[Moonblaze-Angel]

Username: Moonblaze-Angel
Storage: MooseClan
Last Patrol Post: Nutmeg's rescue
Patrol:

“Lightpaw? Why do you have that lantern on all the time?” Honeypaw dips his head towards Lightpaw’s chest, pointing out the tiny glass lantern. It had always seemed impractical to him, giving enemies another chance to grab hold and throw bug around. In the last scuffle with EagleClan, one of their warriors - Cloudear, he thinks - snapped the cord off with his teeth. Yesterday, Lightning had been entirely inconsolable until Marigoldtuft had gone to the Twoleg place to find a new vine to tie it with. Milkvine had gone with her and taken the lamp, making sure it had fit well.

Thankfully, Lightpaw had been asleep in the medicine cat’s den, recovering from his injuries. They had pretty much given up after their little lamp had broken, becoming entirely distracted. Darkjaw and Seedpaw had taken the opportunity to jump them, leaving Lightpaw with multiple claw wounds and a nasty bite on his front leg. Honeypaw had stepped in and sent both cats home with nasty wounds - Darkjaw with a mean scratch to the eye and Seedpaw with a chomped tail. He had always been exceptional at fighting as a rogue kitten, having fended for himself pretty well before being found by the clan. Now that he’s been here for long enough to learn most of the advanced moves, he’s been finding it fun to defend his Clan.

After all, MooseClan is his home. He had been abandoned by his twolegs very young, less than a moon after being taken from his mother at two moons. They had named him something silly - Bunny - and put him in a tiny den. A small twoleg kit had opened the den a small time later, becoming very excited to see him. Honeypaw had jumped up, trying to play, and scratched the twoleg kit. It all went downhill from there, with him being ignored by the twolegs besides feeding times. He had been abandoned very quickly by them, being left at the edge of twoleg place and the meadow. He had tried once to go back to them before getting lost. He never tried again.

He had learned how to ‘hunt’ for kibble and make friends with twolegs, sometimes catching a mouse or two. He had to learn to fight early, too, learning to dodge most wounds and leave a scratch or two of his own. By the time the Clan found him at 5 moons, he was as advanced as most apprentices a few moons in. It had taken them some convincing - mostly Lightpaw and Mudleap - to bring him to the Clan for the first time. When he saw how much easier life could be with other cats to rely on, he jumped at the chance to join. His mentor, Marigoldtuft, had also briefly been a kittypet. Her and Milkvine were from the same twoleg den.

It sometimes shocked him how many cats here had been wandering on their own or kittypets who left their life behind. That many cats being left behind or unwanted by twolegs was kind of sad, if it had not meant joining MooseClan. EagleClan frequently made fun of some of them at the gatherings for being ex-kittypets. After this last fight, Honeypaw doubts they’ll talk smack about them again. At least for a bit. He had injured one of their best warriors and her apprentice. Not that he would ever gloat about it. Totally not.

Lightpaw stirs in his nest a tiny bit, putting a paw over the lantern. The sun had just set, giving the tiny lantern a soft glow. The glow cast pretty shadows over Lightpaw’s fur, giving his white splotches a cream tone. His cobweb covering looks a little less sinister in the light.

“It’s a sign of being the Keeper. I keep the light, just as I keep the stories of our past.” His eyes dim a small bit, looking a little sadder. His shape suddenly looks small to Honeypaw, who puts a paw out to touch his shoulder. Lightpaw rests his muzzle down on the moss beneath him, like the weight of the world is too much to bear. Honeypaw, in his nest next to him (he had wrenched his shoulder pretty badly throwing Seedpaw), flicks his tail. Since they’re gonna be stuck in here for a while, they might as well share stories.

“Did I ever tell you what the Twolegs named me?” Lightpaw flicks his ears to show they’re listening. Honeypaw closes his eyes and screws his nose up. He’d never told anyone what his name was the first time.

“I thought your name was Claw?” The two apprentices lie there in silence for a moment.

“I chose the name Claw after I left the twolegs. It wasn’t my first name.” Honeypaw shifts his weight in the nest, trying to ward off the embarrassment for another moment. “My name . . . they named me Bunny.”

Lightpaw inhales a deep breathe before cackling. Lightpaw wheezes like there’s no more air in his lungs, ending his laughing fit with a coughing fit. Once he manages to breathe again, bug rolls onto their side again and faces Honeypaw. The sparkle is back in his eye as they speak.

“Bunny? Are you serious?” He giggles again. “That is such a lame name! No wonder you changed it to Claw.” He bats his good front leg at Honeypaw playfully.

“Yeah, but I like Honeypaw way better. I hope I get a cool warrior name, like…” He pauses to think of some warrior names he’s heard. “Honeyclaws or Honeyflight. Something fierce like me.” He bats his good paw at Lightpaw, briefly touching. It had been a good, long while since he and a friend had been able to just hang out like this. The last time it happened might have been when he was a kit with his littermates, actually. Lightpaw always makes him feel comfortable and wanted.

“I dunno, I think I want something better than that. Maybe Lightshadow or Lightcloud? Something fun to play on Light.” It looks like Lightpaw is about to continue, when Mousewhisker stickers her head out from the tree roots above them.

“Go to sleep or I will be giving you both poppy seeds! I have been up treating wounds and I will give you more of them if you don’t quiet down!” She hisses at the two apprentices. Lightpaw and Honeypaw share a look. Mousewhisker is always really nice . . . when she’s had enough sleep. If they want her to be kind to them tomorrow, they’d better listen.

---

Minnowspark scents the air around the border markers. They smell slightly weird compared to normal, like a MooseClan cat had tracked in EagleClan scent. They open their mouth for a better scent, padding forward in their patrol. Minnowspark, their apprentice, Mudpaw, and a new recruit, Macadamia, were tasked with the sun high patrol today. They’re supposed to be showing Macadamia the ropes of patrolling, since she decided to join the Clan.

She had been washed away in the big storm a moon ago or so, when the camp had flooded and they all camped further up the mountains. In the last moon, they had cleared out the dens and reinforced them against flooding, as well as started to dig out some newer dens higher up the rock tumble. It had been exhausting work, especially with so few cats, and they were all worn out. Minnowspark had gone to clear out their little pond, with the help of Mudpaw and Maplefall, and found most of the fish gone, too. It would be a long while before they could go fishing again.

In the meantime, the Clan had been staying over in an abandoned twoleg barn, with one of its walls down. The structure was mostly safe, and the wall had probably fallen in the storm. It had at least kept the Clan dry. Mostly.

Minnowspark scents the air again, unable to identify the weird scent in the wind. Perhaps they were making it up. Besides, this would be a great thing to test his apprentice, and Macadamia, on. They turn their head back towards the two cats following them. Mudpaw is busy sniffing a beetle he’s found, while Macadamia is slightly fluffed up, like a mountain lion might eat her at any moment. It would take quite a bit of shaping up for either of them to be considered warriors.

“Macadamia, Mudpaw, what do you smell? Come up here and check the border for me, please.” Minnowspark tilts their head in the direction of the border, for Macadamia’s sake. She seems a little ditzy so far, but has a natural sense of hunting. Maybe her sense of smell would come in handy for patrolling, too. Mudpaw bounds up first, a bundle of unfocused energy. He sniffs really hard, trying to scent the border markers and everything else.

“Uh. . . there’s a funky smell, like an EagleClan cat got washed into the stream and then sat in some toadstools? I think?” He turns his head to Minnowspark, now mildly concerned that both of them had scented it. If it is an EagleClan patrol at their borders, neither Macadamia nor Mudpaw have been trained long enough to fight very well. It would be up to Minnowspark to chase them off. Minnowspark sighs at the thought, tail drooping. “Did I do it right? Did I? Did I?” Mudpaw bounces around them, jumping up and down.

“We’ll have to wait and see. Macadamia, your turn.” The elegant she-cat steps up to the border, very delicately placing her paws on the soggy fallen leaves. Every now and then she shakes off her feet in between steps, trying to keep her pretty curly fur from being clumped with leaves and decay. It would make it much more difficult to clean later tonight. Minnowspark wonders at her intense sensibilities and why she doesn’t just embrace being a forest cat. They much prefer a cat with no qualms about getting down and dirty in the mud.

Her nose to the ground, she lifts a low lying leaf with her muzzle. Her tail swishes behind her, just skimming the leaves. She reaches a paw under the sticky leaf bush, pulling out a small tuft of fur. Bright yellow . . . certainly not belonging to any cat here. It looks like an outsider got their tail stuck in the bush, not knowing it would rip out fur if touched. Typical rogues.

“I’m not certain, but does this belong to an EagleClan cat? I haven’t seen one, but it doesn’t smell like them. It smells more like water and musk. Perhaps a stray kittypet came through here?” She lifts her claw, and the tuft of fur, up to Minnowspark. They twitch an ear, keeping an intense ear out for any sounds out of the ordinary. This could be a benign instance, just one cat passing through. Minnowspark sniffs the fur, able to quickly identify the scents mentioned. Definitely not EagleClan.

“That . . . that could be really bad. I don’t think a kittypet would smell like that, though. More likely a rogue or a loner. Mudpaw, can you take this tuft back to Mintstar and ask him to come check it out? He’s been in this part of the woods longer and might know this rogue.” Mudpaw carefully bites into the piece of fur, then nods at Minnowspark. He turns to leave, his path blocked by a yellow-and-cream cat.

“Who’re you’se calling a rogue? I’m a Traveller, not a low life. I have a right to go where I please.” The stranger takes a step toward Macadamia, sniffing the air. “I mean, you’se gots a kittypet here. I don’t think I’d be minded if she’s not.” Mudpaw, frozen at the sight of a stranger, looks back at Minnowspark with wide eyes. Good thing his mouth is full of fur. Belonging to what looks like a single loner. Minnowspark flicks his tail, indicating what they’re about to do. Mudpaw blinks as Minnowspark jumps over him, landing on the stranger.

“Quick, tell Mintstar we’ve caught a loner at the border!” Mudpaw races off into the woods, the fastest of the three MooseClan cats. The ground - no, the cat - beneath Minnowspark lurches, throwing them off. They scramble to find footing on solid, slippery ground. Digging their claws in, Minnowspark is now between Macadamia and the cream colored cat. He shakes his pelt out, ears flattened to their head.

“Well what’d you go and do that for? I’m not gonna eat your fluffball of an apprentice, he’d be too much work. I don’t know much about this Mintstar fella, but they should at least treat a cat with respect. Instead of jumping on their head!” The cream cat hunches their shoulders, looking hurt. He shouldn’t know about apprentices.

“This is Clan territory, MooseClan territory, to be exact. If you promise to leave and never step foot here again, I’ll let you go without any consequences.” They keep their claws out, just in case, but Minnowspark can tell this cat isn’t a fighter. Perhaps the cream cat really was just wandering around, travelling. Minnowspark used to do that themselves just a year or so ago. The plants behind Minnowspark rustle, giving them a tiny warning about being ambushed. This is not good!

They whip around, getting close to Macadamia, who seems to finally be aware of the situation. These are no kittypets, or friendly strays. These are cats on our territory, ready to fight. She has the decency to look annoyed at them. Two more cats step out of the bushes. The first is a large, muscled grey cat with spots along his fur. His ripped ears and scarred pelt indicate a real fighter. The second, daintier she-cat, steps out behind him, some grey on her muzzle. She has the same pointed pattern as the cream cat, but a pale tortoiseshell color. Potentially the loner’s mother. Maybe there is some hope, if it’s just a family of three loners passing through.

“Meadow! There you are, we wondered if you’d gotten lost.” The she-cat looks up at the two Clan cats. “And you’ve made friends! Wonderful! Have you invited them for fresh-kill with us yet? I’m sure they have wonderful stories to tell.” Perhaps this she-cat is like Macadamia, Minnowspark thinks, absolutely oblivious to her surroundings. “We wouldn’t want any consequences, now would we, love?” She head butts the grey cat next to her.

Minnowspark flicks an ear in surprise. Why is she being friendly if she heard the conversation? This is clearly their territory, not the loners’, and they asked them very politely to leave. If it came down to a fight, Minnowspark did not like the chances they had against the big cat. Maybe if they can keep the cats talking, Mintstar and his patrol would get here quicker.

“Keeper told us ta meet the local Clan, and we did. We shoul’ just head back, Aspen.” The big grey cat flicks his tail in annoyance. “Meadow, come on wi’ us back ta the glen, Lightning is gonna share.” He gives a curious look to the EagleClan cats. “You twose can come with, I suppose. Another twose ain’t gonna hurt.” He looks the two of them up and down, clearly sizing them up. Despite his burly size, it would appear the large cat did not prefer to fight. Minnowspark is horribly conflicted at this point. Best to stall them until Mintstar can get here.

“Sorry, did you say ‘the’ Clan? There are three Clans in this area, MooseClan and EagleClan and LynxClan. Which of us did you mean to refer to? You see, MooseClan is this Clan, with Mintstar and myself and a few others. Then, you’ve got EagleClan, who, well, are stuck-up, but great at ambush hunting in the snow. Quite skillful, unfortunately. Smokestar leads them. Then you’ve got LynxClan, further up into the mountains, all fluff and silence. We don’t share a border with them, thankfully, but they’re all the way up on top of the mountains, a little further. If you’re looking for them I could maybe take you to EagleClan, but that’s on the other side of our territory. It sounds like there’s a lot of you. Are there a lot of you? I don’t like a lot of cats. They freak me out. Best to stay in a smaller Clan. Away from lots of cats!” Minnowspark lets out a nervous chuckle in the middle of their rambling.

“Anyways, lots of cats. You have a lot of cats? I see one - two - three - cats so far, and this Lightning cat, and this Keeper cat, unless they happen to be the same cat with a title. Like saying Deputy! We have a deputy - it’s not me - but she’s much more vicious than I am. If you’d like a chance to escape any wrath and fury I would suggest leaving before she could get here. She can be quite particular about her ways, see? She loves to have rabbit, too, which are hard to catch up here. Unless you’re very stealthy like me or very fast like my apprentice, Mudpaw. He should be back soon, with the rest of our Clan, or at least a lot of them, so I hope you can go very fast and away. I would hate for it to turn into a fight. A fight? Wait, wait, no, I didn’t mean to threaten a fight, just letting you know it could happen! Uh, wait, no, that still sounds like a threat.”

Minnowspark, the professional filibuster. They would be a lawyer, if not a cat. That or a very nervous public speaker.

The big grey cat looks confused by the absolute word vomit. He looks to Aspen for a cue on what to do, just in time to see her start cackling. She laughs very unprettily, unlike her fur. She rolls onto her side, laughing.

“Rabbits and Clans and deputies! You sure can talk, there, friend.” She looks up at him from her upside down self. She’s completely exposed for attack, and for a brief, fleeting moment, Minnowspark considers it. Unfortunately it would open them up to being attacked by the grey cat, so they decide against it. The tortoiseshell rolls over again, now laying right side up on the soggy leaves. She’s plastered in the scent of them. Minnowspark realizes this is probably why the smell was familiar, but not. The loners must be used to rolling in the surroundings to disguise their scent some.

“My name is Aspen, this is Salmon, and the silly kitten behind you is Meadow. We’re a part of the Travellers, a band of loners who wander the world. We pass over this mountain every leaf fall. We would have done so sooner, but we got caught by the storm and had to wait for it to be clear to travel again.” She sits up, shaking out her fur.

“We share stories and prey with any cat who wants to listen. We’ve come over here before, although just when EagleClan and LynxClan were here. We usually stay in the meadow just over there.” She point with her muzzle toward where Mousewhisker, the medicine cat, finds catmint. Macadamia had been the cat to find it in the first place, actually. “Did you say Mintstar? There was a cat named Mint when we crossed two years ago. We didn’t come through last leaf bare due to the fires, but is he the cat you’re speaking about?”

Minnowspark stares at the cats, suddenly friendly in demeanor. Who are these Travellers? Why has Mintstar never mentioned them? Is he the Mint they’re talking about? At least the cats are unlikely to attack, if they keep talking. Minnowspark can definitely stall more until Mintstar and Mudpaw get back. The two toms should be here soon. They sit down, less worried about them or Macadamia being mauled.

“Is Mintst- uh, Mint, a grey striped tabby with lots of white? Fluffy? He founded MooseClan at the end of the last leaf bare, a moon or so after the fires. They’re the Clan Leader, so he’s in charge of things. They’re pretty nice and also really caring, even if he doesn’t seem that way at first. He’s kind of quiet, too.” Minnowspark stops talking before they mention any weaknesses or flaws in their leader. Mintstar had always been very kind to them, inviting them into the clan, showing them best ways to fight and hunt. Even with Mintstar’s bad leg, they were still one of the best fighters in the clan.

“Talking about me without me? My own apprentice, gossiping with loners on the border of my Clan, sending their apprentice to fetch me.” Mintstar appears out of the trees to the north, further into MooseClan territory. Mallowcloud and Mudpaw follow him. Minnowspark immediately gets to their feet, ears, down in shame. Of course Mintstar would catch them gossiping like a starling! With loners on their territory, no less. Minnowspark ducks their head down, barely able to look at him. When they finally make eye contact, Minnowspark sees a sparkle of amusement in Mintstar’s eyes. He had been teasing them!

Mintstar turns to the ‘Travellers’, head held high.

“Greetings, Travellers. How fare your travels? Did the mountain storms bring trouble?” He pads up to the front of the group, letting Macadamia and Minnowspark fall in behind him. Meadow is still sitting off to the side, clearly on the wrong side of the border still. Mintstar sits next to him, licking a paw.

“Mint!” says the cream cat, jumping towards Mintstar. Mintstar side steps, swiping a paw out to easily knock Meadow off balance. He lays in the dirt beside Mintstar, looking very amused and excited. “I thought you’se be a deputy by now, not a leader! That’s real cool, I tell ya!” He gets off his feet and touches his nose to Mintstar’s, who also looks suspiciously happy to see the loner. Minnowspark narrows their eyes.

“Why of course, darling, I simply needed to impress you. How have you all been?” Mintstar redirects the conversation to the rest of the loners. Minnowspark is still close enough to hear his very quiet, stifled purring. Aspen starts to purr, loudly, and comes up to touch noses with Mintstar, too.

“It’s been so long! You’ve grown up to be a mighty fine cat, Mint. Mintstar?” He nods his head just a hair to indicate that’s the correct name. “We got stuck on the other side of the mountain last leaf fall with the fires, and we’ve been delayed by that freezing cold rain storm this time! I really thought we would get stuck in the canyon again.” Her eyes dim for just a brief moment. “We lost Rook and Stolas since we’ve seen you.” She shakes her short fur out, almost like she means to shake out her memories. “The Keeper has a new apprentice, too! His name is Lightning and he’s one of Rook’s last litter. He’ll be sharing tonight, if you all wanted to come?”

Minnowspark still has no idea what that means. Sharing what? Tongues? Prey? Both? Minnowspark could go for a vole right about now, preferably with their mate, Maplefall. They watch as Mintstar processes the information. Apparently, he had known this Rook and Stolas. They bow their head in mourning, then he straightens up again.

“I would love to send some cats to the sharing. I have to keep the clan safe, however, and will likely be unable to attend tonight’s performance.” He turns to the cats behind him, including Minnowspark. They sit up extra straight, careful to avoid any scrutiny. “How would you all like to see a sharing?”

---

Lionstar sits before him, ears flattened to his head and tail twitching. His nose is crinkled up in displeasure, eyes narrowed at Mothtuft.

“Well? What will it be, Mothtuft?” Lionstar snorts and looks away, as if just looking at Mothtuft makes him sick. Mothtuft supposes it should. It was his fault, after all. The accident had left his mate and kit dead. It had mauled him severely and left Lionstar’s daughter, Beenose, without most of her tail. It would be a difficult journey back into becoming a functioning warrior for her. For him.

If only he hadn’t fallen in love with a kittypet. If only he hadn’t been a curious apprentice, wandering around near the edges of the border and beyond. If he had only listened to his mentor, Fernstep, and followed the entire warrior code. Perhaps this is StarClan punishing him for his wiles. It would make sense. Even now, his kit sits nearby, listening. Waiting. Mocking.

He hangs his head even lower.

“I . . . I’ll leave Lionstar. You won’t ever have to look at me again.” He starts to feel his eyes water. His eye. He turns his head away, cobwebs towards Lionstar. They refuse to let Lionstar see how hurt they are by this issuance. His two options: stay in the clan, be stripped of his title as warrior, and brought to the gathering for punishment at the turn of the full moon. Lionstar suggested that at the last gathering, after telling the world of their crimes, several other warriors in other clans had wanted to shred him. “Take his tail!” they said. “Make them a kittypet!” they said.

His other option is to leave. Lionstar said it’s a mercy. Mothtuft won’t have to deal with any of the consequences of his failure. They’ll just have to leave. They know how to hunt, to fight. They can find their way as a loner, travelling far away from here. He would have to leave before the full moon, making sure that Lionstar could say with truth that Mothtuft is no longer in the territory.

Perhaps a kittypet would be willing to take him into their family, and they could live a pampered life eating kibble and being fed slop. Mothtuft shudders at the idea. Could he really swallow his pride and become a kittypet? Would any twoleg even want him, seeing how injured and disfigured he is? Mothtuft doubts it.

He supposes he could become a loner. They could wander far away from here. Maybe far enough away that his StarClan kit would leave him behind, just like everyone else had. It wasn’t fair that he could see the kit. No one else could, not even Sorrelfoot. She had suggested feeling that StarClan was with him, but she couldn’t see the little kit. Not like him. It must be a bad sign if StarClan decided he was worth giving a ghost.

“See to it you leave before the gathering. I’ll allow you to stay until then, despite my senior warrior’s judgement.” Lionstar picks his cream-and-orange self up off the floor of the medicine cat den and heads for the entrance, beneath the ferns. “You were a good warrior, once. You were led astray. Perhaps being a stray will suit you better.” He leaves with a swish of his extra-long tail. Mothtuft hardly glances in his direction. Sorrelfoot comes up to him and sits on his good side.

“I’m . . .” She starts, stopping mid sentence. Her voice breaks, like she’ll be sad for him. Why would she be sad for him? “I’m sorry it turned out this way, Mothtuft. I’ll be here if you need me, okay?” She noses some herbs towards him. Mothtuft can see poppy seed among them. Maybe they should just sleep it off. Perhaps this is all a bad dream and in the morning when he wakes up, they’ll be with his kit and Flora again. Sorrelfoot gives him a lick on the head before leaving. She’d always been a good friend to him, helping each other practice hunting moves and collecting herbs as apprentices. He had been extremely saddened when she chose to be a medicine cat apprentice instead of a warrior.

Mothtuft eats his herbs, falling into a deep sleep.

---

“Mouse dung!” He exclaims, paws clawing the dark red earth beneath them. Hunting since losing an eye in his ‘accident’ had become much harder. Every time he thought the distance was correct, he would come up a tail’s length short. Recently, they had started to try jumping past the mouse, to see if that would help. Mothtuft could catch a mouse (something easy) about 50% of the time now. They had gone hungry more than a few nights in a row.

Thankfully, new leaf seems to last longer here. Back in his old home near the ocean, it would still be leaf bare, maybe with some mice coming out of their burrows to find food. In this warmer area, the trees were already budding and plants were fully leafed. Soon, it would be greenleaf. The sun on his pelt warms his chilly heart, leading them to believe there may be some good in the world. Mothtuft sighs and scents the area for more prey.

He identifies a squirrel nearby, nibbling on some new growth. They creep low to the ground, placing their paws very carefully. A crunchy twig or brush of the tail on a bush could alert the squirrel to his presence. Thankfully, the wind is blowing towards him, leaving the squirrel completely unaware. When in position, Mothtuft focuses on a fallen branch just past the squirrel for his jump. Hopefully, it would be about the correct length. They jump.

Mothtuft lands on the squirrel, killing it with a quick blow to the head. Before he can move, a cat bowls into him, knocking him down and off the squirrel. He throws them off, fluffing up his fur to seem extra big. Even by his old clan’s standards, Mothtuft is a big cat. This little scrap of fur in front of him barely reaches his shoulder at the tallest height. The cat hisses at him.

“That’s my squirrel! Back off.” She spits, claws out. Mothtuft puts his ears back, indicating his unwillingness to part with the squirrel.

“I caught it, I killed it, the squirrel is mine.” He takes a menacing step towards her, ready to fight for his meal. It had been a while since he had gotten into a spat with another wild cat, typically only having to fight off the occasional bird or nosy kittypet. He could use a chance to show off his moves.

The little tabby looks much more uncertain of herself. She makes her fur lie flat, with considerable effort. She’s much smaller than he realized, not even fully grown. Mothtuft also puts his fur down.

“Where is your mentor? Are you out here alone, young one?” He asks, confused as to why a mentor would let their apprentice out alone. Especially with strange, big cats like him wandering around. He hadn’t smelled any border markers earlier, but maybe while he was hunting he had crossed some. “Is this your territory? I apologize if I crossed the scent markers, I didn’t smell them.” He looks at the tabby, fully sitting down and licking a paw in front of him. What kind of strange cat is this?

“Are you alright?” He asks. The little tabby looks up at him, spite in her eyes.

“Are you out here alone? Who would let a half-blind cat out by themselves?” Mothtuft winces at the accusation. “I hunt here. Alone. I had my sights on that squirrel and you snatched it right from under me! How am I supposed to-” She cuts herself off, looking mildly embarrassed. She gives her chest fluff a few good licks.

“Just stay out of my way, Half-Face.” She turns around, stomping angrily through the undergrowth. Given her temperament, he decides to take his squirrel and leave. He makes his way through the forest, completely different from his own. It had been three moons since he had last been with the clan. Seeing another cat was nice, even if she was mad at him. Mothtuft had hardly spoken to another cat in the last two moons. At first, he had tried to speak with the kittypets in the first twolegplace he came across, but they all ran at the sight of him. Mothtuft supposes that to them, he looks like the ghost.

Mothtuft glances around the little den he made for himself. It’s a small nook under the roots of a heavy tree he doesn’t know the name of, but populates most of the area. He takes his squirrel into the roots with him, careful not to make too much of a mess. He had found out the hard way that if he left bones and blood near his den, it would lead predators to him. After he finishes munching his meal, he takes the scraps he hasn’t eaten and stashes them a few trees away. He buries the last of it for breakfast tomorrow morning.

Mothtuft heads back to his nest, made of a shallow dip in the dirt and lined with some plant tufts, and closes his eyes.

---

“Are you gonna sleep all day? Huh? What about me? Can we play yet?”

His sleep is rudely interrupted by his kit. Mothtuft groans and puts his paws over his ears. The voice continues.

“You can’t block me out you know, I’m in your head. Well, half your head! What did that she-cat call you? Half-Face? That’s kinda sad, huh?” Mothtuft feels a single claw tap his nose, so he buries that in his dense fluff. A paw pokes into his side the next time.

“Come on! This is sooooooo boring! Let’s go on an adventure! Let’s go see where that tabby went. She seemed fun.” The kit goes on for a while longer before Mothtuft finally gives up on sleep and opens his eyes. There, bouncing all around him, is Beekit. He named her that after how annoying she could be, like Beenose as an apprentice. Her tabby pattern looks just like her mother’s, besides the stars speckling her slightly see-through fur.

Ever since the incident with the fox, Mothtuft had been followed around by Beekit. She hadn’t left his side, or grown, either. She’d been just as pestering as the first day he noticed her. In fact, it had taken him nearly a moon to get her to calm down during hunting. She would sometimes wander away from him, but never longer than a day. The little ghost would follow him no matter where he went, or how far. She’d followed him all the way down here to these warmer forests.

“Fine. Go follow her. I’m going to eat the rest of that squirrel.” Grumpily, he gets up from his nest. What he wouldn’t give for some fur! He would use the squirrel fluff, but it just doesn't have the same level of fluffiness as the prey from his home. All of the prey here had lighter fur and darker colors, blending in with the trees that lose their leaves. It had startled him at first, thinking they were a different type of prey entirely, but he came to realize it was just the way it is here. The cats he had met or seen around here had darker colors, too. His pale tawny color usually stood out among the dark earth and trees, making it harder to hunt.

Beekit followed him to the squirrel. As he ate, she kept chatting.

“Is squirrel good? I never tasted it! I got kittypet food. I didn’t like kibble much but sometimes they’d give us this wet food that was like little bitty bits of squirrel cut up. Mama said it was tiny mouse bits pre-chewed for us. I don’t know why they think I can’t chew. I also had milk! I love milk. And cream. And treats. And hey, are you gonna finish that? If not can I have it? Oh wait, I forgot, I can’t eat it, whoops.” She decides to take the next few moments to climb the closest tree, ending up in the lowest branch. She lays down on it, tail dangling off.

“Sooooooo what’re we doing today? Are we moping still? I don’t like moping. You’re always all ‘oh no! I’m so sad my clan left me and my kit died, let me ignore her and pretend I like to be alone’. It’s kinda sad, don’t ya think?” She flicks her tail back and forth as he does exactly as she said: ignore her. He finishes the squirrel. Mothtuft stretches in the weak sunlight, excited for greenleaf to properly come. He should keep heading away from his home, in case the late snows come through. He needs to have a more permanent place before then.

Mothtuft, still ignoring Beekit, continues on his travels. He hops over a log, skirts a stream, crosses it on some little stones. He hasn’t gone very far before Beekit yells. He turns to her.

“Can you not yell? Talking is bad enough, but screaming is just-” he cuts himself off as another scream reaches his ears. This time definitely not from Beekit. He lifts his head, trying to get a better idea of where the cat is who’s yelling. He hears another sound, this time further down the river he had crossed. Mothtuft races for the cat, taking strides as big as his long legs will let him. He jumps on top of another fallen branch, knocked down by the heavy winds over the last few days.

From here, they can see two cats next to the stream. One is on the far bank, a small but steep cliff that lands directly in the fast-running water. Mothtuft recognizes her as the little tabby from yesterday. The second is just below her, hanging onto the cliff with all his might. Between the two, the rock is scuffed up and the ground near the tabby has broken. Mothtuft puts two and two together and realizes that the orange she-cat must have fallen off the cliff face when the ground gave way.

“Hold on!” Mothtuft yells out to the two cats, trying to find a way to help out. Beneath him, the river is running extremely fast, with rocks jutting out. If the cat fell, even from a small height, she could be beaten up by the rocks. Mothtuft hops down as close to the river as he can get. The bank on his side is much more of a slope, with a way down to the water directly. If he could maybe get into the river, beneath her, she might have time to snag onto his fur before being swept downstream. He could also catch her further down, if she managed to survive the fall, and the rocks, and the water, and swim at all.

Above him, Mothtuft hears a gasp and a loud crack. Whipping his head up, Mothtuft sees the edge of the cliff crumble further. Before he can say anything, the ground breaks away beneath the little tabby, plunging both her and the brighter orange cat into the river. Mothtuft, without any time to think, lunges forward as they sweep past him. He manages to sink his claws into one of them and he tugs, hard. He’s almost got the tabby out when the river grabs him, too.

Mothtuft is pulled into its depths, water running over his head. He had learned to swim at a young age, like all apprentices. He had to prove he could swim to the island in the bay for his warrior assessment, catch something, and bring it back. Not every warrior made it out. Mothtuft, however, had always been great at swimming. His extra toes gave his more surface area to push off and through the water, just like his mother and her mother. They kick the water hard beneath them, pushing his head through the surface. He churns his paws beneath him, searching for the two cats. There!

Beekit had helpfully appeared on a big rock, to which one of the cats is clinging. Mothtuft swims out to her, letting the current push behind them. He has to use his tail to put him in the right direction, but manages to grab the scruff of the shaking, soaked cat. The orange she-cat barely fights as he drags her to the shore, dragging her up onto the shallow slope. He headbutts her chest, hard, to get any water out of her. It was another move all warriors learned as apprentices in his old clan.

At least here, the water is a much warmer temperature. The biggest danger in his clan was a cat freezing before they could get them home. Now, the biggest danger is how much water a cat has inhaled. He waits to see her cough, then dives back into the river. The little tabby has to be around here somewhere! He swims with the current, pushing himself as fast as he can. If any cat were to watch, he’d look like an odd-colored otter. A little ways down the river, he spots the tabby lurch up for air before being dragged under again.

Mothtuft swims harder, faster, trying to save the cat. He’d seen too many cats die in his time. He’s not about to let another one go. Mothtuft makes it to where he last saw her and dives. Using his paws and whiskers to feel about the murk, he locates her. Mothtuft sinks his claws in and drags her to the shore. He pulls her out of the water onto the grassy slope. She’s not breathing, so he slams his paws onto her chest and belly, getting the water out. It takes three times before she coughs up the water, tail twitching. Mothtuft sighs with relief and thanks StarClan.

Up close, he can see the brown tabby has smaller patches of red, mostly on her underbelly and muzzle. She must be related to the bright orange cat he’d also rescued. Mothtuft hears labored breathing nearby and immediately jumps in front of the tabby, ready to defend her. He quickly spots the orange she-cat, however, and relaxes. She must have dragged herself down the shoreline in search of the sister. Upon seeing her, the orange cat picks up her speed and stumbles along much faster, collapsing next to the tabby.

Mothtuft twitches his ears. The orange cat looks up.

“Thank you. Thank you thank you thank you thank you.” She nuzzles her sister, who barely lifts her head in response. “How can I ever repay you?” Mothtuft, not used to being the savior of anyone, gives their chest a few licks.

“How about we get you two warmed up?”

---

Fox coughs again, this time making a crackling noise. Mothtuft looks over at her, worry in his eyes. She’d been asleep for the last day with no sign of waking. Ever since her and her sister, Squirrel, had fallen in the river, she’d been coughing. In the last three days, she had collapsed while hunting, so Mothtuft and Squirrel had made the little tabby lay down and sleep it off. She had been eager yesterday, claiming to be better, but couldn’t get to the edge of the clearing before falling into a coughing fit and having to lie down again. Today, she had barely woken up for a few bites of mouse.

“What do we do?” Squirrel looks to him for guidance, knowing he has experience with cats who had fallen into water. He had been the one to rescue them, after all. If only he had the courage to tell her that he’d never been a medicine cat. He hadn’t learned the herbs to give a cat for when the water stayed in their lungs. He only knew that it was very hard to cure, even with a medicine cat who knew what was going on. He’d tried to keep the two of them active, had thought that the running he made them do would get it out.

He had seen one other cat get water lungs, make that sick, crackling noise. His mother hadn’t lasted long after the crackling had started. Mothtuft knew it would be near impossible to save her at this point. His only thought left was to take her to the twolegs, hope they could cure her.

“I don’t know, Squirrel. I wish I knew the herbs to give her, but I don’t.” He shuffles his paws beneath them, worried about Fox. She’d been so lively when they first met. “I think. . . I think it might be best if we-”

“No! No. I refuse to just let her die. I’m not leaving her here.” The vibrant orange she cat hisses at him, fluffing up to as big as she can. To him, she still looks so small. Barely old enough to be an apprentice. She would have made a great apprentice, back in the clans. Her patience when hunting came in great use, while her sister’s fire was great for attacking and perfecting battle moves. They would have thrived in a clan.

“I never meant that! I meant that a cat can’t help right now.” Mothtuft looks over at Fox, curled into a ball. Beekit is curled up next to her, looking as tiny as the day she died. Fox is hardly any older than she was. “I used to know a kittypet with yellowcough. She was fixed up by the twolegs in a quarter moon. Maybe they can help her, too.” Mothtuft remembers when Flora and him had first started seeing each other, when the clan was sick and he, as an apprentice, had wandered off to find a cure. He’d gotten sick, and she had, too.

Squirrel looks at him in disbelief. “Moth, are you serious? She’d be a kittypet!” Squirrel looks incredulous at the suggestion. Mothtuft knows full well that most wild cats would rather die than become a kittypet, but this was life and death. Someone had to choose, and Fox is too asleep to make that decision.

“Do you want her to live?” Mothtuft looks Squirrel dead in the eyes. He turns his head to the side a tad bit, to make sure she can stare into his good eye. He needs her to know how serious he is. Squirrel looks away under his scrutiny. Her shoulders fall. She seems much younger than before, and older at the same time. She doesn’t deserve to have to make this decision, he thinks.

“I do. I really, really do.” She looks back at Fox, curled up in her uneasy sleep. “But I can’t do that to her Moth. She would hate it.” Squirrel looks at her toes. “Give me a night. We can take her in the morning.” She trudges over to her sister, through Beekit, and lays down. She lets out a small cough. Mothtuft, worried, presses his nose to her paw pads. She feels a little warm, so he finds the herbs he managed to collect. He doesn’t know much, but he did know that poppy seed helps cats sleep, and feverfew helps with fevers and coughs. Sorrelfoot had tried to teach him the most important herbs before he had to leave the clan.

“Here. Eat these.” He pushes the last few leaves towards Squirrel, accompanied by three poppy seeds. Hopefully, she would get a nice, deep sleep from them and be able to better recover. She laps them up without much trouble before falling asleep.

Mothtuft settles into his nest on the other side of the den, near the entrance, and settles into an uneasy sleep.

A few hours later, he wakes. His fur prickles at the neck, whiskers twitching in the dark. Something is wrong. He lifts his nose, trying to scent for the unknown, lurking danger, and smells something he hadn’t in moons.

Death.

He gently gets to his feet, fearing the worst. Beekit is crouched next to the sisters, tail sweeping back and forth. She looks up at him, eyes filled with stars.

“It’s too late, Mothtuft.” Mothtuft realizes the issue that had woken him up: he could no longer hear Fox’s crackling coughs. He noses her, feeling her shallow, weak breaths. Fox exhales for the last time, her body growing still. Mothtuft closes his eyes, focusing on his own shallow breathing. He feels a cat press up against him, too big to be Beekit. Horrified that Squirrel had woken up to this, he opens his eye.

Standing there, stars in her fur, is Fox. Mothtuft stares. She butts her head against him.

“Take care of her, okay? Tell her I went to the twolegs. Take her to a clan. Make her an apprentice.” She starts to fade from his sight, stars glimmering around her. “Follow the bees.” Fox shimmers out of existence, leaving him with Squirrel, her body, and Beekit. Beekit, he thinks. Always Beekit. He shakes their head. Beekit can wait until the morning. Fox needs attended to now. Mothtuft needs to remove her before Squirrel wakes up. Thankfully, the poppy seeds should keep her in a deep sleep until well past the sun rises.

He stands up from the cold dirt, stretching his body out. This will be difficult.

Mothtuft returns from having buried Fox just as the sun starts to rise above the tree tops. He had dug the hole far away from where he wanted to go, and away from the twolegs. Near the river, where the ground was softer. Once Mothtuft had dug the hole, he sat next to Fox and held vigil. He had only buried her after the sun had started to rise. If he was lucky, Mothtuft might still get back before Squirrel wakes up.

He slips into the den, having thoroughly washed himself before heading back. Squirrel would never know what he had done. He heads straight for his nest, tired from the night. Squirrel lifts her head, shooting daggers at him.

“Where is Fox? Why is her nest cold?” Squirrel gets out of her nest, stepping toward Mothtuft. Her eyes accuse him of many things.

“We went to the twoleg place. She woke up just after you fell asleep.” Mothtuft hangs his head, letting his tail droop. “It took us half the night to get there, she was so sick, but once we made it, it was easy to find a twoleg to take her. Just before dawn a twoleg saw us and took her in.” Squirrel lets out an indignant noise.

“How could you! Did she even think to say good bye? What if I never see her again!” Squirrel stomps past him in a huff, breathing heavy. No crackling sound, just big, heavy breaths. “Did she say anything? How do I find her again?” Squirrel turns to look at Mothtuft, sun warming his pelt. In the warm sunlight, their fur is of a similar shade, although one is significantly brighter. Mothtuft winces at the idea of going all the way to twoleg place to try and track down a dead cat.

“She said she didn’t want you to worry!” He starts, waiting to see if Squirrel is listening. She pauses in her rant against him. “She didn’t want you to waste your life because of her. She’ll be fine as a kittypet. She even said she would escape if she could, once she’s healed. But it’ll be moons.” He looks up at the sun rising over head, cutting across the bright blue sky.

“I told her which way I would go. I said, I’m going to find a Clan, and I’m going to be a warrior again.” He looks at Squirrel intently. “I told her I would take you with me, if you wanted.” She perks up a bit at this. Squirrel had always loved his little mini lessons while the sisters were recovering from the river. “Or you can spend your entire life moping around because your sister gets to live a pain-free, food-filled life of comfort and ease. Your choice, but I’m leaving as soon as I catch something.”

Mothtuft turns away from the clearing, going in the direction he’d been travelling this entire time. He walks a little ahead before trying to scent the trees. A vole could be heard a few cat-lengths ahead, while a blackbird is cawing in the trees upwind. They turn to head after the vole, his favorite piece of prey. Mothtuft successfully catches it, hearing Squirrel following him the whole time. He eats half of it, leaving the rest for her. Beekit stands further in the forest, perpendicular from the sun. He gets up to follow her, this time nodding a greeting to his kit. Squirrel’ll warm up eventually, he decides, and in the meantime, I’ll keep following the bees.


Word Count: 8753

[KelpieMomma]

Username: KelpieMomma
Storage: here
Last Patrol Post: here
Patrol:
Jagged knew how she'd become, and she hated it. She had never intended to be so callous and cruel, so aggressive towards another, but when she saw Talonstrike's face, the scars and teeth, she just couldn't forget how she had seen it before. Covered in blood, sneering, looking for approval from her leader and how joyous she had been when she had been given a nod. It made Jagged, always a healer, want to dig her claws in and add more scars. It made her want to reach for the herbs she knew would kill a cat and slip them into Talonstrike's food. More than once she had found herself making the motions to do so, only stopping when caught sight of a member of the little cluster she'd made looking at her, or when Skeeter would come barreling over to complain about something Talonstrike's little protege had done. As much as she hated the other cat, she couldn't stoop to her level as well.

Seeker, who had come out of nowhere claiming to be the Mouth of the Beyond, had vanished days prior with Firefly. Once again there was a feeling in Jagged's gut that the inevitable would soon be happening, that something had been set in motion and she could not escape it. And for the first time, she wished to refuse it. She wished to leave it behind. As the sun fell beyond the trees she found herself on her feet walking. She didn't know where, had no ideas or plans in mind, she was simply going. She would have kept walking had Talonstrike not appeared before her with Nala, the pair of them carrying a bird each and Nala looking exactly like an apprentice who had passed their exam with flying colors. Jagged was struck dumb, nearly tripping over a branch, and the opposite pair stopped and stared. Nala, ever courageous and brash with her age, immediately began to bristle. It was almost cute to Jagged, despite the other being nearly full grown- and well enough to bowl her over. Talonstrike settled her tail across the younger cat's back and set her piece of prey down.

"Take this back to camp. Jagged and I need to speak." She said. Nala looked dubious, opening her mouth in what must have been an attempt to argue, but Talonstrike shot her a glance and the tan cat quickly grabbed the second bird and scurried past Jagged. She wasn't so afraid, though, to not shove bodily past her, bumping their shoulders together. Jagged didn't even flinch, just allowed the young cat to do so as she stared into the eyes of a clan killer. Talonstrike seemed to read her mind, because she sighed and sat down.

"I didn't take you for a coward, Jackedcrackle. You were always among your clanmates on the front lines, after all, distributing cobwebs and herbs. Things have changed for both of us, it seems." Jagged bristled to hear her old name. Her tail lashed, fur bristling in anger.

"You have no right to speak of cowardice to me," she spat back, "where were you when the forest lit on fire?"

"Trying to save those among my former clanmates who would allow me the attempt. I was trying to right what I had wronged, even though it was past the point of no return." Talonstrike replied.

"I'm surprised you weren't fleeing, or sobbing in a cave somewhere after your leader exiled you. What was the cause again? Killing your medicine cat? Are you planning on repeating such an act now?"

The scarred cat's face shuttered, her eyes closing as she tensed. Her claws dug into the dirt and Jagged almost wished she would lunge forward and put them to good use. Jagged could get one hit in, one solid hit, of that she was certain.

"I knew they must have spun the story in some way. I didn't realize they'd do it like that." Talonstrike murmured, opening her eyes again. There was a deep seated, aching pain in them. Jagged bared her teeth against it. "My leader was the one who killed our medicine cat for speaking out against them. I tracked them down and found them in the aftermath. That was when I truly understood what had happened... and when I took a life from them. I only wish I had taken them all. I thought one was enough to change their mind, to make them realize what they were doing was wrong, as I had right before. I didn't understand at the time... they had known all along, and kept to it anyway."

"Are you expecting me to feel sorry for you?" Jagged demanded. "How many lives did you destroy? How many homes were ruined because of you? Families?"

"More than I could ever make up for. But what of you, Jagged? I am trying, though I may not be good at it, to be better. Are you? Because you seem quite content to sit and stew in your anger. This is the longest you've spoken to me since I arrived."

Jagged growled at that. Talonstrike wasn't wrong, and Jagged only wished she would shut up and allow her to pass. Then again, she herself had allowed the conversation to continue, hadn't she? Jagged huffed, puffing herself up as much as possible, and strode forward. Talonstrike watched her with calm eyes. It didn't matter, Jagged told herself, because she would simply move on and find a new place. A new place of peace and calm, with no cats from her past and no-

Jagged found herself winded, on the leaf-covered forest floor, with Talonstrike's massive paw on the base of her throat. Anger lit in the eyes of the other, and for a second she was afraid that this might be the end.

"And where do you think you're going, exactly? It doesn't seem to be to hunt, or search for herbs." Talonstrike hissed.

Jagged swallowed and bared her teeth again. "What does it matter to you where I go?"

"You're right, it doesn't. Not to me. But what about to those cats you've gathered? The cats who are discovering what it means to be a clan? Are you going to abandon them because you see me as an interloper? Because you taught them to be open and welcoming, and when they put that into practice you decided it was the wrong cat to do so with?"

"They are not a clan! They are a group of cats gathering for safety and ease, for-"

"They are not a clan yet, and if you leave now they will not be getting that opportunity! I've been here less than a moon, and yet I can see the changes in them. From before to now, you have cats who want to be a clan. You are a medicine cat, Jaggedcrackle, I know you can feel it. Why are you punishing them for your feelings?"

"HOW DARE YOU-?!" Jagged sank her claws into Talonstrike's leg, but the former warrior didn't budge. Her expression barely shifted, her eyes narrowing to slits at the pain though there was otherwise no reaction.

"Because the rest of them are too afraid to! How dare you turn your back on them after they've come together for you? Are you that afraid?!"

"I'm not afraid of anything!" Jagged insisted. Talonstrike snorted.

"If that's the case, then when I release you from this hold you won't be going that same direction, will you? You'll be heading back to the camp with me, to see these cats that have learned to look to you for guidance."

Jagged wanted to tell the other cat to buzz off, to take her tail and leave, but she knew that the other wouldn't. Talonstrike really, truly seemed to like the others, like she wanted to like them, and Jagged knew it was her reactions that were putting a pause on that.

"Fine! Yes. I will return. I wasn't planning on leaving, anyway." She declared, swatting at the paw holding her. Talonstrike looked dubious and disbelieving, but Jagged stared at her until the paw was removed. Once she was free she leapt up, shaking her fur off, and glared at Talonstrike. The older cat gestured in the direction Jagged had come, and she flattened her ears in response and turned, stomping back towards camp. If it amused Talonstrike at all to see an adult medicine cat throw a temper tantrum, she didn't show it.
Word Count: 1442

[wolfpack12]

Username: wolfpack12
Storage: Stormfall
Last Patrol Post: Here
Patrol:

" Remember to watch your step, the terrain can be quite slippery this time of year!"

Heather made sure her voice could be heard over the sound of the rushing water below as she led her patrol along the rocky pathway. With winter coming to an end, Stormfall had decided to send out a few patrols to scout out the more dangerous parts of their territory. Mainly to check to see if there had been any rock-slides, collapsed tunnel entrances, signs of larger predators settling in close by, etc. Heather's patrol had been chosen to check on their borders further within the mountain range.

The sun had yet to rise fully, so the four of them were stuck walking in the shadow of a cliff face. Which was only made worse by the cool breeze that would occasionally sweep through them. Rowan shivered as he followed after the chocolate mackerel tabby she-cat." How much longer till we reach higher ground?", he asked. Stopping every once in a while to shake the frost off of his paws.

Heather glanced back at the long haired black classic tabby and white tom before looking at the path ahead of them. They would have to start climbing in a bit, and she had no doubt that they would probably all be exhausted by the time they reached more open ground. Especially since the frost covered rocks would make climbing that much more challenging. But if it meant getting her patrol out of the cool shade and into the mild warmth of the sun, she was more than willing to accept the challenge." Just a little bit longer, Rowan!", she responded.

Before Rowan could say anything, a warm chuckle from behind interrupted him. Glancing over his shoulder he was met with the warm smile of Colton. The long haired black and white tom had taken up the rear in order to help anyone should they somehow slip." What's so amusing?", he questioned.

" Hm? Oh nothing, was just wondering if a certain someone can't handle a little bit of cold", Colton replied. His amber eyes shining with mischief as he met the black classic tabby and white tom's own amber gaze. He was only trying to lift the mood, they both knew that. A long time of travelling together allowed them to be able to pick up on each others emotions. This was no different.

" Oh yeah? Well not all of us have a fancy bandanna to keep us warm you know", Rowan said. Feeling the corners of his mouth slowly widen into a grin as he accepted Colton's silent challenge. Before his gaze locked in on something moving beneath the red patterned fabric around his friends neck." Besides, I'm not the only one who doesn't like the cold!", he added teasingly. Having to hold back a laugh as Colton's rattle snake companion lifted her head out of the bandanna to glare at him.

If it weren't for the fact that Nova was stood between them, Colton would have playfully tackled Rowan to the ground there and then. Instead he simply playfully crouched down and lashed his tail behind him." How dare you, you take that back!", he snapped. His own grin matching that of the other tom's.

" BOYS!", Heather yelled. Which earned her the attention of all three of her companions. She had already been making her way up to the top when she realized that the rest of her patrol weren't behind her." Now that I have your attention, can we maybe put a hold on your little play fighting routine until we reached more open ground?", she asked. Not being able to hide her amusement as she watched both toms look at each other bashfully.

" Sorry, Heather!", they apologized in unison.

-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

" Woah!", Nova gasped. Looking out at the forest below in awe. Watching as the morning fog slowly crept its way through the frost covered trees, rocks and fields. She could hear the faint defiant roar of the waterfall somewhere in the distance behind them.

" Beautiful isn't it?", Heather asked. The four of them had decided to take a small break to catch their breath and warm themselves up, before continuing on their journey towards their group's borders. She was sat next to the younger black-red charcoal rosetted tabby she-cat as they both watched the world slowly come to life.

" You think that's beautiful you should see the sea!", Colton said. The long haired black and white tom smiled as he felt his snake friend lift to nod her head agreement from where she had been resting on top of his own head. Before realizing that he had gained the long haired black-red charcoal rosetted tabby she-cat's attention.

" What's that?", Nova questioned. Staring at the older tom in curiosity.

" It's a large body of water that stretches endlessly into the horizon", Colton replied. Before scrunching his face up and sticking out of his tongue in disgust." But it tastes awful, I don't recommend trying to drink it!", he added quickly. Remembering the one time that his human family had taken him to the beach, and how he had accidentally swallowed some sea water when a small wave caught him off guard. Before being snapped out of his thoughts when the younger she-cat giggled at his antics.

" I'll keep that in mind!", Nova responded.

" With that out of the way, should we continue on our patrol?", Rowan asked. Watching the group from where he had been resting his head on Colton's back. He was no longer cold and felt ready to continue their journey.

" Rowan's right, we should get going before the larger predators wake up", Heather agreed. As much as she wanted to continue sunbathing, she didn't want to run the risk of potentially running into a bear or mountain lion on their way to their group's borders. With that thought in mind, she wasted no time in getting everyone on their feet and setting off again.

Colton once more took the rear of the line and was about to follow after the others when a noise caught his attention. Glancing down at the rocks below, he could of sworn he saw a familiar figure slinking its way among the shadows. It looked like that rosetted tabby who always seemed to like picking on Rowan. Strange, why was he so far away from the group? And on his own no less?, he thought.

"Colton you coming?!", Rowan called.

Snapped out of his thoughts, the long haired black and white tom glanced back at his friend." Yeah, I'm coming!", he responded. Before checking to see if the figure was still there, only to realize that the newcomer had long since disappeared. Feeling a growing unease settle over him, he glanced down at his loyal companion." We'll have to keep an eye on him, huh girl?", he asked in a whisper. Watching as the snake nodded her head in agreement. He then picked up his pace to catch up with the rest of his patrol.

Word Count: 1,169

[Wildwarriorpaws]

Username: Wildwarriorpaws
Storage: Forum/viewtopic.php?f=103&t=4989369
Last Patrol Post: N/A
Patrol:

Addax was new to the territory, new to the land, new to the desert lifestyle. He didn't know his way. The sun was soon to set on the open terrain when he passed a bush and heard a muffled noise. It didn't sound like a cat or any creature he'd heard before. He quickly hid behind rock and only peaked out when he thought safe. The weird noises continued for another 5 minutes until he decided he needed to have a look. Addax slowly crept around the rock and towards the bush, keeping his whole body tense and close to the ground. All of a sudden the noise grew loud and Addax leaped backward scared out of his fur, claws dug into the ground and he heard a scratching noise coming from under the bush. He pushed away his worries and went head first into the bush. They're he saw what was making all that racket, a baby red-tailed hawk. Poor thing had impaled its wing on a branch and could get free. Addax quickly made his way to the tiny screeching creature, dodging its talons that were definitely too big for its body. Eventually the sun was setting and the little creature was free. Addax made sure the little thing could stand and started to turn away, but he felt a tug on his heart, he couldn't just leave it here. It would probably die before sunset tomorrow. He went back into the bush and grabbed the shivering hatchling who screeched in protest.

That morning Addax awoke to the sun blaring into the rock crevice, the baby bird snuggled up next to his stomach. He had to get up and find food for himself, not to mention the baby he was stuck with. What do they even eat? Mice? Worms? Scorpion? Maybe he'd try a mouse first, that way he could eat a little something too. The thought of a warm mouse made his stomach rumble, waking the little hatchling. Addax yawned and proceeded through the crack out into the crisp morning air. He thought as he cleaned himself in the warm sun, what do I do with the hatchling? He wasn't sure if it'd be safe here left alone, or if it would stay out in the little cave. Eventually the decision was made that the little creature could come with. Addax picked it up as carefully as possibly and placed it in between his shoulder blades. The hawk seemed confused at first but eventually found a nice spot to cozy up and fall asleep. Addax was pleased and continued into the morning light, along a never ending terrain that all looked the same.

After the two had eaten Addax had to figure out where they’d go next, he looked at the little bird and something hit him. Birds were known for seeing things before everyone on the ground because they can fly. What if Addax found an area where he could see everything from up high? He’d be able to see everything and everyone, creating a safe haven for himself and his new bird friend. That’s it! He knew exactly where to go, the plateaus. They started the climb when the sun started to hit the ridges of the plateaus in the distance, that way it’d be cooler for them as they climbed. The little bird learned he could hold on to Addax’s fur or shoulder to help with balance. Sometimes he would feel a prick from the ends of his talons but they never drew blood.

Addax continued to climb even as the sun was almost set below the land, he couldn't stop now, he was on to something amazing. When they reached the top Addax could barely stand but he’d have to put up with it for the time being until they could find a safe spot to rest for the night. Luckily there was a thorny bush nearby that they could squeeze under. Addax fell asleep almost immediately, with the little bird tucked under his chest. When they woke the next morning Addax made his way out of the bush and was shocked at the scenery he saw before him. There he was, on the tip of a plateau looking out over the land. He could see the tops of the trees and a little river that went all the way through the valley. He could hear the coyotes and the birds talking to each other. The wind, blowing through his fur. And over all that, the chirp of his little friend right beside him. He picked up the little creature and placed him on his back. He had made it, finally. This was his home. He’d continue to grow his home till the day he becomes part of it. Him and his hatchling against the desert…

Word Count: 803

[mapledoodle]

Username: mapledoodle
Storage: Toyhouse Link
Last Patrol Post: None, this is my first one
Patrol:

Maplefur padded through the plained lands, fur standing on edge. It felt so... unnatural, being out from under the canopy of the forest she called home.

Er, used to call home, she muttered to herself, tail drooped dejectedly. The wooded lands which she'd been raised on and remained in after her parents moved on and littermates gradually left had become occupied with a rather nasty tom who wasn't keen on sharing the place with another cat. Maplefur had tried the friendly approach, tried the "suck up" approach, even gave a shot at the "hostile" approach... and all she'd earned for it was a sore shoulder.

She paused for a heartbeat to lick at the tender cut that'd sent her packing. It had begun healing nicely over the days she'd spent journeying away from the place she could no longer call home, but was a bit aggravated with how much she'd pushed herself to move on today. With a sigh, Maplefur resigned herself to a moment's rest, knowing she'd regret it later on if she didn't.

Settling down to groom her coat, Maplefur made sure to note the scents around her. There were faint prey-scents, stale dog, as well as the scent of what she guessed were other loners like herself. This place certainly couldn't become a new home--even if she could look past the lack of a comforting canopy, the scent of dog let her know that twolegs probably let their beasts run wild through the plains. Besides, after her last encounter she wasn't feeling too keen on making friends with any other feline, her trust in her own kind shaken after the run-in with the rather hostile tom who'd taken over her old territory.

Finishing her grooming with a final lick, Maplefur sat up and scanned the surrounding area. Off in the distance, though it was hazy, she thought she might just be able to make out the start of a wooded area. With a nod, she decided to check it out and see if it would be worthwhile. Glancing up to judge how much sunlight she had left, Maplefur supposed she'd be able to reach the area she spotted by sundown if she put just a little pep in her step.

So much for a rest, Maplefur sighed with a small wince as she pushed herself back up to her paws and set off again at a brisk pace, determined to find a new place to call home. She'd only been journeying for a few days, but already she was sick of the lifestyle. She didn't understand why her parents had opted to live the life of nomads, only settling in a place long enough to raise her and her littermates before setting off again. Travelling sucked, Maplefur decided, and her parents must have bees in their brains to think otherwise. Hopefully no more travel after today, she tried to reassure herself, though a voice in her head warned her not to get her hopes too high. If this area turned out not to be safe for a permanent home, she'd have to be right back to traveling at sunrise. Pushing that thought aside, Maplefur continued to place one paw in front of the other and make her way home--wherever that may end up being.

Word Count: 555

[dimi.]

Patrols for the week of December 13th are now closed.
I am very sorry for the delay! Due to this, any posts above this one will have received the double xp - even if you made 2! This is on me.
To claim this XP, head over to Leveling and fill out the Patrol form! This experience will not be applied until you do so.

Kazin: 214 xp
Mazzikin 440 xp
Alizba: 169 xp
ruethefangirl: 1200 xp
YourLostTeddyBear: 37 xp
Zentropy: 150 xp
Moonblaze-Angel: 1750 xp
KelpieMomma: 288 xp
wolfpack12: 233 xp
Wildwarriorpaws: 160 xp
Mapledoodle: 111 xp

Patrols for the week of December 20th are now open! These patrols will still rollover on the 27th.

[ruethefangirl]

Username: ruethefangirl
Storage: Sunclan
Last Patrol Post: Patrol 8 - Dec 18
Patrol:
Sunflower had invited Oceanbreeze and Blackberry to come hunting with her that afternoon. Usually, Blackberry would be the one helping Moonbeam and MouseSqueak search for herbs, but Ginger had decided that Raspberry would go with them instead to change things up. Sandchill and Ginger had gone out hunting early that morning. In fact, the small group had had to avoid stepping on Sandchill as they left, since he had somehow fallen asleep by the incline they needed to climb the exit camp. Oceanbreeze’s collar tended to scare prey away, but Sunflower was happy for a chance to talk to her.
“So… I’ve seen you hanging out with Sandchill a lot recently,” Sunflower hedged.
BlackBerry hummed in agreement.
“You noticed?”
“Oh, you’re blushing,” Sunflower teased, bumping into her. “Yes, I noticed. Just like you noticed me and Ginger growing closer. I think you knew before I even realized.”
Oceanbreeze giggled. “That’s true.” She admitted, “He makes me laugh. He’s sweet and so goofy. He’s been bringing me prey to share.”
Blackberry remembered seeing them fish together, too.
“Aw. So you like him? He has to like you back, right?” Sunflower asked.
“Do you think he does? I thought so, but he seemed… kind of flirty with other cats? I wasn’t sure.” She was thinking about the conversation he’d had with Moonbeam after complementing her eyes. But maybe he had not meant it to sound like he was flirting? Maybe he was just being silly?
“I mean… does he bring other cats food to share?” Sunflower questioned. “Actively seek them out?”
“Hm, no… not the same way. It was just something he said.”
“I feel like the only way you’ll really know is if you ask him,” BlackBerry meowed. She’d learned that direct communication solved a lot.
They moved on to hunting after that. It was a productive outing.
Word count: 307

[dimi.]

Patrols for the week of December 20th are now closed.
To claim this XP, head over to Leveling and fill out the Patrol form! This experience will not be applied until you do so.

ruethefangirl: 30 xp

[center]Patrols for the week of December 27th are now open!

[Derpy.]

Username: Derpy.
Storage: here
Last Patrol Post: n/a, first time
Patrol:

the night air was soft and gentle, the stars and moon twinkling above and shining what little bit of light they had down onto the grassy meadow and houses that sat below. not a thing stirred and all was quiet - as it should be.
mio was curled up on his brown couch, tail wrapped around him tightly. nothing disturbed him from his deep sleep as his chest rose and fell softly. the fireplace warmed the room just perfectly while casting a faint warm glow onto the cat's sleeping form.
a small clawing sound came from the leader's front door, to which he did not respond at first - he was exhausted and in quite the heavy sleep.
the clawing sounded again, this time a little louder and mio jolted awake, eyes wide. "wha-! what was that? who's there?" his eyes softened when he realized someone was at the door, the bags under his eyes showing his fatigue. "i'm coming," he grumbled, pulling himself up off the couch - but not before a good stretch - and trotting over towards the door. he pulled the hanging rope situated on the side of the door that activated the mechanism to open the door for him. unfortunately, cats don't have thumbs, or at least hands like two-legs, so door knobs aren't an option!
what greeted him on the other side was a scruffy face covered in thick grey fur and orange eyes. the visitor cleared their throat, which escalated into a bit of coughing, before greeting mio. " 'ello there. the name's scraggletooth. i'm lookin' for a.. place tuh' stay."
mio took a minute to process what was being asked of him and he let out a tired yawn, accidentally right in the newcomer's face. "yeah, sure. you can stay here for a bit and i'll uh... i'll build a little home for you in the morning." without another word, mio turned and flicked his tail, signaling for the grey cat to follow.

he led her to an empty guest room that hadn't been touched for quite some time. it was a little dusty, he had to admit, but he hoped the cat didn't have any allergies...
"this'll do just fine!" she chirped, hopping onto dark blue sheets that sat on the creaky wooden bed. mio yawned once more, going back to his spot on the soft couch and curling up, slipping into sleep.

tomorrow, they'd have to have a proper introduction!

Word Count: 405

[ruethefangirl]

Username: ruethefangirl
Storage: Sunclan
Last Patrol Post: Patrol 9 - Dec 26
Patrol:
Camp was quiet. Half of the cats were out hunting, while the others were looking for herbs. It was just Ginger, Magmatuft and Sandchill at the moment.
“You and Oceanbreeze?” Magmatuft prompted.
Sandy smiled. “Yeah, that she-cat, she’s really something…”
“At least you’re not mooning over my sister this time.” As apprentices, Sandchill had gone through a phase where he thought he had a crush on Lavahiss. Magmatuft had been mortified. Anyway, Oceanbreeze was a nice cat.
Sandchill chuckled. “Ahhh, yeah. That was embarrassing. She was so mean.”
“Have you told Oceanbreeze you like her?”
“Nah. I mean, she knows, right?”
“Sandy, you goof. How is she supposed to know if you say nothing?”
“Uh…” Sandchill had the sense to look embarrassed. “I brought her food?”
Nearby, Ginger snorted. She was grooming her fur, trying to act like she was not listening.
“No, dude. You have to tell her. She’s not mind reader.”
“Okay, okay.”
Word count: 155