Rise Summer Event: Dark Skies | Path 3

[SurgeFire]

Writing prompt 6 will now close Sunday the 25th at 11:59 PM EDT instead; slightly less than a day.
This is not a closing post.

[~HєуRєι~]

Writing Prompt!
Username: ~HєуRєι~
Clan Thread: Beamclan
Prompt Writing:

Since arriving towards the south around the southern river, past the territory border, Shrikestar has only seen exhaustion from her clanmates. However with small amount of information in the brief time they've stayed around the water, she knows cats are stressed and fearful more than anything. The smoke of the fires stung noses and the heat singed pelts as they all ran past the raging forest fire which they are hoping has not engulfed the entire camp. Cats remaining are worried that small plants, unmarked graves, and the burial grounds are in danger as well, which would possibly sever the connection to them and their ancestors as a whole, or at the least temporarily. Due to the forest being dangerous, Shrikestar and the able bodied cats are setting up temporary dug out dens while the medical roles search for basic herbs to at least attempt to tend to the wounded that were able to follow to a safe place. Of course some members were wounded severely, either through burns or smoke inhalation. Shrikestar sent her available hunters and warriors as well that were not digging temporary dens to hunt for prey and moss to help exhaustion between the members and faster healing. Shrikestar herself is currently struggling with minor burns and some smoke inhalation, so outside orders she simply is monitoring how the dens are going and checking in on the healing clanmates.

After a few hours of work Shrikestar's lungs began to clear more, but the tenseness between cats over the current situation rose dramatically from when they first escaped. The simple confusion on how and why the fires were sent forward towards such a sacred place as their camp and burial grounds. Most cats are worried about their loved ones in other clans and those that are injured, and are doing the best they can to find herbs, bedding, and prey to make their temporary stay easier. Shrikestar and Copperpounce are worried about their allies and peaceful groups, including the rogues and borders. Hoping that the rogues are not in such a dire situation, Shrikestar plans to send a messenger to the borders to check in on how they are doing in regards of the situation. The elders, previously sickly prior to the fire, and young kits are most in danger and have ordered them not to over exert themselves, but able bodied cats are Shrikestar's top priority to food as well as the gravely injured with herbs and food. All Shrikestar can hope is that the fires don't spread further south, or they will be forced into the city streets. [433/600]

[SurgeFire]

The end of the prompt is being pushed out again to the 26th, same time.

[SurgeFire]

Writing prompt 6 is now officially closed.

[SurgeFire]

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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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[hawkfire102]

Writing Prompt!
Username: hawkfire102
Clan Thread: SycamoreClan
Prompt Writing:

Sycamorestar felt like there was always more questions than answers right now. He felt like there was an answer with the orange eyes so that was why he came to Hecate. She had an answer for who it was, finally something finite about the situation but there was another problem. Hecate said the problem followed her. He told her it was fine but did he really feel that way?

He wasn't going to pry into her past because that was not his place. Whatever she did to anger this cat was her own personal problem. That strife is hers and hers only. But if this cat, this Atropos, wanted to bring SycamoreClan down in her anger then that's what his problem is. Any cat that is willing to harm others in their anger isn't a cat he wants around period. He could not change what was done to make Atropos come after both of them, but he could try and stop her.

Logically he knew that sticking with Hecate and her group would lead to disaster if they couldn't stop Atropos but he could never leave anyone to suffer such a fate on their own. He sat on a hill looking down on his Clan's makeshift camp. He watched as the rest of his Clanmates interacted with each other. He could see how hard Birchheart was trying to keep the morale high. Meadowflower had barely any herbs to treat the Clan if something were to go wrong. Solarsoul was angry and Owlpaw was doing his best to entertain Mallowkit.

He was starting to feel conflicted looking at his kit. He should separate from the rogue group in order to protect her. He wanted her to grow up safe and away from the danger that was being brought to the forest. His heart ached at the thought of anything happening to her. Another thought crossed his mind. Everyone in Hecate's group is someone's kit. If he felt this way about his kit, he imagined they felt the same way.

In the end, if Hecate was the only one that deserved the anger of Atropos then no one else should have to bear the brunt of it. She had to be stopped and against one cat, there was strength in numbers. He picked himself up and made his way back to his Clan. He'd stay by their side as long as the fires still blazed in the forest. He was going to put a stop of this, even if he had to risk all nine of his lives.

[426/600 words]

[~HєуRєι~]

Writing Prompt!
Username: ~HєуRєι~
Clan Thread: Beamclan
Prompt Writing:

Despite her suspicions, Shrikestar trust's Hecate's explanation even with her short temper. While she does not trust the rest of the rogue members, she is glad Hecate at least has a hunch about who the cat behind this may be. The description and name are completely unfamiliar to Shrikestar, which means shes being lead only by Hecate's own word and trust. She knows this and is uncomfortable with it, as are a her clanmates. She is no longer suspicious of Hecate, however that does not mean her clanmates share the same views as the skytouched. Small whispers of doubt still plague her mind, swirling like a thick mist.

Assuming Hecate is in fact telling the truth, this means that the cat she suspects is behind this, Atropos, is after her group rather than Beamclan, though their association is causing Beamclan to be caught in the crossfire. As Shrikestar's duty and innate want, she is starting to wonder if their current peace and collaboration is a danger to her clan. Dawnbark, the moonspeaker, insists that helping Hecate will benefit them more than leaving them in the dust, despite the fact Hecate is practically causing them to be in harms way. Most of Beamclan in fact chalk up this thought to Dawnbark's natural positive and rather gullible nature, even if her words hold some truth. Copperpounce, the skyfollower, believes that Beamclan should leave soon if situations become worse in any way, even urging to call off the alliance as soon as possible. Most cats seem to agree with him as time goes on, knowing he is suggesting this with the best of intentions when it comes to the safety of the clan.

Nearly all cats agree that it is foolish to continue helping these cats who are causing path to potential harm, even if it means the rogues will have that fate instead. After the last tragedy of their camp being destroyed, the loss of a clanmember, and several severe injuries, it seems that Copperpounce may be right in the thought of leaving. Shrikestar doesn't want to admit to herself that this alliance may have been a bad idea. However she believes it is still important to go through with the deal, having already promised protection and help in finding who is responsible and stopping them from continuing their reign of destruction upon both groups. Even if Shrikstar is considering removing the alliance, she wouldn't out of simple stubbornness and strong sense to keep her clan safe. [415/600]

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