[Swishy & Broken]

Hello everyone, I promise I haven't forgotten about the rewards for last round and well and this round <3
The team decided to extend this round's quests to the start of next month so it would be easier for us to keep up with!
The extra prizes will still be handed out, but it might take a few more days to get the results we want everyone to have!

[ethium]

Username: ethium
Clan link: elmclan
Prompt: quest 1

"Two-legs aren't that bad Ivorykit." Yarrowkit chided her older brother with a playful shoulder shove. "You've just been listening to Mousepaw too much. That molly thinks everything is horrible and out to eat her." Yarrowkit shook her head in a disappointed manner, which earned her a laugh from her mother laying nearby.

"She's not wrong Ivorykit, two-legs can be good! But there is some truth to mousepaw's worry. Regardless of if she's scared of her shadow or not." Sequoiawing, their mother, spoke kindly. She shot a look at Yarrowkit as she defended Mousepaw, which earned her a huff from her youngest daughter. The oldest, Larchkit, remained silent on the matter, seemingly content in watching his family's discourse. "Two-legs can be good. Some Ancestors believe that two-legs are good luck, others believe they are an omen of death." Sequoiawing watched as Ivorykit cowered behind Larchkit at the mention of two-legs meaning death. "Not everyone believes the same thing, I suppose thats the good thing about the whole matter. Theres no right or wrong answer." Ivorykit thought this over for a long moment, peaking out from behind his eldest brother with curiosity sparkling in his kitten-blue eyes.

"What do you think momma?"

Sequoiawing hummed softly to herself, looking away as she thought through her answer. "I think they are neither good nor bad. They are simply here, just as we are. They have their part to play in the cycle of life just as we do. They have the potential to be dangerous, but they also have the potential to help us. Remember when we had to leave? Because of the fire?" their mother asked, thinking back to the flames that had towered over elmclan's old camp, and how the clan had been desperate and fled north or risk burning among the towering elm trees. Her fur had been singed by death and ash that day. "The two-legs are the main reason that got put out! Sometimes they create rain, other times they bring their stench of death and decay with them, like with their loud-boxes. But that doesn't mean they're dangerous all the time, think of Broken Night to the west. They live with two-legs all the time and their clan is thriving." Sequoiawing offered her view with gentle words, watching as her three children scrambled to line up in front of her with awe in their eyes.

"Everything has it's place in this world. Even a fox or a barking dog, no matter how dangerous it may be to us."

prompt: quest 2
wip!

prompt: quest 3

Fadedstone hovered, anger in each pawstep as he stalked along the earth, pacing back and forth outside the den he was supposed to meet him at. Foolish of him, to believe his son capable of any meaningful task. His eyes were aglow with anger, as he turned them on the willowy form of the freshly appointed ancestral seeker. His son.

"Witheredcreek." he sneered. Fadedstone found himself flexing his claws in the dirt. To anyone outside his circle they saw Fadedstone as a soft, quiet cat who had no interest in anything. In actuality Fadedstone was a very impatient, angry cat. Especially when it came to Witheredcreek.

The younger male's limber frame awkwardly shifted as he lowered his head. Although he was willowy and easily towered over him, Witheredcreek could feel the anger and frustration pulsing off of his father. "I'm sorry-" he was cut off by a barking laugh. "Sorry? Really. That's all you have to say for yourself? I can't have anything in this life. A normal warrior is all I asked of you and you go off and become some- some witch!" Witheredcreek simply bowed his head, feeling a whole riot of emotions in his chest, but he willed them all away. He would get out his frustration later, for now, he had to sit through the verbal lashing. "I wanted a son, Witheredcreek. I asked for you, and all you've done since I brought you down out of those Ancestors Forsaken mountains has been to disappoint and embarrass me." A terrible snarl ripped itself from Fadedstone's jaws.

"I should have left you in those mountains when I had the chance. Then at least I wouldn't have had to deal with such a disappointment. I could have had a strong capable warrior, a strong capable son! Instead the Ancestors gave me a walking twig who cannot even win a fight." Fadedstone felt lightheaded, he could feel the anger surging up in his mind. The blatant disrepsect, because he had been chosen by the Ancestors to be their vessel and all his father could think of was that this was some sort of punishment? His chosen role was an honor! And on the night of the announcement, in which witheredcreek had finally received his true name, all his father could talk about was how he had not chosen the traditional path? Witheredcreek didn't know whether he wanted to cry or claw his father. -- wip

[Chanceuxcat]

Username: Chanceuxcat
Clan link: Scorchclan
Prompt: Quest 1

"I've only lived with them for a little while," Crisppaw says, trying to gauge the clan's reaction before continuing. After all, they've just been given their trainee name and accepted into the clan. The last thing the want to do is get thrown out for an unpopular opinion.

"What are they like though? Are they as big and scary as Elmwind says?" Walnutkit asks, persistent as ever in their questions. Zir tail is all puffed up in excited anticipation.

Crisppaw doesn't want to disappoint zir too much, so they decide to drag this story out as long as possible, and maybe bend the truth just a tad.

"Well," they begin, voice dropping in pitch enough for the listening kit's eyes to widen. "Well, twolegs... twolegs aren't like any other creature you'll ever encounter."

They take a deep breath as the leaves twist around in the wind behind them. A few other cats have slowed in whatever they were doing, pretending to not be listening despite the fact that it's very obvious they are.

"With dogs, you know they'll attack. They're like cats who are half as smart and twice as dangerous, especially since they don't even seem to be aware of their strength. And with prey you know they'll run. There's a nature with those creatures, a consistency for the most part. But twolegs don't give you that luxury.

You see, twolegs are dumb and smart and kind and cruel, sometimes all in one. At times, they'll be petting you, other times they'll be yelling at you, and it doesn't make sense at all."
"Elmwind was right then!" Walnutkit declares triumphantly.

Crisppaw shakes their head. "No, not exactly. Most twolegs aren't very scary. The big ones anyway. Because the ones you have to watch out for are small, smaller than dog, and yet they are the leaders of the pack. They'll pick you up, drag you around, and if you lift a claw to defend yourself then the larger twolegs get mad! So it's more like small and scary, not big like your friend Elmwind says."
"Did they hurt you when you were with them? You must be so glad you got away."
Crisppaw falls silent, remembering their twolegs. They, luckily, never had to deal with the small ones, the twoleg kits. Their twolegs had been kind, though they'd never let them in their den. But there had been one time they did hurt them.

"I was never hurt by the smaller ones. But once, my twolegs put me inside a car-"
"A what?"
"Oh, uh, you call it a monster I think?"
Walnutkit's jaw drops. "You've been inside a monster?"

Crisppaw laughs. "Yeah, but that's not the most important part of the story. Just... listen, and you'll see," they say with a smile. Walnutkit nods, going quiet.
"Well, the put me in their car- er, monster, and took me to this magical building. And it was magical because they scratched me with long thin claws, which hurt at the time, but since then I've never gotten sick!"

"Impossible!"
The voice comes from a warrior who Crisppaw hasn't met yet. They sit down by Walnutkit, tilting their head in doubt at Crisppaw's claim.
"How can twoleg scratches cause you to not get sick?"

Crisppaw shrugs, not about to argue over something they know to be true.
"I don't know. All I'm saying though is that twolegs are weird. You shouldn't be afraid of them but they sure are strange."
Walnutkit nods. "I'll never let a twoleg catch me."
The warrior grins. "We'll see. They might just sneak up into the nursery one night and turn you into a kittypet!"
"That's not true! It's not, right Crisppaw?" Walnutkit says a bit nervously.

Crisppaw shakes their head as the warrior chases the kit off with a wink at them. They could talk about the mysteries of twolegs all day, even if most of the clan doesn't believe that twolegs are anything more than "big and scary".
(664 words)

Prompt: Quest 3

[allynabean]

Username: allynabean
Clan link: moonclan

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Quest #1 - Tell me about your clans relationship with twolegs, you can draw or write about this prompt.
What are they to your cats? Do any cats have any specific opinions?

Humans, also called twolegs, upwalkers, nofurs, etc, are viewed many different ways throughout Moonclan. The clan has many ex-kittypets or street cats, and just as many ex-loners and rogues, and so the opinions vary.
The ex-kittypets tend to not outright dislike humans at all, and be more open to them- they understand humans more than the born wild cats do. They know the good and the bad, while the cats who have only ever looked upon humans with fear never had a chance to learn any of the good.
There are several human cities in the surrounding area, past the mountains- to the West, in Eye of the Storm’s territory, to the South, where Broken Night lives, and another large city to the Northeast. However, the closest human settlement to Moonclan is a small mountain town to the North of them. It has a small constant population, but many hikers and campers pass through the town year-round, and they’re close enough to Moonclan for humans to wander into the valley on occasion.
Nightstar hates this- she grew up in a very strict, warrior-code-following, twoleg-fearing clan, and wishes the humans would just leave her clan’s territory alone. The instinctual fear of humans knowing about the Moontouched keeps her (and the rest of the clan) from chasing them out, though.


The Council’s Thoughts on Humans

Moongaze >> Moongaze is older than any human has ever lived. They think little of humans, aside from keeping their powers hidden and the clan safe from them. They’re a genius little species, and have made many advances that are fascinating (just look at electricity and cars, something called the internet, telephones, it’s all so innovative), but they believe cats to be little more than pests or housepets, and cannot understand them. The old seer doesn’t see any need for humans to be near them, aside from taking their things, occasionally. They can make things much easier than Moonclan can, with their opposable thumbs and electricity.

Egg >> Egg grew up around a small rural farm, and is used to humans and the way they interact with cats. They don’t dislike humans in the slightest, at least not on the whole (of course, there are humans worth disliking, just as there are cats worth disliking). They watched the humans garden and farm, and have taken up many of those habits for themself- why shun what is useful, afterall?

Minnowstrike >> Minnowstrike was a loner, and typically distrustful of humans. She hasn’t had much interaction with them, aside from the occasional hiker they see on the patrols through the territory, but doesn’t want the large, loud creatures and their contraptions near her clan if at all possible.

Cinnamonstick >> Cinnamonstick used to be a kittypet- she has conflicting feelings toward humans. She loved and was loved by her human in return for much of her kittypet life- she was treated well. However, when the mean human came to their home, she got a taste of the nastier side of humans- she was abandoned in the middle of the woods, even. As much as she has fond memories of Her human, she doesn’t feel she can trust them anymore. Still, out of any of the cats, she is one of the more likely to let a human in their territory get close to her, maybe pet her. She misses the feeling of being gently pet by human hands.

Shadowstep >> Shadowstep was once kidnapped by humans, and almost brought to the Cutter before she escaped their strange box, using her powers to do so (as much as the act made her sick to her stomach). She is incredibly fearful of them (even if she’d never say as much outloud), and hates the fact that they come into their territory. She can and will use her magic to scare a human away, if needed. Not many Moontouched are willing to do that, and she feels they’re cowards for that.

Sandcloud >> Sandcloud was a loner, but he had many friends and contacts among the various loner cats and groups in the area. He hasn’t really had much interaction with humans himself (aside from watching them from a distance, and that one time he let one give him a tasty meat treat and pet his back a little), but he’s heard many, many stories about how humans, or their cars (monsters?), or their dogs, etc, are dangerous and terrible and evil. He doesn’t really trust them, and is understandably wary of them, but he doesn’t hate them.


750 words

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Quest #2 - What is a flaw that one of your cats sees within themself?
You may only draw your response to this prompt.

Newtflick believes his flaw is his whole being. His powers, his anxiety, the scars and doubts his mother drilled into his head.
She haunts him, sometimes, whispering his fears back to him.

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Quest #3 - Has there been a time where one of your cats has hurt another cat immensely?
Was it an emotional hurt or a physical hurt? What did these two cats mean to each other?
You may only write your response to this prompt.

Littlewolf knows that Nightstar meant well. He knows his aunt, his leader, thought she was doing what was best for him, doing him a favor, helping him in the long run. This is what she’s told him, again and again, this is how Berrysnap defends her, how Moongaze reasons when they shrug in response to his questions.

That doesn’t erase the fact that he can barely remember his mother’s face, or his siblings’, let alone his father’s, because of her.

Littlekit was born to Brightsun and Dapplestream of Sunclan, a small, strict, traditional clan found in the plains on the edge of a forest far to the East. He had two littermates- a sister named Breezekit and a brother named Harekit. He was the runt of the litter, small in stature and in height, but his family loved him all the same. He remembers cuddling up next to his mother’s dappled fur, warm and content, as she whispered to him how great of a warrior he’d be one day, how she couldn’t wait to see him all grown up, how he’d make her so, so proud.

He grew up happy, loved. His father was the Deputy of Sunclan- his grandmother, Hollystar, the leader. He knew he had an Aunt as well, Nightfang, but she and Dad didn’t get along, so she stayed away from the nursery for the most part. Dapplestream thought she was Strange and Dangerous, and Littlekit sometimes heard her and Brightsun talking about it, about her fire (whatever that meant) when they thought he was asleep.

For the most part, he played with his siblings, he slept safe and sound by his mother, and he didn’t worry, for he was a kit who knew nothing of such things. That is, until one night, when he was four moons old and when the moon was like an eye peering down from the sky, he had a strange dream. He was submerged, underwater but not panicking, just floating peacefully. A voice, impossible to understand and yet so, so clear, spoke to him- he didn't know what She said, but it was comforting, a token of luck- he would need it for what was to come.

When Littlekit awoke, he was soaking wet, and droplets of water were swirling around his head like a crown. He didn’t freak out, he felt oddly calm, just watched as the early morning dew collected around his paws, forming into a small ball of water, hovering above the ground. He tried to pull it higher into the air- but it was difficult, grasping at something he wasn’t even sure how to look for, and the bubble of water broke, directly above Dapplestream’s sleeping head.

His mother freaked out. His siblings thought it was So Cool, and kept trying to get him to move the water around so they could ooh and ahh, but Dapplestream left the nursery and went to find Brightsun as soon as she could. Littlewolf watched their hushed conversation, across camp- He watched their body language, watched it grow more and more agitated- scared, even.

He watched Brightsun stand up and storm over to the Sunning-Rocks, where Nightfang- his Aunt- was lazing next to her tortie friend, Berry-something. And then, he didn’t have to just watch, because his parents’ efforts to be quiet were quickly ruined by the screaming match that followed between the Deputy and his outcast sister.

The whole clan could hear, some were woken up by, Brightsun’s accusations against Nightfang. He called her a Witch, said she did something to his baby boy- she corrupted him, poisoned him, cursed him. Nightfang denied any such thing, as bewildered as she was offended, and the usually quiet warrior yelled back just as loud. Dapplestream tried to usher the kits back into the nursery while they were screaming at each other, but Littlekit refused- in his efforts to stay and watch, he unconsciously raised a thin wall of water between him and his mother- she jerked back as if struck, and left him without another word.

The next two days were tense, the whole clan could feel it. Brightsun and Nightfang would pick up their fight every so often, starting off again, sometimes getting physical before Hollystar pulled them apart with hissed reprimands. But the Leader let them argue, almost disappointed. Dapplestream still refused to look at Littlekit, would hiss at him to behave himself every time he tried playing with the water again. He was confused, scared, and he just wanted his mother to cuddle him again, wanted his father to stop yelling.

In the middle of the night, on the third night after his strange dream, Littlekit and the rest of the clan woke to the smell of smoke. The forest was ablaze, the long stretch of meadow between the camp and the treeline seeming incredibly small as the cats hurried out of their dens to watch the trees light up in horror.

There was nothing any of them could do, except watch and hope it didn’t spread any closer. Until Brownnose, Brightsun’s best friend, came racing out of the trees, the tip of his bushy tail caught on fire. It was put out by several warriors as he arrived at the camp, coughing, choking out words- “Caught Night- fought- stuck, burned, he- hes- Brightsun- She killed him-”

Whispers swept through the crowd at his words, with the medicine cats trying to get him to calm down. Hollystar tried to create order, get the clan together, but most of them were still freaking out. Dapplestream kept her kits close by her side, just outside the nursery.

The next cat to race out of the burning forest was Nightfang- closely followed by Berrysnap. Both were covered in soot and ash, as well as the former in a small amount of blood and the latter in small burns. Brownnose had mostly recovered by the time they reached camp, and the brown cat leapt at Nightfang suddenly, claws and fangs bared, screeching Demon! Hellspawn! Murderer!

Nightfang pushed him off her with a swipe of her claws, trails of blue-tinted flame following them, her fur crackling with electricity as she hissed, but the intimidating display broke quickly when she descended into a coughing fit.

Hollystar pushed forward toward her daughter, pushing past the medicine cat that had rushed toward Nightfang. “Where. Is. Brightsun.” She growled, standing over her collapsed, coughing daughter, whose fur was still crackling.

Nightfang just laughed, a little hysterically, but it descended into a heaving sob. Berrysnap came up behind her, leaning into her soot-covered fur, and stared defiantly up at Hollystar above them.

Littlekit had broken away from Dapplestream while she watched the events in horror, much like the rest of the clan. He darted in between paws and pushed his way forward, until he was right behind Hollystar, who was preparing her next words with a growl in the back of her throat.

Littlekit, short and small and suddenly strange, who didn’t really understand what was going on, stepped between his grandmother and his aunt. He asked where his father was- was he stuck in the burning forest? He could help find him- he can use the water to put out the fires!

Hollystar was stopped in her tracks by the unexpected small form, while Nightfang looked at him and only sobbed harder. The leader picked him up by his scruff with a sigh, shaking her head slightly, and carried his protesting form back to his mother, who didn’t acknowledge his presence at all- Dapplestream was focused on the fire, eyes distant. “We’ll find him,” Hollystar murmured.

Littlekit is kept inside the nursery for the next several days, with a close eye making sure he doesn’t slip off. His Dad didn’t come back, and Dapplestream stared out at the smoldering forest, eyes glassy, most of the time. Someone else was assigned a temporary deputy, while they waited to recover Brightsun.

A heavy rainstorm swept in, unusual for this time of the year, and helps put the fire out enough that someone could go into the forest and search. Berrysnap volunteers- Nightfang has been put on lockdown, watched constantly and not allowed to leave the camp, until proof of her transgressions is seen. The whole clan treats her with distrust, disgust, fear. She hisses when anyone gets too close, aside from Berrysnap. Littlekit sees her staring at him, through the entrance to the nursery, every now and then.

When Berrysnap and the others returned, they had with them what might have once been their deputy. He was mostly unrecognizable- damp and charred and very, very dead. Littlekit caught a glimpse of his body before a queen hurried the kits inside, shielding their eyes.

Hollystar called a clan meeting. Nightfang was brought before her, and formally exiled- the leader’s eyes were cold and hard when she told her daughter to never, ever set foot in Sunclan territory again, or they would kill her. She was to be gone by sundown, no later.

Berrysnap announced that she would be leaving, too. Nightfang tried to tell her no- to stay- but Berrysnap refused to listen. Littlekit heard most of this from within the nursery, watching from the entrance- Dapplestream was in the crowd, and one of the queens was watching her kits while she sobbed over her mates body, hissing threats at Nightfang under her breath.

Littlekit played with his water, watching the droplets be pulled from the leaves, from the rain-damp earth, and swirl around his paws. When Dapplestream returned to the nursery, she hissed at him roughly, voice thick, to stop, to never do that. Littlekit couldn’t understand why, but, he understood now was not the best time to ask. He’d never seen his mother so sad, so angry.

Littlekit fell asleep by Dapplestream’s side a few hours before sundown, the queen following soon after. The clan was distracted, mourning for and preparing the burial rites for Brightsun. No one saw Nightfang, who had been gathering her things and saying goodbye to those who might care, slip into the nursery and gently snag a small, sleeping kit by the scruff, making sure he doesn’t wake.

By the time anyone noticed he was gone, Nightfang was already out of the territory. Littlekit awoke to being jostled, carried, in unfamiliar woods. He cried out, louder once he realized it was Nightfang who was carrying him, Berrysnap beside her. They shushed him, handling him gently, and when water started to rise from the leaves and the earth and float around them in his panic, Berrysnap just shook her head and the water was out of his control- it dropped back into the earth with a flick of her tail.

Littlekit was terrified for the next few days, unsure why he was away from his mother, unsure why his Aunt had taken him, unsure where they were or why they left. Nightfang told him, in gentle, caring tones that he’d never heard from her, about how his father, Brightsun, was gone- and Dapplestream wouldn’t have been able to care for him. He was different, special, like Berrysnap and Nightfang herself, and Sunclan wouldn’t understand that. She was protecting him, her nephew, she was saving him.

The journey West was hard, at times. He was barely apprentice age, still just a kit, and had new powers that activated on their own and were impossible to control. Berrysnap helped with that, a little- she had water powers too, though had hidden it from Sunclan, and she tried to show him how to keep it in check.

When they reached a mountain ridge, climbing up into it, Littlekit being carried by the larger warriors for some of it, they found not only a beautiful little valley, full of forest and a lake, but also an old, scarred cat with blind eyes that greeted them at the edge of a cave by name.

They introduced themself as Moon’s Gaze. Much of what they said went over Littlekit’s head, but the group slept in Moon’s Gaze’s cave for a few days, and one evening Littlekit was told to stay there, and not leave, while the three adult cats left. When they came back midmorning the next day, Nightfang introduced herself as Nightstar, and nuzzled his head sweetly. He was part of a new clan, Moonclan, now, she said.

Moonclan did some things differently, as more and more cats found their way there. They all had magic, for one, as well as no deputy, and they started making things that Sunclan could never have done. But Littlekit was still named Littlepaw, and his Aunt and Berrysnap taught him together, how to control his magic and how to use it to his advantage.

As he grew older, over his apprenticeship, Littlepaw started remembering things about how Nightstar left Sunclan, how she took him, that he hadn’t really put together before. He pulled away from her, going to Berrysnap instead if he needed something from them, spent more time on his own. He snuck out at night, to stare at the moon, to look out over the forest and imagine it ablaze, to swim out into the lake and just float there, in the water, watching the fish swim by.

When he was 9 moons old, he asked Berrysnap about what really happened, before the fire. She explained, not in much detail but it was enough, about how Nightstar and her brother- Littlepaw’s father- never got along, how he feared her for her fire, how he thought she had ruined him, Littlepaw, because of his control over water. How Nightstar snuck out in the middle of the night, as she did often, to take her anger out- how Brightsun followed her, and the two got into a fight that left them both bloody and wounded. How it ended in Nightstar bursting into flame, striking out at him with a bolt of blue fire, and how the dry forest was lit up. Brightsun fell, wounded and bleeding and trapped under a log, and Nightfang ran as he screamed in pain behind her.

It was an accident, Berrysnap said. Your Aunt didn’t mean to, of course. Littlepaw swallowed his words and nodded, asking instead why they took him- Berrysnap shook her head, placatingly. Oh Littlepaw, you were different, I saw that, Nightstar saw that. They ostracized her for her magic, they would have done the same to me if I didn’t hide it, we couldn’t let that happen to you. You’re happier here.

Littlepaw became Littlewolf, and he thought mostly of his Mother, of his Father, whether they would’ve been proud of the warrior he’s become. What his siblings’ warrior names might be, whether they were happy.

He joined the Guard, under Berrysnap, and considered confronting Nightstar, thought of what he might say to her that would make her understand the hurt inside him that had been building for so long. But he didn’t, not yet. He trained, he became fast and strong and valuable, he practiced with his magic until he could use it in his sleep with perfect control.

He made friends with the rest of the clan, and kept the secret of Sunclan like Nightstar had urged him to do with such importance. He wasn’t close to anyone, and he avoided Nightstar like the plague if he could help it- which wasn’t easy, when she was the Leader of his clan and his Aunt who Loved Him Very Much, apparently. But he drifted, tried to stop thinking about the things he couldn’t change (and failing, most of the time).

Littlewolf still hasn’t told anyone, hasn’t really talked much about it at all, even to Nightstar and Berrysnap aside from visibly becoming colder towards his Leader, taking measures to avoid being trapped into a conversation with her. He doesn’t know if he ever will, or if he’ll just continue festering.

He knows he can never forgive her, but he also knows that she thought she was doing the right thing. She doesn’t see how much it’s hurt him. She doesn’t know.


2679 words

[wildsight]

Username: wildsight
Clan link: sunclan
Prompt:

#1

"T-Twolegs...? You want to know about them?" Vaporfrost inquired warily, though was only met with curious gazes, those of which refused to cease until their desire for such knowledge had been satisfied. The tom sighed heavily, ears beginning to pin back against his head. He'd heard tales from the veterans about them, thus knew quite a bit compared to the average clan cat. Even so...
"W-Well..." He began warily, his odd gaze flickering about nervously. "Twolegs...existed a long time ago..."

"And by long, I mean a really, really, really, really, really long time ago. Generations upon generations ago. I'm sure you get the point though. Anyways..." The tom inhaled deeply, glancing at his paws. "Twolegs used to live in the Kingdom of Khufu, the original kingdom we came from. The veterans say that they built the entire kingdom and were who we as felines relied on during those days, before the Kingdom of Menes. They were odd creatures no doubt, but they had to be at least a little intelligent to build all of that and kind enough to care for us." He paused for a moment, letting the idea sink in.
"Regardless, they helped us a lot. Much of our own colony was based off of what the twolegs had and believed, so we should thank them for that. Even so...they were their own downfall and the cause of the kingdom's destruction. This is how we came to be..." Vaporfrost continued, sparing a glance at those listening.
"No one knows what happened to them and no one really cares. A lot of cats see them as unimportant, merely creatures of legend that can only be seen through depictions and heard through stories. A few harbor hatred for them, because they believe if they kingdom of Khufu still stood, we wouldn't have lost so much."

"Though, only a few of the veterans remember the slightest touch of a twoleg. They miss them and a few wish they could discover the reasoning behind their disappearance. Even more so, some believe that they never even existed. So, with that in mind, there are quite a few varying opinions concerning them. I'm not sure what I believe, but its up to you to decide on your own opinion." He finished, glancing up at the gathered felines once more.

#2


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[Vivika]

Username: Vivika
Clan link: Falls of Eden
Prompt:

PROMPT #3
(featuring Althaia (Ali) and Arezo!)

“Ambassador? Ambassador, he’s here.”

Althaia’s brows lifted, her long tail uncurling from around herself. Her head tilted to the side as she offered a small nod towards the light-furred servant. “Iris,” she greeted, a faint smile playing on her muzzle. “Who? Who’s here?”

“Him.” The servant flashed a grin, tossing her a wink. She dipped her head in a dramatic bow, arching her back and holding her tail high. “Or if you rather his full title… His Lordship, Arezo, heir and successor to the Chancellorship.”

Arezo.

Her heart skittered as she rose to her paws, heart thundering that same steady rhythm it always had at the mention of his name. The same two beat tone. It’d been so long. He’d been gone for what? Three moons. No, five moons.

She grasped for some semblance of calm, turning to her servant. “Did he say anything else?” She managed a casual smile, brows arching. She didn’t breathe, didn’t dare to hope, to wish ━ it’d been so long. He hadn’t sent a message, hadn’t given any indication━

“His Lordship requests your presence at midnight, tonight.” Iris’s muzzle quirked. “Do you need some help getting ready?”

Tonight.

Her heart stilled. They’d meet tonight. A finality, almost like the boom of a resounding gong, sealing her fate. She lowered her gaze.

And maybe… maybe she’d find some answers.

She flicked her tail, beckoning Iris close.
They’d settle it once and for all.


━━━


He was here.

The set of his shoulders, the firm jawline, the flowing stride and the purposeful tilt of his chin… it was unmistakable. It was him. Arezo. The son and successor of the Chancellor. And he was every part of it.

He’d grown. Confidence radiated from him in waves, through every sinew and fiber of his figure. He was an angel wrapped in shadows and cloaked with the gold of dying sunlight. The wind whipped at his dark fur, sending ruffles rippling throughout his coat.

He was here. And so was she.

She flanked his side, coming to stand beside him by the cliff.

Night had fallen. The silvery thread of the stars spun an intricate web in the skies, alight with constellations. Silver lights collided with the navy blues and indigos of the vast canopy above, boasting of galaxies, worlds left unexplored. Mysteries. Like the one right beside her.

“Arezo.”

“Ali.” His nose found her side, skimming the arch of her back, sending shivers down her spine. He stepped back, head tilted. “Stars, look at you ━ already the ambassador of the kingdom.” His gold eyes settled, dancing with undisguised mirth. His voice lowered, dropping a few octaves. “And the loveliest one, yet.”

Warmth flooded her cheeks, flushing right down to her toes. She nudged him. Hard. “Haven’t lost your touch, I see.” A soft, unbidden chuckle escaped from her jaws. “You practice with all the other ladies on your ventures?”

“Mhm, only certain ones. The smart ones as they call them.” He winked, sprawling out on the grass. “Such as a certain Ambassador. Tell me, dear Ambassador, what have you been doing? Snacking on those spring squirrels? Advising our beloved majesty, the King?”

“None.” Her muzzle twitched into a smile. She settled in the grass next to him, lightly swatting his shoulder with her tail. “I just bask in the glorious sun like all those diplomats you hate.” Her tail settled on his back. “And… occasionally. Just occasionally, I think up some advice to offer to the King. Something to give our beloved Majesty a good ego boost.”

His grin lit up the skies, rivalling the sun itself. “Tell me about this… ego boost.”


━━━


His soft laughter was music. An eternal melody that rose and fell, flowing with the Azerynian streams. His cheeks were flushed, gold eyes dancing with humor as he pressed a cool nose to her neck.

She buried her nose into his fur.

The scent of salty seas flooded her nose. A reminder of those gulls flocking near the golden shores, stretching for miles and miles. A reminder of the rolling oceans, their song rising to a crescendo when the tides were high. A reminder of the steady, jagged rocks, unwavering, even as they were beaten by the blade of the seas. His scent.

“Stars, I missed you, Ali.”

The bubble of warmth burst. A cruel reminder of a question that sent her toes curling. She forced a deep breath in, easing her head up to meet his steady gaze. “You could have written back,” she murmured. “Sent a message.”

But he didn’t. He hadn’t.

Her eyes roamed his face, skimming past the set of his jaw to search his gaze. To read his expression. The dancing light was gone, vanishing. Instead, a shadow flickered across his features, stealing away the softness around his eyes.

“Ali.” A warning edge crept into his voice, snaking around those soft, honey-coated words. His shoulders tensed, jaw ticking. “I was busy. Preoccupied. You know how my father is.”

No. No, she didn’t.

He was so guarded, so coiled, and the tension in those shoulders… it was dangerous. But he never mentioned his father, not unless he wanted a change in topic. She wouldn’t let him go so easily. Not after he’d abandoned her for so long without a word.

“Tell me about him,” she whispered. “Your father… you never talk about him. Is he piling work on you? Is it too much?”

Silence invaded the space. A brief shake of his head, but nothing else. Nothing about his life, nothing about what he’d done for those five moons, nothing vulnerable, not even a blink. Just… nothing.

“Arezo, please. Tell me something. I-I waited for you for so long. Do you have any idea what it was like? All those moons and not a word.” She swallowed. “I didn’t know if you died, got eaten by some monster, or whether those irrational rebels got to you━”

His eyes flashed. “Ali, please. I’m alright, okay?” His muzzle twisted into a half-hearted smile. “Besides, what would rebels want with me anyways? You know me. I’m here, I’m okay.”

No, she didn’t know him.

She knew the soft pale rose of his paw pads, how ticklish he was there. She knew how the sun caught his eyes, lighting up the gold flecks hidden within unless one was really looking. She knew how his passion caught hearts like moths to a flame, how it infused life to those weary souls in an otherwise harsh world. She knew how his tail curled over his back paws when he slept and his soft whistle as he snored.

She didn’t know that dangerous glint in his eyes, the cold guardedness prickling his fur. She didn’t know why his nightmares sent him writhing as if shadows had invaded his soul. She didn’t know what he even did for those five moons… nor who they even were to each other. Who was she to him?

“I… I can’t play this game anymore.”

She’d played his game, fell head over heels. Fallen for the promises in those gold eyes and the adventures brimming at his paws. She’d fallen for him. He was a childhood friend, the next chancellor, a son with a troubled past, but beyond that?

“I need answers, Arezo. I… can’t keep waiting for you.” She swallowed hard, the words burning like deathberries on her tongue. But she had to say it. To speak the truth, searing a brand in her soul for so long. “Not while you keep me hanging like this. Please.”

He recoiled. Almost as if he’d been hit. His face bloomed with shadows, hurt scrawling across his features, before it was gone. Impassive. All rolled up and tossed aside. As if she’d been speaking to an uncarvable stone.

“Is that it?”

Please, don’t this. Her claws sunk into the grass, breathing too short. Too shallow. Too loud.

He shifted forward, moving close. And closer. His nose was almost touching, just the tip of a whisker away. The conflict, wrestling inside him, so clear on his features.

The want, the desire, in his eyes. It was so clear, written all over his face as if a painted picture just for her. But why? Couldn’t he just… say something? Anything? She’d never judge him.

He shook his head. Slowly, he rose to his paws. His expression shifted, morphing into an iron impassiveness, but his eyes betrayed all. The conflict, the internal dilemma, the indecision.

His jaws opened, then closed.

Say it. It was on the tip of his tongue. It was just there. The admission she’d been waiting for, that moment of raw vulnerability, the gentle acceptance. To the dust with his father and his past. This was the only answer she needed. The real answer.

His voice was rough, a mere whisper. “I’m sorry.”

With that, he rose to his paws and turned aside, hurt writhing beneath the fire of those amber eyes.
His back retreated. Further and further into the distance.

Was that it? Was that all? A sound threatened to claw its way up her throat, but she held it back. Stars. She squeezed her eyes shut as a wave of numbness washed over her.

He hadn’t even looked back. Not once.

Her heart ached. A new weariness crept in, stealing into that emptiness engraved into her soul. Stealing into the splinters of her heart as if ice under siege.

It wasn’t in the words he said, the things he'd done, or even who he was. It was everything he didn’t say. Everything he could have said and should have said. Everything that should have been spoken in that fateful silence.

Hot tears spilled down her cheeks, fat droplets spilling into the grass below.

He hadn’t even tried.
And that scorched far more than anything else.

And the answer… the answer was so simple. It wasn’t his father she was after, nor his secrets, nor his past. It was his heart. A simple three word admission that would have ceased all questions. That would have set her soul at ease and ablaze. A raw, honest, vulnerable confession.

I love you.

It was all she ever needed, and everything she never got.

// 1697 words!

[Swishy & Broken]

Hello everyone !! This round of the quest board is closed and we will begin judging ASAP-- meanwhile, I'll add new quests and update the thread right away <3 Give me a few hours to sort through entries, generate new prompts, and do a few misc tasks !

[echo into void]

mark!

[Griff]

Marking this as well!

[I Like Bees]

Hey all!

In an effort to keep quest board rounds more consistent, there have been a few changes to our system. Quests will now be judged and awards will be given out by our amazing writer team (and maybe Swishy and myself, if needed). We've also updated our prize system -- you can read all about what you can earn and how you can earn it in the second post! (After Swishy updates the post with the new coding, that is)

Without further ado, here are your long-overdue prizes!

[ Start of Round ]

"Thank you all for your replies! And I'm so sorry for the delay!"

May/June Quests

Quest #1
0Zero0 -- +30 exp
BigFrog4231 -- +20 exp
jaques -- +55 exp
nio -- +35 exp
All Along Watchtower -- +10 exp
allynabean -- +55 exp
BunnoBlizzard -- +15 exp
beebun -- +55 exp
phantom-chain -- +15 exp, +40 exp = +55 exp
SushiFoxx -- +15 exp
miraphoenix -- +65 exp
xem -- +80 exp
rainbow! -- +20 exp
bmkmb / /nyx. -- +35 exp

Quest #2
0Zero0 -- +35 exp
jaques -- +35 exp
nio -- +30 exp
allynabean -- +37 exp
phantom-chain -- +50 exp
SushiFoxx -- +20 exp
miraphoenix -- +25 exp
rainbow! -- +30 exp
bmkmb / /nyx. -- +45 exp

Quest #3
0Zero0 -- +15 exp
Sunnyside -- +10 exp
Lex. / raiden, -- +35 exp
jaques -- +15 exp
nio -- +15 exp
All Along Watchtower -- +15 exp
allynabean -- +55 exp
BunnoBlizzard -- +10 exp
beebun -- +15 exp
phantom-chain -- +20 exp
SushiFoxx -- +5 exp
iStarz & Everly -- +10 exp
DaniCalifornia -- +20 exp
miraphoenix -- +50 exp
bmkmb / /nyx. -- +15 exp

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!"

0Zero0 -- +160 stardust
jaques -- +210 stardust
nio -- +160 stardust
allynabean -- +294 stardust
beebun -- +140 stardust
phantom-chain -- +250 stardust
miraphoenix -- +280 stardust
xem -- +160 stardust
bmkmb / /nyx. -- +190 stardust

"I already chose my favorites, but just so everything's in one place.."

[ Round's Winners ]