Faded Hope [Skyclan Finale]

Lionboar didn't respond to Aether for the longest of moments, pausing to put his words together properly. Finally, he spoke. "I'll be your lucky star, welcoming you. You can look to the brightest star and say, that's Lionluck." He smiled again, forcefully once more. He didn't know what else to say. He had no choice, and he was the best fit for the clan with his lack of real ties and connections. He looked away. This was for the best.

Maggotpaw got up and out from the apprentice den, looking up at the full moon, he went to the gathering this time, he had slept through the previous gatherings, but this time, he wasn't all-that tired. He stared at the different cats, then sitting down in an open area, though still slightly out of sight, to carefully groom his fur, while keeping his ears perked up to listen to the chatter of the cats talking about.. Clan stuff, he admittedly didn't know what went on in gatherings.

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The stars have appeared in the sky! StarClan is coming down to the forest to assist. All sacrifices have been notified, and are given one post for their transformation into ghosts. When the sacrifices have turned into ghosts, StarClan cats are allowed to post and lead the charge against the Dark Forest.

As a reminder, Dark Forest stats can be found here and the StarClan stats can be found here. Medicine Cats with the appropriate rank will give their allies a Defending Buff. Please keep all battle rules in mind during the fight.

Additionally, given that May 8 is Mother’s Day, we are granting a special continuance for posts around that time. Any posts made from 9PM EST Saturday (May 7) to 9PM EST Sunday (May 8) will have a 48-hour continuance for responses rather than the typical 24-hour rule. Any posts made before or after the allotted time will still have the 24-hour response rule in place.

Lionboar shook his head and then lowered it somberly. It struck him deeply that some cat actually cared about him that way. Especially Aether. It was almost amusing, a paradox if you will. Just moons ago they were in a battle of his life, and here they were now, with Raccoonface begging him to live and let him take his place. "I don't think it works like that. They need a SkyClan cat. I think Starclan chose. Besides, I don't think anyone would miss me either. Besides you, I guess, which I was surprised by. I've worked my whole life to be recognized by this clan, and it's never come no matter what I do. I think this is the only way. But like I said, I'll always be here as your Lionluck star. Even if you do leave SkyClan." His tail flicked slightly, and finally he lifted his head to stare at the starless sky. There was a twinkle and a deep claw of anxiety started to cause his heart to race. He looked to Aether now, realizing his time was coming to and end and fearing it. "Raccoonface, please don't forget me. Please, please make sure SkyClan doesn't forget me too. If Bloodstar comes back, I beg you. Please tell him what I've done." As more and more stars started to glitter the sky, exhaustion overwhelmed his entire being. He felt a tugging in his chest, met with more piercing pain than he has ever felt in his life. More than any fight or any claw or any tooth. He slumped into Aether, his large frame crumpling as he gasped and gagged. A soft glitter came across his eyes now, and he looked up to meet Aether's eyes. "Please. Please don't forget Lionluck." The large golden tom convulsed one last time as his part glittered with stars.

He blinked.

When he opened his eyes again he was floating next to his body, staring at Aether. At his fest was his old body, eyes trained to the stars. It was the most strangest sight possible.

Cedarkit's heart leaped for joy as he looked up and saw that the stars were back. "The stars! The stars are back and Starclan has not left us." he yowled into the sky. Although he was shocked that this was happening, the joy in his heart overcame the shock and the joy of seeing the happy and shocked faces on his clanmates faces made him happy and joyful.

Myrtledove continued watching the camp with a smile on his maw. Seeing the life that fueled the veins of every single cat - he felt at peace. It was as the stars themselves appeared that he felt the trade within his soul - his life for their own. He would settle down onto his paws, tucking them beneath him, before his fuzzy head finally rested to the ground. One last, deep breath would fill his body, and he would feel a tug, deep within his soul.

It was an odd feeling, leaving his body. Next he knew he was getting up, but not in the same form he once had. He now existed as a ghost, one of the stars.

"I believe in you all. Do not let this sacrifice be in vain." He whispered out loud. Whether or not anyone heard him... he didn't care. He would die for his Clan, as he had promised when he became a warrior... as he promised again when he became a medicine cat.

Morningstar arrived into camp like a pale shadow with blackness rolling off of his pelt like smoke. His ears had picked up Aether's words... his cowardly son. His fiery azure gaze even landed on Smokefeather's ghost, which caused him to pause and stare at her for several heartbeats. His tail lashed violently to and fro and a hard gaze settled across his face, but no words erupted from his maw. If anything, there were tell-tale signs of confusion flickering across his expression every few seconds before he violently thrust it away.

It had been moons... moons of feeling nothing. Moons of being a hollowed out shell of who he had been before. Fury at the sight of his mother's ghost, Aether's words and now the stars having returned wrestled viciously with emotions he hadn't been expecting at all: Excitement. Joy. Purpose. Hope. He'd ascended above the stars, thinking that was where he had belonged and that it was all owed to him... only to find out it was incredibly, mindlessly boring. In truth, he'd never been so miserable than he had been while ruling over the Forest, wantonly doing whatever he wanted with no fear or consequence. It hadn't been good for him, not at all.

"And so they're back." He said simply, quite calmly announcing his own presence and acknowledging Starclan's return. Yet they had to take lives to do it? He could use this.

"The Dark Forest didn't take any lives to return, though they were vengeful cats when they first arrived after having been locked away in blackness for so long." His voice was calm, barely more serious than a casual purr. He walked slowly and calmly into the very center of camp, a passing glance at Aether that suggested mild disappointment, but nothing more. He stood tall and calm as he looked around at Skyclan.

"I defeat Starclan for you all, and their first request to return is the death of your clan mates, your loved ones? Is this really what you all want? I killed Bloodstar for betraying me and sending a hunting party after me, his own son. I had Beechfang kill Smokefeather to be certain of her loyalty, otherwise I would not have let Beechfang live. Smokefeather paid for her crimes with death as well, but have I hurt any more of you since? Have I put anyone to death who did not deserve it?"

He paused for a moment before continuing.

"Starclan wanted innocent lives. I wanted the guilty ones. Choose, Skyclanners, who you'd rather follow. Choose wisely and then let us put a final end to this stupidity." He then looked up at the stars in a silent challenge.

....

Oh how he had missed feeling alive again...

Smokefeather's gaze found Dawnhawk's pelt as he padded into camp, watching in satisfaction as confusion flickered across his face. "Death holds power, you've seen that for yourself." Smokefeather stated simply, stepping forward. As she did so, as Myrtledove and Lionboar took their last breaths, her form seemed to become more solid. No longer did she appear to be the faint shade that had haunted Skyclan's camp. Solid muscle rippled under long tortoiseshell fur. Fur that bristled in anger as gray-green eyes watched Dawnhawk. "Did you think they would let this mistake stand, as have so many others? Did you think I would let my mistake continue without trying to fix it, when it has harmed so many I cared about?" That was all Dawnhawk would ever be, no matter what he called himself. He would always be a mistake. Her mistake. Her... grandson? spoke, and she nodded once in acknowledgement of his words. No, Dawnhawk didn't care about his Lionluck, and he didn't care about any of the rest of them, either.

"Skyclan!" Smokefeather raised her voice, "Stand and fight! We will suffer this no longer!" After tonight, he would plague her clan no longer. Lunging forward, Smokefeather sank her fangs into the back of his neck, positioning them so that he couldn't turn his head too far.

Smokefeather used Scruff Shake on Morningstar for -20 sp, dealing -10+2 damage. Dawnhawk is stunned for TWO turns.

Smokefeather
80 / 80 hp
150 / 170 sp (170 - 20)

Morningstar
88 / 100 hp (100 - 10 - 2)
180 / 180 sp

The member 'kjSage' has done the following action : Dice roll

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'Effect Dice' : 5

OOC: Crappy mobile attack post. Sorry. Huge events going on today that were unexpected.

IC:

Finally some form of resistance. Finally something to actually do. The venom in the others' words was more welcoming than he thought they'd be. "Fight hard, those who fight against me. I have found mercy to be just as boring as murder these days, though the latter causes me less trouble. No mercy this time, not for anyone."

Smokefeather's teeth plunged into the back of his neck and he flicked his blue gaze to her. In response to the attack and the pain, he only smiled. There was a light behind his eyes that hadn't been there in moons.

"Killing you brought me no joy. I don't expect it will a second time either. You realize that even if you get rid of me today, I am eternal. I will never truly disappear."

Morningstar is stunned.

Vixentooth allowed herself to observe the chaos unfold. It started with twinkling dots — false, hopeless twinkling dots, to their clanmates falling on the spot. Foolish cats! There's no such thing as StarClan saving you all, these are all false hopes! The molly rose from her seat, tail lashing. To believe these cats still dared to count on their fallen ancestors, they were all so gullible, even with the Dark Forest's control over the five clans. Her claws unsheathed, eyes scanning for an opponent — and there she found an available warrior, one whose fur was white and pale gray. But that didn't matter.

"You're all just gullible fools believing in the so-called StarClan! The Dark Forest looms over you, yet you chose to ignore it!" She growled, ramming herself to the warrior's ribs and knocking the air out of him.

Vixentooth used Dishonorable Charge for 20 SP, dealing 11 (9+2) damage! Driftcloud is stunned for two turns!

Vixentooth
100/100 HP
160/180 SP (-20)

Driftcloud (stunned)
29/40 HP (-9)
100/100 SP