[Mythz]

Gemstone kitty #2!
This fella is based on Amethyst!
Thank you to everyone in the discord (especially ataraxic_king!) for all the help on this kid!

Amethyst is often seen as an intuitive stone or a sobering force
What is one time they almost made a wrong turn/mistake and managed to save themself in time?

Ends November 30th at CS Rollover

Code: Select all

[b]Username:[/b]
[b]Cat Name:[/b]
[b]Gender:[/b]
[b]Rank:[/b]
[b]Clan:[/b] (Please link)
[b]Age:[/b] (1 year or above)
[b]Prompt:[/b]

x
Name:
Gender:
Rank:
Clan:
Description: Dominant White [Lilac Marbled Torbie Sepia Mid White]
Age:
Edits: [nr] accessories, grape juice stains
Owner:

[RoxyTBDW]

I KNEW IT WAS AN AMETHYST! when i saw the gem i knew!!

[jay.]

marking

[Knickknacks]

Username: knickknacks
Cat Name: Duckpaw ba ba ba, got any grapes-
Gender: male
Rank: apprentice
Clan: Knollclan
Age: 7 moons
Prompt: [1188 words]

The young cat would have been giggling up a storm if his mouth wasn't full. Even so, it was difficult to quash the smile on his face as he bounded along through the forest with his quarry.

Technically speaking, Duckpaw knew he shouldn't have gone out alone, but he was sure that any annoyance would be won over by how impressed the other cats would be with his find. He knew that the elders and some of the hunters were fond of the occasional fruit when they were able to find it, and he'd found such a wonderful treat for them! It had been a long day of hunting for fruit, but finally he'd found some. The bundle of grapes swung heavily from his jaws as he ran, biting tightly on the stem.

Wouldn't they all be surprised when he showed up with this prize!

It was a long run from where he'd found the grapes- a peculiar human field, with abnormally straight rows of bushes and vines- to the edge of Knollclan's forest, but Duckpaw noted with some pride that he was in good shape from his training. He'd been running for a long while and had barely had to stop to rest. The temptation to take a bite of one of the grapes had been overwhelming, but ultimately he had told himself that no, this was a gift for his clanmates, and he should save it for them.

Lost in thought, Duckpaw nearly failed to notice as he approached a curving stream- one of several that wound through Knollclan's woods. This stream was not like the shallow, gentle brook that encircled their camp- this one was faster, and too deep for him to swim across.

Oh! I'm here already? I must be making excellent time, Duckpaw thought, opting to be very pleased with himself. He'd crossed this stream on the way out, and if he remembered correctly there should be a fallen tree somewhere nearby. He nosed around for a few moments, carefully keeping the grapes from brushing the forest floor- he didn't want his gift to be all spoiled and covered in dirt before he got back!- and finally happened upon the tree. It wasn't an exceptionally old one, but a narrow young tree whose roots appeared to have come dislodged, and now bent over the stream. Despite its narrowness, Duckpaw had been able to balance alright heading out... though how he had the counterweight of the grapes to correct for.

Maybe I shouldn't have taken so many. The bundle in his mouth suddenly felt much heavier.

Shaking himself, Duckpaw glared at the tree in a silent challenge to himself. He'd come this far! No way was he going to chicken out now. He did have to get home before dark, after all- or else it wouldn't matter what he brought as a gift, the warriors would be sick with worry, and he'd be punished for going out alone. (Granted: these were things that might very well happen anyways, but Duckpaw rationalized that the grapes would be at least some point in his favor. He couldn't help wishing that he'd thought to bring an accomplice, though.

The tree creaked ominously as he set his paws on it and began inching forward.

Don't... you... dare, Duckpaw cursed at it in his head, one small pawstep after another. His jaw was aching from holding the grapes for so long, and his legs were starting to shake a bit as well. It seemed as though the exhaustion from a day of running was finally catching up to him.

This was a stupid idea, he realized, approximately halfway across the branch. I shouldn't have gone out alone. These stupid grapes aren't worth all this.

The slender tree- really, it was hardly more than a sapling, Duckpaw realized, hearing his heart beat louder with anxiety- groaned underneath his paws. Duckpaw jolted in a panic, fearing that it was going to give way beneath him. He couldn't fall into the stream- if he was too exhausted to crawl across this silly tree, he was surely too tired to swim.

Another, louder, creak from the tree, and the decision was made. Duckpaw opened his mouth, reluctantly letting his grapes drop to the stream below. Cringing internally at the splash, he bounded forward with reckless abandon, energized by his nerves and less cumbersome without the burden he'd been carrying.

The tree let out a final crack beneath his paws as he jumped off, landing in a heap on the other side of the stream.

"Ow," he grunted into the leaf litter, flexing his paws. He really, really did not want to move right about now. "That hurt."

There was, of course, nobody else around to hear and sympathize with him. Hauling himself to his paws, Duckpaw peered mournfully at the stream, which had surely carried his prized grapes far away by now.

"So much for that plan," he sighed. "Surely they'll be glad to see me back in one piece though, right?"

--

"You are in so much trouble."

Those were the first words Duckpaw heard upon arriving back at camp. His mentor, some of the other apprentices, the healer- all of them came at him with a barrage of questions.

"Where have you been? Did you catch any prey? Are you hurt? Why do you look so tired? What in the stars possessed you to go out on your own without telling anyone?"

Duckpaw sighed heavily, biting back a yawn. What he wanted more than anything right now was a nap.

"I was- I was trying to get some fruit for cats, because I know how many of you like those kinds of things. It was supposed to be a surprise, but- I lost my grapes on the way back to camp."

A moment of silence. Possibly pitying, possibly incredulous at the fact that he'd been gone all day on a fruit gathering errand, of all things.

"Just as well that you dropped them," the healer spoke up. "And a good thing you didn't eat any, either. You know that grapes are as good as poison, right?"

Duckpaw stared. He felt himself heat up with embarrassment.

"I- no, I didn't know that," he mumbled, shamefaced.

"Well, at least you didn't accidentally poison yourself while you were out."

"I feel so stupid now," he complained.

"It's okay," the healer said, a bit more kindly now. "Every cat has their moments. Everyone will forget about this soon enough."

"Except for me."

"Except for you," they agreed. "But at least you'll never make this mistake again, right?"

"I guess so." Duckpaw laughed a little bit. "Thanks."

"Don't mention it. Also, you still have some grape stains in your fur. Maybe try washing those out- in the stream, not with your tongue, mind you."

Duckpaw sighed, and trudged off to the streambank, eager to rest his paws in the soothing water and wash away the reminder of this long, somewhat embarrassing, day.

I suppose that at least nobody was around to comment on how silly I looked, trying to cross a stream with a bundle of grapes.

[birdbones]

mark

[Griff]

Username: Griff
Cat Name: Quartzfur
Gender: Female
Rank: TBD
Clan: https://toyhou.se/griffhighwind/charact ... er:2507939
Age: 13 Months
Prompt:

From a young age, Quartzfur accidentally had met the stray Tom, Burnt. A mighty cat covered in scars and crooked whiskers, she excitedly followed him wherever he might go, listened to the stories he brought. She did not care if her clan kept warning her against him, kept telling her he was trouble. She liked him, she wanted to know more, and she always felt a bit more excitement when he was around!

Burnt was amused by the kitten, allowing her to follow and indulging her when he was bored or felt like it. But did he care for them? That part none were sure on. Quartzfur would come back with harrowing stories that made her fellow clanmates more and more worried. But the kitten was so excited, and in no mind to give up her adventures or the one she saw as a friend.

The turning point came as the pair came closer and closer to the nearby Two-Legs dwellings. "Just look cute, and they will give you food!" He reassured. Her ears fell back though, as she shook her head.

"...Ive... I'm always told they're bad. Stay away. Don't go near..." She said, voice filled with fear. Burnt scoffed, disgust in his voice.

"Here, let me show you how its done..." He growled, walking forward. Only as he did, several of the residents captured him... and she never saw him again. She knew that could have been her. She could have been taken away, never to see her family again. And it terrified the kitten so much it was a long time before she ever wandered that far again.

[Mythz]

congrats!! a crazy amount of effort went into this and i loved the story <3

Username: knickknacks
Cat Name: Duckpaw ba ba ba, got any grapes-
Gender: male
Rank: apprentice
Clan: Knollclan
Age: 7 moons
Prompt: [1188 words]
-snip-

[Knickknacks]

me realizing that I never actually posted here in thANKS-

thank you so much, mythz! I love love love this little dude- and his adult ref looks awesome as well! ^^