Journey to the Trinity Tree - Summer event prompts

[MySpoons]

Because of (or despite) your cats best efforts, whether it was their own party, or a splinter somewhere, the trees both find themselves aflame... spreading strongly, deeply, as the god of decay and goddess howl, ear shattering cries that shake the battlefield to its roots and send the soldiers reeling back to try to protect their patron. It goes from danger to panic in an instant as all efforts are made on both sides to put out the spreading and all consuming flames that tear across the ancient beings surfaces.

Those responsible...slink back into the shadows to try and remain unnoticed. But the attention is so torn apart their presence isn't even registered.

How do your cats handle the flames? How do they battle them? Do they chase after the fleeing foes or retreat to try to save their tree too? Do they continue trying to sabotage the other side? Can they stay calm under this pressure and react responsibly to the heavy smoke filling the field and the fear of fire trapping them?


Username: MySpoons
Link to cat(s) or lion(s) involved in prompt: MAR'S CHAMPION, Samael, Isolde
Link to their pride or group: The New Guard
Prompt level completion: Level 5
Prompt: [shaded fullbody with complex background]

[Runnersback]

Username:Runnersback
Link to lion(s) involved in prompt:Achilles Letaba
Link to their pride: Realms of L’Oasis Lo
Prompt level completion: Level 5
Prompt:012

[minifun990]

Username: minifun990
Link to cat(s) or lion(s) involved in prompt:Ladon Melli
Link to their pride or group:Mystic Isles
Prompt level completion: 5 (1134 words)
Prompt: June 12th

[EchoIre]

Username: EchoIre
Link to cat(s) or lion(s) involved in prompt: Chetan and Kamala| Hazel
Link to their pride or group: Motoheri Pride | Hallow's Edge
Prompt level completion: Level 5
Prompt:

Chetan felt it before he hard or saw anything. The sudden shift in the air, the growing warmth.

A sudden shriek tore through the battlefield, followed by an earthshaking bellow from far off. Now, this was not uncommon, but something about these two sounds - so loud and so primal - told every beast and creature present on the battlefield something was wrong. Deeply, terribly wrong.

Chetan whipped around and was faced with the terrible scene of the Trinity Tree going up in flames. For a moment, he was rapt in the irony of it. Just as the goddess of life's army went to burn the tree of the decay, the army of decay burned the tree of life. Then, it struck him how quickly the fire was spreading. Up the shrieking Trinity Tree and through the surrounding canopy, filling the clearing with smoke and dastardly orange light far too swiftly. He looked around wildly, his throat tightening as the battlefield dissolved into chaos as both sides rushed back to extinguish their deities. Each scream tore at his heart.

He'd failed again, and others would burn for it. Again.

Lions and cats ran all around him, some trampling over each other, some going into the city for supplies, and some running without purpose in their panic. Would this be pinned on him again? So many lions saw him as as harbinger of death and destruction, and had made it clear they did not trust him. Luckily, everyone was focused on the Trinity Tree.

He needed to help.

Chetan shook his head. The heavy scent of some was all around him now, the shrieks of the goddess and roar of flames filled the night. It reminded him so much of-

No!

Chetan winced, as if the mere memory brought physical pain. It was too much, too similar, too soon.The leopard stared at the burning Trinity Tree, eyes wide.

He had failed.

Again.


Hazel nearly jumped out of her skin as the first scream from the deities ripped through the battlefield.

"What was that?" She shouted. Already, the fighting had stopped as every beast and creature asked themselves the same question.

"The Trinity Tree!" Someone shouted, prompting every cat to turn their gaze on the great tree of life, swathed in dancing flames.

"No..."

"Over there!" Hazel whipped her head around in the direction of the voice, and saw a lion looking somewhere far away. She turned to where they were looking, and saw a great beacon of fiery light somewhere deep in the forest. The splinter group had succeeded.

Panic thundered through Hazel's veins as she turned back to the burning goddess. This was too much fire. The goddess, the forest, wouldn't survive. What had they done?

Immediately, Hazel leapt into action. She raced back into the city, dodging massive paws and burning limbs alike. Once there, she, like so many others, ran to the gardening supplies and grabbed buckets, filling them with water from the spring before racing back up the tunnels. She moved without thinking, back and forth through the tunnels with the cold iron held between her teeth, filling the bucket only to dump in on the burning Trinity Tree once she reached the topside. Some cats focused of the parts of the tree that had started to burn underground, where the fire had spread from the inside. A part of her felt the task was doomed to fail, as time and time again she fruitlessly dumped water on the burning bark as the goddess screamed and screamed.

Somewhere between runs, Hazel collapsed, shaking as coughs shook her body. Smoke stung her eyes, scratched her throat. Fore the first time, Hazel looked up and saw exactly how far the fire had spread. A cold chill ran down her spine.

She should have gone back when she had the chance.

Doing her best to choke back another bought of coughing, Hazel shakily rose to her paws and picked up her bucket. She held her breath and ran back into the city.


Kamala froze in her tracks as the goddess's and god's howls split the tension of the battlefield. Dread settled in her stomach, cold and heavy. They really did it. And the goddess's army set fire to the god of decay, too. Suddenly, she was hit with a wave of panic and urgency. She had to do something! The balance of this world, and the entire forest, was in danegr!

The battle dissolved quickly, with each army returning to their burning deity as quickly as possible. Some champions with the army of decay, like Kamala, hesitated. Should they go to the god of decay, who they now served, or assist the goddess of life, who brought them here, who they betrayed, who lied to them?

Before she had the chance to decide, Kamala spotted the familiar shape of Chetan in the midst of the army of life, standing petrified as he stared up at the tree. The canopy above him cracked and burned, wobbling ominously in the wind. Without thinking, the lioness charged forward, tackling Chetan out of the way seconds before a burning branch fell right where he was standing.

She watched as the leopard's eyes focused on her, his fear turning to confusion.

"Kamala?" He breathed. "What are you doing here?"

"I...." Kamala looked around, and the chaos and fire and death. "It's complicated."

His brow furrowed. Kamala could see he was about to ask, but suddenly realization bloomed across his face. "The tree!" Chetan gasped. He scrambled to his paws. "Come on! We have to help!"

Kamala's heart sank. She looked away and stepped back. "I... I can't."

"Why?"

"I'm..." Kamala winced as the goddess screamed again. The goddess had lied, sought to destroy the balance of the world, but she didn't deserve this. But Kamala had chosen her side. Right now, the god of decay needed her. She could only hope the goddess's army could help her. "Find Iah." Kamala said at last. "He'll explain everything."

With that, Kamala turned and fled into the forest, running all the way back to the god of decay's camp to join the battle to extinguish him.

[Sunlitsecrets]

Username: Sunlitsecrets
Link to cat(s) or lion(s) involved in prompt: Calypso , Barley , Psyche , Sven
Link to their pride or group: Starheart's Regiment , The Wanderlust
Prompt level completion: 5
Prompt:
What's the point?
link

[Goddess Sword]

Username: Goddess Sword
Link to cat(s) or lion(s) involved in prompt: Mitko (Major character), Beatrix (Minor character)
Link to their pride or group: The Wayfarers
Prompt level completion: Level 5 (1,033 words)
Prompt:

Try as they might, the cats and army of decay fail in their efforts to stop the roaring, all consuming flames that engulf the ancient trees. Catching on wood, leaves, anything dry it could fall onto. Eventually, the soldiers are forced to leave by smoke and flame, and drag themselves into the fields and woods where they can only watch.

The rain comes, but it's too late. It does nothing but seem to anger the fire more. There is nothing but the pattering of rain as they all watch in silence, the water mixed with the falling ash and choppy plumes of smoke that blend in the sky with the dark storm clouds

In their anger and bitterness, their desires to be right, both sides have failed.

How does your cat try to keep up hope? Do they fear for the future- what this means? Do they keep trying desperately to save something? What's left in their heart when their goal is taken from them, what do they do when met with a grave failure? Where do they go, who do they become?

She found him in the woods some hours later, still desperately throwing clumps of mud at the smoldering blaze. The other lions and cats that had fought on behalf of the god of decay had, by now, already accepted their fate and left, driven back by the heat of the flames and the cold of the rain, the threat of the fire spreading to the other trees and brambles and engulfing them too much to bear. Even the non-feline beings of decay, the soldiers of the god, had seemingly wandered off, realizing the futility of their situation. Or perhaps they had simply lost their ability to move at all when their god was engulfed in fire. Neither knew, and at this point, neither really cared.

"Mitko," she said, placing a paw on his foreleg, "it's over. It's too late. We need to leave."

"No!" he snapped, and pulled away. Left on Beatrix's paw was a layer of muddy soot, rubbed away to reveal the sopping wet brown fur beneath the fine layer of ash that coated him. He snarled and launched another clod of mud at the flames, which crackled and snapped in response as they engulfed the damp earth. "We have to save them! If we don't, how are we supposed to get out of here?!"

Her ears drooped. "I don't know, Mitko, but please, we need to go. This isn't working. Look at yourself." She rubbed another spot of soot off of his back leg to reveal a splash of white on the back, now stained a dirty beige color from the soil and ash. "It's too late. The goddess's tree is too far gone. This one, too. We need to leave before the fire spreads any further."

A barrage of harder rain passed briefly overhead, turning to steam at the fire's touch and dripping from Mitko's chin alongside frustrated tears. He had come this far. He had been dragged into this mess against his will, and for what? For a war he didn't care about where two deities would send mortals like them to kill each other so none of them could ever find their way home? And he, the fool that he was, had stayed. As though he owed some debt to the people and deities of this place, to these other felines he'd never met who had also been pulled from their lives.

He should have left when he had a chance. He should have abandoned them to die here and gone on with his own life.

Instead here he was, glaring through tears at a burning tree without even his best friend by his side any more. And the others? He didn't like them, but... They hadn't even gotten to say goodbye. He and Beatrix had just sent his best friend back home with a note reading "Back soon." A promise they had no choice but to leave unfulfilled now.

Oh god, Ragin, he thought. I'm sorry. He hoped Kat would still help the fox hunt as he had in the past, that Sophie might be able to beg for enough food to keep them all fed.

"Mitko, please," Beatrix begged, her whines snapping him back to the reality of his situation. "It's not worth it. You can't save them. Please, we need to go."

He gave the tree one last, long glare, then allowed the tension in his shoulders to fall as he sighed, defeated. "Fine." And, a feeling of bitter emptiness growing inside him, he let her lead him to the fields.

They were far from the only cats there. Felines of all sizes and from both sides sat in the field, watching the smoke from each of their trees rise higher and thicker in the distance, ash and rain mixing into a horrible concoction that stained the ground black and grey. Those who had fought the flames from a closer distance licked their wounds, burns that had scorched their fur and skin, attended by apothecaries. A few mumbled amongst themselves, while others merely cried. The rest could only sit in a somber silence.

"...You did this," Mitko muttered to nobody in particular.

"Mitko..." She placed a paw on his shoulder again.

"No!" he snapped, looking up at the other felines, and at the tree. "They did this!" he declared, gesturing all around. "They dragged us into their war, fought each other half to death, and burned down the trees! They dragged us here and trapped us here, and for what?!" He snarled at the felines in the crowd. "You trapped us - Trapped yourselves - here, and for what?! Because you couldn't stand the idea that any of you could be wrong, that maybe beating each other half to death wasn't the answer?! Because you were so worked up over a war most of us don't even have any stake in that you would burn down the trees with the deities who brought us here and could send us home inside?! What is wrong with you people?!"

Beatrix shrunk back. "Mitko, please, this isn't... you're making a scene..."

"Yeah?!" He turned to her, eyes ablaze. "Well, good! They sure made one hell of a scene when they lit our only way home on fire!" He turned again and snarled at anyone and everyone who met his gaze, from both sides of the conflict, those who had burned the trees and those who did not, warriors and civilians alike. As far as he was concerned, there was no difference between them any more. They had dragged them here or been dragged here themselves, and they had played along until it had come to this. They were all the same. They were all guilty. "We had lives back in our worlds! Ones with friends, with families, with histories, with goals we were pursuing which we put on hold for you, and this is the thanks we get?! Being trapped here with no way back?!"

Then the fire in his eyes began to fade, a look of bitter sadness filling his glare in its place. "Some of us didn't even get to say goodbye," he said, his tears mixing with the rain in an unidentifiable cocktail. "How dare you."

[-Isabella-]

Username: Isabella45
Link to cat(s) or lion(s) involved in prompt: Khalida, Nthanda, Ravi, Valerius
Link to their pride or group: xxXxx
Prompt level completion: Level 5
Prompt:

Try as they might, the cats and army of decay fail in their efforts to stop the roaring, all consuming flames that engulf the ancient trees. Catching on wood, leaves, anything dry it could fall onto. Eventually, the soldiers are forced to leave by smoke and flame, and drag themselves into the fields and woods where they can only watch.

The rain comes, but it's too late. It does nothing but seem to anger the fire more. There is nothing but the pattering of rain as they all watch in silence, the water mixed with the falling ash and choppy plumes of smoke that blend in the sky with the dark storm clouds

In their anger and bitterness, their desires to be right, both sides have failed.

How does your cat try to keep up hope? Do they fear for the future- what this means? Do they keep trying desperately to save something? What's left in their heart when their goal is taken from them, what do they do when met with a grave failure? Where do they go, who do they become?

The fire raged on and it soon became apparent no one could stop it. Once they had helped some of the citizens Nthanda, Valerius, and Ravi retreated with the rest to be out of the way of the flames.
Some of the citizens and soldiers watched almost mournfully as the flames engulfed the tree, turning the trunk nearly black and eating away at every branch and leaf that hadn’t already burned.

“This is their fault, had they done better we wouldn’t have come to this,” One citizen muttered, casting an angry glance toward some of the champions.

“Nothing could have stopped this,” an older citizen murmured with a sad shake of their head.

The other citizen was quiet but seemed unconvinced, still glancing angrily at the champion who watched the blaze quietly.

The touch of cold rain drops on their fur brought everyone out of any trance or thoughts they’d been entertaining. Perhaps this would save them?
Some looked on hopefully, but others knew that it was too little too late. As the rain fell it was almost as if the flames leapt to greet the droplets, making a hissing sound as the two collided. None of the rain ever seemed to get through the flames enough to touch the tree which was blacker by the minute and starting to flake and peel as ashy portions of the bark fell to the ground and disintegrated.

“Look at what this has gotten us,” One champion muttered. “Nothing but failure. Well it’s their own fault! These citizens and their goddess didn’t give us enough to fight with!”

“They cannot be solely blamed, we got caught up in the fighting,” one cat interjected.

“Well what now? The trees are gone and there is no portal, we may never get home!”

As voices began to rise around them and arguments spring up in every corner, Nthanda was still preoccupied with looking for her sister, concerned that she hadn’t seen any sign of her. “I need to go find her,” she murmured to her companions.

“Now isn’t a good time to wander off,” Ravi replied quietly. “She’s around I’m sure. She’ll be here before you know it.”

“But what if she isn’t? What if she got hurt?”

“She’d want you to stay safe no matter what,” Valerius said. “We have no idea what will happen now, and splitting up could be more dangerous than ever. Especially with these fires raging.”

Nthanda sighed softly. “I suppose you’re right. It just…it feels like we failed somehow. And yet, it doesn’t at the same time.”

“Well, in my opinion it was managed poorly by the god and goddess,” Valerius murmured, quiet so as not to offend anyone. “It is terrible, what’s happened. I don’t think either of them really deserved it. But had they been more up front, prepared us better, things might have gone differently. I just hope we can still get out of here somehow without them.”

“I wonder what the citizens will do now,” Nthanda said, glancing around. “They don’t look less lost than us really. Then again, at times they act as if this is all perfectly normal, like a repeat of history or something. It’s all very confusing. Misleading even.”

“I still think we need to be careful about trusting anyone from here,” Ravi commented. “They haven’t exactly proved themselves as of yet. And we have no idea how the citizens will go about repairing things in the wake of this. Or what system of leadership they have in place if any.”

“Of course, for all we know the goddess’s spirit may have survived in some form,” Nthanda said. “If the tree were...say a host of some sort perhaps she can exist without it in another host. Or perhaps she will simply need to pick one of those sprouts and grow with a new tree…Who knows really. Anything seems possible.”

“All a bit…much though,” Valerius said. “If that is the case I don’t see why they wouldn’t just tell us. Wouldn’t it be better that way? Unless they want something from us first.”

“I don’t see what else we could give them at this point. And as it is…we may be stuck here.” Though she didn’t like to voice that fear out loud, Nthanda knew they’d have to face that possibility. With no guarantee of going home soon, if ever, they’d have to decide what they wanted to do as they waited. Or if nothing happened, what they would do for the rest of their lives.
Provided they didn’t still end up dying once the shock and defeat wore off, if the armies started to fight again. It occurred to her briefly that she hadn’t seen a single creature from the army of decay’s ranks since they first left the field. But right now she didn’t quite dare look around trying to spot them.

“I think for now we need to focus on the simple things first,” Ravi said before long. “Food, water, shelter. Healing for those who need it. We have bigger problems but right now it seems best we just take it one step at a time. Worrying too much about the what-ifs won’t help us.”

“You’re right,” Nthanda agreed. “We can wait and see if the god or goddess have indeed survived, and if so perhaps we can finally get some guidance from them. But in the meantime the citizens may need help fixing their home, and as much as this has been frustrating I don’t want to leave them on their own even if I am frustrated with their goddess.”

“So we’re agreed on what to do then?” Ravi asked, looking over at Valerius.

“We are,” he said with a nod.

And with that the three lions were quiet, standing with the rest as they watched the flames burn and then recede. They were so focused on the fire, and their own thoughts and planning that none of them noticed the dark shape in the skies above them, flying over the burning tree and then heading for the forest where the other tree still burned bright.

[Firedancer77]

Username: Firedancer77
Link to cat(s) or lion(s) involved in prompt: Kina, Cole, Gluttony, Maji. Galilee, Grimm
Link to their pride or group: Isle of Roses and Graveyard of Gods
Prompt level completion: Level 5
Prompt:

As the rest of the champions and other fighters wept, Gluttony just sat, watching the rain mercilessly pelt the fire in a desperate attempt to put it out, not that that would do much now; after all, by now, both trees had passed the point of no return and stood no chance at being saved. No one approached her, just leaving her to sit and smirk at the destruction all around. The black and white she-cat had had no stakes in the battle, so it wasn't like she cared about the outcome. Perhaps that was heartless, but that was the truth, the cruel reality of the situation. Gluttony couldn't have cared less about who won and who lost; she was just eager for the chance to destroy something. Watching that destruction unfold for both sides, rather than just for one or the other, simply made it all the sweeter.

The crushed spirit that hovered over every cat and lion, citizen or champion, was more comforting than it should be to Gluttony, but that was because the feeling was all too familiar to the fraud of a goddess. That despair as you looked around and saw that everything you had worked towards had been destroyed was palpable in the air at the moment, and it was exactly how Gluttony had felt when she was a child, long before she had found her way to the Depths and gained a position as one of the gods in the Graveyard of Gods. They'd taken everything that made her her and destroyed it; Gluttony was completely reshaped into something else, something that would fight for them and not question the words that they said after questioning them for so long. She had swallowed her pride, her intelligence, her honor, her morality. Something snapped when Gluttony realized the reality of the group she'd been born into, crushing her and leaving her vulnerable to their attempts to make her their perfect fighter.

She hated that feeling, hated what it reminded her of.

Gluttony briefly turned her attention from the burning battlefield to glare at some of the nearby felines, all of whom were still bemoaning the destruction of their precious trees. How was she meant to bask in the destruction caused by the fire when they all lurked around like this, their despair clogging and polluting the air around them? It was ruining everything, reminding her of a time she had been taught to block out and ignore. Gluttony had been weak then. She'd been weak before they broke her, and she'd been weak after. That was why she'd murdered them all. Once they were all dead, there was no voice left for her to beg to shut up or that would tell her to quiet. There was just Gluttony.

The black and white she-cat's red eyes went back to the battlefield as she flexed her claws against the grass and dirt beneath her paws. She could not just slaughter the citizens and champions surrounding her. The time for that was over, and besides, she could ignore them. Gluttony was not weak any longer; she could ignore the feeling in the air, no matter how reminiscent it was of a simpler time, one where she had a few screws tighter than she did now. Tail flicking back and forth behind her, Gluttony shut her eyes and just let herself bask in the distress of everyone surrounding her.

Wasn't that what made destruction so beautifully satisfying? The feeling that she dreaded and hated easily became a source of enjoyment when Gluttony took on a new perspective. This was the reaction she had wanted to see, all too reminiscent of the shrieking of both trees.

This was good.
---
This was bad.

No, this was worse than bad. This was terrible. A disaster. The worst outcome that could have come from the night. It wasn't even an outcome that she had considered, because it seemed too far removed from the realm of possibilities to even be worth preparing herself for.

And yet, here they were, both trees aflame as champions, beasts, and citizen alike all gathered off the battlefield and away from the fire, their status as enemies temporarily forgotten in the chaos that both sides had caused.

"What have we done?" Kina whispered, staring at the smoke beginning to fill the sky above both of the spots the trees had once stood.

"We destroyed them both," Maji muttered from beside her, the mark on her face from where Kina clawed her only just starting to stop bleeding.

Kina couldn't meet the older lioness' eyes as she answered, eyes falling guiltily to the ground as she kneaded at the grass beneath her paws. "Both sides failed. What does that mean for us?"

"What do you mean?"

Kina managed to raise her head to fix the Soldier with her deep blue eyes. "They brought us here. How do we get back?"

Maji actually seemed caught off guard by her question, as if she hadn't thought that far ahead. "I don't...I don't know. But-"

Kina cut her off, looking back towards the plumes of smoke signifying where each of the burned trees stood. So close together, and yet so far apart. "What does this mean for life and decay? We didn't just tip the balance; we utterly obliterated it. What happens to everyone that lives in this realm? How does losing both of those gods affect them? Does it just affect this realm, or does the affect of losing both trees go beyond this realm and affect ours too?"

"If losing one of the trees affects how they live their lives, you really ought to be glad your side didn't succeed in destroying life for the sake of decay." Maji said coldly. Kina flinched, opening her mouth to retort, but Maji continued before she could. "Wouldn't that mean there would be no more new life? Everything would just die, and it would not be replaced."

"So what, is this realm now stagnant?"

[ 1001/1000 words ]

likely will be continued when I have time

[Frisco]

Username: Frisco
Link to cat(s) or lion(s) involved in prompt: Sen, Rei, Varjo, Marlevort, Fantom, Moe, Lasan, Siare
Link to their pride or group: Night Watch | Purradise Lost
Prompt level completion: 5
Prompt:

The lions left the tree of decay behind them. The fire was spreading quickly and eating the old, dry bark. As the tree wailed, the flames devoured everything around it. A few felines, refusing to give up hope, were still trying to put it out, but their buckets of water did nothing, but cause small airs of steam to erupt into the air. Everything was getting engulfed in thick, grey smoke.

They were discontent. They would have to tell everyone that they failed in their mission. The whole plan of stopping the war rested on their shoulders and their ability to stop the tree from being burnt. Sen had a feeling that it would cause a large raise of hate between the felines from two sides. The fighting could get much more intense from then on… Al thought, with the tree of decay gone, perhaps there would be noone to command the armies of decay and at least they would stop attacking. If it was so, maybe they still had a chance. Maybe things wouldn’t be as bad as they looked right now.

- Commander!

A yell took Sen out of his thoughts. Rei, who ran at the front was calling out to him and pointing at the sky. The usually blue and purple ceiling with countless glowing stars was dimmed by grey smoke. Smoke that was coming from the opposite side of where they just left. His heart sunk. Things might be much worse than what they looked right now.

- Pick up the pace! - he yelled and everyone sped up towards the tree of the goddess, fearing for what they might see.

The first thing that met their eyes was of course the tree of the goddess. They could no longer see her face or the shining blue runes on her trunk. There was only fire. The navy blue leaves were falling to the ground in a flurry of flames, catching more and more vegetation on fire. As they got closer they saw lions and cats with ashen faces and singed whiskers. All trying to get away from the tree, running for their lives. It was a sight of terror. Instinct was telling Sen to run, panic was creeping up into his mind. He did not let them overtake him. Experience and his own, calm nature told him what to do.

- Fantom and me will look for our friends. Rei, find guards closest to the tree, ask them if everyone from the city beneath is safe. Ask them about Tederick, help him if you find him. Everyone else, help escaping those who need it most - he waited for their reaction and seeing everyone nod their heads eagerly, continued. - Meet us by the river in an hour.

Everyone dispersed to follow their tasks. Sen and Fantom were ready to go, but Sen noticed that Sweet stayed behind. She was sitting down and shaking a little, her eyes wide and staring at the flaming tree.

- Sweet? It’s time to go.

She slowly turned her head towards him, tears were streaming down her cheeks.

- She’s dead… They’re both dead… If only I spotted that group… I should’ve kept watch instead of fighting…

Sen walked over to her. He had to do something, but the only thought in his head was his son. Is he safe? What about the rest of the pride, Moe, Sia? They came here as innocent visitors only wanting to help the denizens of this land and now they could be… He shook his head, trying to chase the thoughts out of his head. They were pointless. He had to act, not worry.

- It wasn’t your fault, Sweet. We all failed. But this isn’t the time to mope. We need to act. If you’re feeling guilty then redeem yourself by helping.

And with those words he left. Fantom cast a sad look behind him at the cat, but didn’t say anything. He too was worried and it was essential they found Lasan. But even if he could stay with the cat, he would not know what to tell her.

They rushed toward the spot where the healer’s camp was and where the most of their party was stationed. Even as they run they realised that they would not find anyone there since the flames have already spread into that part of the field. Still, they had no better idea of where to go. Suddenly, a beautiful lioness appeared before them, her light fur contrasting with the inferno behind her.

- They’re safe - she said simply. - I’ll lead you to them.

Both Sen and Fantom breathed with relief.

- I have not foreseen this - she said sadly. - In my visions… I could only see grey clouds. I did not understand what it meant. - The sad gaze of her white, blind eyes looked up into the smoke-filled sky. - Now I do.

They followed her and met up with he rest of the party. Everyone was safe. They managed to get away in time safely thanks to their abilities. They talked about the tree of the goddess suddenly crying out in pain. It was only then that anyone noticed she was set on fire. Noone saw the arsonists. They escaped when everyone was trying to save the goddess.

The only good thing that came out of it was that the war had stopped, at least temporarily. It was little comfort because now they were all in equal danger of the quickly spreading fire. Their only hope was the rain. Small raindrops were wetting their furs and making it a little bit easier to stand the growing heat. It would have to rain much harder to put out the flames, though even a downpour would not be enough to save the trees.

They all looked miserable, except for Rei who looked angry and was mumbling things like “I’m never babysitting that old man again”.

Fantom straightened up and addressed everyone. His voice didn’t have his usual joking tone, but it was calm and encouraging.

- Our plan was to stop the war to keep everyone safe. While I cannot tell if the fighting will end after this, right now we’re needed out there. Lets help the guards escort little cats and old lions to safety. And those weird tree-creatures - he looked at Sen for confirmation whether they should be saving them. Sen nodded. - And those weird tree-creatures. Once everyone is safe we can make plans for the future.

Moe cheered, surprising everyone. It seemed so out of place to be happy in a situation like this.

- You’re right! We’re all safe and together! We can do it, we’ve done much better than that!

- You’re right about that - agreed Sia with a smile in her calm, melodic voice.

Rei stood up clearly eager to get back into action.

- I’ll go on ahead and bring anyone wounded to you, Moe.

- I’ll be ready!

They split into groups and set out to help. Fantom was right. Keeping everyone safe was their goal from the beginning. Even with their gods lost, they would continue to live and maybe even reach an understanding. Sometimes tough situations like this brought people closer. Not everything was lost.

[ 1193 words ]

[Kitten-Girl-500]

Try as they might, the cats and army of decay fail in their efforts to stop the roaring, all consuming flames that engulf the ancient trees. Catching on wood, leaves, anything dry it could fall onto. Eventually, the soldiers are forced to leave by smoke and flame, and drag themselves into the fields and woods where they can only watch.

The rain comes, but it's too late. It does nothing but seem to anger the fire more. There is nothing but the pattering of rain as they all watch in silence, the water mixed with the falling ash and choppy plumes of smoke that blend in the sky with the dark storm clouds.

In their anger and bitterness, their desires to be right, both sides have failed.

How does your cat try to keep up hope? Do they fear for the future- what this means? Do they keep trying desperately to save something? What's left in their heart when their goal is taken from them, what do they do when met with a grave failure? Where do they go, who do they become?

Username: Kitten-Girl-500
Link to cat(s) or lion(s) involved in prompt:
Ichyr | Ravah | Subira | Luina
Link to their pride or group: Summitfall Pride
Prompt level completion: Level 5

Prompt: Subira awoke to air that was thick and choking. She coughed and hacked, trying to get it out of her lungs, but it wouldn’t budge.

Some lion mumbled something comforting, and a cool, sweet liquid poured down her throat. Subira swallowed, feeling the effects of the medicine instantly. She wanted more. She wanted more relief from the smoke that was burning and smothering and—

Subira opened her eyes. A lion with a green-accented brown pelt stood above her, alert and watchful. He pried open her jaws and peered down her throat, making a small “hmm” noise. The healer let go, then adjusted the glasses perched on his nose.

“So, ma’am, do you want the good news or the bad news?” he asked.

“Good news?” By now, Subira was starting to take in her surroundings. She was laying on the coarse grass of the field, and the dark blots of trees were around the edges. Lions and cats of all kinds were gathered around her; lots of lions and cats. There hadn’t been that many Ikaikan warriors, right? Subira didn’t know; everything from the previous night was still just a blur. She remembered the general, the fighting, the smoke…

“Your throat and lungs are healing well,” the healer observed, bringing her back to the present. “There shouldn’t be any lasting damage, thank the goddess. Heiau’s mother is indebted to you for saving him.”

“Heiau?” Subira echoed, glancing over to where he was pointing with a claw. A mother lioness and her two cubs were all gathered together. The mother’s face was streaked with tears, and she held her cubs close.

“The cub you rescued from the blaze.” The healer nodded approvingly. “It’s a good thing you got him out when you did. If you hadn’t done something, he wouldn’t be here with us.”

“It’s my pleasure…” Subira remembered what the healer had first asked her. “What’s the bad news?”

The healer looked extremely uncomfortable. “It might be best if your pridemates tell you…” He moved off to find someone, presumably Sekhmet and/or Ichyr.

Subira was thoroughly confused, and wary, now. What was so bad that the healer couldn’t bring himself to tell her what had happened? Had someone died? Had Ichyr died? Subira didn’t know what she would do if that was true. She knew that Sekhmet was probably still alive; the brown-spotted lioness did have fire abilities, after all. There was no way she could have been burned to a crisp… right?

All of Subira’s fears were put to rest when a familiar stocky silhouette appeared. As Ichyr neared, Subira tried to stand up, but a healer’s assistant pushed her back down. Sure enough, Sekhmet followed and embraced Subira in a hug.

“We thought you weren’t going to make it,” Ichyr said, nudging Sekhmet out of the way so he could get in on the snuggle action. “When you went up after that cub…”

“Ichyr and Kadiki filled me in on what happened. I can’t believe you did that!” Sekhmet exclaimed. “Jumping into a burning tree? Are you crazy?”

“Just crazy enough.” Subira grinned weakly. “I’m glad you’re all okay.”

“Us too,” Kadiki said, leaning on Ichyr. He nuzzled her, and they shared a moment of quiet peace with one another.

Subira blinked. “Are you guys official? You’re acting like you’ve been mates for forever.”

“We were planning to announce it when the Tree was saved, but…” Kadiki closed her eyes, sighing. “That didn’t happen.”

“What are you saying?” Subira asked slowly, enunciating each word. “What do you mean, ‘the tree wasn’t saved’?”

“That’s… exactly what happened,” Sekhmet said, placing a forepaw on Subira’s shoulder. “The Trinity Tree—both trees—are gone.”

“Gone?!” Subira’s eyes widened, and she now saw the ash littering the ground like snow, floating in the air around them. She whipped around to see the remains of the majestic Trinity Tree, now a smoldering stump in the ground. The wood had been blackened and burned, and the trunk and canopy were gone, devoured by the blaze. Holes in the roots showed down into Ikaika.

That was why everyone was out here.

There was no home left to go back to.

She was hollow, nothing more than a shell of a lioness. Subira was certain that the tree of decay was the same way: burned to nothing more than ashes.

“We all took the news hard,” Ichyr put in. “Cycad, though, hasn’t stopped encouraging us.”

“Cycad?” Subira gasped. “Is he alright? Was he injured further when you moved him?”

“He seems alright,” Kadiki said, sorrow shadowing her eyes. “Though I’m sure it’d cheer him up if you visited him. It might do you some good, as well.”

The healer’s assistant nodded. “The main doc says you’re good to go, miss. Just take it easy for a little while.”

Subira nodded her thanks, then got up to her paws, feeling sore all over. She followed Sekhmet as the brown-spotted lioness led her to the brand-spanking-new outdoor hospital. Patients were spread out on the grass with whatever soft stuff the healers’ assistants could scavenge. A pile of medical supplies stood in the center of the makeshift hospital. Healers bustled about, checking on patients and treating burn wounds. There were many wounded warriors there as well, all wanting relief from the pain inflicted by the hiamoe.

Cycad was near the center, his bandages white and pristine. He brightened up as Sekhmet and Subira neared, a genuine smile spreading across his face. “I was wondering when you’d come visit,” he said.

“Sorry I didn’t come earlier. I was a little busy with being unconscious,” Subira remarked wryly.

The black lion laughed. “Same old Subira, I see.”

Subira stared at him. “How? How can you joke around when the trees are gone?” She waved a paw at the giant stump.

Cycad shrugged. “Death is a part of life. While we grieve for those we’ve lost, it’s not the end of the world. Life goes on.” He flicked his tail, indicating the movements all around them. “Even though the tree is gone, the lions we care about are still here. Including you, Subira.”

Subira shook her head and let out a laugh in spite of herself. “You’re one strange lion, you know that?”

“I’ve been told that a lot.”
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