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Post by Fawn on Jul 12, 2021 10:51:10 GMT -5
Brackenstride if you even dream of beating me you'd better wake up and apologize They made for Demon's Den at first light. It didn't feel like enough. Brackenstride paced outside the wide entrance of the dead lynx's lair, collecting grit and dirt between the pads on his feet from all the repeated movement. Nearby, Pumastar was talking to his deputy, Mossheart. The mild-mannered tom always yielded to Pumastar's more intense decisive nature - even when the dream Falconstorm and Sagepaw conveyed sent ripples of fear through just about every cat old enough to make sense of it.
Brackenstride could take it no longer. As the ground rumbled beneath him again, the sleek tom whirled on the dark pelted Clan leader, inserting himself in the conversation without warning. "We're wasting time! What makes you think we're going to be safe here? We need to get higher up."
Pumastar fixed him with a poisonous stare. "Ah, yes, so we can all be wiped out by a landslide. Very good advice."
Brackenstride glared at him. "So you think waiting around for the worst to happen is better? At least we'd be doing something. Getting the elders and the kits to safety."
He watched as the dark pelt began to spike along the ridge of Pumastar's spine, and their nearby Clanmates - all clustered in and out of the massive lynx's den - began to sense the building tension. With the valley holding its breath already, the dislike between Brackenstride and Pumastar felt palpable.
"We will wait and see. To blindly go into the mountains will be the end of this Clan your beloved father loved so much. To reach the Tribe is to cross the valley." Pumastar noticed the dozens of eyes upon him, and raised his voice so that all might hear their leader's words. "We will stay here until it is safe again to travel."
A surge of anger made Brackenstride unsheathe his claws, but instead of trying to get his point through Pumastar's stupid thick skull, Brackenstride too added his voice to the throng. "Or we can leave now, and make it to the Tribe in time."
An insidious hiss came from the mouths of a few of his Clanmates, many shocked, displeased, at his blunt steamrolling of the cat chosen by StarClan to lead them. Pumastar's voice was low, and full of warning, speaking so close to his ear, it felt like the words would burrow in like parasites. "Watch. your. tongue."
He refused to give Pumastar the satisfaction of knowing he had rattled him. Brackenstride lurched away from the dark brown tom, even as Mossheart tried to calm everyone's nerves with soft, rational words. Idiots. Both of them. We can't stay here. The ground...
"I'm going to the mountains to find the Tribe. Any cat who thinks that's the best course of action, follow me." Brackenstride glanced at Timberfrost, Minktoes, and Foxfur. If we survive this... There was going to be trouble later.
The rumbling intensified, shooting up through their paws and into their bones until it was almost too painful to stand. The rocky exterior of Demon's Den seemed to quake, pebbles and dirt and debris falling loose as the rumbling got even worse. Brackenstride's whole body felt electrified, fear pushing adrenaline through his veins at record speed. Any semblance of order in TreeClan crumbled, just as the earth split open beneath them and the valley pulled itself a part.
"To me! TreeClan! To me!"[/b] He shouted hoarsely above the deafening noise, and the resounding snap of falling timbers sent his stomach into a fearful heave. No!
"Get to higher ground, now!" Pumastar was shouting also, broad shoulders sending Clanmates scurrying towards the treeline, trying to funnel the chaos in a direction that wouldn't spell immediate death. Brackenstride saw Ivyclaw in the confusion, clawing her way over a fallen limb towards Demon's Den. They shared a look. Get Lilybreeze out of here.
StarClan help them. 45 Moons TreeClan Tom |
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| "If you're gonna hit it, hit it until it breaks." |
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GaleClan Leader
GorgeClan Medicine Cat
INVENTORY
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Post by Ghost the Undead Goddess on Jul 12, 2021 18:20:32 GMT -5
Timberfrost The story's getting old but my heart is getting colder There had been no hesitation within the massive warrior when the massive figurehead of Treeclan had called everyone together with his deep, monotoned voice. Mossheart, Falconstorm and Sagepaw all stood within his monstrous shadow as he stared with a detached gaze and perhaps even a mirage of doubt deep within those wicked hues of his.
At some point there had been a shift within his entire demeanor that set the tabby molly the wrong way... was this expression apart of that change?
The foretold danger of the valley seemed to almost fall in silence upon the panther that claimed the proverbial mantel of Treeclan leadership, a half-hearted plan to camp within the structured cave that Demon once called home when the lynx still lived among the valley. Preying on cats before the noble tom that had been the predecessor to Pumastar had ended his ever bloody rein. An ear twitched atop the cold tempered she-cat as she listened, hardly agreeing with the area in which they were to evacuate to.
Demon's home was still within the walls of the valley, if they were to flea the collapsed ecosystem in which they were forewarned then the more ideal place would have to be the foreign homeland of the Tribe cats who lived just outside the bowling structures that kept the five clans within. It seemed that she was not the only one who thought such things, as the soldier-esc warrioress made sure each of her clanmates made it safely along the rocky sides once they exited the dense and natural territory of the forest.
Frosted cerulean hues shifted as Brackenstride's ever abrasive tone towards their leader rose above the quiet murmerings of the shocked and frightened felines that lacked the proper backbone to fully be called warriors. Some were not meant to take the name in stride like those who feared nothing and knowing that death was just a foothold. Timberfrost had always been one who would willingly sacrifice her life for the weaker who could not face that tragic reality, the ever present yet healed deep scars along her body were proof of that. Proof of her survival against the monster turned myth, Demon.
Did she believe in the danger that was to come? It was hard to tell. She herself had very little reason the even trust that there were ancestors that spoke to the leader and the healer of each clan, but she couldn't deny that she had seen Lionstar die and return to life with healed flesh and a healthy heart. Obviously, there was some sort of play there that she herself had no access too. Timberfrost had a very hard time using her imagination to envision such star-studded cats when it was the living and breathing warriors who actually cared and protected the clan, not a deceased feline who cased visions and dreams on occasions. However, despite whether or not she did believe in a higher power, the cold shouldered molly was not about to abandon her clan to the throws of potential danger.
Her life served as their protector and she would carry that badge until the day she died.
She was quiet as she listened, her massive form slipping past others as she made her way to where the three toms were locked in a heated staring contest. Brackenstride was nearly nose to nose, with no fear, with Pumastar. The looming leader lacked a normal quality of emotions in a way similar to his frost mate, it was something they shared due to the abuse of the tabby's demented father who seemed to have corrupted everything his red paws came in contact with. The intensity that seemed to rise in the inky black tomcat's face was very present, especially due to the fact that it was Lionstar's own son who was once again calling him out, raising the flag of disagreement where it came to the words passed down by the current leader. Others murmured silent agreements with the younger, bronze coated tomcat, fearful that their ideals would cast them into trouble.
"Enough!" Timberfost's tone was sharp and cold as always, the ability to freeze even the hottest of tempers lied like ice-chips within her frosted cerulean orbs as she stared down Pumastar and Brackenstride with little to no emotion resting upon her scared face. Her thick striped tail flickered behind her in almost an irritated fashion as she grew tired of the kit like bickering between the two tomcats who obviously held deep distain for one another. Their bitching and complaining would lead to nowhere fast except for the possibility of a split party. Those who favored Pumastar and his more cruel outlook that seemed to be showing more and more recently within his detached nature, or those who followed Brackenstride and the belief of his deceased father in all their sense of emotional attachments.
Timberfrost stood for the third, the survival and protection of the clan that lived among the Trees.
"This situation has nothing to do with your pride or your ego!" Her large head swung to come nose to nose with her mate, if they truly even fell by those words anymore. The last few moons and his declining morality seemed to have cause a wedge within their stoic relationship, their paths having crossed and dispersed over the coarse of time and differences. Her gaze was just as cold as her words and they pierced the depths of his black fur and potentially his darkened soul. Goldenflame's corruption running deep within Pumastar's veins to the point of poison that was quickly taking control.
The inferiority that Pumastar felt before the looming shadow of Lionstar's long reign was showing, in his stance, in his tone, in his words as the black tomcat spat hatefully at Brackenstride. The younger, golden warrior was practically a constant reminder that Pumastar could never live up to such a lengthy resume that the previous Treeclan leader had worn like a proud badge upon his chest. With each scar and each battle, each triumph and each failure, the once golden Lion figurehead would forever remain in history and in stories that each generation would speak of.
And Goldenflame's hold upon Pumastar would only constrict and damage.
"I've told you before, a leader without a clan is merely a cat desperate for power. Do not condemn the cats here to a cavern burial because you are too stubborn to accept when you are wrong." White fangs snapped together as Timberfrost lashed her tail, effectively siding with Brackenstride in a less-shocking stance. The two mates, or lack there of, had been on the outs recently even to the point that the massive tabby had returned to sleeping within the crowded den that the Warriors shared. The tumbling stone that rolled into a boulder had started with the irresponsible ceremony for the all too young and immature Summitwatcher.
"Timberfrost, that is our leader!" A familiar snarl rose to the frosted she-cat attention as her cold cerulean pools shifted to find the blazing amber hues of her brother, Brushfire. His mind had been warped all the same, though it was due to the lack of affection or attention or even recognition of the red coated warrior that had been the tabby sibling's demented father. Goldenflame had tossed him to the side and basically abandoned Brushfire and Bramblevine in favor of their larger and more dangerous sibling, and yet... Brushfire found a reasoning in idolizing the deceased tomcat that Timberfrost had brought to his end.
And here her brother was now, finding that same obsession within Goldenflame's last apprentice, within the monstrous panther that held the mantel of Treeclan's leadership.
"What he says is law." Brushfire stepped forwards, not nearly the same rivaling height as his massive tabby stripped littermate but there was sense of unraveling within his twitching amber gaze. Do you follow the same path as our father, foolish brother, or have you dedicated your life to worshiping his corrupt masterpiece? The though was violently chilly within Timberfrost's head as she remained cool and collected as she stared him down without a sliver of emotion.
"Then you can die with him when this cave collapses." Timberfrost's tone was a low and almost threatening growl so chilly it could have caused crystals to collect within the stagnant air around them before the ground gave a low and deep groan beneath their paws. Her ears flickered at Brackenstride's sudden call to the clan, pleased that most if not all fell into a quickly moving pace at the words of the Crowned Prince of Treeclan. It wasn't until the rumbling grew louder and the ground started to quake violently that a streak of concern tried to wriggle it's way into Timberfrost's large form.
They had been warned and their leader was too hard-headed to think of reason beyond his own clouded ideas.
"Brackenstride, lead the way through the mountains!" The massive tabby leaped forwards on nimble paws desite her looming size to push the younger tom forwards and past frantically moving cats. She knew his worry involved his sightless sister, but right now he was better suited in aiding the clan's survival as Ivyclaw and several others quickly made their way to where Lilybreeze stood.
She Cat | 53 Moons | TreeClan | Warrior |
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| You said my words would kill you but you stood there all the same. |
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STAFF
GaleClan MCA
INVENTORY
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Post by ♛ 𝔽𝕒𝕓𝕣𝕚𝕔𝕒𝕥𝕚𝕠𝕟 on Jul 13, 2021 12:37:38 GMT -5
[googlefont=Cairo] [attr="class","robin-content"] Into the belly of the beast, they went. This dark, eerie lair had become their only shelter. In the corners of the small cave, small white bones lay stark against the abandoned bedding that still stank of lynx. Robinflight didn't look too closely, afraid that she would confirm the feline origin of the remains. Her green eyes peered through the darkness of early light, the first rays of dawn touching the tips of the trees. StarClan had wanted them to escape but had not been clear about what it was they were fleeing from. The stench of lynx, fear and perspiration filled her nose. She was sitting near the den's entrance both to act as a guard and to try and draw fresh air into her lungs. It was so stuffy in the cramped little cave.
Another tremble sent a shower of dust down on her head. She shook her pelt, trying to drown out the squeak of fear that erupted from Mottledpaw's mouth. Why was the world shaking? Were the mountains themselves about to collapse? Robinflight had never gone up against such a faceless, powerful enemy. She touched her tail-tip to Mottledpaw's side, but it only made the apprentice flinch.
Brackenstride's angry tones rose from outside, making Robinflight's black ears twitch nervously. A fight had been brewing for a long time between warrior and leader, and part of her had expected something like this to happen eventually. She swallowed back the bile rising in her throat, pushing out of the den. Tension sparked in the air like a lightning bolt. Robinflight would rather face hordes of NightClan warriors rather than face this growing divide within her own Clan. Brackenstride's refusal to back down finally drew Pumastar's temper. Hisses of resentment rose from the Clan, and Robinflight's fur began to bristle. Turmoil rose in her mind as the conflict intensified. Pumastar was their leader. But what if he's wrong? Her heart shrieked at her. Ears flat to her head, she stared with storming green eyes as Brackenstride announced that he would be taking any cat who would follow to the safety of the Tribe. Should they all die because one single cat believed that he was right above all else, no matter what harm that caused to the Clan around him? He was given nine lives from StarClan. She thought desperately. Surely that means something?
Even more shocking than seeing Brackenstride publically defy their leader was Timberfrost's rebellion. Robinflight felt like she was being torn in half. Her eyes flitted between the two groups that were forming with trepidation darkening her green gaze. When Brackenstride, Timberfrost and the others began to trot away, Robinflight finally snapped into the present. Casting one unsettled glance back at the tom that she had considered her leader, she followed the others. That first step away from Pumastar and Mossheart felt like she was smashing through some sort of barrier with no idea of what lay on the other side. Defiance was not in her nature. But this isn't defiance. She thought, sick to her stomach. He'll get us all killed if we stay. Surely StarClan would understand that much?
That was the moment the earth collapsed.
The earth jolted beneath her paws, startling her momentarily and sending her stumbling over a knotted root. Pain shot up through her paw, and she realised with a flare of frustration that she must have damaged it. "Brackenstride, lead the way through the mountains!" Timberfrost's voice sounded so distant despite her being only a few tail-lengths away. Robinflight gritted her teeth and limped on the uneven ground as the cats around her surged like a rising tide. The sound of splintering wood sent some cats scurrying in panicked directions. They fled like mice towards the mountains as an ominous groan began to resound from one of the nearby trees. Realising she couldn't spot her kin among the crash of cats, alarm pulsed through her body. "Ducktail!" Robinflight shouted. "Sunwind! Where are you? Stay with the Clan!"
[newclass=".robin-content b"]color:#cf8500;[/newclass] |
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| "Monster is a relative term. To a canary, a cat is a monster. We're just used to being the cat." |
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Staff
GorgeClan Leader
MistClan Medicine Cat
INVENTORY
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Post by Abyss on Jul 14, 2021 0:41:13 GMT -5
 It was hard to say what sort of emotion, if any, all of the chaos had brought on. The land that Treeclan had called home was falling apart. Granted, she herself hadn’t thought of that place as home in moons. But the phrase “a house isn’t the same as a home” came into play within her mind. That was not her home that was cracking at its base, that was merely where she lived. And that was enough to cause a bit of discomfort, if not a slight feeling of being lost. For moons Treeclan had been nothing more than where she inhabited, more so out of the desire to be settled somewhere and not necessarily have to be the one solely responsible for her survival. She was an independent woman in all senses, but even she found a desire in the life of being provided for. Whether that was a result of laziness or not, no one would ever know.
But that had been all that was keeping her there. And now her shelter was gone. Instead, the deep red molly found herself within the dark confines of a rather crowded and unbearably smelly cave within the mountains, surrounded by cats she called clanmates only out of requirement.
Fear and insecurity bogged down the air so heavily that at times it felt hard to breathe, though this feeling was caused by many things. The very quick and sudden rush from the giant log camp to the abandoned den of the clan’s most feared, and now defeated, enemy had been extremely taxing, far more than the proud she-cat cared to admit. She already had begun feeling more tired than normal in recent weeks, and hauling ass out of the valley and into the mountains only to be shoved into a cave did not help with this.
Blazing orange eyes narrowed, as usual, Foxfire sat near the front of the cave, head leaned against the wall of the cave. Her breathing was heavy, but thankfully her efforts to keep it silent were successful. She hadn’t been questioned yet, and she doubted she would be. She had a feeling there was only one cat that she would have to deal with if she let what she felt show, a sideways glance momentarily being casted in the direction of a particular gray and cream molly who stood alongside Falconstorm. It could not be described in words or thoughts how much the red Warrioress hated this feeling. The feeling of knowing that your future, and possibly your reputation, was in the hands of some kid. A low and quiet growl felt from her maw.
Though this was where her head went to first, the feeling of fur lightly brushing against her own reminded her that there was not just one she had to deal with. Her expression shifting from tiredness into irritation, Foxfire lifted her head from the cave wall, head turning to face the dark-furred tom at her side. The more purposeful press against her side, and that look on his face, it brought forth a low snarl.
“Say anything and I will shred that smirk off of that maw, ” her growl was low, directed at him in the hopes that the interaction wouldn’t bring any attention to them. Any other time she wouldn’t have cared. Let others stare, let them be confused by what was happening. It had happened before. But this situation was different.
A series of shouts and snarls caused her ears to flick to the side, eyes redirecting to where an isolated group was now gathering near the center of the cave. The bold and oh so short-tempered son of Lionstar had stepped forward, his voice and posture demanding and rebellious as he stood face to face with the exact cat who had brought them to this place. It was far from unknown just how much tension and hatred had been passed between Brackenstride and Pumafang ever since Lionstar’s death. On one paw, it was understandable, given the circumstances. The young prince was upset that his daddy got replaced. So sad.
But it was not a temporary coping mechanism, for it carried over even to this moment seasons later. The red molly watched with silent and unfazed interest as the two snapped back and forth at one another, the line seemingly being drawn between them as they both shouted their sides to the whole clan. Voices drowned out by the two loud mouths were a mixture of agreements, some with Pumafang, others with Brackenstride. It was amusing how much the clan had changed. A few seasons ago most of these cats would have been quick to agree with Brackenstride, but it seemed that Treeclan’s monstrous Leader had somehow gained himself some favor in his time as king.
She wouldn’t have spoken either way, but even her own thoughts were interrupted before they could decipher how she felt about the situation. At first it was small showers of dust and tiny pebbles that lightly smacked against the molly’s head. But it very quickly descended into the sound of angry cracking, deep rumbling, and screaming. A rush of adrenaline, with a touch of anger as came with everything she did, the large red she-cat jumped to her paws, a loud snarl falling from her jaws.
“To hell with whatever is causing all of this!” Her voice was deep and livid, her eyes only momentarily looking to Driftshade before she turned, leaping forward out of the cave. She wanted to dart left, away from all of this, away from all of the panic-driven felines who poured from the cave and towards the trees. But a push from her side, sent a wave of anger straight through her whole body. The look on the tom’s face said it all. ‘You need to go that way too.’
“Damn you!” Her snarl was followed by a burst of speed, her legs pushing her into leaps and strides forward passed the slower cats of the clan. For a moment, only a moment, her gaze caught sight of two familiar pelts. One much like her own, a dark red in color, and the other a more toned-down orange. Squirrelskip and Rowanflower. Son supporting mother as they merged with the stampede of Treeclan cats. There was a feeling that grew in her chest, something that she almost immediately tried to push down. No one would ever know she had felt this. She would never let anyone know. Hell, she wouldn’t let herself remember once this was over. But there was that feeling...that sense that something was going to happen. That she may not see those pelts again once they had reached safety, if they did. Was this...fear? Were those final glimpses of fur to be her last memory of what she had once, long ago, treasured?
She didn’t know. But she didn’t care. She had to focus. Get yourself to safety.
TAGS Fawn @bri WORDS 1155 OOC Angry kitty  |
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