Waiting for the Sun [Event]

It was almost Moon rise for the clan among the trees. Most of the cats among the clan were inside the camp. Patrols were wrapping up so most cats were about ready to settle in for the night. Crowstar laid in front of his den, his paws tucked under him. The events the other day when he was spending time with Elmcloud flashed in his mind. Dogs.. What was he going to do about them? He told his warriors to avoid the area for now until they could formulate a full plan to drive them out.

Yellow eyes looked out at camp as he observed his clan. Hopefully they weren't stressed out by the dogs. He hoped that his clanmates were able to relax for a bit in their own camp.

Blossomheart was worried. Dogs were bad. Apprentices would not be safe and what if they attacked camp? Tinypaw, Acornpaw, Hazelpaw, and Birchpaw could be hurt, as well as Ashkit and Russetpelt. She paced camp worriedly. She knew she wouldn't be able to sleep. How could she? Visions of dogs rushing into camp filled her head. Eating kits alive, killing apprentices, maiming queens... It was horrible. Crowstar had to do something. Maybe tomorrow he'd send out a patrol of warriors to hunt down a dog or two. No, too risky. It wasn't her decision anyway.

Tinypaw padded into camp, a smile on her maw and a little bit of extra energy in her norally casual stride. She loved going up into the trees to watch the sunset and the moon rise each night, as usual foregoing a good amount of training to get to one of her favorite hidden spots in the territory. Looking around camp Tinypaw didn't see Tawneyfur, a relief since she was supposed to have gone hunting with her earlier. Whom she did notice, was a very stressed-out Crowstar laying in front of his den. Making a point to give the leader a wide berth, not wanting to get involved in whatever was causing the tension in camp, Tinypaw decided to search for Brokenpaw and Drizzlepaw.

Echoflame was bored of being in the camp, so she had begged her father to let her out on a patrol. Reluctantly, the tom had let her with a promise to watch the twins. Whom, as far as she knew, were asleep in the nest. So, she decided to wander over to Crowstar. She was very stressed about the dogs entering the camp, for Sparrowkit and Starlingkit's sake. The queen sat beside her mentor and good friend. "It's not a good look, having dogs wandering around." she said somberly.

The black and white deputy had been on edge since he had heard about the run-in with the dogs. They were still out there. Most of the clan was ignorant of the danger, but some of the older warriors had been notified. Rippedsky had done his best to make sure that cats were not out alone and the patrols kept things short. Even if there were tensions between the clans were high, the safety of the clan mattered more. He gave a stiff nod towards the fluffy black leader. There was conflict in his former mentor's eyes, a clear concern for the clan. At that moment, he found himself wishing he had spent more time with Crowstar recently, but the business of clan life kept their encounters sometimes too professional.

He considered padding over to speak with Crowstar, more than just plans of how to deal with this situation, but a flickering of movement at the camp entrance caused his gaze to snap in that direction. It was Tinypaw. For a moment, he waited for warriors to enter in after. None came. Frustration and worry rose up in his chest and as he strode over towards the apprentice, a stern meow left his maw, "Tinypaw. Were you out alone? We specifically instructed that no apprentices were allowed to head out of camp by themselves today." Rippedsky maintained a neutral expression, although his eyes betrayed the worry and fear that he felt. If it weren't for the severity of the situation, the normally kind deputy would have been a little gentler. However, the need for a more serious tone was something he was finding the need for more and more often. Especially as he pictured massive teeth tearing through the young cat's fur.

On the other side of the clearing, Mumblefoot lazed about, as much as the rather anxious warrior could. He was far more relaxed than he had been as a kit or even an apprentice. However, moments of nervousness still would leave his heart beating faster. As his gaze darted around to look for his adoptive daughter, now become one of those moments. Although he was blissfully unaware of the danger that currently lurked outside of the camp walls. The tailless warrior still sat there, kneading the ground anxiously. Drizzlepaw had been supposed to meet him for a meal. Where was she?

When she did not magically appear in that instant, he then began scanning around for Poplartooth. He was her mentor. But, more than that, the little tom had begun to tolerate and even appreciate his denmate's company. As apprentices, Poplartooth and Sedgestrike had mocked him relentlessly. They were the head of the cats who made him feel smaller than he already was. However, that had taken a turn as their shared relationship with Drizzlepaw brought them together more than either likely wanted. And as he thought of the larger, and stronger warrior, he found his heart pounding as fast as it did with the anxiety while he waited for either cat to appear.

Blossomheart stopped in her tracks to her her daughter's name. She slowly turned and heard Rippedsky speak. She rushed over to her. "Rippedsky's right! There are d- there could have been predators out! You could have been killed!" She said worriedly. Good thing she had caught herself before she said dogs.

Ever since the first word of Dog, Sedgestrike couldn't help feeling terribly uneasy. Fear prickled deep in his pelt over his kits and mate. Seeing Echoflame's pelt, he immediately walked over to her and pressed his pelt to hers to comfort both of them as he stared at his leader and Rippedsky closely. His claws dug into the ground beneath him.

Those wretched beasts would pay. Even when Tinypaw staggered in alone, he stared ahead. Enraptured with the vision of fighting off those dogs and sending them to wherever dogs went when they died. Certainly nowhere near as good as Starclan. Those things deserved only misery.

"We need to kill those dogs sooner than later." He declared confidently. "Say the word Crowstar. I'll go teach those beasts a lesson with my claws."

Tinypaw had only gotten one good look around camp in search of Brokenpaw or Drizzlepaw before her veiw was blocked by a certain black and white Deputy. Jumping out of her skin, Tinypaw temporarily panicked thinking he was mad about her skipping her duties. At his sharp tone Tinypaw's ears lowered, but she secretly thanked Starclan it was only cause she left camp alone that he was upset. Her great grandfather was always kind and good-tempered, Tinypaw never once having heard him raise his voice until that moment.

Before she could speak a word her mother had also rushed over to scold her. Tinypaw's ears slowly swiveled back to their normal position and she rolled her eyes at her mother's overreaction, forcing herself not to smirk as per usual. "I'm sorry, I didn't hear that we weren't allowed to go out alone. I must have been napping or out with Brokenpaw or something." Tinypaw flicked her tail in annoyance but sat down, not able to just placate her mother and walk off like she usually would since Rippedsky was also there. "And besides. I'm not a kit mom, I'm a Skyclan Apprentice. At the first sign of a fox or badger I'd be in the trees before they could even look at me funny. They're too slow." Tinypaw, of course, didn't know that they were worried about the one type of predator that would be able to catch her before she got to the tree. Looking to Rippedsky she nodded her head a bit as she apologized again. "I'm Sorry, I promise not to leave camp alone again until you've said it's safe to do so."

Firpaw couldn't understand the reasons why some of her Clanmates appeared so on-edge. The apprentice approached the gathered warriors, just as tall and muscled as they were, asking with her face and ears, "What is going on?" The deaf she-cat tried reading the warriors' lips, but was still left confused. She opened her mouth in an attempt to detect anything out of the ordinary, and yet still found nothing. 'What in StarClan's name is a "tog"?' She hadn't left camp or been informed as to why there was such anxiety in the higher ranks' movements and expressions. Peach patched fur began to rise and she subconsciously started looking for Cloudroar. Ah, well, she hoped it was simply an inter-Clan issue. They knew how to deal with those. Shaking her head, she began poking around camp for the tom.


Whatever fur was left on Scorchbranch's body bristled at one word. These creatures of shadow, the disgusting offspring of badgers, foxes, snakes, eagles; all the terrible predators that preyed on cats like him. They were snarling, slobbering, stalking him down an already blood-splattered alley. He moved to scale the fence behind him, but found it replaced by a stone wall as tall as any tree. He was trapped, unable to move as the beasts spread out and completely blocked the entrance. There were so many of them. Frozen, he watched helplessly as they drew closer and closer, until he could feel their breath on his barren chest. Then they leaped.

Scorchbranch awoke, shaking in his nest. It took several heartbeats before his vision cleared and this reality to return to focus. He wasn't in the city anymore; he was here, in SkyClan camp. Where it was safe. He shook out what remained of his pelt and stepped out into the clearing, trying to clear the nightmare away. It meant nothing. Just an old memory rearing its ugly head.

Cloudroar was lazing around camp, waiting impatiently for a plan to be made to get rid of the mangy dogs. He was tired of being on edge, constantly checking the air for any sign of them. He wanted to just go out and chase them off. He wasn't naive to think that it would be easy; no, he knew it would be a challenge. He simply wanted his clanmates to feel safe again in their own camp as soon as possible. No to mention, it was very obviously stressing Firpaw out. The young deaf apprentice was wandering around camp practically drenched in confusion and fear, though maybe that was merely his hypersensitive sense of smell.

The older tom sighed softly before rising to his paws and making his way towards the old apprentice. Instead of speaking soothingly, which would do no good, he stopped her movement with a gentle tail wrapped around her shoulders. The usually grumpy tom let himself purr in hopes that the vibrations might help to comfort her. Hoping that she was looking at him, he began to speak slowly, making an effort to move his lips in a way that she could read. "There's dogs roaming our territory, but it's okay, Firpaw. You're safe in camp, okay?" He meowed steadily, blinking his blind blue eyes leisurely.

Frostpaw, on the other paw, wasn't doing so great. Dogs, from her understanding, were almost as bad as the eagles up in the mountains. They were quick and vicious animals, at least that was what her clanmates had told her. She had never actually seen a dog with her own eyes. Only heard and scented them. With her mottled fur standing on end, she wandered the clearing looking for Night.

Crowstar perked up when others had approached him about the dogs. "I understand but these dogs are dangerous I know we need to act soon, but we need to get a plan together first." After he came back from the first attack he sent a cat out to keep an eye on the dog. Which told him there was at least another dog with the first. That the dogs didn't seem to be getting anywhere close near camp. He hoped that would remain to be the case.

The leader's wounds had healed in the couple days he had spent thinking about what they would do about this threat. He wanted to have it in a way that there was no way a cat would die. He wouldn't have that in the slightest.

While the cats were gathered in the camp, a danger was lurking near. Following the scents of cats back to this spot.

Blossomheart flicked her tail back and forth. "You may not be a kit anymore, Tinypaw, but you still are vulnerable alone. You shouldn't be out without a warrior, much less alone. With or without dogs. And you're always taking naps or out with Brokenpaw or busy. Maybe I should ask Tawneyfur to keep better tabs on you." She knew she was overreacting a little bit, but she was Tinypaw's mother. She had to make a point with her.

Russetpelt padded to his mates side. ”Great StarClan, with the thought of dogs invading camp with you and my kits here scares me.” He glanced at Tinypaw, and got into his ‘fun dad voice’. ”But those dogs will be running out of camp with their tail between their legs once they try to mess with me!” He jokingly boasted. He didn’t want Tinypaw to feel unsafe. He knew it was obvious he was kidding, but maybe if he tried to act all chill it would make Tinypaw feel safe... but then again she needs to be prepared.
”Please don’t patrol out alone until you are a warrior. You never know what you can encounter. I’m very glad you got here safe.”

Russetpelt felt uneasy. He wasn’t scared for himself, he was scared for his family. Those dogs would have to go through him first before they lay a claw on Blossomheart or his kits. He’d die to protect his clan. ”Where are Hazelpaw, Acornpaw and Birchpaw?”

Ripplepaw was just finishing up her apprentice duties. She had changed out the elder’s moss, fed the queens and kits fresh-kill, and now she was returning from the prey pile with a small sparrow clutched in her jaws. She was good and ready to eat it herself. Her leg had healed enough now for her to return to work, but occasionally she had a limp. It was one of these days, where she had a whole bunch of duties to do, and she had started limping again. With a slight huff, she flopped down onto her side, taking little bites of the bird. The threat of dogs that loomed over SkyClan had not been forgotten by Ripplepaw. How couldn’t she remember, when all the Clan cats did nowadays was chat idly about it? Shouldn’t someone be out there, chasing the dogs away? It irritated the usually happy apprentice to no end, and a little frown was on her face as she nibbled at the prey. She wasn’t hungry, really, but food was food, and she needed to eat it. She sighed and rolled over, watching the cats with a bored expression. She wanted to go hunting or something, but she was stuck in camp until her limp disappeared and the threat of dogs was no more.

Blossomheart frowned. "It scares me too. Wait... Where are they? Have you seen them, Tinypaw?"