Cries of the Lost [Sitewide Finale]

Hawkshriek

As soon as the latch of the cage popped open, Hawkshriek's eyes widened, and he looked to Murkyripple with a look of deep gratitude. Nodding, he quickly leaped away from the cage that kept him trapped, paws hurrying in search to find any of his other clanmates that were held captive, as well as to provide assistance.

Hawkshriek is free!

Birdstar

Thornstalker struck out at the dog again, claws connecting and drawing blood. Good. For a moment, Birdstar found herself distracted looking around the clearing– cats were hurrying out of their cages, though it was impossible to make out the faces through the chaos, and all the dogs were occupied. One in particular was getting mobbed, and she would have huffed a laugh if a distressed growl didn't drag her attention back to the fight. She registered the snapping teeth just in time to move, lunging out of the way as heavy jaws clamped shut onto the air where she just stood.

Birdstar used Dodge & Fight against Dog #1. Counterattack was unsuccessful. -7 SP.

Birdstar
58/80 (+22) HP
131/170 (-7) SP

Dog #1
55/100 HP
140/200 SP

Thornstalker
45/50 HP
88/120 SP

Rowanpaw

An appreciative purr rumbled out of Rowanpaw's throat at the assuring words. He was going home. By the grace of StarClan, Stormdance had been one of the what appeared to be many cats come to save him– save all of them. And they were going to go home, together. Rowanpaw had started to tremble slightly from the rush of emotion that went through him. Before he could press further questions or reach a paw through the grate to try and help, Minksplash appeared in front of him as well. His eager smile grew at her appearance. He'd lost sight of her, when they had all been taken away from the nest, and feared she was lost to him entirely. Seeing her struggle with the lock, he shuffled a bit away from the bars, though he refused to back up entirely.

Moments later, Stormdance joined her in trying to free him– and he was successful! Teeth released the little hinge, and the door swung open as the gray tom tugged it backwards.

The door was open. He was free.

It took every drop of will in Rowanpaw's body not to shoot forward and tackle Stormdance off the structure and to the ground below. And it was only barely that he succeeded– though he didn't fully tackle the warrior, Rowanpaw leaped out of the cage and straight against his mentor's chest. Despite the urgency surrounding them, he refused not to just take a moment to lean against his mentor, nose pressed to the fur behind his ear. He was warm and soft and breathing, and he smelled like fresh water and fish and bare trees and Stormdance. He smelled like his brother, like home. Rowanpaw could not bring himself to move for a long few moments, his whole body shaking as he clung to the embrace, even if it was briefer than it felt. It had been so, so long since he had felt this happy, this sure. Before pulling away, he managed, "I have missed you." When he leaned back to look down at Stormdance, his smile was stretched so wide it made his eyes, wet with emotion, wrinkle slightly.

Though he wanted, desperately, to leap to the ground, drag his family with him and flee from the chaos to run straight back to RiverClan... there was more to do here. Turning to Minksplash, Rowanpaw moved to press his head against hers. "And I am glad you are safe." He paused again, savoring the contact, before stepping back once more– this time with determination in the short steps.

When he looked around, he saw a cat shooting away from the paws of a particularly distraught twoleg– and in the cage in front of them, he caught sight of Kitespring. Good StarClan. Was all of RiverClan lost in my absence? Shaking his head, Rowanpaw nodded to the two cats beside him, pausing to knock his head briskly against Stormdance's before speaking. There was a surprising steadiness when he mewed, "We ought to free those still trapped." He lingered, unwilling to depart from their sides, but eventually slipped away to work at Kitespring's own cage. He wasted no time, lowering his head to grip the lock between his teeth as Stormdance had. And just as his own door opened willingly, this one clicked and swung wide when he pulled up and away. Nodding, Rowanpaw's tail waved high in greeting, and he jerked his head to beckon his aunt out.

Rowanpaw has freed Kitespring.

Crookedpaw

Crookedpaw bounded up to a familiar cat. He offered the briefest smile to his clanmate and meowed, “May I try?” They reached for the mechanism, hoping to pull it open. Just like the two cages beforehand, this one opened easily in his paw and he quickly scrambled back. "Let's go!" he called to both Forest and Spottedfrog as he bounded over to try and help get the last couple cats out.

Crookedpaw is trying to assist Spottedfrog in freeing Forest. Success! Forest is free!

Iceheart

Iceheart did not hesitate to give the cage another go. She leaned in to grab it with her teeth, squeezing the mechanism tightly and yanking in the hopes that that would allow it to unlatch. This method did not prove any fruitful. "Oh curse the stars!" she hissed. She was still glad deep down that this kind of awful luck did not happen when she freed Honeylight.

Iceheart is trying for the third time to free Deerbounce! Failed...again.