✦ Stars Catvent 2022

[Griff]

↬ catvent day: eight

↬ username & id: Griff 254592
↬ clan archive: Clan Ember

↬ word count: 505
↬ prompt: Emberstar gave a soft sigh, as he glances up at the stars. He had wandered off alone tonight, just so he could think. The holidays always made him pensive, as he remembered his past life before he had met Sun and Moon. Before he had made his clan, before he was given his lives... before he had even been a warrior. In those days he had been a soft, but very beloved kittypet. The Two Legs and their strange traditions always made him nostalgic, as he remembered being curled up on a lap watching holiday specials from the television, or being given extra food and treats. Sometimes he could not help but to wonder, had he been happier then?

Just as he thought this, he felt a soft tap on his shoulder. He jumped, startled and turned to face a strangely white cat who seemed even lighter than the sands. The cat had a wreath upon her head, which held three small candles. "Wh- who are...?" She smiled.

"Starclan has seen your plight and... wants to remind you of where you belong. Three ghosts shall visit you tonight. I am the Ghost of Christmas Past. You were thinking about Two-Legs again... right?" He sighed out softly.

"I... I was. They treated me so well," he says.

"Like you were a family?"

"Yeah..."

"Let me show you something..." In a moment, he was shown a scene of his Two-Leg family, eating together and laughing. He himself was gently reminded not to be at the table, and watched as the Two-Legs played their games and watched specials. "They spent their time together and while they did not exclude you... they did not include you either did they? Did they take steps to ensure you were as welcomed as their Two-Leg members?"

"No... I suppose not..."

"The past often comes with fond nostalgia, and allows us to forget its... deficiencies. They did the best they could for Two-Legs I imagine... but let my partner show you something else..." And before he even could blink, the first was gone. In her place sat an oversized tabby cat, with a red cloak.

"Christmas Present here, just follow me!" Emberstar blinked, following the tabby back to his very own clan. There he saw them making festive treats, gathering warm things, and getting ready to share stories. "Where is Emberstar?" one asked. Crowcall piped in. "I'll go find him! He needs to be here! Hes family too! Annoying family, but family!"

"...Heh. Right back at you Crowcall..." Emberstar spoke quietly.

"You see? They want to include you because you are family! Your present is so much more than you realize, and much more than your past!" Emberstar found himself smiling, his ears twitching.

"Yeah... yeah I am lucky..." he whispered. "Thank you for reminding me!"

"You're welcome! I am just glad we did not have to send out the Ghost of Christmas Future..."

"Wh- ACK!" Briefly, a voiceless reaper stood before him. "Nope I am good! I am good now! Happy holidays!"

[DiamondDogg]

↬ catvent day: eight

↬ username & id: cloudeddiamond 841284
↬ clan archive: SparrowClan

↬ word count: 393 words
↬ prompt:
Sunflowerdance stared at the figures. Their fur twinkled unnaturally and glowed in a faint shade of gold. They were much larger than normal cats as well. One was slim and lanky, another wide with a thick mane. The third has tufted ears and a short, rounded tail, alongside massive paws. She took a pawstep back. "You aren't from StarClan, are you? Who are you?"
"We are beings above your precious StarClan, who watch over all cats, whether they be clan, tribe, or live with humans."
"Humans?" She questioned, before quickly moving on. "What do you want?"
"We're here with a message," they say in an echoing harmony.

"You have lost something. Someone," they begin. Sunflowerdance freezes. They couldn't mean- surely not, right?
"You have lost one thing. But another was won."
"You are becoming something. But you are still a young one."
The figures fade quickly after their final message, leaving Sunflowerdance to their thoughts. "Lost something," "another was won," "becoming something," what did they mean?
Well, she knew what the first one meant. Her sister. Who had died two moons ago, when the deputy had betrayed his clan. But what was won? What's going to happen? She shook her head, wandering in a daze back to camp.

Ravenstar stood atop the highrock, the clan gathered below. It had been three sunrises since the odd cats had visited her, and she hasn't stopped thinking about what she had "won."
"I have left you all without a deputy for two moons too many. I should have done this a while ago, but I wanted to make sure my choice was the right one this time." He paused and looked out over the clan. His eyes were glazed with fear, but at the same time, pride. Sunflowerdance knew this must be difficult for him, and wondered who he would've picked. Rabbittail had temporarily taken over the deputy position as they were the most senior warrior. Perhaps they would become the deputy. Or maybe Wrensong, who was just as experienced. The clan sat silently, waiting for his answer.
"Sunflowerdance."
....
That's what she had won

Moons passed, and slowly the new deputy thought less and less of the encounter. Until one night, the three returned, this time in her dreams.
"You are becoming something," was all they said. Sunflowerdance awoke with a start. What would she become?

[dragoness129]

↬ catvent day: eight

↬ username & id: dragoness129 + 3218
↬ clan archive: Here

↬ word count: 222 words
↬ prompt:
Past
The Spectral Cat with a flame atop its head steps up first. He points out what life was like for Jayce as a kitten before he strode off to start his own clan. He missed his family and appreciated seeing how much he had been loved in his past. He would keep that love in his heart to share with his own clan. The specter nods approvingly.

Present
A Mushroom covered kitten steps forward, bouncing around the grove that made up the Galerina Autumnalis territory. It was rich in flora, especially the mushrooms that made up its name. The kitten nodded approvingly at the location Jayce had selected to start his clan. This was a good area indeed. Not much more could be helped to improve it besides more clan mates. The kitten looked to the next ghost.

Future
A very large cat spirit stepped forward. He exhaled a thick fog of mist. Slowly, other cats came to this area. There were glimpses of the tests that each would go through to see if they were right for the group. All in all, the future looked fruitful and Jayce would eventually have other clan mates to aid him in his dream vision of the future. The mist gently dispersed.

All three spirits gave a final nod of assurance before they disappeared.

[mrs]

↬ catvent day: eight

↬ username & id: mrs + 1026844
↬ clan archive: Whispering Winds

↬ word count: 2,057
↬ prompt:

Muddedshine was trying to sleep; he had to get sleep. There wasn't much time left in the night, not after how delayed he was getting back home to his clan. That strange cat... he couldn't forget them. Wish. It was all he could think about! He repositioned himself, hoping to find more comfort, but alas. He could. not. sleep. He let out a huff and opened his eyes, suddenly realizing *why* he may not be able to sleep. There before him, was- a spirit? A ghastly white, long-furred cat, with bright blue eyes. He pranced to his paws, eyes on this mystical cat.

"Muddedshine," the feline greeted. The cat's voice was that of an angel; it was hauntingly harmonic. "You probably know why I am visiting, don't you? No? I'm the Spirit of Nixmas past. Your recent actions regarding being kind to others have not gone unnoticed." The feline padded over to the cat. She sat in front of him, rose a paw up, then reached forward and pressed her pad to his chest.

The scenery around them changed from the warrior den, all the way to..? Muddedshine looked around them, eyes wide. "Where are we?" He didn't recognize their surroundings, nor any voices he heard around him.

"You met a cat recently, their name Wish. Rather than telling them off for being within your clan's territory, you sat down with them, and spoke about your clan's holidays. You sat with them in the sunlight to bask whilst you spoke to them; you told them all about how your clan celebrates Nixmas." The feline purred; she clearly looked to be fond about what Muddedshine had done. "You did it despite knowing your leader would look upon you, perhaps even casting you out as a lone rogue. How prideful you must feel over your actions!"

"I'm sorry, but... where are we? Are you able to hear me?" He looked at her, head cocked slightly to the side. Ma'am? Hello? He squinted his eyes at her, ready to open his mouth again. As he did, the scene around them changed! Again? This time, rather than wherever they were, they were at the gathering their clan hosted with allied clans annually. "Why are we here?"

"Imagine if you had expressed such kindness to other cats sooner." She led Muddedshine over to his past, visibly younger, self. She looked down at the young cat, a frown now on her face. "You were alone before. I couldn't help but take notice of your actions! I had to ask, were you motivated by your previous loneliness? Is that what inspired you to invite the feline to sit, chat, and eventually attend a festive gathering together?"

Muddedshine's eyes widened at the sight. For a while, he was utterly silent. Out of everything... even if she had claimed her title to be the 'Spirit of Nixmas past', Muddedshine had not expected her to show this to him. He looked at himself, seeing visible sadness in his own eyes. He was alone, with no one to speak to. There was no one around, and he was left there, in the shadows.

"I- I don't- I.." He sputtered, perhaps feeling shame over knowing this is how he was in the past. It was depressing, to have to acknowledge his own lonesome self. "I- I guess..?"

The feline approved of his answer. The area around him and her faded to white, then, within an instant, they reappeared back in the warrior's den. "Nixmas is about getting together with loved ones and expressing kindness to strangers. No cat seemed to do that for you, but it astonishes me that you would do that for another! In a moment, the 'Spirit of Nixmas Present' shall visit you. Before I go, do you have any questions for me?"

Muddedshine stared at the feline, eyes wide. Another spirit? Not only one, but two spirits wanted to speak to him?! "Are you from Starclan?"

"I am from another clan, but we similar to Starclan. We're nothing more than the Spirits of Nixmas, from a Northen, mystical clan that represents Nixmas as a whole. And yes, the apprentices are correct - Santaclaus does exist," the feline meowed. She smiled at him, "is that all, dear?"

"Is this all a test?"

"No, we're just interested in what inspired you to act so generous with kindness to another cat!" And with that said, the ghostly white cat vanished. She faded away into the air; not even pawprints were left in her wake, as if she was never there even in the very beginning.

Muddedshine sat down where he was originally stood. A Northen, Nixmas clan was interested in why he would express kindness? Was he truly that pitiful? He closed his eyes and took in a heavy breath. No, they- this was a dream. Surely a dream! He opened his eyes, only to jump to his paws, once again, from surprise. He let out a cry, but was cut short by a paw being pressed to his face.

The feline that pressed a paw to his face was quite a small, seemingly younger cat. They seemed to be childish in nature, too. "Hey, wait! We haven't left the den, yet!" And quickly, before any of the other warriors stirred, the feline disappeared, then- reappeared? "Oops, almost forgot you. Let's go!" This time, with Muddedshine with her, she disappeared, but teleported him with her.

They appeared at the annual meeting place, again, but this time, the entire event seemed a lot more upbeat. At least, to Muddedshine, it did. The young cat led him over to himself, and sat nearby. There was no noise around them, but from visuals alone, Muddedshine could see how joyful and excited he looked. It made his heart warm to even imagine feeling such positive, upbeat emotion. "What's going on here?"

"When you asked that feline, Wish, to attend the meeting with you, you really set yourself up for success! I mean, look at you! You're here, having fun - quite the change away from what you experienced in the past, wouldn't you say?" She walked over and looked up at Muddedshine's not-so distance future's self. She smiled to herself as she walked back over to the present Muddedshine and sat next to him. "You changed both you and Wish's future. We have been following Wish along for quite some time now, truthfully, as we were worried about how he was going to be handling spending this Nixmas alone.. He didn't even know it existed! But now, he does know, and he has someone to spend it with. You're truly amazing for that! But I wanted to know, why? Why did you did it? Did you expect something in return, eventually, for inviting him to come along with you?"

"No? I just invited him to be nice. I felt pity for him, so I did what felt natural. I don't appreciate how much my business is being prodded. I mean no disrespect to you, cat of Nixclan, but I guess, I don't understand. Why would you and the other spirit be questioning me, when you are the all powerful?" He gazed at the opposing, juvenile feline, hoping to receive some sort of response that fell in line with everything else that had happened that night. He wouldn't be surprised if she dodged the question, ignored it, or went on about something else and forgot about it, though, honestly.

"Oh, how silly! We aren't 'all powerful'. We're just powerful!" She hummed as she watched the fragment of time continue to play. She jumped up to her paws and gazed back at his current state. "My favorite part is coming up! Look, look!" She cheered as she refaced Wish and Muddedshine's soon-to-be self.

Right before their eyes, Wish left the scene. Muddedshine was left to anticipate the moment Wish came back; it was clear he had a smile on his face, so he was excited to see him come back!

"It looks like Wish just ditc-" Muddedshine began to object the idea of this being an exciting moment, but the adolescent feline shushed him.

When Wish returned, he gave Muddedshine's soon-to-be self a gift. It was- a stick. The look on Muddedshine's not-too-distant-future's self was a mixture of surprise and shock.

"I got a stick? Why did I get a stick?" Muddedshine questioned the Nixmas spirit, not understanding what the stick was even for, nor what it was to represent. "Is he calling me childish?"

"No! It's a Nixmas gift. Isn't that sweet? Wish, a lonesome tom who had never celebrated Nixmas before, gave you a present. This makes me heart glow and my eyes shine to see! You have no idea how amazing it is. I'm sure you're excited to experience that moment when it happens, huh?" She smiled, once again, at Muddedshine, as she teleported them back to the warrior den. "Okay. When I leave, the Great Spirit of Nixmas Future will appear. I hope you heed what he has to say with open ears and a cautious mind - he's serious! Don't play around, and you want to have no hissy fits with him, trust me!"

Before Muddedshine could give even a small reply to what the juvenile cat had to say, she was gone. This time, he walked out of the den the warriors slept in. He gazed up at the night sky that was quickly turning dawn. Maybe not.. He felt a presence join him, to which gave him a distinct feeling of chills. Something about the presence he felt left his fur standing up. He faced the being that he felt watching him, his eyes widening as he did.

"Muddedshine," the silver furred, orange eyed, elderly tom spoke. There was a certain edge to his voice; it left Muddedshine feeling unsettled. "Let's keep this brisk. The path you were venturing down was a sad, pitiful, disappointing path for a cat to take. No cat should be subject to what you were subject to. But now, you're on the path to... hm, future happiness, warmth, and friendship?"

The elder blinked, and in an immediate flash, everything around them faded to a new setting. They were seemingly far into the future, underneath a large fir tree. The elderly sat down as he peered out from underneath the tree, at Muddedshine's future self.. playfully fighting with a kit. "That's you, Muddedshine. That's you, with one of your own kits. Not your birth kits, but you adopted them after a queen passed away from birth. You should feel proud - because of you, Wish truthfully became Twistedwish, and you and him both became fathers of three loving kits."

Muddedshine's jaw dropped open. "He's mine-?!" He spat with a startled tone of voice. "He becomes my...?!"

"Yes. This is what your future looks like, now that Wish is in your life. However.." The scenery around them, once again, shifted to show a different scene. "This is what your future looks like in the future, if you decide to avoid Wish instead of following through on your Nixmas plans."

Muddedshine looked around at his new surroundings. There wasn't much to look at, in terms of settings. There was a burnt patch of land, and that was.. That was it. "My home will be set ablaze? Is Wish going to do that?!" He demanded of the elderly tom.

The tom rose to his feet and spoke softly, "dearest Muddedshine, you have to have faith. Wish did not set your home on fire, but prevented it. Perhaps this is a message from Starclan, or perhaps not. Regardless, heed my warning - you will lose everything if you choose a selfish option. I advise you to choose wisely." The Great Spirit of Nixmas Future vanished, and so did his surroundings. Everything faded to black.

When Muddedshine opened his eyes for the final time, he woke up to another warrior nudging at his side. "C'mon, Muddedshine! You're going to be late to receive your assignment from the lead warrior!"

So... it was a dream? Dream or not, it was a sign; a sign that he needed to continue down the path he was actively padding down, or potentially risk severe consequences. He and Wish? He was determined to make sure that lonesome tom made it to that gathering, not exactly legally or not.

[Arrikanez]

↬ catvent day: eight

↬ username & id: Arrikanez 2105
↬ clan archive: The Dark Carnival

↬ word count: 1998 words
↬ prompt:

Viperstar had just finished grooming the saltwater off of Fortune's End, and sent him to bed. The younger cat had yet to learn to avoid the sinkholes. That, or he just liked getting soaked, but not super likely. With a yawn, he stretched out, and glanced at his two hench-snakes, all curled up in a crevice just above the rusted roller-coaster car where he'd been choosing to sleep lately. He was tired, and it was getting late. Time to take his own advice to his Pawn. With another stretch of his back legs, he climbed into the rusted car, and put his head down on his paws. Suprisingly, Chroma didn't comment. Maybe he was off doing something else... whatever the case... time to get some shut-eye...

The leader had been fast asleep when the first chilly bit of wind woke him up. The tire-fire had gone out. He shivered grumpily, and stalked, stiff-legged out to try and get it started again. Unfortunately, he never got that far, stopped dead in his tracks by a sight he never expected to see. Glowing pale blue, a white cat with black paws, and a very deep blue set of spots stalked up to him, ears erect, and tail at high-mast. This cat was... well, appeared younger than him, playful eyes baby-blue and mischievous.

~Long time, no see, lostling.~ the blue cat thought into his head. Much the same way Chroma had, but this voice wasn't honeyed with ill-intent. It was sweet, but not quite innocent - the very essence of a game of tag or a winning lottery number. The feeling was recognizable.

"Arrimarris?" he asked, tail twitching. "What are you doing here? Did you get turned into a cat too?"

~HA! No. Although sometimes I wish I had. Wouldn't that be something, to live my life as a feline... But no, I'm not really a cat. I'm here for you Ian. We've been looking for you. For your soul. After your sentence, it simply... vanished. I didn't expect to be the one to find you.~ The glowing-blue cat's tail twitched along with his childlike laugher. ~Three of us are looking for you. But we can't bring you home. That ship has - as they say - sailed. What we can do is give you some insight. Let you in on a little something about this world, about you, and about what your next steps will be. The three of us have put Chroma into a deep sleep. I don't suppose he's going to be real thrilled when he wakes up.~

"Why can't you come get me? You're gods, right? You're my gods..." He sighed, and his head bowed. "Alright, then. Tell me what you're going to tell me."

~I'm here to remind you of what was. What you were.~ Arrimarris stated, lifting a paw, and scratching at the air. A sort of 'portal' opened up, swirly and blue. Within was a vision of a much younger blue-eyed, fair-haired Ian, sitting on the floor of his mansion, and playing with a robotics kit. Viperstar's eyes went misty.

"... That's from my very first Xalneas I can remember. The kit was from dad, before he left to lock himself in the basement for the rest of that year." His paw lifted as though he wanted to touch the vision, but then it shifted. A slightly older Ian, face a mask of shock, a weapon in his hand, and the result of the attack on the ground at his feet. Viperstar shrank away.

~You didn't mean to hurt him, did you?~ Arrimarris asked gently. ~Your first playmate. Nobody every taught you how to be gentle, to be kind. Your father left you to your own devices. Was that what started it?~

The vision shifted again, to another slightly-older Ian, holding a device in his hand. It was black, and had a switch up top. The vision was silent, but that Ian was clearly counting down. Then, his finger flipped the switch. The vision shook with a massive explosion, and shifted again, this time to Ian sitting on a stool in a bar, surrounded by two larger men, both redheads, and both glancing toward Ian as they ordered their drinks. There was a not-entirely kind look on that Ian's face.

"... He drove me to it." Viperstar murmured. "To be that way. To be cruel." His claws dug into the snow. "I made the mistake of loving him. With all my heart. He wanted nothing to do with me." He turned away from the vision, tail lashing as it faded. "I wanted to make him pay. So badly. So very badly. So I waited until I knew he'd be at work to... to do what I did."

~You did what he taught you to do. You answered cruelty with more cruelty. But it was still wrong. People died for that. Many people. Good people.~ Arrimarris didn't sound like he was angry or anything - simply stating facts. ~You chose to cultivate violence. Hard choice to make. I know you have it in you to be good.~

"Pssh." Viperstar snorted, and rolled his eyes. "You know nothing about me. You may be a god, but not even one of THEM can tell me what to do, or who to become."

~True.~ Arrimarris said with a nod. ~But you have a choice here. Either you can continue down the path you trod before, or turn over a new leaf. The choice is up to you... but my time is up.~ He looked skyward, and faded out, just as another cat faded in.

This one was huge and glowed with a golden hue, white fur with golden spots and stripes, icy blue, almost cyan eyes, no pupils at all within. That large tail lashed back and forth once, as the ears relaxed. The golden-glowing cat looked at the fire, and it ignited again.

~Hello, Ian.~ the big cat said in a deeper male voice. Viperstar had to look up to look this one in the face. ~You know who I am, but not my form. It is I, Eriot.~

"Greeeeat. What is the God of Light and Life doing talking to me? I'm not exactly the prime subject of warm fuzzies." Viperstar said, sitting down, and giving his paw a groom somewhat nervously, in the newborn firelight. "You here to show me something?"

~I'm here to walk with you. Come with me.~ The big cat started off, and Viper had to leap to his feet to pad along after him. For such a huge cat, the golden-glowing Eriot moved extremely fast. Eventually, they stopped in front of Fortune's End's chosen den for the night. ~Your legacy begins here. Your present-day self. You might be a cat, but you are still you. Ian, you had a choice to let this one drown. And yet, you did not. Why? It would have been easier to feed only yourself...~

Viper swished his tail, thinking. "Well... he's younger than I am. Plus, I didn't ask to be cat, and I'm pretty sure neither did he. I don't know much about him - only that he came to me pretty confused... and it was Chroma's doing. If I can, I'd like to undermine his authority. That god needs to be taken down a peg or six." His ears went back.

~For only that reason? Surely, you could have let him drown to spite this... Chroma. So why did you really save him?~ Eriot's look told Viperstar that the god already knew the answer, but clearly this visit was to try and teach him something. Not to mention Eriot was never the kind of god to promote handouts. Viper sighed.

"... Because I was lonely, okay? I saved him because I was lonely. My body moved on its own, and... I realized just how alone I am here. I want... what the others I see through the mists have. A big family. A happy home. Food, warmth, shelter - a place to call my own... I know I'm supposed to be this big bad-guy, this one everyone on Juridia hated, but..."

~But you are not.~ Eriot said, head bowed as he gently gave Viperstar's cheek a nuzzle. ~You were hard-used by life, and now you've come to this. You have shown compassion for the first time in this life... in any of your lives. This is the path you should be on, Ian. This is the path I would have chosen for you - if I was still allowed to have a choice.~

Viperstar sighed, and dipped his head at the affection. When he looked up, Eriot was gone - replaced by a deep-red glowing black cat with blood-red spots on his shoulders and hindquarters, blood-red stripes on his tail, and icy blue eyes. He didn't know the name of this one - but the cat was smaller than the last one, and remained silent long enough to draw a line in the snow with his paw.

~I'm the last.~ he said, quiet voice gently. ~You need to find more... find others.~ Unbidden, images of cats flashed through Viperstar's mind. A cat with purple markings like he stepped in paint. A white cat with blue swirls and white eyes. A black kitten with a limp, and a white patch around his eye. A sandy-colored tabby. A mottled kitten with orange eyes. A pink cat with white paws, and black stripes.... Then the images faded, and Viperstar shook his head hard.

"What was that, and who are you?!" he demanded angrily, stomping one paw down. "I don't have time for this, I have to get to sleep so I can hunt tomorrow!"

~Glimpses of a future that may be. Or a future that will be. Who I am is not near as important as who YOU are.~ The black cat tipped his head to the side, and flicked an ear. ~Are you still Ian Drayton, who slaughtered hundreds for petty revenge? Or are you Viperstar, leader of The Dark Carnival, who reforms and cares for those their society abandoned? You have a choice to make. Your future will dictate what happens to this place, and to those under your care. Your actions now will influence everything.~

Viper flicked an ear. "... You're Tristanis, aren't you? The Juridian God of Death."

The black cat smiled, and tipped his head forward - neither denying nor giving credence to the claim. ~Remember what the three tonight have told you. Make your choice. Find out who are you, and act on that revelation.~ the black-and-red feline said, already starting to fade out. ~Choose your tools wisely. Cat or Criminal? Love or Hate? Revenge or Redemption? The choice is yours to make, and yours alone.~

That was the last of the words from the cat-not-cat god as he completely faded out. No more replaced him.

Viperstar stood hurriedly, on shaking legs, in front of the fire that was still blazing. He'd fallen asleep in the snow in front of the tire-fire. His snakes were asleep against the inside of the tire, and Fortune's End was snoozing just to the right of the big log in the middle. The Ringmaster glanced around hurriedly. Was that... what was that? Had they actually been here? Had the gods from his planet actually shown up? Maybe... it was just a dream. Maybe some bad fish... But... He slinked quietly over to Fortune's End, and gave the back of his head a lick.

Dream or not... it had reminded him of what really mattered here. Not proving Chroma wrong - but that was still on the list. What mattered the most was making sure that anyone who made it here... made it here safely, and stayed safe. Chroma had already stated most of his 'companions' would be society's bad-guys. ... Perhaps it was his job after all to help them seek redemption.

For once, the false-honey god's voice didn't enter his head. Something told him Chroma would sleep tonight - giving him time to think. Cat or Criminal? Which did he want to be? He didn't know yet, but... maybe... just maybe... cat was looking pretty good.

[Archaeopteryx.]

↬ catvent day: eight

↬ username & id: Archaeopteryx. || 334452
↬ clan archive: Enurian

↬ word count: 924 words
↬ prompt:

The Imbroglio was not alive, and yet, Jerboahop could swear xe could feel a heartbeat rattling underneath xer paws.

If one viewed it as simply a place, then yes, the stories about it were true. Tales woven into one's soul from kithood, of twisting and spiraling corridors, things that hurt the brain to look at, structures reaching towards the heavens and spires tunneling deep into the earth. Materials that rattled one's mind, fragments of colors that should not exist. All it took was one careless misstep, and your soul would be lost in the catacombs forevermore.

Jerboahop did not see it as a place.

It was a beast, an ancient, breathing remnant of something other, a guard dog watching over a past from beyond even the cat's earliest collective memories. And xe were nothing more than a speck in their system, a pathogen seeking solace within the Imbroglio's writhing veins.

Some days, the Imbroglio was apathetic towards its longest-lived interloper. Some days, it fought back, and Jerboahop would have to Doze, slipping slightly back into the Sleep of Beasts in a desperate attempt to survive xer alien host.

And today, though Jerboahop knew xe was deep underground, there was a breeze at their hindpaws and something tugging them onwards, and Jerboahop had not survived this long in the Imbroglio's depths without heeding its strange whims.

This passageway, though, was nothing like the ones Jerboahop called home. There was no stone chiseled from stars, no iridescent chromatic metal, no decadent materials that constructed this twisting hallway. No ceilings that stretched onwards, further than Jerboahop cared to look. Rather, this passageway was so tight and narrow xe had trouble squeezing through, made of soft-packed clay soil that crumbled under Jerboahop's paws.

And then gray stone blocked xer path, a cave in from aeons ago, and only years of practice kept Jerboahop from thinking about all those stretches of earth above xem, slipping in and through the cracks in the rubble.

And—the room before xem was nothing like any room xe had ever seen before.

It still had that shadow-clad light all portions of the Imbroglio was cast in, but this was dimmer, somehow, as if a cloth had been placed over the lantern. There was no otherworldly materials here, no palaces of sunfire and no gardens of pearlescent water. Jerboahop could tell exactly what materials this room had been constructed out of—simple stone, and nothing more. Gray and drab and the sight of it all took xer breath away, because they could not remember when xe had seen it last.

That directionless breeze swirled around xer paws, and xe crept forward, so soft xe didn't dare to breathe. And as xe approached xe wall, xe realized it was anything but simple, for chiseled deep into the gray slate were carvings. Pictures. So much like reading tapestries, but without color, lines and diagrams etched into the stone walls of the room.

And the more xe looked, the more they picked things out—shapes. Forms. An island, a mountain. The sea, and great long beasts arising from the waves and xe thought, oh.

That's us.

Xe took a step back, following the line of the story down, picking out the threads just as if it were a reading tapestry. Backwards. And as xe watched, the island sank into the sea, formations rose and fell, and strange beasts—upright, like the cats themselves could sometimes be, but wrong—danced along the walls. A story Jerboahop could just barely grasp, feeling the threads of it slip out of xer paws even as xe read. And yet, xe couldn't help but feel a sort of kinship towards these creatures, one that admittedly soured xer tongue.

Xe shook xer body out, cleaning xer whiskers to rid xemself of the feeling, and continued. The right way, this time, watching as those strange creatures rose, and then fell, and the island arose out of the depths of the ocean. Treaded softly, pacing along the outer rim of the walls, watching as xer kind took shape. Formed from the froth of waves and raised under the desert sun.

But the further xe went, the harder it became to read. The walls became marred, fissures running through the tale. Great canyons from whatever earthquake had sealed this room away from the Imbroglio in the first place. The thread of the story became harder and harder to track, pieces of it missing and scattered across the floor.

And there—at the halfway point, Jerboahop stopped.

And stared directly at xemself.

Xer own eyes, carved into the stone, staring back at xem.

And the fur on the back of xer neck bristled, heart thudding wildly in xer throat. Blinked the dust and filth from xer eyes, raised xer whiskers to feel the stone. Dragged a paw over it, feeling the cold stone hard and real under xer pawpads.

Looked forward, at the other half of the room still waiting to be read, at the two chasms on either side of xer own portrait, separating them from the rest of the story. The only part to stare Jerboahop directly in the face. At how the rest of this story was ravaged, whole pieces fallen from what had once been a painstakingly beautiful story.

"I don't know why you've shown me this," Jerboahop whispered to the empty room, and for once, prayed the Imbroglio was truly alive. "But I don't want to see it anymore."

And turned and fled.


But that was alright.
All had already been written.

[coffee.berry]

↬ catvent day: eight

↬ username & id: coffee.berry, #1008279
↬ clan archive: Peaceclan

↬ word count: 538 words <3
↬ prompt:


Hazelpelt woke up in her den with a start. She'd been working hard that day, hunting tirelessly for rabbits,
squirrels and other prey animals. Hazelpelt didn't know if she was awake or not, but she decided to go
outside and see if this was a dream or not. If it was a dream, something exciting would happen.

Hazelpelt slowly walked out of the Hunter Den. When she turned to look to her right, Atlantis, the goddess
of time and water, was looking at her with those big, aqua eyes of hers. Atlantis' firefly, Moth, was buzzing
with excitement. "Hello, Hazelpelt - we meet again." Atlantis grinned. "As you know, I'm the goddess of time
and water. But today I am the ghost of the Past, Present and Future." the cat seemed serious.

Hazelpelt had heard of this before. Every year, one of the gods would visit and show a single cat a glimpse of the
Past, the Present and the Future. "Alright," Hazelpelt nodded. "Then, let's go into the Past. I think I'm
ready to experience this." Atlantis smiled, pleased. She offered Hazelpelt her paw, and she reluctantly took
it. A blue portal with bronze fog around it opened in a very ethereal way, and the two cats were sucked into it.

"This is Peaceclan's first leafbare with Silverstar as the leader." Atlantis explained. The Peaceclan mountain was
covered with a thick layer of pure white snow, and Silverstar could be seen walking through it. Hazelpelt noticed
a younger version of Atlantis hiding behind a boulder. The goddess giggled and blue magic surged out of her paws,
onto the mountain. Ghostfeather, Peaceclan's Assistant, appeared behind a tree.

Silverstar gasped as she saw Ghostfeather, and hurried over to befriend the strange cat. Ghostfeather didn't
seem to remember how she got to Peaceclan, but she joined the clan in a matter of seconds. "You.. you helped!"
Hazelpelt grinned. She wasn't surprised, though; Atlantis seemed like a very helpful goddess.

"Now, onto the Present." Atlantis opened a blue portal with silver fog around it, and the portal sucked the cats
through. "That's you, sleeping." Atlantis pointed her tail towards Present Hazelpelt, making her tail jewel ring.
Hazelpelt noticed Oakspeck, one of her annoyingly caring friends, tiptoeing through the den and placing a neatly
wrapped gift into Hazelpelt's stocking.

Hazelpelt gasped. Oakspeck was her Secret Santa! Atlantis opened a new portal, the last one. It was purple, with
golden fog circling it. For the last time, Hazelpelt was sucked through the Portal of the Future. Hazelpelt almost
sobbed when she saw the future. It was herself, Oakspeck and some kittens, playing. "They look like you!"
Oakspeck grinned. Hazelpelt laughed and licked the top of a kit's head.

"You seem to have seen enough." Atlantis smiled, and so did Hazelpelt. "Are you ready to go home?"
Hazelpelt nodded. Moth fluttered over Hazelpelt, and the cat woke up. It was morning, and she was in her moss-bed.
She sighed. It had been a wonderful night, and she couldn't wait for the future to come.

[unohdettu.lupaus]

↬ catvent day: eight

↬ username & id:Unohdettu.Lupaus | 946652
↬ clan archive: x

↬ word count: 892 words
↬ prompt:
as wolf closed his eyes in his moss nest to rest from a long day of hunting and scouting…soon enough he was asleep.. a light shined onto his face.. he was waking up.. as he opened his eyes he was surprised to see a cat with bronze colored fur sitting in front of him, their fur shined like it had stars on it

“what are you doing here? who are you?” he snarled as he sat up from his nest

“i am a ghost of the past, i am here to remind you of where you came” they replied as the stretched themself before waving their right front paw in a circle creating a portal with bronze outline
“like i dont remember where i came” wolf hissed but reluctantly followed the so called ghost into the portal

as the light of the portal disappeared , a scenery of snow and pine trees appeared before wolf, he and the ghost were standing on a tall rock in the middle of a clearing
“So what am I supposed to do?” he asked clearly angry to be awake from his sleep.

“just watch..” the ghost said as pointed towards an abandoned foxes den..

soon enough a small cat peeked out of the dens entrance soon to be followed by two other small cat..

“thats me, kefira and sheep..”wolf sighed as he looked at the three small kittens jumping through the snow, soon to be followed by an adult cat with light colored fur
“and thats dawn.. my mother” he said in a small snarl..as if he was sad but angry at the same time as he turned to look at the ghost he was shocked to see that the ghost had changed fur color from bronze to silver

“you're not the same ghost are you?..” he asked looking at the silver glimmering pelt of the ghost

the ghost shook their head “i am the ghost of present time, come..we don't have much time..” the silver colored cat ghost said before creating a portal with silver outline

as the ghost and wolf walked through wolf could see kefira,sheep,dawn and misha talking with each other at the groups camp

“are you sure that he wasnt in his den?” misha asked

“Yeah, I'm sure. besides even if he was,he wouldn't have joined us” kefira answered
“sometimes it feels like he hates us..” sheep added

“he doesnt hate you, he is just having a difficult time” dawn said with a gentle smile

“well it doesnt seem like he is having “a difficult time” when he is with apricot..besides you both know he doesnt care about us, he blames me and sheep for his sickness in his apprentice days! “ kefira hissed angrily clawing the ice snow below her front paws
“Kefira! dont be so harsh on your brother! he doesnt blame you nor sheep for anything he is just-” misha spoke before being interrupted by sheep

“mom..he has said it himself.. he has said it to our faces that he hates and blames us for it” sheep said with a sad face
“...can we leave before I start getting sick from all of this?” wolf asked as he turned to look at the ghost who had once again changed to a new one, this time the ghost had a shiny gold pelt

“if you're sure you're able to handle a glimpse of the future..” the ghost sighed as they looked at him

wolf nodded and before he knew it he was watching himself and apricot arguing about something

“You can't be serious! first you blame your sisters for falling into the lake when you were told many times to not go onto the ice when it's not strong enough! and now you blame me for your sisters not letting you stay in the group anymore?! I have done so much for you, I have tried to help you so many times yet here I am being yelled at by you, the one cat who I should trust the most!” (future) apricot hissed at (future)wolf

“well maybe you should've not trusted me! its not my fault you were so in love with me that you wanted to have kittens! “ (future) wolf yelled back at (future)apricot

“were done here! you are going to leave me and my son alone!” (future) apricot hissed before turning away “you should leave before my leaders find out you're still here Rogue” she continued before walking into the den

the scenery freezes as the ghost turns to look at wolf
“you know..you have the chance to change your future..” the ghost sighed “but mine and my siblings job is done here, you need to choose your own path .. we cannot help you more than we have already” the ghost voice started echoing as the scenery and the ghost faded away into darkness

soon enough he could hear apricot calling his name.. as he opened his eyes he realized what he saw must have been just a bad dream right?.. < maybe my dream is right.. i should be kinder to everyone around me>

“oh! youre finally awake! I brought you mice!” apricot smiled at him

“thank you..” he said with a smile,it felt weird for him to smile but he didn't want to end up being a rogue like the dream had told him

[ArtMajor]

↬ catvent day: eight

↬ username & id: ArtMajor + 639839
↬ clan archive: blep

↬ word count: 886
↬ prompt:

Past

Glassflame was a new cat to the clan. He'd been guided to Smokeclan by a trio of spirits, who still seemed to haunt him. He hadn't told Smokestar or Tideblossom about them though. Whenever he tried, it seemed something would always come up, and the conversation put off to another time.

But even though he had done as the ghosts asked, and joined the clan, they just wouldn't stop showing him the visions that had led him to the clan...

The white spirit walked in front of him. It was a kitten, but the rest of the kits details were lost under the shine of their fur. It turned back to look at him, bright eyes watching mournfully as Glassflame followed. He'd seen this vision a thousand times over, there was no change, the past was set in stone.

The kitten led him to a heavy thicket, where an orange and white she-cat was wrapped around three kittens. One was orange and black like her, the other two had fleckings of black mixed into their fur. The mother wrapped her tail around the kittens, and then rose, stepping outside of the den. "I'll only be gone a moment," she promised, her voice quiet, not meeting the gaze of the kits. She made her way into the forest, vanishing into starshine. The world rippled, and then began to speed up, watching as the three kittens waited faithfully, before one of them left, and then the other, leaving only the little orange and white tom. He stayed, near-starving, wailing mournfully for his mother and siblings.

Finally, a new creature entered the thicket, bushy orange and white fur, a sleek muzzle and legs. The fox stepped into the den, and the kitten stopped its wailing, staring up at the beast, whimpering in fear and hunger. The fox bared its teeth, slinking closer, but as it drew near, the kitten lifted one paw, and pressed it to the beasts snout. A flicker of starlight blossomed under the kittens paws, and the fox stopped. It stared down at the kitten, and released a questioning yip.

The kitten whimpered again, and the fox sighed, moving to curl around the kitten, giving him a gentle lick. Carefully, the fox picked up the kitten by his scruff, and carried it out of the nest.


Present

Glassflame really didn't know why the spirits insisted upon showing him a scene he had relived just a few weeks ago. Yes he understood remembering the past, but why on earth did he need to rewatch the moment he had joined Smokeclan?

"Mama!" a young tomcat ran through the forest, a bloodied rabbit draped across his back, staining his white fur red. "Mama look what I caught!" He stopped at a fox den, shaking the rabbit to the floor, and bouncing on his paws. An elderly fox stepped out, her eyes half-fogged with age. She scented the air, and made a thick rumbling noise. "Oh my sweet little Estrel" she nuzzled his cheek, "How you care for me. Even when your sisters leave, you stay. Good little pup, so kind to me. Now come little pup, let us feast, and say goodnight to the dawn."

Estrel purred, tail lifted high as he picked up the rabbit to take it back into the den. Time sped up again, letting several days pass. The next time Estrel emerged, his fur was shining clean, but his eyes were dull, dried tears causing his fur to clump. He turned to face the den one last time, before carefully scraping clawfulls of dirt over the entrance. "Goodbye mama" he whispered, as the last of the dark tunnel was obscured.

His ear flicked, and then he saw a set of three spirits standing before him, a kitten, a duplicate of the one standing beside Glassflame, and one that was slightly smaller than he. They spoke, in a language no cat could hope to understand, telling him that they represented his life. His past, present, and future, and they were intending to lead him to a clan. A place with guides that would need his help.


Future

The last of the ghosts was smaller than he, but not by much. It was the saddest, its eyes overbrimming with tears. And it, was the only spirit he could never predict. It would show him different scenes each time it visited. Some were mundane, him hunting with the new clan, or sitting beside a cat with starlight in her fur - he now knew this to be Dawnflower, who had taken a sisterly liking to him. He had never gotten to know his true sisters, instead replacing them with his mothers pups, who had left the den a year before Mama had died. It was nice to have a sister again.

Sometimes, the spirit would show him scenes of a terrible battle. Cats were dead and dying, from every age between kitten and elder. No cat was spared, and all he could see was thick, choking darkness. There was no light, not even from the stars.

There was no warning when these visions came, no way to tell what he would see, or when the vision he saw would come to pass. All that he knew was that something was coming. And he would be the turning point between life or death.

[mal du pays]

↬ catvent day: eight

↬ username & id: aftonbuilt 186503
↬ clan archive: https://toyhou.se/aftonbuilt/characters/folder:2228196

↬ word count: 207 words
↬ prompt:


"You know, you will be claimed by your hubris eventually."
The pure white cat turned his head as someone spoke to him, spotting the form of a large, winged tabby staring toward him. "You say that as if what I'm doing is without merit."
Eyeris hummed as Hymnal looked him over, seemingly unfazed.
"You speak like that, but you forget who you're talking to." Eyeris mused. "I see most everything. You think that what you've done, the death of the last cat to lead this group, is for a better purpose. But I know much better than that."
Hymnal's expression shifted, although he tried not to show it. "And what do you know?"
"That the path you walk will lead to much, much worse." Eyeris smiled. "You think you do not have hubris, and that your actions have merit."
The large tabby got in his face, staring him down. For the first time in a while, Hymnal felt small.
"You will die if you continue your path. Will you heed to this? Or will you fall to the weight of your own actions?"
The god pulled back, keeping his focus on the pure white cat.
"I, for one, cannot wait to see."
And then he was gone.