Rise Summer Event: Dark Skies | Path 2

[NightWolf950]

Writing Prompt!
Username: NightWolf950
Clan Thread: WolfClan
Prompt Writing:

After yet another meeting with Hecate and her group, Wolfstar was even more agitated with the mysterious threat. With a respectful nod, Wolfstar made sure to promise to keep Hecate updated before making his way home. Upon entering camp, the large tom gave a small nod to Sparkfeather and Pinefrost as he passed the duo on the way to his den. With the thought of dark spirits being behind it all made Wolfstar's brain raced with a million questions. 'Why would dark spirits do this? Our only ancestors are our parents and siblings. We have been very lucky with not having lost anyone yet. Who... no what could be doing this to us?' Wolfstar though, his large tail lashing back and forth as he paced back and forth. With Hailshade already at the Moonpool doing her best to speak with their ancestors, Wolfstar wasn't sure what more they could be doing.

Outside Sparkfeather politely dismissed herself from Pinefrost, thanking the tom for keeping her updated on patrols before making her way to Wolfstar's den. Every cat had been doing their best to figure out what could be causing the sickness, but the calico she-cat knew Wolfstar was exerting himself the most. The gray tabby tom had been barely sleeping and was ready to collapse at any moment. "Wolfstar. You need to sleep." Sparkfeather meowed, stepping inside the den, and sitting down. Wolfstar paused briefly, looking towards the she-cat before shaking his head and pacing once again. Letting out a small hiss Sparkfeather stood up and stepped in front of Wolfstar. "Enough!" she hissed, nose to nose with her leader by now. Wolfstar stood there frozen in his tracks, eyes wide and heart racing. Sparkfeather defiantly knew how to get under his fur for sure. With a heavy sigh Wolfstar nodded and padded over to his nest and lied down. "Good. Now sleep. You need sleep. Don't worry. Pinefrost and the others are already out looking to see if there are other signs. You already have Hailshade working at the Moonpool. All we can do for now is wait. Please." Sparkfeather meowed softly. Wolfstar nodded, thanking the calico she-cat watching her leave as he drifted off to sleep.

With Wolfstar sleeping, Sparkfeather decided to pay a visit with Hailshade at the Moonpool while the rest of the clan was out searching. "Any news?" the deputy asked, sitting next to Hailshade. The medicine cat lifted her head up from the water and shook her head a bit. "Nothing yet... I fear our ancestors don't know who or what could be causing it. They do believe that the key though is working with Hecate and her group. For now all we can do is prey and hope." Hailshade meowed softly. Sparkfeather gave a small nod, letting out a small sigh as well. "I'll stay with you tonight. Make sure your safe and well provided for. I'll go hunt for us.... Just... Keep trying." Sparkfeather meowed. Hailshade gave a small nod and leaned back down to touch the Moonpool, diving right back into another talk with their Ancestors in hope to find something out.

Word Count: 520

[weegeestar5]

Writing Prompt!
Username: weegeestar5
Clan Thread: duskclan
Prompt Writing:
"Dark spirits? What do you guys think?" Stormstar turned to Peachblossom and Swiftpaw, both of whom seemed to be deep in thought.
"Seems weird? All of our ancestors are our dead relatives and friends? Out of all of them, I don't even think there's an evil cat?" Peachblossom meowed.
"There's Rose's mom and Lynx's brother," Stormstar pointed out.
"Yeah, but that's literally it. Could two dark spirits really do all of this damage?" Peachblossom replied; shaking her head slightly.
Swiftpaw looked seriously at the two cats. "One of our ancestors, Blizzard, to be exact, told me that spirits never fade, even though they may leave the hunting grounds." Swiftpaw began, "She then mentioned there being spirits of the cats who first called this moorland their home permanently."
Stormstar's ears perked up at his mother's name. "What else did she say?" He asked.
"She briefly mentioned a great war. And how one side was full of murderers and thieves. Those certainly sound like they'd be dark spirits." Swiftpaw replied, their tail tip twitching anxiously.
"But why bother us?" Peachblossom argued, "what is their goal?"
"If connecting with the spirits in such a way could allow them to bring a plague to us... Then perhaps it could also allow them to once more set foot in the world of living, by using the connection with the living cat." Swiftpaw's eyes were dark and their shoulders were hunched slightly.
"Okay, well if it is dark spirits, how do we investigate that? We can't enter dreams," Peachblossom pointed out, though her voice was evidently more tired then argumentative.
"I'll speak with Blizzard or another StarClan cat and get some more information. Maybe they could introduce me to the moorland spirits. Maybe... We could even cross the border into the land of the dark spirits and witness it." Swiftpaw meowed.
Stormstar blinked in shock at their second suggestion. "But... but Swiftpaw, that would be too dangerous - you could get killed!" He protested; eyes widening in fear.
Swiftpaw looked back at Stormstar, a knowing look in their eyes. "I hope it won't come to that; we'll run away if we sense the slightest amount of danger. But... it really is just a risk I'll have to take."
Stormstar nodded reluctantly at their words. Surely they wouldn't be foolish? He shook his head. He had to wonder - who exactly could cause this? Which cat in his Clan that he loved so dearly would even consider doing this? Did they do so willingly? Did the dark spirits trick them? He didn't know. And he wasn't sure he wanted to know.

[427 words]


Art Prompt!
Username: weegeestar5
Clan Thread: duskclan
Prompt Art: for prompt #2

[SurgeFire]

Writing Prompt!
Username: SurgeFire
Clan Thread: AsterClan
Prompt Writing:
"Dark spirits could be behind this? What could that possibly mean?" Yarrowleaf pushed, eyes widening at the possibility.
"I have no idea, truthfully. The only dark spirits I'm thinking of..." Minkstar trailed off, looking off to the side; they seemed to be lost in thought, almost afraid, even. "I had thought, when I first heard of this calamity, that it wasn't possible for them to come back. But I'm afraid I must confront that issue."
"Them? You don't mean..." Yarrowleaf paused, stepping forward; he seemed to be thinking the same thing, and his tail lashed from side to side in a similar fear. "The Fallen?"
"That's what I've been thinking."

It was too possible that the evil spirits could be behind this, Minkstar had thought. They definitely did not want to dismiss that like they had done before. Those few days ago; oh, how time had flown, but when it came to their stress and fear it felt like every minute was dragged on. They were almost surprised it had been days since they first theorized what could be happening.
The dark spirits, they thought, could very well be linked to the dead members of the Fallen Kingdom; and Minkstar feared, perhaps Avocet himself. It would make sense that he would want to work his revenge from the grave, they were sure of it.
Although they wouldn't want to narrow it down too quickly, everything seemed to fit too well. They were open to newer theories, but... looking at Yarrowleaf's similar expression, they knew that their theories seemed to make sense.
To wrack their revenge in such a way.. this was terrible news, and Minkstar had to address it somehow. They weren't sure how a group of cats were going to fight against a plague, but they knew they had to do something.
Especially if spirits that were of their own cause were involved in this. Again, they were only theories, but they didn't want to risk anything. Especially if another group was involved in this; one that had nothing to do with the Fallen...

"How are we going to investigate this further, do you think?"
Minkstar turned once more to their medicine cat, head lost in thought. "We must make a trip to the Starfield; maybe see if the ancestors are willing to tell us anything. But if they don't..." they paused, seemingly quite unsure. "We'll have to work it out from there. But I'm sure we can solve this."
Yarrowleaf seemed unsure, but he went with it.
[419]
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[Shadowflight13]

Writing prompt 4 is now closed.
The art prompt will remain open for the rest of the event.

[Shadowflight13]

»»———— • ————««

After a few days of tense silence, both groups expecting the worst, you get your answer. Or a sort of one, anyway. Never one for straightforwardness, it comes in the form of a dream, like the first, with just as many questions in its wake. Your healer wakes you with enthusiasm that even the most optimistic of your clan had slowly curbed the longer you went without a word from anything, everyone grim in the face of the increase of sick cats, even with your quarantine.

You healer had laid the dream out in front of you, eyes shining as they explained what they saw and what they think it meant. You don't think you can find the same solace in it, but at least it's something to work with. Your healer says they can't think of who it means at the moment, and that perhaps you should talk to the rogues in case they did.

Which is how you find yourself slipping, this time alone, into the rogues camp. You're spotted immediately by Etna, who you assume is on high alert because of the last few weeks. He waves his tail at you in acknowledgment before turning and making his way to most likely alert Hecate of your presence.

You're proven right when he comes back into view not long after with her on his heels, their height difference as startling as ever. Etna breaks off from her as she nears you to attend to his own duties and she makes the rest of the short trip on her own, coming to stand in front of you. You can't help but note that she seems a bit jumpy, fur fluffed a bit and ears almost constantly swiveling to take note of the surroundings. It's a strange change in demeanor, but you chalk it up to the fact that you're all on edge. She gives you a questioning look when she finally focuses on you, and it's all the prompting you need to tell her why you're there.

"Our healer had a dream. They seem sure it's trying to tell us who we're looking for but couldn't think of what cat it could be referring to, so they asked me to relay it to you." Hecate flicks her tail, clearly not interested in the why, so you move on, "They said they saw a spider spinning an intricate web, with a cat pulling at one end of it, working with it like they were making something, and at the last second a second cat coming in and snapping the thread with its teeth." This clearly catches the small leaders interest, stilling her twitching for the moment. "They think it means three separate cats, one creating something, which is the spider, one making it which was the first cat, and one either ending or breaking it, which is the second one. They don't know if it means that we're looking for three cats who are behind this, or if it's one, and the connection between the three is something important. Do you have any idea who it could be talking about?"

Hecate frowns is what, at first, you assume is confusion. But something flickers in her eyes before she can mask it and you can't help but pounce on it, leaning closer. "What? does something sound familiar."

She hesitates, clearly torn between keeping it to herself and telling you, and you nearly remind her that you're supposed to be working together when she sighs, posture slumping. "The city we came from. There was a trio of sisters we called the spider sisters, as silly as that sounds. They were... odd. A little unhinged even for city cats. We didn't have much to do with them, and they didn't much like us so we kept away from each other. I don't know what they would have to do with this, though. The city is a far ways off and last I checked at least two of them were dead. It's gotta be about something else we just don't see yet."

She doesn't seem sure of herself, but you reason that it would be ridiculous for cats you didn't even know were still alive had anything to do with this, not over petty squabbles from long ago in a place so distant. She's probably right, and it's just a coincidence that it lines up. Besides, wouldn't she recognize another cat from where they were from hanging around? "You're probably right. We'll figure it out. At least we have somewhere to start now."

Hecate gives you an uncertain nod, "If that's all you have, for now, I have matters to attend to. I'll make sure word gets around to my cats what we're looking for. Maybe one of them will find something. You know the way out?"

You agree, taking her last question as the dismissal it is. You spot Pan and Apollo lounging together as you make your way back to the entrance, the blue tom cleaning the other's ears, and offer them a wave of the tail. Pan happily returns it, paired with a wink from Apollo over his head that almost has you flushing. You shake it off and are nearly free of the camp when what you can only call some sort of yowl startles you into swinging around. It takes you a second to place it, but when you do you can't bring yourself to do more than blink in surprise. Nike, grown now as Etna had said, is facing some cat you don't recognize, positively snarling with her fur puffed out twice her size; intimidating on an already large cat.

You tune in just in time to hear her hissing, voice pitched in anger, "And you're a harebrained, useless waste of a healer! A fox could do a better job!"

Startled, you move closer, surprised to find blood speckling Nike's pelt. Perhaps she'd gotten into a fight? Etna had said she'd been acting out. Then her words strike you, taking time to process due to the vitriol in them; she had called this cat a healer. Pan had used it days ago, to your confusion, and here it was again. But this time, it was clearly aimed at someone who wasn't the Oracle.

You glance around, looking for someone who's going to step in but everyone around seems to be ignoring the spat, clearly used to them. Huffing you make your way closer; may as well fall to you. "Nike is everything alright?"

Both cats swing on you, and you take the opportunity to observe the stranger. She's got a striking coat, just as dark in places as it is bright in others. Her ears and eyes seem a little too big to her head and her face is angular, body matching with a slim frame and almost twig-like legs. It's all brought together by a large scar, cutting its way across her face and through one of her eyes, clearly blinding it in the process. You can't help but think it adds to the fact that she looks a little unstable, body twitchy and her working eye not sticking to one place longer than a moment.

She bares her teeth at you and you can't help but step back in surprise. "Mind your own business clan cat. This insubordinate whelp has nothing to do with you."

"I'm just making sure everyone's alright. She's clearly been into something if she's bleeding."

"Which is none of your business either! I'm their healer, not you, so do us all the favor and get lost, preferably back to where you came from."

You can only stare in shock, not sure what to do with the hostile she-cat. You note, distantly, that at least you had given Nike the chance to slink away, probably to lick her own wounds, so it wasn't a total loss. Shrugging with discomfort, you back off and make a quick exit, not wanting to stir the healer up further. You understand, suddenly, why Hecate hadn't wanted you to know that the prophecy had come from her. You most certainly wouldn't have believed it if you had been told she was the source before the sickness had started.

The rest of your journey home is filled with thoughts of spiders, disease, and the strange she-cat who seemed just weird enough to be unable to shake from your mind.

»»———— • ————««

Prompt 5: What is your leader's interpretation of the healer's dream, and what do they think of the information provided by Hecate? Did Hecate's information or the strange she-cat change their initial thinking--do they still trust the rogues? Do they have any new suspicions on the culprit? This should be a personalized response as your leader continues trying to deal with the crisis.

Art Prompt 5: Draw the dream your healer had! Alternatively, draw what you think the strange healer looks like.

Hecate | Etna | Nike

»»———— • ————««

End Date: This writing prompt closes at 11:59 pm EST on the 20th. The art prompt does not close.

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[TheSongOfTheStars]

Writing Prompt!
Username: TheSongOfTheStars
Clan Thread: Forum/viewtopic.php?f=103&t=3731932
Prompt Writing:
401 words
"Spider cat, spider cat, does whatever-"
"Firefly PLEASE."
"Oh come on, this is actually redicullus Wildeyes, you must admit it."
"I never said it wasn't," Wildeyes huffed and frowned "But for once, singing isn't going to solve this."
"Never said it would but I was enjoying myself nevertheless."
"Well," Sandclaw started hesitantly "What if one of these...spider sisters-"
"You mean the one that is still alive?"
"Yeah that one. What about her?"
"Well Hecate said that the spider cat sisters did not like them. What if the one living one followed them here and as revenge for something or other-"
"They are spreading a disease that is ravaging the forest?"
Sandclaw shrugged "City cats go big or go home."
"Kill everyone is not a city cat stereotype," Firefly protested.
"Have you met Wolfblaze?"
"Wolfblaze would kill everyone, city cat or not."
"True that."
Wildeyes set her jaw and flicked her tail back and forth a few times thoughtfully.
"What is it?" Firefly and Sandclaw asked in unison after a moment of silence and Wildeyes wished they'd admit their feelings for each other already.
She shook her head "There was a new cat there. I hadn't seen her before. It looked like Nike had been in a fight and she was having a fit because the healer wasn't doing her job."
"So...so what? You want send Morningblaze over there to give her a few tips on bedside manner?"
Wildeyes shook her head again "It just feels a bit odd, a new cat who is a healer who doesn't do her job do well, a new plague that no one knows where it really came from. I don't know, am I adding two and two and getting four."
"I think you mean adding two and two and getting five."
"Yeah, I don't know. It just seems odd doesn't it?"
"As in, maybe it's the healer's doing?" Sandclaw suggested.
"Okay, but first off, why would the healer want to kill her own cats, second off if she wanted to kill her own cats why hasn't she done it already? Why bother with killing everybody else?"
"City cats go big or they go home.'
"You're stereotyping city cats again!"
"Well I am a city cat, so there."
"You were a city cat."
"Well so were you!"
They made such a lovely couple that were not helping in the slightest. Usually they were both so helpful.

[TheSongOfTheStars]

Art Prompt!
Username: TheSongOfTheStars
Clan Thread: SongClan
Prompt Art: 4

Art Prompt!
Username: TheSongOfTheStars
Clan Thread: SongClan
Prompt Art: 5

[NightWolf950]

Writing Prompt!
Username: NightWolf950
Clan Thread: WolfClan
Prompt Writing:

Hecate and her group had just drop a large amount of information on to Wolfstar, leaving the tom even more confused and frustrated then before. With a small respectful nod to the rouge group, the large gray tabby tom padded back to camp his mind clearly trying to piece bits and pieces of information together. As he padded forward, Wolfstar decided to head to the Moonpool instead, in hopes Hailshade had any new possible insight or even just an opinion on the new information the clan had been given. Upon arriving at the Moonpool, Wolfstar gave a small nod and a few words to Sparkfeather before sending the calico she-cat back to camp. Tonight would be his turn to stay with the clan's medicine cat. "Hailshade..." Wolfstar meowed softly, sitting a respectable distance from the gray blue tabby she-cat. The large tom watched as the petite she-cat lifted her head up from the water and her vivid blue eyes falling upon him. Their eyes locked for a moment before the she-cat gave a heavy sigh and shook her head no.

Hailshade padded over to Wolfstar and sat next to the tom, her eyes gazing out across the water before them. "Unfortunately our ancestors are silent. They have nothing new for me. It seems only Oracle and them are getting any new information." she meowed, her voice sounding defeated. The tom tried to force a small smile, but ended up giving a small shake of his head, unsure of how to comfort Hailshade. She was a talented healer and now with such a great crisis on the horizon, she was clearly stressed that she was unable to do more then what she had been. "I'm sure in time something will reveal itself. As for everything else..." Wolfstar meowed, pausing as his mind flashed back to the strange cat and 'spider' sisters. "I want to trust Hecate and her group, but with this new information what am I to do?" The tom spoke. Hailshade gently rested her tail on the tom's flank for a moment before moving it away and curling it around her paws. "With what you have told me, I do believe that that third sister is still out there. She must old a grudge or something against Hecate. With how Hecate was when you first met her, it wouldn't surprise me that she must have some bad blood with those three cats before coming here. It could be the reason they left." Hailshade spoke.

Hailshade's last sentence rang loudly in Wolfstar's ears although she was speaking softly, something about what she had said struck a chord inside him. "The reason they left... They never did tell us exactly why they left the city to begin with. Hailshade, I think your on to something. Tomorrow we will head back to camp and explain everything to the rest of the clan. From there we will have a small patrol keeping a close eye on them. I want to trust them... but..." Wolfstar meowed. Hailshade gave a small nod, clearly agreeing with the tabby tom. "We'll have to be extra careful if you do decided to do that, as we don't want to raise any suspicion. With how explosive and unpredictable they may be, we have to watch out for ourselves first."

Word Count: 550

[weegeestar5]

Writing Prompt!
Username: weegeestar5
Clan Thread: duskclan
Prompt Writing:
Peachblossom's eyes narrowed as she turned to face Stormstar once he had returned. "Can't help but feel a bit sceptical now," she grumbled, "after how reluctant she was to tell us about the "spider sisters". Sounds like she didn't want to give the information away."
"It's possible she just didn't think they were very relevant," Stormstar pointed out.
"What about that... odd healer? She attacked Nike?" Swiftpaw meowed, evidently concerned.
Stormstar shook his head. "No... Or I don't think so, at least. They were arguing harshly, and she seemed hardly sympathetic," he explained.
"Sounds familiar." Peachblossom muttered, to which Swiftpaw flattened their ears.
"No, it wasn't like your dumb arguments," Stormstar pointed out, "but, anyway, we have to get thinking as to what this dream means."
"I wonder if it's about Spiderpelt..." Peachblossom murmured, glancing in the direction of the elder's den.
"She's an old lady. What destruction could she bring?" Swiftpaw meowed sarcastically, rolling their eyes.
"What about her son?"
"He's a tiny kit. What's your logic in accusing an elder and a kit of destroying the Clan with the plague?" Swiftpaw scoffed, flicking their tail angrily.
"I have to agree with them. I don't think Spiderpelt or Littlekit are capable of causing destruction, especially not like this." Stormstar meowed, "maybe the spider is just a metaphor for a web of lies?"
"From the rogues maybe?"
"Peachblossom, shut up." Swiftpaw turned back to Stormstar, "That definitely could be possible. Unfortunately, we wouldn't be able to tell if anyone's lying, really."
Stormstar shook their head slightly. "You're right. I guess we'll have to wait for things to reveal themselves in due time," he replied, somewhat defeated.
Swiftpaw nodded sympathetically. "If that's all, I better get back to treating the sick cats we have." They meowed.
"...How are they?" Stormstar meowed, uncertain if he wanted to know the answer.
"They're not getting better." Swiftpaw replied; their voice tired, "some of them are getting worse."
Peachblossom licked the top of Swiftpaw's head as a comforting gesture. "If anyone can save them, I'm sure you can," she meowed; her true respect for the medicine cat showing in these troubling times.
"We'll have to pray that they don't go to StarClan," Stormstar murmured, before adding, "I do quickly want to ask about your opinion on the healer, though?"
Swiftpaw paused for a moment. "Healers can be just like any other cat. They could just be grumpy, or unwilling to be around strangers, or have a naturally abrasive personality. So, I don't know. They sound suspicious, but maybe that's just the way they are. I'll give it some more thought later," Swiftpaw replied quickly, their paws already turned towards the medicine cat den. With a flick of their tail, they bounded towards it.
"What do you think about the healer? I didn't get your opinion since you decided to insult Swiftpaw," Stormstar asked, smirking slightly at the last sentence.
Peachblossom let out an angry snort. "I don't know. I suppose it's like Swiftpaw said. StarClan knows I'll claw the ears off of anyone with my tongue, but I'm a good cat." Peachblossom replied, shrugging slightly.
"I suppose to you it's like looking into a lake and seeing a reflection of your older self." Stormstar teased.
"Okay, what's your opinion on the healer?" She meowed.
Stormstar looked upwards. "I'm not sure, like the both of you. She seems suspicious but... Cats can act like that and be good, and I'm an optimist, so I'll choose to believe that she's a good cat, unless she proves me wrong," he replied.
"That sounds like something you'd say."

[599 words]

[SurgeFire]

Writing Prompt!
Username: SurgeFire
Clan Thread: AsterClan
Prompt Writing:

"Spiders. That's the dream?" Yarrowleaf responded incredulously. "Spiders and cats?"
"--specifically, the spider sisters... or whatever they seemed to be implying..." Minkstar shook their head in disbelief as well, attempting to figure out the situation. "Honestly, I didn't believe that. I don't really believe Hecate did, either... to be honest with you, I'm drawing at a loss here on trying to interpret what this could even mean."
Yarrowleaf, also attempting to figure out the strange dream, sighed. "Well... I don't think they have anything to do with it... a strange coincidence, maybe? Oddly specific, but I know it could all just be a facade," he blinked, before lashing his tail in confusion and continuing. "What are you thinking here?"

They settled back down; sitting, with their tail curled around their paws, and staring out into the forest, still unsure of what to even do. "I think it might be something related to... Judges, I don't even know. Perhaps some cat... who is spidery in nature?" they shook their head, not even believing their own words. "What does that even mean, Yarrowleaf? ...no, wait, I should be asking that myself, shouldn't I."
The confusion was getting to them, and Yarrowleaf could only give them a reassuring look.
"Do you still trust the rogues, Minkstar?"
They looked back at him in thought; at first, this seemed like a silly question. Not working with them did lead to disaster, did it not? But indeed, something about this did seem... off.
"I still do, Yarrowleaf. I just believe they should be viewed with some sort of caution," they sighed. "I'm not totally sure about what that healer was up to, but if Nike was so upset... what did she do?"
"Judging from what I know of Nike, I don't really think that healer did much," he responded cheekily. "But-- er, from what you did say, I guess that was kind of suspicious."
"I trust Hecate, and perhaps the Oracle if what he's been saying is true. But do I have to completely trust the rest?" Minkstar responded, gaze lost in thought. "What if one of them is related to the dream? I suppose it is a bit selfish of me to suggest it's not someone in our Clan, but..." they sighed heavily. "Have we been having too many problems?"
Yarrowleaf looked back at them worriedly; they were giving the Clan far too much credit, and that did worry him.
But he said nothing.
"I see what you mean. I guess we won't have any concrete answers until we get to the bottom of this, huh?" he chuckled nervously; oh, what was going to happen to them all?