[crexmii]

Username: crexmii
Clan: reverie

Quest Number: 2
Response: LINK HERE, SPOILERED FOR BRIGHT COLOURS & POTENTIAL EYESTRAIN
"they're real, i swear - belladonna, you have to believe me. can't you see them too?"

featured cat - eunoia
Word Count: n/a

[Thani]

Username: Thani 509675
Clan: Iris Canopy

Quest Number: 1
Response:



Featuring Aisling, Pandora & Folroes (NPC)
Word Count: N/A

[faelyn]

username: faelyn
clan: faerie

quest Number: one
response:
on an altar of my own making, i am a sacrificial lamb turned sin-eater, forced to gorge myself on the sins of saints. [strike]i am destroyed.[/strinke] i am remade under a bloodied nile of platinum wire. but when i emerge, i cannot hide how my rebirth has defiled my pious skin. the holy structure that was once my body now little more than protruding shoulderblades that hunch to veil the hysteria i cannot contain.

can you feel how i tremble? my fists are wrapped around so many explosives— so many that they form a bloodied nile of platinum wire. it is the altar of my own making. for i cannot shake the gunpowder that has soaked into my very skin. for it accuses me at the back of skull, moving like rabid nails carving half-moons into bone. traitor of blood. they say. at your name, your kin will roll in their graves.

can you feel how i tremble? for i am the abomination of two bloodlines, the creation forged when half gods of both fire and earth seep into the other. i am half bugger, half firebleeder. two races destined to tear the other apart.

there is a second accuser at the back of my skull. his name is fish. i would know him for the blue curls blackened with petroleum, slicked back by his own salvia. we will burn the blasted buggers to the ground! he screams to the sky. his teeth bloodied as he spits his vehemence on the asphalt. the act is a rallying cry across the firebleeders. they pump their fists. we shall no longer labor and sweat blood for those buggers! we shall remember that we, firebleeders, are gods!

but oh how the mighty have fallen. for the half-gods that call themselves, firebleeders, and their once glorious homelands full of red hyacinth dust and twin bloodmoons had been destroyed. their godlike stature now replaced with protruding collarbones and sunken eyes after a lifetime of mining in the grido. those buggers think they can make us live in the grido! they think they can cull us like cattle! the grido had branded them, turning the whites of their eyes as red as the twin bloodmoons of their homeland. they were gods no longer. it would be for their blackened lungs so full of acid and plumes of sulphur that they would scream, their voices cracking as they grieve for their immortality. their half-god lineage watered down and poisoned by the gas pumped into their ramshackled homes. but tonight we shall bring the buggers to their knees!

can you feel how i tremble? for i am the abomination of two bloodlines— half bugger, half firebleeder. to turn against one would be to condemn my own blood.

so now, my blood stands condemned. for i am choosing firebleeder over bugger and i will be the one who burns the buggers to the ground.

the sticks of dynamite shake in my hand. can you feel how i tremble?

i startle, the sticks of dynamite clacking together in my palms. “what is that buggin’ smell?” i recoil from the face that looms above mine whose cheekbones were puckered with blisters and chemical burns. he wears a halo of brimstone, rotting eggs and sulphur on his breath. “augh, it’s you, fish! go away! you smell like a butcher!”

“wormie!” he plays at mock scandalism, pressing a hand to the hollow between his collarbones. “how could you say such a thing? i’ve been working so hard at the smokehouse… of course i smell of fish! speaking of which…” he rumages about in his satchel, withdrawing the stinking gingham cloth where the cerise cotton had gone green with mildew and sagged where it held dried bluegill… fish’s favourite. “i am starved!” his platinum teeth grind and clink as he hunches over the bluegill, saline flesh fraying in his mouth. “why don’t you eat some, wormie? you must be going positively cross-eyed… like look at all these wires! the buggers are sure to go kaboom!”

a strangled noise brews at the back of my throat. “you can have it, fish…. since you are so hungry-” the half-devoured bluegill dangles in front of me, yellowing salvia dripping down its skeletal remains. cerise cotton sticks to its scales where the gingham cloth had once folded around it like a second skin. “maybe take the snack somewhere else… won’t ya fish? its really quite distracting-”

“distracting because it looks so scrumptious? i knew it!” his shoulderblades stick out prominently against his skin as he hunches forward, the red neon lights running down like bloodied rivulets down his skin. “go on, worm! take a bi-i-ite!i love to share-”

“no bites! i refuse to take a bite even if you paid be all the crico in the world!”

“wormie… what? that is so much crico!” he gasps, his breath cracking as his blackened lungs strain. “how could you say such a thing? i would eat anything for all the crico in the world!” his cracked eyes go wide in mock theatrics. “i feel faint!” he falls backward as if struck, exposing the column of his throat to the acid green sky. the soles of his feet floundering upon a bloodied nile of platnium wire. upon explosives ready to go off.

the wick of dynamite ignites.

“fish. get down!” i hiss, wrenching him away from the platnium wires that looked more like blood than of dynamite. i am upon the stick of dynamite. i am frantic as i stamp on the fire. i cannot feel its burn as my heel cracks down upon it. again. again. again.

the fire is out.

i do not sag with relief. no. i am insatiable as if i swallowed a lungful of fire and plunged it into my hallowed ribcage. i shake him by his shoulders, fishbones still sticking out between his corroding platinum teeth. “don’t step on the blasted wires!” i shake him harder. “you could’ve killed us both!”

fish grumbles. “right, right…i was just checking if it was working, you know? i wasn’t sure if you would actually go through with it.” his platinum teeth clink together as his mouth moves against the shell of my ear. “you are half-bugger too. i wouldn’t fault you if you…” his head tilts, his bones grinding together. “..backed out.”

i flinch.

“when this is done, i will be as much firebleeder as you.” i cannot hide the bite in the words. how they sear my half-blackened lungs and the earth, not fire, in my veins. how that first accuser screams from within my inner skull. traitor of blood. they say. at your name, your kin will roll in their graves. “well, now you know the charges are set. blow it whenever.” can you see how i tremble?

there is no diginity in this altar of my own making. this rebirth that has defiled my pious skin.

my second accuser is upon me. “worm, look at me.” i do not. for i cannot bear to push back by hunched shoulders that veil my hysteria. i cannot bear to look at him as my bloodshot eyes begin to sting. “look i am sorry… okay? i am sorry, worm. i am sorry.” can you feel how i tremble? my skin is cold beside his. the half-god in him setting his igneous veins ablaze. that part of him that still calls to bloodmoons and the red hyacinth dust of his homeland, while my own half-bugger blood does not. “but you and i, can’t you see? we are changing the world.” his forehead rests against mine. we trade breath in alley-ways blackened by petroleum and dust. behind sheet-metal turned red by rust. “we are making things right between the buggers and the firebleeders. we are making things as they should be.”

“i am a traitor to my own blood.”

“but oh worm! don’t you see? you will be our saviour. ” he is no longer my second accuser. no longer does he scream in the crypts of my inner skull nor does he spit his vehemence on the asphalt. “you can bridge the gap between us all! you are the half bugger, half firebleeder-”

“you mean… a mongrel.” i am silenced as he slaps a hand over my mouth.

“a-a ah! wormie! you ruined the moment!" we exhale strings of gold amidst a sea of mustard gas, our laughter heaving as we keel over, our hallowed ribcages overflowing with the sound. “i was trying to give an inspirational speech!”

his blackened lungs convulses in an attempt to quell the laughter that shake in his hands. we light matches upon the altar of my own making. upon the bloodied nile of platinum wire that has become our sky and our future and the hope of the new world that we encroach on. i am no longer a sin-eater, for it is not sin i gorge myself on but the sound of our laughter as it thunders from the base of our throats. we play russian roulette with the dark, our bated breath erupting into a cheer as we are reborn as half-gods rising from their graves. as the buggers spill out of their nests that appear more like burning bushes as they are swallowed by dynamite.

“got to go, wormie! the second phase of our plan is commencing!” can you feel how i tremble? because suddenly, fish is gone and i am alone. suddenly, i am a sin-eater once more. i gorge on my own sin because there is enough of it to last a lifetime. bonedust is on the air as the world burns. the barbed wire of the grido has been reduced to liquid smoke and the firebleeders have begun to spill out of the grido… butcher knives and axes swinging. they spit their vehemence on the asphalt, roaring in triumph to the bloodied god of explosives that i had created.

i have brought an entire bloodline to their knees. can’t you feel how i tremble?

there is a butcher’s knife at my neck. the firebleeders have come for me.

“what a fresh little bugger ya are… hm?” hot-blooded hands sit heavy against my portruding collarbones, rotting breath whispering across my skin blackened from coal dust. be the worm you are. i recoiled, joints flexing as my body curled inwards as if it were a well-oiled machine. “i must admit…” i strain my neck backwards to catch a good look at the firebleeder. i watch as fish hook teeth clench into a sneer, a thick kind-of blackness cascading over the dips and hollows of a face i cannot make out. “you are a smart bugger to come hiding out here. i would’ve missed you if you weren’t so… out in the open.”

“l-look you must be mistaken! i-i am your ally-” i sputtered into inchorence, my tongue thick in my mouth. be the worm you are. but this time, i recoiled for real, shrinking from the ball of spit that lands with an audible smack against the back of my neck. “i helped with this attack! i swear-”

“you are no firebleeder!” he roars the words, fish hook teeth bared. “i can tell you are a bugger just by the look of you.” the voice is garbled, spoken from lungs blackened from becoming another cog in a machine. another greaser. “how about i just kill you… i am sure you can imagine how much i despise lying buggers-”

i threw my head back, skull rattling as bone rammed into bone. a bloodied nile running down my throat as the firebleeder fumbled with the cleaver. i am on an altar of oil and circuits and blackened petroleum, all hallowed bones and red-stained teeth. his face cracks against the asphalt until we, bugger and firebleeder, were of one kind. we were the same as we bled out on the street. we were the same as our wounds seeped bloodied niles that mirrored that of the circulling platinum wires that were our sky.

who would bow their head now? for the butcher’s knife was at his throat now. his rotting breath still hot against my skin, stinking of mackerel and smokehouses that were pumped full of sulphur. he began to laugh then, his shrunken belly undulating as his veins turn igneous and molten against my skin. the blasted bafoon! his fists pounded against the asphalt as his booming laughter scrapes his throat raw.

had he gone mad? i reach out. bloody halfmoons appearing on his collarbones as i force his face upwards into the raging glare of twin bloodmoons. but there was nothing natural about the firebleeder’s face. for it was a fish that stared back, its eye sockets bulging with flattened rubber and its mouth agape with fish hook teeth.

i drive the butcher’s knife into the firebleeder’s throat.

“woah! woah! stop… hold on! wait- worm!” the firebleeder’s shrivelled hands shove at my own. rabid nails carving into my skin blackened by coal dust and petroleum. worm. my bloodless lips move to the sound of my name on the firebleeder’s mouth. “you know me! you-”

no longer was there a glutton with a fish’s face before me, for the firebleeder had reached upwards, tearing at the scaled mask that seemed almost fused to his cheekbones. i would recognize that face from anywhere. his mouth falls agape as his blackened lungs convulse. salvia spiderwebs from his maw when he sputters— a fish out of water.

i drop the knife.

“i was about to kill you, fish!” i cannot swallow down the rage that worms its way out of my throat. i cannot stop as the hilt of the butcher’s knife slides back into my hands. i slam the blade into the asphalt, petroleum and sand sundering in its wake. the steel singing before it buries itself right to the very hilt. “i didn’t even know it was you! i thought.. i thought-”

“you thought me one of those blasted firebleeders, didn’t ya?” his fish hook teeth clink into a sneer. “but like it or not wormie, i bleed fire like the rest of them. “ his igneous veins writhe like the barbed wire fences of the grido, a red hot mass of ichor and firelight. “if i were just another firebleeder, you wouldn’t have thought twice before digging this cleaver into my throat.” he yanks the butcher’s knife out of the ashpalt. “you would’ve killed me right then and there… because deep down, you are no better than the rest of them who cull us like cattle! you are a bugger.” once again, hot-blooded hands are an accusation branded across my collarbones that protrude past skin blackened by coal dust and petroluem. he shoves at me… hard. “i thought you were better than that, wormie. i thought we were in this together. i thought we could take down the blasted buggers that poison our bodies! that cripple us!” he spits, not at the asphalt, but at me. yellowing salvia drips down the panes of my face. a condemnation. his voice cracks, his blackened lungs seizing while my own only waver. “i thought we could change the world.”

oh how different we are. perhaps, we, bugger and firebleeder, were never the same. not even as our wounds seeped bloodied niles that mirrored that of the circling platinum wires that were our sky. our future. the hope of the new world that we encroach on

i am too stunned to move. to think.

“i wash my hands of you, worm. i was wrong to think of you as a brother. as one of us.” i am no sacrificial lamb. i am no sin-eater.i am reduced to nothing but a wounded animal… a mongrel before him. for he sneers at me, throwing the dried bluegill before me as i fall to my knees.”and when we meet again, i will burn you to the ground.”

he falls to his bloodied knees before me, a mockery of the theatrics he was once so fond of. his bloodless lips move and i do not hear. but i know the word he utters all the same.

bugger.

word count: 2688

[razr]

Username: razr
Clan: renatulus

Quest Number: 2
Response:

https://toyhou.se/29920587.carvellcarvell[/url] meeting pria (swamp god totally real not at all fake) for the first time

[SushiFoxx]

Username: SushiFoxx
Clan: Fallen rose kingdom

Quest Number: 2
Response: He saved me
Word Count: N/A

[SkyWishes21]

[ Start of July's Round ]

"Thank you all for your replies!! I'll have your prizes figured out soon!"

The current round has ended.

July Quests

Quest #1
BingoDingo03 — 115xp
Hazelfang — 50xp
MireyaDC — 293xp
Kazin — 45xp
clouds-move-on — 50xp
Thani — 85xp
faelyn — 140xp

Quest #2
BingoDingo03 — 60xp
MireyaDC — 120xp
crexmii — 60xp
razr — 45xp
SushiFoxx — 113xp

Quest #3
BingoDingo03 — 65xp
MireyaDC — 30xp

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

"And here are some special prizes for everyone who participated!
You can use this to buy some cool stuff from StarClan's shop!"

BingoDingo03 — 480 stardust
Hazelfang — 100 stardust
MireyaDC — 886 stardust
Kazin — 90 stardust
clouds-move-on — 100 stardust
crexmii — 120 stardust
Thani — 170 stardust
faelyn — 280 stardust
razr — 90 stardust
SushiFoxx — 226 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 - MireyaDC & faelyn
+1 UR MYO each

Quest #2 - crexmii & SushiFoxx
+1 UR MYO each

Quest #3 - BingoDingo03
+1 1UC MYO

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

A new round has begun!

QUEST #1
Draw or write about one of your cats manipulating another cat.
You may write and/or draw your response to this prompt.

QUEST #2
Draw something your character is jealous of.
You may only draw your response to this prompt.

QUEST #3
Write about a time your leader had to cooperate with another leader (rogue or other clan) for some reason or another.
You may only write your response to this prompt.

[DawnDenki]

Yay!! More Quest ~

Username: DawnDenki
Clan: Sun Followers

QUEST #1
“Ohhhh Bluechestnut.” Called a beautiful Frostedsilt, her chirp reached his old ears with ease.
“Ohhhhhh Frostedsilt…?” He mewed back, holding his head low as he entered the current warrior den. She was perched on a ledge with her head held high. The vines that wrapped around her loafing area would have you thinking she had been sitting there for moons. Her voice was soft but her request was demanding.
“I could use some frog legs, I am feeling hungry. Could you go grab me some fresh frogs?” It was only when her white nose bridge settled that Bluechestnut would speak.
“I will, but haven’t I earned some peace? I’ve been working under you for the past two moons… I mean at this point-” The perfect timing of pattering feet interrupted him. Sandytears, Oy, and Crowpatch had come to collect Frostedsilt for her shift.
“Duty calls, I hope to see some yummy frog here for my return.” Bluechestnut hid his sigh as he returned a bright smile and nod.
As the party left, Bluechestnut needed to get to work. After all these frogs wouldn’t catch themselves. His bones popped as he started making his way out of camp, he was shocked to find Sandy and Frostedsilt waiting by the entrance to camp. Her head was hanging a lot lower than before, and she didn’t seem to be so eager for those frog legs. Sandytears spoke first, his tone not pleased in the slightest.
“Frostedsilt has something to say to you, it seems maybe she has been using you..” His scowl only fell on Frostedsilt who spoke after.
“I’m sorry I was ordering you around to keep my secret Bluechestnut. I shouldn’t have eaten that vole a few moons ago and burdened you with my secret keeping…” Bluechestnut was a bit shocked, the pridefully molly really didn’t seem like the type to apologize often. But her eyes and tone were so sincere it was hard to doubt her. Her bright pink eyes looked up to Bluechestnut as she apologized again. “I’m so sorry, Bluechestnut.” Lowering her body was just another way for her to show her remorse, Bluechestnut purred.
“Thank you Sandytears for helping me, and I forgive you Frostedsilt. Next time don’t push your guilt onto others.” He said, turning around and flicking his tail for them to follow. “Please don’t feel like there are any bad feelings though, I understand Frostedsilt.” The fluffy molly smiled before giving a deep nod and following him. “Thank you Bluechestnut!” (416 words)


QUEST #2
Draw something your character is jealous of.
You may only draw your response to this prompt.

QUEST #3
As the sun began to set, the silence that dripped over Sandytears was eerie. He wasn’t welcomed. “Don’t hurt him!” Sandytear’s jaws ripped open with fear, begging for his life. The trees surrounding him were full of croaking ravens, their calls of hunger only made his heart rate rise. Sandytear stared across the clearing at a darker feline who held a large stake over Oysterstench. Tall waving grasses were bringing tears to the ticked tom's eyes, he was too much of an overthinker for this to be real. Oy was trapped under their front paw, his tail almost stapled to the ground by a strangely shaped twig. He squeaked, lifting his muzzle towards his papa.The feline raised the stake, preparing to make a final blow to the rodent. How did the day come to this sort of ending?

When the sun came up today it seemed to speak to Sandytears, whispering softly. “Be careful out there today, it's a big world.”. Though it was a warning of sorts, he simply thought maybe the sun was just trying to bless his path. ‘And yet if I would have just listened- I never would have brought Oy along!’ Sandy started his day by awakening Oy, who liked to sleep all day if Sandytears would let him. After that he was quick to greet his clan mates, helping divide out patrols for the day. He decided it was early setting sun, so he and Oy would go out before them Crowpatch, Twinklescar, and Beanie would go out. He was assigning Gingersnap & Frostedsilt after him, they would be the last patrol for the day.

To pass the day Sandytear cleaned out his den, and even switched out the nursery moss beds! He was a busy bee and yet before he knew it time had called upon him to take on his leaderly duties. Oy squeaked, rushing up to his adopted father. Scurrying up his leg he was able to curl into his chest fluff for a ride. His brownish red eyes looked up loveling at Sandytears. His bright blue eyes gleamed with pride down at Oy, nuzzling him quickly before heading out for the patrol.

Sandytears was shocked to be met by the smell of a rogue, but he wasn’t afraid. Maybe the cries of baby rabbits going without their fill should have been a sign of trouble, but Sandytears is what we call an optimist. When the sun began to lay down for the night it was his sign his shift was over. He only had seconds left when a dark silhouette sprung down from a nearby tree. It took him by surprise, he didn’t even think to look for Oy. Though when the cries of Oysterstench reached his ears, his heart sank. “Oy! That's my son!” He cried out to the feline, who didn’t even take the time to look back. Their pelt appeared to be dark in color, but that was about all he could make out. A growl rumbled in his chest as he took off after them.

They were fast, their feet seemed to travel a mile a second! Sandytear’s chest was heaving with large breaths as he struggled to keep up. A clearing between them had made the figure comfortable enough to stop. Here is where our story began, Sandytears howled out. “Please, his name is Oysterstench. He means the world to me!!” For a moment the world seemed to slow down, the grass coming to a stand still.

“What? A rat for a child?” The voice was confused and yet somehow cold and cruel too. Their long tail gave a lashing thrust as she spoke. “How lonely are you, feline? Have you no shame or loyalty in your veins?” As she stepped closer he could make out their dark mackerel tabby markings clearly now. “Cats are supposed to eat rodents..” She started grabbing a stake she had hidden amongst her flank fluff. “They are prey for a reason foolish tom.” As her paw raised something inside Sandytears pushed him forwards at light speeds. His ticked pelt failed to keep up with him as he barreled through the female. With little time to react, he had to grab Oy and run quickly. Sandy wrapped his tail around the rodent, before pulling him close preparing to take off.

“Foolish? Maybe… but I’d rather be true to myself then live a lie to impress you.” He said to her as she began to gather herself. Though he wouldn’t stick around to see her stand, he hoped she wasn’t too rattled. Upon return to camp he was met with a wave of worry and fearful faces. Oysterstench was very stirred after the event, for the next few patrols he would hide beneath Sandytears. The curly rat would even stay as quiet as a mouse for his own safety. Though it took time to move on from such an event, the two are trying to move forward everyday!
[831 words]

[néktar]

user: nektar | clan: marbleclan

quest #1
dawncatcher ~ mosspaw; a trap has been set

the icy wind whipped at mosspaw's tall ears, she flattened them against her head in protest the chilling howling as it rushed through the trees. beside her was her mentor and deputy, crouched low in the frost-bitten snow staring straight ahead at a spot in the gathering snow. the young cat's paws were freezing; her thin pelt did not do well in the leaf bare season on their island. this winter was especially harsh; the winds were sharp as daggers. the trees constantly creaking as the ghostly claws of frost tore at their bare limbs.

the only sound alongside the screaming wind was mosspaw's chittering teeth and heavy breathing, the words of dawncatcher echoing in her ears. "help me with this little plan and i'll make you a great hunter and teach you everything i know. maybe even make you my deputy when I am leader." the purr in her throat did not match the inexcusable malice in her eyes. moss did not know exactly what the deputy was inferring to with this little plan. the young cat was intrigued by the prospect of becoming a great asset to her clan as well as deputy? that was something she couldn't simply pass up, though her mentor gave her no details about what this plan was. she came out here early this morning and was set to go hunting by dawncatcher, once enough prey was caught, she was instructed to place one piece on the frozen ground just a few feet from where the two now crouched. the apprentice didn't understand the reasoning behind it; her mentor had taken the left-over prey and placed it along the hillside. seemingly leading away from the training hollow and towards the caves along the border to the tall pines.

as they waited mosspaw thought of the possible reasoning behind this task. perhaps a cougar wandered into our territory looking for food and grimstar ordered them to lead it away with prey. her long tail tip twitched against her shivering flank. it wasn't long until she saw movement along the side of the hollow. expecting a large looming cat to appear the young cat was surprised as a pink nose and fussy paws emerged from the snow-covered bushes.

the snow white pelt of elfgiggle blended in with the increased snowfall, the artisan looked around the empty clearing as if she was looking for someone. her head low against the icy wind, suddenly from the rocky hill leading down into tall pines came a low grumble and the sound of heavy paw steps. mosspaw froze in dread an acrid scent filled her nostrils, the looming dark shape of a cougar, mosspaw shrunk as dawncatcher rose a deep purr in her chest. the large cat followed the prey trail the apprentice had left, leading right towards where elfgiggle was now sitting under the crumbling ruins. the young cat watched in horror as the cougar paused in devouring the rabbit, assumingely catching the scent of the white furred cat. the deputy had vanished from the apprentice’s side and was following the predator from the shadows. the cougar’s thick muscles bunched as it peered through the snowfall, locking in on the unsuspecting cat, before mosspaw could yowl a warning to her the looming shape was dashing towards her. the white she-cat screeched in horror as the large cat became visible to her.

the cat took of towards the boulders a long the edge of the territory. the apprentice stalked after on shaky paws unsure of what to do in order to assist the cat. she caught a glimpse of dawncatcher hiding among the boulders, please for the love of our ancestors, help her! mosspaw cried out in her head, heart aching as she watched elfgiggle leap onto the rocks scrambling to get a way from the creature who pursued her. dawncatcher caught the she-cat by the tail and drug her back down, something metallic snapped shut loudly and what came next chilled the apprentice to her core, leaving her as cold as the snow that froze her paws. the crunch of bone and the high pitched agonizing scream of elfgiggle. a bear trap.. a bear trap! mosspaw’s stomach lurched, peering through the brush she saw the artisan writhing and tugging at their trapped leg as the cougar drew in close. heavy tail lashing in triumph before finishing of their terrified prey. head spinning the young cat couldn’t move from her position to do anything, fear of death as well as the harsh glare of her mentor from across the way stopped her.

bile rose in her throat as she watched elfgiggle frantically continuing to tug at her hind leg, no movement came from the lower half as she twisted and hissed, her fear scent was pungent, mosspaw’s heart pounded. just as the cougar lunged is when the white she-cat tore her leg free with a wail of agony and terror. the cougar’s claws barely scrapped the flank of the missing leg as she scrambled away, sending the cat flying from the force of the creature. then a new scent caught mosspaw’s senses, a patrol! the apprentice wheeled around towards the boulder bridge where she saw grimstar racing towards her with ashthorn, ravenhop, and foxglove hard on his heels assuming they caught the scent of cougar and blood. mosspaw burst from her hiding spot almost crashing into ashthorn. “it’s elfgiggle!” her voice was strained and her eyes wide with despair, they followed her to where the young molly had wedged herself in a small burrow with the cougar clawing at the dirt. the scent of blood masking the approaching patrol, ashthorn was first to strike. letting out an enormous caterwaul he launched himself recklessly at the beast, claws extended as he landed on the animals back. the rest of the patrol snapped at the cougar’s ankles, grimstar going for the cats neck. the fight was easily won as they swarmed the creature, chasing it off back towards the caves.

they took turns carrying the wounded elfgiggle after clogging the injured leg with all the cobwebs they could find. dawncatcher prowled up as they entered the tunnel with a scrawny rabbit in her jaws, she gazed at mosspaw for a long moment before dropping the rabbit, then looked at elfgiggle and the rest of the patrol. she joined grimstar at the front of the patrol, the leader unsuspecting of the deputy as he filled her in on the attack. mosspaw picked up the rabbit and followed the patrol through the darkness, her heart in her stomach and tail dragging behind her, the shame eating her alive.

[1,105]

[Kazin]

Username: Kazin
Clan: TreeClan

Quest Number: 1
Response: The worst day in TreeClan history was one in which the clan was left fractured. Splintered and fragmented like broken glass, the pieces sharp and no one even realizing that anything was breaking until it just snapped in one moment. At the heart of it all? Winterdrift.

She was a master of getting other to do what she wanted them to. She knew it. It had landed her many things in her life - her first clan, her first mate and family, her best friend whom she realized she never truly cared for anyway. She did it all to get what she wanted; power. Strength. Cats to back her and follow her.

It had started one day when she had heard the word she hated - 'no.' Hemlockstar was choosing a deputy, and Winterdrift had ambitiously thought herself in the running. What she didn't realize, of course, was that there were cats who could see through her facade of fakeness, her mirror of charisma. It wasn't often that this happened, and it scared her more than she cared to admit. So when she was passed over for the chance at deputy, because she could see the distrust Hemlockstar had for her in his eyes, she decided she needed to do something about it. To get others to follow her. And make her own path in life.

The days of romping through the grass and having fun were over. It was time to build her own army of cats that she knew would follow without question. And it needed to start with her own kin.

________________

"Stormbranch, I need to talk to you," Winterdrift had given her mate the cold shoulder since he was announced as the next deputy after Oakspark decided to step down. This was going to be her last ditch effort, to try and get him back to her own side - and to try and weasel her way under Hemlockstar's tough exterior, to at least have an inside spy in Stormbranch.

Stormbranch gave Winterdrift a pained look, the betrayal he had felt at not being talked to for almost a moon clearly visible on his face. Yet, he still nodded, letting Winterdrift lead him outside the camp, to a secluded area where no one would bother them. She watched her mate shift on his paws in discomfort, almost amused at his lack of self-control. Some cat that was chosen for deputy, a strong voice in her mind said. A very small twinge of guilt found its way through her heart, though she pushed it aside.

"So, you're deputy now." Winterdrift's first statement didn't beat around the bush. Stormbranch shifted again, giving her an awkward nod, unsure of what he needed to respond. "I'll just come right out and say it - I don't like Hemlockstar's leadership style. He's soft, he's weak, and I think he has poor judgment in everything he's doing for this clan."

Stormbranch's eyes flashed angrily, and the tom stood up with a tail twitch. "I knew this was why you'd bring me out here," he said, his voice low with anger. "I won't let you try and manipulate me into believing Hemlockstar is a terrible cat. I'm not going to humor this conversation, and I truly think you should reconsider your place in this clan. If you hate it so much, might I suggest not being here at all!" Stormbranch's last words came out in a sharp hiss, his agitation growing. "And we're clearly not mates anymore, since you've decided supporting me as a deputy is the worst thing that could happen. So goodbye Winterdrift, I hope you find what you're looking for. Or, if you're still here in the morning, I hope you can have a change of heart. Just know I won't be by your side to witness it."

Ouch, Winterdrift thought, watching Stormbranch stalk away with little more guilt in her heart than she had started. It was true that her feelings for the cat had shifted, and she truly didn't care much about him anymore - but it still stung. Not that it stung that he had left her, but rather that he was able to read her so easily.

Oh well. On to the next.

__________________________________

Azaleawhisker, Hurricanestripe, Atlasdash, and Snowheart were none the wiser to the conflict that was happening between their parents. It had been a long time coming, at least in Azaleawhisker and Snowheart's observant eyes. Atlasdash and Hurricanestripe seemed like they had no idea there was much going on at all, and the pair seemed to keep to themselves for the most part. For this reason, Winterdrift decided she would only talk to Azaleawhisker.

Azaleawhisker had been her shadow since the day her eyes opened. Winterdrift felt the warm glow of parenthood through Azaleawhisker more than she ever had through her sons. Perhaps it was the bond of having a daughter, perhaps it was just that Azaleawhisker felt like she would follow her more than her sons would, but either way, once Winterdrift started feeling the tides of discontent in herself, she wanted Azaleawhisker on her side. She started nettling in misgivings and mistrust about Hemlockstar, and even about Stormbranch; Azaleawhisker's own father. Winterdrift would plant the seeds of doubt, watering them, watching them grow into Azaleawhisker's own mistrust of the leadership of the clan.

Really, Winterdrift couldn't have planned it better. It was Azaleawhisker who suggested the growing group of cats unhappy with the way TreeClan was run leave, once and for all, creating their own clan away from TreeClan. She suggested they leave without a word, in the middle of the night, and it was Azaleawhisker who got most cats on board.

Winterdrift couldn't help but feel so immensely proud of the cat she created. Truly, from an outside perspective, neither Hemlockstar nor Stormbranch had done anything remotely wrong towards Azaleawhisker. It was Winterdrift that created problems where there weren't any, knowing full well that there weren't any, and she was happy about it.

After all, Winterdrift got what she wanted. She could now call herself Winterstar, and keep Azaleawhisker firmly by her side, continuously and loyally doing her bidding as a warrior in their own, albeit smaller, clan. Winterstar was, and always would be, a manipulator.
Word Count: 1,038 words

[dimi.]

Username: dimi.
Clan: Heart of Decay

Quest Number: 1
Response:


The trees within the Heart of Decay were decorated by leaves of various red, orange, and yellow hues. The scent of the forest was pleasant and tranquil; it was clear the best season was on the horizon.

And that was no other than Fall! A season that transforms the forest into something beautiful, makes herbs more plentiful, and the prey are rampant, trying to stock up for the winter season. Of course, there was one other thing that made Fall so perfect; it was time for Kit to harvest her crops!

Kit was an avid farmer, having learned to grow food thanks to her time on a farm with a twoleg. She would grow a wide assortment of things; carrots, cabbage, lettuce, even pumpkins! And today was the day of her harvest.

Of course, she had to let her mate, Coco, tag along. Coco was a chef, always using some of Kit's crops to experiment on new foods. Coco would always get dibs on the "faulty" growths, such as abnormally small carrots, damaged crops, among other things. Normally, Coco wouldn't come along, but she had begged to today, for some reason.

And so, Coco and Kit had set out of the camp, heading towards a large plot of soil that Kit had spent moons tending to. Several things were sprouting out of the ground, and with a glimmer in her eyes, Coco yipped.

"Kiiiit! I'll never get over your talents." She cooed as she took a seat, looking over the crops. "But you know what I'm looking for. You uh... have a better eye for good, messed up produce!" Coco chimed, something about her tone seeming a little... off to Kit? But she would disregard it for now. "Let's see... I'll need the carrot first!"

"Of course ya do." Kit smiled as she walked over to the lined of carrots, gently pulling them out of the ground and placing them in a nearby basket. Eventually, a carrot came out of the ground, but it didn't look... quite right. The bottom half of it was, somehow, bent at a 90 degree angle, and yet, the carrot was still fully in tact.

"Ooo, that's the one!" Coco beamed as Kit walked over, gently placing it in Coco's smaller, more modest basket. Coco sat in silence for a moment, waiting for Kit to turn her back before slowly scooching a piece of paper out from beneath her tail, looking at it quietly before hiding it back beneath her paw. By the time Coco had rehidden the piece of paper, Kit had finished harvesting all the carrots. "Then, I'll need a tomato!"

Kit softly hummed to herself as she began to harvest the tomatoes, her eyes eventually drawn to a rather large tomato. She plucked it off the branch, and briefly looked it over. The stem had grown deep within the tomato, and as a result, it looked more like a squashed heart than a tomato. "Is this one too messed up?" Kit asked her lover with a smile, and Coco shook her head.

"Perfect!"

"What even are you making?" Kit asked as she plopped the tomato in Coco's basket.

"I dunno yet! You'll just have to see."

But the truth was that Coco already knew what she was going to make - Kit was a hard worker, often disregarding the fact she deserved time to herself. And today in particular was one of those days; after all, it was Kit's birthday, and rather than spending it celebrating, she was harvesting crops to feed all her other clanmates.

"Oookay." Kit smiled. "What's next?"

"Lots of lettuce!" Coco yipped. "Two heads!"

It was pretty hard to find a head of lettuce that was messed up. Eventually, Kit just settled for two heads of lettuce that looked... mediocre compared to the rest.

"Alright, what else?" Kit looked at her crops; she had gone completely out of order, and had no clue what Coco was planning.

"I need a pumpkin! The smallest one you got. Aaand... some honey." Coco remarked as Kit turned around.

"I sure hope you're not putting the honey and the pumpkin with these other things." Kit remarked as her face scrunched at the thought, and Coco giggled.

"No no! This is unrelated."

Kit moved towards a beehive; while she was a farmer, she was also a beekeeper; she had made friends with some bees, who gladly lent her their honey. After filling a jar, Kit placed it in the basket, and turned to the row of pumpkins.

"Smallest... smallest.." Kit looked over each one, before noticing an abnormally small one nestled between two. "Is this too small?"

"That's absolutely perfect!" Coco gasped.

"Is that all you need?" Kit asked, and Coco nodded.

"Yup! You can finish harvesting the rest, if you find any neat things though, bring em back for me to look at, like always~" Coco lifted her basket off the ground, and strutted off.

-----

Several hours had passed since Coco left Kit to her harvesting duties. During that time, she had been preparing a birthday date night dinner! She had found two bowls in the scavengers den, and placed them on the stump of what used to be a large tree. In each bowl was a healthy serving of salad, using all the vegetables with a small drizzle of honey on top.

The small pumpkin was placed on the stump; it had been completely hollowed out, with a small hole carved into the side of it. Within it sat a candle, which had been lit ablaze thanks to the help of the clan's local fire lover, Ray! The pumpkin was emitting a pleasant, relaxing odor.

It was perfect. And soon, Coco went to retrieve Kit.

"Kiiit! Come try what I made with your crops!" Coco said with a smile.

"Oh no, I'm a sacrifice!" Kit giggled as she moved beside Coco. "Lead the way."

Coco lead Kit to a clearing outside of the camp, and upon seeing the set table, Kit's eyes widened, as though something clicked.

"HAPPPPPY BIRTHDAY!" Coco yipped with a smile.

"YOU MADE ME GATHER CROPS FOR MY OWN BIRTHDAY DINNER?!" Kit gasped, her head gently knocking against Coco's shoulder. "Why'd you trick me?!"

"Because I knew you wouldn't let yourself have time to relax! So I tricked you into working~" Coco beamed.

Kit stared at Coco in disbelief for a moment before sighing softly. "That is so sweet of you. Thank you. Let's go eat."



Word Count: 1,077

Quest Number: 2
Response:


Draw something your character is jealous of.
You may only draw your response to this prompt.


Word Count: N/A; art only