Cracks to Chasms

Murkystrike led the way out of camp, Pantherpaw and Cheetahpaw behind her. She had taken notice of the tension between the two siblings, and wanted to go on a patrol with the two of them to see how that tension translated when they were performing duties. If they were unable to get over their issues when on patrol, then she would have to speak with Flintstar about their progress, she wasn't going to plan patrols around a sibling squabble once they were warriors. They had enough threats from outside the clan, they couldn't afford to allow internal conflicts to fester. "We're going to patrol around Carrionplace. Recent patrols have reported back stale rogue scents, so we are just making sure there's no fresh signs of rogues and making the border scent stronger. If we encounter a rogue, we will chase it off of ShadowClan territory. If we encounter more than one rogue, do as much damage as you can as quickly as you can to be able to get away. Aim for the tail, paws, nose. Am I understood?" She mewed, fixing each apprentice with a firm gaze.

Pantherpaw padded after the deputy, worry in her gaze. She must think Webshadow a subpar mentor, if she was out taking Pantherpaw on a patrol. Webshadow was a new mentor, but Pantherpaw thought he was doing a good job! At the very least, he was trying. That was the important thing, yes? She dearly hoped Murkystrike wasn’t about to take over Pantherpaw’s training. Spending every hour of every day with her sister… wouldn’t work out. They’d barely made it through the six moons before apprenticeship, but after Moonshine… Pantherpaw snapped to attention at Murkystrike’s words. “Of course,” She mewed, dipping her head. “If we’re fighting multiple rogues, we also go for the ears, right? To make them seem more injured than they really are, since torn ears bled a lot. Webshadow taught me that.” To be honest, it was the most advanced thing she knew at the moment, but she wasn’t about to say that in front of Cheetahpaw. Surely Murkystrike would be impressed that she already knew that. Surely Webshadow wouldn’t get in trouble.

Ah, stars. She’d have to concentrate if they were to fight rogues, especially in a place such as Carrionplace, where the rotting, diseased smell might hide the scents. She spared a quick glance at her sister, hoping to StarClan Cheetahpaw would listen to Murkystrike and not do anything foolish. Pantherpaw had been on edge about rogues since… things happened, and she hoped her sister wouldn’t be direly effected by it. If she froze, or whatever, Pantherpaw supposed she’d have to step in. Somehow, though, she couldn’t see Cheetahpaw freezing. Cheetahpaw wasn’t like that- ice couldn’t freeze any more than it already had. Pantherpaw’s gait became, if anything, more languid as they went on. Her eyes half-closed, but from beneath them her gaze smoldered. She was relaxed, conserving energy for when the fight happened. If it did happen. She rather hoped it did, if only to show Cheetahpaw she wasn’t the only cat in the world.

Cheetahpaw's muzzle wrinkled as the entered the Carrionplace.

Clearly, a thing or two had died here. Not only was there the foul stench of rot and decay that burned your nostrils, there were dead bodies everywhere. Piles. Massive heaps of skinned rats, and if they weren't skinned they at least had both their two ribs exposed. Narrowing her eyes, she could see flies buzzing between the moldy cracks and bones. Honestly, a cat had probably died here at some point. And there just wasn't enough, besides flies of course, to go around to actually dispose of the body. Which was.... unfortunate. Cheetahpaw hoped she'd never meet a fate like this, dying atop a garbage can, the pests already swarming as she bled out -- pitiful.

As per usual, she held Murkystrike's gaze, orange eyes lidded partially over, with an iron grip. Oh, but she was paying attention, let it be known. She nodded in rhythm with her ebony-coated sister's words. "I agree with Pantherpaw." A pause to let the words sink in (to some degree, they were true. Personally, Cheetah didn't see why the black molly was so intent on "besting" her in everything. But whatever....) "You are understood."

Hm. Webshadow seemed to have already taught Pantherpaw some pretty useful tips. Cheetahpaw flicked an ear. Careful, Pantherpaw. I wouldn't want you to let me have all that knowledge for myself. What with the sleek molly blatantly giving away what she'd learned when she seemed so jealous of her sister.

She returned her sister's glance with little to no readable emotion.

And then turned her attention back on her mentor. "Murkystrike, I do smell something. I mean, not that I know the smell of a rogue. But it certainly doesn't smell like.... decaying carcass or prey." indeed, beneath the stench of death and bile, there was something else. Unfamiliar by any means, definitely. Cheetahpaw felt her shoulders stiffen.

With every passing day, it seemed Raisha's arrogance only grew. To the point where she was blatantly trespassing on Clan territory. Not that this Clan really scared her. Push comes to shove, she had friends who she was quite sure would stick up for her. Surely a stupid Clan couldn't be more important than cats they grew up with, right? They would make the right call at the end of the day.

Right now, as disgusting as this place was, she was hunting rats. It was easy prey to bring back to the camp, and she was not all too worried about getting her paws dirty. In fact, it was rather fun, watching the pests squirm from under her paws. Not so much fun when they tried to bite her, though. No, when it got that far, she got annoyed, and when she was annoyed, the rat died.

She had just dispatched her prey when she heard voices. Huh, she didn't expect a patrol to flat out come into carrion place. She must have given them too much credit, thinking they had the decency to stay out of this filthy place. But she was one to talk, considering she was also here. So, leaving the dead rat where it was, she decided to hide, watching the patrol from out of sight.

"Yes, very good Pantherpaw. The ears are another good aiming spot, especially if there's multiple opponents. They quite hurt when they get torn." She chuckled a little, ears turning towards Cheetahpaw as she spoke up. She lifted her nose to the wind, breathing in deeply and wrinkling her nose as the sour stench associated with rogues hit her nostrils. "You're right, that is rogue scent. Of course, each rogue will smell different based on where they are, but al of them smell sour, almost like crowfood. It's recent, too... There must be one close. Be prepared, and watch each other's backs." She mewed, eyes scanning the area for the source of the smell.

OOC: With Karuna having left the site, we can continue this topic with a NPC rogue that I could play for you guys or we could simply play it off as though the rogue left, having passed through recently. Just let me know what you'd prefer!