[LOSTINUNKNOWN]

Username: LOSTINUNKNOWN.
Storage: They Name Her Metis.
Last Patrol Post: N/A.
Patrol: I decided to rewrite this, as it was hastily thrown together previously. Therefore, I believe my form is invalid.
Spurs of aromas denoted in scent as mineral abundance born of faint rain droplets sheening the firm permanence of rock structuring the entirety of the region whereupon Sonder resided and the crisp salty derived from the ocean perched beyond interwoven steadily pooling against the seams of avoli weaved into Metis' lungs as she manuevered past the dense bushes framing the threshold and pressed herself into camp, the metallic bindings of blood and askew feathers tethered to the limp body of an alpine swift perched within her jaws languidly saturating a sandpaper tongue prior to her settling the prey against the delicate bundle of vines and leaves serving as a makeshift prey pile, the viscous bourns of honed amber encompassing her irises astutely fixated solely upon the brown fur embellishing exposed flesh of Boon's sole form directly afore whilst the latter idly counted the scarce portions of prey from winter - the portion of which they would be able to share between them, the only two cats within the colony in present time. She settled herself into a seated position atop the coarse rock-laden flooring perched beneath the two in front recognition of the mosaic of sown white specks meeting the horizon preliminary to the inceptive reign of the moon upon the sky, for it bathed the two in crude ochre strokes. Her lips parted thereafter:

"It's enough, yes?" Metis questioned, the darkened summit of her tail flicking arbitrarily in attention.

Boon allowed a breath, "Yes. However, we will have to hope for winter to stop soon, or we won't have enough to survive until spring."

"Surely it isn't that bad?" Metis calmly replied.

"You saw it yourself, Metis." Boon stated. "The land is barren, and-"

The thin cartilage encompassed by fur binding Metis' ear abruptly tremored beneath the sheer influx of potent cries resonating jarringly merely a glorified expanse of stirring air within the forest from which they came while she sedately tilted her head as to acquaint herself with such, hesitantly meeting the nascence of tautness fostered within her paws and motioning herself closer in proximity to such via mechanic motions enacted upon her limbs with Boon in tow, merely to halt at the prompt of bearing witness to the black marbled fur of the kitten's minscule physique resting beneath the specks of snowfall - the strings of sentences born upon the latter's lips incomprehensibly spewn, her pupils dilating exponentially at the sight. With a bout of pity permeating the bundle of tissue denoted as her mind, she met the kitten's side, gently prodding the snow from him. She cautiously pressed the darkened tufts of her chest to the flooring and inbreathed the kitten's scent as to discern whether or not trouble who bare her name if she decided to claim the weakened kitten, noting the manner in which it bore no present scent of another cat besides its own; the mark of the abandoned.

Tenderly, she wreathed the acuminated cusps of her teeth around the matted seams of the kitten's scruff and lesuirely hoisted his hitherto stilled form from its temporary arrest atop the strewn white daffodils uncharacteristically in bloom, merely to be met with a cacophony of rapidly erupted cries spurred upon the crest of the kitten's tongue and the violent stirs of the kitten endeavoring to be relinquished from the height in which Metis held him.

"Vervain." Metis muffled against the kit's scruff.

Boon tilted her head, "Vervain?"

"His name." Metis simply replied. "He'll be under our protection, henceforth."
Word Count: 583 words.

[ivyy.]

Username: ivyy.
Storage: the abandoned order
Last Patrol Post: seeking [patrol #4]
Patrol:

Glittering stars twinkled in the vast kingdom of the sky, looking down on Beetle and Onion as they crept through the withering grass. A ragged barn, red paint peeling off in chunks, stood before them, casting a long shadow that granted them the security of stealth, especially considering Onion had a hard time blending into the shadows with her long, white, and gray-tinted fur. Stirring the grass alongside them, a breeze drifted in their direction, hiding their scent from whatever lay ahead. Placing their paws carefully, the black and white she-cat took the lead. Her head pounded- although Beetle looked as if she knew what she was doing, she had no clue. This was only her first week out in the wild, let alone her first days in an environment where humans were sickly and terrifying.

Beetle's mind flashed back to the scene that frequently haunted her dreams. Ezran's olive skin covered in hideous blisters, his eyes glaring at her with an unfamiliar hatred tinted in sickness... No, tinted in sadness. She paused as she remembered his face, the face she had cuddled with during thunderstorms and mewed goodbye to before he left for schooling. The boy who had cared so much for her didn't have any hatred in his gaze- he never did in the first place. A sudden thought shocked her- Ezran was still in there somehow. Dying and not in control but he must've been! Her heart thrummed faster with this new discovery as she crept through the grass, attempting silence as best as possible.

With the rickety old barn blocking them in on the left, the gravel and grass pathway was not only bordered by the man-made structure but also by a thick row of overgrown hedges on the right. Every now and again, the metallic taste of blood drifted into the pair's maw, one they had grown familiar with. Guiding Onion with a flick of her ears or curling of her fluffy tail, Onion followed her just as carefully. The pair knew that if they were to be caught by some sort of predator or even sickly human on this trail, there were few places they could run. With the trees far behind them, they carried on with hyper-focused awareness of their surroundings.

A sharp crack startled both she-cats out of their focus. Both she-cats leaped into the air and scrambled into the thick hedges, the sharp, spindly branches raking roughly through their fur. Stifling a yelp of pain, Beetle pressed her paw to Onion's mouth and stared back at the path from the unsecured safety of the bushes. The sky was darker than it had been when they broke away from the forest's copse of trees lining the front entrance pathway to the barn. A large silver tabby she-cat burst from the forest's undergrowth and darted straight down the path where both Onion and Beetle hid. The fang earrings decorating her scarred ears brought a shock of recognition to the pair's eyes. It was Esper. Several deep yet minor scratches were dotted across her mackerel pelt, oozing tiny drops of blood as she tore down the pathway toward Beetle and Onion. Looking more closely, something swung from her jaws, a tan-brown bundle of fur.

Reaching out of the hedge, Beetle covered Esper's mouth and dragged her into the hedge just before several shapes broke through the forest undergrowth, following Esper's trail of dusty paw prints. "Beetle, Onion!" She whispered in relief through the bundle that hung from her jaws. Beetle smiled slightly before flattening her ears and returning to the scene unfolding before her. "Quick, we have to find a way out before they figure out you got in her with..." The bundle turned towards her and reached out tiny, pink-tinted paws. Its snout resembled those of the coyotes currently chasing down the path, hesitating as they began to lose the silver she-cat's trail. Stopping in front of the barn, they yipped and wandered around, noses close to the ground and tongues lolling, exhibiting yellowed, sharp fangs that they would no doubt use to tear the trio apart.

Onion covered her mouth as she almost released a gasp, "That's a coyote pup!" She whispered, her voice quieter than the breeze that had long gone. Esper only nodded, clearly not in the mood for storytelling despite Onion and Beetle's confusion and anxiety. Blinking away her endless questions, Beetle and the others turned their gazes back up the trail where the coyotes remained hesitant. "Something's worrying them," Esper murmured through the squirming ball of fur hanging by its scruff from her maw. Beetle nodded slowly, agreeing with the older she-cat. "Yes, they smell something. And it isn't you." A low growling, hideous, and rough-like claws against stone appeared on the other end of the trail where the barn's pathway ended. A hunched form wearing nothing but tattered clothing resembling shredded lichen lurched forward, an uncanny sight of moving joints and limbs that seemed nearly completely rotted away by now.

Its eyes glowed with the hostility of a badger; its dull fangs grew all too familiar to Beetle. "Stay absolutely silent." She whispered. Even the coyotes at the end of the path looked at this unfamiliar creature with uncertainty. Deep into the wilderness, only the farm- a symbol of what civilization had remained before the outbreak began, it was nearly certain these coyotes had never seen such a disfigured human, especially one so odd sounding. An all-too-curious young coyote yipped aggressively at the creature, its hackles rising as it wandered closer down the path. A horrific gurgling sound sent the coyote back to its packmates with its tail between its legs, now yowling as if the disfigured human had actually managed to bite or scratch it. Before the packmates to the young coyote could react, the human lurched forward and ran, albeit clumsily, down the trail towards the tan pack of canines, its darkened and dirty hands reaching out as if it wanted to grab one of the fanged animals.

Beetle and the others watched in horror as a few of the coyotes tried to attack it, meeting it with a more defensive aggressiveness compared to the bloodlust that haunted the sickly human's mind. Unreacting to the nips and tears at its blistered skin, the coyotes realized they stood no chance as the first three that had met the human were shredded by the awful creature's starving maw and chipped nails. Gulping, Onion, Beetle, and Esper watched the pack run off howling as their brothers were ripped apart by the clumsy, ill human, the sounds of flesh squelching horrifying the already terrified group of cats. Watching silently from the hedge, Beetle noticed two smaller shapes join the tall human in their disgusting feast. Children. Or what were children?

"Now's our chance," Esper whispered through the coyote pup's fur, eyeing Beetle nervously. Esper had never looked so scared until now, not even when she was fleeing from the pack of loud canines. The coyote pack left their fallen to the humans and were long gone by now, back into the forest ahead of the barn entrance, only a very faint yipping sound being heard and the sharp, fast-fading stench of the canids. Esper crept forward out of the thick hedges, the other she-cats following her closely and the newborn pup swinging slightly from her jaws, its little nose twitching as if it was overwhelmed by the scents surrounding the ragtag crew of felines.

"Alright, this way."

---

Bringing up the rear, Beetle and her friends managed to sneak off from the feast of the sickly humans, only mere bones and tiny scraps of fur and flesh remaining from the fight by the time the three- no, four animals, managed to make it out alive but not uninjured. Although Beetle and Onion sported stinging scratches from the spindly branches of the hedge, Esper looked far worse off. Several deep slices covered her flank and smaller scratches like Beetle's and Onion's littered her face, chest, rear, and even the coyote pup. Onion took a turn holding the lithe little creature, giving Esper a chance to tell them the tall tale of her disappearance and how she even discovered such an odd creature.

Esper sighed as Onion prompted her again, exhaustion edging her mew as she finally decided to explain herself. "Alright, Alright. I found Bracken-" Onion skipped a couple steps playfully, "You've named him already? You seem quite attached." Esper rolled her eyes good-naturedly and picked up her pace to a trot as they navigated through the dried plains; the grass wilted and cracked as they made their way through. Esper continued once more, "Anyways, I was hurt, but the loud sticks didn't hit me, luckily- although lots of the others were hit." A moment of horrified grief forced Esper to pause, her voice cracking with the effort of the last few words. Blinking away the sadness she still felt deeply for her deceased and injured friends, she spoke again. "I escaped. I ran a loop, trying to get around to the back of the clearing, but more humans were appearing from out of the surrounding forest, so I was forced to leave. I'd hoped some of you made it out alive, and I'm glad to hear that you did."

I managed to make my way down to a creek by dawn and collapsed, I was tired and needed rest. I awoke around the same time the following day and continued searching for you all, but I was hopelessly lost." A touch of frustration edged her voice as if remembering the anxiety and fear she had felt all alone, especially unknowing whether the others were still alive. Beetle nodded slowly, taking in her story as she pictured herself in Esper's position- lost all alone out in unfamiliar lands with deceased humans and ones with loud sticks out there with her. The thought of the horrors they had all endured in such a short time made her shiver, her black and white fur twitching uncomfortably at the thought of it all.

Esper continued and explained how she had been wandering for several days, her wounds festering and causing her to grow weaker as the days progressed. "I followed the creek all the way until the big open clearing where we had stayed the night of the ambush. I tracked the scents to our old camp before the coyotes who..." She paused and seemed disgusted for a long moment. "Who was busy taking care of the bodies were. They scented me, and I didn't have time to track your scents; they chased me off. At that point, I didn't even believe anyone had survived the attack." Eyes glittering, she hardened her gaze and blinked slowly. "Wait, is this it?" Her question broke Beetle from her thoughts, Onion nearly bumped into her rear as she set Bracken down.

"Woah." Beyond the hill made of yellow grass and dust lay another valley; lower than the hill, they were all in almost a crater-like dip- it was shallow and held sparse clumps of trees around the edges. Unkept gravel turned into a sickeningly familiar pavement and led down the hill as small concrete steps down to an iron gate, the hinges creaking slightly as the wind blew through them. "Look!" Onion chirped hopefully from behind Esper and Beetle. A building with several vegetable symbols on the front proved to be a store, from both her and Onion's previous experiences within their recently past life as pets. Although they knew it immediately, it took Esper a minute to remember that the building was a store. "Do you think it's empty? What about the sick?" The three of them shuddered as they remembered the unfortunate demise of the three coyotes. "There's no way no humans are down there."

White, worded papers fluttered in the wind as the group descended the concrete stairs to the gated entrance. Besides the store, several houses and a dimly colorful playground seemed to be coated in a layer of dust to the far right of the entrance. The town was silent- too silent. Aside from the squeaking of the coyote pup that Esper now carried, this human town seemed thoroughly raided and abandoned. Items and trash were left out on the street- torn couches, tipped-over trashcans with musty waste, and old food lying on the sides of the cement. It had only been about eight days since Beetle had discovered the outbreak had affected her people, but how long had it really been since the world went to hell?

Despite it being midday, a few street lights flickered with remaining electricity, and several generators buzzed quietly from behind uninhabited houses as they wandered down the main street past the gate. "Esper, when did you see the city start to burn? When were you and the Strays chased from your streets?" Onion finally asked the question that echoed loudly in Beetle's mind; she was curious to know the timeline of these events. Absently, looking around, Esper muttered just barely audible enough, "Hm... we left before finding you, Crystal, and Beetle. Ox too. He was one of the cats that died in the ambush, an old, greying pet he was. I don't know, kid. Must've been about two days before we were kicked out and the city started burning... but crazy humans were running in the streets before the men with the loud sticks even found them." Silence drifted between the three cats as they recalled the scenes of their original homes and what the outbreak had destroyed. "Three days before Beetle. I think the outbreak happened ten days ago."

---

Onion set the beige pup down, "The poor scrap." She hummed sadly, looking at him as Esper and Beetle checked their surroundings for safety. Squinting her eyes against the glaring sun, the wind stirred her chest fur and ruffled the fluffy tuft on her black and white head as she tried planning out her next moves. "Esper, let's find somewhere to hide Bracken and whoever doesn't want to go inside. It'd be safer if one of us stayed behind- two is just enough to watch each other's backs and get what we need." Onion nodded dutifully and wrapped her tail around the pup in an almost motherly way. "I'll happily stay with this little guy. Ha! The way he squirms reminds me a lot of Little Bird."

Esper tilted her head confusedly, "Little Bird? Who is that?" Swapping glances with Onion, Beetle answered Esper first. "An orphaned kitten. We know who his mother is, but she didn't make the ambush. Her name was Remi, I believe." A flash of recognition clouded Esper's eyes. "Her kits were only a few days old... did any others make it?" Onion and Beetle's faces must've given away the answer- Little Bird was the sole survivor of his entire family. Esper looked distraught, furrowing her eyebrows and scraping her thin, glinting claws into the concrete as if to ground herself. Beetle sighed and laid her tail along Esper's spine as a comforting gesture, "We came to get supplies, but most importantly, we came to get some kind of milk for Little Bird." Flashing a caring glance at the squirming ball of tan fur beside Onion's feet, it seemed the pup was only growing hungrier by the minute.

"It seems he can benefit from that too, right, Bracken?" Onion cooed to the coyote pup. He let out a scratchy yip in response and burrowed into Onion's thick coat to escape the wind beginning to pick up. Esper shook her head to clear her thoughts and let her gaze shift determinedly from Beetle to Onion. The group sat in a ragged circle on the sidewalk, the street remaining silent as they gathered closer to each other.

"Okay, here's the plan."

Word Count: 2,647 words

[dimi.]

Patrols for the week of December 27th are now closed.
To claim this XP, head over to Leveling and fill out the Patrol form! This experience will not be applied until you do so.

@LOSTINUNKNOWN - You did the writing, so I'll award you the xp! I understand wanting to rewrite work, so feel free to rewrite for display on your own pages <3

Derpy. 40 xp
ruethefangirl: 15 xp
LOSTINUNKNOWN 58 xp
ivyy. 264 xp

[center]Patrols for the week of January 3rd are now open!

[Alizba]

Username: Alizba
Storage: Tree'Roots Clan
Last Patrol Post: Here
Patrol:
The day had come when the clan packs up. It will be a long journey where no cat knows where they're going but they must leave before the storm comes. Cats are seen running around the camp collecting as much as they can; herbs and other things needed.

“No cat is to go alone, make sure when we rest if you travel out you bring another cat with you, we do not want to lose any cat on this journey.” Snow’Owl says talking to the camp.

The small clan of cats start their journey into the forest, one not many of them have even seen. Most stayed in the grasslands after joining the camp. The clan cats talk about what it is they might come across and where they're heading. As they walk through the forest the sound of birds and other animals goes quiet. The clan comes to a stop.

“The forest has gone quiet…” Fox’Tail speaks up. “Indeed, it has, for now we will rest here until the quiet is gone.” Replies Snow’Owl. As soon as Snow’Owl done speaking a flock of birds flies off in a rush.

“Run!! There is something here that is why the birds are flying off! Run you silly cats!!” Fox’Tail yelled to the cats. The cats frankly look around before following Fox’Tail deeper into the forest. The sound of something following them comes from behind the cats. They run until whatever was following them can no longer be heard.

“Does any cat know what that was?” Question Doe’Eyes. All the cats looked around, no one knew what was following them, only that something was following them. Looking around at their surroundings the cats have come to a clearing in the forest against a rock hill side that has a waterfall coming down into a river. Behind the waterfall lies an old den.

“We will stay here for a few days unless any cat wishes to keep going.” Snow’Owl speaking up. All the cats agree that the place they came across will work fine. The camp gathers the things and sets camp for a few days, a can that might just stay camp for life. The leaves of the trees make it hard for the snow to over the forest ground but also there lays an empty den for the cats the scent of a foxes does linger around the den. But no cat thinks the foxes will return the smell to old. Only time will tell what will happen.
Word Count: 417

[ruethefangirl]

Username: ruethefangirl
Storage: Sunclan
Last Patrol Post: Patrol 10 - Jan 2
Patrol:
While the others were chatting about the budding romance between Oceanbreeze and Sandchill, Moonbeam took the discussion with her group in a different direction.
"Ginger is jealous of me," Moonbeam declared.
MouseSqueak looked at her in quiet confusion.
"Oh? What makes you say that?" Raspberry asked. She did not know all her new clanmates that well, but she had not picked up that vibe.
"She does not have a relationship with Starclan the way I do. It's only fitting that she would be put off by how strong my connection is with them."
"Okay," Raspberry meowed. Again, she did not really pick up that vibe, but she was not sure what to say to that.
MouseSqueak felt uncomfortable with Moonbeam talking about Ginger like this, but she did not want to offend her. She continued scanning their surroundings for the herb they were trying to find, hoping that the quicker they found it, the quicker they could move on.
"You were not there, but she was very hostile when I mentioned the faith and stars," Moonbeam continued. "It seems to be a sore spot for her. I suspect it may be the reason for her annoyance towards me. What is a deputy compared to a medicine cat, right? Clearly the clan would not have lasted much longer without me. One sickness would have wiped everyone out. But I heard Ginger left for a whole moon!"
"Ginger left the clan?"
"Yes, isn't that right, MouseSqueak?" Moonbeam looked at MouseSqueak.
MouseSqueak jumped at her name. She had tuned the conversation out. "Y-yes?" Her tail flicked uncertainly. She did not pick up on the incorrect statement that Ginger had been gone for a whole moon, not that she would have had the guts to correct Moonbeam in any case.
"Just what I thought." Moonbeam nodded her head. "I do not know all the details, as I was not present. Oceanbreeze mentioned it. Something about how Ginger abandoned the clan for a time to return to her home."
"Oh... maybe someone she knew was sick?"
"No, that's not what I picked up from the conversation."
"Is that it?" MouseSqueak meowed, pointing up ahead.
Moonbeam led them in that direction and they gathered around the plant. "I believe so," She meowed.
"Wait." MouseSqueak gently pawed at the plant. "Didn't you say there was a difference between true sunleaf and false sunleaf? The texture?"
Moonbeam blinked. She had forgotten! So much new information filled her mind. Good thing MouseSqueak seamed to soak it all up. "That is correct." She touched the plant, too. "Hm..."
Raspberry sniffed the plant and touched her paw to it like they were doing.
MouseSqueak looked around. The two plants tended to grow close together, making them easy to get mixed up. Now that she had felt it for herself, she knew this was the false sunleaf. She walked a few paces away, scanning the forest again. "It's here," She meowed, reaching out a paw to touch a new plant.
Raspberry followed. "It looks so similar," She noted.
"Yes, they do look identical," Moonbeam meowed. "But this is it." She nodded approvingly. "Let's take these back to camp. Roll them up so they are easier to carry." They collected the leaves and carried them back to camp, with less chatter now that they had to carry the plants.
-
Ginger, Magmatuft and Sandy were lounging about when Sunflower's patrol returned to camp. Magmatuft had drifted off and did not rouse at their voices.
"Hi!" Oceanbreeze meowed.
Sandy rolled over onto his back and looked at them upside down. "You're back!"
Oceanbreeze giggled. "And you're awake."
Ginger lifted her head. "Good afternoon," She meowed. Her tail flicked lazily. She purred when Sunflower came over and licked her cheek. "How was the hunting?"
"We managed to all catch a starling together," Oceanbreeze meowed.
"We trapped it in the undergrowth so it couldn't fly off," Sunflower added.
Blackberry nodded in confirmation. She placed her catches on the fresh kill pile.
Oceanbreeze turned to Sandchill. "Do you..." Oceanbreeze suddenly felt a little shy, and she glanced over at the other three. Sunflower and Ginger now spoke softly together. They seemed to not be paying any attention. "...want to share this?" She asked.
Sandy righted himself. "Yeah, course!" He smiled at her. "You look even more gorgeous right side up."
Oceanbreeze was blushing again. Blackberry, Sunflower and Ginger gradually made themselves scarce.
"Ladies first," Sandy meowed, nodding to the kill. Oceanbreeze took a bite.
Sandchill tried to think of the right words to say now that they were alone, but what came out of his mouth was, "Do you want to hear a bad cat joke?"
Oceanbreeze nodded.
"Just kitten!"
She shook her head, smiling slightly. "You are so goofy."
He smiled back and took a bite of prey.
"I've been wondering..."
Sandy swallowed and looked up at her. "Yeah?"
"Do you... do you really like me?"
He blinked. "Of course I do!"
"No, I mean, like, do you want to be mates or... "
Oh, right. Just like Magmatuft had mentioned earlier, he needed to clarify. "I have feelings for you," He meowed.
Oceanbreeze looked relieved.
"And I would like to be in a relationship, if that's what you want?"
"Yes, I want that," Oceanbreeze purred.
Word count: 878

[dimi.]

Patrols for the week of December 3rd are now closed.
To claim this XP, head over to Leveling and fill out the Patrol form! This experience will not be applied until you do so.

ruethefangirl: 87 xp
Alizba 41 xp

Patrols for the week of January 17th are now open!

[Wildwarriorpaws]

Username: Wildwarriorpaws
Storage: Forum/viewtopic.php?f=103&t=4989369&p=148322615#p148322615
Last Patrol Post: Forum/viewtopic.php?f=124&t=4987760&start=100
Patrol:
Over in PitClan things were going a little differently than expected...
For the first time PitClan had a new member who wasn't born a clan cat. He was a kitty pet with a courageous story. Billy arrived in the Pit walking beside Jerboa and Scorpion. Jerboa had a concerned look on her face which she signaled to Red Rock, who hopped down from the Cliff. Jerboa padded over to Red Rock who shot Scorpion a look before listening to Jerboas explanation. Scorpion shifted closer to Billy who looked nervous. Scorpion kept an eye on him but it didn't feel necessary, this cat obviously didn't plan on doing anything based on how much he was shaking. Scorpion thought about how his life must of been, ew, the life of a Moggie. Not being able to go out and explore the wilderness sounded miserable. Finally Red Rock trotted over and gave a slight nod to Scorpion, Jerboa watched from afar. "Welcome. I am Copper but you can refer to me as Red Rock" he said, head held high over Billys, "okay.." Billy whispered. Red Rock snorted, "look at me when you speak son". Billy straightened up, Javelin snickered. Red Rocks eyes widened for a minute as if he was shocked by the height difference, the expression quickly left. "Sorry, I've never been this far from my..home" Billy said with a shift of his paws. Red Rock's expression softened as he looked up at the fluffy tom. "I'm sorry to hear what happened, are you still in pain?". Billy shook his head, "no it's better now", he looked over at his left side. There was a large gash running down his side with a smaller one following. His fur was matted with blood and dirt but he shrugged it off. Red Rock nodded toward Scorpion, "you've obviously met Scorpion and Jerboa." he moved his gaze along the back wall till they stopped at a tortie she-cat, "That's Burrow, if you ever need to talk to anyone about anything personal she's the perfect cat."
Burrow flicked her tail and smiled their way. "Scorpion will take you to see Chive now" Red nodded toward a whole in the Pit wall. Scorpion flicked his tail toward Billy signaling him to follow, "And welcome to the Pit, home of PitClan!", Red Rock howled after them.

_________________

That night Billy sat with Scorpion and Jerboa. They seemed to be the first friends he made, and save his life. Without them he would have been that cougars dinner for sure...
Then it hit him, how would he do in the wild? Does a cat like him even belong this far out in the middle of nowhere.
But this isn't nowhere..this is the home of many creatures, and one extra, Billy.

Word Count: 465

[ivyy.]

Username: ivyy.
Storage: the abandoned order
Last Patrol Post: hide [patrol #5]
Patrol: [taking a break from the usually detailed patrol posts to delve deeper into the fleshing some characters of those discovered in "the Strays" so far]

⍟ Beetle ⍟
Relevance: Current MC
Rank: Current Undecided, New Member
Closest To: Esper, Onion

Haunted by the memories of her previous owner, Ezran, she struggles to survive in this new, unfamiliar, hostile world. Previously seen as kind and incredibly loyal, the new cats she's surrounded herself with lately have not gotten to know her very well- the audience hasn't either. She's struggled to recover and focus on the situations at hand, especially since she's constantly reminded of her boy's last interaction with her- one of uncontrolled animalistic violence. Beetle prefers to think logically and takes a secondary leadership role when Esper or Arrow aren't available to take over. Currently, she's still remotely uncomfortable with a majority of the surviving Strays that Esper had brought her to meet in Patrol #2-#3. Calculated yet still emotional, even over strangers, Beetle is already beginning to understand the gravity and aggressiveness of this new world she has only recently been thrown into. Her personality is still purposefully vague- she's changing, evolving even, with the others.

Skills: (as of the most recent patrols)
... strategy, leadership, memorizing landmarks, stealth, navigation, knowledge on humans
Fears: (as of the most recent patrols)
... children/younger [insert word for the undead] humans, cities, fire, TVs

🌫Esper 🌫
Relevance: Saved Beetle, Leads her group during their travels
Rank: Semi-unofficial leader of the Strays
Closest To: Remi [dead], Arrow [close friend], Onion [friend], Crystal [friend], Beetle [trusted acquaintance], Little Bird [lover's son]

Although intimidating with all her scars forcing her into a rugged, harsh stereotype, Esper is generally very forgiving and kind. She's a phenomenal leader and knows that she'd always put her life on the life in order to allow her companions to survive. Esper is protective and stern, unwilling to let reckless nuisance endanger the cat committing the act or the others in the group. Despite this, she's playful and able to keep morale up during even the darkest times, even aside from her own trauma. A lot of the surviving cats after "The Ambush" are cats she's felt comfortable with for a long time- especially Onion, Crystal, and Arrow. Steel and Elois are fairly new to the group, so she still tends to act slightly off put when in their presence. Esper attempts to set aside her distrust, but the recent apocalypse has forced her to be even more distrustful of others. Already times were tough in the streets where they had to scavenge for food, fight neighboring groups, and escape from the humans with cages in the back of their cars- now? Things were so much worse. Truthfully, although she's tried her best not to show it, Arrow's disappearance and the recent Ambush has taken a massive toll on her confidence and mental stability, how is she supposed to keep the remaining cats alive?

Skills:
... leadership, climbing, general agility, fighting, intellect, respected (?), gathering
Fears:
... loosing those who depend on her, being alone, betrayal

➳Arrow➳
Relevance: Currently missing after "The Ambush"
Rank: Unofficial second-in-command
Closest To: Esper [friend], Crystal [trusted acquaintance]

Charismatic and disarming, this tough tom is unafraid to share his opinions, especially if they are genuine. He's young but intelligent and experienced in multiple fields, proving to be quite the asset to the Strays- especially his closest friend and confidante, Esper. The older she-cat took him under her wing at the early age of two moons and taught him everything he needed to know out on the streets. At the time, their group was at full capacity once he turned eleven moons old. Esper had expected him to leave and join or create his own group, but he refused to leave her side, thus allowing them to grow closer, forming a sort of mother and son or mentor and apprentice relationship. Despite this familiarity with Esper, he knows very little of her past because she refuses to share such information- even with her closest friend. Arrow doesn't hold this against her; Esper, in particular, has her motives. However, there are secrets he holds close to himself, too. Secrets he would never share. Isn't it true that everyone possesses them?

Skills:
... leadership, persuasion, hunting, fighting, gathering, coordination, scouting
Fears:
... abandonment, loneliness, failure, misplaced loyalty/dedication, disapproval (from those close to him)

🎕Onion🎕
Relevance: Caretaker to Little Bird, Growing closer to Beetle, Ex-Kittypet
Rank: Undecided
Closest To: Crystal [friend/ex-neighbor], Beetle [friend], Little Bird [ward], pretty much everyone in the Strays she considers a friend

While having come from a kittypet background, Onion is a fierce little creature who tends to grow attached to others fast despite her not always intending to. She's lovable, friendly, charming, and befriends even the grumpiest, eldest cat with her joyful nature. Onion's bubbly personality can be a bit discomforting, considering the constant death and dangers surrounding the Strays, but no one questions her or points it out. Perhaps it's her strange way of grieving the many losses that have grasped her. Onion's humans, her kittypet best friend, her beautiful home; she's lost a lot. More than anyone expects. Often, she feels taken for granted as she doesn't always take things seriously or talk too much, and others label her as a nuisance. This mistake is often made, and it hurts her to know her forced happiness disturbs others. Onion's only putting on a show for them, so why would they act cruelly and label her juvenile and immature? Doesn't she have a right to process her grief the way she's comfortable with? Only Beetle and the itty-bitty Little Bird seem to get her. It's truly a tragedy how many of the others seem to write her off as only a survivor within the Strays- she's her own cat, valuable, considerate, and loyal. Onion deserves to be treated as such.

Skills:
... boosting moral, hunting, gathering, navigating human settlements/land points, memorizing routes, caretaking

Fears:
... heights (very tall), large birds (eagle, hawk, falcon, cormorant, etc.), insects, death, death of those close to her

♢Crystal♢
Relevance: Member of the Strays, Ex-Kittypet
Rank: Undecided, Leaning caretaker
Closest To: Onion [friend/ex-neighbor], acquaintances with everyone else

Critical and slightly vain, Crystal doesn't seem to have any noticeable qualities that aren't neutral or negative. Previously a kittypet and having shared the same neighborhood as Onion, Crystal often only speaks to Onion as she doesn't relate or feel very comfortable with the other much more ragged cats of the Strays. Having been a part-time human companion and show cat, she doesn't have a full grasp on this new environment the group has been forced into. It's different and unfamiliar and she refuses to except it- she refuses to believe that her owner is dead or possibly still roaming around with cracked blisters and bloodshot eyes. Even the idea makes her fall into a spiral of stress. She doesn't do much to help the group, and she knows it- Crystal just doesn't want to accept that she's stuck with them. It doesn't help that she has many things to hide from the others...

Skills:
... reading others emotionally, navigating human settlements/land points, spotting danger (scouting)

Fears:
... the Diseased, small spaces, places with no easy escape, snakes, death, injury/sickness

Word Count: 1,218 words

[◇ Echo ◇]

Username: ◇ Echo ◇
Storage: Cottonstar's Journey
Last Patrol Post: here
Patrol:Cottonstar had a feeling this moon might be different. And not necessarily in a good way. Something in his gut felt rotten, and the air tasted bitter and moist like blood. He and his clan were preparing for the worst. Ashenrain was making sure everyone was fighting ready and Silverwing was gathering whatever prey she could find. This leaf bare had treated them roughly, leaving them with little prey and herbs.

Akirastorm was out on a patrol, searching for any spare herbs when she came across an acrid smell. Her ears perked, her gaze shooting across the fields around her. No one else was around. A wild animal, perhaps? She lowered into a crouch, opening her maw slightly to taste the air. Something was definitely dead. Rotting, even. Carefully, she began to move her way towards the smell, keeping low to the ground and trying to remain downwind. She found some brush to hide in, following its small trail until she could see what she smelt. The sight was horrid. A smaller caribou, likely young or just under-grown, lay motionless, clearly deceased on the dry ground. Its rib cage was torn open by claws much more viscous than those of a cat, and it was surrounded by its own dry blood and rotting flesh. Some creature had killed it, preyed on some, then left the rest to rot. What kind of thing would do that in such a harsh season?!
Akira wearily crawled out from her hiding space to inspect further. It didn’t take long for her to be met by the chirp growling sound of a predator. She swiveled around, quick but careful. ‘Well isn’t this great…’ Akirastorm swallowed hard, trying to avoid eye contact with the beast now across from her. Often associated with the same ferocity of a badger, the felines were well aware of the presence of wolverines in parts of their territory, and tried to avoid them at all costs. The beasts were never very kind, and had such a temper. This one definitely wasn’t in a great mood. Akira glanced back at the carcass very briefly. Was that what this was about? The thing was rotten, so she couldn’t see why the creature would have interest in it. But even if that was the case, she wasn’t trying to be involved. It could have the rotten thing. She would much rather find something fresh of her own. The feline allowed the fur on her hackles to raise, but didn’t release a hiss. ‘I don’t want to fight, but I’m also not your prey.’ Of course they didn’t speak the same language, but hopefully the creature would see the message in her eyes.
Apparently, if it even did, it didn’t care. The creature released another one of its wretched sounds and charged. Akirastorm startled and immediately darted in the other direction. At first, she didn’t think. She just knew she was NOT about to try taking that thing on alone. She could outrun it, right? She could sure as well try. With the amount of times her paws left the ground with another leap, it felt almost like she was soaring over the cold earth. Not that it was a freeing feeling. The strong thumps of the wolverine behind her were almost deafening alongside her quick, harsh breaths. It was catching up, and she needed to think. Fast. ‘Where can I go? Definitely not towards camp. A tree? No, it can climb.’ The she-cat darted to the right to slow the thing down. Agility. That was the one advantage she had in this scenario. Where could she use that to her advantage? Finally, an idea.
Akirastorm changed directions again, this time taking a sharp left. That threw the large thing off her tail briefly, but she knew it would catch up again. ‘Those things weigh a ton. If I can just make it to the ravine…’ Another piercing roar from the wolverine. It seemed to be getting increasingly agitated. And it was nearing her tail again. In the frosty air of leaf bare, she could almost feel it’s wretched, hot breath against the very tip of her tail. She winced at the thought that it could probably snap and take a chunk of her at any moment. Determined to make it out, she ran harder and faster than she had ever remembered doing so before. The icy ground was beginning to chip at her paw pads, but that was the least of her worries right now.
Finally. The ravine appeared just ahead, and a hint of hope returned to accompany Akira’s determination. There was a ravine that conjoined the lusher woods to the frosty tundra Akirastorm was currently in. The concoction had always been a mystery for generations before Harpclan, but the felines learned to be thankful for the territories they were given, even if they made no sense being attached and so close to one another. The ravine wasn’t terribly deep, but it wasn’t small either. Occasionally, a stream or even a shallow river would occupy the bottom, but most of the time it was rocks, some puddles, and moss to accompany the hydrated areas. There were a few ways the cats crossed, including tunnels used when the ravine was clear of water, jumping across at the areas which the ravine almost closed in on itself, and a fallen tree here and there. Jumping and using the tunnels was most common, as the trees were few and most were a lot farther down, making for longer travel. And there was one other, but it was slightly more risky. A thin, hollowed trunk rested on one side of the ravine, the tundra’s side, and extended about halfway across the pit, if that. It was old and almost always in a frozen or thawing state, either of which kept it unstable. It was fine for occasional use, since the felines didn’t weigh much, but to be safe they didn’t use it often. Akirastorm planned to use it now.
The pale furred feline continued darting across the frozen ground, the wolverine hot on her tracks. Just a few more yards… And they reached it. Akira flew down the drunk, then used all her might to launch herself to the other side. She felt a crack in the branch as her hind paws left it, and just after her fronts hit the softer ground on the other side, she heard a snap. After stumbling forward a bit, she whirled around, relieved to see what she had hoped the outcome of this chase would be.
Akirastorm, being the thin feline she was, crossed the branch with no problems at all. Like a feather fluttering over. However, the big, bulky wolverine had quite the opposite effect. It blindly followed her onto the trunk, and with the force of its stomps and the weight of its mass, the frail thing snapped like a twig. It crumbled beneath the creature, crashing into the ravine below and taking the beast with it. After she heard the large thud, Akira could let herself breathe easy again. Panting, she allowed her muscles to relax and her lungs to rejuvenate before she moved again. Once the calm settled as much as she would let it, she took herself to the edge of the ravine. The creature was mostly motionless below. It wasn’t dead, but it seemed too injured and/or too stunned to get back up. The she-cat allowed relief to truly flood her now, taking herself below a tree before she collapsed. “I did it..” she sighed aloud to herself. She made it.
Looking around to take in her surroundings and recognize the area, something caught her eye. A bright orange bundle of marigolds! She scoffed, a grin appearing on her face. Marigolds. In leaf bare. She raised her head to the sky, smirking. “Is that what all this was for? Just to find these? You sure do work in strange ways, StarClan,” she murmured, shaking her head. It was a blessing regardless. Plus, now she had an epic tale to tell kits and apprentices. While she could have definitely done without the terrifying chase and near death experience, at least there appeared a reward. Raising to her paws again, she collected the herbs and decided to make her way home.
{1386 words}

Word Count: 1,386

[Zentropy]

Username: Zentropy
Storage: DawnClan
Last Patrol Post: n/a
Patrol: Meditations

Goosefeather is afraid. He's afraid that the world is changing too quickly for him to keep up. It's been several moons now since his owners abandoned him that fateful day. He had to dig through trashcans and fight off crows over roadkill for longer than he cares to admit to his clanmates. It was hard, and terrifying. Every night Goosefeather thought it would be his last. He still has nightmares about it, seeing his people pile into their car and drive away. He chases after them, crying "You forgot me! You forgot me!" But they never hear him, they never turn around. The dream ends when Goosefeather hears the screeching of tires and a car thunders towards him. He was an indoor cat, but he knew of the danger cars posed, he saw it enough times from the window. He's not supposed to be out here, and it seems like much of the world agrees.

Goosefeather's mindset started to shift when he caught his first mouse. It was tiny, and didn't even flinch when he pounced on it. Probably has something wrong with it, he mused, but continued to eat it anyway. His first catch! Feeling confident, Goosefeather tried to hunt more but ended the day only tired and empty pawed. 'Practice makes perfect', the strange phrase popped into his head. Isn't that what the older human used to say? No, he must think like a feral cat would think, for he is one of then now, and that means a Warrior Name. Knowing his name was originally Gustav, which his humans all abbreviated to Goose or Goosie, helped him keep the prefix similar to what he's used too. And well, geese have feathers and his fur is grey and white like the farm geese so why not Goosefeather? With a Warrior Name and a new outlook on life, Goosefeather was ready to take on the challenge of founding a new clan...though maybe someone else should be the leader...considering he's only heard rumors of Starclan and isn't really interested in living nine lives. This one life has had plenty of excitement in it already for this tom.

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Word Count: 358 words