[kyeza]

Username: galaxyy.
Clan: jadeclan

Quest Number: 1
Response:


tidefoam... easily the eldest of the elders in jadeclan, this snowy white tom is known for both his lovely paintings and his enthralling stories. they are one of the most well-known, esteemed painters in the entirety of the clan. kits and apprentices alike flock to him to hear tales, both personal adventures and those of legends. oftentimes, his painting classes will also inevitably turn into storytelling sessions, in which his students end up abandoning their canvases to circle around his easel, enraptured, while he paints away, words as illustrative and picturesque as each and every stroke of his brush against a blank canvas.


• • • • • •


"tidefoam! tidefoam! tell us about the farlands again!" a small, breathy voice chirps. twin tails swish against the mossy forest floor, sweeping aside dry leaves with a crunch.

several apprentices have gathered around their elder—who just finished telling the captivating story of the bloody battle against the rogues—underneath the ancient oak, its great canopy above providing the scene with a pleasant degree of protection from the glaring sun above.

a chorus of youthful voices concurs. "again! again!"

"but you've all heard it a million times already," sighing, the elder relents. "once more couldn't hurt, i suppose." hailpaw rests their head on their silver paw, eyes glimmering intently, ears perked. "it all originated with a certain flaxen-furred traveler...


goldensun. a cat with fur woven like the most ornate cloak from pure gold, glimmering under stray rays of sunlight. goldensun had always dreamed of traversing the great unknown, the lands lying beyond the boundaries of clan life. one night, a vivid vision of endless sand—radiant as his fur, bowing down to the cloudless heavens above—filled his mind. from that night on, it invaded every single one of his dreams: falling from great heights into the clutches of the scorching sand below, drowning in a river of liquid gold. it was all he could think about. it was consuming him. calling to him. he would traverse miles and miles of lawless land, do anything to find it. to feel the gilded terrain beneath his paws. to end these haunting nightmares. and so, he set off. not a word spoken to his friends, family, lover. abandoned. he crossed rushing rivers and vast valleys, fending off bloodthirsty beasts, all in an effort to find the incandescent, golden sands of his visions. eventually, he grew weary of his search. nearing the point of turning tail and coming home empty handed, still plagued by the azure-gold lands of his dreams, for some reason his paws kept carrying him onwards. after trekking to the tip of a mountain's cloud-piercing claw, he finally caught a glimpse of that which he had been desperately pursuing. he stood, agape, taking it all in. he'd made it! he'd finally found it! with a sudden gust of wind, his gilded body was sent plummeting off the edge, into the aurelian depths below. ultimately, his all-consuming ambitions would lead to his demise, as the visions once predicted."

"what happened to him, tidefoam?" one of the apprentices inquires, head tilted from its perch on his paw.

sea blue-coral eyes drift to his lounging figure as the elder shifts his multi-colored gaze in their direction. "well, legend has it that his spirit still wanders to this day, bound to the gilded sands and ghostly, gold-dusted palaces of the lands beyond the mountains."

the crowd of apprentices gasp, eyes wide. "does that mean he can come back to haunt us?!" another gulps, her sorrel tail flicking nervously.

"now, now, simmer down. his soul is bound to the sands, remember? he couldn't cross the mountains. he can't harm us. don't you go seeking him out though, or you may not live to tell the tale!"

Word Count: 627 words




Quest Number: 2
Response: satinwish

[razr]

Username: razr
Clan: spiritclan

Quest Number: 1
Response:
If you want the oldest by age, then Pepperpoppy would be the one you're looking for-- although you wouldn't believe it.

He's a young soul, with a similar sense of humor to any one young cat. Most would agree he even seems younger than most of the cats in the clan-- including his good friend and leader, Fallenstar, who seems to carry the world on his shoulders.

If you wanted a good story out of Pepperpoppy, you'd better be ready to sit through him constantly getting distracted and making stupid jokes about anything and everything-- and he wouldn't give you anything too dramatic.

He'll happily tell you about the time he ran across the entire city playing tag with a dog, or about the kittypet who taught him how to fish. But he won't share any of the tales that put you on the edge of your seat or teach you a good, hearty life lesson. It's his goal to entertain after all, not teach.

And Fallenstar, the oldest seeming cat in Spiritclan, certainly isn't social enough (nor does he remember enough) to give you a good story.

Besides, Spirticlan is full of younger cats anyway. It's a group of outcasts, characters shunned from their homes or families and coming together. Of course they're all young. The Kingpin isn't even two years old, damn it, and even Pepperpoppy is only six.

So, what, do they just live without any voices of wisdom? Is it a bunch of kittens running wild?

.. Not quite.

Obviously I wouldn't be answering this question if I didn't have a more interesting answer.

Everyone in Spiritclan, and even those familiar outsiders like Hana, will tell you that there's something strange about the Commander.

Keepsake is already odd enough, what with her "spirit guide' that gives even Junebird the creeps, and her whispers of gods and deities that nobody recognizes. It certainly doesn't help that she has far too much experience for someone who claims to be four.

If you ask Keepsake for a story, assuming you can find her in the first place, her go-to is the tale of a cat named Noctifer. He was crafted by the paws of Soteria, the goddess of nature, and he lived his days as a wind spirit. But he offended the gods one day, and as punishment, the stars reached down and trapped him in the sky. Being one of the divine his blood glowed like the heavens themselves, and he's still there today, leading travelers to their destinations as the Northern Star.

But of course, nobody knows what she's talking about. There aren't any gods. This isn't a fantasy story, Keepsake. The closest the clan has is the spirits, and they're certainly not fit to be worshipped.

Her origin is even stranger than the unknown stories she tells. A vivid imagination is one thing, but...

The Commander had shown up out of nowhere one day. There wasn't a hint of where she came from -- no pawprints in the snow, no scent of her, and none of the woodsy scent that clung to any traveler's fur. There was just... her. And her weird snake.

It had been a rough winter, with every cat hobbling on starving paws to hunt what they could and steal what they couldn't. It was an effort to keep the clan together, not to mention keep it alive.

But Keepsake had no struggles. Her fur was sleek and she was well-fed, a lively glint in her eyes that anyone else would only describe as starlight.

She seemed to already know exactly of Spiritclan's plight, and was almost suspiciously eager to help.

And even more suspiciously good at it.

She said, "Fallenstar, (and how did she learn his name?), if you let me stay with your clan, I'll keep you all well-fed until I can't anymore."

And, well, as morbidly worded as it seemed to be, Fallenstar was too desperate to turn down something like that. So the clan accepted Keepsake with open arms, and she made damn good on her promise.

Prey seemed to just flock to her, and even when she was just lingering around the camp every mouth ended up fed at the end of the day.

Whenever she went off alone she would even come back with well-fed prey, not just the tough scraps the clan had been feeding off of.

She wasn't willing to share her secrets, whatever they may be, but nobody wanted to give up such a strong member of the clan. Spiritclan was formed to take in any outsider who needed a home, no matter how otherworldly their accent or knowledge or silent companion.

I digress.

Logically Keepsake is not the oldest in the clan. Every cat knows that. That spot belongs to Pepperpoppy.

But nobody could deny that there's something strange about her, even outside of her more than odd quirks. There's just something... ancient about her, and I don't mean that as a joke.

She uses words that nobody would expect to find in even the oldest of tomes, and if you ask her to rephrase the words will sound foreign in her mouth, like she doesn't quite understand the common phrases she's using.

It's not hard to find her with a faraway look in her eyes, dreaming of some wistful land full of these gods and spirits she tells the kits about.

Maybe one day she should return, for her sake.

-- 905 words

[ArithMedic]

Username: ArithMedic
Clan: Lotusclan

Quest Number: 1
Response:
Mousefur, being the oldest member of the clan even though she is only 80 moons old and not even a senior warrior yet, is often asked for stories by the kits and apprentices. One of the most commonly requested stories, since every newcomer, born or invited, to the clan asks, is how come there are no senior warriors or elders in the clan. Many times they suggest that perhaps there was an outbreak of an illness that wiped out the ones with the weakest health, or maybe a natural disaster that meant the least able had to be left behind. (Mousefur would like to note here that kits have vicious imaginations.) It is a story most of the other cats in the clan dislike speaking about so Mousefur has become well practiced with passing down this dark tale of clan history.
Lotusclan was not always called Lotusclan. In fact, every previous generation in the clan lived under the name Middleclan, since the clan was set in the middle of the Horseplace and the Junkplace. The clan had actually moved there from somewhere else, but that story has been lost to time. Middleclan thrived for a while, their only competition being the scarce feline residents of the Horseplace and Junkplace. However, as with every great civilization, it developed complacence and complacence grew into corruption. This was what Mousefur was born into. The leader of the clan was Pearlstar, and she was as beautiful as a pearl on the outside, but rotten on the inside. She used Starclan to defend doing whatever she liked. Even as a kit, Mousefur (Mousekit at the time) could tell that she didn't truly believe what she was saying. The medicine cats' role in the clan was undermined, losing their position as the voice of Starclan and relegated to merely healers. The clan was slowly starving from mismanagement because they were forbidden to hunt without direct orders, and the leader and deputy were given first pick of any prey brought back. Although the disatisfied clan members outnumbered the corrupt leader and deputy, most of them still clung to their faith in the leader blessed by Starclan. Mousefur grew up in this environment and watched as the poor health of the clan dropped their life expectancy by several seasons. By the time Mousefur was a full-fledged warrior, the elder's den was full of senior warriors too ill to continue their duties, and all of the true elders were gone. Mousefur powered through this cruel leadership, sneaking out at night to hunt and bring food to the nursery and the elder's den, up until she was caught by the deputy when she was 40 moons old. Her punishment was a strike across the face that left her blind in one eye. She lost her ability to see at night and struggled to hunt or fight even during the day because of her depth perception. So life went for another 18 moons, until a newcomer joined the clan. Well not so much as joined, since Pearlstar did not accept her, as the she cat, named Evermist, just refused to leave. Mousefur was in awe of the powerhouse that Evermist was, brushing off the dislike from many clan members and fighting back against Pearlstar's tyranny. After only three moons with the clan, Evermist was able to gather up enough loyal cats to stage a coup against Pearlstar, revealing that Starclan had brought her there to save the clan. There were more casualties than anyone would have liked, but such is war. Evermist then became Everstar and took charge as the new leader, to little objection. Unfortunately, her time as leader would be off to a devastating start as the deputy escaped the battle and started a fire in the forest, burning the camp to ashes. Mousefur herself was severly burned on one of her back legs. By the time they were able to rebuild the camp, they were left with mostly young cats. Everstar decided to rename the clan alongside the rebuilding efforts in order to put their past behind them, and she named it Lotusclan because of the regenerative symbology of lotuses. It has been 25 moons since then and the clan has been revitalized, but their numbers are nowhere near that of a longstanding clan. Mousefur does her best to tone down the story for the younger clan members, but she refuses to let the past be forgotten and later repeated.
Word Count: 742 words

Quest Number: 2
Response:

Word Count: N/A

[Whovian5EVA]

Username:Whovian%eva
Clan: Cats of the Desert

Quest Number: #1
Response:

This quest features the three oldest cats of the desert:

“What else are we meant to do!” He glared at the two cats blocking his path. “We know what the future holds, we have to tell them!”
“Wanderclaw! You’re not just risking your life, you’re risking your eternity!” Emberstorm shouted back at the elderly tom.
“W-What if you can’t return…?” Opalflight’s voice trailed off, her voice trembling with fear.
“I don’t care!” he spat back, “if it saves the clans it’ll be worth it! There’s dozens that need our help!” The stubborn tom hardened his stance, to glaring right through the two.
The three Starry cats stood locked in their standoff, just inside the gateway to the stars.
Emberstorm’s face showed nothing but anger at Wanderclaw’s recklessness, her chest burning with fierce protectivity.
Opalflight’s heart sank as she realised that they wouldn’t be able to do anything to convince him to turn around. Letting out a heavy sigh, she gazed upon his grey starry fur. Emberstorm’s piercing anger searched through Wanderclaw’s eyes for even a shred of doubt, the twitch of an ear, shifting of paws…
She found nothing…
With a sigh, the second Star-clad cat stood down.
“Just for your information,” she paused for what felt like an eternity… “I still think this is an awful idea…” Emberstorm hissed, her expression softening as she finished her thought “... but good luck I truly hope you return safely.” She bowed her head to the tom, praying that he could return safely. No longer locked in a standoff the three ghostly cats stood in the starry clearing the air was heavy with the uncertainty ahead.

Then he took his first steps back through the gateway…

A cacophony of sounds filled his mind, visions of explosions, rivers of fire and oceans of flames. He tumbled through nothing, nothing was meant to be here, existing between of life and death, and yet he continued to fall, for an eternity… until the flames faded and slowly as he drifted, the smoke of sleep consumed him.

***
He blinked open his heavy eyelids, head still spinning from… Something… He wasn’t quite sure what. Looking around, he found himself in a place that had the echoes of familiarity, but he couldn’t quite place his paw on it.
He was here… for… a reason.
…But what was it again…?

Word Count: 382 words

[almondkitty]

Username: almondkitty
Clan: rosemary meadows

Quest Number: 1
Response:
The story of Scrunch is a long one, one she herself scarcely remembers the beginning of. What she can remember, though, were wet teeth glittering in the moonlight as hundreds of tiny stars blinked down upon her fragile body. The gaping jaws of the beast dripped with menace and the lifeblood of whatever poor soul it had just finished devouring. She was trapped between the carnivore and its burrow, having no advantage but perhaps that she was agile. At this age her eyes were clear, and she could easily see the danger that crouched not a foot away from her. She had found the burrow hours ago, seemingly abandoned and, in want of someplace sheltered to sleep, had gone inside. Not long after she had settled in, the sound of low growling startled her awake. Now she was forced to face the massive wolf standing between her and the rest of her life.

The battle, if you can call it that, did not last long. Though the young feline was much smaller than the huge wolf, she was weak with hunger and exhausted from a long and arduous journey. Sharp teeth sank into her front leg, dragging her across the forest floor with fury. A snap echoed through the air as she was flung about in the jaws of the great animal, rendering her leg completely limp. Her vision blurry and darkening, the diminutive cat was sure her life was about to come to a painful end, when suddenly she was released from the grip of the creature and fell haphazardly to the ground. From above, she heard the wolf howl in pain. Though she never saw what happened next, the huge beast was soon gone and replaced by a soft figure that gently pressed herbs and poultices on her wounds. The pain, along with her exhaustion, caused her to quickly succumb to the sweet comfort of sleep.

Warm light danced upon her fur as she woke, blinking the sleep away. Sunlight sparkled lazily through the gaps in the vine curtain that enclosed the small cave she laid in. As the haziness of slumber drifted away, the soot-colored feline felt panic take hold of her. Where was she? How did she get here? Who was keeping her here, and why? She tried to stand, to make her escape, but found searing pain burning through her leg. It traveled through her entire body, causing her to collapse back into the moss bedding. She looked wildly down at her body and found the damage to be much more substantial than she had thought it to be. Her front right leg was limp below the elbow and covered in poultice. She could force herself to place it on the ground but it could not support her weight and would buckle, not to mention the blinding pain.

Her despair was broken by the sound of the vines parting to allow entry. A fluffy orange tabby stood halfway between the threshold of the den, vines gently brushing his back. Sun shining onto him from behind created an almost angelic halo around his fur, aided by the already orange color. His expression was something between shock and relief and for a few seconds he just stood there, staring at her. Finally he took a few more steps to fully enter the den and spoke.

"I was beginning to think you'd never wake," His voice was gentle and calming, like the sound of a river flowing. "I'm called Azrael, though I haven't heard anyone speak it in a very long time. You must have a name?"

As he spoke, he approached her very slowly and sat down about two feet away from her, curling his tail around his feet. She inched away from him slightly, at least as much as she could. Noticing her reluctance, he scooted back a bit.

"I need to look at your wounds," He pleaded softly, peering at her. "You don't need to talk to me, but please let me help you."

Feeling guilty, she looked away. A few moments passed in silence, until she heard the sound of his paws coming closer. She flinched when he touched his nose to her leg but didn't attempt to move. He worked in silence, gently removing the poultice from her leg and a few other scratches on her body and replacing them with fresh ones. As he gently pressed damp moss into a small wound, she spoke for the first time.

"Scrunch," she murmured, barely louder than the sound of a gentle breeze. "It's my name."

Delicate droplets of rain pattered against stone as Scrunch woke upon her ninth morning in the cave. Though she was growing impatient with her slow healing, she couldn't complain for lack of care. Whenever she stirred, Azrael would inevitably be nearby and come to check on her. He had been helping her stand and take a few steps every day, just to stretch her muscles. She hadn't seen the world outside of the cavern she was tucked into, for she could hardly stand on three legs long enough to walk two paces, let alone the five or six it would take to get through the tendrils covering the entrance. Often she wondered where Azrael was going when he left, though she never asked nor called out to him to see if he could hear her. She didn't mind being alone.

Today, however, Azrael decided she was well enough to step outside. It wasn't long after she woke that he brushed through the ivy, shaking his fur dry. "Good morning! The rain is letting up a bit. I think today we ought to take you outside."

With a grimace, she slowly lifted herself onto three legs. Despite practice, she was still unsteady, so she relied on Azrael for balance. Side by side they carefully walked the length of the floor, Scrunch leaning against Azrael. She was so much smaller than him that it felt like she was leaning on a large boulder.

Damp vines tickled her whiskers as she pressed through the curtain, the sound of soft rain gradually becoming clearer until she was standing in it. The feeling of fresh, crisp air entered her lungs as she breathed deeply, closing her eyes. Cool droplets graced her fur with a light dew as the sun began to break up the rain clouds. She wasn't sure how long she stood there with her eyes closed, soaking in the freedom she felt, before Azrael gently nudged her. "Kid? Are you okay?"

She quickly opened her eyes and realized she had been soundlessly crying. Blinking away the tears, she looked up at Azrael coolly. "Just resting. Let's keep going."

He considered her for a few moments, studying her features. She was young, maybe only seven or eight moons old, probably only an apprentice for a moon or two if she came from a clan. He didn't know anything about her aside from her name, so he figured if he was going to gain her trust, a walk would be a good way to do it.

"Alright, let me show you around."

Sharp claws dug into dirt, propelling the small cat forward at a speed she never thought she'd feel again. It had been two moons since Scrunch met Azrael and her recovery was going much better than she expected. She hunted alongside him every day, learning all the different ways to catch different prey. When they were finished their hunt and had their meal they would spar, paws cuffing ears and legs tripping over tails. She was getting better at fighting.

She skittered to a stop outside of the stony hollow where they lived. Azrael told her it used to be a clan, though he wouldn't tell her what happened to the cats that lived there. It was a large natural pit in the ground that wasn't very deep but rather wide and littered with small caves. The largest one was where Azrael had taken her when she was injured.

As she stood atop the opening and looked down, she realized with mounting panic that she couldn't find Azrael. He had been there when she left for her run and hadn't told her he was going anywhere, which he always did. Quick as she could, Scrunch darted down the narrow pathway that lead to the bottom of the pit. She searched in every last cave and under every loose boulder for him, gradually becoming more frantic. At last she heard a quiet noise, a faint sound, barely distinguishable. Her ears strained until she could determine the direction and she was at least slightly relieved to hear that it wasn't from inside the pit.

Frenzied paws brought her back up the narrow slope. As she began to crest the top of the hollow, she saw him. Distant bright orange fur caught her eye. Her heart pounded in her ears as she raced over the ridge, kicking up little clouds of dust as she went. When she finally reached him, heaving from the run, she could barely speak. He looked down at her with a mixture of confusion and concern on his face, unharmed.

"What's going on? Is everything okay?" Azrael touched his nose to the top of her head as she stood there dizzily, shaking like a leaf. Hot wet tears streamed down her face, blurring him in her vision. "I came back from my run and you were gone and I looked all around the hollow for you and under rocks and in the canyon and in all the caves and I thought something happened to you and I thought I would never see you again!" Overcome with guilt and unable to gather the words to comfort her, he pulled her into his chest.

That night, under the soft glow of the moon, Azrael found himself unable to sleep. Looking at Scrunch's tiny frame curled up next to him, he felt his heart break. She must have been so afraid. Turning his gaze toward the starry sky, he swore to them that he would always be with her, even when they were apart.

Although many years have since passed since she had to say goodbye to Azrael, Scrunch often finds herself thinking of him. She no longer remembers her father, his dark fur the only remnant left in her memory, and Azrael was the one who taught her everything she knows. If she could only see him again... ah, maybe soon. She won't live forever, after all. Her eyes turn toward the stars. Old age took her vision, but tonight the stars are beautiful.
Word Count: 1,754

Quest Number: 3
Response:
It was a particularly damp morning, dewy droplets sliding off of the canopies of tree leaves into small puddles where paws tread, when Leopold stumbled upon a secret. He honestly hadn't meant to uncover anything and it wasn't like he had been snooping around, yet suddenly he found himself stepping around a large tree and almost running into a fisher, who in his jaws was carrying a small trout.

"Oh, sorry Giorgio! I should've watched where I was going." Leopold took a quick step backwards to allow the black and white angler to pass. He nodded a thank you as he passed, the trout flopping lazily in his jaws.

Leopold watched him go, feeling a bit bad for Giorgio, who always seemed to bring back very few fish. Nobody blamed him, of course. He was known to be especially clumsy and often knocked his woven bucket of fish back into the river, cursing as they hurriedly swam off. Many times it was offered that he could take up a different job but Giorgio stubbornly insisted on staying the course and continuing his slow work as a fisher.

His thoughts still on Giorgio, Leopold continued on his way. It was unusual for him to come this way, mostly because the river was on the opposite side of the clan from his work as a baker. This morning was different, mostly because he wanted some fresh air and a break from the warmth of the clay oven. Unfortunately for both Leopold and Giorgio, what happened next led to a series of events unfolding that neither cat could have predicted or stopped.

It wasn't a moment after Giorgio departed that Leopold noticed a remote sound coming from the bushes near the riverside, a sort of rustling. Assuming it was prey, he quickly lowered himself to the ground and delicately crept over, his whiskers nearly touching the dirt. A heartbeat passed as he listened closer, trying to distinguish what he was about to tackle. With an uncertain pounce, Leopold landed haphazardly in the bushes, his fluffy chest becoming tangled in the thin branches. He was not known for his hunting skills.

Detangling himself with a grumble, he almost didn't notice the pile of fish flopping around beneath the undergrowth. He hadn't been able to smell them due to the liberal amount of fennel and rosemary lathered upon their shimmering scales and scattered around the inside of the bush. They were still alive, flopping around helplessly. Empathy was his strong suit, which was why he had chosen to be a baker, so he quickly gathered the fish into his mouth as gently as possible and brought them, one by one, back to the river. The rosemary and fennel were quickly rinsed away as they swam through the rushing waters, back to safety.

Once he was satisfied they had all been released back into their home, Leopold had time to think about what he just saw. Obviously someone had gone great lengths to stash the fish there and ensure their smell didn't alert anyone. Why should anyone want to do such a thing? More importantly, who? Just as these questions began to gnaw at his skull, drilling sharp pangs into his temples, a voice interrupted his rumination.

"What are you doing here?" It asked, sharp and defensive. Harsh tones sent a shiver down his spine, fear gripping at his limbs and climbing its way into his chest, making it impossible for him to turn around. Heart beating unreasonably fast, he could only close his eyes and hope the problem went away.

It did not. Footsteps told him that he would soon be facing the problem head-on. "I know you can speak. Open your eyes."

Leopold could feel the cat was right in front of him, probably standing with their feet in the river. Not feeling any less threatened yet scared of the consequences of being uncooperative, he slowly opened his eyes. He wasn't sure what he expected to see, yet standing before him was Giorgio. Something about the situation was so absurd he almost laughed. He would have, if Giorgio didn't look so threatening. 

"I asked you a question." His voice was cold and sharp, like a claw at Leopold's throat. He felt like a kitten at the mercy of a circling hawk.

"I didn't do anything wrong," He managed, somehow keeping his voice steady. "I just released some fish that were stashed in some bushes over there. Were they yours?"

Tension permeated the air between them as Giorgio took a step closer. "Regardless of whether or not they're mine, you have no proof you even found anything. You released the evidence."

Sudden courage took hold of Leopold. "Since I have no evidence of any wrongdoing, you should just tell me the truth. If I can't prove it, what difference does it make? I'm curious about why they were in there."

Giorgio came even closer and studied him for a moment, their whiskers almost touching. His amber eyes seemed to probe the depths of Leopold's soul, searching for a hint of deception. Seemingly satisfied, he stepped back. "They're there because I trade them. That's all you need to know. Don't come back here." With a swish of his tail, he turned to leave. Stupidly, Leopold opened his mouth one last time.

"I lied. I didn't release them. If you don't want me to tell everyone that you're stealing fish to trade, you'll take me with you next time you go." As soon as the words left his tongue, he felt his body sinking into a deep dark hole of regret. Why did he care so much? Why risk his own tail for a few fish? If Giorgio brought him to the trades, he could have real solid evidence that it was happening, but what difference did it make?

Again his thoughts were interrupted. Giorgio had stopped and was standing a distance away, frozen as if time had stopped. He slowly turned toward Leopold, his expression unreadable. "What do you gain from this?" He asked coolly, maintaining the distance between them. "Why do you want to come?"

Leopold found himself grasping at straws in his mind. Aside from trying to blow the whole thing wide open, why would any cat want to tag along to a trade? An idea suddenly blossomed as he recalled his first days at Rosemary Meadows.

"My brother is out there somewhere. I want to find him and I assume you're meeting with multiple other cats who may have seen him around. If I can find any information about him, you can be assured that I've forgotten that anything happened here at all." It was an absurd idea, but when he was welcomed into Rosemary Meadows as an apprentice, he had refused to speak of where he came from or if he had any family. Nobody knew anything about his past beyond what happened in the clan, so the story was entirely feasible.

Giorgio was staring at him again. Something seemed to have softened in his gaze. It tugged at Leopold's heart, to see such a reaction from his lie, yet what else could he do?

"You have a deal. Meet me here in seven days, at dusk," He turned to leave, yet paused for a moment. "I hope we'll find your brother."

The moon was bright as Leopold walked to the river seven days later, beaming down at him from the darkening sky like a giant eye. He felt watched, friendly hellos turning into suspicious inquiries in his mind as he passed through the clan. In reality, nobody noticed or minded his walking to the river, and aside from some kits weaving between his legs and mewling questions at him, nobody asked why he was headed that way.

When he arrived, tingling with anxious energy, he was slightly surprised to see Giorgio already waiting. The older cat was sitting on his haunches, carefully placing now culled fish into a satchel slung over his shoulder. They were, as before, slathered in fennel and rosemary, and it tickled Leopold's nose as he approached.

"Do you always do that?" He inquired, nervously sitting beside Giorgio. 

"Only when I leave them behind." He closed the satchel as the last fish went in, turning his gaze toward Leopold. "You don't look well." Narrowed eyes scrutinized him from up close. Gently, Giorgio's tail came up to brush against Leopold's jawline, tilting his head from side to side as if to inspect for damage.

Embarrassed from the contact and the closeness of the angler, Leopold quickly stepped back, blush climbing up his chest and blooming upon his cheeks. He cursed the moon for being so bright tonight that Giorgio likely noticed. "I'm fine, just nervous. I've never done anything like this before, that's all."

With a shrug, Giorgio stood. "It's not difficult. Just stay with me." He briefly looked around and upon finding it entirely quiet and empty, wove around Leopold and onto the riverbank. Looking back to ensure Leopold was following behind, he began to follow the river.

It took them quite a bit of walking along the river before Giorgio veered off onto land again. A grassy clearing was welcoming to Leopold's paws after the rocky riverside but the soft ground quickly gave way to a harsh forest. Old trees climbed high into the sky, their bark thick with lush moss and hanging vines. They eventually parted ways to strong evergreens, prickly with new growth, the ground littered with their needles. After that was birch, then oak. It seemed they walked for ages, until finally they came to a massive cypress, large enough to host an entire clan inside of its caverned trunk.

And host an entire clan it did. As they approached the old tree, a wiry grey cat leapt down from the inside, stalking up to Giorgio with familiarity. Leopold couldn't help but notice hundreds of eyes peering out from the dark of the great cypress.

"Giorgio! You brought the fish. Good. You know it's my favorite and the walk to the river is just too far for us." She purred, waving the tip of her tail. Giorgio pulled his satchel off with his teeth and placed it before her, allowing her to peer inside. 

Seemingly satisfied, she nodded over her shoulder and a large brown tabby emerged, dragging something behind him. Leopold struggled to make out what it was until he got closer and dropped it. It was a hawk. The large brown tabby collected the fish in his mouth (which was a feat Leopold didn't think possible, considering the amount of fish it was) and scampered back into the hollow.

Giorgio looked over it with a blank expression. It was lying atop a pile of sticks woven together with strips of bark, which were again tied to two ropes for pulling it along behind you.

"Bring that back next time." The grey cat playfully flicked him on the nose with her tail and turned to head back into the tree.

"Wait." Giorgio's voice commanded to be listened to and she stopped immediately. He motioned to Leopold, nodding reassuringly.

Leopold had nearly forgotten he was supposed to do anything. "I'm looking for my brother. He's a mackerel siamese with white, almost the same color as me. Have you seen him?"

She blinked at him, a little taken aback. "We don't get many cats coming through here aside from Giorgio. No, we haven't seen him. Sorry, kid." She genuinely looked sorry as she walked away.

Giorgio didn't say anything for a while, just picked up his satchel and walked over to the big hawk. After a few moments, he looked back at Leopold with a mixed expression and spoke softly. "Will you take this for me? I need to pull the hawk."

Guilt panged in his chest as he felt the weight of his lie increase. He nodded, approaching Giorgio to take the satchel. Instead, Giorgio gingerly lifted it over Leopold's head and placed it on his shoulder himself, a sudden act of intimacy he hadn't expected.

And quick as it happened, it was over. Giorgio took the ropes over his shoulders, adjusting himself so they fit comfortably, and signaled for Leopold to follow him again.

After a few minutes of walking side by side in silence, Leopold couldn't help but ask a question. "Do you usually just go to one clan? I thought it would be more like a meeting."

Still looking ahead, Giorgio took a moment to answer. Likely because he was hauling a heavy bird. "It's usually a meeting. This time is different. Willowwisp specifically asked me to come this way tonight." After a few heartbeats, he added "We have another stop, then we'll head back."

No more words were exchanged between the two males until Giorgio suddenly stopped. It didn't seem like they had gone anywhere as no cats were around nor were there any signs of clan activity, yet Giorgio shrugged off the ropes and untangled himself from the contraption.

"Where are we?" Tall birch trees were spread out sporadically around them, the stars twinkling down through the gaps in their leaves. A small pond was a distance away, reflecting their light so clearly it looked as if you could step into the night sky from the ground. Yet no signs of life.

"A delivery zone. We're done now, come on." Giorgio started back the way they came. Leopold had no choice but to accept what he was seeing and follow him.

The walk back was quiet. Giorgio seemed to be a generally quiet cat, never saying much unless someone spoke to him first. He and Leopold never interacted much before this as the clan was quite large (in cats and in territory) so running into each other wasn't frequent. He really only knew the black and white cat by name.

As they arrived on the riverbank back at the Meadows, the angler came to a stop. Without speaking a word, he came close to Leopold, their whiskers brushing. The younger cat felt his breath catch for a moment, until Giorgio lifted the satchel up over his head and placed it back onto his own shoulder. He had forgotten he was wearing it.

"Goodnight, Leopold." He murmured, keeping quiet as it was now very late. Just like that, he was gone. Leopold was left standing on the riverbank with his thoughts. He could go to Scrunch right now and tell her everything. He could easily take her to the clan they visited and the delivery zone. Apprehension and exhaustion weighed down his limbs after hours of adventure. Sleep would clarify his thoughts and tell him what to do.

A week later, the moon obscured by brushstroke clouds, the anxious young cat found himself again upon the riverbank, meeting Giorgio. Tonight, he said, they would be going a different, faster way. Tonight was a meeting.

Instead of walking along the river, the two cats went up through the forest a ways until the ground became slanted and it was clear they were going up a mountain. It was indeed much faster than before, as only half an hour passed until they reached a flat, rocky outskirt on the mountainside. 

A small group of cats were already waiting as they arrived, including the grey cat from the hollowed tree, apparently called Willowwisp. A few of them greeted Giorgio in passing, whilst others gave Leopold suspicious looks that sent shivers down his spine.

The fisher placed his satchel on a rock and sat beside it, waiting. Confused yet not wanting to look dumb, Leo sat down next to him. "What are we waiting for?" He whispered, feeling every bit like a criminal.

"For everyone else to get here." Giorgio answered plainly, not even turning his head.

A few minutes later a handful of other cats showed up and began to browse the various prey, herbs and other goods that everyone had on display. Leopold watched with mounting curiosity as an older cat placed a shiny copper coin at the paws of a lithe black feline, in return taking a small scarf from her rock.

Many cats came and went in this fashion, some trading amongst themselves whilst others gave the strange copper coins in exchange for goods. Whenever one of them stopped by Giorgio's rock to take a fish, they were always asked if they had seen a mackerel siamese. If Leopold didn't speak up to ask, Giorgio would stop them as they left and ask himself.

As the moon climbed higher into the night sky, Leo felt the excitement and curiosity giving way to exhaustion and homesickness. Guilt nestled it's way into his heart every time Giorgio stopped a cat to ask them about his alleged missing brother and with each passing exchange the older cat seemed to be feeling worse about it than Leopold was.

The fish all sold or traded and most of the other cats either packing up or already gone, Giorgio stood and fetched his satchel from the rock, gathering the coins, herbs and small prey into it. 

"What are those coins for?" Leopold asked as they treaded back down the mountainside. "Trading. Sometimes cats come with nothing and would be unable to trade without them."

Silence carried them the rest of the way home. A quiet goodnight parted the two cats, who would not see each other until next time.

A few more weeks passed like this, the two cats meeting after dark and going to market. The more Leopold went, the harder it was to keep lying to Giorgio. Sincerity permeated everything the other tom did, from soft words of encouragement to answering prodding questions. Fondness blossomed in his heart like a rare flower, delicately watered every time they saw each other. He hoped he wasn't the only one who felt it.

During their last trip, Giorgio had told Leopold that it would be a longer wait. Instead of seven days between this trip and the next, he said, it will be fourteen.

Those fourteen days passed as if trudging through thick mud. Leopold felt himself missing the taciturn presence he had gotten used to and was frequently visited by panging memories of previous trips. Their ranks in the clan prevented them from seeing each other regularly and Leo thought it might be strange to suddenly be seen with Giorgio when they had barely interacted in public before, so aside from quick glances or passing each other while walking, they didn't see one another at all.

On the fourteenth night, as the moon began her slow ascent, Leopold headed to the riverbank. If he was counting right, this would be their seventh time meeting. For the first time, Leopold showed up before Giorgio.

"You're early." A dark figure emerged from the brush, satchel in tow. "How have you been?"

Leopold's fur tickled with electric energy whenever Giorgio was around, but especially when he spoke. For such a quiet cat to say something at all was a feat, let alone without being spoken to first. "Restless." He anxiously prodded the dirt with a paw.

"I'm sorry, Leo." The sudden admission immediately caught Leopold's attention and he looked up to see Giorgio's tender expression. "I'm sorry we haven't been able to find any information about your brother."

A huge wave of shame overcame Leopold suddenly, like a tidal. He realized with shocking clarity that things couldn't go on like this anymore. He had to tell Scrunch about the market, the fish trading, everything. He couldn't go on lying to Giorgio anymore.

"We should get going." Giorgio interrupted his whirling thoughts, passing him to begin stocking his satchel with fish.

Giorgio could feel Leopold's thoughts twisting around in his mind like a tornado as they walked up the mountainside. His normally easy stride was slow and careful, as if he had to consider each step before taking it. Yet he didn't seem to see a root sticking out of the ground.

"Be careful!" His warning came too late, Leopold already on his way toward the ground. Quick movements allowed for Giorgio to catch him before he slipped and went sliding back down the way they had come.

Leopold just stayed there, leaning against Giorgio with his eyes closed. Panic rose in his chest as he watched the mocha tabby's breathing slow. "Leopold? Are you okay?"

Moments passed in silence, mounting the worries in Giorgio's mind. He wanted to speak again, to ease Leopold into movement, yet found himself at a loss for words. Instead, he nestled his face into the downy fur on the back of Leopold's head. Surely if they stayed like this a while, nobody would mind.

Eyes fluttered open like the wings on a butterfly. "What happened?" Leopold breathed, evidently confused.

Panic subsiding, Giorgio felt his heart sink. Something terrible must be weighing on his mind for him to have disappeared like that. "Nothing happened. I caught you." He murmured, gently righting Leopold so he could stand again, though ensuring they were still touching.

"Oh, thank you. I'm alright now, I think I just.." He trailed off, blinking. "Oh! We're going to be late!"

Giorgio gave him a puzzled look. "That doesn't matter right now. We should go back." But the tabby was already bounding ahead, seemingly fully recovered. Giorgio quickly followed behind.

They arrived at the rocky outskirts to find most everyone had already finished unpacking. Some cats mulled around, peering at what everyone had to offer. Giorgio promised himself that he would keep a close eye on Leopold tonight as he set up upon their usual rock.

The rest of the night passed uneventfully. Not wanting to seem overbearing, Giorgio kept his eyes forward rather than glancing over at Leopold who was sitting beside him. Though this didn't stop him from being close enough that their fur brushed.

When it was time to leave, Giorgio found himself in a very difficult position. Lightly dozing in the angelic glow of the moonlight was Leopold, still sitting upright as though on some great vigil. Waking him would prove to be one of the hardest things Giorgio ever had to do, but at least he could do it kindly.

Circling around behind him, Giorgio gingerly nuzzled his face into the fur on the back of Leo's neck. The feeling seemed to lure him slowly out of sleep, though the purr he inadvertently let out made Giorgio's heart burst.

"Gio?" He mumbled, sleep releasing him. The lilted nickname was the nail in the coffin for poor Giorgio. A sigh escaped him as he detangled himself from Leopold's fur and came back around to face him.

"It's time to go home."

Something like love was growing in the sparse garden of Giorgio's heart. It had only been a few days since they had come back from the trip where Giorgio saved Leopold from a nasty fall, yet being apart from him felt like weeks were passing. Though prior to that night he had felt fondness and a sort of tender care toward Leopold, somehow it shot its way through him like lightning to become what it was now.

The next market was soon approaching. Worry still gnawed at Giorgio's stomach when he thought of how quickly Leopold slipped away. Stress was obviously taking its toll on the baker and it was becoming a source of concern to others as well.

Two days before their next trip, Giorgio spotted Leopold weaving between a group of kits. He looked so much lighter than he had the last time that Giorgio had seen him. A little kitten swatted at his tail and he spun around, dramatically yowling and falling to the ground like some great beast being conquered. Their window of opportunity opened, the rest of the kits piled on top of him, becoming lost in his fluffy fur.

The darkest night Giorgio had ever seen was the next time they saw one another, though it didn't start out that way. The moon was a tiny thing, just a sliver of light in the sky as Giorgio waited for Leopold to arrive, yet still shining down all the same.

"There you are." Leopold's chirping voice came through before he did, like a songbird.

"Here I am." He replied, already standing to greet him. They touched noses, an act of intimacy they'd never done before. Yet neither party was bothered by this, the familiarity comforting.

Giorgio was already packed before Leopold arrived so they left for the market straight away. The steady companionship between the two cats made it easy to walk in silence, though in the past Leo would talk about his days between seeing each other while Giorgio listened, enjoying the sound of his voice and the narration of his life.

As the night progressed the moon became more and more obscured by thick clouds, until they broke. Rain pelted down upon the market, causing many cats to leave early. "We should head back too. The way down will be slippery."

Giorgio walked ahead of Leopold so he could follow his steady footsteps. It was slow going, the steep decline slick with mud and stones. Eventually they had to stop and veer off course a while until they reached the river that connected to Rosemary Meadows. When they finally made it back, the rain had stopped but the dark clouds remained, shrouding the entire clan in a veil of shadows and occasionally sounding distant thunder.

"Careful coming up the riverbank, it'll be slippery." Giorgio cautioned, climbing up himself. As soon as his feet touched solid ground he froze. Amber eyes were all he could see of the cat a few feet away from him, yet he knew who it was. Flapping wings and a chilling crow sounded his impending doom.

"Go home, Leopold." Her voice rasped from age yet it somehow made her all the more threatening. 

Behind him, Leopold didn't move. Giorgio wanted to turn, to tell him to leave, yet found himself unable to move under Scrunch's piercing gaze. She was blind but her eyes held such power that it often felt like she could hold you in place with them.

She moved out of the shadows, though it didn't do much to reveal her figure. Being an all black cat, only her scars really stood out in the dark, imposing the true feeling of imbalance between them. She had seen many more battles than he ever would.

"Arlo. Take him back to the clan." Without hesitation, her massive crow took off flying, a barely visible guardian. He cawed above Leopold, swooping down at him in lazy curves.

Not wanting to have a crow continuously circling his head the rest of the night, Leopold moved past Giorgio. He paused briefly, their eyes meeting. Shame coated his body from head to toe and it was visible. A slow realization dawned on Giorgio. This wasn't a random happenstance. Leopold had turned him in.

Another swoop from Arlo hurried Leopold along and Giorgio watched him go. An array of feelings tumbled through him, though he scarcely had time to process the betrayal before Scrunch spoke again.

"I never thought there would be anyone around who would want anything of ours." She sighed. "Giorgio, I'll be honest. You wouldn't be punished if you had asked permission first. But you're stealing from your own clan, the very people who took you in!" Her tail lashed in anger. "We've never had a problem with food shortages, but what if we did? You would be directly trading the lives of your clanmates for a few copper coins!"

He looked away from her. Nothing he could say now would help. Silence was his best option, as it had always been.

"We'll decide what's to be done with you later. I need to think about this. For the time being, you have no rank in this clan. Stay in your den or wander around, whatever pleases you, but I will have someone keeping an eye on you. Leave your satchel and go."

Giorgio removed his satchel with a sense of calm relief washing over him. At least now he wouldn't have to hide. Leaving the riverbank, he tried to shake the feeling of distrust creeping through his heart.

The day following Giorgio's capture, Leopold woke to find it was already late into the morning. His limbs felt as though they were covered in vines, preventing him from moving. He got up anyway.

Moving through the clan, he noticed Honeydust seemed to be looking for someone. When she saw him, he realized it was him she had been looking for.

"Leopold! There you are. I was getting worried." She stopped in front of him, panting. "I've been looking all over for you, it seems you just woke up!"

"Sorry, I did just wake up. What's going on?" Leopold looked around, though everybody else was going about their day as usual.

"I heard about what happened. Are you doing okay?" Her gaze softened. "I can tell Giorgio means a lot to you."

Confusion must have become evident on his face, because she quickly clarified. "I just have a sense for these things is all! Nobody else knows, I've just seen the way you two look at each other." She shyly lowered her gaze. "I may be a little too observant."

Leopold could see that she was telling the truth. He knew she was observant and her role as a gardener certainly required a keen eye. "It's okay. I'm doing fine, really. I just.." He paused. "I'm worried about what will happen to him."

Honeydust gave him a bright smile. "Don't worry, Leopold. I think by tomorrow, we'll know. You can talk to Scrunch about it, I'm sure she'll take your worries into consideration!" Kahvia called to Honeydust from the garden. "Oh, excuse me. I have to go!" She gave him a quick pat on the head with her tail and hurried off toward the garden.

Leopold caught a glimpse of Scrunch going into the forest, probably for her usual walk around the territory. Emboldened by Honeydust's encouragement, he quickly followed after her.

It didn't take long to catch up to her in the woods. Before he could even make himself known or call out to her, she slowly turned her gaze toward him. "Leopold, what can I do for you?"

That's really eerie, he thought, taken aback by her incredibly keen sense of smell.

"I have to talk to you about Giorgio." She began walking again and he kept pace with her, desperately waiting for her to speak again.

"Came to plead for leniency?" Her crow called down to her from high above, almost as if he were giving her advice. "I did. What are you thinking of doing?" Nerves made it hard for him to articulate himself as well as he hoped.

She hopped over a massive root. He wondered how many times she ran into it before she learned when to jump. "Did you know I was awake all of last night, pondering his punishment? It's not so easy as it looks, boy." Arlo crowed in agreement, though he was still quite high above them.

"It doesn't look easy. I could never do what you do. Please, I have to try. If I don't, I could never live with myself."

She stopped atop the stump of a fallen tree and sat down, suddenly looking every bit as old as she really was. "You were with him a long time before you came to me. Why?"

Leopold thought about her question for a minute. He could be honest with her, tell her how he feels about Giorgio, why he kept going back long after it was necessary. Or he could lie, tell her he needed more time to collect evidence. Her cool gaze was levelled upon him like two ancient amber stones. They spoke of understanding.

"I lied to him to get him to take me. As you know, I told him I was looking for my brother. The first trip, he took me to a clan. I knew that if I came to you with that, it wouldn't be enough evidence. So I went again, this time to a meeting, but they call it a market. There was plenty of evidence there. I wasn't asking as many cats about my alleged brother, though Giorgio asked every single one that I didn't. He seemed more affected by the lack of information than I should have been. When we went home that night, I kept thinking of how sincere he was about everything. How badly it would hurt him if I sold him out." He stopped, ashamed. "It would have been much better to do it then. The more times I went, the more I started to feel things I'd never felt before. I realized I was falling in love. The reality of the situation hit me all at once and I suddenly found myself swallowed by guilt. That's when I tripped going up the mountainside and Giorgio caught me."

He closed his eyes and for a brief moment, he could almost feel Giorgio nuzzled into the back of his head. When he opened them again, the feeling was replaced with embarrassment and guilt.

"I realized that day that it wasn't one-sided pining. I realized I had to stop before it went any further. That's when I came to you."

The forest seemed achingly still for a few moments, until finally Scrunch stood and hopped down off the stump. "I was going to exile him."

Shock rushed through Leopold like electricity. He opened his mouth to protest but didn't even have time before Scrunch spoke again. "Until I heard your declaration. It's clear to me that you spent more than enough time with Giorgio to vouch for his character. If you're willing to keep an eye on him, he can stay. Granted, he won't be a fisher anymore and will have to choose a different path."

Relief hit him like a bucket of ice water. The shock had barely worn off before the relief set in, so he suddenly felt very tired. "Thank you." He offered, overwhelmed with the sheer weight he felt lifted.

"Just go get some rest. We'll tell Giorgio and the rest of the clan tomorrow."

Giorgio felt calmer than he had ever felt before as he woke up two mornings after his encounter with Scrunch. Today, he heard, his fate would be delivered upon him.

It seemed there was a large bubble encapsulating Giorgio as he stepped out into the clan. Multiple cats moved away from him, even as he stood still. Just as he was thinking about heading back inside, Peony hopped atop the old barn and called a clan meeting.

Scrunch emerged from behind her, looking stern. "I expect you all know why we're gathered. The decision of what to do was difficult. A precedent must be set." Her eyes sweeped the crowd, unseeing but piercing all the same. Giorgio felt his usually calm demeanor sway as his stomach gnotted.

"That being said, leniency was plead for this particular case. Know that any following this will not see such leniency, pleas will not be heard and the offending cat is to be exiled from Rosemary Meadows." Murmurs of agreement settled amongst the assembly. Dizziness overcame Giorgio.

"As for Giorgio, you're lucky. Someone really cares about you. You will not be exiled. You will however be removed from your post as fisher. You're free to choose another calling." She turned to address the entire clan. "I expect you all to treat each other with kindness and respect, as you have always done. If anyone has any problems with Giorgio remaining in the clan, you're free to leave at any time. My decision is final. He stays." With a nod to Peony, she descended from the top of the barn. Peony dismissed the clan and everyone went back to their business.

A floating sensation overcame Giorgio. He hadn't anticipated that anyone would even care if he left, let alone try to prevent it. Who could've done it?

Downy fur enveloping his senses, deep blue eyes reflecting the constellation of stars, a voice like chriping birds. Leopold.

But why? Wasn't he the one who turned him in? Was it simply because he felt bad that he asked for leniency? He had to ask. Yet he hadn't seen Leopold anywhere this morning.

A gentle voice broke his train of thought. "Are you looking for Leopold?" Giorgio was surprised to see Honeydust standing before him. He hadn't even seen her coming.

"Yes, do you know where he is?" It felt like an emergency that he see him, that he should go as fast as possible.

"He's down at the riverbank. I think he's fishing." She gave him a sweet smile. "Good luck!"

He left without thanking her. When he got to the riverbank, he instantly saw Leopold. He was crouched on the stone riverbed, peering into the water. As Giorgio was about to approach him, his paw suddenly shot out into the river. When he pulled it back, dripping wet, there was a piece of algae stuck to one of his claws.

"I'm afraid you're not cut out for this job." Hopping down beside him, Giorgio quickly hooked his claws into the river, sending a large trout flying through the air and onto the stones. Leopold stared in awe.

"Gio.. I'm so sorry," He started, his eyes becoming soggy with unshed tears. "I have so much to tell you, I'm not sure where to start."

Giorgio couldn't help but gently run his tail under Leo's eyes, catching the stray tears with his fur. "Let's start with why you're so bad at fishing and go from there."
Word Count: 6,300

[recherché.]

Username: recherché.
Clan: ✧ -- Sunshine Bay

Quest Number: #2
Response:

[literal.swag.]

username: literal.swag.
clan: wayward

quest 2: "Sometimes, old wounds don't heal and scars... linger. Tell us about a time one of your cats did/said something that forever changed their bond/relationship with another."
lollll have fun yall 😭

[ 4272 words ]

Cruelty was known no better than by the fates. They thrived in it. Lived, breathed, praised it. They soaked in it, bathed in it, learned and studied and practiced it. Over time the fates and cruelty had been torn apart and sewed haphazardly together. Mismatched and frankensteined but learned to meld and complete the piece of one another that no longer existed. One could no longer go without the other. Hand in hand the two ransacked creatures lives, trampling their homes, freezing their hearts, and ripping out their minds. You were lucky if the fates did not have a devastating plot they wrote and oversaw solely for your existence. Even more lucky were you if you had remained untouched enough to ignorantly enthusiastically deny their existence.

The fates and their sick intertwinement was known no better than by a singular cat. Wandering the lands of Moraia with haggard steps bogged down by the knowledge forced into her brain through cryptic and often malicious visions that overrode her five senses in an uncaring barrage. Yet still, there needed to be some game to the watchers of the living’s lives and implanting the future of others. No matter how painful those futures may be, it was never enough. It was shown in riddles and rhymes, vagueness, a foggy haze over every one, random shapes and cats or random bits and pieces. The harder the feline tried to understand the vision, especially within its happening, the further the truth and an ability to understand got. Even worse yet, futures and scenarios, possibly life ruining or subtly boding the end of another, was forced upon them as young as her eyes were able to see, to take in the world that she would know at a level deeper than anyone could imagine. To survive with sanity and an understanding of what she was seeing and hearing and feeling, the feline had to learn to interpret and understand these prophecies. To learn and grasp the twisted ways the fates mangled and tangled the futures in malicious ways that she was certain they laughed at as they did it.

The callous telling of the future was known no better than by Petro. These had dictated her existence since she was introduced to this life centuries ago. In the beginning terror froze and electrocuted her little frame after every one. Her first vision had sent her running screaming to her mother, hiding and sobbing deep within her fur. Over time while it did not get easier, the terror began to fade and the confusion began to melt away, replaced by a tentative understanding. An ability such as this, one that Petro refuses to refer to as a power as it merely hindered her life and mental sanity, formed and shaped the female to be miserable and angry. Lost in her own mind, one she struggled to understand let alone vocalize.

When her first prophecy came along that dangled the death of a fellow feline in front of her young features, her conscience was violently ripped in two. A part of her, deep and pleading, urged her to tell them, to warn them of their impending doom. Yet the other part of her, logical and compassionate, wondered if enlightening them would really be as helpful as she thought. This cat was currently existing gleefully, without a care in the world or an inkling that they would soon no longer feel the grass on their pads or the soothing rays of the sun run itself through their fur. As the days faded into each other and the time crept closer, anxiety and despair bubbled in her chest. A previous gentle pond now an angry geyser within her. While she did not know when exactly this cat was going to meet their maker, the vague scenario of it bit at her ears and mind every time she was within their presence. Despite not being able to stop from distancing herself from them, her ears strained and held on to every word they spoke from afar, desperate to hear those words. Words that referenced and alluded to what Petro knew to be the end. The despair that swam within the anxiety of her chest viciously flooded and paralyzed her young frame when her attention had been grabbed in the worst way.

It was going to happen. Soon. Within the next few days. Maybe even today.

Chest heaving, it was as if the weight of the feline that she knew was about to move on to their next life lay heavy on her small chest. A guilt as if she was the one to take away the vibrancy of this cat prickled her skin, sticky with disgust. Petro gathered up the courage to approach the cat and did her best to messily plaster a cool confidence on her features. In an attempt to save their life, she offered different pathways, different solutions, different activities they could do but the other only brushed her off with a laugh, almost uncomfortable with her insistence. All the young prophet could do now was watch her friend walk out of the camp and into the darkness forever.

Over the next few years a vicious tug of war scrambled Petro’s conscience into an illegible heap. She tried over and over to unsubtly warn others of their impending demise with no luck. Feeling anxious and desperate Petro turned to a blunt approach, warning them of their death without the gentle coat of sugar that subtly brings. At first others thought she was crazy, but the more she was correct, the more that their opinions of her began to transform. It didn’t take long for her to be branded as a witch, a demon, a murderer. Soon tensions and suspicions boiled over and Petro was attacked, verbally and physically, chased from her home with venom in their words and knives in their paws. Despite the pleas from the young female for them to listen, that she wasn’t a murderer, that she was just trying to help, she was chased and chased until their legs gave out from under them. When they couldn’t run after her anymore they spit poison at her, monster, witch, siren, abomination, to never ever come back, that she’d regret it if she did. From then on, Petro was on her own for more years than she could count.

Her hope for her visions to fade now that she was away from others, away from a home and from others' fates, lingered and festered as they seemed to quiet. It was as if she did not wish to learn her lesson as her hope was quickly shattered by another vision that chilled her bones and solidified her veins. It was of fires and brimstone, of heaven and hell, of shadows and light. It stabbed her chest and froze her limbs with icy claws, scorched her veins and strangled her lungs with licks of fire and smoke. Then, it was

Gone.

Time passed her by in a chaotic blur and her remembrance of her past melded and mixed and became one with her visions until she felt as if she had lost her meager grasp on reality. That was until she met him. Him of shimmering gold and gentle light. Him of warm understanding and a gentle disposition. Him of iridescent compassion and blinding selflessness. Him of an opportunity, a chance to be seen and understood. Him of sunflower fields of hope. Him who would later become the light within her dark.

They had met by random chance, Petro taking a moment to bless her frame, sore with endless travels, with the gentle squeeze of the sun’s rays. She laid on a coastline of pebbles and grass, the ocean paying respects to the weary feline in slow crawling serene waves. The light that seared her pupils despite her lids being closed was suddenly snuffed out. Within the omnipotent warmth her brain had grown foggy with fatigue and comfort so it took a moment for the confusion and realization to prod sharp enough at the walls of her skill for her to decide to check what was happening. When she opened her eyes her vision blurred with a whirlpool of cool-tones and neutrals, of scleras vast and endless, an expanse of light. A few moments passed by until it clicked within her sun-ridden mind that a cat was standing above her. Not a vision, but a real cat. Petro scrambled to her paws and backed away with a blatant urgency.

Fear and uncertainty electrified her spine as it arched and curved with warning and distaste. Another cat was not something she had planned to encounter for a very long time from now. She had purposely gone out of her way to avoid them and their judgements and cruelty. Despite the vast years that had passed since she had been run out of her own home, the venom continues to derail her veins and liquify her cells. She could still feel the piercing knives of their claws. Standing before her was another cat, and she had no clue what to do.

“Hello.” Their voice with the airiness and richness of a gentle haze of fog on a rainy day. Neutral and unthreatening. His unassuming nature sparked her nerves in a way so unfamiliar, restlessness settled within her stomach. Rising from their position flat atop her head, her ears swiveled forwards to catch the words rumbling deep within his chest. “Have I startled you? My apologies dear, that was not my intention.” Despite the wisdom and years carrying his hardy frame, a certain youth painted his features and laced his speech.

“What do you want?” Petro questioned precariousness dancing along her consonants and vowels.

“Simply to say hello. I’ve never seen a coat like yours before either, so I wanted to complement it.” She narrowed her eyes, her golden red scleras sparking with an unsure disbelief. The male offered a polite chuckle in return, dipping his head low in both a greeting of respect and an apology. “My apologies again dear, I forgot to introduce myself. I’m Lyacin. I’ve existed on this planet for many many decades now. I’ve seen and met many creatures both peaceful and hostile but none of them have ever piqued my interest as you have. Especially from afar.” Thunder rumbled from his chest, voice gentle but projected. “Now, may I inquire about your name once more?”

“That’s a real shoddy reason to meet someone. Ohhh I’m so honored I’ve piqued your interest!” Petro bit back, a hiss snaking through her words. All she received in return was a polite chuckle and bashful draw-in of his head. Yet there he still sat, waiting expectantly for an answer. The royal-coated female stared at him with thin sharp eyes, annoyance trashing her tail back and forth before her rump reluctantly met the ground. “Petro. My name is Petro.”

“My Petro, what a lovely name. It’s a pleasure to meet you.” Politeness carried his speech as he once more dipped his head, this time a bit shallower. Petro simply rolled her eyes in response. Lyacin continued what felt like twenty questions to the female. “May I inquire about why you’re out here all alone? I don’t smell any other cats on you, you must’ve been alone for a long time.”

Once more her ears drew backwards and rested firmly against the top of her head. “Why do you want to know?” She snapped.

Lyacin chuckled softly which seemed to only further her annoyance. “I have no malicious intent, Petro, I am simply curious. I don’t run into very many other solitary felines.”

Something about the way his aura brushed against her with a gentle warmth rounded the sharpened edges of her distrust and coxed an answer no matter how reluctant. “I was chased from my home when I was a youngin’. Been on my own ever since, I don’t need anybody else.” A frown tugged down his easy comforting smile.

“I’m sorry.” Lyacin murmured, a genuine lilt to his tone. It caught the other off-guard evident in the way she shifted her paws uncomfortably. Being treated with compassion was unfamiliar. “What for?” He hummed softly as he cocked his head in curiosity.

“Alright now, I’m done letting you grill me. It’s your turn.” She huffed back, annoyance creeping back up along her shoulder blades in a familiar hug. “Why’re you alone?”

“Oh well you see, I’ve been traveling for a long long time. I’ve nearly forgotten why I’m alone in the first place. Right now I’m just wandering across the continents, exploring what this exhilarating world has to offer.” His tone was far off, his conscience hard to reach. The soul residing behind his scleras reserved, drawn back as he spoke. Petro could tell the strange cat before her had retreated to a distant memory. One that she wasn’t sure was easier than existing in the present or a flytrap that had him trapped in its iron-locked jaws. It had dawned on her that this would be the moment to run, to return to solitude, but her legs remained stiff and her paws refused to budge. In fact, it remained like this for years to come. Her past creeping along the back of her skull, prodding at her brain, her heart, and something in her refusing to budge. A melting glacier, her fight against companionship began to waver and dwindle as her wall dropped brick after brick.

Deep within her chest lay an ache, bubbling but subdued. In fleeting moments Petro was doused in the cold of her own nightmare. Flashes of gold in breaks of sun and brimstone restless in the shadows. Everytime she brushed it off dismissing it as her unstable reality. Lyacin’s companionship had become familiar now, a comfort. A thick coat on a blistering winter’s day. Her ice had melted into a deep crater, overflowing in tranquil lulls of compassion. Within it swam a creature she had never known before. One quiet but active, thrashes of its spiny tail disrupting the calm within her, stirring up an unusual, warm feeling. One that made her skin electric and confidence waver, one that made her feel like a kitten once more.

Lyacin’s warmth had become a need, subduing her worries in golden balmy waves. He had shown himself to her and Petro refused to look away. He gave her oxygen when she was drowning and she hungrily drank it all in. She studied his words like she was an archaeologist, finding the ruins and teachings of an ancient world, far superior to their own. His habits and quirks had found a second home within her limbs. Life had fallen into a routine, adequate and ordinary but never so enjoyable. Sunbathing next to another never felt so comforting, so warm, the light never so bright, the shadows never so close.

The day she realized had been another one of these days. They had been enjoying the pool of the waterfall nearby. Swimming, laughing, playing, affection leading every movement. Maybe it was the way the refraction of light glinted off his already radiant coat, sending the water alight. Or maybe it was the way the sun illuminated his head, granting him a halo and dousing his backend in darkness. Or maybe it was even the familiarity the icy water bit at her, freezing her limbs and trapping her in the pool. Or even maybe it was the subtle dread, the dam between denial and acceptance crumbling and understanding flooding her veins and rocking her sanity. In a moment's notice her world had been changed in a way she had never thought possible. The despair wrecked havoc within her, clawing at the back of her eyes, rattling her brain and clogging her throat. She had never felt dread like this, even when she realized she’d never had her old family again. Even from the many she has seen pass away, even from the horrific visions that had ruled her for longer than she could even remember.

It was him.

And she couldn’t breathe.

And she couldn’t move.

And she couldn’t
She couldn’t

She was gone. Off sprinting into the forest, terror splitting her skull and tearing her lungs. Salty tears sprinted down her cheeks leaving a sticky trail in its wake. She couldn’t breathe, her lungs searing and gasping for air but she didn’t care, she couldn’t. Suddenly Petro was back, sprinting for her life close to a century ago, and somehow this time was even worse. She couldn’t remember when she stopped or where or what happened afterwards. All she knew was that she was now within the chilly dampness of an uninhabited cavern. Her eyes were still groggy with sleep and her limbs still heavy with exhaustion. It was here that his face danced behind her eyelids, coaxing her back to reality. It was here that she allowed the crushing weight of what's to come to wash over her, wave after wave, tsunamis against the back of her eyes. Wails ripped through her, climbing up the walls of the cavern and resonating outwards. Her sadness pierced her own eardrums.

Lyacin.

Her Lyacin. Her companion, her best friend, her warmth, her sun,

Her light.

Petro had never thought his radiance could be extinguished, especially not in the way she had envisioned. But the fates don’t lie, no one knew it better than Petro. No one had a better front row seat to their cruelty than her. She knew this, and she let herself forget. She let herself relax, to befriend someone, to love, to live. And she hates herself for it. She knew, she knew she knew she knew she knew and now she’s here. Her soul violently ripped from her. He was back there though she didn’t know where. She didn’t know if he had followed her, she didn’t know what had happened to him after she ran. She didn’t even speak to him before she was gone. Guilt became a shark within the waves of emotion wrecking her insides.

It was also the day her walk rebuilt itself higher and sturdier than before. Her heart dressed in an icy coat once more. She couldn’t be around him anymore, it’d be too painful. Even the thought of him at this moment was excruciating. She should’ve known better to not let herself get too attached. Yet here she was, heart pouring out of her.

A familiar scent wafted into her nostrils and fear spiked her fur. No. Lyacin. He had followed her, of course he had. It was within his nature to check in with those he cares about. She didn’t want to see him, she couldn’t.

“Petro, love? Are you alright?” No. No, she wasn’t alright. She’ll never walk hand-in-hand with alright again. Petro remained silent as he entered the cavern casting a dull glow on the slithering shadows. She stared at him, longing and disdain playing a tug-of-war with her emotionally battered frame.

“No.” A gulp, a shaky breath in. A decision. Excruciating pain. “No, I haven’t been alright since the day I met you.” Venom, creeping but fatal.

“What do you mean? What is troubling you? Speak to me, please.” It was as if a quilt had been wrapped around her worries, a quilt with split spiny ends. Comforting but painful.

Petro inhaled silently, allowing her tears to dry and voice to strengthen. “You. You’re troubling me. My life has been thrown off since I met you.”

“My light, please-”

“No, Lyacin you listen. You have done nothing but bring me pain. I don’t know why I ever let you in, I regretted it the moment I spoke to you all those years ago.” She could see the pain rock his features, but she didn’t let up, she couldn’t. “I wish I never met you. You’re a parasite, you dug yourself into my life, my head, my heart. I couldn’t get rid of you no matter how hard I tried. I’ve hated every moment I spent with you. You were just convenient, easy entertainment when I got bored.” Falsities spilled from her muzzle, sending daggers into her throat, her chest, her heart, on their way down. They hurt her more than they hurt him. “I wish I never met you.” Her voice shook.

Lyacin’s ears drew back from the painful barrage. Despair, confusion, and heartbreak morphed his features. It was obvious that he did not know where this came from as they had been pelt to pelt only last night. Petro felt her determination to sever their connection began to waver so she decided to make the final cut. “I hate you. I’m leaving, I never want to see you again.” She walked slowly but surely past him towards the entrance. Just before crossing the threshold she paused but refused to look back knowing full well she’d cave to his warmth, his hope, his promise of happiness. “Never.”

——————

Lyacin had made good on her demand, as they had never crossed paths again. That was until the final battle. She had met others on her journey, those who helped patch the void but never fill it. While she loved her friends and would give her life for them, it was never the same. It would never be the same.

The way an inky red painted the sky and light skittered across the violet grass foretold Petro what was to come. It was the day. She joined Gossamer and the rest on the battlefield but remained outside of battle. She was not built for war, but she was built to observe from afar, to blend with the shadows. Her vision unfurled into reality before her as flashes of light and rolls of shadows. As fires of black erupted and showers of light subdued them. The mellow heat was familiar, a gentle hug of her weary frame. It was home. It was a warmth she’d know anywhere, unique in its ability to elicit hope and soothe worries without a word. Petro knew what was coming as a frantic buzzing scratched her eardrums and the mellow heat blossomed into a searing pain before everything went still.

Cheers erupted from the distant troops before a wail pierced through him. Petro recoiled into herself, ears pulling back and tail wrapping around herself. She stayed like this for a long time until she was sure everyone had left. Then, she made her way to him. Finding him on the ground did not shock her like she thought it would. He looked the same, youthful as ever but exhaustion thinning his limbs and dragging his features. She sat next to him, intertwining their tails.

“Hello, my love.” She had been hesitant to speak, scared their fated connection had been damaged from her selfish actions from what felt as though it was a lifetime ago. Yet as soon as her mouth opened, the words spilled from her easily, urgently, as she spilt everything that was building inside her within her absence. “Oh how I’ve missed you my Light. There has not been a single day I haven’t thought about you and what I did. I regret it, I’ve never regretted anything in my life the way I regretted the way I said goodbye to you. I hate myself for it and I have ever since I decided to run. If I would’ve just explained it to you I know we would’ve found a way, you would’ve found a way. You would’ve prepared me, gotten me ready for what was to come. But you would’ve cared for me at the same time, you would’ve cherished me, loved me.” The more she spoke, the more she struggled as distress began to choke her up. “Oh my dear how I’ve loved you since the moment I saw you, since long before I knew what love was. I miss you. Oh god how I miss you. I miss how gently you’d wake me up in the morning and how delicately you’d care for me when I was ill. I miss how you were scared of not being able to touch the bottom whenever we went swimming in the pool of the waterfall. I miss your laugh. I miss your smell. I miss your indescribable warmth, your happiness. I miss you. I know begging you to come back to me is useless as you're already gone. But I beg for your forgiveness now and how I have been ever since I left you in that cave. And I beg of you to welcome me in an embrace when I too pass on.” While it had only felt like minutes, Petro had spent hours talking to the slowly cooling feline before her, one she had known to only radiate warmth, mulling over her favorite memories. Breaking out in hysterics, fits of laughter and messy sobs and everything in between. She knew it was time when she could no longer feel warmth from his skin and his pelt had dulled. “I suppose it’s unhealthy for me to cling onto a memory of you, to hope and pray you answer although I know you never will. I love you, my beautiful guiding light. I always have, and always will.”

Petro rose to her paws, pressing her nose to his in a final, proper, farewell. “I hope that we’ll meet again, Lyacin.” She took a few paces before pausing, looking back at the fallen part of her soul.

“I know we will.”

[ethium]

[ Start of Last Round ]

"Thank you all for your detailed responses! <33"
The june quest round has now ended.

June Quest Results

Quest #1
ivyy. -> 65xp
0Zero0 -> 85xp
Coffee.berry -> 20xp
Wretched.Felidae -> 25 xp
Unohdettu.Lupaus -> 35xp
Plaga -> 170xp
Goatmom -> 45xp
Galaxyy. -> 40xp
Razr -> 55xp
ArithMedic -> 45xp
Whovian5eva -> 25xp
Almondkitty -> 95xp


Quest #2
Néktar -> 40xp
ivyy. -> 15xp
0Zero0 -> 45xp
Plaga -> 45xp
Goatmom -> 22xp
Galaxyy. -> 35xp
ArithMedic -> 40xp
Recherché. -> 30xp


Quest #3
0Zero0 -> 50xp
Coffee.berry -> 30xp
Wretched.Felidae -> 20xp
WinglessSeraph -> 35xp
Almondkitty -> 325xp
literal.swag. -> 220xp

Please remember to link to this post in your next explore post to use your exp!

"And here are some special prizes for those who put extra effort into their entries!
You can use this to buy some cool stuff from StarClan's shop!"

Almondkitty -> 840 stardust
Arithmedic -> 170 stardust
Galaxyy. -> 210 stardust
Goatmom -> 134 stardust
Ivyy. -> 220 stardust
literal.swag. -> 458 stardust
Plaga -> 430 stardust
0Zero0 -> 260 stardust

"Thank you all for participating! I loved hearing about each of your Clans!"

"While I loved all of your entries, these ones were my favorites! Here's something extra for your hard work!"

Quest #1 - Plaga & Almondkitty
+1 UR MYO each

Quest #2 - 0Zero0 & Néktar
+1 1R MYO each

Quest #3 - literal.swag. & WinglessSeraph
+1 1R MYO each

"Wait wait wait, I have more questions, don't leave yet!"

A new round has begun!

QUEST #1
Draw or write about when your leader found out that they’d be taking over
as leader for the clan, or decided to officially claim their 9 lives!
You may write and/or draw your response to this prompt.

QUEST #2
Draw your medicine cat in a meeting with starclan!
You may only draw your response to this prompt.

QUEST #3
Write about the oldest cat in your clan!
You may only write your response to this prompt.

[ethium]

june quest results have arrived !! <33

[strawberryjelly]

Username: strawberryjelly
Clan: Tribe of the Fallen Light

Quest Number: 1
Response:
When the stars of the former leaders of the tribe fall in unison, it is a symbol that the cat who enters the tribe’s sacred grounds is the next cat to lead.

Quest Number: 2
Response:
For Aurora’s first encounter with starclan, she saw the world differently. The first two cats of healing were there to guide her as she discovered a cure to the disease responsible for her parents deaths.