Tal's birthstone event entries!

My gallery · by **ARKYQ** » Thu Jul 09, 2020 1:59 pm

My gallery · by **ARKYQ** » Sun Jul 19, 2020 3:29 pm

Prompt:
This cat has been feeling a little down about their appearance recently – they used to be really proud of it, but recent remarks have placed doubts in their mind. Maybe a reminder of some other beautiful qualities could help? How does your clan let this cat know they’re beautiful - both on the inside and out?

August | Peridot

Howlspire sat up outside of the warrior's den. A light fog hung in the air, left over from last night's rain. The downpour had left a small glassy puddle, undisturbed.
She looked down at her reflection hesitantly. Tilting her head she sighed at the way the fur of her cheeks stopped growing, the way her strange second tail-tip jutted away from the rest, the way her teeth poled out no matter what she tried. Her voice had a strange lisp, rolling her 'r's and twisting her 'h's.
Prodding the puddle with her paw, she turned to leave, before she noticed a small gray kitten staring at her intensely.
Howlspire scoffed. She'd had her fair share of kits squealing with fright and hiding behind their mamas with their dirty looks back in the old twolegplace.
"Hello." He meowed, and Howlspire whirled around.
"Hello," she awnsered hesitantly.
"I'm Stormkit, and you are?"
"Howlspire."
"Oh right, the new cat!" He chirped excitedly.
Stormkit groped his way forward, carefully placing a paw in front of him.
She flinched when his paw pad grazed her split tail, but Stormkit simply continued forwards.
"You have two tails!" Howlspire's heart sank.
"Yeah." She sighed.
"That's cool. Now you have twice as many to chase!"
"What?"
"You know, with your litter mates!"
"Heh, yeah!" She purred. "You wanna play?"
"Momma says i can't i might trip and hurt myself. I might run into somebody or i might fall."
"Well just go around them." Howlspire said.
"I can't. I can't see them. Momma says i'm blind."
Howlspire looked a little closer at the little kit's eyes. Sure enough, they were clouded over and hazy. Suddenly Talonstep slid out of the nursery, an annoyed expression plain on her face.
"Stormkit, come inside."
""Alright, bye!"
With that, the spunky kitten trotted into the nursery, following the sound of his mother's voice confidently.

"He really likes you, you know." Talonstep's voice surprised Howlspire the next day.
"Oh? How about that." She chuckled. "A blind kit and a furless mess."
"He says that you're the most beautiful cat he's ever seen."
"But he's never seen anyone." The lykoi responded skeptically.
"Excactly."
"I'm sorry, but are you trying to help or not?" Howlspire chuckled.
"I am. I'm just trying to tell you that looks aren't everything."
"Well they are when cats can look at you and gag." She grumbled.
"Nobody here thinks you're ugly." Talonstep soothed, sitting down next to her.
"Really?" The warrior asked skeptically. "Tell that to the kittypets."
"I don't have to tell them anything. They're nothing but a bunch of snooty twoleg lovers who can't even get off of their fast rears to hunt and fight for themselves!" She hissed. "You should be proud of who you are. Whenever you're feeling down, just think of every tiny detail, every kit and elder and event and place and time out there that had to be this way, every choice leading throughout history since the dawn of time, leading to the creation of you, just the way you are now."
"Thanks." Howlspire smiled. "I guess that helps a little."
"Hey, a little's better than nothing. Here, let me let you in on a little secret; it's okay to not be okay!"
"Do you think things will get better?"
"They will. You just have to last through the rain to see the sunshine again."

561/250 words

My gallery · by **ARKYQ** » Sun Jul 19, 2020 4:23 pm

Prompt:
This cat prides themselves on being forthright and honest – and they tend to hold the same standards for every other cat. They can’t stand to watch as devious, selfish schemes play out before them. What was a scandal they might have uncovered or came out about? What was the aftermath?

September | Sapphire

Merlinfrost twitched in his sleep. Blinking one bleary eye open, he saw a tail tip disappear out of the warrior's den. It was far too early for the dawn patrol, they must just be going to the dirtplace.
Merlinfrost thought nothing of it until a decent amount of time passed, and the cat still hadn't returned.
Strange, so, as quietly as possible, he slipped out of the den.
Mouth open and tasting the air for a scent trail, Merlinfrost followed the scent over to the elder's den, no, a space in between it! A gap in between the thickly woven branches, just wide enough for a pregnant queen, no larger.
More intrigued, the toyger followed the trail further into the forest, sampling the air, ears pricked.
"I'm sorry, but you can't ever tell them!" A she-cat's voice met Merlinfrost's ears and he ducked down behind a bush to listen.
"But how will they know who their mother is?" A familiar voice pleaded. Pausing to think, he tried to pinpoint whose voice it was. Then it hit him. Bramblecloud? What on earth was his clanmate doing sneaking around with some strange she-cat?
"They won't. Once they are born, i need you to take them and leave me alone." The she-cat seemed exhausted, and Merlinfrost realized that they were referring to her unborn kits. Chances are Bramblecloud was the father too!
Hissing slightly, Merlinfrost drew back, not wanting to be apart of this any longer.
As he stomped back to camp he heard a twig snap.
Whirling around, he saw Bramblecloud himself standing there.
"Hello Merlinfrost, out for a walk too?" He tried.
"How's Duchess?" He responded drily.
"How much did you hear?" Bramblecloud swallowed.
"Enough."
"You won't, you won't tell anyone will you? The kits need me!"
Seething, Merlinfrost whipped around.
"Need you?" He spat. "Because of you, their lives are over before they've begun! Their pitiful existences will be cloaked in secrets! Secrets hurt, Bramblecloud, secre—"
Merlinfrost was cut off as the wind was knocked out of him, and Bramblecloud barrelled him over. He struggled but Bramblecloud's hold was unwavering, and claws nearly pierced the flesh of his throat.
Bramblecloud was livid.
"For your own good you will keep all of this to yourself! If you ever breathe a word of this to anybody i will claw your tongue out, snake!"
"Ok!" Merlinfrost cried. Bramblecloud pushed past him, leaving Him to glare after him. "I will make sure you face the consequences of your actions." He vowed. "No matter the cost. Truth always prevails."

425/250 words

My gallery · by **ARKYQ** » Tue Jul 21, 2020 3:31 pm

Prompt:
This cat seems to have lost something – something they used to protect vehemently – and they've been wandering for many moons trying to find it again. What did they lose? And why has their mission led to them staying in your clan?

January | Garnet

Redwoods came to Mistyclan in quite a tough situation. Formerly known as a loner named Garnet, she'd travelled with her brother, Fallow. One day, he'd told her all about this fantastical dream of starry pelted cats who spoke of a code of honour and bravery. She'd never really believed him, but he seemed so convinced.
The next morning he said would go off hunting, and she thought nothing of it until nightfall, when he still hadn't returned. Worried she'd pursued him, following her brother's scent trail over vast fields and through deep woods. When she finally caught up to him, he was resting in a hollow. She woke him up, and told him how worried she'd been, and how they had to leave now. To Garnet's surprise, Fallow was heartbroken.
"You don't understand, i have to go there!" He cried, before he dashed off into the woods. She chased him for as long as she could, until she grew tired. Trudging determinedly after him through the piney woods, she watched in horror as his sleek form disappeared.
Rushing forward, Garnet halted as a large ravine stood in her way. At the bottom, she looked on as her brother's limbs splayed out in every direction, and he was still, the rise and fall of his chest now ceased.
Climbing down, Garnet choked back sobs of despair.
"This is all my fault," she cried softly, her voice cracking.
For a time that to Garnet dragged on forever, she lay beside her brother, not able to bring herself to bury the last of her family.
Grief threatened to block out all of her other senses, and she almost let it, before exhaustion beat her to it, and she collapsed.
Her sleep was fitful, full of terrible dreams where she chased her brother endlessly before the ground split open like jaws and swallowed her up. Waking up with a start, at first Garnet was confused, then reality washed over her in a tidal wave and she sank down to the ground.
Maybe it was better this way, if she died alone in the ravine, and no one would be any the wiser, but she didn't want too yet.
She did her best to bury Fallow, scraping what little dirt and moss clung to the rocky ground over his still form.
Garnet climbed up the rocks, scrabbling for a pawhold, and continued on the path Fallow had been following. She didn't even realize where she was going, numb with grief, lost in her own thoughts of despair, until she felt the air grow heavier with moisture. Looking up, she saw that mist clung to the very air, and cedars groped for the sky, dark and distant and cold.
Caustiously, she plodded on.it wasn't long before a Mistyclan patrol found her, and took her back to their camp. Fallow had been the one thing that made her happy, and with him gone, Garnet, now renamed to Redwoods upon her joining Mistyclan, had trouble feeling happy for a long time after. She took to pushing her sadness aside, and ultimately, she felt nothing. Life was a constant numbness.
After a while she settled into a shaky routine, doing her best to keep busy.
Hopefully one day she'll come to terms with her newfound lack of emotion, and maybe even overcome it, but for the time being, Redwoods just wants to forget.

564/250 words

My gallery · by **ARKYQ** » Tue Jul 21, 2020 4:02 pm

Prompt:
This cat has made a number of mistakes in the past - some they've yet to learn the lesson to. Describe an moment in their past where they made a mistake. How does the knowledge gained from that incident affect the way they interact with your clan now?

February | Amethyst

Lupinewhisker, formerly a twoleg place stray called Lupine, was very social. She lived in a small group comprised of a mother, her two kittens, another female, and two other males. Being relatively young, Lupine was often tasked with watching the kittens whilst the others went scavenging for food. As the kittens and her formed a closer and closer bond, Lupine realized that maybe having kittens of her own was the right choice for her. She would always be able to play with the kittens and the other mother had been so happy when her kittens were born. It sounded like a nice and simple lifestyle. The only problem was honestly, she didn't know much about relationships. She hadn't really known her mother, and her father had passed recently, so she'd never had the chance to observe anyone in a relationship. So, without really realizing it, or the potential future consequences it might have, she rushed into a relationship with one of the toms, named bumble. He was relatively nice, but didn't seem to know anything about relationships either.
For a bit they spoke about their pasts, and their plans for the future. After a bit, Lupine realized that perhaps she should ask the other mother. Quill, the mother was relatively kind, but explained that it wasn't a decision to be taken lightly. She explained that it wasn't all playing with kittens. She told her about the other two kittens who didn't survive, and how she'd gotten sick after they were born and barely pulled through. She told her other things, and perhaps Lupine realized that maybe it wasn't worth the risk with somebody, who deep down she didn't love.
She did her best to explain to Bumble, but he was less than understanding. In the end they agreed not to speak to each other, and Lupine left Twolegplace, for shame of insults flung at her, of being mocked. She fled to Mistyclan, and for a while she was closed off towards relationships all together. Gradually, she came to accept that, relationships need time. In the end, she realized that maybe relationships were meant to be something that sprung up, not something that was orchestrated.

364/250 words

My gallery · by **ARKYQ** » Tue Jul 21, 2020 4:08 pm

Prompt:
This cat has a stack of various different identities and aliases. They’ve claimed all sorts of reasons for having them – the story changes every time they’re asked. When they come across your clan, what persona do they put on? Is it their real one, or has your clan yet to reveal the truth of this cat?

October | Opal

kestrelcoat, formerly known as Coat of kestrel feathers, was a tribe cat who decided to leave in favour of the life of a loner. She spent most of her time on the move, always trying out different personalities. Confident, kind, pacifist, heck she was even a sadistic crime lord for a few days due to somebody confusing her with someone else. Now that was entertainment. However none of them seemed to stick. Maybe she just needed to find herself, to be who she truly was on the inside. Unfortunately it had been to long she had forgotten who that was. It took her a bit to realize it, but one day, after so many other days of simply going along with others, doing whatever she could to blend in and make them like her, realization hit.
She wasn't even doing anything overly important. She had been talking to some rogue who asked her what her favourite prey was. Of course she simply asked them what theirs was and agreed, but mentally for a few moments, she hesitated. She didn't actually know what her favourite type of prey was. It was nearly instinctual for her to lie. When she thought about it, she really liked fish, so when she told the rogue, almost robotically that she liked squirrel, she couldn't ignore the nagging feeling the lie brought.it had never happened before when she lied, but now her stomach felt heavy, and she couldn't help but wish she'd said something different. All of those times, she could have said something different, been more than a blank slate. But now, it might even be too late.
So, for the next moon, Coat of kestrel feathers made sure to really mull each and every question over in her head before answering, and gradually, the nagging began to go away.
Eventually, when she came across Mistyclan, she nearly tried to make something up out of habit, but she managed to catch herself. [i]no more lies[i]. So she answered everything honestly. For once, she stayed, she accepted a new name, and embraced her true self. The time for lies was done.

355/250 words

My gallery · by **ARKYQ** » Thu Jul 23, 2020 2:08 pm

Prompt:
This cat has a bit of an intimidating look – enough of one to scare others away more often than not. They struggle a bit when it comes to making friends and have moved from place to place looking for somewhere to belong. What sort of friendships do they find in your clan that make them want to stay?

December | Turquoise

Shriketooth, throughout her life, has always had a bit of difficulty making any friends. Mainly due to her looming stature and intimidating bulk. Shriketooth was very introverted by nature, so it didn't bother her much and she went about her life, indifferent to her own loneliness.
After a few moons, she stumbled upon Mistyclan one day whilst hunting. She was rather taken aback by the sight of other cats, as she spent most of her time alone. The others looked unfazed by her large size, unlike most of the other cats she'd seen run away in fear so often before.
She took a step backwards.
"Can i help you?" She asked tentatively, because though she was the largest, she was clearly outnumbered six cats to one. There was a dilute tortoishell she-cat, a small blue smoke she-cat, a black scarred tom, a spotted orange she-cat, and two very young, nearly identical silver and white toms.
"Rather, can we help you? As in, help you get off our territory?" The black tom spat.
"Shadow easy. Hey, i'm Canaryglow, i'm from the clan here. You look like a good fighter, would you perhaps consider joining our clan? We're always open to more members." Canaryglow seemed genuinely cheerful, and Shriketooth found herself warming up to her.
"Uh, i don't know."
"Aren't you lonely out here?" One of the little toms queried.
"Well, sometimes, but—"
"Then why don't you come with us!" The other twin chirped, cutting Shriketooth off.
Sensing that she didn't really have a choice in the matter, she followed reluctantly, and perhaps a little bit nervous around so many other cats. She didn't quite know what it was about the friendly nature of these cats that made ger feel a bit more at ease, but by the time the day was up, she knew more about clan lore than fishing, which she especially enjoyed.
In the end, she became fast friends with Crypressclaw, Tawnyheart, Talonstep, Blizzardfoot and Wolftail, who were all fighters at heart.
Perhaps she didn't want to be on her own again, or perhaps she saw the sense in safety in numbers, but in the end she decided to stay and recieved her warrior name

My gallery · by **ARKYQ** » Thu Jul 23, 2020 2:31 pm

Prompt:
This cat loves to experience the world around them. They’ve got a lot of life to spend and don’t want to miss a moment of it. Their energy is contagious. What do they drag your clan into doing? Does it become a regular activity?

July | Ruby

Cardinalsong originated from a different clan high up in the mountains, but when the rest of the clan scattered, she fled down to a valley below. Despite being clanless now, Cardinalsong was still a very social cat, and could never truly be happy in a life of solitude, so she sought out another clan to call her own.
She always kept her original warrior name and always held clan lore and tradition close to her heart, so when she stumbled into her soon to be new clan's territory she recognized scent markers as belonging to another group who believed in starclan.
When she learned that Mistyclan was willing to take her in, she hurriedly agreed and became fast friends with a few other cats, such as Asterflight and firepaw.
From her clan in the mountains, she brought over new knowledge, with she shared with her new clanmates.
One of these things was a new way to catch large birds, such as hawks, owls and falcons. Mistyclan already hunted these creatures, however with her new leap and pin move, the normally dangerous predators were suddenly a bit more easier for the cats to catch. The other thing was how in her old territory it snowed rather often, so she taught them how to pack snow with their paws so that it was much more solid. This knowledge was excellent for when the snow was too deep for the kits to play in, or when the needed to preserve fresh-kill.
With all of her teachings, Cardinalsong quickly gained a reputation for herself and was instantly trusted by most cats. Now, she aspires to one day teach an apprentice, due to her newfound love of teaching.

283/250 words

My gallery · by **ARKYQ** » Thu Jul 23, 2020 3:55 pm

Prompt:
This cat has gone out searching for chapter after chapter in the story of their life. They’ve never before settled down in one place. What about your clan has them sticking around past their normal departure and looking forward to the next phase in their life?

May | Emerald

Twig sat outside of the warrior's den, pondering. He had always been a loner, and never really stayed in one place for very long, usually seven days at most occasionally more if the place where he was staying was particularly nice.
He'd spent five days in the strange clan that lived in the misty woods, and he'd grown quite fond of a few of the cats here. Though he knew that they would be sad he should leave. To stay in one place for two long was dangerous. Perhaps the one he'd miss the most was Reedripple. The pale brown tabby tom had been very welcoming to Twig and was about the same age as him, maybe a moon or two younger.
As he sat wondering how he was going to break the news of his departure, the very same cat walked up behind him.
"Hey Twig! What are you thinking about?" He asked cheerfully, plunking himself down beside Twig.
For a second Twig considered lying to Reedripple to spare his feelings but decided that would just cause more pain later on. With a sigh, Twig explained why he had to leave. Just as he had expected, Reedripple was crushed.
"But why do you have to leave?" He asked softly. It broke Twig's heart to see the tears welling up in the corners of Reedripple's eyes, and his own vision blurred.
"Because it's dangerous to stay to long in one place. I'm a traveller, i hate staying in one place for too long."
"But your not in any danger! I'll protect you! So will the rest of the clan! I'll make sure you're never bored! Please stay!" Reedripple pleaded.
"I'm sorry i can't." Twig sighed.
"Please don't leave me!" He begged. "You're the best friend i've ever had! I need you to stay! If you leave who will be your friend?" His voice cracked and he sobbed.
"Hey. Don't cry." Twig murmured. Then wordlessly he wrapped himself around the other tom, grooming him until he calmed down.
"Please don't leave. I-" he trailed off.
"How about this," Twig ventured. "I'll stay for one more week. That's seven days. If i decide i'll stay then i won't leave. But if i don't i'll move on, alright."
Reedripple hesitated.
"Reedripple, i need you to give me a choice."
"Okay Twig. Seven days."
Twig nodded, and neither of them said anything else, simply sat and watched the others go about their tasks.

The next few days came and went much quicker than Twig had expected. Reedripple hadn't said anything else on the matter of his departure, simply commented mildly on small things like the weather. Somehow it made Twig feel worse.
When the week was over, Reedripple walked up to him. Taking a deep breath, he mewed,
"Twig. There's something i need to tell you." He took another shaky breath. "This past week with you has been one of the best in my life. I just wanted you to know that, no matter your decision, i—" he swallowed as though he were having difficulty finding the right words. "Want to tell you, that i love you. I hope you know that if you leave, i'll never forget you, and you're always welcome back and—"
Twig interrupted him, knocking him off his paws, "i love you too!" He sobbed.
Tears slid down his face as he pressed his muzzle into Reedripple's fur.
"So you're staying?" Reedripple whispered in disbelief.
"Of course featherbrain!" Twig teased him.
A low chuckle made Twig look up. Mintynose was standing there. "Finally!" She teased them.
"Finally." Reedripple repeated softly.
"Finally." Twig agreed.

603/250 words