call the nightingale [C]

Fish
T1 Rogue | Rogue | he/him

Fish had enough of dreary, hunched stones. They made everything around him seem drab and dull and colorless. The cold landscape and unforgiving snows didn't help, but at least the snow was pretty when the sunlight struck it right. He couldn't handle it anymore, sleeplessly staring at the slow-rising sun. Restlessness nipped at his pads. There was so much more out there.

And he was going to find it.

Mind made up, Fish unfurled himself from slouching and scurried off without announcement. He was going to go... somewhere! Go somewhere, find something, do something. Fish didn't know what the what to any of those suggestions was, but he was confident something lay in the beyond for him to discover. He set out at an eager clip, moving in the straightest line he could and frequently looking over his shoulder to make sure camp remained in sight. These outreaches of land weren't quite familiar under his paws, but he didn't feel as afraid of moving over them as he did the first time. He walked this direction a lot, when he went on his excursions; sometimes, it felt like he was being pulled this way. He was confident that whatever he was meant for, it was wherever there was.

Approaching the black strip of road made his paws draw up short. It was the only reason he knew which direction he was going, and the only reason he never dared to go farther. The stark border between known and unrecognizable lay before him. Unlike with Grub's inheritance of them, Fish had a choice in crossing this line. And... the thought of setting paw on it frightened him. He remembered how it felt when they crossed it the first time, coming out of the neighborhood: hard and cold under his paws, reeking so badly it made his growing fur stand on end, massive cars occasionally rumbling along. Fish could hear them, even from camp. The path, it... it scared him. Standing in front of it forced him to swallow uncomfortably, looking between the road and the dark patch of land beyond.

He was afraid, Fish couldn't deny that to himself. But he was so, so curious... Fish swallowed again, sucked in a deep breath, then bolted across the quiet road as fast as he could. He stumbled coming off it, edges of his toes catching on the lip into the snow, and the moment sent a bolt of fear through him. He rolled into the powder before he could catch himself, tumbling down the small slope until he rolled into an upright slouch. Fish took a moment to grumble before picking himself up and shaking the snow off his now-frigid pelt. When he looked over his shoulder, he could clearly see the trail of his messy descent; and when he scrambled through his own path to peer over the road again, he could see his pawprints laid out in the snow on the otherside, even though the outcroppings were foggy now.

"Good enough," he decided, turning back around to slide back down the snow. Despite the soft blanket covering the true earth underneath, Fish could feel the shift in the ground beneath his paws: the snow get less steady, and where it was laid thinner, he felt mud when his paw pressed down. "Gross." He marveled the first time, tail snapping once before he marched on.Just where was he? Thin, dying trees were beginning to crop up the farther along he walked; and farther, farther, they turned into real trees, boughs full. Fish couldn't help but slow to marvel at the sight, even though his paws were sinking into the sticky mud. He'd never seen anything like it before. Whatever this land was, it was pretty. Even though it smelled awful. Here, deep in the trees, it reeked of... was that other cats? Fish wasn't sure, but in some strange way, the scent reminded him of the Crew's. The bitter wind only made the scent stronger--fresh markers, or an active presence?

Jerking his paws out of the mud with a grumble of discontent, Fish trotted on. "He-llloooo?" He called out, head tilting this way and that. "Is anyone out there?" Could he hear the mud squelching under a different set of paws? He stopped in place to assess, and indeed, he could. Walking all disjointedly, or-- was it just a lot of paws...? It was hard to tell. Fish shook his head. The fight between interest and hesitance burning down his spine grew stronger. Despite the latter, Fish let the former win, as he often did. "Heeeeee-llloo? I can hear you." He called again, turning to look vaguely toward the approaching sounds.

profile | playlist | discord: downfive | timezone: est | code (c) kieer

Pineblossom

Pineblossom had accompanied her daughter on this last patrol. She could tell that Hedgepaw was exhausted and she made a mental note to tell Hedgepaw that she didn’t have to say yes to every thing that someone requested of her…but perhaps she had learned that lesson today given how much she was yawning and half-stumbling about. Things were always quiet at dawn, and so Pineblossom didn’t think anything would happen to her sleepy daughter anyway…Until she heard a voice.

She saw Hedgepaw scamper to a tree for cover and Pineblossom headed out to be the thing of interest to whatever rogue had decided to set foot on their territory. When she saw the cat in question, however, she paused and tilted her head. This cat looked like a child. Were he a clan cat, he would still not be allowed out of the nursery.

“This is not your land, rogue,” Pineblossom said to the kit. He smelled nothing of the other clans, and so she knew that he was an outsider from their traditions. She tilted her head. “Just where are your parents?”

ShadowClan • Tier 5 • She/Her • 70 | 160 • #6699ff

Credits: code inspiration - 1 2 |  image 1 | image 2 | image 3

Fish
T1 Rogue | Rogue | he/him

He'd been off in guessing the exact direction those pawsteps came from, but Fish was close enough to facing the right way that movement in his periphery caught his attention. The little cat hiding in the shadows would've escaped his notice if it weren't for her shockingly green eyes and squeak of fright. A little giggle broke through Fish's teeth. He could see her clearly, now that he knew where to look: dark as the muddy world that held her, but a whole lot prettier than plain old mud. Little white paws, and she was only about as big as him! He could make a friend of her, Fish was sure of it. ...If he could get her to come out of hiding, at least. What'd he do to scare her so bad, anyway? Well, it didn't matter. He had a question to answer. Fish got his mouth half-open and his tail half-raised before he was interrupted by the appearance of a much bigger cat.

Fish blinked at her, just once. She looked just like little-cat, if more white. She spoke plainly, too; none of that annoying kit-talk. He liked her already. "My name's not rogue. You sound like my mom-- she only ever called me kitten. And I'm not even a rogue, anyway! I'm part of the Crew." Fish broke into a grin so wide it split his face, forcing his sparkling eyes almost wholly shut. "Am I trespassing? Is this Clan territory? You're Clan cats, aren't you?" His tail trembled with excitement. Did he really run into Clan cats by accident?! What a delight! How lucky could he get? "Then I guess I am a rogue to you, right? Don't Clan cats call every outsider a 'dirty rogue?'" There was a surety to his voice like there could be no possible answer except yes, but the lilt of a question was still present in his voice. "Are you her mother? You look just like her. Are Clan kits allowed to wander without their parents? I'm not really supposed to, but I couldn't just stay there." He had a thousand more rapidfire questions to ask... but he had some to answer, too. He had questions to answer! Not just ask!

"I don't know where my mom is--some house somewhere. Pop rescued us out of a box after she abandoned us and I don't know where her house was." He shrugged. It made his paws hurt to tell them about, which was... strange. That'd never happened before. Fish's squint flashed into something sharper before his expression brightened again. He started to turn, tail flicking to gesture as he mewed, "Pop and all my siblings and the rest of the Crew are--" but Fish found himself stopping short. His pawprints in the snow-mud had gotten twisted together by all his turning, and he didn't know what trail of prints were his anymore. His ears flattened against his head and his heart leapt into his throat. Fish swallowed hard around it and turned back around. "I- don't know where they are anymore. They're across the road." His voice wavered a bit with that answer. He tried so hard not to get lost... maybe he could convince these two to take him back, when they were done with him. "But don't worry! Pop probably isn't worried, and I'm not worried." His head tilted down, looking towards the little she-cat peering curiously at him from her protective tree. Blinking warmly, he finally answered, "My name's Fish. That's a good introduction, right? Right, and that means it's your turn to share. Who are you? Both of you?"

profile | playlist | discord: downfive | timezone: est | code (c) kieer

Pineblossom

Pineblossom stared at the little rogue, blinking periodically as he spoke. He certainly did not hold himself like a typical rogue, but that could just be due to his age…He did seem rather excited to be in Clan territory, and not for any seemingly malicious reasons. The more he spoke, the more confused and—somewhat—alarmed she grew as well. It sounded like Fish had been stolen from somewhere. Twolegplace maybe, from the sound of ‘house.’ Pineblossom had been told stories as a kit about rogues who stole away kits, but she didn’t think they were true.

She looked at her daughter, who suddenly seemed much chattier than she had been moments ago. Her gaze returned to Fish and she grimaced. “Well, it does sound like he has a place to return to…Although. Are you certain that it is a safe place?” She addressed Fish with that last question. He was so young, and to be wandering out on his own—especially crossing the Thunderpath from the sound of things! Pineblossom felt those familiar maternal instincts yanking in her chest.

ShadowClan • Tier 5 • She/Her • 70 | 160 • #6699ff

Credits: code inspiration - 1 2 |  image 1 | image 2 | image 3

Fish
T1 Rogue | Rogue | he/him

Something he'd said earned a squeak from behind the tree. Between words, Fish spared a glance toward the head peeking curiously at him. He wondered if this was how he got her to come out of hiding-- pressing hidden buttons--and there her small voice came, quick to contest him. Fish wasn't expecting indignation to come from the little Clan cat, but it felt strangely rewarding to hear. Not like real, line-crossing upset; she just spoke with conviction. His whiskers twitched, only offering amusement to appease her affront. When Fish looked again, letting his eyes linger now as he gave his name, he was surprised to see she'd almost wholly left the cover of her tree. She nearly retreated but stayed her paws. A sense of pride thrummed warm through Fish's blood.

Though not in the same racing manner as he spoke, defending herself seemed to embolden the apprentice. She asked several questions of him, and Fish couldn't stop his tail from swishing with delight.  "Whadda you know," he purred cheekily, "she speaks. And she's got legs." It felt so nice to have questions asked, rather than just prattling them off forever; it was even better to have at least some of his own questions answered rather than brushed off, or given half-answers, or nonsensical answers. She--Hedge Paw--was actually engaging with him.

Some of her questions made his fur feel just a bit chillier though, and it ruffled appropriately in response. He didn't want to admit directly to being lost; he didn't want to go home with them, either! Although, the simple fact that she wanted to take him was tempting... Fish shook his head against his own thoughts. He had a home! And if he went about with Clan cats, Grub and Ajex were sure to have his ears for it. Or Hedge Paw's ears, and Fish didn't want that for her. Shaking himself out again, he followed Hedge Paw's pleading eyes up to her mother. The grimace that was resting on him made him blink several times with fuzzy surprise.

"Well, yeah," Fish answered quickly. Of course it was safe--it was his home. But the question combined with the wrinkled expression made his stomach knot uncomfortably. He didn't like the odd taste of doubt lingering as an aftertaste to his response. Still, Fish winked and chirped, "Safe as Clan life, right? We've got predators 'n' enemy cats just like you," mostly to convince himself. "I mean--Pop wouldn't bring us there if it wasn't safe, right?" Still, he doubted. Grub didn't seem as concerned with their safety as he ought to be, but he kept them fed and sheltered. Entertained the lot of them far more than Ma, anyway. Fish shrugged and looked to Hedge Paw again. Playfully sticking out his tongue, he said, "Shadow Clan can't have me. I gotta go back to my own camp."

...somehow. Fish's brow furrowed. "I think I am lost, though," he muttered. There was an ever-so-slight edge of bitterness to his mew there. "I can get back s' long as one of you knows where the road is. We can see the Crew's camp from there." Fish plucked his paws out of the mud and padded to the pair, heedless of any unspoken boundary he may cross. Looking up at Hedge Paw's mother, he sighed out, "I'd ask you, but I didn't hear a name for me to ask." His ear twitched with amusement and Fish quickly swung his shining eyes back to Hedge Paw's, noticing, for the first time, the glimmer in her own brilliant green eyes. His smirk had dimmed, but it returned in force now. "So, Hedge Paw," Fish purred, "you can be the one to help me get home, alright?"

profile | playlist | discord: downfive  | timezone: est | code (c) kieer

Pineblossom

When Fish asked Hedgepaw to help him back home across the Thunderpath of all places, Pineblossom felt a twitch in her face. She kept her expression schooled while Hedgpaw and Fish spoke and she only spoke herself when Hedgepaw turned back to her. Pineblossom sighed and shook her head. “I will not allow you to cross that place alone…Fish. But Hedgpaw is certainly not crossing it herself. It is a very dangerous place.” She grimaced. The Thunderpath was not far but she didn’t want to leave Hedgepaw alone. Fish seemed like an innocent little kit, so unlike rogues she knew, but a rogue was still a rogue; and thus she could not wholly rule out this being a trick of sorts. To her daughter she said, “Come, Hedgepaw. You won’t cross the path but you will wait in the shrubs until I return.”

She guided them off back towards the Thunderpath and kept her eyes on Fish as they did. He was so small, but he didn’t look neglected exactly. He knew some things. She just hoped that this Pops, whoever he was, actually did take good care of Fish.

When they arrived at the Thunderpath she said, “I will carry you. It’s a miracle you crossed safely at all the first time.” Pineblossom looked at Hedgepaw and said quite seriously, “Do not cross after me. No matter if something happens. I can handle myself. If anything does happen, you are to run straight to camp and let Leopardstar know.” A beat passed and she added, “But nothing will. Just stay here.”

Stars forbid she got run over by a monster trying to get this kit home.

Pineblossom leaned down and picked Fish up by his scruff. “Ready?” she asked through closed teeth.

ShadowClan • Tier 5 • She/Her • 70 | 160 • #6699ff

Credits: code inspiration - 1 2 |  image 1 | image 2 | image 3

Fish
T1 Rogue | Rogue | he/him

"Dangerous?" Fish echoed with humor and disbelief. Did he look dangerous? Of course he didn't! Patches of his coat were still scruffy with kitten down. The Clan hatred of rogues wasn't just disdain; they must have received the same lectures Ajex gave about them. Vile threats that kill on sight--a statement that could be made true about anyone, so long as you painted them as an enemy. But he wasn't a threat to the Clan cats, just small and curious and lost. And they'd been nice to him! Fish squinted. Underneath the warm feeling tingling all throughout his limbs, he felt a little sour about that. Why spin the lie that all of them, each and every one on either side, were as mindlessly ruthless as dogs? Maybe Ajex and the others just never had experience's like this. Fish had the feeling they wouldn't listen if he told them about this living proof, though. "Well, I'm not," he assured after only a beat.

Fish tried not to feel the twinge that stirred, accompanying the sourness, when Hedge Paw spoke of friends and mothers. He didn't like thinking about Magnolia or her housefolk and how easy it was to be given up. It made him feel small, sad; not quite right. And he'd never given it much thought before, but it dawned on him then that he didn't have friends. He had siblings and guardians and, on occasion, a passer-by to bother. But not friends. And that was--quite suddenly--quite lonely. He didn't like that feeling, either.

While they began to walk to the road (the Thunderpath, they called it--Clan cats sure had strange words!), Fish continued talking. "It's not that bad. I have my siblings and a couple of big cats like her to look after me. It's not lonely." There he went, convincing himself again. "And I know I'm not allowed. But you're not mean, and you didn't bite me. Neither did she. I can get attacked and bitten anywhere I go, by cats or predators. Right?" Fish shrugged and grinned again. "So why's it matter where I am if I'm not doing anything wrong? I just wanna explore 'n' learn."

It wasn't long before the familiar acrid stench of the road caught on the air; even quicker after that, it came into view. Fish swiveled away from Hedge Paw and blinked in surprise. "Wow," he trilled quietly. He looked up, blinking at the golden eyes which had been subtly lingering on him. One day he'd get a hang of this whole... knowing his way around thing. For now, though-- he was getting carried across the road? Just to cross the road? Grub didn't even carry them on their trip around the world! Fish thought his paws still ached from that, sometimes. The gesture put stars in his eyes, blinking up at the dark-furred she-cat.

"Alright!" He cheered, bouncing a half-step closer. But, the moment Pineblossom leaned down for him, he scrambled back with a hurried, "Wait!" He darted over to the shrubs where Hedge Paw hid, sliding to a halt right in front of her. "We're friends now, right? Don't forget about me! I'll have lots of questions next time we see each other, like what her name is because she never told me and who Quill Splash is and what the Shadow Clan is really like and all of that. Bye now!" Quick and brusque, Fish bapped his nose against hers as if to seal their decided friendship. Then he scurried back over to sit right down at the warrior's forepaws, craning his head back to look up at her. "Alright, now I'm ready."

profile | playlist | discord: downfive | timezone: est | code (c) kieer