Rise Summer Event: Dark Skies | Path 1

[Neah]

Writing prompt 6 is officially closed.

[Neah]

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You set off the next day at sunhigh, making quick time to the rogues camp with your new location. You go unchallenged when you eventually slip into their camp, but that doesn't really come as a surprise anymore. Everyone's spread thin; they don't have time to worry about guarding a temporary camp. It takes a few moments for anyone to notice your presence, all of them too busy with their own tasks or thoughts.

Pan notices you first, bounding over with a greeting already spilling out, as happy to see you as always. Apollo isn't far behind him, his own hello, much more subdued but still kind, just as quick to reach your ears.

"Well this is unexpected," Apollo starts, tail curling as he comes to a stop by Pan's side. "What can we help you with?"

"Hecate asked that I come by should we gain any more insight. Is she around?"

Apollo flicks his ear, casting a look over his shoulder, "Yeah, follow me." He nudges Pan's shoulder as a temporary goodbye before turning and flicking his tail in indication for you to follow. "As a warning," he glances over his shoulder, "my sister's been more irritable than usual. She may get short with you but she doesn't mean it. This has been hard on everyone."

You nod, understanding of the position she's in. You both have your groups to look after, and every day that goes by that you don't solve what's happening is another day closer to more cats dying. The responsibility weighs heavily on your mind, as you're sure it does on hers as well.

He leads you to a gap in the walls of their temporary camp and slips through it, leaving you to follow. You spot Hecate on the other side, back facing the camp and tail lashing. She seems ruffled and irritated, and you can sympathize. Apollo stops short, holding out a paw to invite you to continue and giving you a wink before turning and slipping back inside.

"What do you need clan cat?" She sounds tired, despite what her brother had said.

You wince a bit, empathy spiking through you, as you come to sit next to her. "We had another message from our ancestors." Her ear twitches your direction and the wild movement of her tail picks up speed but she gives no other indication of having heard you, so you continue, telling her the details of the dream and what your healer thought it meant consequence wise.

She doesn't respond for a long while, making your fur prickle in discomfort.

"Orange eyes?" She finally looks at you, eyes bright with worry and muzzle drawn in a frown. At your curious look, she drops her gaze again, glaring at the ground. "I don't have... I think I know who they may be talking about but it doesn't make sense."

"Doesn't make sense?" She makes an annoyed noise, but you doubt it's aimed towards you. She seems mad at herself for not being able to figure it out. You wait for her to continue, not wanting to derail her train of thought.

Hecate sits quietly for a long while, brows furrowed and staring, unseeing, at the ground. Her tail lashes furiously all the while. Eventually, she seems to shake herself out of her thoughts and glances up to you. "The... wasting away, as you put it. I mentioned the sisters before, from our city?" She pauses, and you nod. "Their names were Clotho, Lachesis and... Atropos."

You blink as the information registers. "Atropos? Like atrophy?"

She nods, looking back out at the horizon. "Clotho and Lachesis were the two we knew were dead. None of us knew what happened to Atropos."

"You think she'd be doing this?"

Hecate shrugs, ears laying back. "I can't think of any other cat. I don't know why'd she come all this way to bother us but the signs, the meddling with spirits. It sounds like her."

You offer a hesitant nod. You suppose you cant argue with her. You can't think of anyone in your clan who would cause this, and all of Hecate's explaination makes sense. "Do you know what she looks like, then? It'll make it easier to keep an eye out."

She shakes her head, looking sheepish. "They were reclusive, very few ever actually met or saw them." She pauses, gaze moving to meet yours, "I'm sorry." She sighs at your confused look. "We've brought you nothing but trouble since being here. Atropos wouldn't have come if it wasn't for us."

You wave her off, ears twitching, "You couldn't have known. At least we know what we're up against now. We know her name. I'll tell my clan to look out for an unfamiliar cat. She'll probably still smell of he city, and she'll probably be scrawny if she's living on her own."

Hecate nods and you both get to your paws, exchanging farewells as you go your seperate ways, one more quetion answered but even more laid out in its wake. You can only hope you'll find this Atropos soon, whoever she is.

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Prompt 7: You told Hecate it was fine that this trouble followed her, but do you really think it is? Whatever this Atropos wants, she's willing to bring your Clan down with her. Do you think it's time to break ties or do you still believe working together is still the answer?

Art Prompt 7: Didn't give you y'all much to work with this time, did I? This go-round, just draw me any scene you'd like from the writing.

Hecate

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End Date: This writing prompt closes at 11:59 pm EST on the 21st. The art prompt does not close.

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[ajax.]

Writing Prompt!
Username: AJ.
Clan Thread: ThistleClan
Prompt Writing:
Okay, so this meant that it wasn't Tangle... or Owl.
That was good, it meant he could trust his family still.
The chocolate tabby breathed a deep sigh, his form hunched as he sat in the rogues camp. BrambleThorn had accompanied him to the rogue camp, curious about what this could possibly mean.
"It could still mean the boys are in trouble, it's just less of a chance now." His brother said, his voice raspy after having ran with AdderStar here. "We are still in danger, and because we don't know the foe that means the risk is higher."
"But if we stop it there's no loss for us." AdderStar whispered back harshly. He didn't want to snap at his littermate, but he could feel his frayed nerves growing as he sat still.
"I just don't understand." He mumbled, everyone had begun saying that phrase, they couldn't understand why this was happening, or what it had to do with his cats. Especially now, his cats weren't likely to be a part of the prophecy, so why was this Atropos threatening the lives of his cats too?
AdderStar stood and started padding towards the exit of the rogue camp, he nodded a brief farewell to Pan and Apollo, but didn't say goodbye with a smile. The hard times were just getting harder now, and AdderStar knew they could use some humour, but he couldn't bring himself to it yet.
As he and his brother left and started their way back to their own temporary camp, AdderStar's pelt bristled. BrambleThorn watched his brother uneasily.
"I know we're supposed to stay allied, but its getting more and more difficult." The mackeral tabby choked back a frustrated growl. "I trust Hecate, but I have to admit, why drag us in if it barely involves us?" He mumbled further, his tail lashed.
"Allies would be the best thing right now Adder, You know that." BrambleThorn explained. "You know more than I, but we must keep the ties to the rogues positive. We have to stay with them." He continued.
The memory of the past war with another border flashed through AdderStar's mind and he shuddered. His brother was right, and despite them being the same age, BrambleThorn was much wiser, having been forced to grow up much faster.
AdderStar nodded, thinking of his mate. Where was HeatherPool? He couldn't remember where she last set off to, he missed her dreadfully.
"No more enemies, okay." AdderStar mumbled. "I know, I guess I'm just losing my patience." He explained.
"That's the least we need now." BrambleThorn explained, his thick fur fluffing up against a sudden breeze. "We need to keep our composure, and keep working with Hecate, whether we want to or not, we can't risk cutting ties now."
[462]

[kamelgirl]

Writing Prompt!
username: kamelgirl
clan thread: rimeclan
prompt writing: "Did you really mean all that? About it not being her fault?" Dappledlight muttered behind her.

"Oh, of course not," Eveningstar said. "After all that trouble last year, she's now dragged us into her grudge match - and withholding important information on top of that. Now our camp is destroyed, our own territory is trying to kill us, and Wr- Wren-" she couldn't get the name out. Eveningstar swallowed heavily, ignoring the glance Dappledlight and Sandstrike swapped behind her back. "A good warrior is gone, and she can't even give us a description of the suspect. I'm going to rip Hecate's pelt off."

Dappledlight made a disapproving noise, but her heart wasn't in it.

"Are we still allies, then?" Sandstrike asked.

"We've got no other choice," Eveningstar said, pushing through a curtain of drooping pine branches. "They're our only lead. But rest assured, I will be speaking to Hecate about our 'alliance' after this." Though she couldn't see his expression, Eveningstar could hear Sandstrike's pawsteps lighten.

They ducked through the pines and emerged at the mouth of the tunnel. A lanky black tom was awaiting them. "Is the earth moving again?" he asked.

"Everything's still," Eveningstar assured him. "How's the clan doing, Softsoot?"

Softsoot stepped back to allow the patrol to squeeze past before following. "Shaken, but holding up. It's pretty cold in here, though."

"It's 'cause of the rock," Dappledlight told him. "Sucks the warmth out of you. We need to pay down some covering for the ground, like moss or pine needles."

"Why don't you two get on that?" Eveningstar suggested. As Dappledlight and Sandstrike scampered off, she turned back to Softsoot. "How is my apprentice?" she asked quietly.

Softsoot didn't meet her eyes. "She... could be better. You should really talk to her, Eveningstar."

Eveningstar opened her mouth, then closed it again. "Yes. I probably should." After a moment, Softsoot stood up to lead the way to the clan. Eveningstar followed silently.

Petalpaw was curled up on the ground, huddled next to Lightpool. As Eveningstar approached, Lightpool glanced up with a silent plea in her eyes. Eveningstar signalled her to leave with a flick of her ears, then turned to settle down next to her apprentice.

"Go 'way," Petalpaw muttered, not looking up.

"Hello, Petalpaw," Eveningstar said. "We will hold her vigil and Truthspeaking tonight. I assume you'll be there."

Petalpaw made an indecipherable noise and thrust her face beneath her paw.

"The camp isn't safe to return to, but we'll send a patrol to search for her body tomorrow. Starclan willing, we'll be able to commit her to Hollow Lake then."

No response.

Eveningstar didn't falter. "Of course, there may be-"

"Oh, stars' sake - would you shut up?" Petalpaw snapped, springing to her paws.

Eveningstar remained where she was. "Petalpaw, please sit down. We're all grieving."

"It's a little late for you to suddenly start caring! You didn't care enough to get her out of there, you didn't care enough to do the rituals... Stop pretending to care, just to pacify me. We're all grieving except you!"

"Petalpaw," Eveningstar repeated, a little shakily.

"You - you can't even say her name," Petalpaw snarled, on the verge of tears herself. "You can't even-" the rest dissolved in a broken sob.

"Petalpaw," Eveningstar whispered, turning her apprentice to her. Petalpaw sobbed into Eveningstar's chest as her mentor pulled her close. "We will set Wrenfeather's spirit to rest tonight," she promised her, "and we'll lay her body down tomorrow. And we will hunt her murderer down and ensure she will never set a paw on any cat again." [600/600]

[MeltiTheDragon]

Writing Prompt!
Username: MeltiTheDragon
Clan Thread: Cascadeclan
Prompt Writing:


Campionstar slumped down into her nest, thoroughly exhausted. Well, not her nest so much as Cinderstar's nest. Usually she'd have taken her rest in the warriors' den, but now she wasn't sleeping. They had important matters to discuss away from their other clanmates ; she just felt drained more than her usual as of late and felt as if she'd face plant if she'd decided to sit. Her deputy spoke immediately.

"I still think some of our clan is involved."

She glared claws at Owletfur. "And I thought we were finally getting along fine. They've given us no reason to suspect them."

The cinnamon smoke sputtered. "But they've been awfully secretive ever since they've joined."

"And yet have they done anything to harm their peers?" she hissed. "No, they have not. And besides, I'm very positive that Mottlenose hasn't told you half her own secrets."

The medic reclined against the walls of the shallow caves. She intently watched her gently swishing tail, seemingly ignoring the leader and deputy's bickering.

"Wait, what? So the clan has a valid point in not entirely trusting her? Why haven't you told me? Do you not trust me?" he spat, then added, "How can you justify trusting someone who keeps secrets from her own clan?"

Campionstar was speechless, and it took her a moment to gather how to respond to that.

"What I do is none of your business Owl-Eyes," Mottlenose grumbled indignantly. "But since you are so concerned, it's not me. Yes, I sneak out of camp. Yes, I know more than you think. No, I did not summon demons from the Place of No Stars to rip the world apart. Cascadeclan is my family. Why would someone try to destroy their family?"

They both stared. "And what are you thinking Mottle? In regards who might be the guilty party," Campionstar inquired.

"I'm sorry old friend. Tabbies don't change their stripes. I've met enough street cats in my life to know that they can never be good. While they may not be the main trouble, they may be helping Atropos. Atropos is Dark Forest incarnate."

"You know him?" Owletfur mouthed, as the medic nodded. "Once," she mouthed back.

"Campionstar, I don't think that we should be working with Hecate much longer. She's never brought us anything but trouble."

She suddenly sat up. "And here I must invoke the thirteenth credo of our code. I disagree. It's not her fault that they went to this extreme measure. Two stand stronger than one. The more allies we have, the quicker this gets resolved. For all of our sakes. I think Mottle will agree with me."

The scrawny medic nodded solemnly. Owletfur bristled a little. The leader's word is law. She had full power to do what she felt was right, and she felt this was right.

[469/600 words :: Calderaclan cameo with permission from LittleBit.]