’t leave you here to rot in this stupid cell!”

“darling, don’t do this.” his eyes only held a desperate plea as the glisten of copper keys twinkled beneath the shallow trace of light. “don’t ruin your life for me.”

“oh, iyan. it was always ruined from the start. run, i’ll be right behind you.”
her groom was free. and she would be, too. his bride, forevermore-

her bones shrieked. her lips condemned to nothing more than a chilling solo. “this is treason.” furious eyes of violet and gold were alight, ivory claws running down her back in a harsh embrace. scarlet. red. crimson. the lovely hues of the palace had been tinted with blood. everything felt too numb. too numb with pain. “how dare you!”

she lost count of the little ticks of time.
her mother was mauling her. teeth gnashing, eyes wild.

alas, she had no more tears to cry. no more shrieks to scream.
she was still. but the world was running ahead.

a blink and her mother was gone.
another, and her groom was there once more, his gentle touch blooming against her skin, soothing the burn of blood.

“sleep, my darling bride. i’ll take care of you, no matter how long it might take..”

(1222-ish words! <3 told in the perspective of eostre -> petal)

[Cinxer]

Day 7 prompt has officially ended! Prompt #8 is up! Your rewards will be shown on the first page.

Those who wrote 100 or more words were given 10EXp for the attempt. Any with less than that were not included in the rewards

[tula!]

username: tula!
clan: the cats of the red trees

prompt #8 response:



Prompt#8: Some cats dont like the holidays. What would a cat from your clan do if they were surrounded by cats who did like it?

Expires 12/16 @10:45am AKCST



Seke doesn't like all the busyness and noise of the holidays, and Wavepaw doesn't quite feel at home yet. So they went on a hike together and found a cool new spot to hang out.

[Cinxer]

Day 8 prompt has officially ended! Prompt #9 is up! Your rewards will be shown on the first page.

Those who wrote 100 or more words were given 10EXp for the attempt. Any with less than that were not included in the rewards

[SilentMelody]

Username: SilentMelody
Clan: Shoreclan

Prompt #9

Although Blueberrynose isn't a medicine cat and never learned anything about medicine before becoming a warrior of Shoreclan, she enjoys everything about berries. Eating them, collecting them, learning which ones are edible and which ones are poisonous. Since joining Shoreclan, she's started her own personal tradition about berries... and offering them to prey as thanks for their lives throughout the moons. It's an odd tradition, but a sentimental one to the animals that keep the cats healthy and alive.

She began gathering her secret stash of berries today, a hole in the ground under some tree roots. Surprisingly enough, no prey had come to steal the berries before Blueberrynose found them. Almost as if they knew what the purpose was.

Scooping the berries out of the hole for the world to see, she sat under the tree and waited. It hadn't yet started to snow in the forest, so there was an easy opportunity for the prey to make their way. Perking her ears up, Blueberrynose heard the tiny footsteps of a mouse approaching. Although she didn't see the creature yet, she heard many more footsteps following.

Smiling, she waited eagerly for the animals to arrive. "Come on, my little ones! Plenty of berries for you," she purred loudly. At the same time, her stomach growled. But these berries would have to be for them, and she would wait for new-leaf to gather more. This was how the tradition went. Blueberrynose spent most of her moons (other than her warrior duties, of course) collecting berries in this hole. Sometimes she would eat a little for herself, but the majority of the berries were kept in the hole and remained fresh. In the middle of the leaf-bare, before it started snowing, the berries would be taken out for the prey animals to eat. They would hibernate and come back in the new-leaf. Then there would be an abundance of berries and prey for Blueberrynose. It seemed like a very fair trade.

(330 words)

[/nyx.]

Username: bmkmb
Clan: CaladiumClan
Prompt #9: Here's your proof that I'm not an artist—

"Our prey will never run short as long as the buzzards return each leaf-fall. For one moon during the greenleaf, we follow them on the Great Migration until the land meets the ocean, eliminating any creatures that stand in our way. The young ones compete, attempting to catch the most prey; meanwhile, the raptors go on expeditions to slay the most exotic predator. Not all come back alive, but passing from injury while hunting for the clan is the most honorable way for a sabrewing to die."

[Cinxer]

Day 9 prompt has officially ended! Prompt #10 is up! Your rewards will be shown on the first page.

Those who wrote 100 or more words were given 10EXp for the attempt. Any with less than that were not included in the rewards

[allynabean]

Username: allynabean
Clan: moonclan
Prompt#10 response: [ 1441 words ]


It was an icy, cold day, and Salem had a funny feeling that something would go wrong. Like an itch in their bones, a twitch in their tail that wouldn't stop- the scruffy healer had learned to trust their intuition, as it was usually correct. The camp was quiet, and the caves, while usually insulated enough to be comfortable, were not quite succeeding in keeping the chill of the day out. As the healer left their den, through the small tunnel that lead to the main cavern, the sound of muttering caught their attention.

Off to the right, tucked up behind a mound of warm furs and leaves, Shadowstep was pacing. Next to them, Berrysnap was speaking quietly with Minnowstrike. Salem tilted their head, twin tails lashing curiously. "Where are the others?" they called, voice even scratchier than usual, the cold dry and uncomfortable in their mouth.

Shadowstep looked over at Salem, and pointed towards Berrysnap. "It's Nightstar." The black cat mewed, quietly as always, and went back to pacing, seemingly anxious. Hearing this, Minnowstrike turned towards Salem as well, and hissed, "Cinnamon too. She and Nightstar went on patrol last night, and neither have come back."

Berrysnap stood up as well, shaking her head. "I told you, Minnowstrike, they'll be fine. Even if Cinnamonstick is incompetent-"

"She is not-" Minnowstrike cut in, much more sharp than usual. Berrysnap bared her fangs at the silvery tabby, and continued.

"Nightstar is smart, and skilled. She's taken longer than this on patrol before. Don't doubt her."

Salem watched the exchange with mild amusement. They said nothing, turned their cold-aching bones towards the half-covered entrance to the camp. Snow was piled high, and the tracks of someone leaving was almost covered by new snow, still falling. A fresh wave of cold air whistled through into the cave, and Salem shivered, hunching in on themself. It was days like these that they missed their warm sweaters the most, handmade and perfect for fending off the chill that their thin, scruffy fur wasn't made for.

The wind though, brought with it a message along with the cold. Someone, something was on it's way here. The taste of blood and fear tainted the cold. "They're coming back, returning, to the camp, soon." Salem murmured, and the others, sill bickering, quieted as they spoke. "They're hurt, it seems. Not alright, attacked, struggling. I'll be back." They quickly- as quickly as they could, stiff with cold- made their way through the tunnel to their den, and grabbed a few mouthfuls of different leaves and herbs. A few to stop bleeding, some to cover the wounds, some seeds for the pain. They hurried back to the main camp, and arranged their herbs on the stone floor.

Berrysnap was watching Salem with that air of incredulousness and scrutiny that she was prone to, and Salem ignored her and they prepared. Minnowstrike had begun pacing (taking Shadowstep's place, who had disappeared somewhere. Salem did not look for her- the black cat would be there if they needed her), taking Salem's words as truth and anxious for the two to return.

The time came sooner than later, their arrival prefaced by another gust of wind finding its way into the camp, heavier this time with the scent of blood. Even Berrysnap caught it this time, and her face morphed into one of worry, as well. They heard them, first, whimpers and grunts and the crunching of snow. Berrysnap rushed forward, darting out of the cavern, and Salem could hear a bit of hushed conversation before the tortoiseshell helped a limping Nightstar and a barely conscious Cinnamonstick in from the cold. Minnowstrike gasped, rushing over to the cinnamon cat, helping her off Nightstar. She silver tabby nuzzled Cinnamonstick gently, helping her to lay down near Salem, and the healer shook their head- they knew something was going on between those two. This wasn't the time for it, though.

Shadowstep had emerged as well, Salem noted, sitting quietly in the shadows on the edge of the camp. Salem could get a better look at the two now, as they settled gently onto the ground near where Salem had set up. Cinnamonstick had a deep cut across her hind leg, and her head was bleeding from somewhere, covering one of her eyes- probably a head injury. She was also holding her right foreleg above the ground awkwardly, possibly injured although it wasn't bleeding. Nightstar was nursing a large bite wound on her hind leg, and several smaller cuts across her back and neck. Neither life-threatening injuries, normally, but it was icy and cold and couldn't have been a pleasant trek back.

Salem moved forward to start cleaning and their wounds, water from the pool in a shallow curved stone. Nightstar cleared her throat, her blue eyes wincing slightly, and began to speak, voice as strong as ever despite her injuries. "We were attacked by a wolf-" Minnowstrike shivered at this, "But just one. We hid, in a snowbank, but the snow was covering an icy crevice in the rock."

Cinnamonstick coughed a little, as Salem patched up her wound with a salve. They could have done this in their den, probably, but they hadn't been sure of how bad the injuries were going to be. "And you could not get out? Stuck?" They asked, tilting their head as they looked at their leader.

Nightstar shook her head, shooting an indecipherable look at Berrysnap, who was hovering protectively, a mirror of Minnowstrike who was doing the same to Cinnamonstick. Salem should probably not point that out, the deputy can get snappish. "It was deep, and Cinnamonstick fell hard on the way down. If it weren't for that mange-ridden wolf we would have been able to climb out no problem, but it stuck around." Nightstar hissed, ears going flat. "It was too big to reach down into the hole and get us, but it knew we were there and waited for us to leave for hours."

Cinnamonstick, a little more awake now, warming up from Minnowstrike's huddling, spoke up. "It was- it was so cold, and the ledge was icy, and the wolf just kept pacing and growling and howling, I thought we were done for!" She whispered, voice a little broken, and she coughed.

"It's good that you're alright." Berrysnap said, giving Nightstar a nudge, a little too rough but the deputy's way of showing affection. Nightstar grunted in response, and Salem, finished with tending to Cinnamonstick, moved to finish wrapping the leader's leg.

"Yes, it's good, it's good, you could have been eaten by wolves and we wouldn't have found you till much later!" Salem hummed, a little more cheerful now that they knew the two would be alright. "Stay warm, keep close, we don't want you losing any toes or ear tips." They instructed, giving each of the two a poppy seed for the pain. Nightstar refused, and Salem only shrugged. More for their store, which was already running low in leaf-bare.

The healer stayed in the main camp to make sure Nightstar and Cinnamonstick were set up. Nightstar was helped to her den by Berrynose- the only cat the proud leader would let herself lean on, the two were close and their relationship was still a bit of a mystery to Salem. Cinnamonstick stayed in the main room, brought over to the pile of warm pelts and furs and leaves, and Minnowstrike curled around the former kittypet protectively. Salem had watched the two become closer and closer ever since Minnowstrike brought Cinnamon back to camp, and was subsequently in charge of the bulk of her training. Salem doesn't quite get it, themself, as romance has never been something they were particularly interested it, but it was sweet, they guessed. A little too much, sometimes, watching them groom each other and nuzzle.

Shadowstep, quiet and strange as ever (not that Salem was really one to talk), had settled down not far from where the other two warriors were, watching them out of the corner of her eye and carving something into a soft piece of bark with her claws. Salem waited a moment longer, waiting for anymore suspiciously cool breezes to whisper through the cave, but everything seemed still at the moment after the hectic event. Content that the trouble that itched in their bones had passed, Salem gathered their supplies and made their way back to their den, the small pool sparkling with the light from above. As they began to reorganize their herbs, Salem sighed. They'd need to stock up soon, especially if the clan kept coming back with injuries like this.

[Cinxer]

Day 10 prompt has officially ended! Prompt #11 is up! Your rewards will be shown on the first page.

Those who wrote 100 or more words were given 10EXp for the attempt. Any with less than that were not included in the rewards

[SilentMelody]

Username: SilentMelody
Clan: Shoreclan

Prompt #11

Despite the season being leaf-bare, the weather on the beach was fairly nice. Although it was cloudy, there was a slight breeze and the temperature had dropped to a nice, cool level compared to the heat the cats almost constantly felt. It was good to feel the wind ruffling their fur and to have the sun not beating on their backs. The clan camp was bustling with excitement and business, cats roaming around for their duties. It wasn't a very busy day, but they were preparing for the leaf-bare holidays.

In the midst of it all, the leader sat and stared at the ocean. After a few moments, she turned to face the camp. The sight of the excited and eager cats broke her heart. She didn't want to be the bearer of bad news, but she was the one that everyone looked up to. They adored and loved her. She felt the same for them, maybe more like a mother having feelings for her kits. Shellstar stepped into the clearing, her heart heavy with the news she had to bear. The clan would be so upset... but she knew it had to be done. It wasn't possible.

She cleared her throat and yowled for all to hear, "Let all cats meet on the shore for a clan meeting!" Her announcement let out a bout of murmuring and confusion, but the cats gathered around her. Once they were all around her, Shellstar dipped her head to each of them.

"I know you all have been looking forward to the leaf-bare holidays. However, due to the extent of white-cough, we will not be able to celebrate the holidays. It puts too much of a strain on all of us, especially Cloverflame and Yolkpaw seeing as they're the ones who are healing us. Everyone has to rest and relax. If you aren't sick, try to stay away from cats who are ill or showing symptoms. I want this sickness to be over with as quickly as possible."

Gasps of shock and surprise echoed throughout the crowd. Everyone glanced at each other, murmuring their thoughts and concerns. It was low enough that Shellstar didn't hear.

Geodekit, Jellyfishkit, and Acaciakit seemed particularly upset about the news. This was supposed to be their first time experiencing the leaf-bare holidays, and they had been so excited. They began to wail and cry, rushing over to their father Jaggednose. "Papa! How come we can't celebrate? We're not even sick!" Acaciakit sobbed and rubbed her face against his leg. The caregiver sat down with the kits and tried to console them. Jellyfishkit buried his face into his chest fur, and Jaggednose licked Geodekit's head lovingly.

Ripplepaw had been in the nursery for 1 moon after Geodekit, Jellyfishkit, and Acaciakit were born. He was quite fond of them, as impatient he used to be to have them grow up and play with him. "It's okay, guys. I'm sure we can still have a little leaf-bare holiday of our own! I can try to take you around the territory if I talk to Stormswirl."

Gingerpaw watched her fellow apprentice from afar, smiling softly at his kindness. She met Jaggednose's gaze and dipped her head to him, sympathizing somewhat. The she-cat knew that he definitely had a pawful, especially now that they were upset. Embersnow and Blueberrynose approached the apprentice, smiling down at her. "Have you got an eye on my son?" the former she-cat teased, and the two laughed when Gingerpaw flattened her ears.

Tigershine and Streambrook talked with each other, whispering to each other. Both of them had been surprised by the news, although they hadn't made any plans for the leaf-bare holidays. The two were somewhat close to each other, being the same age. Tigershine wished that Streambrook would make a move, but Streambrook was blind to the other tom's secret feelings.

Tempestslash had gotten over her previous skirmish with Pearstorm, and the two were curled together. The warrior groomed her mate, and the caregiver purred lovingly. Although the she-cats fought often, they loved each other.

Stormswirl watched her sister from afar, smiling softly. The deputy knew that the warrior had struggled when she first joined Shoreclan, especially with making friends and other relationships. She hadn't known about Tempestslash and Pearstorm's feelings for each other, but it was apparent now.

Hydrangeawave shuddered at the news. They knew that white-cough had been getting worse for the clan, but they never imagined it was this extensive. The memory of their old home resurfaced and grief overcame them. The disease that had struck their old home wasn't as small as white-cough, but it was also a chest infection and the cats swiftly died off. There was nothing to be done for them. The fear of the same thing that happened to Shoreclan suffocated them quickly.

They hurried over to where Cloverflame and Yolkpaw were sitting, both of who seemed concerned. Yolkpaw's eyes kept drooping closed, and he yawned often. Hydrangeawave dipped their head to the two cats and cleared their throat. "I'm sorry to bother you, but... if there's any way I can help, please let me know. I know I don't have much medical experience, but I don't want... I don't want anything bad to happen," they rambled. The blue-tabby was unsure of their words as they spoke, still nervous and distraught at the idea of disaster.

Cloverflame brightened at the suggestion and smiled. "Why, of course! We could use as many paws around the medicine den as we can. Isn't that right, Yolkpaw?"

At the sound of his name, the medicine cat apprentice blinked and sat up straighter. "Huh? Oh, yeah, right. Um, thank you, Hydrangeawave! That's very helpful. We can talk about herbs, if you'd like," Yolkpaw offered and stood up. Stretching briefly, he led the young warrior to the medicine cat den.

Hopefully, this disease would be over with before the new-leaf. At least, that was Shellstar's hopes. She knew that not celebrating the leaf-bare holidays was hard on some of the cats. However, she also knew that their bonds with family, friends, and loved ones were strong. Despite not having any family members or a mate for herself, Shellstar thought of her clanmates as her own chosen family, in a way. She didn't know her father and she had lost her mother, which led to her creating Shoreclan. The she-cat slowly gathered members, and over time the clan had grown immensely.

The power of love and friendship would help the cats through this hardship.

(1,088 words)