≾ 𝙞𝙣𝙩𝙤 𝙩𝙝𝙚 𝙬𝙞𝙡𝙙 ︵☼︵

[wildsight]

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───── ★ 𝐄𝐐𝐔𝐈𝐍𝐎𝐗 !!
age. 28 moons gender. female/♀ rank. stray location. thunderpath tags. dawn, garlic, fidget wc. 787
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────The rich sunlight from above cascaded down onto the felines below, giving their pelts a warm glow, as if to signal that they were normal no longer. Strays would no longer scavenge among scraps nor fight over the latter, sheltering themselves the best they could and live their lives on edge. No longer would kittypets be spoiled, live carefree and without any real worries. None of this would happen again, so long as they reached the end of their long journey.

────One particular feline with a ruffled pelt paced among the gathered felines, awaiting for the time to come. The quest ahead of them would be long and tiring, those who proved to be too weak would show themselves early. At such a thought, lime green eyes scanned the crowd suspiciously, anyone who met her gaze directly would be struck with such a gaze, one that could strike even the coldest of hearts with fear. Her gaze lingered among the kittypets the longest, she doubted they’d be of any use to them really. They were softer than a kit’s fur in her mind, they’d only hold them back surely. Of course, if she had anything to say about it, she’d help them along, whether they liked it or not.

────Just as a few others, Equinox was becoming rather impatient. Truth be told, patience wasn’t a trait that the russet molly held, if not nonexistent. This often led to random outbursts, thanks to her temper. And just as usual, a flame began to build and burn slowly, her green gaze narrowing as her tail lashed. Whiskers quivering, she let out a yowl as if to voice this, signaling off a few others. Soon enough, cats began moving rather nervously toward the solid black earth, better known as the thunderpath. Annoyed, she pushed her way through the crowd to the front, without much care of paws and tail she might have stepped on in the process. There was a small strip of weedy undergrowth, a few loose pebbles she could feel under her paws. Equinox’s ears twitched as she gazed at the thunderpath, dread quickly washing over her.

────While the russet molly wouldn’t say she feared it, there was a sense of caution even she had when it came to thunderpaths. The sizes of thunderpaths varied, many in the city were around the same size, though long and winding, they never seemed to end. Besides the size and whether monsters favored said thunderpath or not, there wasn’t much of a difference between them. They were all a dread nuisance. Even so, when faced against either a new life or stuck here forever, a mere thunderpath was worth it in her mind. A voice soon called out to the others, asking if a few cats should be sent ahead to scout out the area, but it quickly got lost in the jumble of unfamiliar voices and the noise of the thunderpath.

────Equinox watched as a few cats chatted among themselves, rolling her eyes as she unsheathed her claws and raked the ground, leaving rather deep gorges in the earth. A few cats had the right idea, readying themselves for the quick dash across the black earth. The stray’s ears twitched as a monster rumbled past her, muscles tensing slightly. She groaned as she padded away, only getting more impatient. They were only wasting time here, so she set off to find the one who had mentioned a scouting party earlier. As she made her way through the crowd once more, she soon spotted the feline who beared a white pelt, with ginger splotches. Two younger felines stood nearby and two her surprise, the molly said they would do. Those two? She shook her head, staring at the three with wide eyes. They were so young! Her tail lashed as she approached the feline, her whiskers quivering with annoyance.

────“I would like to scout ahead.” She said after the feline had asked to see if any others would be joining. “Obviously, those two are heavily inexperienced. They’re young and kittypets, by the looks of them. They’ll get themselves killed before doing anything helpful.” She replied, with a look of disgust at the two. “Let me go and have an experienced cat handle things.” She said to the molly, staring her down with narrowed green eyes. It sounded more like a demand than a request, but it was just the way Equinox spoke...mostly. She approached the molly slowly, tail lashing before stopping less than a tail-length away, awaiting for her reply. Certainly, if this feline had any sense, she’d allow for an experienced cat to scout ahead. Nonetheless, if she didn’t the russet stray knew a few ways of persuasion otherwise.

[Bronzewing]

✾──────F I D G E T

||She-cat||Past kittypet|| tags: crossing thunderpaths || mentions: Dawn, Earl, Garlic, Equinox

The grey she-cat's pelt wriggling in excitement as if ants had gotten under her pelt, she looked up at the older cats with the sort of madness she was known for. Of course she knew how unexperienced she was- but Fidget would never be the type to actually admit that. If her mind said do it she would find some way to do it- yeah, it may get her killed one day, but she would worry about that when she had to! And for Fidget, that would probably be when she was staring death in the face.

"Yeah! I'll listen! I'll listen and listen and listen so hard that I won't be able to listen any more, so that everybody will say 'oh there goes lovely Fidget, the most listening-y cat of-" And off she went, on yet another ramble that likely nobody but herself would actually be listening to. The crazy little she-cat didn't even realize when the other cats around had tuned out from her words. Of course, she actually did plan to listen to the older cats. She didn't lie about the things she said- although she couldn't hold back from getting distracted.

Turning now to a cat that seemed even older, her rant finished, her small eyebrows furrowed. "Hey! I'm young, but I am not a kittypet! I mean, I was but I'm not anymore! I'm a rough and tough street cat with claws and teeth and grrr!" She pawed around, pretending to be a tiger before she remembered she was speaking to somebody and looked back at them. "And I will not get myself killed! Or anybody else killed! I am very repsonsible!" Of course, she managed to mispronounce "responsible".

[b l u r r yg h o s t]

garlic
bio // past kitty pet // five moons // they/them // mentions: jingo // interacting with: dawn + fidget + equinox (the scouting party)

Garlic is pleased to see that their friend, Jingo is among the crowd. It makes the bitterness of leaving a little sweeter. Making a mental note to visit them when the scouting party returns, Garlic focuses their attention back towards their new group.

Garlic's expression of eagerness slowly melts into one of disdain. The adult's voices begin to morph into something incomprehensible – they refuse to give their lectures attention. Garlic cannot wait until they get older, so cats will stop judging them instantly and assume they know them. A rebuttal is waiting on their tongue, but a newcomer speaks before they can. Garlic's mismatched eyes narrow and their claws slide out. They face the other she-cat with white fur bristling. “Stop talking about us as if we aren't here!” Although Equinox is much larger than them, Garlic's tail is lashing as they get more fired up. “Alright, I'm lacking experience, but I'm certainly not going to get any by sitting around. If you're going to sell me short then do so quietly, please.” Their "please" is dripping with anger. With a final huff of indignance, Garlic spins around and sniffs at the air.

Their irritation peels off of them in layers as the horizon whispers "adventure!" on the breeze. Garlic smiles at Fidget, appreciating her energy. 'At least she isn't acting like she's better than me,' they think as they give Equinox another narrowed gaze. Part of them wants to wander off on their own – they could start their own life without anyone telling them what to do. But their gut churns at this thought. They could learn a lot from this group – especially from cats like Equinox, it seemed. “So, where should we go first?”

[Abducted_by_Bees]

➴. ── ❝ G O O S E ❞
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( 36 moons ) ( tom ) ( Stray ) ( warrior ) ( tags: group {mentions; dawn, thorn} ) ( location: thunderpath )
➴. ── ❝ the fire inside me burned brighter than the fire around me. ❞


Goose shook out his pelt as he stood just on the other side of the thunderpath. He looked back once more towards the way he came before listening to the words of that annoying she-cat that just appointed herself leader. He unsheathed his claws, feeling the dirt beneath his paws. It was a pleasant feeling. Not like the tar that he was used to or the trash that surrounded the paths he used to take. This was different. this felt fresh.

Goose walked forward, the long grass brushing against his pelt, and suddenly an involuntary purr escaped his throat. He romped over and snuggled into the long strands of grass with his back, much like a dog that had just had a bath. Goose rose back to his feet and looked around. This was the first time he felt comfort in anything. Well, the first time in a long time. He breathed in deeply, a small, unnoticeable smile across his jaw, and for the first time with confidence, he carried on.

If only Goose had looked back, he would have noticed the cat from his past. The white cat who left him behind just moons ago. The only cat he had considered a friend, but never again. His heart was closed and his trust was empty. Goose's paws were light now as he carried on towards his new future.

[ColonelHamster]

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➼ age: 32 moons ➼ gender: female ➼ rank: stray ➼ tags: the scouting party

Firefly weaved around the junkyard, padding this way and that in a dance only she knew. She carried a small mouse in her jaws. Her amber eyes flittered around, looking for any sign of the white pelt that lingered in this place. The stench of the place didn't seam to bother her much beside the initial wrinkle of her muzzle upon first drawing near. She didn't like it, but it was what it was. She decided to come here, and this was what it smelled like. Though.. as she took in another breath through her nose there was more than just the junk yard smell. Odd. Cats. More than just the prey stealer had been about the place? Why so many?
Firefly worried about the tom cat for a moment. Was he still here?

Firefly explored the area more, slowly putting together what had happened. But surely not? Did... Did they do it? The scents were still fairly fresh. Firefly leapt forward, mouse grasped tightly as she ran with it through the junkyard. She knew they had talked of leaving... but really doing it? Firefly had dared not hoped. It always seemed to be talk, and never doing. Firefly halted in her tracks, watched as a group of cats raced across the thunderpath. If you were to ask Firefly about that moment moons later, She would say everything around her seemed to be frozen in time for a few seconds. Nothing seemed to move, and when it did it moved in slow motion at first, until a light breeze tugged at her pelt, and time continued at its normal pace as the cats finished crossing the thunderpath. In moons to come she would swear she heard something, or someone in that moment. A voice, a song, a call, she wasn't quite sure.

The mouse barely made a sound as it hit the ground. The small rodent had escaped her hold as she stood there, open mouthed. They were doing it... they were actually doing it. Tears blurred her eyes as joy swelled in her heart. So many of them were leaving the city. She... she could live out there, and know she wasn't alone. Firefly brushed the tears from her eyes with a paw, a purr rumbling through her.

Firefly lifted her head and voice towards the sky, letting out a joyous cry towards the heavens. If anyone heard or not, she did not care. Though it was doubtful any by the thunderpath heard, being so close to the noisy monsters. Firefly picked up the mouse in her jaws once again before dashing towards the other cats. She leapt through the air as she could, desperate to catch up.

Firefly bounded ahead as the thunderpath grew ever closer. She had crossed many times. She still feared it, but she knew the monsters dance. Spotting a familiar pelt up ahead Firefly didn't slow even as she reached other cats. She took three seconds to take in the thunderpath before she set paw on it. A monster was coming, but it didn't faze her. She knew this dance. She made it over in a matter of seconds.

Firefly picked out the one called Dawn in front. Firefly made a beeline for the orange and white molly. Firefly wanted to be in the front, in the midst of whatever might be going on. The first to leap ahead. Firefly made one final leap, landing with a faint thud beside Dawn, rather suddenly. She was breathing heavier now. The molly dropped the mouse between her paws to better get air in her lungs.

Firefly lifted her head with a wide smile. "I'm ready!" She still sounded a little widened as she spoke, but also excited. Her eyes shone with the fire she felt within as she glazed around the group that had gathered. She seemed to have just crushed into the middle of something with out realizing it. Her tail flicked taking another sweep of the group. Two younglings were there, but looking a bit offended. Before she took in more of the younglings, Firefly's amber gaze fell on a russet pelt. Firefly's eyes widened as realization as to who it was. They had met a few times before, but not always under the best circumstances. "Oh! Hello Equinox!" Firefly greeted a bit stunned. Pulling herself together Firefly offered a brief nod in the other molly's direction. Firefly had been yelled at many a time by this molly. Trying to stay on her good side was no easy task for Firefly. Firefly seemed to always being doing something to upset Equinox one way or another. The best method had been to keep out of her way. "So.... what's the plan here? How far are we going today? When did so many cats decide to leave the city?"

[ℛσуαℓ ♕]

✦ 𝐃 𝐀 𝐖 𝐍 X──────
age. 36 moons gender. she-cat rank. rankless who. equinox, fidget, garlic, firefly what. scouting ahead where. thunderpath wc. 316
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At her last call, a couple more capable cats showed their interest. Dawn’s eye was caught by a russet-colored pelt and vivid green eyes narrowed at the youngsters. She suppressed a gasp of shock at seeing Equinox, briefly under the impression that the she-cat was someone else.

As Equinox sneered at Garlic & Fidget’s naivete, Dawn was remembering her father, Redfur who Equinox bore a striking resemblance to. Having her father called to mind made Dawn instantly like Equinox, gruffness and all. She was nothing if not forthright & displayed a steadfast nature that Dawn could trust as she trusted her father.

But like her father, Equinox was standoffish as she focused on survival and efficiency. Still, Dawn was not offended and only flicked her tail & blinked slowly at the russet molly’s criticisms. “I’d greatly appreciate another experienced eye looking for dangers ahead, thank you.” Dawn dipped her ginger-crowned head. “I’m going myself to keep an eye on things and those two.” She reassured. It would be easier & ultimately more safe to channel Garlic & Fidget’s eagerness into something productive instead of forcing them to restrain themselves.

At the same time the small white cat with its strange differently-colored eyes voiced a question, a grown ginger she-cat bounded up enthusiastically to round out the scouting party. “We’d better reach the fields on the other side of the farms before dark. Twolegs let their dogs loose at night.” Dawn answered them both in her slightly pedantic way.

The ginger she-cat’s excitement was contagious and despite Equinox’s reminder that this was no stroll through the park, Dawn felt supremely confident in the group’s chances. “I can’t speak for any other cat but I was ready from the first whispers. No one deserves to live in a place like that or to eat twoleg trash to survive.” She mewed passionately, gesturing to the junkyard with a disgusted flick of her whiskers.

[ℛσуαℓ ♕]

✴ 𝐓 𝐇 𝐎 𝐑 𝐍 X──────
age. 42 moons gender. tom cat rank. rankless who. hydrangea, july what. crossing thunderpaths where. junkyard wc. 235
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Thorn’s gibes earned him an ice-cold glare & haughty dismissal but the tom simply snickered away, enjoying his own sarcasm. His sharp yellow eyes glanced around the junkyard again but Goose had vanished, presumably keeping up with the head of the column on his injured leg. How long that would last, Thorn couldn’t be sure of. The two toms would cross paths again sooner or later.

Another she-cat approached Thorn and his unwilling neighbor. He recognized her from around twoleg place and cooly blinked his eyes in greeting. “Hydrangea.” He croaked, remembering her uncommon name after some lurid twoleg flower.

“I want to see how many of this sorry lot actually make it. I’ve seen a few slink off already, not wanting to risk being flattened before they ever reach the fields.” Thorn’s acerbic tone went paw in paw with the casually disdainful glance he cast at some of the more frightened cats still holding back. Already many of the braver or more adventurous ones had crossed & were making their way to the next hurdle.

“I’d wager that cat there is next to give up before even going.” Thorn flicked his dirty tail at a smaller white she-cat with long silky fur and huge heterchromatic eyes. She was most likely a kittypet judging by her health & bewilderment but Thorn didn’t remark on that as Hydrangea herself was a housecat and quite competent from what Thorn knew.

[ColonelHamster]

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✦ age: 7 moons ✦ gender: male ✦ rank: kittypet ✦ tags: Maisie

Asher watched as Massie shook, the movement of her fur calming him. The young tom blinked once at her words. Her tone was kind, and her promise of keeping this between the two of them made feel a bit better.

Asher followed closely beside the molly, the edges of his pelt always brushing her. The young tom acted if he was afraid if he got any further, he'd lose her forever. That was something he did not want. When the came closer to the thunderpath, Asher sank back behind Massie. His ears lay flat on his head, trying to watch what Massie was doing, but also trying to watch the road for any monsters.

The grey tom let out a small yelp when Massie jumped back, bumping into him. "They're.... They're just so big... and fast..." Asher commented his eyes following after the monster as it kept getting further and further away.

Asher's green eyes flicked over to Massie when her voice reached his ears. So that's what she was doing? Feeling for the monsters? Trying to summon up some courage, Asher took a deep breath and nodded his head. Okay. Just do what she said. He could do that. he knew how to run. He'd done this morning, and now he had Massie with him. He would be fine.

With Massie's word, Asher leapt up from the ground. His heart raced in side of his chest as his paws hit the hard pavement. With Massie at his side, Asher made it to the other side. He did however trip over his own paws when the pavement gave away to dirt once again. The dip was a bit more steep than he had anticipated. He let out another cry. His cry had frist came from shock, but then turned to a laugh as he tumbled forward. He lie on his back, still laughing. Adrenaline was still running through him. He had done it! "We did it Massie!" Asher hooted starting to roll onto his paws. The young grey beamed at her with a bright smile. His side heaved as he bounded to her, bumping his head gently against her, a purr rumbling through him. "Thank you."

[Bronzewing]

✾──────F I D G E T

||She-cat||Past kittypet|| tags: crossing thunderpaths || mentions: Dawn, Earl, Garlic, Equinox

Fidget looked from Equinox to Dawn over and over again- she did like having the ginger feline accompanying them, at least so they could help her keep away from the russet she. They didn't seem to like the fact that younger cats were coming along- but how else would she get the necessary experience?! Some day she would be the most experienced cat of them all!! The big experienced cat!! FIDGET THE GREAT ONE!

She managed to get her head out of her thoughts with a rough shake, alike to what a dog would do. Jumping from paw to paw she looked up at the other cats, breathing in as to start speaking to them.

"More cats! We're going to be the best scouting group of all time! And if the dogs think they're going to find us, well, they're going to meet our magnificent claws! They've never seen claws so nice! They've never seen cats so nice! They're going to sit down and say in dog speak 'woah, look at that grey one, i bet they're the leader and the most absolutely magnificently experienced cat'-" Of course, she went on for a short while longer before shaking herself again to clear the fog of conversation. "Sorryyy."

Now listening to them, hoping her talking didn't drown out whatever the older cats were saying. She did want to hear them out too- to her, it wasn't her fault that she couldn't keep her mouth shut! Sometimes she would even appreciate a cat letting her know when to stop- not that it would help. "Oh- as soon as I heard cats were leaving I just had to come along! I needed to get out of here! And adventure! And to teach faraway lands about the legendary Fidget!"

[Wolvine]

◤________ EXX AXX RXX L________◥

_______stray || warrior
_______the scouting party
_______thunderpath
_______skeptical || healthy

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Earl's whiskers twitched as the crowd around her grew bigger. So many cats, keen for adventure, hungry for it even. But most of them were greener than the grass around them, either sheltered or young or both. It would be dangerous for them to go, they wouldn't even know what to look out for, what dangers could be lurking out there for such a large group of cats... But that wasn't her problem, frankly. She'd help them cross and wish them well. That one she-cat seemed confident enough, and from her slightly less glossy coat and more hardened look in her eye, Earl would wager she had some real experience. As long as there was some kind of leader, it would probably all work out. Most likely.

Another molly spoke up, voicing the concerns Earl had kept to herself, and Earl couldn't help the little purr of amusement that escaped her. The skeptic wasn't so old herself, but something about living on the street made young cats think of themselves as the source of all knowledge. Earl herself had been much the same, she was sure. Even now, she was thinking of herself as wiser than her comrades, despite not being so very ancient herself.

Still. She did know how to cross these thunderpaths safely, and had done so many times. She'd best give these kits whatever support she could. "Alright then little explorers, let me impart my sage wisdom onto you," she rumbled out, with a sardonic wave of her tail. She playfully pawed at Fidget, the bounciest and flightiest of the group, as she went past, just to ensure she had the kit's attention. She languidly made her way to the edge of the path, whiskers and ears alert, listening for the telltale rumble of the approaching monsters. "The trick to Earl's special technique is placing your paws on the black path itself. This one is relatively straight, so you can see and hear them coming well enough, but often these monsters can trick you by coming around a corner. They can't hide the rumbling though, you can feel it through your paws." She looked up as she felt one coming towards her, stepping back well in time for it to charge past. "I'm happy to keep an eye out and tell you when to run though, seeing as we have the advantage of numbers."