Whipping Winds [WindClan Sitewide Topic]

Mishka, realising that she had made herself known to the young she-cat outside, sighed at her accusing tones. What was it with these cats being ungrateful? She had taught herself to be thankful for everything in her life - it helped her ignore any hardships. "I'm not here for your kits." She said calmly, unafraid of being attacked. If the tabby went after her, she would be helped by others members of the Asylum. That's one of the things she loved about being a Pelt Ward; others' expectations of her were so low, it was difficult for her to disappoint.

But for Lilcapaw's sake, she shifted around the queen slightly, who was too tired from so many sleepless nights to even take notice of what was going on. The only movement she made was to curl her body tighter around her kits, but it was a useless waste of energy. If the Asylum wanted to steal kits, they would send in the stealthiest and the most powerful cats. Not a weak lump like her. "Look," Mishka said, now standing behind the queen, so the kits were out of reach from her, "I am only here so you don't cause trouble for yourselves." Unsheathing her claws slightly, she held them near the she-cat's neck, but still quite far from her throat. "Also, your clan has already surrendered. I don't get why you think we're going to harm you. Asylum will help you." Just like they did for me, she thought, but avoided saying it incase she got in trouble for oversharing.

As Theron spoke, Olivestar gritted her teeth once more, the only sign of such being the stiffening of the muscles of her jaw. She spoke of many things, including yet another warning, and the gray leader interjected,
"Oh, I don't know you, I know of you. I know of you from the stories that my father told me about your reign over WindClan, and I grew up seeing the direct aftermath of the Nightstrikers' attack. Needless to say, I don't have a high opinion of you."

She dug her claws into the ground as Theron continued, cut off by Eagletalon launching an attack against another of the Asylum cats. She looked around once more at all of the predator-pelted cats in and surrounding the camp, and her teeth once more ground together as she lashed her tail once at their predicament. Everything she was doing was against her nature, she wanted to fight for her Clan, but she knew it was fruitless right now, and would only doom her Clan. She then called out, suppressing a wince as she saw the claws press further into Hayglow's fur.
"Eagletalon! Stand down!"

Then, the Nightstriker captain spoke again, speaking of the terms that the Asylum had come up with. The gray leader tilted her head to the side slightly as her conditions were already part of the predator-cats' plan, surprised by the almost... leniency of the first term. However, as Theron continued to speak, Olivestar's brows furrowed, irked at the assumption that WindClan was helpless and needed protecting.
"WindClan is far from helpless. We've been doing fine on our own for long enough, before the Asylum showed up. Know that I am far from happy about this surrender, and your terms. I just don't want to see my Clan die in a fight that was futile from the start."

Lilacpaw's voice rang out in a cry of warning, speaking of the nursery, and of stolen kits, and the gray leader's head whipped around, finding her daughter by the nursery, where the white puff of a rabbit's tail slipped inside. She turned back to Theron, tail flicking in irritation once, another question on her mind.
"Is it safe to assume that the Asylum is responsible for the kits going missing from all five Clans? Because admittedly, that's a low blow, even for you."

With a final deep breath, Olivestar stilled the flicking of her tail, and with great difficulty, bowed her head once to Theron, claws still buried deeply in the dirt.
"Very well. I have no choice but to accept your terms. WindClan is surrendered."

In the earliest, fractional seconds of awakening with a violent jolt, it was difficult to actually discern whether or not Yarrowpaw was truly awake; the usual darkness of the late hour disrupted under the swathing swarms of... animals. The transition from restless sleep to violent awakening was much too abrupt, the prickly young tom left floundering helplessly in a strange barrage of overwhelming sensory input gifted from weak and lackluster senses. Strange, warped, horrifically smelling mimicries of countless different predators drifting about in the spacious confines of the sheltered camp, reeking of death and destruction. He was so utterly transfixed upon the terrifying happenings, and the equally heart-stopping commands of Theron, that the sight of Goldengale nearly went entirely unseen- although the eventual discovery of that only further enflamed the violent bought of nausea roiling heavily in the young tom's tense belly.

"Olivestar!" Yarrowpaw squalled out, equally appalled and enraged by the evident cowardice exuded by his mother's decision to roll over and bare their bellies and throats- revile undercurrent of nausea tempered by the fiery flames of helpless rage, pale gaze flicking back and forth to the looming outlines of Olivestar and Theron conversing several paces outside of his immediate range. "What're you doing?!" The starkly-colored young tom snarled out, pale gaze flashing sharply in the wan light of the evening, the ferocious pounding of his fluttering pulse effectively drowning out the majority of Theron's careful instructions and his adoptive mother's subsequent replies- although, he like wouldn't have listened anyways, as sending a simple glance in the general direction of the appalling stranger immediately submerged his entire being into the throes of fight-or-flight instincts.

It was quiet, and then there was so much noise. Light rustling, then the stricken cries of his clanmates. Shrikepaw awoke to find everything and everyone surrounded. Strange cats were everywhere, as if the entire Gathering was being hosted in their territory. This was no mere Gathering, though: the dead body in the clearing made that perfectly clear. Shrikepaw choked back a sob, feeling instant grief at the sight of a clanmate lying there dead. Killed senselessly by these... rogue murderers. Then, the words of StarClan that he had heard at the Moonstone drifted through his head. His eyes widened as he ruminated on those words: not that there was much else to do, with the entire clan being occupied and Olivestar having given in and surrendering. What else was she to do, with the entire clan outnumbered? He couldn't shake those words his ancestor had bestowed upon him. This terrible thing happening... Could StarClan really have allowed this due to the clans turning their backs on them? It couldn't be. They wouldn't! ... And yet there they were, WindClan - and apparently the other four clans - having been taken over by these so-called Nightstalkers. If it was true... He looked towards Olivestar, his tail flicking around. He needed to talk to her as soon as possible! Otherwise, who knew what these cats might do? They said they would keep them safe, but something told him to doubt that.

Dappleshine was pulled from her sleep just as Raventail was, and slowly she tried to piece together what was happening around her. The shadows were moving, but that was normal for her. It was just in her mind, after all, and though it had gotten better since she retired, especially since Raventail joined her, it was not uncommon for her to see them still. But yet, she had never felt them before, and no one else had ever seen them. With a jolt her eyes widened and her fur stood on end. The shadows were moving this time, and WindClan was surrounded. Fear and anger filled her expression as her gaze landed on Goldengale, who lay motionless in the camp. Hayglow.... Oh stars, Hayglow! She was pinned under a visage that was hauntingly familiar to the elder that had once fought against the Nightstrikers. Sharp claws were dangerously stretched over her exposed throat, and Dappleshine swallowed hard as Raventail called for her softly. Pressing gently against his shoulder, she tried to focus on his voice. Fogpaw.... Where was Fogpaw? She couldn't find her... Where was she? She tried to see towards where the apprentices slept, but her view was blocked by several of the intruders. "I can't see her, Raventail.... But I'm sure she's alright. We'll find her, or she'll find us. I know it."

Theron watched in silence as Olivestar spoke, listening as she called WindClan far from helpless. Pff, she had heard all that she had needed about the Clans - they survived, yes, but by fighting with the other Clans. It had taken only four Nightstrikers to be a proper thorn in the side - it was only a matter of time before something rose that they couldn't fight. And as it turns out, it was Asylum itself. Olivestar would soon seen in time that this was for the best, they only helped out the cats that they took into their mighty group - many groups that had been hesitant at the start had come to realize that it was for the better to join the vast family.

In time, WindClan - and the other Clans - would be no different.

Her ears perked as one of the younger cats spoke up, bringing up missing kits. She titled her head as she glanced between the young apprentice and the leader, raising a claw to her chest with a hurt expression on her face. "Steal kits? Me? I don't you don't think highly of me, Olivestar, but why would I - we - need your kits when our numbers are already impressive? I can assure you, I had no part in the so-called stealing of your kits. Whatever took your kits, I had no part in," she said, before she glanced behind her at where Lexine and Alois were still pinning the WindClan cat - a smile sliding onto her face as Olivestar accepted the terms and surrendered. "You heard her. WindClan is ours - now let up the poor guard. I want to prove our good-will, after all. Roe, you let up... 'Eagletalon' as well," she meowed, glancing over at her other companion. "No more fighting. That isn't why we are here."

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A gasp escaped Hayglow as claws were removed from her neck, the weight disappearing from her body as both of the large cats that had been pinning her down moved away. She scrambled to her paws, darting forward past Theron. "O-Olivestar!" she whimpered, tears in her eyes as she reached the leader, dropping into a fearful crouch as her eyes scanned the cats. "I-I'm so sorry! I didn't hear them, I d-didn't smell them until...I-I was on guard duty, I should have..." Her ears slicked back, eyes falling onto the still body of Goldengale. She was...Oh StarClan, Goldengale was dead. Why? Another whimper escaped her as she curled her tail around her leg. She wasn't...She wasn't sure what to do. What happened now that WindClan had surrendered?

Was this truly their life now?

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As Roe released Eagletalon and moved back to Theron's side, the she-cat smiled softly as she glanced between the WindClan cats - rather enjoying the pathetic whimpering of that WindClan guard. "You made the best choice, Olivestar. No more lives had to be lost, and I promise you that WindClan will remain as it is...Minus those few terms, I spoke of. We take cats - groups - in, but we don't dismantle them. I do hope that you keep your words and play by our terms. I know more about your little Clans then you might expect. How you all work - about your nine lives as leaders, what it takes to get them. Despite our eyes now being upon you, you will keep being WindClan. As much as a loathe to admit it, you are part of the family now. Perhaps we can even learn from each other, in the end." She paused as she glanced over the cats of WindClan. "...Are there any questions? I am happy to put things at ease if it will help you all sleep better at night."

The sound of someone calling from camp made Smallbean sit up with a start, his fluffy fur sticking out at all angles. Most mornings the tom would be in a fairly good mood, but ever since her had told Raventail about what had happened with Cedarheart he woke up in a sort of panic. That day when he was speaking to the older tom, something had flipped in him. He was hit with the sudden realization that it was Starclan's fault that he was put through so much, why so many cats he loved were taken away from him. A soft giggle escaped his maw at the thought. What had he done to deserve it all?

With a curt shake of his head, the tom's small figure pulled itself from his nest, ready to walk out and meet whatever horrors the day brought him. He assumed there was some kind of clan meeting, as a voice that loud was usually that of Olivestar's. With each step, his claws dug into the sandy ground beneath, almost as if they were itching to be used. Pushing his way through the entrance and out into camp, his gaze fell on something that he was not at all expecting to see.


There he stood, frozen, eyes set on Goldengale's limp body. Very slowly his eyes lifted to see dozens of figures creeping around in the shadows, all ranging in sizes. This was all so much, he couldn't process what exactly what was going on. That was, until Theron spoke. His brain was desperately trying to decide how to feel. Somewhere deep inside him he felt pain for the death of Goldengale.... but in this moment he felt none of it. All he felt at the moment was humor and a sense of irony.

"Of course...." The words were barely a whisper as he stared at Goldengale. Suddenly, he threw his head back and let out a laugh, his eyes narrowing. "IT ONLY GETS WORSE, DOESN'T IT!?" The small tom locked his eyes to a certain spot in the sky, as if a Starclan warrior were there. "It seems like all Starclan can do is watch as we suffer! They take the ones we love and watch as we have to deal with whatever is thrown at us!" Another laugh escaped his mouth as he looked toward Theron. "What is a Nightstriker? Is it something like one of Starclan's Righteous few? What are you taking from us this time?" The words his clanmates were speaking became irrelevant to him, they were all just blurs in the background. All except the word surrender. A creepy smile crossed his face at the fact that Windclan was helpless.

No matter what Theron said, Windclan wasn't even Windclan anymore. It was something else entirely, something that he couldn't describe. With his clan yowling and worrying around him, he simply sat there, watching them with a smile. In his mind this didn't even come as a surprise, it was as if Windclan never caught a break. As if he never caught a break. When Theron spoke again, he made sure to listen, even if he didn't look like her was. Stepping forward, he raised his nose to Theron in an almost defiant way. "I have a question. What exactly do you want from us? What are you getting from this? Because so far it just seems like you just want to live here. Are you that desperate? I know it's leaf-bare, but that's no reason to act like a parasite." He smiled at the larger she-cat, eager to see her reaction. In all honesty he didn't mean for it to come across as a taunt, but he stuck to it.

Eagletalon flattened her ears as Roe quickly overtook her and she heard her leader's order to stand down. She snarled at Roe but sheathed her claws anyway, for she was bound by the warrior code and would still obey her leader at all costs. She knew that Olivestar had surrendered the clan and it sounded like these catswere also part of a so called clan called the Asylum.

It sounded like a clan, but only a clan where the strongset cats survived and the weaked died off....so not much of a clan but a clan.

She raised her voice in agreement with Smallbean. "Yeah, is it so that you are all weak, usless and desparate that you are taking over the clans?" she called bravely. She knew that she was making trouble, but she couldn've help it. She had a spirit for the clans and these cats were taking away everything that she stood for in life.

The small whisper turned into a sob as Softbreeze ran to her sister's side. "You monsters! You-- you killed her! She would've listened to Olivestar, she would've stood down! We will NEVER be kin, EVER! You killed my SISTER you FOXHEARTS! I'll obey my leader, I won't harm you. I'll just make your fifthly lives miserable while you stay here. Don't expect me to heal any of your wounds." She hissed, sobbing as she buried her face into Goldengale's bloody coat. She wrapped her paws around Goldengale, as if daring some cat to try to pry her from her older sister, her own fur now covered in blood that did not belong to her. "Goldengale... Sister.. May you find swift hunting, good company, and shelter where you roam. StarClan will welcome you readily. I love you, please... Do- Don't forget that."

Rage fueled her again, and she shot her head up to glare at Theron. "You'll pay for this. She had a mate, a kit, grandkits, siblings, an apprentice, a Clan! And you stole her from all of us! I will NEVER stop fighting. Not until every bone in my body is crushed and my very spirit itself is destroyed. Even from StarClan I will watch, and I will protect WindClan and our ways. You bring a bad name to loners and rogues everywhere." Softbreeze spat, a growl in her throat. She looked over at Olivestar, her eyes blazing and words harsh. "Before you say it, I am standing down. Or, to be exact, sitting down." It was odd to see the gentle medicine cat speak to Olivestar like that. "But you know me, Olive. I won't-- I can't do nothing. I will never submit to ANY of this. Take my life, I don't care. When I told Aspenheart I'd die for these moors, I meant every last breath." Standing up, she dragged Goldengale's limp body over to Shyfawn and the nursery. "Groom her, please, Shyfawn." She murmured gently. The nursery queen nodded, taking Goldengale's battered body between her paws and gently licking her head, the taste of blood dull to her.

Turning back to the crowd, Softbreeze slowly stalked over to Hayglow and Olivestar, standing directly between her Clanmates and these fools. "When the Stars opposed us, we fought back. When the flood washed us away, we came back together. When cat's in predator pelts threatened us before, we rose up. We did not cower. So, WindClan. We'll do what we do best. Unite. Wouldn't you agree, Theron? Family is nothing without unity and trust. Why should we trust you? Give us, WindClan, one good reason why we should believe your lies?" Softbreeze's voice started soft, thoughtful, but it rose and grew in volume. At the she-cat's name, her voice became a sneer, and her eyes glowered. Her claws remained sheathed, and with great restraint her pelt lay flat. The Medicine Cat of WindClan stood between these strange foes and that of her own clanmates. No harm would come to them, she'd die before that happened.

Theron waited, wondering if any questions would be thrown her way...But then a tom suddenly started to vent - laughing as he spoke toward the sky. Then, turned his attention onto her as he questioned what a Nightstriker were. She blinked as he questioned if it was like 'StarClan's Righteous Few.' StarClan...Their ancestors? Oh, it was an honor to be compared to the StarClan that they - or at least Finchstar - had held in such high esteem. She watched silently, curiousity in her eyes as he stormed forward, pressing himself nose to nose with her with questions of what would they get from this, comparing them to a parasite.

A laugh escaped her, her smile gentle as she leaned backwards so that she could raise a paw and poked the WindClan warrior on the nose as if he was just a kit asking silly questions. "Well, first, a Nightstriker is...Not unlike one of your warriors. We train from kithood to fight, to protect our family. We just master different fighting styles while you all seem content with your single one," she explained, her voice soft and almost motherly. "And I don't know what this...Righteous Few is. But I can tell you that we don't want to take anything from you. Not exactly.

From the birth of Asylum, our goal has been to share our greatness. To bring others under our protection. Its true we have to use force sometimes, but its for the better. Our controlled territory is vast, we've traveled moons just to reach this place, saving cats from fighting among themselves and giving them a place to truly belong..." She paused, as a cry rose up, a she-cat running over to the still body of Goldengale. Theron raised an eyebrow as the she-cat turned on her, growling about how Goldengale had family. She peered from around Smallbean, watching as the she-cat went on and on in an effort to rally the Clans, questioning why they should trust her.

"...Did you not think that Ovi had family?" she questioned softly, pressing a paw against Smallbean's face as she shoved the tom to the side so she could step forward. "Do you even know who Ovi is? Or were we just brutish rogues who didn't matter? Did you not think that we had loved ones. Mates. Kits. I had to tell Ovi's daughter how her father was dead. Tell his mate. His brother. Explain the death of my group to my leader, how I was the only survivor. And I was scarred for it," she snapped, raising a paw to her face where four scars ran down between her eyes - barely having been prevented being blinded in both. "With these scars, I bare the weight of my failures. The price of choices that were not even mine to make. We rose our claws against you, yes - to learn what we could and know if you were worth our attention... And...Perhaps that was not our orders - it was not my call to make then. But we had only taken one life in the end while you took three of ours. We aren't monsters - as much as you would like to treat us like them. Goldengale died because she was responsible for the death of Pakhet - the love of my life. You wish to know why you can trust us?" she questioned, her voice low. "...Roe? Care to explain your past."

Roe's eyes had been fixed on his paws since he had released Eagletalon, ears slicked. He knew of Theron's past run-in with the Clans, of the hatred she held...In fact, she rarely allowed anybody to mention the name of her fallen friends. But as his name was called, he jolted and looked up with a sheepish nod. He took a step forward, taking a deep breath as he addressed WindClan. "I...I was not born in Asylum. I was born into a bloodthirsty rogue group. Their only care was territory and keeping it...And I was a timid runt. It was likely I was going to be...I was going to be killed for being a soft-hearted cat by their terms. But then...Asylum swooped in and took over our territory, our group. I was taken to be a Nightstriker, to learn how to fight but even if I wasn't the...The best, they still accepted me and I found my place. Captain Theron personally saw fit to help me and make sure I could aid Asylum to the best of my abilities. We only want to help you all - there is little we want this. We all left our oasis that has been our home for countless generations - even before Asylum was created - to be here. We aren't here to live on your territory, we just want to help. Please."

"Ask nearly any of my companions," Theron added with a growl, tail lashing. "Hear their stories, of how we saved them and gave them a place to be themselves. We are not monsters. We are cats - just like you. We prevent cats from staving, fighting among themselves for the barest scraps of food or territory. You are right, leaf-bare is upon us. Which is why we are here to help. There is always a price to be paid. If I wanted to harm you all, you never would have woken up - we would have slit our throats in your sleep. I would have killed your guard the moment Eagletalon attacked Roe. Take that as trust."

Everything had happened much too fast. The call waking the camp that came from a stranger’s voice-- then the smell of blood and the sight of his mentor’s body. Flashpaw’s grogginess was instantly ripped away as cold claws of realization tore at his belly. Goldengale had been killed. Murdered.
Now her murderers were standing in their camp, telling them to stand down. And Olivestar was siding with them. Flashpaw clenched his jaws tight as he listened to their leader talk of helping the Clans. To trust them. His stomach twisted in disgust-- the words at the core of a true warrior’s code of honor sounded wrong coming from these intruders.
There is always a price to pay.
Foxdung, he thought as he gnashed his teeth. Help shouldn’t come from bargains.
“And what if we don’t want your help?” He shouted back, taking a step forward as anger emboldened him. “What will happen to the cats that decide that your ways aren’t fit for them?” His tail lashed from side to side. “Will you do away with them, like you did Goldengale?”

Spotlake watched as her son laughed, sounding insane. Her fur pricked more and more as Theron spoke. Especially when Theron simply pushed Smallbean aside. She imeaditly ran towards her son side, wrapping her tail around him, letting out a soft hiss. "I don't care how tragic your lives were. Your all monsters in my eyes." She growled, before trying attempting to nudge Smallbean's body and to guide him back, before opting for grabbing his scruff and dragging him back towards Olivestar.

Hoosier watched as the clan cats panicked, taking it all in. Are they sad? Mad? I guess we'll have to find out. He thought, as he sat down and wrapped his tail around his paws.

When Hayglow was released from the claws of her captor, Olivestar stepped forward immediately to greet the yellow warrior, and she placed herself between her and the Nightstrikers, using her body as a shield. As the warrior pleaded, the leader herself crouched down to meet the crouch, and murmured gently,
"It's okay, it's not your fault. I'm not mad, I'm just glad that you're okay. I won't let anything happen to you, alright?"

As the tense scene grew between Olivestar and Theron, she stood, turning to face the captain one more as her Clanmates began crying out in opposition to the decision that had been forced upon her, and the gray leader agreed with them all. There should be no occupation, that the Asylum had no place here, but her common sense kept her from agreeing with them out loud. While she itched to launch herself at Theron and tear the captain's throat out, she could not, lest she doom all of WindClan to a terrible and bloody death, and that was something she knew she could not let happen.

With each cat that cried out their dissent, she met their eyes, her gaze and expression speaking of agreement to their words, hoping to convey to them that this was not a decision she was making lightly, nor happily. Then Softbreeze positioned herself between her and Theron, and began a tirade, and with each word that graced the air, Olivestar could feel her blood pressure rising point by point. She stepped forward to stand beside the medicine cat, and laid her tail across her shoulders, ready for anything to happen.
"Flashpaw has a legitimate question, and so, I'll endorse it. What happens to cats that dislike the ways of the Asylum?"

Theron rolled her eyes as they were called a monster. The word was so easily thrown around and she had heard it numerous time. It was getting tiring thought - Olivestar had already surrendered. All they had to do was accept this and things would be fine but yet they seemed so determined to argue. As if they didn't realize that her threats were still on the field. One cat questioned what would happen if they didn't want their help - something that Olivestar echoed as she stepped forward. "You don't have to like it," she sighed. "We are letting you carry on with your lives for the time being after all. If you do not want our help - if you want to face leaf-bare by your own paws, fine. We don't have to add our catches to your fresh-kill pile...But we will still be here watching. You all just need to play along in the terms that I have given and everything will be fine. There is little options here - its surrender or die, do I have to make it clear? Accept us, stick to our rules. That is all that is required - play nice. Its when you go against the simple rules, that is when punishments will be made. In time, you will come to see this is for the better - us giving you the protection we bestow upon all of the cats who fall under our group. And if not...Well, I suppose we will have to see then."

Thalia listened as her Captain spoke, detailing a story she'd only heard in hushed whispers once before - the first time the Asylum set paw on WindClan lands, and the part she'd had to play in it all. Hearing it from Captain Theron herself, though, was enlightening in a way she hadn't expected; to hear the perspective of one who'd been there rather than just knowing, more or less, what had happened.

She called on Roe, then, and he said his piece; shared his story. This was new to her, one she hadn't heard before, the story of how her friend and fellow Nightstriker had found his own place in the Asylum. And when he was finished Theron spoke again, sharing the Asylum's many accomplishments with the clan cats - warriors, Theron had called them.

"We're not - we're not parasites, or savages... We're cats, just like you." She hadn't been asked, but she rose taller on her paws - though her pelt stayed in place, hiding her face and her expression. With every insult the warriors threw at the Asylum - and the Nightstrikers especially - she tried to let them roll off of like stray raindrops, but they stuck like brambles and thorns instead. "I thought I would never belong anywhere," she began. "But I was wrong, because the Asylum is... Well, we're a family... And we protect our own. And every cat has a place with us - and that includes all of you, too. Please, we just want to help you!"