Journey to the Trinity Tree - Summer event prompts

[Flicka]

Username: Flicka
Link to cat(s) or lion(s) involved in prompt: Yuki
Link to their pride or group: Frostbite Fields
Prompt level completion: level 2
Prompt:
Yuki reclined on her haunches as she spoke with the decrepit tree deciding what their next move would be, eyes widening as she realized they did not seem to have much of a plan. However as the tree spoke it seemed the supernatural saplings moved on their own to do different things seemingly on their own; Whether or not they worked like a hive mind or had secret connecting structures wasn't entirely evident. However it seemed, she was free to do as she wish from this point on and was able to move freely about the forest camp as other champions soon dissipated some taking to the ideas of the wood, mud, and stone creatures.

Seeing this, she decided to explore the camp and really get to know the new or rather old natives. Stumbling onto a breath of fresh air from the oasis she paused taking a moment to herself while taking in the sights, she gasped as she saw a pair of glowing eyes signaling the remains of a forest creature however it seemed at peace fittingly with a flower growing atop it's head and other foliage covering the body. Her pools rounded with curiosity when they set upon the discovery of old forgotten objects setting a twinkle in her eyes. Deciding her best course of action would be to go through them and see if they held any special value or secrets, spending her time prodding at them she picked them up and headed towards the decrepit tree to ask about them to see if perhaps they could use them as some sort of weaponry or distraction with the tree's guidance. They could then plan a form of an attack be it a trap or more of an actual battle.

(293)

[Kitten-Girl-500]

Story B
Choosing to stay with this decrepit tree, your cats then beg the question- How can we help? The tree seems befuddled by that, its goals perhaps just as simple as lessening the blow held by the the other side's armies. The creatures, your cats new 'allies' seem indifferent to speech, if they can speak at all- though surely they must for they understand the words of your cats. Unlike the strict order of the Goddess and her tree of life, here your cats are left to their own devices to find out how to help "Prepare... We must prepare.." the old tree mumbles to itself in disarray. The crowd around it going to their own versions of what this means. Your cats catch some of them fighting amongst each other- perhaps sparring. Others who are making weapons and armor, some who are scouting and patrolling the grounds. They are given the day to spend as they please, assuming they don't mind the mud and glowers of their new accompaniment.

Though distinctly, when passing a dark bramble of thorns, they catch sight of a small oasis. A beautiful bough of flowering trees and life, in the middle -a soldier of this rot that's aged to the point it's fallen to pieces, only its eyes showing through a pile of soil and a flower atop its head. Though its been taken over by these plants, it seems content. Nearby it, lies a pile of old objects....

What do your cats find to help in their battle? What would catch their eye, what would change their minds or really mean something to them? How do they plan to use this and do with this knowledge?

Story A
The cats at the tree are restless, as the gaps remain of soldiers lured away by the darkness. The soldiers who call this land home are unsettled, snappy and irritable. They try to be understanding towards your outsiders, but they can't help their nerves. The day is spent with many soldiers building walls, strengthening their defenses, and keeping a wary eye on those who could be led astray.

While they are given freedom to explore, your lions stumble across an area at the heart of the tree, filled with inner decay. Its wood dark with age and missing life, for all the darkness seen outside this place seems hollow. All is fine, though unusual.. until soldiers of the decayed army began to lurk from the shows. Apparently, having staged an ambush in this tunnel, waiting only for someone like your cats to come along. It's not clear if they are the cause of this area of the trees death, or if that was from some other source.

How do they fare in a surprise attack? Do they face their foe head on, disadvantaged? Do they flee and call for help?

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:

【ＩＣＨＹＲ】

Ichyr got to his paws. “How can we help?” he asks, surprising himself with his own audacity to speak out to a god.
SPACEThe god paused for a moment. The hiamoe around Ichyr didn’t respond to his question, just tilted their heads to the side. Ichyr began to wonder if they even could speak—though they must be able to, given they were able to understand him.
SPACE“Prepare… We must prepare…” the god muttered. “You all prepare… go about the rest of this day as you will… You may go where you wish…”
SPACEThe god retreated back into his tree, and the cats and lions around Ichyr began starting ‘preparations’, whatever that meant. Ichyr watched as a manticore he recognized from the Pride of Shadow began organizing lions into sparring groups. He felt his fur bristle as he watched her; he had figured that she would fight on death’s side.
SPACEThough, it wasn’t really death, he supposed. It was the side of balance, for keeping both sides of the scale even. And though Ichyr didn’t like death much himself, he knew that it was an essential part of life, a part that he would fight to keep.
SPACEThere was a forge set up in the shelter of a giant boulder. Cats and lions were already there, creating armor and weapons for the dextrous. Ichyr had never learned how to use weapons other than his own claws, horns, and tusks, so he decided he’d pass on that. The armor, though… that intrigued him.
SPACEIchyr walked over to a champion from an unknown pride: an ocean-colored lion hard at work with the forge. His powder blue mane was like that of sea spray, and his blue pelt started at a light blue on his back, deepening to an indigo shade at his paws. He was pounding a piece of metal with a hammer; he then dunked it into a barrel of water, cooling the piece. Once it was cool enough to work with bare-pawed, he attached it to the rest of the wrought iron chestplate he was making.
SPACEThe lion, noticing that Ichyr was watching, glanced up from his work. “Hey, stranger. I’m Coho, from the Pride of—” He broke off, then cleared his throat. “Well, I don’t have a pride right now.”
SPACE“I’m Ichyr.”
SPACECoho brightened up. “So, what’d you be needin’? I got everything from swords to tail guards.”
SPACE“I need a chestplate.” Ichyr silently hoped he wasn’t making a grave mistake as he added, “I hope that’s not too much trouble.”
SPACE“O’ ‘course not.” Coho gestured to his current piece with a flick of his tail. “This one interest you?”
SPACE“Is it big enough?” Ichyr thought that it looked a tad small, but who was he to argue?
SPACECoho looked it over, then nodded. “Should be just right.”
SPACEIchyr tried it on, and sure enough, Coho was right. It was snug, but not too tight, and it fit right over his horns. “Thanks, Coho,” he said as he turned around, double-checking that everything was perfect.
SPACE“My pleasure.”
SPACEAfter a quick goodbye, Ichyr headed away, intent on exploring this place. He wanted to see every inch of the space, and learn just where the army of decay lived.
SPACEBut as he passed a particularly dark patch of brambles, Ichyr caught a flash of blue between the thorns. He shoved his way through the underbrush to find a small oasis in the midst of the decay. One of the hiamoe, aged to the point where it had collapsed and broken into pieces, stood in the center, a tree of beautiful boughs and colorful flowers and life itself sprouting from the top of what had once been its head. The hiamoe looked peaceful and content with its final lot in life.
SPACEA pile of objects, old and worn with time, lay beside it. Ichyr headed over, curious as to what he might find. Old scrolls with illegible writing, a wooden chest with jewels inside, a goblet labeled with initials of some long-dead lion or cat; all of it was a treasure trove of information. But what was most surprising was a pair of horn sheaths, made for a manticore’s horns. Ichyr picked them up, then slowly began to fit them onto his own horns. They fit almost perfectly, and as he tried a test jab with them, he could feel the air sliding over the aerodynamic metal.
SPACEThe wheels were turning in Ichyr’s head as he took off the horn sheaths and studied them. Had this god of decay made an alliance with the Pride of Shadow way back when? Were they still allies?
SPACEThis information was startling, but it wouldn’t surprise Ichyr in the least if he was right.

787/500

【ＳＵＢＩＲＡ】

Subira felt restless. It had been over twenty-four hours, and Ichyr still hadn’t returned from wherever he had gone. She was beginning to worry that he wouldn’t return at all. She worked her claws into the ground, wishing that she could do something.
SPACEThe Ikaikan soldiers around here weren’t much better. Everyone was snappish and irritable, and the tension in the air was palpable as they went about their business.
SPACEOn the ground level, lions and cats alike were busy with preparations. Many were building walls as lines of defense between the tree and the forests. The tree itself was being strengthened, with cats leaping from branch to branch, repairing branches. While Subira admired the work they did, she did not want to be up there herself; she had learned the hard way that lions and trees usually don’t mix.
SPACERavah came up to her, Luina on his back. The little cub looked chipper and happy, and she made excited little squeaks as she took in all the Ikaikans around her. “General said that we’re able to explore today,” Ravah explained. “I figured we’d take Luina to the Tree.”
SPACESubira couldn’t help her ears flattening. She didn’t like being voluntold, but she sucked it up and went along with the father-daughter duo toward the Tree anyway. It wasn’t up to her to spoil their fun.
SPACERavah peeked down into one of the tunnels in the roots of the Tree. There were many of these tunnels littered throughout the Tree’s roots, layered in between the trunk of the Tree and Ikaika. Subira hadn’t had the chance to explore them herself, but she had to admit that she was curious about what lay inside.
SPACE“Come on,” Subira said, squeezing past the mottled gray lion. “Let’s see what’s down here.” The air was dark and musty, and Subira felt like she was almost being squished by the confines of the tunnel. Still, she headed forward, intrigued at what she might find.
SPACEShe let out a gasp as she stumbled into a large opening, taller than five lions standing on top of one another and wide enough to fit fifteen lions side by side. The wood Subira could see was dark with age and looked cracked and worn, a sharp contrast to the health of the outside. She could hear Luina make another surprised chirp as she and Ravah came into the small cave.
SPACEA hissing noise came from the shadows at the edge of the cavern, and Subira instantly stepped in front of Ravah. “Show yourself!” she snarled, baring her teeth.
SPACEThree hiamoe lurked from the shadows, growling and hissing. Their dead eyes looked even eerier in the half-light, and their stone claws sharper. An ambush, Subira realized, backing up.
SPACE“Run!” she ordered Ravah, then leaped at the lead hiamoe, claws extended. If these guys were looking for a fight, she was all for giving them one. She landed hard and rolled it over, then slashed at its throat until she felt mud soak her paws.
SPACESubira was just ready to deliver the final blow when she was bowled over from behind. She rolled head-over-paws, a cry of surprise bursting from her. As she got to her paws, she saw all three hiamoe advancing on her, stone teeth bared.
SPACERealizing that she couldn’t win this fight, and feeling a breeze behind her, Subira turned and ran for all she was worth, pelting down a side tunnel. If she stayed, they wouldn’t hesitate to destroy her. Subira let out a roar, hoping that the Ikaikans outside could hear. The sounds of the hiamoe behind her were growing louder, and she knew they were gaining on her.
SPACESubira burst out into the open, haring down the slope toward the nearest group of lions. “Help!!” she screeched. Immediately the Ikaikans sprang into action, along with a couple of champions that Subira didn’t recognize. They lashed out at the hiamoe with claws and teeth, providing a fair fight.
SPACEIt didn’t last long. Soon all three hiamoe lay dead, mud oozing from their lifeless bodies.
SPACESubira let out a sigh, realizing how shaky she was. If she hadn’t run when she did… she would have been done for.
SPACEJust then Ravah came up, frantically checking her over. “Are you alright?! We ran out of the tunnel and then you weren’t there and we heard the shouting and the fighting and—”
SPACE“Yes, I’m fine,” Subira interrupted him. “And thankfully there were no casualties today.”
SPACERavah looked as relieved as she felt. He helped to lead her back down into Ikaika, insisting that she get checked out by a healer. SPACESubira shook her head and grinned, but didn’t say no. It was sweet, him caring for her. Something that she could almost get used to.

795/500

[-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:

Story B
Choosing to stay with this decrepit tree, your cats then beg the question- How can we help? The tree seems befuddled by that, its goals perhaps just as simple as lessening the blow held by the the other side's armies. The creatures, your cats new 'allies' seem indifferent to speech, if they can speak at all- though surely they must for they understand the words of your cats. Unlike the strict order of the Goddess and her tree of life, here your cats are left to their own devices to find out how to help "Prepare... We must prepare.." the old tree mumbles to itself in disarray. The crowd around it going to their own versions of what this means. Your cats catch some of them fighting amongst each other- perhaps sparring. Others who are making weapons and armor, some who are scouting and patrolling the grounds. They are given the day to spend as they please, assuming they don't mind the mud and glowers of their new accompaniment.

Though distinctly, when passing a dark bramble of thorns, they catch sight of a small oasis. A beautiful bough of flowering trees and life, in the middle -a soldier of this rot that's aged to the point it's fallen to pieces, only its eyes showing through a pile of soil and a flower atop its head. Though its been taken over by these plants, it seems content. Nearby it, lies a pile of old objects....

What do your cats find to help in their battle? What would catch their eye, what would change their minds or really mean something to them? How do they plan to use this and do with this knowledge?

Story A
The cats at the tree are restless, as the gaps remain of soldiers lured away by the darkness. The soldiers who call this land home are unsettled, snappy and irritable. They try to be understanding towards your outsiders, but they can't help their nerves. The day is spent with many soldiers building walls, strengthening their defenses, and keeping a wary eye on those who could be led astray.

While they are given freedom to explore, your lions stumble across an area at the heart of the tree, filled with inner decay. Its wood dark with age and missing life, for all the darkness seen outside this place seems hollow. All is fine, though unusual.. until soldiers of the decayed army began to lurk from the shows. Apparently, having staged an ambush in this tunnel, waiting only for someone like your cats to come along. It's not clear if they are the cause of this area of the trees death, or if that was from some other source.

How do they fare in a surprise attack? Do they face their foe head on, disadvantaged? Do they flee and call for help?

The disorder and uncertainty of all of this put Khalida on edge somewhat. Clearly this tree had no clue how to assemble and lead the forces gathered around them. And if someone didn’t step up she shuddered to think what kind of rag-tag army might be the result of this disorder.

Lions and cats began to split up, some to work on useful things. But Khalida noticed that many of them were sticking within their own original group to work or eying those near them that they didn’t know with obvious distrust.

“What do we do?” Valerius asked as he surveyed the lions and cats before them.

“I suppose we go along with it and see how this all goes,” Khalida responded, sounding more confident than she felt.

“So we should probably observe everyone, see what their skills are, and what this place might offer by way of weapons?”

“Yes that would be important to know. And we might want to check the surrounding area too, just to see what it’s like and what there is to find.”

“I’d say we should split up and cover more at once, but I’m not sure that’s a good idea really.” Valerius nodded to some of the lions and cats nearby.

A small group of lions and cats had banded together and were casting hostile glances toward some of the other champions. Valerius had noted early on that they seemed especially aggressive and eager to have any reason to fight and bare their claws. He wouldn’t have been surprised if they were seeing some of their fellow champions as competition and planning on eliminating them, or at least trying to one-up them wherever possible.

“So we stick together and see what we can accomplish.” Khalida wasn’t too keen on spending too much time with the rogue prince but right now she didn’t have much choice, and he was at least preferable to some of the hostile lions staring her down at that moment.

“You’re sure you want to stay? Your sister may not be happy with you putting yourself in potential danger.”

“I’d rather keep an eye on things here. You know what they say about keeping your enemies close. I’m not sure yet if this really is an enemy but I’d rather be safe than sorry. I can protect her better this way anyway. And as a group we should do better if we have information from both sides.” Khalida paused, realizing she had given more than enough reasons for staying. She knew he was right really. Her sister would worry and she felt bad about it, but she had to do whatever was necessary and right now this was it.

So with all the focus she could muster she threw herself into her task. She and Valerius wove in and out of the various smaller groups, checking out fighting techniques and gathering information. Here and there they would spar with the others and Khalida did her best to bring some of the groups together into a more uniform fighting force. Whether this entity was right or wrong, truthful or lying, she didn’t really want to see any of the lions or cats who had been brought here die foolishly because of the whims and disagreements of ‘higher forces’.
It wasn’t compassion that brought her to this. Personally she cared little for them. But logically she knew that such losses here might devastate various prides and kingdoms in her world if their deaths here were permanent and they never returned home. The consequences to her world could be terrible.

During their efforts she happened to notice a small oasis. The growth there was surprising in this dark, decaying part of the land. But it got her to thinking and she stood there several moments, contemplating as she took in the new life, and the objects nearby. But she had only a few moments before Valerius pointed out that the others were starting to work on fashioning weapons and they rejoined the group.

The whole time she felt the gazes of the decaying army on them all. It was somewhat unnerving, that such empty gazes could be felt so keenly. But she did get used to it, even if she didn’t like it.

She busied herself with her thoughts anyway. Thought of how to keep her sister safe, and how to use all the information she had gathered during her time here with the dying tree.

~………~

Nthanda shuddered as she saw two lions getting into some kind of altercation as they worked. Everyone, especially the citizens of the city had been short tempered as they worked and it was starting to bother her more now as all around them there was grumbling and tension. Ravi stayed close to her in a protective sort of way as they worked.

Just like she did at home he found his presence steadying and reassuring. Since being here she thought he had been a little less formal with her in general, speaking his mind more often in front of the others and treating her less like a superior. Her father wouldn’t have approved but especially now with all this stress she welcomed it.
Part of her was almost sad knowing things would be like they always were when they went home. In some ways she had felt closer to him since being here than ever before. Khalida would tell her it was a foolish or dangerous thing, but she couldn’t help wanting to embrace it while she could.

But she didn’t say anything about it, not wanting to mess things up somehow or put him on edge. Even now as he stood by her though she wondered what might be on his mind, assuming it was the battle everyone assumed was coming their way.

Unbeknownst to her she was at least half right. Ravi was indeed thinking of the battle and how best to protect her, as well as keep them all alive. The idea of dying here was an unpleasant one of course and he wanted to do all he could to help his group be prepared.
Over the last few days he had grown to know Khalida a little better he thought, and she wasn’t so bad. Not that he had ever really disliked her or anything. He even had something resembling respect growing toward Valerius, but that was very much dependent on how he went about things with Nthanda. As always the princess was his main concern, and especially lately he was taking his job to watch over her more personally than he technically had to, or was supposed to.
He didn’t mean to let things become personal, but truthfully he didn’t try too hard to stop it either. Now he worried because he knew that inevitably they would have to go home, and when they did things would have to go back to the way they were. He could deal with that himself, but he didn’t want to hurt Nthanda. He had puzzled over it more than a little, trying to figure out what to do and feeling a familiar ache at the possibilities that came to mind.

He was jolted out of his thoughts however when some of the lions who were more or less ‘in charge’ told them all their work was done for now and they could explore.
He could tell Nthanda was eager to get some peace and space so walked with her around the center of the tree, happy when he noticed her relaxing and even enjoying the walk.
But that only lasted so long before they came upon a patch of what appeared to be dead wood near the heart of the tree.

“It’s so dark compared to the rest of it,” she murmured as she leaned to take a closer look.
Ravi was about to respond when a smell hit him, one he recognized now. He opened his mouth to warn her but a sharp cry cut him off as decaying creatures came at them from the tunnel formed in the dead area of the tree.
Neither of them had a chance to do much but defend themselves as the creatures attacked, clawing and swiping.
The pair of them couldn’t help each other, or escape even if they wanted to so were forced to fight back and hope that their skill was enough to save them.

Nthanda struggled to hold off one of the creatures, much larger than herself, while Ravi tried to protect himself as one of the creatures aimed it’s claws for his side and belly. They were nearing the point of being in real danger when luckily a few other lions came by, having heard the commotion.
Between them all they managed to push back the creatures, destroying two of them in the process.

Once they were sure the creatures were gone they all left the area to warn the others.

Ravi insisted Nthanda check with a healer to make sure she wasn’t hurt too badly and she finally gave in and let him take her to see one of them, touched by how much he cared at least.
Though they had luckily escaped that one small battle, as she sat there letting the healer check her over Nthanda couldn’t help but worry that in the battle to come they might not fare as well.

[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 (1146 words)
Prompt: June 7th

[Firedancer77]

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

Envy knew it was a mistake to go exploring.

It was a risk, and an unnecessary one at that. The golden she-cat hadn't thought much of it at the time, assuming that there wouldn't be anything that dangerous by the tree. That was her first mistake. It was careless on her part, to go out simply believing that the army of decay would not be able to get this close. They'd launched a surprise scouting party on them after all. When that happened, that should have been her first clue that everything was not as safe as they were led to believe. The strange call attempting to lure them away (and that succeeded in luring many of their fellow champions away) should have been her second clue.

And yet, here she was, staring down a contingent of the decaying army that had stepped out of the shadows like bad omens. This was what she got for trying to learn more information about the goddess by exploring in the tunnels of the tree.

Pride wouldn't have had this problem. Pride wouldn't have gone out in the first place. He would have sent someone else out to explore, but he never would have left the confines of the city and would have given some excuse that would have made others go so far as to agree with his decision, insisting he not come along for whatever half-witted lie he fed them. Lust wouldn't have left either; Envy was sure the goody-two-shoes would still have been in the garden, tending to others' plants and fixing the mistakes of those like Envy herself, who couldn't be bothered to do it correctly. The only one Envy could say would have gone out was the black and white she-cat, Gluttony, and this situation wouldn't even be an issue for her, because she was a fighter. Envy, on the other hand, was a diplomat (and expert at blackmailing). She could fight, certainly, but not well enough to fight against an army.

And that was what they were currently staring in the face.

"I'm out of here," she muttered to herself, spinning on her paws and sprinting back the way she came. Her heart pounded and her legs ached as she ran; this was just a sign to Envy that she needed to do so more often. Lungs heaving for air, she began to yowl as loudly as she could, "They're here! The army is here!" Her voice echoed almost teasingly in the tree, bouncing about with no sign of actually reaching anyone's ears.

And of course Envy made the mistake of looking back. She wanted to know if she'd put sufficient distance between herself and the surprise attack, and in the process, tripped over a stray pebble, falling onto her face. To make matters worse, she had not put nearly as much distance between her and the enemy as she'd hoped to; at least one of the beasts had followed her, and Envy had no clue how to go about handling it.

"Dung beetles," she hissed, clambering to her feet as the creature approached. "Fine! You want to fight? Let's fight." This would at least give Envy a chance to get up close and personal while learning their weaknesses (or, more accurately, testing the weaknesses she had perceived from scouting out the scouting party during their attack). She just prayed she would be quick enough (maybe she ought to have taken Gluttony up on that offer to practice fighting a few weeks ago, but Envy hadn't liked the look in Gluttony's red eyes, and besides, she hadn't thought she'd be fighting a creature like this in such close quarters back then), that she wouldn't get too much of the disgusting mud it oozed on her fur (she'd seen with the champions who'd actually fought how it dried and caked on their fur, and it looked like an absolute nightmare to clean), and that none of its friends would join the fight.

That wasn't asking too much, was it?
---
Kina quickly found that sticking around to help this god was nothing like sticking around to help the goddess in the the other tree. There, it felt like there was a strict schedule, as if everything was preordained and there were rules to be followed about where they could and could not go. They were given tasks, and then they might have the chance to roam freely, but even then there were unspoken rules about what they could and could not do. Here, there was none of that.

Despite his speech, the god contained in the gnarled, almost decrepit tree was not the same commanding presence. Kina got the sense that he hadn't really expected them to stay around, and was simply trying to lessen the army against him. But the champions had rallied around him and were determined to help ensure balance was in place, and Kina was right there with them.

Cole had been very quiet since they arrived, but that was nothing new. Still, she got the sense that he was a bit conflicted, but since he didn't say anything about it, she didn't either. She didn't want to push her nose where it didn't belong. Unlike everyone else, the gray lion had approached the creature that was falling apart, examining it and the plants curled around it. As she passed him by to examine the pile of supplies, she swore she heard Cole mumble, "Balance." He was obviously deep in thought, contemplating something. She had noticed he seemed hesitant after the god's first speech, and perhaps whatever he was noticing about the rotting, falling apart soldier had opened up his eyes to something. She was sure if it was important, he'd tell her, or at least try to (and she would help him figure out how to get the words out). For now, she'd leave him be.

Instead, she turned her attention to the pile of old objects and artifacts, sniffing through to see what it contained. There were plenty of bizarre items, some weapons and others more unexpected, like half of a torn flag. Still, Kina believed there had to be something helpful contained within the pile, something to help them in the upcoming battle. So, she would search alongside the other champions who had come over to look and would see if any of the weapons could help her in the fight, or if any of the other items could be utilized in a more unconventional way when the battle finally came around.

Whatever happened, Kina would throw her all into fighting if it meant ensuring that balance was kept, and that death would not be completely upturned. If it was, then what would the point of the ancestors be? What would happen in fights? There were so many questions that Kina had in relation to that concept, but she pushed them aside. Right now, she just needed to make sure she was prepared.

[ 1161/1000 words ]

[hypnowave]

Username: reyligion
Link to cat(s) involved in prompt: Shrike
Link to their pride or group: Augures
Prompt level completion: 5
Prompt: Story B


As a cat who relied solely on his physical abilities to determine how good he was in battle, Shrike felt a little uncertain on how to help prepare for the upcoming battle. He glanced at his peers - some of them were already raring to have a go at one another, sparring within minutes of their conversation with the spirit of decay. He caught sight of dazzling rays of magic, fireballs and electricity and all sorts of enchanted weapons - pendants, bracelets, piercings, even blades and axes. There were felines much, much larger than he was - they towered over him, brave and regal. Sparks flew as they began to sharpen their skills against one another, and the small tom had to slink away for a bit to avoid getting caught in a tussle. He'd held his ground before this, even getting to know other cats back when he was with the tree of life - but he had lost sight of most of them, or they never decided to come to death's aid. Regardless, he was alone once more.

There were other cats who simply idled at the edge of the clearing - not all of them were as defenseless as Shrike considered himself to be, but they seemed disinterested in spending their energy on bouts of training. Some of them had their eyes on their new undead allies - suspicious, or perhaps simply uncomfortable with the way those creatures moved about, staggering on shaky ragdoll limbs. They didn't seem like much for conversation, so the cats didn't bother trying. Instead, they looked ready to patrol around the area. Without thinking much further, Shrike scampered towards them, offering to help keep an eye out for danger. They welcomed and briefed him, and once all of them were up to date, they set off.

The landscape was not unremarkable, but it surely paled in comparison to the sights Shrike had seen beforehand. Brambles lined the faded pathways to either side, and leafless trees loomed above them, casting a thorny shadow that almost felt like it could sink its splinters into his paws if Shrike looked at them for too long. There was a uniform darkness that enveloped the scenery, and it felt oppressive enough to make his fur stand on end. Even when the canopy above them gave way to show the sky it once concealed, the looming gray clouds did little to improve the overall mood. The cats pressed on, few of them talking with one another. They kept to hushed tones, not wanting to attract attention, or worse, obscure whoever was already listening in on them. Occasionally, they would hear a rustle in the bushes, or the sound of a twig snapping in half - only to be followed by dead silence. There was barely any room for breathing, Shrike mused to himself.

After another long silence, the patrol group finally caught sight of something in the distance; a soft glow that contrasted the landscape around it. From his peripheral vision, Shrike could almost see the light swimming against the imposing shadows, like fireflies twirling and dancing against the night sky. He did not pause to wonder if he was simply imagining things, for he knew that there was light, regardless of what it meant. There was a renewed lightness in the scouting group's steps; hope made their journey feel so much more worth it. With bated breath, they kept going, keeping their pace steady so as not to attract something from the shadows.

Tucked away under dead leaves and grass, they discovered a sight that was both hopeful and full of despair; it was grisly and yet contained so much optimism for the imminent uphill battle. Bones, a pile of them - whatever remained of this fallen soldier was barely discernible from the rocks and mud that surrounded it. Shrike could barely make out the ribs, the spine... but the eyes remained, a warm glow emanating from half-buried twin orbs. Overgrowth crept atop this soldier's remains, a bough of flowers on his head and a patch of flowers decorating the space around it. Shrike was one of the first to walk a few steps further, and he caught sight of a pile of old objects pertaining to the old fellow.

Now, Shrike felt a little bit out of his depth - he was unfamiliar with battle attire, after all, especially magic attire. He rummaged through the pile after beckoning for the rest of his patrol group to take a look, and soon, they were going through the whole thing in search for something that could possibly help them. The more dexterous members of the group were quick to sort through the items and soon emerged with a brand new accessory or weapon to assist them - a few others were just as confused as Shrike was. He studied the remaining objects while deep in thought; they all shared the same faint glow, a tiny hint of magic tucked within crystals and stone.

Although he had no idea if it would even help him, he finally ended up with a thin silver bracelet that wrapped nicely around his left paw. Embedded in it was a small, blue-purple stone that seemed to call to him. As soon as he put his paw through the silver loop, it responded by tightening around his wrist. He sat down and studied the engravings on its exterior, and managed to make out the shape of neatly arranged feathers. The colorful stone pulsed along with Shrike's fluttering heart, and he had to take a moment to inhale and exhale until he felt calm again. He felt rejuvenated, as if he'd taken a long nap on his favorite rock at the beach. A newfound strength was coursing through his veins, a much-needed feeling within this bleak and upsetting landscape.

With that out of the way, Shrike turned and rejoined the rest of the patrol group as they began to make their way back to their base, hoping that his ancestors would be proud of the decisions he was making.

1004 / 1000

[snapshot]

Username: snapshot
Link to cat(s) or lion(s) involved in prompt: Mamba
Link to their pride or group: Lions of the Waves
Prompt level completion: 5
Prompt: June 7

[SurgeFire]

Username: SurgeFire
Link to cat(s) or lion(s) involved in prompt: orpheus, lucian
Link to their pride or group: Vallis
Prompt level completion: Level 5
Prompt:

Prompt A.

The feelings of restlessness that Orpheus only grew as time went on.

He wasn't quire sure what to think; although most of his anxieties had been suppressed when he had been able to do something he enjoyed - gardening - he still had the goddess' lack of response in the back of his mind.
He couldn't quite stop thinking about it. Why had she not responded to his questioning? What was actually going on in this world?
Was it worth it, having listened to Cyrus?
He wasn't quite sure of that, anymore.

The gaps of soldiers left were telling. Quite a few were lured away by the voices, and Orpheus no longer knew how right or wrong he was anymore; he wasn't sure if all this was even worth it, having only seen his anxieties grow.
He felt like he should have followed Lucian to wherever he had been called; but this he suppressed. He couldn't regret his actions now.
He had to keep moving on, he had to keep tending to the garden, he had to keep ignoring the missing felines that had followed what he was so sure had been a trap.
Honestly, he wasn't sure anymore on what would be better at this point.

The restlessness turned into an insatiable curiosity of the land; he wanted to explore and find out more of their secrets, and perhaps uncover the mystery of it all. All he wanted was some sort of closure or some sort of guidance to direct him to where he should go. To follow the goddess, or to follow the cats who had gone with the voices?
He hoped he would find the answer to that, although he didn't truly have his hopes very high. He just wanted to get moving, to do something, to finally feel like an actual 'champion' he was called to be.
For now, he just felt hopeless.

Lost.

The area he and a few others - whom he had followed, for he trusted the lions; although unfamiliar with most of them, he decided he'd try to follow them and their actions as they all faced this decay - stumbled into was surprisingly full of decay; something he hadn't quite expected, having been surrounded with the magic of eternal life. The darkness surrounded the explorers, giving Orpheus a sense of unease and uncertainty - much more than he had already been feeling before.
He felt like he was being watched.

And as he turned around to inspect the area, that one small suspicion rang true.

"It's an ambush," he whispered, and suddenly his heart jolted as he quickly had to make a decision.
Oh, gods, he definitely wasn't going to face the creatures head-on. What if they caused this decay - they had the upper hand, and they were powerful. He didn't want to go up against them when they ambushed the explorers.

So he turned and ran, calling out for help; he didn't want the creatures to lurk unnoticed, he had to make sure everyone knew what was to come.

[504 words]

Prompt B.

Of course Lucian would choose to stay.

He found nothing wrong with the god's words; as what it spoke were true. The balance of life and death would be shattered if decay was taken and eradicated for good; he felt this entirely, and he was ready to fight for this god's cause.
What would Alev think?
The question suddenly came to mind as he paused, looking down if only for a moment. Would she approve of him siding with the god of decay, or would she condemn his actions? He hardly knew how she would feel about this, given he didn't even know too much about her... he only knew of her secretive nature.
No matter. It didn't matter, actually, if he knew anything at all. He knew that the right thing to do was to prove himself as a champion; what did Alev's opinion matter if he could just... take over?
If he gained the respect of the other cats, her opinion wouldn't matter; if he could just gain their support, he could overthrow her... potentially.
No, no, that was in the future; that was in Vallis.

And he wasn't in Vallis anymore.
He was facing the god of decay itself.

As he heard the tree's words of preparation, he gave it some thought. What would it mean to prepare against the goddess' attack? Simply lessening the blows and driving her out of the decayed land, right? Now, he wasn't the most battle-oriented cat, but he knew a thing or two on how to prepare. He had watched over countless preparations for various battles, and he felt ready, yet uneasy.
His faith was so strong in this god, what if it was wrong?
He didn't think too hard on that. He was focused on being a champion, not a worrier. If he thought too hard on the god's true intentions, he'd be blinded by indecision; he had to make a decision right then, and that was to support the side of decay.
He did feel rather sympathetic towards the god as well. He knew how it felt like to know the truth about somebody, but to have everyone else either fight or mistrust him; he thought back to Orpheus and bristled. He knew that that cat had the potential to turn on them all, but everyone seemed to give him a second chance.
He remembered when that black tom abandoned him, a long while ago... he never forgot that sense of betrayal.

He snapped back to reality as they came across the pile of old objects.
"I wonder... would this help us in any capacity?" he muttered to himself as he approached the pile, glancing over for anything useful; and at once he spotted a sort of necklace, dotted with gemstones; three of them, all blue.

Perhaps this would help, especially if it carried any magical properties with it. He studied it for a moment before putting it on; feeling finally more ready to face this takeover of decay.
He would never forget this moment, although it felt so small.

[511 words]

1015 words total

[Sunlitsecrets]

Username: Sunlitsecrets
Link to cat(s) or lion(s) involved in prompt: Calypso , Barley
Link to their pride or group: Starheart's Regiment , The Wanderlust
Prompt level completion: 5
Prompt: A
As conflicted as they are, as unsure as they may be as to who is right, they're going to fight anyway.

[Frisco]

Username: Frisco
Link to cat(s) or lion(s) involved in prompt: Sen, Rei, Varjo, Marlevort
Link to their pride or group: Night Watch | Purradise Lost
Prompt level completion: 1
Prompt:

The atmosphere around the camp was heavy, at least within the army. Most of the champions were still astounded by the new world they found themselves in and curiosity overtook fear. They explored the vast underground tunnels, investigated glowing runes and played with stones that illuminated the caves with light. They managed to have a few laughs during their work in the gardens because many of the skilled warriors, including both of the lions of Night Watch, had no knowledge of farming. But that was over now and it was time to get back into the thick of things and prepare for the next fight.

[ 105 words ]