|
Post by Deleted on Jun 1, 2019 11:16:22 GMT -5
Darkstar seethed on the way back from the gathering. How dare that coward call her out, completely disrespect her, and then refuse to face her. Her tail lashed back and forth the entire trip back home, her paws leading the way by muscle memory alone as her dark thoughts ran away with just how she would like to repay TreeClan’s leader for his words and actions both tonight.
Rainfur had taken up the rear of the patrol, ensuring every cat was accounted for and no one stayed behind to cause any problems now that tempers had flared over the events of the night, but as they neared the entrance to camp she wove her way forward to her leader’s side, speaking softly, “Darkstar, I’ve spoken with Shadowchaser and Smokefur. I think we should all talk about what happened tonight.”
Darkstar growled low, “Fine.” Though in the moment she would have been perfectly fine ascending the boulder ledge and whipping the Clan up into a frenzy that they could take straight to TreeClan’s camp, her rage was tempered by the desire, the need to plan and execute a proper retaliation rather than charging in blindly. While she did not regret for a moment what her blind rage had done to Gorsetail, no, for that had worked out in the end, she was determined that her next strike at Blackwolf’s killer would hit its mark. And for that she needed clarity. Briarthroat’s life came back to her and she scowled in annoyance, leading the gathering patrol into camp and heading directly for her den, pausing to glance back at Rainfur, Smokefur, and Shadowchaser and flicking her tail for them to follow. The cats who had attended the gathering would have the entire Clan informed of the night’s events soon enough.
Foxstar’s life came back to her as well, as she stalked into her den and turned, remaining on her paws, too restless to sit, though as the other three joined her, her gaze was distant with the memory. “With this life I give you dignity. Remember that everything you do affects NightClan and use this gift to carry and comport yourself as though your Clan's future depends upon it, for it does. Retain your composure even when your fury tries to run rampant and do not allow others to goad you into making poor choices. Going forward you must not allow the words of others to spur you into reckless, mindless action.” She was even more annoyed by the life now than she had been when she’d received it, for Lionstar had spit something about leaders and dignity at her as well.
Rainfur came to settle near her, drawing her from the thought with a lash of her dark tail as she looked around at the deputy and both medicine cats for a moment. Then she spoke, “I would say that sounded like a declaration of war, but the coward ran back to his camp with his tail between his legs. If he’s that afraid of my words, how much must he fear my claws? Lionstar has grown old and weak, hiding behind the truce of the gathering to disrespect me and all of NightClan without repercussion.” Her claws slid out to scrape against the stone beneath her paws, “No act against us will be without repercussion ever again.” She would not suffer seasons to pass after NightClan had been wronged without making it right, not like Foxstar. Retribution would be swift and it would be brutal, all the better to deter further acts against them in future.
Rainfur cleared her throat softly, “Gorsetail was Lionstar’s deputy for many seasons.” Darkstar’s burning gaze snapped to the deputy, eyes narrowed to slits, “Before that he was Lionstar’s apprentice. I knew Gorsetail, we are of similar age. He was - is - a good cat.” She could only hope the tom would recover from whatever Darkstar had done to him, but as of tonight, from Lionstar’s words, he was still alive at least.
“You’re defending him!? He is the enemy!” Darkstar rounded on her, fur bristling, but Rainfur didn’t flinch.
“He is no threat to NightClan, clearly, or Lionstar would not have picked a new deputy,” the silver tabby she-cat brushed off her leader’s anger, letting it roll off her like water off a duck’s feather, “Lionstar was speaking from a place of pain, and that pain brought forth frustration and helplessness, which brought forth fury and a misplaced attempt to regain some control and to strike back at what has hurt not only him, but his entire Clan. It is the same reason you attacked Gorsetail to begin with, though we can be thankful Lionstar did not take it so far. It is a cycle, Darkstar, and it will not end unless someone chooses to end it.” She could only imagine the indignity of finding out that Gorsetail’s attacker had risen to leadership. It certainly would have done nothing to calm the golden tom at all.
“I will end it, with Brackenstride dead at my paws,” she snapped. She didn’t give a rat’s tail about the reasoning behind Lionstar’s words and actions tonight. All she cared was that he paid for them.
“Darkstar, the Clan is only just beginning to recover from our time without a proper leader, regaining their peace of mind. Now is not a good time to be starting fights,” Rainfur tossed a glance over at Shadowchaser and Smokefur, hoping for some help in calming their young leader down from attempting to start an all out war with their neighbor, “Killing Lionstar’s son will hardly end the cycle.”
“Let him choose to end it,” she snarled, “Why should NightClan forgo retribution?” NL 25 - The sun is bright and strong. There is a faint breeze, though ultimately it is pleasantly warm out and a fine day for hunting, battle training, or basking in the heat of the day. (After the Gathering)
Fawn @poptart
|
|
|
Post by Fawn on Jun 21, 2019 10:38:45 GMT -5
curiosity is not a sin... ...but we should exercise caution with our curiosity Shadowchaser Shadowchaser's expression was grave, when he chose to speak after Rainfur. "Do you really believe everything will stop, once you kill Brackenstride? Will you feel justified, even if some of our friends and family die in the process?" He could see it now, just an endless tide of blood between the two Clans. Shadowchaser knew his sister to be volatile and deeply unforgiving. Rainfur was a valuable source of counsel for Darkstar, but Shadowchaser wouldn't lie by saying he did not miss Briarthroat and the wisdom he could have provided.
The mess with Gorsetail surely wouldn't have escalated to such a point, or at least there would be a greater potential for a ... more peaceful resolution. "You've crippled their deputy, and you're going to outlive Lionstar. There is so much more to who we are as a Clan than just an endless fight with TreeClan. We have the Deer Path, and we finally have the strong leader we've needed for so long." Just let these feuds die with him. Blackwolf and Lionstar... They were from an older time.
The time of Ravenstar, whom he had heard had been along the same lines as Darkstar was now. Sootfeather's words came back to haunt him, putting a restless energy into his heart; 'We will be waiting, to see NightClan's ruin, or their rebirth'.
"You said it yourself, Darkstar," said Shadowchaser gently. "If you believe Lionstar's acting like a coward, then what do we still have to prove?" I don't want Thornscar's kits growing up in times of war and heartbreak. Greenleaf will give us the luxury of plentiful prey, but that will come to an end. Shadowchaser looked beseechingly at Smokefur, hoping that her countless wisdom and past experiences with Ravenstar would help change Darkstar's mind.
medicine cat of nightclan @zen @poptart | jk rowling | background image | table by phoenix
|
|
|
Post by Deleted on Jul 5, 2019 15:41:52 GMT -5
Smokefur was the last to speak, having listened carefully to Nightclan's leader, deputy, and junior medicine cat, but it was time for the most senior member present to speak her mind. The whole situation seemed to be conjuring memories of a time not so long ago when Ravenstar still ruled NightClan with an iron paw. Smokefur could only hope that Darkstar found Ravenstar's methods for punishing those that opposed her slightly barbaric, however at that moment she wasn't planning to hold her breath. The events of the evening replayed in Smokefurs mind, it wasn't the first time she saw Lionstar upset at a gathering but it was clearly one of the worst displays he had ever exhibited. "You are letting them win when you behave like this Darkstar." Smokefur began, figuring Darkstar was not yet old enough to be above such lecturing, "It's what Lionstar wants, he is testing you. He is pushing you so you'll make mistakes." Clearly she had not responded to Rainfur's level headed observations or Shadowchaser's timid pleading, thus Smokefur hoped her words would land with greater impact. "You think your mentor was so great, the best among us, yet the enemy you think you can so easily dispatch in this fit of anger felled him handily."
@zen
|
|
|
Post by Deleted on Jul 6, 2019 0:38:14 GMT -5
The fur along Darkstar’s spine rippled as her brother spoke up, claws scraping the stone beneath her. She burned with the desire to track down Blackwolf’s killer herself and end it. The desire for the revenge she had promised her mentor at his vigil seared through her, demanded satisfaction. If she went herself, no other NightClan cat need be put at risk. But her brother’s question and Rainfur’s warning lingered.
"Do you really believe everything will stop, once you kill Brackenstride?” “Killing Lionstar’s son will hardly end the cycle.”
Her tail lashed several times in frustration. The memories of her ceremony and the words of her ancestors came again.
“With this life I give you patience. Your decisions will affect an entire Clan. Take heed and do not act rashly when lives are at stake.” ”If you allow your temper to rule you, NightClan will suffer from constant war that it cannot sustain. Think well before you act.” ”You are fire, Darkstar, and without water to keep you from burning out of control, you will burn all of NightClan to ash.”
That her impulsive nature could harm her Clan was the only thing that made her stop and listen now. More than ever before, the effects of her decisions would ripple through the entire Clan. She was NightClan’s voice now, every word and every action a reflection on that which she held most dear. Shadowchaser continued to speak, and his words made sense, soothed the burning inside her to some extent.
"If you believe Lionstar's acting like a coward, then what do we still have to prove?"
At long last, she settled onto her haunches, a snort of derision leaving her. The words of an elderly TreeClan coward meant nothing. She settled her burning gaze on her brother, “A cowardly rant I can ignore, but NightClan will not rest easy in case there was more threat in his words. And I will keep my word as well. To Blackwolf and to Lionstar. If I ever see Brackenstride again, he will not survive the encounter. I do not issue empty threats and empty promises.”
When Smokefur spoke, she was annoyed at the idea that Lionstar’s words might have been some sort of manipulation - a manipulation that was working - and was inclined to agree with the elder medicine cat. After all, she had already shown the enemy how her anger made her impulsive, in what she had done to Gorsetail. But then she brought Blackwolf into it. Darkstar was on her paws again, lips peeled back in a snarl and ears flat against her head, “He was old! He had an injury that made him less than his best! He was the best among us but even Blackwolf cannot, could not, defeat what time does to a body. He came out of retirement to do something when our leadership would not. Lionstar’s brat got lucky.” Her claws scraped the stone, her fiery gaze trained on the medicine cat, tail lashing behind her, “I promised his spirit I would see him avenged and I will. And I won’t hear him insulted by a cat that knows nothing of battle, unless you want me to teach you-”
“Darkstar,” Rainfur interrupted the young leader’s tirade in some alarm, stepping up beside her, all the better to get her attention. Darkstar stared at Smokefur for a long moment before flicking an ear at her deputy, glancing over at her, “I believe… Smokefur has rather made her point. Unless you get a better handle on your anger, you will be very easy for the other Clans to manipulate.”
“Remember all you have to lose if you allow your anger to rule you. Are you strong enough to claim victory over your own emotions?”
Darkstar hissed in frustration, “You sound like Briarthroat.” Her tail lashed once more, but the former deputy’s challenge still stood, and currently she was losing.
“Well, I’ll take that as a compliment…,” Rainfur was a bit surprised by that, but cleared her throat, hoping to move on, “I think it would be best for our… less volatile Clanmates to patrol the TreeClan border, going forward.” Darkstar’s gaze narrowed at her. She knew very well she was included in that. She could not run into Brackenstride at the border if she was never at the border herself. “If you will continue to trust me with the patrol assignments, Darkstar? I agree we must be wary of any possible retaliation for Gorsetail, but there is no need to escalate things needlessly. The Clan has been through enough, they deserve peace.”
Her tail lashed again, annoyed, but that NightClan deserved peace she could not deny. And she did not for one moment think Lionstar would not retaliate if she killed his son, no matter how cowardly he had become. Lionstar was old… if Brackenstride was allowed to live until his father no longer led TreeClan…. She knew nothing of Pumafang, TreeClan’s new deputy and prospective future leader. For NightClan’s sake, however, she could bide her time in fulfilling her promise to her mentor.
One ear flicked back dismissively, “Fine. But our warriors will begin practicing their battle skills in preparation, in case Lionstar’s words were more than wind. I will oversee that myself.” Her gaze shifted back to Shadowchaser and Smokefur, warning, “We will be practicing for real battle. Cats might get hurt.” This was not going to be like apprentice training. Claws sheathed was well and good when you were learning the basics, but there came a time you needed to face the real thing, so you were prepared. Some of the younger warriors in particular had yet to face a real fight. She would see that rectified.
Rainfur sighed lightly at that. She didn't think Clanmates giving each other new scars was the best option either, but she could also see where Darkstar was coming from. Were they going into leafbare rather than greenleaf, she certainly would have fought it. Wasting herbs in leafbare over unnecessary injuries would have been beyond idiotic. It was still questionable at best, but if it would keep Darkstar away from the TreeClan border, perhaps it was worth it, "Very well." Darkstar would likely prefer outright war, some compromise had to be reached or the younger she-cat might well start her war anyway. Besides, she didn't seem at all willing to discuss the matter. One had to know how to pick their battles. She looked to Shadowchaser and Smokefur then, "If you need any assistance with your herb stores, just let me know. I will assign a few warriors to help you." Returning to a more relaxed, seated position, the deputy brought up another matter to be discussed, “What of the Tribe’s offer of alliance? I believe we should accept.”
Darkstar snorted derisively, "As if we will ever need their assistance." Fawn @poptart
|
|
|
Post by Fawn on Jul 10, 2019 10:11:15 GMT -5
curiosity is not a sin... ...but we should exercise caution with our curiosity Shadowchaser The fur along Shadowchaser's spine rippled, disturbed like a previously calm lake. Darkstar was breathing fire at everyone - Smokefur included, though his beloved mentor was wholly unswayed by Darkstar's promises of pain. Shadowchaser, on the other paw, felt his heart pounding against his ribs, the words he wanted to say clawing their way up his throat to get out. Darkstar wouldn't attack a medicine cat, yet somehow Shadowchaser's belief in his sister's belief of the Code was dwindling down to nothing, eroding with every burst of anger and bad temper the she-cat displayed.
Rainfur interjected before he could, and Shadowchaser flashed a look of gratitude to their deputy. She's going too far. It was as if Darkstar was a fire, and when manageable - she could keep the Clan warm and safe, a protective ring a fire that none could cross - but when she blazed out of control, it wouldn't be long before cats were indescriminately burned just by being around her.
His sister fixed him with a warning, promising to abstain from attacking anyone - with the exception of the targeted cat - the compromise being a series of intense battle training sessions. Shadowchaser grimaced. "I understand. Tell them not to get carried away," he shared a look with Smokefur, tension knotting his insides. "We don't have extra herbs we can throw away on foolish injuries."
In an unexpected moment, Shadowchaser thought of Newtstripe. Kind, gentle Newtstripe, whose idea of battle training was simply not having battle training. The image in his mind's eye of Darkstar breathing down Newtstripe's neck, forcing him to prove his 'worth' to the Clan in combat was enough to steal his breath away. It hurt, to think that he could not trust her. But it would hurt worse to see Newtstripe hurt. She had to recognize that not every NightClan cat was a natural born fighter, or could become one with enough pushing and enough lessons.
Is this your legacy, Blackwolf? Shadowchaser's thoughts turned bitter, tail flicking at the tip. A brutal new chapter in NightClan's history?
Forcing himself to focus on the situation at hand, Shadowchaser added. "They could have valuable herbs that only grow in the mountains. Their leader is also their healer. I'm anxious to learn what he knows, and to trade knowledge if we can." Of course, Darkstar would never invite Skyteller to NightClan - and Shadowchaser didn't dare go up to the mountains to visit, not with tensions this high.
It was as she said, Lionstar's words at the Gathering could turn out to be more than a painful, sneering speech. medicine cat of nightclan @poptart @zen| jk rowling | background image | table by phoenix
|
|
|
Post by Deleted on Jul 25, 2019 0:01:36 GMT -5
As Darkstar's temper flared towards Smokefur the seasoned medicine cat did little to show any concern, even as violence was threatened against her. In fact, Darkstar's posturing had the opposite effect of what she had intended, and instead elicited an exaggerated eye roll from Smokefur. Just as she was prepared to deliver another quip she found herself being cut off by the ever level headed Rainfur, who seemed to have a far less antagonistic relationship with the young leader. Deciding it was best she keep quiet so her the ranking members of Nightclan that weren't in danger of being banished, demoted, or killed could speak, Smokefur listened and took the cue from Shadowchaser. "We'll make sure to keep the herb stores stocked, and we'll let you know if we need any extra assistance." Smokefur said with a polite dip of her head to Rainfur before turning back to Darkstar, "Just remember that even if they are better prepared a warrior being held together by poultice and cobwebs isn't any more useful to you..."
@zen Fawn
|
|