The future's in your paws. Shape it well.Roleplay in a cat Clan of warriors. Based off the Warriors series by Erin Hunter. Takes place in an AU before the cats in the books existed.
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Subject: unfortunate circumstances [open] Mon 6 Mar 2023 - 13:22
Waiting at the edge of the border and keeping firmly to the ShadowClan side, Leopardsun couldn't help but feel grateful that it wasn't Burdockroot at her side this time. Instead, there was Rookfire; one of the two newest council members. She didn't know the older warrior all that well, but he seemed like the peace-keeping type; and that was precisely the sort of cat she wanted with her when it came to diplomatic endeavors.
If only the reason they were here was better news than it was.
"We'll wait here for a patrol, and then request an audience with Birdstar. Simple, but efficient."
Wolfblossom led her patrol through the trees, blue eyes sweeping over the surroundings for signs of both predator and cat alike. It was a little past sunhigh, so cats on this section of Skyclan border would be unusual... Were it not for the fact that one of their own was missing for the dawn patrol earlier that morning. The patrol had went on with him, however, and with no news of Stoatclaw's appearance, Wolfblossom had ordered the other patrols to keep a lookout for the younger warrior. That included her own patrol, with Creamsky and a few others following behind.
As Wolfblossom approached the Shadowclan border, the scent of cats gave the deputy pause. Midday was... An odd choice to be out for Shadowclanners, but she found that she recognized at least one of the two scents on the border. Leopardsun. She liked the deputy well enough, especially compared to the rest of Shadowclan that she'd had the misfortune of interacting with, but it was unusual to see and their last few interactions had been colored by the deputy trying to clean up after her own clanmates. Wolfblossom hoped that wouldn't be the case today.
"Leopardsun?" She called out from the trees, dropping to a low branch in front of the Shadowclan deputy and a black and white warrior she didn't recognize. "What has you out here at this time of day?" The pair of Shadowclanners hadn't been walking along the border, but had been waiting. Wolfblossom flicked her tail at her clanmates, a signal to keep their claws sheathed for the moment. Waiting at their border, rather than traipsing about and hollering. That was a much better way to approach things, she thought, and was doubtless Leopardsun's doing.
Stormwatcher internally groaned seeing them all sitting there... UGHHH dealing with intruders was so not what he wanted to do right now. He wanted to finish this patrol up and get home to his nice warm nest but of corse two shadowclan cats would be sitting threre
"what now?" he asked clearly already annoyed with their existance.
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Swiftheart of Shadowclan Rapidfire of Windclan Sprucebark of Riverclan Stormwatcher of Skyclan Eaglefly of Windclan Lavendercloud of Windclan Rainkit of Windclan
Creamsky bounded after Wolfblossom - his eyes searching the forest below for any signs of his missing denmate. And here he had been hoping the days of Clanmates going missing was behind them... A soft sigh escaped him as he easily moved from branch to branch. He didn't know Stoatclaw all that well but it didn't make it any more easier to accept... Thought when a fresh scent caught his nose, he halted as his gaze turned to the border. ShadowClan - fresh. He had never met a ShadowClan patrol at the border - his patrols rarely ever lined up when they were active as he had heard their fondness for prowling in the night instead.
As they grew closer to see the two, he kept to the higher branches as Wolfblossom dropped down just a bit to better speak to the warriors - or...Well, he knew the name Leopardsun - it was ShadowClan's own deputy waiting at the border. He crouched on his branch, ears perked to hear whatever the conversation was going to be. Wolfblossom didn't seem that bothered by their presence, so he wouldn't either. He was just curious on what this entire thing could possibly be about... He spared a glance however at Stormwatcher's gruff question but chose to hold his tongue - it wasn't his place to interrupt either way.
Stoatclaw’s disappearance, however recent, had Birdstar feeling agitated and on edge. They had just recovered most of their missing Clanmates, and there was still one warrior yet to be seen. Had he been caught in one of the few traps left in the forest, carried away by a straggling twoleg? Or… she refused to entertain the idea it could be something worse. She was antsy following the patrol out of camp.
Birdstar stayed close to the rear of the group, keeping a careful eye on the ground below as they moved through the trees. The scent of ShadowClan, stronger than it should’ve been, struck her nose, but she had yet to see the pair waiting for them. When Wolfblossom’s voice and the sound of her moving down through the branches caught her ears, Birdstar pushed forward, leaping gracefully between boughs until her figure loomed above the ShadowClanners.
Eyes narrowing, Birdstar flicked an ear quietly towards Stormwatcher. She wouldn’t scold him now, but hopefully he would understand to be careful with his voice. Still, Birdstar understood. She wanted to groan and hiss about their appearance, too. Instead, her tail twitched and she crept as close to the edge of the branch as was safe. “Enough time hasn’t passed since I saw you last, Leopardsun.” As for the cat beside her… Birdstar was at least grateful it wasn’t Burdockroot.
Rookfire waited alongside Leopardsun on the edge of ShadowClan territory, on the border with SkyClan. He didn't know Leopardsun that well, but she seemed like the type of cat that had a good head on her shoulders, so he would hopefully not have to bicker about what they were going to talk about.
They were here for one reason, and one reason only. SkyClan deserved to know about their warrior in ShadowClan camp. When a group of SkyClan warriors appeared to meet them, including the deputy and leader, Rookfire noticed the tension pointed directly at him and Leopardsun. "We come in peace," he reassured, making sure not to step across the border that was carefully marked. "We found one of your warriors severely injured. He's at our camp now, healing."
______________________________________ Rookfire, ShadowClan T4 Warrior: 60/170 Kitespring, RiverClan T3 Warrior: 50/140 Laurelriver, WindClan T3 Warrior: 50/140 Hollypaw, SkyClan MCA: 20/50
Wolfblossom, Birdstar, and warriors she didn't recognize by name approached the pair, and Leopardsun felt just slightly vindicated. Burdockroot wasn't here to witness this conversation (and she was particularly thankful for that small mercy), but it still felt like a victory.
The grim news she had come to deliver, however, was comparatively bitter on her tongue. "You're correct, Birdstar. I wish I could say it was wholly good news that brought me here," she sighed. "Though I admit I find myself awake in the daylight more often than most. This is Rookfire, a senior warrior and respected member of ShadowClan's council," she gestured to the tom beside her, "and what he says is true. One of your cats is in our care at the moment; we set out to inform you as soon as the matter was resolved."
Leopardsun sighed deeply, preparing herself. It had been only earlier that day that everything had transpired, and yet-
"As you might expect, it's not a particularly pleasant tale. I heard it with my own ears, from the cat responsible- one of our own warriors, Redice. He had intended to hunt your warrior as one would catch a piece of prey, with... Other, more gruesome details which I will not repeat here." Rat bait. The words echoed in her thoughts, and she shuddered; her composure breaking, if only for a moment. "Never have I seen a cat so fearless and lacking in remorse, and I became a warrior while the Dark Forest still walked the earth. As he showed only regret that he hadn't done any worse, Redice was sentenced to death. I can testify that the sentence was carried out, as I witnessed his execution myself. Exile wasn't an option- this cat was an active threat to the rest of the forest, and to those outside it. I cannot offer you anything more, other than my sincerest apologies."
She glanced skyward for a moment, not daring to close her eyes. She did not need the memory of a lifeless, bloody corpse so fresh in her mind; nor the wounds her leader had suffered at his paws.
"We would have brought your warrior with us here, but... His injuries are severe. He wouldn't have survived the journey. You have my word that he will be safely returned to you once he's well enough to travel. I'm sorry that I don't know his name- as I said, he was gravely injured when we received him."
The unfamiliar tom spoke up, and Wolfblossom's heart sank. Stoatclaw... Or possibly Blackbear, she thought, but Leopardsun's words confirmed the identity to be a tom. "We were searching for him... That explains why we..." She spoke quietly, almost to herself, putting the pieces together as she felt her stomach twist.
And Wolfblossom's heart only sank further as Leopard continued to speak. A warrior hunted like prey, the Shadowclanner only regretful that he hadn't done worse. Stoatclaw was injured and Shadowclan's medicine cat tended to him... And that made Wolfblossom wish to have Stoatclaw back in the paws of his own clan, with a medicine cat who wasn't Burdockroot. The Shadowclanner who had done such a horrific deed had been executed, being a threat to the entire forest. Wolfblossom shuddered. Great Starclan... She thought. This Redice was a monster.
A slow exhale escaped Wolfblossom, as she fought to keep the mingled feelings of horror and fury from her expression. Stoatclaw was injured and on enemy territory, injured to the point he couldn't travel. And Shadowclan had executed the cat responsible? Wolfblossom was normally against exile, but if what Leopardsun said were true, this was a case where it was warranted. Her claws dug into the bark of the tree branch she perched on, and if she were another cat, perhaps she would imagine it to be this Redice that Leopardsun had spoken of with such horror and revilement. She almost wished it were.
"Stoatclaw is too injured to travel... May we see him, at least? And you say that his attacker was executed, do you have proof?" She didn't... Not trust Leopardsun, but Wolfblossom wanted confirmation of the deputy's words. She wanted to see with her own eyes that her clanmate was being looked after properly. She wanted to see that the one Leopardsun spoke of would no longer be a threat.
The unrecognizable of the pair speaking first was a bit of a surprise, though Birdstar offered him a flicked ear in acknowledgment of his reassurance. I would assume. This isn’t exactly a war party. Her teeth showed briefly with the desire to sneer out loud, but she kept the thought private. Despite her own poor mood and the tension in the air, she afforded him her trust. If for no reason other than Leopardsun’s presence, she granted that this was a peaceful endeavor.
His next words made her eyes sharpen though. The curtness, the lack of explanation… just that one of their warriors was hurt. ShadowClan had taken it upon themselves to take him to their camp.
Stoatclaw. Birdstar’s claws dug into the bark below her, resisting the urge to throw herself at the tom and demand an elaboration. She didn’t resist her bristling fur, not fighting when every hair started to stand on end. Leopardsun’s voice provided ample distraction, and Birdstar’s attention snapped to her. She largely ignored the brief formalities, but every word of the following story was deeply absorbed. Some ShadowClan warrior, apparently with all the tact and bloodlust of a dog. Her stomach churned with every detail, however vague.
Stoatclaw was not only missing– he’d been brutalized. Hunted and gutted like a hare, injuries so severe he couldn’t even make the journey home. And the warrior who’d done it, put to death before the pair had even arrived at their borders.
She wasn’t sure want to think. A very, very large part of her wanted to rip Nightstar’s throat out for allowing a cat like that to make it to warriorhood, let alone to trust him enough to be on his own. Or maybe she wanted to rip his throat out for assumedly giving the order to execute him. Whatever the tom’s name was- Redice, was it Leopardsun said?… Birdstar wanted to kill him herself. Maybe string him up in the trees, as a warning to anyone foolishly bold enough to attack one of her warriors so brazenly again.
Shaking her head, she straightened, body entirely stiff. She could not retroactively kill Redice, nor could she justify killing Nightstar when they’d gone through with an execution. She respected the justice dealt– she wasn’t sure if she would’ve been able to, not to put down one of her own. Unless they haven’t. Birdstar’s nose wrinkled. She wanted to doubt the idea. She wanted to see the corpse just as much.
Her head turned towards Wolfblossom, studying her sister for a moment, before she maneuvered slightly further down the tree, dropping onto a branch that put her shoulder-to-shoulder with her deputy. “Yes.” Birdstar echoed dryly. Cold green eyes flicked between Leopardsun and Rookfire before settling once more on the former. “I appreciate the blunt end you put to this– as much as I can, at least –but if this is where you expect things to end, I’ll say I don’t think I can take a final message of utter violence with grace.” Birdstar’s whiskers quivered. Would Stoatclaw even survive? If he died in Burdockroot’s care… a low, shivering breath left her. “I only have to repeat Wolfblossom’s questions. I’d love to visit my warrior and the body of yours.”
"I suspected you would want to see him," Leopardsun nodded. She couldn't blame them: she was sure she would have much the same response, were she the one receiving this particular message. It was easy to doubt, and natural to want proof. "You may visit Stoatclaw, and view the body of his attacker; provided that your eyes are covered while traversing our territory. Those are Nightstar's stipulations- a matter of security."
While she questioned the absolute heavy-handedness her leader favored in many of his methods, she couldn't deny that it was effective. His goal, as much as hers, was the safety of their Clanmates; and while Leopardsun focused on other threats, it was Nightstar who considered the potential risks posed by the other Clans. Not that Leopardsun thought them harmless, but she preferred to focus inwardly on ShadowClan and the threats that regularly invaded their territory.
Creamsky listened quietly as Birdstar and Wolfblossom spoke with the ShadowClan deputy, eyes narrowing as the deputy revealed that Stoatclaw - it had to be him - was nearly killed by one of their cats...And that they killed their disloyal warrior in return. He had nothing to add - it wasn't his place to speak, but as Wolfblossom and Birdstar demanded to see Stoatclaw and Leopardsun agreed, he finally found his voice. "Birdstar? Wolfblossom? Should we join you, or should Stormwatcher and I return to camp?" he asked, keeping his voice leveled and calm. Whatever thought he might have had of what he wanted to do, it barely mattered when both his leader and deputy were here to handle matters. If they wanted him to join them, so be it. If he was to return to the camp and inform the others that Stoatclaw has been located...Then he would do it as well.
Stormwatcher had zoned out early on in this conversation. As soon as it was clear that shadowclan was just being messenger it didnt really effect him that much. He really did try and focus but his mind wondered as Wolf talked to them about ... something?
Well he would be here if they were dumb enough to attack or anything like that. He really hoped they wouldnt do something like that cause getting into fights was very low on his list of how to stay alive and live an easy life.
He only sorta caught what was going on something about them having one of their warriors?? Dead shadowclanner over it all???
His ears flicked hearing his name from creamsky. Huh?? oh foxdung had Cream just asked him a question?
He looked blankly at his clanmate and just shrugged.
"uhh ermm what was that I couldnt hear you?" he sorta half lied, it wasn't so much a hearing thing as a he had just spaced out and mentally checked out of this whole conversation... it was just alot easier to blame his ears maybe.
His mind slowly registered it was probably what he and cream should be doing. OHHH ok... Cream was asking what they were to be doing. Well the choice was easy in Storm's mind
"I think we should go back to camp he offered.
More time in nest = good
........
Traveling through stinky shadowclan land and mud = bad
He thought quietly to himself
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Swiftheart of Shadowclan Rapidfire of Windclan Sprucebark of Riverclan Stormwatcher of Skyclan Eaglefly of Windclan Lavendercloud of Windclan Rainkit of Windclan
Rookfire mostly stayed silent when Leopardsun spoke. Honestly, he felt like Nightstar's thoughts were not something he could speak on with a clear mind, so he let ShadowClan's deputy speak. He so badly wanted to bring Redice's rotting corpse to them, so they could see it, but he also knew that Nightstar would probably not allow it (he didn't know why, but he felt that Nightstar would just... not let him bring the body of a clanmate to another clan, even if it was one of the most despicable cats to have come into ShadowClan). And even if he did, SkyClan also wanted to see their clanmate again, so it's reasonable that they would have to follow Nightstar's rules to enter camp.
However, Rookfire felt that it was really stupid to keep these cats blindfolded in the marshes. It would be stupidly difficult to navigate them through the marshes blindfolded without one cat dying. And even if a cat wasn't as excited for ShadowClan-SkyClan relations as he was, if one of SkyClan's cats died because of Nightstar's stupid policy, tensions would flare up even more than normal, and it could lead to full-blown war. And no one would want that coming from a problem that ShadowClan had already dealt with.
"I'm sorry that the journey to see your clanmate has to be this complicated, but Nightstar's word is law, as goes the warrior code." He spoke those words in an uncharacteristically neutral tone, as he had to completely hide the emotion in his voice. He hated that rule. Even with Flintstar, a leader that he respected and trusted, leading, he felt like that section would be weird and could cause a lot of problems with cats who wanted their opinions heard. As he thought about it, though, perhaps it was for times like today, so that cats wouldn't sabotage the diplomatic positions of their leaders. And one cat making a decision was definitely a lot faster than many. And Nightstar still talked with the council, something that Rookfire was on, so his opinions would always be heard.
None of that convincing could stop it from sickening him, though. He wanted to show SkyClan their injured-but-still-alive warrior, and the dead body of the ShadowClan cat who tried to murder him. But because of these stupid rules, rules he knew he had to accept even though he despised them, they couldn't resolve this in a much easier way. Honestly, he didn't think any SkyClan cat could figure out how to get through the marshes after one trip there and back. Each marsh is different, and SkyClan would have trouble figuring out where they could go. Nightstar didn't need to be this paranoid.
But he was, and there was nothing Rookfire could do about it. And now, the ball was back in SkyClan's paws, and it was their choice whether they took them on their offer or not.
______________________________________ Rookfire, ShadowClan T4 Warrior: 60/170 Kitespring, RiverClan T3 Warrior: 50/140 Laurelriver, WindClan T3 Warrior: 50/140 Hollypaw, SkyClan MCA: 20/50
As Leopardsun and Rookfire spoke in turn of each other, the large she-cat’s ears remained flattened to her head, gaze unblinking and unkind while she stared silently down. She had yet to gather any words that were more than a senseless string of curses– until Creamsky, thankfully sensible, spoke. Without turning around, Birdstar answered, “Yes. Both of you, go back to camp. Tell everyone Stoatclaw has been found, and that Wolfblossom and I will return later today.” With that and a flick of her tail, they were dismissed from the conversation.
The next moment, Birdstar was on the forest floor, looming over the ShadowClanners. “So, to be clear: a ShadowClan warrior gutted one of my cats like a mouse– an attack so severe that he can’t even return home. Supposedly, the offender was executed and left for the rats. And if I’m either to confirm that or make sure the SkyClan cat in your custody is still breathing, I get to walk blind through your notoriously treacherous marsh. That doesn’t sound like safe passage.” Birdstar’s tail flicked, and a puffing breath left her. Still, after only a moment she was continuing, “Wolfblossom, we’re going to ShadowClan.”
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