Open Territory Kittypet Enter: the sinner

[Joseph]

{$title} baby boy left home by necessity and stumbled into the outskirts of shadow clan days later; baby boy is scared bc he is a baby boy

((Hi hiii~ Please forgive possible improper tagging/descriptions, I'll get it with some exposure orz))

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96 hours had gone by before he left the safety of all he knew.

It was a difficult step, but by no means a choice. He knew it was coming as the days leading up to the late priest's passing grew slower and quieter.
The man went peacefully in his sleep. He went… alone. A man who knew nothing but his path, and his small companion; if only for a short time. It was all that small companion knew. The priest, his words, his kindness.

He was not prepared for what came next. Maybe the old man intended to tell him, but death was ahead of schedule– like how his feeding grew more random in the last number of days.
Maybe the priest simply couldn't have known what came next for a cat. Though he preached we were one in the same, this turn in life was not described in scripture nor verse.

Perhaps it was a trial? Were trials reserved for our small companions, too?

It took 96 hours for Joseph to leave his home. For him to finish the food that remained and to accept that staying was not a choice. If he stayed, he would only end up cold and alone like the priest.
It was time to go.

~~~

The woods were not new to him, nor the priest. His home was far away and isolated from society, but never had Joseph wandered so far. He knew the outskirts surrounding his home. He learned the forest even more beyond that, but to continue past his comfort, to lose sight of the house… it was no easier than the final step out of the house itself.

Joseph wandered the thick woods for two days. His paws grew sore and his claws exposed to conditions that wore them in ways he was certain they'd break. He weakened more than he knew he could as securing food was blind luck on his part, and obliviousness on another's, but he indulged in whichever small creek he stumbled upon. Water should never be taken for granted.

It was a period of time after all that journeying Joseph stumbled upon a clearing. Though it was dark, and stale, this one was by no means barren, at least by scent. It smelled of life- of activity. It made him stop in his tracks and wonder if he were losing his mind to the madness the forest brings with miles of trees and green you could lose yourself in and never find your way back– no.
This was…lived in. He didn't know why anyone would choose to live around a damp mush, but…

He stayed away. When the realization that he'd found signs of life struck him a second time, he was pulled from his stupor and checked his surroundings within the outskirts. The sky, the diminishing shrubbery surrounding him. He heard nothing, saw nothing. Surely there couldn't have been just nothing. He couldn't handle such a cruel joke. This stalemate froze him at his core and the feline laid low in a bush for hours more: eyes wide and impatient. This opportunity was far too big to run from, but to look for more, to look for proof he found feline-kind was… absolutely paralyzing. Yet as he lowered closer to the ground, their existence too smelled closer.

What, after all, was a few more hours of watching and waiting? Waiting for a soul to pass by. Wait for somebody, or something to confirm he was not losing his mind. Have it end in life or death, something would find him. Surely, something. Something…​

 

[Mothbite]

Still so young, Desperate for attention!

indentttMothbite still hasn't spent much time in this part of the marsh. They'd spent the last moon scrambling to get things set up at camp. Without shelter, they'd freeze within a few nights, so it was a lot of work to build and reinforce the places to sleep, adding layers of leaves and bark to block out the cold. The snow, while not as deep as in other parts of the forest, still needed to be cleared to make paths between different dens, so they could move about without getting their paws too wet. A little bit of mud was still inevitable. Maybe, come greenleaf, they could cover the ground with leaves or pebbles or something, to make a barrier between them and the mud?

indentttHe mulls this over as he stalks through the underbrush. The part of his brain that isn't thinking about civil engineering is keeping his ears and nose alert for the scent of prey. It's warmed up just a little bit the past few days - maybe some ill fated skink or snake had woken up early, and would be sluggish enough to easily catch.

indentttInstead, he catches the scent of a cat. He hardly thinks anything of it at first. Cats live here, it's gonna smell like cats! It's not until Mothbite spots a sliver of grey fur that he realizes, he doesn't recognize the scent.
"Hey! If you're thinkin' of stealing our prey, you've got the next thing coming!" Mothbite bursts through the bushes, confronting the stranger. Now that he can get a clear look at him, the strange cat doesn't really seem like a prey-stealing type, not on purpose, at least. He seems skittish, uncomfortable in the cold wilderness. 'A kittypet.' Mothbite's brain supplies.

indenttt"The hell are you doing here anyways. Run back to your little twoleg nest, alright?" Mothbite's voice loses some of it's fury and venom, but his tail still twitches in annoyance. What the hell was this cat thinking, wandering away from his cushy home in the middle of leafbare?

ababaugfbiufhufbdfduibabababa

Mothbite | 19 moons | Warrior of Shadowclan bababbnihfibnfdifdhfhabbabab

 

[Joseph]

He was on his own. Stars above, he was on his own. Now that he'd finally stopped running and settled in to rest, the reality dawned on him, crushing him under its weight. It absorbed his focus.
Joseph was so caught up in his thoughts, eyes locked down across the distance, he was wholly unaware of the presence closing in on him, no matter how loud or quiet they were.

The very thing he waited for, in and out of consciousness as he fought back sleep.
It simply snuck up on him when he least expected it: quietly, suddenly.

Joseph yelped, jumping off the ground from where he once laid and landed hard on his paws, hackles up and blue eyes wide. Was he ready to fight? Is that what this adrenaline was? Would he? … Could he?
"I- prey? No, never; I'm not here to steal anything, I…" Compose yourself, you're pathetic. You aren't on guard, you're terrified.
Joseph's posture loosened.

They're… they're here. He was right- cats were here.

"...I can't go back. The old man passed in his sleep." You're still pathetic, but it's true– no point in lying. "I stayed as long as I could, short of accepting death myself. We lived out in the forest, you see. I just…wandered until I ended up here. It's been days, are… you said 'our?' There's more of you here?" Truthfully it was hard to tell. He could smell cats, but so much of it was muddied by the environment, his untrained nose knew little beyond primal instinct.

 

[Coalstrike]

I'LL SHOW NO MERCY, I'LL SHOW NO REMORSE.

——————————​

Coalstrike moved silently through the underbrush of ShadowClan's territory, his mind working over a series of decisions that weighed heavily on him. The borders, for instance. They needed to be properly defined, firmly established. The last thing they all needed was for one of Hawthorne's pathetic group to wander too close. It irked him to no end that Juniper had taken the reins. A fool's choice, in his eyes. But he kept those thoughts buried deep, knowing that Sablestar was already too volatile where that she-cat was concerned. Ridiculous. She had made her choice, it was not power. It was weakness... The best thing their leader could do was get over her and move on. There were enough shecats fine enough for him here.

His tail flicked in frustration as he continued his path, his movements fluid and calculated. But suddenly, voices pierced the otherwise quiet forest. One was familiar, he recognized it as a youngling, Mothbite if he remembered correctly... He was speaking to another. Who? His gaze narrowed as he drew closer. The second voice was definitely not from any of Hawthorne's band, nor any other cat he recognized. No, this was someone entirely different.

A kittypet.

The anger in his belly flared. He stalked forward, amber eyes cold and narrowed, settling himself next to Mothbite with deliberate force, making sure his broad frame towered over the intruder.

" That does not sound like a problem for us. " he rumbled, his voice like gravel. He allowed his presence to swell, ensuring the kittypet felt his full weight. " What happened to your twolegs is your issue, but it will not be solved by intruding on OUR territory. Turn tail and leave. "

—————————————————————————————————

I'll watch the battle until the dust is clear.

 

[Nettlefrost]

┍

There's mud in his fur and it drags at his legs. His paws are damp and chilled by the leaf-bare air. Despite the pools and damp earth, there's a lack of humidity that he could only attribute to the season. He supposes there are worse climates than this. ShadowClan was at least somewhat mild, though he hadn't missed the occasional brush of frost in the early mornings.

Today is not so bad, and so he wanders, paws unusually loud. In the old territory, where two clans had been one, he had memorized every rock, twig, and crack in the earth. His steps had been entirely silent, and he had moved with the grace of a practiced hunter.

Here, though, things were different. He was still learning the layout of it all. His paws broke sticks and fumbled over dried leaves. At the very least, he hadn't run into any trees yet. No, he was cautious, feeling the world around him with both his own feet and the whiskers which guided him further into the thick undergrowth of ShadowClan's territory.

As he wanders, his ears pick up on something distant. Though his eyes might not work, his hearing was far better. Moons of adaptation to his lack of sight had sharpened his other senses considerably. Curiousity drove Nettlefrost closer, one slow step at a time. The others would hear him coming far before he arrived. The warrior was acutely (and frustratingly) aware of the noise he was making.

All in due time, he tells himself with a sigh. He would learn every inch of this place and he'd be a formidable hunter once more.

He arrives just in time to hear the last words of the conversation. He recognizes the scents of Coalstrike and Mothbite. The other smell is that of a stranger. Nettlefrost hangs back, eyes narrowed, though sightless, upon the newcomer. Twolegs, Coalstrike had said. A kittypet. Ugh.

"Can you make that decision?" Nettlefrost questions aloud, though the softness of his tone indicates that he doesn't necessarily disagree with Coalstrike's choice. He isn't sure how Sablestar would want to handle such a thing, though he also isn't entirely sure where the leader even is. Nettlefrost certainly has no interest in trekking the hours back to camp just to find out.

"I suppose it doesn't matter. He's right. We have enough mouths to feed. Do you even know how to hunt?" His attention shifts to the kittypet, expression stoic, and though his tone was not as biting as Coalstrike's, it was certainly far from nice. Kittypets had no place in these woods.

‎┙

 

[Joseph]

He was unaware of others closing in: the sound of his own heart filling his ears and muting his senses faster than seconds could tick by. Joseph fidgeted in place before his matted tail wrapped firmly around his paws in a subconscious gesture of unease or some degree of self consciousness. It was not a smooth, nor confident display on his part, but Joseph wasn't the sort to play himself up anyway. Never was.

Now since he fallen from the pedestal of 'mild behaved cat,' he was only desperate.

It didn't take any degree of aptitude to notice when you were entirely outclassed. Though the two before him had little in common, they also shared an aura of…not power per se, but belonging? The lack of comfort and security here molded them in ways he couldn't understand, but still acknowledge. If the priest taught him anything, it was never to take another for granted. Especially not in their own playing field.

And yet Coalstrike's words made something turn in him. He should have accepted that and turned tail: if there was no room here for him, then that was that, end of story, but, "then where am I supposed to go to lay down and die instead? Should it be in your territory, or outside of it?"
Two years of comfort lost swelled deep in his chest and came forth as desperation. He came all this way to be looked at and told no? Joseph stared deep, but shakily up at the feline towering over him. Yet he remained where he sat firm.
"I will die on my own and I've come too far to just accept that- I… that's ridiculous- I'm sorry, I can't."

If he were going to die here, he might as well get upset about it. The only thing to break his focus on Coalstrike was yet another voice that caused him to visibility flinch downwards- as if the larger male before him went to strike. Likely because he was anticipating it, at this point. Joseph knew he alone was out of line in this interaction.
He finally lowered his gaze enough to trail over to Nettlefrost and the reality of what his presence would bring came full circle with his dwindling adrenaline.

What did he possibly have to show to earn a place here?

Joseph was silent for a moment as his attention drifted. "...I can't hunt well. I'd made it this far by luck." Well, he had his honesty going for him, at least. "But I'm willing to learn. I also…" his ears and head perked up, then he immediately trailed off in reconsideration. Twolegs, they called them. It made sense out here that humans weren't viewed in a positive light, but if he had anything... "I've learned much from the twolegs, maybe it could be of use here? I know good materials for homes, and I've watched the twolegs treat sickness. I can care for kits, too. " Was that heretical here? Maybe? Chances were, they had their own methods long standing the test of time for anything he could think up, but... desperate times called for desperate measures. Blue eyes scanned the present parties once more before lowering to the ground.

 

[Mothbite]

Still so young, Desperate for attention!

indentttUgh, what a pain. He just came out here for a routine patrol, and now he's got moral dilemmas to solve? A typical day in his miserable life, Mothbite supposes.

indenttt Mothbite has doubts that Joshua's 'Twolegs' have taught him anything too terribly useful. He's pretty sure Twolegs just spend all their time bumbling about and making their monsters run people over. Still, maybe another healer would be nice? And he's always happy to have a nicer den to sleep in...

indenttt Maybe Mothbite just feels bad for the guy. He's clearly way out of his depth here, and he'll totally die if they leave him out here. They could give him a chance, right?
"If you've lasted this long, maybe you aren't completely useless." Mothbite mews. As if lasting a few days outside is some crazy feat. "Why don't we go back to camp and let Sablestar deal with this?" That way, whatever happened, the blood would be off his own paws.

ababaugfbiufhufbdfduibabababa

Mothbite | 19 moons | Warrior of Shadowclan bababbnihfibnfdifdhfhabbabab

 

[SABLESTAR]

The stories of wild cats and their teeth-gnashing, bone-eating methods had lingered in the shadows of the forests before the time of this resurgence of Clanhood. Long before Fray had been a thought, that is sure. It is a bold attribute for any cat who's only ever known the life of softness to approach that wild touch and perhaps that, despite Joseph's sorry state, Sablestar would be willing at all the extend some sort of generosity towards the kittypet.

He is unaware of any intrusion, potential or otherwise, until it is his Clan that brought forth the tom. "Nettlefrost, Mothbite. Coalstrike." It is unusual for the leader to be so formal but in the presence of a stranger it is a means of establishing where authority was placed in this transaction. Names befitting of their nature.

Scarred eyes move to settle on Joseph in a brief assessment beyond the fact he was clearly starving. "What have you brought me?" And is it worth his time.

this heart beats cold like the devil his own

• "mew"
• 

  SABLESTAR— he/him ･fifty-four moons ･leader; shadowclan ･penned by gonkpilled

  a black and white tuxedo with dark amber eyes

 

[Mothbite]

Still so young, Desperate for attention!

indentttMothbite's ear flicks. "Dunno. Found him hiding in some bushes." His gaze shifts to the white-and-grey tom. Ugh. Just looking at him is giving Mothbite sympathetic hunger pangs. It's not that long ago he was in the tom's place, out of a home and with nothing to eat. "Says his twoleg died, so he's on his own. He's willing to join, if we're willing to take him "
Mothbite averts his gaze. If Sablestar is gonna kick this guy out, he better hurry up and do it. And if not - well, Mothbite is sure he can scrounge up something for him to eat, if only because it'll wipe that miserable look off of his face.

ababaugfbiufhufbdfduibabababa

Mothbite | 19 moons | Shadowclan Nightguardbababbnihfibnfdifdhfhabbabab

 

[Coalstrike]

I'LL SHOW NO MERCY, I'LL SHOW NO REMORSE.

——————————​

His gaze lingered on Nettlefrost as the tom questioned him, questioned his decision. For a moment, his tail lashed, ready to snap back at the warrior. Almost. Until he realized there was no malice in Nettlefrost's words, only curiosity. His eyes narrowed briefly before shifting back to the kittypet. " Perhaps not. " The agreement was sour, laced with reluctance as he cast a glower at Joseph. " Then perhaps Sablestar is our go-to. "

Though if it were up to him, this would not be the cat he'd allow in their midst. But… he had wit. Coalstrike would give him that much. The kittypet had wit, meeting their sharp words with sharper ones, asking instead where he ought to lie down and die. A snort, an eye roll, before he finally took a deep breath. He couldn't hunt, but he was willing to learn. Fine. He was trying to be of use. Materials for homes. Treating sickness. Caring for kits.

Kits.

A sigh. Without another word, he turned to follow after Mothbite, tail flicking as a silent signal for Joseph to keep up. They led him through camp, paws treading familiar paths until they finally stood before Sablestar. Coalstrike dipped his head in a curt but respectful nod, listening as Mothbite spoke. When the tom finished, Coalstrike's voice followed, steady and direct. " He cannot hunt. He'll have to be taught, perhaps placed with the apprentices. Put a paw behind his name. " His tone was flat, gaze settling on Sablestar before flicking back to Joseph. " He mentioned being able to care for kits. Gathering materials for dens. Treating sickness. "

And there it was, the weight of the decision left in the leader's paws.

—————————————————————————————————

I'll watch the battle until the dust is clear.

 

[Nettlefrost]

┍

Nettlefrost isn't so sure that training the kittypet would be worth the energy or the resources spent, but he supposed Mothbite had a point. Regardless, it was Sablestar's problem, and it seemed that even Coalstrike relented to that detail. Nettlefrost regards the kittypet with sightless eyes, though he says nothing more. Simply turns to follow the others back to camp. He takes up the rear, ears alert and forward and paws moving cautiously over unfamiliar terrain. By the time the group had returned to camp, the scent of kittypet had been swept across the clearing by the breeze. Curious faces poked from the dens, eyes glowing in the shadows of their home. Nettlefrost lets the other warriors do the talking. After all, everything important had already been said. It was up to Sablestar now, and the kittypet to show himself worthy to their leader. Nettlefrost was content to listen.

‎┙

 

[Joseph]

He did it, he made it. Maybe? Though he felt the judgment in his direction, the tension surrounding him lifted; so far as Joseph could tell anyway.
Naturally, he would follow in tow: an anxious look thrown across his… companions, sure, before lowering his gaze.
Nettlefrost got a more lingering stare from Joseph: his small frame stepping side to side in an awkward stalemate-uncertain if the blind feline should go before or after him- before finally settling on quickly pacing after Coalstrike in line.

~~~~~

If he didn't intrude on the others' territory on his own before, he certainly felt like he did now. The air here was heavy with attention and it was all on him. Did he hold himself high in some false display of confidence, or continue to keep his head down like the intruder he was? Joseph's adrenaline wore thin. He was not a confrontational cat.

Meeting Sablestar… could have been worse? He anxiety-addled mind was imagining a tom like Coalstrike, but worse. A big, intimidating, and maybe kinda angry cat. Maybe that's how Joseph imagined leaders.
He allowed the others to speak for him, though his attention was on Sablestar alone. Terrified for certain, yet feigning composure.
Surely, if things went south for him now, this would be the end. He questioned if this was the right choice and then immediately swatted the doubt away. It was this or nothing. This or death. This, or a sooner or later end.

Joseph's breath hitched as Mothbite and Coalstrike finished speaking. It was his turn now, right? Or did they collectively come to a conclusion for him? He had to say something for appearances sake. "They're correct, I cannot hunt as I am but I need somewhere to go- I'm alone and I couldn't survive this way. I… I know I can't pull my weight now, but I don't intend to live off your kindness either. I promise I'll learn and grow somehow." He felt faint. Oh, whatever powers exist, keep him standing a few moments more. He had too much time left to return to the old man's side now.

 

[SABLESTAR]

It isn't the best they've come across as far as potential goes, but at least it seemed like Joseph was aware of that much. Timber had been made known with his lackluster fighting but he had shown well in his ability to wrangle up the nursery's young and occasionally even hunted for their own prey. The tom has probably never known hunger until now, living his kittypet days in a luxury few here would take. He surely knew nothing of how to use his claws, either, but where could he go?

ThunderClan might take him in, knowing the soft-bellied cats they were. ShadowClan wasn't in need of caretakers, not for how soon some of the kits would become apprentices. "Would you be willing to learn, to hunt?" Sablestar asked as he glanced over to the prey pile, still meager as the day had hardly started. "We're not a charity, you earn your meals here, but we could work out a deal." He looked to Mothbite and Coalstrike again. "He gets one bit of prey, no strings attached. But after that he has to earn his prey from what he learn, at least until I've seen he's ready to become a warrior." Someone would have to teach him though... "He'll learn from me, best way to monitor his progress."

this heart beats cold like the devil his own

• "mew"
• 

  SABLESTAR— he/him ･fifty-four moons ･leader; shadowclan ･penned by gonkpilled

  a black and white tuxedo with dark amber eyes

 

[Mothbite]

Still so young, Desperate for attention!

indentttMothbite exhales, relaxing a little. The new guy wouldn't die today, at least. There's no telling whether he'll last, but if he's determined as he seems to be, he might just make it around here. At Sablestar's request, he moves to the freshkill pile to grab something for the kittypet to eat. Nothing too big, yet. Mothbite knows from experience that eating too much all at once after a lean period is a one-way trip to stomachache town. Someone's managed to catch a young muskrat, which might serve a delicate pallet, but he's sure his clanmates will have his hide if he gives away the 'good' prey to an outsider who can hardly hunt for himself. Instead, Mothbite selects a succulent looking frog. Other cats may turn their noses up at it, but he really doesn't mind them. The body itself might not be the best, but the muscular legs are pretty tasty. The new guy will have to get used to it if he wants to live here, anyways.

indenttt"Here, eat." Mothbite drops the frog in front of the grey tomcat, speaking curtly. He sits down, curling his tail around his paws.
"Who are you, anyways. We've given you a meal but you still havent given us your name."

ababaugfbiufhufbdfduibabababa

Mothbite | 19 moons | Shadowclan Nightguardbababbnihfibnfdifdhfhabbabab

 

[Joseph]

Joseph went through a visible rollercoaster of emotions.
Okay– okay, he's in. That's fantastic. That's the goal.
He has to learn to hunt. As soon as possible. This had to be the hardest trial, he figured.
Someone has to teach him though, he has no idea where to begin.
Ah, okay, the leader will teach him.
…The leader.

Joseph went from slouching, to perking up, to a thoughtful stare and then a sudden look of excitement into grim concern. He had… a lot to do. He could do it, he had to do it.
"Yes…! Um… yes, of course.." He had so many questions, though. He lined them up in the back of his mind where they would stay safe and sound until the time, place, and energy presented itself. Then he finally sat down and finally took a breath.
Relief.
Joseph's gaze slowly lifted, following Sablestar's motion and only then he became aware of food. The weight of his stomach and legs and the fact he's easily a day in without it. He was covered, for the day, at least.

He watched Mothbite silently, but also maybe more desperately than he was aware of: like somebody saving his kit from a cliff side while all he could do was watch and hope neither fell into the abyss. His head followed the frog when it was dropped, down in front of him with a curious sniff and ears tall. He'd never eaten a frog before, but he had seen them, alive and well resting on rocks without a care in the world.
He was so close to eating when a more important question passed his ears. Joseph rose back upright on his haunches, alert.
Who was he? He never introduced himself? He'd probably be more embarrassed if the morning wasn't so overwhelming. "Sorry, I guess I lost track with everything going on… The priest named me Joseph." His eyes skimmed the cats around him curiously as he spoke. A reminder of an already passing thought: "But, you all have such unique names. Not even my mother came up with something close to them."
He continued to sit curious a moment more before leaning back down to eat, less something distracts him again. Further pleasantries could wait until later.