by røsebud » Tue Oct 05, 2021 5:18 am
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Number of Cats: 44
21 ♀ | 22 ♂ | 1 ⚩
Next Moonpool Request: 2 moons
Pebbles: 159
Mod: [kat]
Mod Notes: Lineart with written descriptions is preferred for the images!
Please do not kill or fatally wound any cats with a star ✯ beside their name. The leader may lose lives, but no more than three at a time. Please target those with a white star ✩ in the case of death rolls. Injuries are fine for any cat.──────────────────────────────────────── _____The warrior waited, still as the tree in which she sat, though her flicking tail and eager eyes betrayed her anticipation. Leaves rustled beneath her, and her ears pricked toward the lithe tom limping through the forest. He sniffed curiously and swung his head around.
_____"Hey, genius," the warrior called. Tanglestep jumped just slightly, a scowl spreading across his already-sullen face.
_____"Killfang," he greeted curtly. Killfang leapt from the branch to land beside him with a smug grin—one that Tanglestep saw as entirely unwarranted.
_____"So, are you gonna tell me why I'm here?"
_____"You know the history of this clan, correct?"
_____Killfang narrowed her eyes, not trying to hide her irritation at Tanglestep disregarding her question. "I know you killed all those other cats, yeah."
_____Right away, Tanglestep unsheathed his claws and took a step forward. "How dare you accuse me of—"
_____"Calm down," Killfang interrupted. "How dumb do you think I am?" Tanglestep stayed put, but fell silent. "This all started a long time ago, right? Once upon a time there was a little molly who wanted to be a warrior, so you and her went to that island together, and then somehow Brambletooth kills her? Even though he was here, and it was just you and Cricketpaw on the island? Am I missing something?"
_____Tanglestep shrugged. He hadn't realized how it sounded out loud. "Well, it wasn't just me and her on the island. That other cat was there—the medicine cat apprentice."
_____"Right. Then Brambletooth killed him a month later."
_____"That's correct." Tanglestep cleared his throat as Killfang rolled her eyes. "And Brambletooth poisoned Robinstar."
_____"But there are quite a few cats here who seem to believe he was innocent," Killfang said, not missing a beat. "They think he was framed. It's not a bad theory."
_____"Who have you been talking to?" Tanglestep hissed.
_____The ginger tabby smiled. "I don't talk to anyone. They just talk. I guess they don't realize that I listen."
_____Tanglestep paused, planning his next moves carefully. This wouldn't be an easy kill. She would put up a fight for sure. He'd never admit it, but he was somewhat nervous. Almost all of his previous kills were apprentices, so this would be a challenge.
_____Killfang glanced at the deputy's claws. "What I'm saying is, I want in." Tanglestep blinked, slightly taken aback. "I mean, that's why we're meeting here, right? Now you don't have to make up some ridiculous reason for whatever you want me to do."
_____"Right... How do I know I can trust you?"
_____"Do you know why I'm here?" Killfang borrowed Tanglestep's tactic of answering one question with another.
_____"Here, in Aspenclan?" Tanglestep faltered. He had a habit of not listening when cats talked about themselves, but the way he saw it, it was annoying and he was right not to.
_____Killfang rolled her eyes again, but the truth was that she'd yet to tell anyone in Aspenclan about her past. "I'm here because I was banished from Keyclan for killing two cats. A warrior and a kit."
_____The deputy nodded. "Okay, good.” Killfang grinned. “So the problem is Robinstar. She has too many lives and too much courage."
_____"Courage? Robinstar?" Killfang scoffed. "That cat's afraid of her own tail!"
_____"First of all, don't interrupt me," Tanglestep said sternly. "Second, true as that may be, it's been quiet for too long, and I think Robinstar may have started to suspect me. I can't risk her getting too comfortable, or she may learn to stand up for herself, which is the last thing I need. I was going to have you kill her directly, but that has a high risk of getting caught, and I'd prefer you stay a little longer. I think you could be a valuable asset."
_____"Thank you."
_____"What did I say about interrupting?" Tanglestep snapped. "We'll need some help, but we're going to let nature get her instead. And I know exactly how to do it. She's already weakened by her injury. We just need to wait until the time is right." He glanced up at the overcast sky as a cold wind whistled past him. "It shouldn't be long at all. Listen carefully."
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_____Robinstar opened her eyes wearily, wincing at the now-familiar ache in her paw. But as she awoke, she quickly realized that something was off. There in her den was a dead squirrel, innocuous to anyone else, but a threat to Robinstar. She tried to convince herself that it was just a squirrel, just a harmless bit of prey—but someone had been in her den, someone who knew how to get to her, who wanted to kill her. She scrambled to her feet, her heart pounding. Outside, a blizzard raged, but she couldn't stay in her den a moment longer and stumbled outside. The cold surrounded her immediately, and she felt she might suffocate, but choking on the ice-cold air was better than staying inside. As she tried to get her footing despite the wind, she heard a whispered voice from above:
_____"Beware the twisted warrior, or death will take over the clan."
_____Every muscle in Robinstar's body tensed at the familiar words of the first prophecy. Death had taken over the clan, it seemed, and she was powerless to stop it. If she didn't get out now, she knew she would be its next victim.
_____So she ran. Her sprained paw howled with pain, and her other paws kept sinking into the fresh snow, but it was better than staying put. As she weaved through the thin trunks of the aspen trees she was suddenly reminded of the day she arrived. The sunlight streaming past the branches. The soft leaves beneath her paws. The clearing, untouched except by nature. Her eyes brimmed with tears as she remembered the promises she made—to herself, to Starclan... to Aspenfur. Where, she wondered, had it all gone wrong? She was never supposed to be the leader. Not right away, at least. That role was supposed to go to Aspenfur, and they were supposed to found the clan together, working side by side to make it the largest, most powerful clan in the forest. She never would have done this if she knew she'd be alone. She wasn't fit to be a leader. She was merely a charlatan, playing a role for which she was entirely unsuited.
_____Robinstar's paws slipped beneath her, and she came crashing down on the ice. With a start, she realized she had long since left the cover of the forest and was now atop the frozen lake, several tail-lengths past the shore. Slowly and carefully, she got to her feet and started to make her way toward solid ground when she saw movement in the woods. From such a distance, Robinstar could barely make out the image of a tall, dark cat emerging from the forest. Tanglestep. In that moment, all her doubts and insecurities melted away, leaving a singular fear. All that mattered was getting as far away from Tanglestep as possible.
_____Her paws scrambled as she turned on her heel, claws scratching at the surface of the ice. Without thinking, she began running toward the center of the lake, the ice growing thinner beneath her feet. She soon realized her mistake as she heard a low crack, just before the ice broke, plunging her into the frigid water.
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_____Robinstar awoke sometime later, chilled to the bone but safe on the shore. All she remembered was flailing, panic-stricken in the water, but somehow she must have rescued herself. Still, she could tell that she had lost lives, and seeing as the blizzard showed no signs of slowing, she'd likely lose more if she didn't get somewhere warm soon. It was true that she had never intended on founding a clan on her own, but now that she had, she knew she couldn't just give up. Besides, she realized, she wasn't entirely alone. She had Swiftfern and Birdbrook on her side. And Cloverwish and Poppypaw had promised to help her too. And... four cats wasn't bad, she supposed.
_____Slowly, she pushed herself to her feet, wavering on her three good paws. One step at a time, she made her way back towards camp, shivering all the while. She was the leader, she reminded herself. And while she couldn't blame any other cat for the prophecy, she had seen Tanglestep in the woods, and who else would have put that squirrel in her den? He was trying to scare her—and to be fair, it had worked—but he had gone unchecked for too long. Finally, Robinstar decided, she would exile him.
_____It felt like hours had passed by the time she reached camp, dragging herself past the medicine den to confront Tanglestep. She stood in the entryway of the warriors' den and was greeted by the warmth of dozens of bodies huddled together. Walnutbranch had been brought in from the lonely elders' den for the time being. Some of the younger warriors were sleeping nestled next to one another while Kiiro groomed a shivering Komaru. Upon seeing the leader, Tanglestep leapt to his feet and made his way through the small crowd to greet her. She pulled away, and his brow furrowed in concern. Fake concern, she reminded herself.
_____"Robinstar, thank Starclan you're here. I sent patrols out to look for you—Brackenfang, would you go and fetch Mackerelclaw and Killfang?"
_____Robinstar stepped inside, allowing Brackenfang to rush past her. The warmth of the den was so alluring, and she was tempted to just lay down right there, but she couldn't forget what she had to do. "Tanglestep..." she murmured, barely audible. Swiftfern sat up, her eyes darting between the two cats. Robinstar cleared her throat and tried desperately to focus her eyes on the face in front of her. "Tanglestep, you're exiled." Those who had been asleep woke promptly as exclamations of shock and confusion filled the den, but the deputy himself was surprisingly calm.
_____"You're not thinking clearly, Robinstar. Where is this coming from?" he asked firmly.
_____She shook her head. "I saw you out there. You... you followed me. Chased me onto the lake." Swiftfern frowned.
_____"The lake?" Tanglestep repeated. "Robinstar, I've been here the whole time."
_____Robinstar shook her head again and looked to Swiftfern to prove him wrong. Instead, the warrior nodded hesitantly. "It's true... he hasn't left the den."
_____"...He hasn't?" Robinstar closed her eyes, her mind spinning with frantic thoughts. "But I saw him."
_____Tanglestep moved closer, and this time the leader didn't flinch away. "Are you feeling okay? You were out there a long time. Did you lose lives?" Robinstar nodded faintly, her eyes unfocused. "Here, let me take you to Cloverwish."
_____"No," Swiftfern interjected, stepping in front of the deputy. "You're not going anywhere with her."
_____"Let him be, Swiftfern," Robinstar mumbled.
_____"But—"
_____"She said to drop it," Tanglestep hissed. "You wouldn't betray your leader, would you?" Swiftfern scowled and turned to Robinstar, trying to meet her eye, but the leader stared down at the dirt beneath her paws. "Come on, Robinstar," the deputy said, shoving past Swiftfern to lead Robinstar outside. The wind nearly knocked the leader over, and she found herself leaning on Tanglestep for support as they made their way across the camp to the medicine den.
_____Meanwhile, Swiftfern reluctantly sat back down, acutely aware that all eyes in the den were on her—and many of them were hostile. They seemed to hardly even notice when Mackerelclaw stepped inside, shaking the snow from his coat. Swiftfern shifted under the pressing weight of attention and was grateful when hushed whispers broke the silence, even though she suspected they were about her.
_____"What was all that?" Lilyfrost murmured to Nanamiwave, bewildered.
_____Her friend merely shrugged and admitted she didn't know. "But apparently Swiftfern's had it out for Tanglestep since forever ago."
_____Mackerelclaw's ears flicked towards them, and he leaned in closer. "You know why, right?" Both mollies shook their heads. "She was Brambletooth's mate."
_____"Brambletooth?"
_____"The deputy before Tanglestep. Exiled for feeding Robinstar a poisoned squirrel. Tried to pin it on Tanglestep, but he was a terrible liar; everyone saw right through it. Everyone except..." He nodded unsubtly toward Swiftfern, who greeted him with a scowl laced with self-consciousness. "Apparently," Mackerelclaw continued, "she was a rogue before joining Aspenclan. Robinstar wanted to give her a chance... we've seen how that turned out." The younger warriors nodded solemnly. "Honestly, though, I just feel bad for her kit." The three of them glanced toward Birdbrook, who was in the midst of her own hushed conversation with Minkear. "It can't have been easy to grow up with parents like that."
_____"She seems pretty well-adjusted, at least. You know, considering everything," Nanami remarked.
_____Across the den, Komaru followed her daughter's line of sight to Birdbrook, and her eyes narrowed. She made her way over, nodding a quick hello to Mackerelclaw. "Nanami, listen. I need you to stay away from that molly, okay?"
_____"Mom, I know," Nanamiwave sighed.
_____"I told her and Lilyfrost about Swiftfern's... history," Mackerelclaw informed Komaru. She nodded her approval.
_____Nanami frowned. "And I'm a grown adult who can make my own decisions," she asserted. "But thanks for telling us, Mackerelclaw," she added upon seeing her mother's stern expression.
_____"Of course," he said. "We all have a right to know the truth about our clanmates." Lilyfrost nodded and thanked him quietly.
_____Swiftfern peered around the den once more, unable to shake the suspicion that some of her clanmates were conspiring against her. Maybe Robinstar's paranoia was rubbing off on her, but there was no doubt that Tanglestep hated her, and it seemed likely enough that he had built up some kind of following. There wasn't much she could do, but she resented the thought of sitting and waiting for the trouble in Aspenclan to fester. Unfortunately, it seemed that was her only option.
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General
Aspenclan consumes 8 servings – 1 robin, 2 squirrels, 1 bluebird
Robinstar loses two lives: one from drowning in the lake, one from hypothermia afterwards
Medicine
Cloverwish and Poppypaw gather herbs
Robinstar rests for 1 moon
Patrols
Dustleaf and Swiftfern patrol the borders
Flickershade, Komaru, and Velvettuft hunt
Sandsight, Driftwind, Mackerelclaw and Goosewing hunt
Tanglestep, Killfang, Lilyfrost and Nanamiwave hunt
Request
A sepia point warrior (any color)
Training
Poppypaw trains with Cloverwish
Rosepaw trains with Birdbrook
Crowpaw trains with Minkear
Pipitpaw trains with Kiiro
Finchpaw trains with Turtlecreek
Sparrowpaw trains with Brackenfang
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10/8/21; [kat] wrote:────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────
The current season is leaf-bare! That means it's very cold, and I can't say I'm enjoying it. The snow in some territories is quite beautiful and tempting to play in, though- maybe ask some of your friends to help you build a snowcat? Since it is so chilly, everyone is doing their best to stay inside, which means you'll catch less prey, as well as meet fewer new friends. It has become much easier for sickness to spread and queens will find that births are the most difficult in this season. Be cautious and make sure to stock up on healing herbs!
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ᴀꜱᴘᴇɴᴄʟᴀɴ !! -
røsebudPatrolling
✧ Dustleaf and Swiftfern found x1 pebbles.
Hunting
✧ Flickershade's patrol caught x1 mouse.
✧ Sandsight's patrol returned home empty-pawed...
✧ Tanglestep's patrol caught x2 squirrels.
Herb Gathering
✧ Cloverwish and Poppypaw gathered x1 dried oak leaves.
Trying for Kits
✧ None.
Births
✧ None.
Training
✧ All apprentices successfully learned a skill this moon except for Poppypaw and Crowpaw.
Assessments
✧ None.
Request
✧ The requested sepia point cat is currently being worked on by ponz!
Mod Notes
✧ None.
Last edited by
røsebud on Fri Jul 01, 2022 11:00 pm, edited 1 time in total.
rose • she/her • student • passions include writing and oreos
aspenclan
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