Open Backwritten Border ShadowClan a trail gone cold 彡 investigating

[GRAVELSPARK GRAVELSPARK]

{$title} A patrol is commanded to find the one responsible for Cicadabuzz's injuries.

Take you to the grave, I'll ghost

——————————​

// The aftermath of this thread. Any cats who posted in that thread or who are in the area may wander in. Do note that Serpentberry is NOT supposed to be discovered. The killing was clean, and she would not have left a scent or blood trail. It can, however, be assumed that ThunderClan is responsible with the proximity of where the death occurred to the border.

Voices are dulled into white noise by focus.

She followed in the medicine-cat's steps, stopping just short of the black strip. She stooped, huffing at the scents left behind. Cicadabuzz's was not hard to pick out—herbal—sharp—bitter. She huffed again, stirring the dirt beneath her chin, stocky frame hunched like a hound, tail dragging in the filth.

The scents were warped, muddled by the acrid stench of thunderpath. Gravel stopped only to lift her head, jaw cracking as she better absorbed the scents presented to her. Her breath rattled in her throat like pebbles in a rusted tin.

The ground was damp—wet bark and moss peeled back under her paws, stirred by movement, a dragging of unstable steps. Bug had stumbled through, paws dragging alongside a smaller set which she knows to be Magpiepaw's. A twitch of her ear shoos a fly. She shifts again, following the half-dried trail across disturbed ground.

"Blood here." She alerts in a horrible, dry rattling of vocal cords. Gravel slowly circles the spot once, then stills, studying it with a tilted head. Her good eye narrows, fixed on the impressions in the ground and the darkening splotches. The stench of blood lingered, but its staled much. Maybe the rest of the patrol would have better luck noting anything out of the ordinary.

@Fleapaw @Coalstrike @Mothbite

————————————————————————————————

I know I can be so cold

 

[Sealpaw Sealpaw]

You Say That You Are Close

Is Close The Closest Star?

x

Sablestar's mad dash out of camp had sent her heart pounding; Sealpaw's meal lay long forgotten by the freshkill pile as she hurried to follow her leader. What awaited them made her blood run cold.

'I can't believe it...' The smell of iron was so thick in the air, she had been surprised Cicadabuzz had been able to stagger to bug's feet. 'Who would do this to Cicadabuzz..?'

She'd barely had any time to try to ask what had happened before Sablestar was barking orders to find who had done this with such anger in his tone that the apprentice found herself scurrying after Gravel in a bid to avoid what she was sure was their leader about to blow his lid.

"Gravel... You were one of the first to show up, right? Wh... What happened..?" She trails after the other, uncertainly trying to fill the silence with something other than her heart pounding in disbelief. She was sure the rest of the patrol could hear it clearly. She already knows the answer, she's not so naive anymore. No one knows.

If anyone knew they all certainly wouldn't be spread out like this, sniffing along the thunderpath like dogs for the faintest hint of a clue. Her maw opens to taste the air, straining for anything out of the ordinary but all she can taste is the stench of the monsters whizzing past and Sealpaw coughs. Nothing.

A frustrated huff leaves her, blue eyes darting from their side of the thunderpath to Thunderclan's. It had to be them. No one else made sense. ...Then again... Riverclan could also be an option, she supposed. 'Was your heist worth it, Cicada..?'

Gravel's voice cuts through her thoughts and the apprentice hastily moves forward, honing in on the mess of blood with trembling pawsteps. Like the warrior before her Sealpaw's nose is lowered, nostrils flaring to take in any hint of who could have done this. It's somewhat familiar, not Riverclan then.

"...Thunderclan, I think..." Another monster roars past and Sealpaw sneezes at the smog blown in their faces. "I can't pick out any specific cat, though."

You Just Feel Twice As Far

SEALPAW

— Shadowclan Apprentice
— She/They
"SPEECH", 'THOUGHTS', ATTACK
— Grey Rosetted Tabby With Blue Eyes And A Bobbed Tail.
#4c66bf

 

[Mothbite Mothbite]

Still so young, Desperate for attention!

indenttt Sealpaw's here now, too. Was it the commotion that brought her, or the scent of blood? Either way, Mothbite is of half a mind to send her back to camp. Should a sensitive apprentice like her really be at the scene of an attempted killing? They let Fleapaw be here, though she's already seen worse, as far as Mothbite is aware. Maybe this experience will toughen Sealpaw up a bit?

indenttt He goes back to investigating, just as Sablestar had directed him. "You're right." He says, confirming Sealpaw's observation. "It's gotta be Thunderclan." The scent is familiar too - beyond just being Thunderclan. Was it another cat from the colony? If that was the case, Cicadabuzz would probably have known them as well. Did Cicadabuzz allow their attacker to get in close because they thought they were meeting with an old friend? The thought makes Mothbite's stomach churn.

ababaugfbiufhufbdfduibabababa

Mothbite | 23 moons | Shadowclan Nightguardbababbnihfibnfdifdhfhabbabab

 

[FLEAFIRE]

-

Fleapaw moved at a slower pace, lagging just a few pawsteps behind the others. She made no effort to hide her sluggish gait. If anyone had a reason to drag their paws, it was her—and she'd be quick to refute if anyone said otherwise. Never mind that she couldn't have cared less about who attacked that freak.

Shit, she hoped they never got caught. Maybe then they'd come back to finish their lazy half-assed job.

Her ears flicked at the sound of chatter ahead, and she rolled her eyes hard enough to make her head tilt. What did they think they were gonna find?

She limped to a stop, amber eyes narrowing on the edge of the Thunderpath. The blacktop still gleamed faintly in the midday light, the scorched scent of old monsters clinging to it.

"No shit it was ThunderClan." She chimed abrasively, as she shot a look across the border. Honestly, it was a shocker it didn't happen sooner. All that bad blood was bound to clot somewhere.

She nosed around, trying to look busy. "So what now? Battin' our eyes and askin' them all nice-like isn't gonna get them to hand over who did it." Fleapaw cast a glance toward her clanmates. Sablestar wasn't gonna appreciate them coming back with scraps.

Oh, no there ain't no rest for the wicked

FLEAPAW

10 MOONS
SHE/HER
- Undersized cinnamon solid with folded ears. She's thin but stubby with very messy fur.
"SPEECH" - crimson | 'THOUGHTS/EMPHASIS' - crimson

Fleapaw values family the most with survival at a close second. In conversations, she is blunt, fun-loving, and clever. She is guided by her desires which often leads her astray. Despite her abrasive personality, she cares deeply for those she loves and will do anything to protect them. Due to her experiences, Fleapaw is corrupt and has minimalistic, if any, morals. She does not care for the warrior code and its restraints. Neither does she believe in StarClan. Growing up in a kitten mill, being separated from her mother, and ending up on the streets have deeply affected her view of the world.

Until we close our eyes for good

 

[Coalstrike Coalstrike]

Coalstrike stood tall and still, his sharp amber gaze sweeping over the clearing as the others searched, paws rustling through undergrowth, noses close to the earth, ears alert. They were looking for answers, for anything that might explain what had happened to Cicadabuzz. Their medicine cat. Attacked, left bleeding. Left on death's steps. He wasn't sure what happened, but the other cat looked horrible and... ThunderClan's scent was thick in the air. Of course it was... Could it have been them? Likely. But nothing was certain, a pity.

He didn't scent rogue, though. Just ThunderClan... His tail lashed once behind him, slow and deliberate. Whatever the cause, this would not be left unanswered. He finally stepped forward, his heavy pawsteps quiet but firm as he gave a single, approving nod to those gathered.

" I wouldn't put it past our neighbors. " he said, voice low and calm, but edged with disdain. " They've resented our presence ever since we split from them. " His gaze flicked to the border, eyes narrowing, ears pricked. Calculating. " We bring what we know to Sablestar. Nothing more, nothing less. " he continued. " Little morsels they may be, but morsels can still tell a story. He'll judge what's to be done. " he rumbled, narrowing his eyes for a second before peering at Gravel, then lingering his eyes on Fleapaw.

" But make no mistake, this isn't over. " His voice grew sharper, colder. " We find out who did this. And when we do… we make sure they don't forget what happens when you strike ShadowClan. "

___________________ I DON'T FORGIVE, I DON'T FORGET ☆ A wound's a warning, a debt is a debt. ___________________

• "speech"
  

• 

• COALSTRIKE he/him, shadowclanner, sixty-six moons.
  ☆ a lh black cat dangerous amber eyes. has a mane around his head, is huge [ grandiose ]
  ☆ mentoring vanillapaw
  ☆ loyal to sable, despises thunderclan
  ☆ peaceful and healing powerplay permitted / / underline and tag when attacking
  ☆ penned by lion ↛ lionharted on discord, feel free to dm for plots.

 

[bluegale bluegale]

repay me,

in kind

Bluegale follows Gravel's assured tracking with half the attention he should probably be paying to a newcomer who hasn't even earned their warrior name yet. Though he had been more interested in trying to get as far away from the revival scene as possible than anything else. He had not borne direct witness to it, but anything involving Cicadabuzz was already unsetting enough that he did not want to see what had happened; nor did he want to see Sablestar nearly flying off the handle. And this seemed like a perfectly reasonable excuse to get away from all of that without looking like he was running for the hills.

The blood is beginning to dry when Gravel spots it, but this is to be expected. The scent is wavering, likely thanks to the acrid smell of thunderpath washing over it. Gravel does not say much, though this could be said of any interaction he has had with the new molly. His clanmates begin to pontificate, however. He, too, parts his jaws to take a few deep scenting breaths. But there is not much to identify. "Couldn't it have been RiverClan?" Bluegale comments as if it might be the most obvious second option in the world that certainly nobody has thought of besides him. He puffs out his chest slightly, proud of the idea that has just struck him, but equal parts trying to get rid of the useless feeling he has after not being able to find any further evidence himself.

"It would make sense," he looks to Coalstrike before he can get too far on their return to report back to Sablestar, as if seeking kit-like approval from the night guard "It isn't like we made friends with them."