𝐢𝐧 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐜𝐢𝐭𝐲 𝐭𝐡𝐚𝐭 𝐧𝐞𝐯𝐞𝐫 𝐬𝐥𝐞𝐞𝐩𝐬 ❖

[A m n e s i a]

➳ 𝓜𝓮𝓻𝓬𝔂
xxxxFemale/31 moons/Heteroflexible
xxxxRogue
xxxxNo Crush/No Mate
xxxxtags 》 BrindleScorch

A small laugh escaped her though she couldn't tell if it was because the she-cats prey was now out of range or towards the flippant response, probably both "Wow FeralClan territory? now how did I possibly get here?" she spoke as she chose to play dumb and glanced around, though her gaze was always quick to shift back to the cat in front of her. She knew that if she took her eyes off for too long, she could probably be attacked and that wasn't something she'd enjoy so early in the morning.

Mercy didn't seem very bothered by BrindleScorch's stare, after all, she has had plenty of other cats look at her with the exact same look "you'd be surprised how easy it was, I would think you'd know a fair amount of twolegs would barely bat an eye at a cat passing through especially since you apparently own this land" While it was true that a pawful of twolegs probably had noticed her coming into the park, they were either too slow to catch her or didn't seem fazed by the sight of her and continued on their way.

"now, now, no need to be so hostile can't we all just get along? Surely a little squirrel or bird missing from the woods wouldn't hurt you? there's plenty here after all" She commented on the she-cats threat and was seemingly unbothered by the thought of losing her pelt, plus she was fast and certain she could easily get out of the situation if it got physical "Besides, I don't have a nest to call my own and there isn't much on the streets to eat " a fake frown grew on her face though she was certain the act would unfortunately never work on the FeralClan warrior, especially since she's fairly certain she's tried this act before.

[C a s]

⌠☼⌡→ 𝒱𝓊𝓁𝓉𝓊𝓇𝑒𝓈𝑜𝓃𝑔 → 38 mns | ♀ | Apprentice: | Mate/Crush: | Tags: Fang, Azriel, Robinsong, Whitewillow

"𝕊𝕠𝕞𝕖𝕥𝕙𝕚𝕟’ 𝕔𝕠𝕤𝕞𝕚𝕔, 𝕥𝕙𝕚𝕤 𝕨𝕒𝕪 𝕔𝕠𝕞𝕖𝕤 -

T h e black cat’s whiskers twitched in amusement as Robinsong scrambled to her paws. “Well, if you insist,” Vulturesong replied to her friend’s request, turning back towards the way she had come. “See you in a few!” The warrior gave Robinsong’s muzzle a quick flick with the tip of her fluffy tail before padding back out to camp.

Amber turned to honey in the sunlight as Vulturesong’s gaze drifted across camp and fell on her comrades. Her pace turned to a trot as she made her way back towards them, sparing a glance at the familiar ginger pelt of Sinbad. The tom was interesting and successful; and he was handsome in a way that made Vulturesong’s heart skip a beat. He was, however, completely taken by a pregnant mate, and Vulturesong wasn’t one to put herself in a position that could lead to trouble. Especially not with the leader of the Clan she called home.

Shaking the thoughts from her head, the long-furred cat slowed to a halt beside Fang. “Robinsong is on her way,” she informed her allies with a dip of her head, ears pricking as Whitewillow approached. She offered the medicine cat a warm smile, and as Fang offered to be an escort, nodded in agreement. “You are the most experienced, after all,” the she-cat purred, “no one better to protect our medicine cat!”

As Robinsong came bounding up, Vulturesong looked at each of the patrol’s members in terms, coming to the conclusion that everyone was present and prepared. “Ready?” she inquired, her gaze naturally falling on Fang, given he outweighed them all in experience and wisdom, making him the natural leader in her mind.

𝕗𝕚𝕟𝕒𝕝𝕝𝕪 𝕤𝕠𝕞𝕖𝕥𝕙𝕚𝕟’ 𝕞𝕠𝕣𝕖 𝕥𝕙𝕒𝕟 𝕫𝕖𝕣𝕠𝕖𝕤 𝕒𝕟𝕕 𝕠𝕟𝕖𝕤."

wc: 279

_____________________________________________________________

⌠☾⌡→ 𝒜𝓃𝒹𝓊𝒾𝓃 → 49 mns | ♂ | Apprentice: | Mate: Primrose | Tags: Nightfall

"𝕭𝖚𝖙 𝖕𝖊𝖔𝖕𝖑𝖊 𝖜𝖆𝖓𝖙 𝖆𝖓 𝖊𝖓𝓭𝖎𝖓𝖌, 𝖙𝖍𝖊𝔂 𝖜𝖆𝖓𝖙 𝖆 𝖈𝖗𝖆𝖘𝖍,

C l a w s flexed in and out of the dirt as the brown-and-white tabby listened to his companion’s response. The thought of more strays roaming around them, right outside of their territory, was a daunting one - it was really just one relatively small Clan against a city’s worth of loners and rogues. Nonetheless, they had taken the park, hadn’t they? Still, Anduin couldn’t fight the gnawing thought in the back of his mind: what if FeralClan were doomed to fall like every other rogue group, what if Sinbad’s leadership was as haughty and short-lived as the tom feared it would be?

While typically his demeanor seemed to be a stony one, when around cats like Nightfall, rare glimpses of emotions other than indifference could be caught from Anduin. This was one of those moments - watching Robinsong bound towards the patrol and listening to Nightfall’s comment, the warrior’s whiskers twitched in amusement, if only in spite of himself. The tom let out a sigh and shook his head, though a fond smile stuck on his muzzle. “The whole forest will know they’re coming. Today is a lucky day for prey.”

The tom’s amber gaze darted to another familiar pelt as it appeared. It seemed Robinsong had woken her sister as well, and at the sight of Brambleblaze, a warmth welled inside of Anduin. Brambleblaze was certainly like a daughter to the tom, and he felt a strong sense of pride for the skill she had gained. “Seems like everyone is up, now,” Anduin murmured, his gaze moving to his black-pelted friend. He jerked his muzzle towards Bourbon and Sinbad. “Might as well see if there is anything we can do. I wouldn’t mind getting more scent down along our territory lines, personally.”

𝖙𝖍𝖊𝔂 𝖜𝖆𝖓𝖙 𝖆𝖓 𝖊𝖆𝖗 𝖎𝖓 𝖙𝖍𝖊 𝖒𝖆𝖎𝖑 - 𝕴 𝓭𝖔𝖓'𝖙 𝖍𝖆𝖛𝖊 𝖔𝖓𝖊."

wc: 293

_____________________________________________________________

⌠✯⌡→ 𝒲𝒽𝒾𝓈𝓀𝑒𝓎 → 15 mns | ♀ | Mentor: | Mate/Crush: | Tags: Stoatpaw, Ficuspaw

"𝑀𝑒𝒶𝓃 𝐼 𝓀𝓃𝑒𝓌 𝓎𝑜𝓊 𝓌𝒶𝓈 𝒸𝓊𝓉𝑒, 𝒸𝓊𝓉𝑒 𝒶𝓃𝒹 𝓂𝑒𝒶𝓃,

I n t e r e s t glittered in the long-furred she-cat’s gaze. Whiskey’s eyes clung to Stoatpaw as his reaction was one of body rather than speech. If only barely, the tom had recoiled - just slightly, just enough for the calico to notice. Whiskey was intrigued by this reaction immediately. For every reaction there is the root, the action, the cause to the effect, and while the she-cat wouldn’t know what about her father had caused the tom to express his distaste - if only just a bit - it was certainly something Whiskey would make note of and keep tabs on.

As the tom’s paws flexed, mischief replaced the interest in Whiskey’s eyes, blue brightening with the thought of a challenge. Her jaws opened, the intent of requesting a sparring match moving her tongue, when Ficuspaw joined them. At once Whiskey’s muzzle snapped shut and she greeted her denmate with a cheerful, eager smile.

Ficuspaw was an easy cat to like, and even a cat like Whiskey was susceptible to the brown-and-white cat’s friendly nature. “I hope you get him, then,” the calico purred, though she tipped her head to the side curiously. “Even if he does seem like a grump...but I bet you could be his next Brambleblaze!” Whiskey’s gaze moved to the tortoiseshell warrior. Though younger than her, Brambleblaze had been given an edge in her training, with both Anduin and Nightfall there to guide her.

Blue met blue as Whiskey’s eyes went skyward, rolling them almost instinctively in response to Stoatpaw’s words. “Oh, you don’t mean that,” she snorted. “Get a load of this guy - knows who his mentor is, lucky it’s the Clan’s deputy, and still almost wishing he didn’t know for the surprise of it.” Her tone was a humorous one, indicating that the she-cat meant nothing outside of playfulness. Still, her gaze flicked towards Sinbad and Bourbon again, and she felt a sort of distance between herself and her demates. A wistfulness developed in the molly’s voice as she added, “I hope I get a warrior name. Well, an apprentice name...a Clan name? Whatever it is, I want to be a part of it, like you guys.”

𝐼 𝓂𝑒𝒶𝓃, 𝓈𝓉𝒾𝓁𝓁 𝓎𝑜𝓊 𝓂𝑒𝒶𝓃 𝓉𝒽𝑒 𝓌𝑜𝓇𝓁𝒹 𝓉𝑜 𝓂𝑒."

wc: 368

[razzberry]

❖ — — 𝐁𝐎𝐔𝐑𝐁𝐎𝐍

muscular, shorthaired snowshoe with bright blue eyes
tomcat ∾ 40 moons ∾ deputy ∾ location: hidden hollow ∾ mentions: - ∾ tags: sinbad

Sitting cooly under the roving stare of his leader's observing eyes, Bourbon figured himself to be one of the few cats who didn't shrivel or cower under the Feralclan leader's intense gaze. He was long past a time where he had been unsure of Sinbad and what kind of cat he was, a time dating back to when Bourbon had only just met the other tom when the rogue group was only but a few members. Bourbon had been a dominant member of the group as their numbers increased and flourished, even discovering he'd had a daughter he never knew about until she'd stumbled upon the group as well. It had been shell-shocking to say the least when the large snowshoe had met Whiskey and found out she was his daughter all in such a short time. He'd doubted his ability to be a good father at first but, like anything he does, he wasn't ruling it out until he gave it a fair shot. And so far, he liked to think he was doing a pretty good job.

Bourbon cast a sidelong glance in the direction he'd last seen Whiskey, gathered with Stoatpaw and Ficuspaw in friendly chatter. It was eerie how much alike her mother she looked, it was almost like looking at an exact replica of her. The deputy's eyes slid back to Sinbad as the flame furred tom began to speak again, assuring Bourbon that he wasn't need in camp and could follow through with his plans to take out a patrol. The icy blue eyes belonging to the snowshoe held interest as he listened to his leader's idea of introducing formal ceremonies into their clan's life. "I think that would do everyone good to have something like that to strengthen our connection, both as individuals and as a whole" he nodded his head with a hum of agreement as Sinbad continued on to fill him in on the choices of mentors he'd paired with the apprentices of the clan. "No objections on my part. Brindlescorch and Tansysnap will make fine mentors for Turtlepaw and Ficuspaw, I can see potential for growth from his for all four of them" he nodded his head as he processed what his friend was telling him. So he would be mentoring Stoatpaw, that would be something to look forward to. The young tom was a curious and adventurous one who's thirst for knowledge almost seemed insatiable. Bourbon was sure he could help Stoatpaw become the best version of himself he could be. "I'd be glad to mentor Stoatpaw, and I'm sure Whiskey would flourish under your guidance" the deputy replied, meaning every word of it.

Bourbon could feel the conversation was coming to a close so he rose to his paws, flexing his toes as he did so. "I'll be getting to those patrols now, better to get them out before cat's get other ideas. It's about time Hibiscuspaw had their assessment so I'll take them out for that and fill you in on their progress when I return" with a dip of his head to Sinbad, Bourbon took his leave and rejoined the clans in the hollow below. It had already seemed that most were anxious to get out on patrols, noticeable in the way their eyes followed the deputy as he prepared to call for the warriors to gather. "Warriors and apprentices, please gather for patrols!".

☪ — — 𝐏𝐄𝐑𝐄𝐆𝐑𝐈𝐍𝐄

sleek, dark brown tabby maine coon w/ white chest and paws and green-yellow eyes
molly ∾ 34 moons ∾ loner ∾ location: peregrine's greenhouse ∾ mentions: - ∾ tags: -

--- will post for her next time ---

✽ — — 𝐅𝐈𝐂𝐔𝐒𝐏𝐀𝐖

thick-furred brown and white shorthair with large golden eyes
molly ∾ 9 moons ∾ apprentice ∾ location: hidden hollow ∾ mentions: - ∾ tags: stoatpaw, whiskey

Admittedly, there was a part of Ficuspaw that rather enjoyed the mystery of not being in the known of who was to be her mentor. Yes, the suspense was killing her, but she knew without a doubt that she'd be honoured to be mentored by any of the current warriors Feralclan had. There were many good choices, enough that she hadn't really picked out one that she wanted above all the others. "I'll be glad with whoever I get honestly. They all have something different to offer so it's exciting just thinking about it!" Ficuspaw meowed in response to Whiskey's comment, ear flicking as the calico jumped right into a playful tone with Stoatpaw.

The brown and white molly watched her two denmates , head tilting ever so slightly as she observed the two of them with keen interest. She almost wasn't sure whether there was any animosity felt to one another where Bourbon was concerned. She was aware of how much Stoatpaw admired and looked up to his, heck the two looked pretty damn similar too it'd be hard to think they weren't related, but then there was Whiskey who was actually related to Bourbon by blood, his daughter to be exact. Whatever feelings were to be had between the apprentices she was glad there hadn't been any outward comments about it just yet.

[ℛσуαℓ ♕]

⋆ 𝐁 𝐑 𝐈 𝐍 𝐃 𝐋 𝐄 𝐒 𝐂 𝐎 𝐑 𝐂 𝐇 X──────
age. 24 moons gender. she-cat rank. warrior who. mercy what. intruder alert! where. the lake w.c. 229
──────────────────────────────────

Mercy’s mrrow of laughter made Brindlescorch narrow her eyes to amber slits while the beginnings of another nasty hiss wrinkled her muzzle. The other cat was bold to casually match her snide tone. If only the patrol were around, Mercy would be singing another tune then!

Brindlescorch’s long flame-speckled tail lashed in time with Mercy’s swiveling head. The warrior figured if she was patient she would have a good shot at tackling the intruder while she twittered on like a bird.

But for a kittypet, Mercy seemed very street-smart. It was true that many twolegs around the park and in the city streets didn’t even glance at a single cat or other urban dweller skulking around but too many cats in one place and things like collars made them curious. Feralclan didn’t need twolegs keeping an eye out for some presumed missing kittypet lest it attract attention to the Clan itself. And they certainly didn’t need poachers.

“Every piece of prey in the Park, even the rats, belong to Feralclan. If there is plenty it is because we protect our hunting grounds from lazy thieves like you!” Loyalty to her Clan and their territory blazed out of her jade-flecked amber eyes. Brindlescorch was far from moved by Mercy’s feigned unhappiness and lashed her tail again to end the other cat’s machinations. “Get your own turf or new housefolk, kittypet!”

[wildsight]

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───── ❁ 𝐉𝐈𝐉𝐈 !!
age. 8 moons gender. male/♂ rank. medicine cat apprentice location. camp tags. brambleblaze wc. 767
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────Sun and moon, day and night, light and darkness. These things the young healer knew of well and had honestly come to cherish both in such a way that would otherwise seem particularly odd to another. Slumber had never favored the bi-color tom, his amber eyes hardly seeming to close for very long, they were constant twin suns that shone bright. Yet his chipper spirit remained, typically spending his nights in camp as not to disturb his mentor, who hardly seemed to get a good night’s rest herself. It made him question if sleep was really all that great, the older feline seeming to be constantly plagued with dreams of sorts. He hadn’t known of any illness the molly might have, she seemed particularly healthy to him. Either way, he believed it was best not to ask, he didn’t want to come off as rude and upset her.

────Oftentimes, Jiji would spend his long nights in camp, awaiting for the darkness to be chased away by the dim light that declared dawn was approaching. Sometimes he wished to actually watch the arrival of such an important part of their lives, but it seemed that the outside world was much too dangerous for that. Alas, he never complained about it, he cherished both the golden disk and its silver counterpart, despite hardly ever seeing either. The black-and-white tom quite enjoyed life, it was no secret. It was colorful, intriguing and a never ending story, there were so many possibilities to a single day it brought him endless joy and awe.

────He appreciated the little things, which oftentimes were overwhelming enough for the tom. Some were quick to view him in an odd light for such things, yet Jiji could hardly care less. He’d explain it if he could, but the tom was just at a loss of words every time. He was simply a grateful soul. Now as the dim light filtered into the camp, he knew that his fellow clanmates would arise soon enough. Clan duties would begin shortly, which would mean he needed to ready himself for whatever was planned for him this morning. As cats began to exit their dens, excitement washed over the young tom. He couldn’t wait to go foraging for herbs today, perhaps they’d find something new even!

────However, as he spotted Whitewillow with the warriors she seemed to have other plans on her mind today. His ears twitched as he figured the white feline would be joining them. Ah well, that left him to figure out something on his own, what an exciting role he’d play today. Pushing himself up into an awkward sitting position, the bi-color tom cast his gaze about, wondering what he’d do this morning. There was no time to waste, as soon enough everyone would be busy tending to their duties and then he’d have more of a chance of interrupting something important. Soon enough, his amber gaze landed on a young tortoiseshell warrior. His ears pricked with interest, surely she would do!

────The young healer had always admired warriors, with such power and grace all the same. Some were a tad intimidating but his eyes never held any less awe when in their presence. Springing to his paws he approached the tortoiseshell, Brambleblaze. He waved his tail in a friendly manner, speaking in a matching tone of voice. “Hello, Brambleblaze!” He greeted with a light purr, amber eyes as bright as the sun that was hidden above the two. "Are you doing well this morning? I hope so! Are you doing anything fun today? I know warriors always seem like they’re having so much fun, I bet you are!” The tom chattered away like there was no tomorrow, quite pleased to be talking to the warrior. He’d always view their tasks as something fun and exciting.

────He briefly noticed that the molly seemed to be itching to do something, no doubt leave and tend to her warrior duties. At the thought, an idea popped into his mind which seemed to raise his spirits even more so. “Oh, are you going hunting?” He questioned, taking a seat next to the feline. “Can I come with you? Please? Whitewillow’s going out with the warriors, can I come with you? I-I can help you hunt too!” He had hardly done any true hunting, yet the young tom was eager to help if that meant she’d take him along for the journey. He would try at least, he just wanted to see the sights this morning. “Pleeeeeeeease, Brambleblaze?” He begged once more, his eyes holding a hopeful light, matching his spirit.

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───── ❦ 𝐒𝐀𝐋𝐄𝐌 !!
age. 38 moons gender. male/♂ rank. non-clan cat/outsider location. near greenhouse tags. xx wc. 1021
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────As the sun began to rise on the horizon, the world grew bright with its powerful light. It danced on the water’s surface, gave everything it touched a golden hue, alighting the sky with beautiful colors that could only be found twice during the course of a day. Alas, while the morning seemed so cheerful, Salem couldn’t bring himself to be such. Laying under a shrub was the black tom, nestled beside him laid two kits who were still deep in slumber. The tom let out a quiet sigh as he glanced over the two, before resting his gaze on the sunrise. Soon enough, birds began singing their greeting to the golden disk and each other, a clear sign that morning had arrived. The tom rolled his eyes though let out a small chuckle, remembering the days when he’d awake to such sounds alongside his family. He still did this, but one of them was missing.

────At this thought a wave of emotions washed over him, causing his ears to lower. Salem was reminded of his mate just about every day, if not the kits something else surely would. The kits were still a bit too young to truly understand such a feeling, but alas they seemed to sense that his spirits had been particularly low as of late. Even so, he hadn’t allowed himself to dwell on it for long. He still had a family to care for and his mate would certainly be disappointed if he didn’t care for them properly. At this thought, he was reminded that he hadn’t caught anything for their morning meal. As if this thought was overheard, the kits beside him stirred. Well, there was no time to waste. He nudged the two gently, motioning toward the edge of the shrub. “Morning you two. I’m sure you’re both hungry so let’s get moving.” He whispered, before shuffling from under the shrub. His whiskers twitched as the two kits tumbled out after him, their mews of excitement awfully loud in comparison to the quiet morning. A single glance was enough to get them to quiet down and with a flick of his tail, the three were off to find something feasible to satisfy their empty stomachs.

────Taking care of two kits was a daunting task, especially for an overly paranoid father like Salem. His ears twitched constantly alongside his whiskers, amber eyes frequently darting about in an alert manner, never would they remain in one spot for long before he believed something had appeared elsewhere, only to discover nothing. His kits were total opposites, playing with each other without a care in the world, it wouldn’t be a total surprise if they mocked their father behind his back. They were an amusing sight nonetheless. The black tom was currently sniffing around a rather tall object. These things were scattered about all around the city, they often housed scraps of food that twolegs would put in them. Oftentimes they held nothing pleasant but on occasions, he could find something appealing. Currently, he didn’t see anything worth eating, so with a sigh he leapt down from it. “Time to look through the next one..” As his voice trailed off, he noticed that the kits had disappeared. Eyes widening, his gaze flickered about before landing on the two nearby. They were currently playing with something in the grass it seemed, though he couldn’t tell what it was. Letting out a heavy sigh, the tom began to approach the two.

────As Salem approached his offspring, he couldn’t help notice a form in the distance that appeared to be approaching them. His ears pricked as his pace slowed, glancing down at the kits. A sense of dread was quick to wash over him as he noticed what it was, the unmistakable scent of canine. Now, this dog was a particularly small one with messy fur. It’s dark eyes flickered toward the cats, staring at them for a few moments, staring them down. “Oh no...We’ve got to go...now.” He muttered, nudging his kits away from the object they were playing with. It was a bit of a surprise when he realized they weren’t playing with anything, but it was a chunk of meat. It seemed to have been partially buried with dirt, since a small pile laid beside it. Suddenly, the thought of the dog came back to mind and just as it did so, a snarl sliced through the air.

────Salem’s fur was quick to prick, he didn’t even have to turn around to know the dog was coming for them. Urging his kits to flee, the tom bounded away from the small canine though when it came to food, it wasn’t going to be an easy escape. The dark-furred tom held the meat tightly in his jaws, as long as they could outsmart the raging canine, they’d have an easy meal this morning, one they certainly would deserve. However, as they pelted on ahead, he couldn’t help but worry about what trouble they might run across. The tom knew that this could attract other dangerous creatures, including the dreaded twolegs. He’d never forgive himself if his kits happened to be caught by one, let alone anything for that matter.

────Deciding to make a risky move, the feline motioned for his kits to dart under a nearby bush, while he led the canine elsewhere. As the canine changed course after Salem, the black tom skittered under a flowery bush, which would hopefully mask his scent. The canine rushed past him, though seemed particularly confused about losing the three cats in such a short period of time. However, the canine still stalked about before disappearing out of view, presumably still on the hunt. A kit or two would make a nice meal for a dog.. Salem waited anxiously before sliding out from under the bush, making a swift getaway back to his kits. Hopefully, that dog had run across something more appealing and had forgotten about them. Just as himself he noticed, when he reached the kits safely, but without the meat, which he’d left under the flowery bush.

[whispersome]

☽ NIGHTFALL
She • Warrior • 34 moons
TAGGED. Anduin • MENTIONED. Bourbon, Whitewillow, patrols • LOCATION. Camp

‎‏‏‎ ‎‏‏‎ As the sleepy clan came more and more to life, Nightfall’s mood drifted, contentment not fading but gaining more of an edge. The majority of her clanmates were involved in their own conversations too much to spare Nightfall more than a passing glance, but the attention had her stiffening—and forcibly relaxing heartbeats later—all the same. Under these circumstances, she was sure being surrounded by other cats was meant to instill her with a sense of security, but her instincts told her the opposite. Perhaps she would be able to adjust to it after some time; and perhaps she wouldn’t.

‎‏‏‎ ‎‏‏‎ When Anduin spoke again, Nightfall returned her attention to the hunting patrol, now seemingly fully assembled. “Indeed. Hopefully they’ll be able to catch something, though.” Nightfall’s eyes flickered to the fresh-kill pile. Eating on a regular schedule was something she was even less used to than everything else she’d come to expect of the clan’s structure, let alone when the food was provided by the entire clan and intended to feed the entire clan as well, so she gave it a wide berth most mornings, but perhaps she’d snatch something to satiate her distant hunger later. And hopefully there would be something more there to snatch. “Five cats on a patrol isn’t particularly ideal,” she said, eyeing Whitewillow’s added presence and mentally running over more than one instance another cat had ruined her meal (most well in the past, granted), “especially with those two among them, but perhaps they’ll balance each other out.”

‎‏‏‎ ‎‏‏‎ For the clan’s sake, she hoped so. Nightfall didn’t have a strong enough voice or enough of an ability to project it to call across the distance, nor would she be inclined to even if she did, but her gaze lingered on Robinsong and the rest of the patrol in hopes it would grant them some sort of luck.

‎‏‏‎ ‎‏‏‎ She almost sighed when Brambleblaze slunk past; Nightfall’s nod of greeting went unnoticed, Brambleblaze focused straight forward and not so much as glancing her and Anduin’s way. From the look on Brambleblaze’s face, her plans weren’t ones Nightfall particularly wanted to get involved in, so she left it there. Now, in line with Anduin’s low comment, it seemed only one or two cats were still absent.

‎‏‏‎ ‎‏‏‎ Nightfall inclined her head at Anduin’s suggestion, about to reply—it was a solid proposition, and despite her conflicted feelings over settling into the rhythm of the clan life, she did wish to help out where she could—when Bourbon spoke in the distance. How convenient it was that he was summoning the clan’s warriors and apprentices to be assigned patrols. Carefully she rose, steadying her half-numb limbs and stretching out the tension along her back. In the scheme of things, she was still relatively young, but the life she’d led made her body feel seasons heavier and older.

‎‏‏‎ ‎‏‏‎ “There’s our chance, then, I suppose,” she said idly, whiskers twitching somewhat at the lucky timing. “If he has nothing to assign us to, we can always volunteer for something along those lines. In the meantime…” She took a step, pausing for an instant to allow Anduin a chance to follow.

♫ ROBINSONG
She • Warrior • 14 moons
TAGGED. Vulturesong, Fang, Azriel, Whitewillow • MENTIONED. Bourbon, apprentices • LOCATION. Camp

‎‏‏‎ ‎‏‏‎ Whiskers twitching at Azriel’s clear excitement, Robinsong tittered under her breath at the exchange between him and Fang. Azriel was a bit odd, she had to admit, but he was sweet and endearingly eager all the same, and Fang’s patience with him was just as pleasant to watch. Restlessness began to prickle beneath her fur as the patrol gathered. Robinsong’s paws twitched absently, but she kept them still—a control she was unable to grant to her tail, which curved up with excitement.

‎‏‏‎ ‎‏‏‎ Another joined them, the pale pelt catching Robinsong’s attention out of the corners of her eyes. She dipped her head in greeting to Whitewillow, ears briefly falling back before snapping back up with cheer. “Good morning, Whitewillow! It’ll be good to have you along—the more the merrier, and we’ll be glad to help you find herbs to help out the clan,” she said, eyes, crinkled with warmth, flickering between Whitewillow and Fang. Robinsong had had the good fortune to not have picked up any egregious injuries or infections, so she didn’t really know the full extent of what Whitewillow did as the medicine cat, but she could acknowledge the importance of her role all the same. At Vulturesong’s reassurance, she hurried to give a nod of her own. “Oh, and of course Fang will be a great guide for you if we end up needing to split up.”

‎‏‏‎ ‎‏‏‎ There was a growing sensation of hunger at the pit of her stomach, just the same as that Azriel expressed, but Robinsong let it fade further to the background—just as Fang had said, the clan’s needs went before individuals’. She let out a steadying breath and shifted her distant hunger into a motivating force. Working hard to help others had always come as second nature to her, foolish as that may have been (or at least as foolish as Brambleblaze may have considered it) when she and her family were on their own, so the guiding principles of the clan lifestyle were ones she accepted with ease.

‎‏‏‎ ‎‏‏‎ Robinsong’s ears twitched as Bourbon called out to the clan. Her eyes fell for a moment over the group of apprentices huddled together—would they be getting mentors too, as Fang had been assigned to oversee Azriel? How exciting! Part of her wanted to step over to join them and ask about what was happening, but Robinsong had already committed to this patrol, she reminded herself, and there was always time later in the day.

‎‏‏‎ ‎‏‏‎ “I’m ready if you all are!” An amused purr left Robinsong as her eyes darted from Fang to his apprentice. “And I think Azriel definitely is. Are we heading off now, or are we going to wait to hear what Bourbon has to say?”

☢ BRAMBLEBLAZE
She • Warrior • 14 moons
TAGGED. Jiji • MENTIONED. Anduin, Sinbad, Bourbon • LOCATION. Camp

‎‏‏‎ ‎‏‏‎ Sharp yellow eyes shot around the camp, eyeing the cats all grouped up and occupied. Now, Brambleblaze thought with an eager twitch of her whiskers, was just the right opportunity. Robinsong was busy with her patrol, Nightfall was busy with Anduin, and Sinbad was busy with his deputy—no one else’s opinion would have stirred a reaction from Brambleblaze, and so with the swiftness of a prowling fox she rose and started forward.

‎‏‏‎ ‎‏‏‎ She had just taken a single step when a voice brought Brambleblaze to a sharp halt. An instinctive tug in her gut at first assumed it would be Anduin or Nightfall, chidingly dragging her from her plans, or perhaps even Sinbad himself; she almost hoped it was the latter, just to have an outlet for the contempt stewing beneath her fur, and every time she interacted with him she seemed to end up snapping. Any embarrassment or interest soured to a firm irritation when Brambleblaze instead registered the voice as a cheerful one, high-pitched with youth, and twisted her head to see a short black-and-white pelt.

‎‏‏‎ ‎‏‏‎ Great. Not only was an apprentice talking to her, but it was the medicine cat apprentice. Brambleblaze let out a quiet grunt of resignation, exhaling through her gritted teeth. She considered briefly walking away while he was still mid-sentence, as he was speaking too fast for her to actively react to, but the thought of him running straight to someone else to tattle kept her still, shoulders rigid and paws stiff where they had frozen.

‎‏‏‎ ‎‏‏‎ And then Brambleblaze caught up with some of Jiji’s actual words, and her eyes narrowed as they swiveled down toward him. She almost recoiled. Being looked at with such blatant admiration was—weird, she decided, especially if he described warriors as having fun. “I guess,” said Brambleblaze, nose twitching uncomfortably. Her usual venom ever so slightly suppressed out of sheer bewilderment. “If you can call putting yourself in a mouse-brained amount of risk for others’ sake fun.”

‎‏‏‎ ‎‏‏‎ Her low, cynically wry words faded from her own mind when Jiji sat beside her and asked—begged, more like it—to come with her. Brambleblaze almost laughed but managed to bite it back, a caustic huff leaving her regardless. The fleeting amusement passed, replaced with vague aggravation. She wasn’t much bigger than Jiji, really—or any apprentice, for that matter, something she was more than a little dismayed about; her parents had both been large cats, so shouldn’t she and Robinsong be as well?—but she pulled herself to her full size nevertheless, casting Jiji in her shadow as best she could. Her mouth opened—but looking down at Jiji, Brambleblaze found herself faltering. The look in his eyes, hopeful and bright… it reminded her almost of Robinsong’s face, so full of awe and light despite everything. It was so—

‎‏‏‎ ‎‏‏‎ Irritating, she thought. Brambleblaze’s will quavered for half a heartbeat, then hardened again. That face had never worked on her even as a kit, and it surely wouldn’t now, as a hardened warrior who didn’t need a kit stumbling around beside her. Let alone this kit. Really, could he even hear himself right now?

‎‏‏‎ ‎‏‏‎ She opened her mouth, this time intending to go through with denying him, but again she was cut off—and now, it was to the sound of Bourbon calling the warriors to be assigned to patrols. Immediately, Brambleblaze stiffened, and she considered how slim of a chance she had to slip away now. She glanced down at Jiji, then at the cats flocking toward Bourbon. And back again. And again, until Brambleblaze brought her eyes closed with a forceful sigh. Either way, she was out of luck, wasn’t she? What a wonderful day she was having already.

‎‏‏‎ ‎‏‏‎ “Fine,” she heard herself snapping, already turning. “Just make it quick, all right? I’ve already cleared heading out on my own—” a blatant lie, but it wasn’t like Jiji had to know that “—so you don’t have to let anyone know. Try not to get in my way.” Her voice was cold and clipped, and with only one last glance over her shoulder and a beckoning curl of her tail, she started toward the edges of the camp.

[ℛσуαℓ ♕]

✸ 𝑺 𝑰 𝑵 𝑩 𝑨 𝑫 X──────
age. 38 moons gender. tom rank. leader who. bourbon, tansysnap what. discussing apprenticeships where. hidden hollow wc. 430
────────────────────────────────

Again, Sinbad had to appreciate Bourbon’s initiative in recognizing an opportunity to add another full-fledged warrior to the Clan’s ranks. Hibiscuspaw was more than ready for a final assessment. Sinbad blinked his green eyes in agreement and let the deputy take his leave without any additional remark. The patrols and training schedules would be sorted by Bourbon without Sinbad having to worry about a thing.

Remembering his mate, Sinbad leaped from the top of the stone citadel and landed lightly on his paws in the middle of the camp’s open space. Casting his eyes around, Sinbad spotted Tansysnap near a bramble bush and padded over.

Despite the formidable visage Sinbad had he wasn’t a cold heartless cat who only cared about duty and control. His dream of a strong and prosperous Clan meant a lot, but not everything. There were times growing up and throughout Sinbad’s life that all he wanted was a cat by his side he knew he could trust. The orange tom was very lucky to be realizing his dream with just such a cat to call mate. Bourbon was proving to be an amazing deputy and his warriors were loyal and dutiful, but none of them understood and were there for Sinbad in the quiet moments of his life like Tansysnap had been.

As the daughter of a vicious rogue leader, she understood the life Sinbad had struggled through. She had lived it herself and had some blood on her paws to show for it. But like Sinbad, Tansysnap didn’t let that life define her. She was just as fierce as he was, maybe even fiercer with her lethal bite; but when it was just the two of them they could be themselves rather than their reputations.

A throaty purr erupted from Sinbad’s throat as he approached Tansysnap with his tail held high. He affectionately butted his head against hers and breathed in the sweet scent of her fluffy brown and white fur. Again, the tom registered something different about her but before the thought was fully formed, others took its place.

“It’s been decided. The apprentices are being paired up with a single mentor and you’ll be mentoring Ficuspaw. With all the one-on-one attention, these apprentices could be made warriors by leaf-bare!” Sinbad delivered his news with great satisfaction, not afraid to show how proud he was of the Clan’s success in front of Tansysnap.

“If only the Clan had kits then no cat could hope to challenge us.” Sinbad mused. “I’m getting carried away though. What did you wish to speak with me about?”

[ℛσуαℓ ♕]

✸ 𝑺 𝑰 𝑵 𝑩 𝑨 𝑫 X──────
age. 38 moons gender. tom rank. leader who. tansysnap what. kits!! where. hidden hollow wc. 411
────────────────────────────────

Sinbad still had a gleam of excitement in his eyes at the thought of more warriors but devoted his attention to Tansysnap. Now that he was listening instead of sharing, he registered the stiffness in her limbs and the weight of her silence. She hadn’t greeted him and seemed to be preoccupied.

But before Sinbad could ask what the matter was, Tansysnap spoke what was on her mind and took Sinbad completely by surprise. At first, the sudden revelation seemed like it would be followed by some kind of ‘gotcha!’. But Tansysnap’s serious expression said otherwise.

The flame-colored tom opened and closed his mouth a few times, no doubt looking like a trout, and stared without seeing anything. His pupils were the thinnest black slits in a sea of glassy green for a moment. And then they slowly widened until the green was a hair-thin ring holding the darkness of his pupil at bay. ‘I’m going to be a father?’ he thought to himself.

Sinbad was still and silent but felt a fierce pride growing in his chest. He felt giddy all of a sudden and inhaled sharply as if to say something. But no words came and Sinbad realized he didn’t have a thought in his head. After a painfully long moment with his mouth hanging open, a coherent thought finally came: kits!

Thinking about the tiny scraps of fur he’d seen only a few times in his life, Sinbad felt that fierce pride inside of him become the warmth of paternal love. Kits hadn’t crossed his mind while courting Tansysnap and it looked like they hadn’t crossed hers either. But as if by design, the first Clan-born cats in Central Park would be his own. A new kind of ambition flooded Sinbad, intensifying the feelings of love and pride. His kits would be strong Clan-born cats who grew up to be Warriors instead of mangy alleycats duking it out in the streets. They would have great destinies.

“That is excellent news Tansy!” Sinbad’s affections flowed freely and he stepped closer to nuzzle her. “Aren’t you excited? Bourbon or I can find other cats to take Ficuspaw for training when you move to the nursery. And I’m sure Luna will welcome you,” Sinbad spoke of the eldest Clan queen, a blue lynx-point siamese whose only kit was Stoatpaw, an apprentice now.

“Our kits will have everything a cat could ask for.” Sinbad thought aloud, getting lost in dreams of legacy.