- ⊱ S C O R C H S T A R ⊰
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♛ ( gender ) male ♛ ( age ) 42 moons ♛ ( rank ) leader ♛ ( location ) beside the oasis lake ♛ ( tags ) troutsplash
- x Scorchstar, still in a pleasant and chipper mood than usual because of Batpaw's uncharacteristic excitement at his proposition, watched the worn out tom pad off. He meowed one last farewell to him, and, just when he thought he could relax for a bit and think in silence, he turned about and found Troutsplash. He faintly remembered seeing the deputy-to-be sitting off to the side, watching the leader and the apprentice talk, and felt guilty about not talking to him earlier. StarClan knows how long the patient feline had been sitting there, awaiting the tall tabby's attention. He meowed, emerald eyes losing a bit of their glee when he saw the nervousness in the warrior's gaze, growing a little concerned, "Good evening, Troutsplash," The orange tabby's eyes roved over the grey-brown tabby, and his head tilted to the side a little.
What had he sent the tom out to do again? Oh. Oh, yes, catch the stupid rogue that had stolen a rat from the fresh-kill pile around dawn... With all the chaos of today, Scorchstar had honestly forgotten the warrior's task, yet tried to cover up his brief bit of confusion. "Sorry to keep you waiting... Wait, you didn't complete your task, you say? No bother, really." He twitched his whiskers and lifted a skinny paw, waving it in the air nonchalantly as he spoke. "Rogues getting away with things isn't very uncommon, as you know... If the outsider dares to come back, and I doubt it will, because it knows you and the patrol were looking for it, we'll give it a few wounds across the snout to remember us by. But, if you didn't catch the trespasser, I certainly won't punish you for your efforts. I'm sure you pursued the rogue with all you had, but if it got away, I won't lose sleep over it, and neither should you."
He's almost.. frightened of me. I can't have that. Troutsplash and I have known each other since we were kittens, and though we weren't always the closest of friends, surely he knows that he can trust his own leader with not flipping out on him for making one simple mistake? The massive, thin tomcat thought, mulling over Troustplash. He paused for a moment to recollect his thoughts and focus on the subject of this other individual that the patrol had dragged in. Another rogue? Of course. The bat-eared leader should've known. Scorchstar licked his lips and narrowed his eyes, still trying to keep his voice light when he continued, "I wouldn't mind at all. I'm keen to meet our newest visitor." His emerald gaze slid upward, slowly, drifting from the warrior's face to the nearly-pitch-black sky above. "But we need to make it quick."
- ⊱ F L A R E P A W ⊰
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♛ ( gender ) female ♛ ( age ) 11 moons ♛ ( rank ) apprentice ♛ ( location ) nearby fresh-kill pile ♛ ( tags ) moonpaw
- x Flarepaw started when she felt Moonpaw's tail on her shivering, black flank in attempt to calm her. She eyed the ivory cat with round, emerald eyes, and only then realized how hyperactive and almost... mad she must look to her Clanmate. In attempt to reassure the molly, who was now bent over her with concern obvious in every little movement she made, the leader's daughter stopped her whiskers from twitching, straightened up her bat-like ears and posture, and forced her fur to lie flat against her bony back and paws to be still on the Oasis floor. What in StarClan's name is wrong with me? There's no way that Moonpaw can even fathom what is going on between me and Thorn - she's clueless as to what I've experienced! I need to be calm, I need to be calm.. I've already drawn too much attention to myself, and am now completely embarrassed and flabbergasted before a she-cat that has the potential of becoming a close confidante of mine. Ridiculous, Flarepaw! Ludicrous! Act normal, and she won't suspect that anything is going on. She's already interrogating you, trying to pry you open like a coyote would a cactus full of water, so I must make her see that everything's fine and stop seeming like a hyperactive spaz!
Flarepaw then made a small, inspiriting smile stretch across her angular face to show that she was all right, and got to her feet in a haste. She promptly shook out her rumpled ebony pelt and stretched her cramped legs - apparently she'd been sitting in the tall grass longer than she'd presumed - before sitting back down again on her haunches at Moonpaw's side. The black cat felt slightly guilty about shaking off the apprentice's tail, and hoped that she hadn't offended her when she pivoted to face Moonpaw and meowed, "Well.. I-I hope you feel better tomorrow, then, I'm sorry to her that.. Anyways, yes, yes, I'm fine. It's just.. peculiarly cold out tonight. You know how cats with thin, non-heat-absorbent fur like yours truly get cold easily." She shivered just to encourage the milky-white, ivory cat beside her that, by the second star, no, she wasn't going to topple over and pass out. "Just one of the perks of living out here, I guess. One moment it's blazing hot, and the next, you feel like you're going to freeze to death, eh?"
- ⊱ N O E Y E S ⊰
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♛ ( gender ) female ♛ ( age ) 91 moons ♛ ( rank ) elder ♛ ( location ) beside the oasis lake ♛ ( tags ) quailfeather, silverkit
- x Noeyes' ears sensitive ears pricked and stood erect when she heard someone else pad up to her and inquire if she could stick around to hear the elder's tale. Quickly, the Russian blue distinguished her voice to be feminine, and could easily guess who the kind cat was. She rasped, "Quailfeather? Is that you, my dear? Oh, no bother! Of course you can listen in.. Today's tale is one, of course, of adventure, but also.." Her voice trailed off a bit and her brow furrowed and her whiskers began to tremble. "One of sadness and tragedy.." But soon enough she was back to her bubbly self and was happy again, excited to begin her story. "Ready, you two? Settle down, because it's a long one!"
The elderly female took a great, deep breath before beginning her lament on one of the most complicated and confusing warriors that DesertClan had ever known: Jackalhowl. "Now, this was a long, long time ago.. About.. how many moons was it again?" Noeyes paused and thought, scrunching up her nose and frowning before continuing, her voice upbeat, "Oh, yes, about thirty moons ago - Quailfeather, you may remember this tale, by the way, hun - there were once two brothers: Jackalpaw and Grasspaw. You both of course are familiar with Jackalhowl, but, haven't probably heard of his brother. Now, I don't mean to be a gossip, and I surely don't mean to hurt good old Jackalhowl's feelings, but.. this story is on his relationship with his brother before he.. passed on and left this world, if you know what I mean." Noeyes paused then, head twisting from Quailfeather and Silverkit expectantly, wanting some commentary on how she was telling her tale to them. She thought she as doing very well at keeping the story mysterious and enticing and full of suspense, and, just for effect, The Russian blue paused and waited for some appreciative feedback.
- ⊱ H A W K C R Y ⊰
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♛ ( gender ) male ♛ ( age ) 31 moons ♛ ( rank ) warrior ♛ ( location ) beside the oasis lake ♛ ( tags ) coyoteclaw
- x Hawkcry, fetchingly and arrogantly hesitant still, watched her, a quirk in his thick brow, and wry, sardonic smile on his broad maw. His pale blue eyes never strayed from Coyoteclaw's own golden gaze.. and, for once, he didn't interrupt the molly when she responded to him. Hawkcry was never usually one to let another speak over him.. he was always one, who, in retrospect, would always talk over an individual. After all, his opinion and his cloying words were far more important than anyone else's! Again, the dark tabby felt a - rather sickeningly surprising - affection for the female who was irresistibly pressed against his chest, still paying the sharp tang of his herbal plasters absolutely no heed. No cat, no cat, not even Scorchstar himself, could silence the warrior.. Yet, this fawn and black molly, who had been a stranger to him a short while ago, was weaseling her way into his thoughts, his feelings, his heart... and controlling him from the inside out.
And Hawkcry loved it.
Everything, everything, was about control, and this younger warrior seemed to be a master at it. Hawkcry was like a small pool of water against a blazing desert rock when it came to her. And, for the millionth time in the last few moments, this notion astonished and frightened him. It made his fur stand on end and make his whiskers vibrate and made his tail thump insistently on the sandy desert floor beneath him. How could he possibly feel so close to this female? Was it stupid how easily he melted before her? Everything about Hawkcry - all of the bad things about him - seemed to evaporate when he was in close premises to this female.. and, already, the dark brown tabby could feel himself changing when he was with her. But was that what he wanted? Was it? Hawkcry stiffened slightly, muscles bunching beneath his striped pelt. He had to remind himself, once more, why he had even struck up a conversation with Coyoteclaw in the first place.. To gain her loyalty, to gain her favor. The tomcat knew that he already had.. but he had other obligations that had to come before this younger feline below him, and he simply couldn't just shirk them. He couldn't! Not with ruling DesertClan with Waspclaw being so close! No distractions, no distractions!
Hawkcry blinked, slowly, slowly, aware that he was in too deep and that he couldn't just politely excuse himself from this situation. What have I done to myself? He thought as he, nervously, licked his lips. What have I done, great StarClan? I've gotten involved in.. something far greater than me, and there is no way that I can just abandon Coyoteclaw, forget that this... courting situation ever occurred! Sure, I don't mind being stuck with her, but.. my first and foremost goal must, must come before her, before flirting, before.. love, even. Yes, my goal must come first - and that goal is to take down Scorchstar and rule this joint. I certainly cannot do that with her.. she'll only distract me from achieving what I desire!
But Hawkcry, knowing, sensing, that his lapse of silence was going on for far too long, promptly halted his train of thought on this.. dangerous predicament. He couldn't show any weakness before Coyoteclaw, none. Though he, of course, desired her, he couldn't just say to her face, "Sorry, babe, but.. even though I like you a ton, my mission to take over this Clan is gonna come first! Again, sorry!" after so long of leading her on. In the end, common sense won Hawkcry completely over, and he, rolling his muscles and letting a deep purr rumble from his jaws, meowed, "I couldn't have said it better myself.. Enigmatic, you say?" He, getting a troublemaker grin inch across his face then and rolled his eyes in a mocking, dashing way, as he was humored by her generous compliments, "True, true.. You always know just what to say, don't you, then? You know.. I've never met a female that can.. speak my language as well as you can. There's something different about you, and though I cannot place it-" He leaned into her, delicately and dramatically, and planted a tender lick on her nose, "I definitely like what I see before me. Now, as for why I'm so.. enamored by you, I can't exactly explain. Like you said, though we are complete opposites in everything we do, think, and say, I cannot help but be drawn to you. I am a mouse in your claws, my darling!"
- ⊱ J A C K A L H O W L ⊰
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♛ ( gender ) male ♛ ( age ) 36 moons ♛ ( rank ) warrior ♛ ( location ) desertclan camp ♛ ( tags ) mossleap
- x "As do I," Jackalhowl meowed, thoughtfully, as he, not daring to meet Mossleap's eye, looked down at his massive feet, which were shifting and shuffling with his usual nerves. He noticed the way she was watching him, and that scared him.. The silver tabby, he could see out of his peripheral vision, had a curious look on her face, like she sensed some sort of secret, but didn't want to press him about it. What does she see in me? Did I say something wrong? Maybe she doesn't quite agree with my choices on who should become deputy.. Yeah, I hope that's it, Jackalhowl thought as he met her gaze once before quickly looking down again, awkwardly.
The main coon then added, trying to ignore her green stare, since his end of the conversation was dying fast, "Scorchstar has led us through many things, and he has always done DesertClan justice. Whomever he chooses will make a fine deputy, I'm sure of that." He trailed off when he noticed that Mossleap's gaze was no longer on him, but on the bright, twinkling, collection of stars high above their heads. The distant orbs of light danced across the black, slightly purple-streaked sky. Jackalhowl even thought he saw a shooting star blaze, elegant and fast, across the sky, but it was so quick that the warrior thought he'd imagined it altogether. The brute listened absently as Mossleap talked about the stars and how beautiful they were, and nodded his head a few times just to portray that he was listening when he really wasn't. He was lost in an alternate world as he stared, yellow-green eyes as huge as a burrowing owl's at the wonders of the heavens.
When he heard Mossleap get up and shift around, though, his wide eyes were ripped from the masterpiece above him and were focused on her. Now that he wasn't staring at the stars, he wasn't so distracted so he finally, meowed, "It always is. We're very blessed to live out here, where the skies are not interrupted by trees and the like." He blinked, startled by his sudden urge to share to Mossleap his love for his home and for the sky and the wonders all about him.
- ⊱ A N T ⊰
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♛ ( gender ) female ♛ ( age ) 29 moons ♛ ( rank ) rogue ♛ ( location ) the desert ♛ ( tags ) rainwhisper
- x The shock and flat out mortification in this "Rainwhisper's" eyes made Ant's skinny, whip-like tail arch high and curl in the air. This was just too good to be true! She'd never interacted with a DesertClan cat on a more.. romantic level, but now that she had? By mouse tails and cactus spines, they sure were fun to toy with! Apparently, the blue-grey cat before the rogue had never been flirted with - not wonder her green eyes were so round and so wonder her ears were so flat with shock! Ant, blinking once, so fast that it looked like she hadn't, "shut off" the luminous glow of her golden orbs and slowed them to return to their natural hue. She knew that she was scaring Rainwhisper out of her wits with these boisterous, cocky words of hers, so she "lowered the boom" and backed off a bit - figuratively as well as literally. The skinny, sandy-colored feline also knew that her eyes had done their job, and had done what they always accomplished - ensnare prey. And Rainwhisper was caught like a fly was in honey. No matter how hard this blue-grey cat wanted to escape now, alas, she wouldn't be able to, else Ant herself help release her from the sticky situation she was in.
The fright, anxiety, and bit of ire in the Clan cat's eyes was still there, replacing the former friendliness in those green depths when Rainwhisper surely realized that she'd probably made a huge mistake, choosing to go down this route with Ant. Ant, who was by far one of the most clever and manipulative cats in the desert! Hah! It's good that you realize what you've done, and it's good that you know who's in control. Not many think that I am higher above them, and yet, you do.. You are scared of me and what I will do to you. You act as if you've just encountered a coyote or your worst nightmare!.. If one of your, say, arrogant Clanmates took a look at yours truly they'd cackle and try to fight me and chase me from the lands. It is obvious that you seek to attack, hiss, growl at me, but you are aware of who has the upper paw. What you don't know, however, is how to gain that upper paw yourself and steal it from me. And that's excellent. Excellent. Wouldn't want you to be the master of me! Not like you ever would be, Rainwhisper.. Though you seem to be pretty smart, I doubt you're as smart as me, in all honesty. For example, if I took one look at me, I'd think, "Nope, nope, nope, steer clear! That cat's bad news!" But you opened yourself up to my flirting and talking to you with my sweetened words. What sort of intelligent - no, sane! - cat would do something like that, eh?
Ant, smiling with distant malice, took another step back, and felt - no, watched - the tension between them dissipate. Rainwhisper's fur was still ruffled from her close encounter with the bony rogue before her, but, now that Ant had given her some space, she regained some of her bravado and tried to steel herself. She noticed that the Clan cat's eyes never strayed from her face - only a few times, to look at her pathetic physique - and once more, inwardly, complimented her golden eyes for doing their work only too well. This cat couldn't even look away from Ant for more than a few heartbeats! The sandy-colored, long-legged, and thin creature then said, once the blue-grey cat before her had finished, "Well.. one's flexibility can always be remodeled over time." Her mew was raspy and coarse, and the rogue realized then why she had even left the DesertClan camp.. To get some water and a decent night's meal. She couldn't remember the last time she'd eaten or drank, and due to this and her sudden realization that her hunger needed to be vanquished soon, her throat suddenly felt as if it were full of prickly pears. She swallowed, quickly, to ease the pain of these needles in her throat, then continued, sweeping on with a twitch of her nose and a bat of her eyes. "Ah, a threat? I don't mean to threaten, oh, silly me!" She then , her voice a little scathing and cross and scoffing, "Please.. watch your tail? Really? You need not be afraid around me, I assure you. There are far worse dangers out here, especially after dark-" she raised her tail to the pitch black sky overheard to emphasize her words "I don't want to be your enemy, and I don't want you to loathe me with a passion, Rainwhisper. If anything, I.. I would like to forge a friendship with you. After all, you're the first 'Clannie' I've met that doesn't want to rip my throat out and feed me to the buzzards, so I respect that wholeheatedly. Finally, at long, long, last, I've encountered someone who has some sense in their noggin. Anyways.. if you don't want a friendship, then merely an alliance would suffice, and nothing more." She widened her eyes like a doleful jackal would, and threw a cavalier, sweetened smile Rainwhisper's way, as the blue-grey cat was watching her incredulously as the rogue spoke.
