| I will not be like a bird bred in a cage, I thought, too dull to fly even when the door stands open. |
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INVENTORY
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Post by Ginger on Jul 4, 2019 23:11:02 GMT -5
The sun was high, but a steady stream of rain had diluted the heat, making the day almost pleasant. Almost. As he walked along the border of Nightclan and Rainclan, Frostjaw felt a prick of annoyance at his wet fur matted to his sides and excessive mud turning his white paws brown. The warrior felt small as his fur was pressed down to him by the rain, despite being incredibly large with rippling muscles that powered his every move. With every step he took, a loud squelch came from the ground. It was disgusting.
I don't understand how Rainclan cats can choose to be wet.
The next step Frostjaw took, his front left paw found itself sinking even lower into a muddy and marshy mix. The large tom reacted all too slowly, not even realizing he should have done anything about it until his right leg had also become submerged.
This was quite a sight to behold. Frostjaw's two front legs were almost completely submerged in mud, going three-quarters up his legs. His backside, on the other hand, was on higher ground, his matted tail sticking straight up and flicking in annoyance. Frostjaw knew he could easily get out of this situation if another cat helped to pull him out, but there weren't any Nightclan patrols coming around this area until the dusk patrol. Frostjaw sighed and muttered a hushed prayer to Starclan. "Give me patience, and give me strength." For now, all the tom could hope to do was pull and pull hopelessly, attempting to remove his front paws from the mud by himself.
265 words Taxx |
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Post by Taxx on Jul 5, 2019 18:36:48 GMT -5
Ferngaze of RainClan Lagging behind her Clanmates, Ferngaze had stopped at one of the pools along the NightClan border to drink. Rain poured from the sky, easing the intense heat that had baked the land in the previous days, and Ferngaze sat back, watching the surface of the pool dance with the drops of rain that fell into it. She shook her head, rose, and started to follow the two she could see ahead, navigating the marshy ground with ease; a flash of white caught her eye and she turned, passed a bush to see it more clearly, and recognized one of NightClan's warriors- stuck up to his elbows in a puddle of mud.
On the wrong side of the border, or Ferngaze wouldn't have hesitated to offer help. Of course if he'd been on her side of the border she would have challenged him, yowled for her Clanmates to alert them. As it was, she called to him, tail waving in a gesture of peace. "Hey! Are you okay there?"
He didn't look okay. But she wasn't going to just charge over, in case there were more NightClan cats in the bushes. She didn't want to give them a reason to claw her. If he needed it, she'd help- if not, then she'd go on her way. Toes close to the scent line, Ferngaze waited, ears up and eyes fixed on the snowy-white tom, waiting for his reply. STEADY AS THE RIVER RUNS |
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| I will not be like a bird bred in a cage, I thought, too dull to fly even when the door stands open. |
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INVENTORY
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Post by Ginger on Jul 6, 2019 22:55:04 GMT -5
The sound of an unfamiliar she-cat's voice caused the white tom to jerk his head violently up to find the source. He looked on his side of the border. No one. With a sigh, Frostjaw looked over to Rainclan's side of the border and immediately spotted a silver tabby looking at him with no small amount of concern. Starclan had sent him help, but in no way that he was expecting it.
"All I need is an extra bit of pull to get out." Frostjaw had mainly said that to not intimidate the she-cat, for she was rather small in stature compared to him. She for sure would not be able to pull his full weight, and the large tom really needed her to be fully willing to do the odd favor he was about to ask.
Flicking his tail to draw the Rainclan warrior's attention to it, Frostjaw began to speak. "If you could just...grab the base of my tail, or any part you can reach, and just pull, I should be able to get out."By Starclan, this was embarrassing. Frostjaw begrudgingly acknowledged that it could have been much worse: Blackstag could have run into him and told everyone, an apex predator such as Demon could have run into him and eaten him, or he could die from starvation due to nothing running into him.
It was not ideal, but Starclan worked in mysterious ways. Maybe this she-cat was sent to Frostjaw for some other reason than getting him out of this mess. Whatever it is Starclan wants, I'll find out soon enough.
266 words Taxx , Ghost the Undead Goddess for Blackstag mention Notes: Frost is being a drama queen |
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Post by Taxx on Jul 15, 2019 14:54:42 GMT -5
Ferngaze of RainClan The tom's pale blue eyes flicked over to Ferngaze and she waited; at his statement, she nodded. Her first few steps across the border were slow, eyes and ears alert for any signs of NightClan cats approaching. None came, only birdsong and the rustling of the pines a short distance from the shore broke the silence. Carefully, with a little more bravado, the silver tabby she-cat made her way to the white tom's side, making sure to test each step so she didn't find herself in the same predicament.
"Okay. This shouldn't take long and then you'll be out." She nearly followed up the motion with a flick of her tail, but caught herself in time; this wasn't a Clanmate she could be friendly with, and she didn't think he'd appreciate her being too touchy. Instead, she paused at his side, sizing him up and considering the best way to help him out of the mud; grabbing him by the tail might be the best option. She might not be as impressively big, but she was still strong.
"I'm sorry if this hurts!" she apologized, before circling around and closing her jaws around his tail. Wow, his pelt was thick, she couldn't help thinking; with a tap of her paw- her mouth full of fur- she indicated she was ready, braced herself, and leaned back, pulling with every scrap of strength she possessed. She could only hope no cat from his Clan or hers saw this- but really, it wasn't like she was doing anything wrong. She was helping; NightClan couldn't be mad at her for helping, right? Ears pricked, she waited for any sign that her aid was working to help him escape the mud pit. STEADY AS THE RIVER RUNS |
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| I will not be like a bird bred in a cage, I thought, too dull to fly even when the door stands open. |
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INVENTORY
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Post by Ginger on Jul 19, 2019 15:08:24 GMT -5
Frostjaw warily watched as the silver tabby approached him. She looked very uncomfortable at having to help a Nightclan cat out, which was understandable. It didn't particularly matter to Frostjaw that the she-cat was from Rainclan -- they were a strongly neutral clan that, as he was aware of, had no plans to destroy Nightclan. However, it seemed like every clan thought Nightclan was out to destroy them. "Don't worry," he started in a half-reassuring manner. "Even if my clanmates happen upon us, I would vouch for you."
She seemed like a friendly enough cat, prematurely apologizing for having to bite his tail. Frostjaw braced himself as he felt her jaws clamp on his tail, a small and sharp pain at the site. When she began to pull, Frostjaw began to push with all his might, attempting to get his front paws out of the mud.
They budged ever so slightly, but moved no more.
With an exasperated look towards the friendly Rainclan warrior, the massive tom pulled his tail from her mouth. No use biting down on it if it wouldn't work. "It seems as if I'm a little more stuck than I previously thought." This was not something that ever happened to Frostjaw. As a tom who preferred not to peruse about in the mud, he had not ever struggled with getting stuck in it and was completely new to the art of avoiding deeper spots. "I'm open to suggestions on how to get out of this," he finally said, hoping that the Rainclanner would have a plethora of ideas on how to get him out. It would make sense - Rainclan cats spent their whole lives in wet environments. That was one aspect that Nightclan was....weaker...in.
289 words Taxx |
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Post by Taxx on Jul 28, 2019 18:45:56 GMT -5
Ferngaze of RainClan Despite her pulling, the NightClan cat hardly budged. Her teeth couldn't get a very good dip on his tail, the fur making it slippery, and when he lashed it, yanking it from her jaws, she had to spend a moment to flick a few long strands from her whiskers.
It hadn't worked, that much was obvious. Padding back to the front, Ferngaze eyed the mud that held the tom's legs fast. She reached out to paw at the mud, but it was runny and more spilled in to fill what she'd scraped away. She might be fast enough to help him free one, but there might be a better way- one guaranteed to work. "I have one. You might not like it but..." Given his current state, would he refuse?
"If I can get under you, and we pull together, we should be able to free your legs. It's the best thing I can think of that will work. The mud is too soft to dig through or I'd do that." Clear blue eyes flicked to the tom's, tail flicking as she waited, and when he agreed she stepped forward.
It was not an easy fit; normally she'd have no trouble, she was sure, but with his legs trapped she had to squeeze into what space was left between his chest and the ground, her shoulder blades raking across his ribs as she forced herself beneath him. Her ears brushed the bottom of his chin and she couldn't help the tense bristling of her tail; this felt like she was asking for trouble. If any cat came across them now, she'd wear out her tongue trying to explain herself.
"Okay, I'm ready." Dragging in a breath, Ferngaze heaved herself upward, eyes fixed on the mud and the tom's white legs buried in it, watchful for any sign that they were making progress toward freeing him. STEADY AS THE RIVER RUNS |
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| I will not be like a bird bred in a cage, I thought, too dull to fly even when the door stands open. |
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INVENTORY
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Post by Ginger on Aug 2, 2019 23:56:35 GMT -5
Frostjaw nightclan warrior 26 moons Well this was new. It was not every day that Frostjaw could say he stumbled into a pit of mud and had to get very close with a Rainclan cat in order to get out of it. The large tom eyed the silver tabby as she approached him, getting under his chest and ever so slightly brushing her ears on his chin. Frostjaw was by no means a touchy-feely kind of cat, and here he was, incredibly close to a Rainclanner. The last time he had suffered through this much contact (that wasn't fighting) had to be with his mother, and the white tom was not a fan of it even then.
But alas, there was no other way for Frostjaw to get his legs out of the mud. He had to place his trust in a Rainclan cat that he had never before met.
At her signal, Frostjaw began to push up once more, feeling his legs begin to budge. It was actually working! Excited to be free from his muddy trap, the massive warrior pushed even harder, feeling the silver she-cat's strength as well as she pushed him upwards. Slowly and slowly his legs came out, until at last they flew out of the ground in a glorious motion, causing Frostjaw to fall a little bit backwards as he temporarily lost his balance.
After he regained his composure, Frostjaw looked down at his legs. They were completely brown, caked in mud. This will be fun to explain to Blackstag.
Looking to the silver tabby who had so kindly helped him, Frostjaw narrowed his eyes. "What you did was incredibly stupid. Crossing a clan border to help a warrior of Nightclan, a clan that would not waste effort to help you?" They softened ever so slightly, and the tom nodded approvingly. "Starclan is smiling down on your 'stupidity.' I am eternally grateful."
Both cats were on Nightclan's side of the border, but Frostjaw saw no point in chasing her off quite yet. For Starclan's sake, she had helped him! The least he could do was share news with her, offer wisdom. Maybe even make a connection that would blossom into a friendship once the two cats had made their way up to the heavens in many moons time.
"I am called Frostjaw." He flicked his tail in a small motion. "What is your name?"
only in darkness can you see the stars |
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Post by Taxx on Aug 20, 2019 19:47:42 GMT -5
Ferngaze of RainClan She couldn't see his face, so Ferngaze could only assume he felt the same way she did- at least he wasn't making any attempts to flirt with her, or chattering her ear off. They were both focused on the goal of freeing him, pushing against the mud that held the white tom trapped. This attempt worked better, and almost instantly. Little by little, mud-coated legs slid free, and then with a loud noise, the tom fell backward. Drops of mud spattered Ferngaze's body, muzzle, chest, and back.
She shook her head before turning to the big tom, blue eyes briefly flashing down to his filthy legs. She drew breath to speak, to offer to help him wash that mud off, but he spoke first and she blinked back up at him, her ears flicking back. That was how he thanked her for her help? She hadn't been expecting such a response after what she'd just done for him when she hadn't had to. But before she could snap back he was showing the proper gratitude; eyes narrowed, Ferngaze eyed the tom. "I don't know what NightClan queens teach their kits, but the usual response to someone who helped you is to thank them, not call them 'stupid.'"
Even admitting that he was glad she had helped him only slightly curbed her annoyance. What a thing to say! And what did that even mean- StarClan was smiling down on her stupidity? "Ferngaze. Am I allowed to help you further, or would that be another act of stupidity on my part?" STEADY AS THE RIVER RUNS |
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| I will not be like a bird bred in a cage, I thought, too dull to fly even when the door stands open. |
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INVENTORY
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Post by Ginger on Aug 30, 2019 19:19:12 GMT -5
Frostjaw nightclan warrior 26 moons Frostjaw cocked his head at the she-cat, confused by her adverse reaction. He was very accustomed to Nightclan's culture, more specifically his gang's one. It was a culture of brashness, of brute force, and of little shown appreciation. The large white tom had to remind himself that his quotidian mannerisms didn't always go over well with cats who were not raised like him. Whether it was a weakness or just a strength on her part, he didn't know.
However, Frostjaw found that he had no small amount of respect for this "Ferngaze." Despite being offended, her remarks back to him were surprisingly sharp, especially since the Nightclan warrior was much larger than she was. Looming over her, Frostjaw's cold blue eyes stared directly into hers. She bore a remarkable resemblance to Rainclan's mild-tempered leader. "Help would be..." He picked up a large paw, still dripping with mud, shaking it ever so slightly. The mud splattered to and fro, some getting on him and some on Ferngaze. "Appreciated."
Looking around, the white tom laid his eyes on a dry spot on the ground. He made his way over to it, making an effort to wipe his mud-covered body on the grass as he moved. It was somewhat effective, but there were some hard-to-reach clumps of mud on the backs of his front legs.
This was an awkward situation that Frostjaw hoped he would not have to come across again, but he might as well make the most of it. If Starclan willed it to happen, then he needed to find the purpose of this. How this encounter could make him a better warrior for his clan. A better protector. A better advisor.
"How is Rainclan faring in the wake of all this...drama?"
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Post by Taxx on Sept 10, 2019 13:37:55 GMT -5
Ferngaze of RainClan His speechlessness was amusing enough to ease Ferngaze's annoyance, and her stare softened as she tipped her head back at him... and their eyes locked, his blue startlingly similar to her own. Jerking back, realizing what she was doing, and glanced down at his mud-coated legs again- just as he shook one of them, spraying specks of mud onto her own silver tabby pelt. She frowned at them, and then back up at him with her ears a touch flatter than before, irritated all over again. "Right. This way then." Rising and flicking her tail at him, Ferngaze led the NightClan tom toward one of the shallow pools that dotted this side of the river and nodded to it.
"That's shallow enough that it only goes a little past your paws, and you can use it to clean up. Here." Plucking a bunch of moss from the roots of a tree, she dropped it into the water to absorb, to be used to wash the mud off. She entered first, showing little hesitance as she lowered her front half into the shallow pool and roiled the water to wash off the mud dotting her fur. "RainClan is staying out of it. Silverstar isn't keen on getting dragged into the mess going on between you and TreeClan. I doubt he'd get involved even if one of you asked. We've been through enough in recent moons- and I agree with my father's choice, to avoid dragging the Clan into your petty squabbles." She hoped neither Clan would push this decision; they'd had luck so far in staying out of it and she hoped that would continue.
Straightening, the she-cat shook herself and then sat and began to groom the remaining traces of water from her striped fur. "Why do you ask?" she continued, a brief glance up at him before she focused on her chest again. Curiosity, or did he know something RainClan didn't? She'd have to warn Silverstar, just in case NightClan really was plotting something that would upset the peace that had been RainClan's. STEADY AS THE RIVER RUNS |
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| I will not be like a bird bred in a cage, I thought, too dull to fly even when the door stands open. |
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INVENTORY
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Post by Ginger on Sept 27, 2019 14:07:48 GMT -5
Frostjaw nightclan warrior 29 moons Blue eyes followed Ferngaze's form as she walked over to a shallow pool of water to get the mud off. Reluctantly, Frostjaw followed the silver tabby's lead, walking right up to the edge of the pool. She seemed to still be on edge, walking about with a fiery step. If she hadn't reeked of fish, Frostjaw could have taken her for a Nightclan warrior. It wasn't often that he saw the warriors of other clans with the same spirit required to be one of Nightclan's.
Looking back down at the pool, Frostjaw tilted his head ever so slightly. He was no fan of water, but if it was the only way to clean off...
An apprehensive paw dipped into the water, and the next one followed after. The bottom of his mud-splattered chest lowered more and more until it too was in the water, and Frostjaw was in a rather awkward position again. But this time, only for a short moment.
After he was certain he was clean, Frostjaw pulled away from the pool, his wet fur clinging to his front legs and chest. It was a rather odd sight, as the back half of his body was completely dry and fluffy. However, despite his fur pressing to his body, it was still very apparent that Frostjaw was a massive and formidable cat. Looking over to Ferngaze, he noticed that her fur barely seemed to change with the addition of water droplets running through it.
It was a moment of strange realization. She was made for the water. She was chosen to rule that part of the land along with her clan. Was it possible that Starclan could choose different cats and clans for different things?
No. Not in most cases. Treeclan was weak, Stoneclan was irrelevant, Lightningclan was meek, and Rainclan was indecisive. True strength resided in Nightclan. But maybe there were some exceptions, Ferngaze being one. She definitely seemed to have more fire than the rest of her clan, and she looked so natural with the water.
As he inspected her, Frostjaw had almost completely forgotten he had asked Ferngaze a question until she was answering. So it was true: she was the daughter of Silverstar. How could such a strong-willed and fiery she-cat come from a cat as mellow as Rainclan's famously neutral leader?
"-your petty squabbles."
Frostjaw's icy blue eyes snapped to Ferngaze, hardening into a cold stare. "These 'petty squabbles' create strength where there is weakness." He lifted a massive paw in between him and Ferngaze, visibly sheathing and unsheathing his claws. "Our clans are different. Nightclan's cats are not true warriors until they have experienced battle."
Noticing her slight concerned look, Frostjaw's glare softened ever so slightly. He did not want to start a war with a clan he had no desire to fight. "Peace is temporary. We grow used to the peace, and then one clan lashes out and starts conflict because they have become too confident. From there, war ensues and heroes are made, and in the ashes, peace results out of fear of future war."
He stepped closer to Ferngaze, towering over her and lowering his voice. "Treeclan and Nightclan are destined to always be at odds. There is a reason that trees grow best in the light of day, afraid of the darkness that comes with night."
He had almost forgotten to address Ferngaze's concerns. Of course. "Nightclan has no desire to fight Rainclan. You are in your period of peace. But when you begin to notice that your clan is growing restless, remember that the cycle of war and peace can never be broken."
only in darkness can you see the stars |
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Post by Taxx on Oct 1, 2019 9:55:48 GMT -5
Ferngaze of RainClan Straightening once she was sure she was clean, Ferngaze padded out of the puddle, shaking water from her pelt easily and keeping an eye on Frostjaw as he washed the mud from his white fur. The stout form that he showed off, plainly obvious by the soaked fur plastered to his chest and belly, was impressive. He'd be a tough opponent to beat if he were in a fight- briefly the thought flickered: how would she do against him? He was bigger than she was, in height and stature, but there had to be a weakness somewhere. Bigger cats tended to be slower, less agile... and if she had to she could always throw herself into the river. Amusement glittered in her eyes at the thought and she ducked her head to give her chest a few licks.
That vanished in the next moment and her head lifted again, one ear tipped back at Frostjaw's scathing retort, her blue eyes gazing back into the NightClan warrior's without a blink. His looming made her more defensive, ears folding back and tail bushing as her claws slid into view, but she held herself in check. He was trying to intimidate her, but she wasn't going to show him fear. His speech seemed almost rehearsed; Ferngaze wondered if this was something every warrior passed down to their apprentices. Maybe that was why so many of them seemed to act the same way- it was drilled into the young minds that war and bloodshed were inevitable, and the only way to survive was to always be ready to fight.
"You're wrong," she replied, eyes narrowing into a glare. "Fighting causes strife where there doesn't need to be any. How could any cat grow restless of peace? A lack of fighting, of guarding borders, of always doubting neighbors or looking over your shoulder?" She shook her head, rising and taking a step back. "The fighting won't end, I know that. You're simply too set in your ways to think about doing something differently. And that's your choice."
She lifted her tail, the tip flicking back and forth. "But wouldn't it be nice if the Clans were more accepting? You let me help you because I'm RainClan- would you have refused if I were TreeClan? Would you have let me help you, only to attack the moment your claws were free? What makes me different from them- the scent on my fur, the loyalty to a certain Clan? Yes, we should honor that loyalty, and give our all to our Clans. But why go looking for trouble, for fights? Would getting along be so awful for Darkstar and Lionstar?" STEADY AS THE RIVER RUNS |
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| I will not be like a bird bred in a cage, I thought, too dull to fly even when the door stands open. |
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INVENTORY
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Post by Ginger on Oct 12, 2019 17:57:34 GMT -5
Frostjaw nightclan warrior 29 moons Ferngaze was holding up well to Frostjaw's intimidation tactics. Impressive. Even some cats in NightClan struggled to stand up strong against the massive warrior.
At the first things Ferngaze had to say, Frostjaw shook his head. "We would all grow too passive, too weak, if we grew too used to peace and trust." But his defenses were beginning to weaken. The things Ferngaze was saying made some sense. Her question caught him even more off-guard.
What would he have done if it had been a warrior of TreeClan to come across him in his position, assuming they didn't immediately try to fight him? "To that question, all I can say is that I-" He faltered for a moment, something rather uncommon in the warrior who was very set in his ways. "I don't know," he finally said, confusion in his eyes. He hated that this she-cat from a clan he had always presumed to be weak had just out-reasoned him.
He had to make up for that blunder, or else he would never forgive himself. "The unity we search for lays in the stars. For now, 'looking for trouble' is what grows us into capable warriors with stories and lessons to pass down to our offspring."
The white tom let out a rare chuckle, deep and slow, at Ferngaze's last comment. "Asking Darkstar and Lionstar to get along is like asking the eagle to get along with the mouse. It is impossible." His eyes softening her so slightly at Ferngaze, hoping she could understand the set of lessons he had grown up with, Frostjaw began to speak once more. "I bear no hatred for TreeClan. I only wish to help them and NightClan to weed out the weakness that has begun to grow. It is the only way we can be worthy of StarClan's continued support and guidance."
He sat back for a moment, scanning Ferngaze's entire body. Her silver fur did not do a good job of concealing the muscles that rippled throughout her legs and back. Her gaze was a fiery one, and she showed little fear. "If the rest of RainClan is even half as strong as you are, then you all might be better off than I originally thought. But is that strength as a result from the fallout of your Civil War, or is it just an intrinsic trait that every cat in RainClan bears?"
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