SkyClan Journey i don't know who you are, but i'm with you | shelter

[TIGGER]

Boxes upon boxes sat around the house, a veritable hoard of miniature towers, each as unclimbable as the last. It was annoying, to say the very least, to know that somewhere within these many boxes was his favorite blankie and catnip balls - a cruel, cruel trick of his house-friend. She knew very well that he did not like to be naughty and that had would not chew up anymore boxes to get to his beloved possessions... but still! She couldn't have packed the crinkle mouse and his second favorite blankie instead?

With a sigh, the fat tabby hopped up onto the counter to peer outside, careful not to press his nose too close to the glass (very cold... not fun on tender nose leather.) A blizzard had picked up beyond the confines of his warm nest, all bluster and flurries and visible wind. Something like a pang hit his heart... his house-friend was out there somewhere, doing something where he couldn't be. Was she safe in another nest, away from the cold, away from the dark winds and frost? Maybe if he was with her, he could curl up around her throat like he normally did when she was home for bed-time and keep her cozy... keep her safe...

he couldn't imagine being out there himself.

It was right then, as he was wallowing in his quiet worry, that he noticed shapes moving, trudging along through the storm. It was... they were cats! Lots of cats! Many cats!

He scrambled off the counter, his collar jingling wildly as he flew from kitchen to back-door, and out the doggy kitty-door to stand upon the back porch. The porch light shone an eerie spotlight on the travelers, each ragged and scrawny as a mouse in an abandoned house. What were they doing?!

"HEY!" the big tabby called out into the wind, "HEY, IT'S NOT SAFE OUT HERE! YOU GUYS GOTTA GET INSIDE! COME-COME IN! COME ON, WE GOTTA GET YOU WARM!"

/ a kind stranger has offered some shelter in the aftermath of ponypaw's incident !! best take him up on it.... its getting pretty bad out here.... anybody is free to start leading the cats into the house

 

[Cherrydawn]

CHERRY OF SKYCLAN

The storm was growing worse, and Cherry couldn't deny the exhaustion weighing on her. Every step felt heavier, and even Teaselpaw, usually so spry, had stumbled more than once. Their paws ached, their eyes squinted against the relentless wind, and Cherry couldn't help but cast worried glances at her clanmates. Her dual-colored eyes darted through the swirling haze, dread pooling in her chest at how much worse this storm could become.

Shelter. They needed shelter. But none had revealed itself yet.

Cherry fluffed up her fur against the biting cold and trudged forward, head bowed low. Her body ached from the fox attack, but there was no time to stop and assess her injuries. Survival came first.

And then--

" HEY! "

Cherry's head shot up, ears swiveling as her eyes searched through the storm. Confusion flickered across her face. Who had called out? Her gaze locked onto a large tabby standing a short distance away, their voice cutting through the howling wind as they warned them about the dangers of staying outside.

She froze for a moment, torn. The tabby was gesturing toward a twoleg structure. Shelter. A memory surfaced of warm walls and safety from when she had been a kittypet, before her days as a daylight warrior. That life felt far away now, and yet, the offer of refuge tugged at her heart.

Cherry turned to her clanmates, desperation and determination shining in her eyes.

" Come! " she called out, her voice rising above the storm. " Follow me inside! Please! The walls of the twoleg place will shelter us from this storm, we can't stay out here! P-please! "

She hesitated, scanning the faces of her clanmates for any sign of agreement or resistance. She knew many wouldn't approve, but the storm was unforgiving, and lives were at stake.

Gritting her teeth, Cherry trudged toward the large tabby, her gratitude evident in her wide, worried eyes. She glanced back at her clan once more, pleading silently for them to follow.

Disapproval she could handle. Losing them to the storm? That was a risk she wasn't willing to take.

THROUGH DIRT AND SHADOW I GROW ——･ﾟ✦​

･ﾟ✦ —— I'm reaching light through the struggle

 

[SWALLOWPAW]

the longer they traveled, the more restless her clan appeared to be. in the wake of ponypaw's accident, things were tense. her survival hung on by a thin thread, one that felt cold to the touch.

the wind roars in her eardrums, twisting her fur at odd angles and burning her paws. it's cold, far too cold to be walking like this. she would've missed the benevolent stranger's call if cherry hadn't spoken up, swallowpaw's head rises slowly, squinting against the snow. then, her paws lurch forward, survival instincts taking over. "ponypaw needs someplace warm!" she agrees in a desperate voice, not bothering to check for her mentor or more importantly, their leader.

ʚɞ

 

[Sagesong's iconSagesong]

⋆˚✿˖° "I'll Be Fine On My Own" She Said

⋆˚✿˖°

Sagesong found themself squinting against snow being whipped violently into their face by the wind of this sudden blizzard. There was a faint grumble from the small warrior at the timing- they had all gone from one form of low visibility to a decidedly more deadly one. Skyclan needed to find shelter from this blizzard- and quickly- or they were all going to freeze to death. She had nearly missed the stranger's call if it hadn't been for Cherry and then Swallowpaw calling for the rest of the clan to follow.

They shook the slowly thickening layer of snow from their fur before glancing at their apprentice. "Come on @Magpiepaw, this way. Let's get you warm."

Mismatched eyes squinted against the snow, searching for their more vulnerable clanmates to urge them to quickly follow. They'd picked up quite a few kits back in the fog of that gorge and they worried that this weather would spell the end for the youngest of them. Not to mention Ponypaw's near drowning and Wolfstorm's injuries from the fox...

"This way, everyone..!" They yowled to be heard over the wind. "There's shelter here..!"

✿──

───I Don't Need You Inside My Head─✿

• 
  Sagesong
  ✿— Skyclan Warrior
  ✿— They/She
  ✿—"SPEECH", 'THOUGHTS', ATTACK
  ✿— Small, Curly-furred, Mottled Black And Brown She Cat With Heterochromia.
  #5fb49c

 

[Teaselpaw]

TEASELPAW

Over hill, over dale, through the valley and vale do not weep, do not wail, I am coming home to you

The wind howled mercilessly, battering their ears and numbing their limbs as they pushed on through the relentless storm. After Ponypaw's unfortunate plunge into the icy water and the stern scolding Snowveil had delivered, they had made the decision to stay close to her side. Worry gnawed at their chest. The cold had done Ponypaw no favors, and the small apprentice feared that sickness might already be settling into her fragile frame.

With a soft mrrp of concern, they nudged her gently, their worried gaze flicking over her shivering form. The storm's fury roared around them, making every step feel like an uphill battle. Suddenly, a cry broke through the chaos.

Cherry's voice. Shelter.

Relief mixed with desperation as they strained their ears to catch the direction. Their paws ached, and they flinched at the sight of red speckling the pristine snow behind them. Blood. It was theirs, though they could hardly tell where the sharp pain ended, and the numbness began.

With a pleading look toward Ponypaw, they flicked their fluffy tail over her flank, gently guiding her toward the twoleg contraption Cherry had called out about. Whatever it was, they had to trust her... Anything would be better than freezing out here.

The flap swung open as they tumbled inside, a gust of icy wind following them before it snapped shut. The warmth, if one could call it that really... offered a faint sanctuary from the biting cold. They let out a small, pained yowl as they stumbled forward, finally collapsing onto the strange surface. Curling up tightly, they began to nose at their paw pads, rasping their tongue against the bloodied fur in quiet agony.

The storm raged on outside, but for now, they had found a fragile moment of safety.

═════════════⊹⊱ ⟡ ⊰⊹═════════════

 

[Hawkstar]

HAWKSTAR, 59 moons / SKYCLAN LEADER
A long-legged short-furred seal point tortie with one electric-blue eye; heavily scarred
Mentoring ROSEPAW ; mother of STARLITPATH
Prone to corporate attitudes, harsh words, hazing practices ; generally morally dubious
Tagging person here

---

Cherry is the first of them to turn course, to break from the group, and Hawkstar barely has a second to lift her head before they are off, trudging through the snow towards some vague idea of salvation, unhindered and unbidden. It is a gross misuse of one's voice, complete insubordination, an unwanted diversion ... but Hawkstar doesn't stop it. They are cold. They are hungry. They are unwell, half-drowned, newly revived, and ultimately lost within the storm.

Half-lidded eyes turn to @flowercloud and she gives a jerk of her head towards the wayward apprentice and the lines of their warriors that followed her. "That way, it's... not a bad idea." however much it hurt her pride and bludgeoned her already bruised ego, a warm nest would be better than a swallow, snowy grave... for all of them.

She turns, for the first time in many, many moons, to follow.

 

[SPIKEPAW]

His whiskers were going to freeze off at this point. His paws, tail, and ears might as well. Spikepaw engages in a mental debate on which he could live without if it came down to it, perhaps as a means to distract himself from how blustery it was out here.

Then, a voice cuts through the windy air. It is coming from a nearby twoleg house and it does not take long for his clanmates to follow it. "Uhhhh... Do we trust the random stranger?" Spikepaw questions aloud, furrowing faux brows and glancing around to gauge reactions from the others. Most kittypets were trustworthy... he thinks. He doesn't really know. It's been so long since he lived in that world. A lot of them came to join SkyClan as warriors whether full-time or during the daytime, and most of them were friendly enough but Spikepaw knew that there were bad cats out there who would take advantage of another's weakness.

"Ponypaw needs someplace warm!" It was Swallowpaw's shout that got Spikepaw to budge. If she was following then he would too. "Well, we've got nothing to lose at this point I guess." The black tabby sighs as he turns to pad off with the rest of SkyClan. As long as it's warm... and there's food...

𝐁𝐔𝐓 𝐈 𝐀𝐈𝐍𝐓 𝐖𝐎𝐑𝐑𝐈𝐄𝐃 ✹ . + ˚ · 𝐁𝐎𝐔𝐓 𝐈𝐓 𝐑𝐈𝐆𝐇𝐓 𝐍𝐎𝐖

• 

• 

  — spikepaw / 11 moons / he/him pronouns
  — apprentice of skyclan
  — sh black tabby w/ low white and green eyes, small scar across right brow
  — click for tags

​

​

 

[[SNOWVEIL]]

SNOWVEIL, 89 moons / SkyClan + Perm Queen
A lean silver black lynx point with milky blue eyes and many scars
Delights in listening to all that goes around, can be a bit gruff, will put you on your place
Tagging @Downykit

---

Snowveil's whiskers twitched as she trudged forward with determination, a low growl rumbling in the back of her throat. The relentless storm battered her with icy winds, but she refused to falter. Between her teeth, she carried Downykit, the young kit's small body trembling against the cold. Sensing the kit struggle against the storm had been too much for her to bear, and she'd scooped her up, unwilling to let the merciless wind claim her.

Even so, Snowveil had to admit the storm was pushing her limits. Each step felt heavier, the snow dragging her down, and the gnawing fear of losing more kits clawed at her mind. Her ears swiveled desperately, straining to hear the others through the howling wind. A frown etched deeper into her face until Cherry's voice cut through the chaos, calling out directions and urging them toward a shelter.

Snowveil turned sharply at the sound, her movements guided more by instinct than sight. One of her kits bumped into her side, urging her forward. She stumbled on, unsure where they were being led. A cave? An overhang? She couldn't tell either way, being blind and all that.

Her forehead suddenly collided with something solid, a brief moment of alarm flashing through her before she realized it gave way. With a push, she stepped into a space mercifully free of the storm's wrath. The howling wind was muffled, replaced by a stillness that felt almost foreign.

Blinking her sightless eyes, she tilted her head, ears straining to make sense of their surroundings. She hesitated, clutching Downykit in her jaws, reluctant to let her go even now. But when the absence of the storm settled in, Snowveil finally placed the kit down, her paws brushing Downykit close.

" Stay close. " she murmured, her voice firm but laced with maternal warmth. She lightly batted Downykit with her paw, an unspoken command meant to reassure as much as guide.

DON'T LET MY CALM FOOL YOU

there's fire underneath this snow

 

[Fujimoto]

┍

The wind chilled to his very bones! Fujimoto had never felt a cold wave like this before, and while his puffy coat would look perfectly suitable to handle the cold, the chill was too severe. His jaw shuddered in near-constant chatter, eyes tracked down to the ground to prevent snow from clouding his vision. The whipping wind still brought stinging tears to the corners, praying he wouldn't find a trail of icicles down his cheeks.

StarClan, please don't abandon us out in the snow like this! They pleaded while keeping their teeth clenched together. Their pads had since lost feeling, Fujimoto had to watch his limbs move just to know he still could. It was then suddenly that a voice broke beyond the wind. A call from another cat beneath a light. Fuji strained their ears forward to hear, but it was Cherry's urgent following that helped him understand. Into the housecats nest, all of them?!

Is it safe to trust a stranger? He couldn't imagine any twoleg finding a ton of cats in their house as any joy. Fujimoto paused to look at Hawkstar within the wall of battering snowfall and waited for the leader to take a step towards the kittypet nest and to his surprise, she did! She must have a bad feeling about this dreadful storm then, too.

The tom hurried as far as he could, flicking snow off with each step to try and regain some feeling where he could as the porch light warmed his face like an embrace. "Th-there's... a lot of us." He warned the ginger cat between chattering teeth. "We, uh, fffff- we need to get th-the kits and caretakers in first!"

‎┙

 

[Milkheart]

I like it better when the sun shines,
Give me those good times, then I'll be alright​

---

MILKHEART, He/Him / 29 moons / Skyclan Caregiver
Seal Sepia tom with high white, has scruffy tipped ears, a long fluffy cream-white tail and amber-caramel eyes
Former mate of DUCHESS, Father of CREAMKIT and two others
Radiates Dad Energytm​, good with kits, warm and amicable (totally doesn't look like a hot chocolate, except he does)
Tagging [@]

---

Dreadful weather getting even worse, that damnable fog was one thing but a blizzard following nearly immediately after a series of fur-raising life threatening incidents took a toll on the travelling Skyclan, but still they would persevere; they were survivors, and they were together, and they would make it count.

Milkheart made himself a shield for those smaller than him, doing his best to keep any and all kits safe, especially his own as the group trudged on through the growing haze of snow and ice. It was hard to keep going for many, but it had to be done, and Milkheart would not dare leave anyone behind and he felt that others thought the same way.

Grueling physical challenges thus far had weighed on most everyone mentally too, and this was still no exception. Could they survive? It wasn't a matter of could or could not, they had to. That's what Milkheart told himself.

Soon enough he heard a voice, a stranger not too far from here; Cherryheart reacted first. A two-leg nest..? Some others showed caution, but in the wake of self preservation they made their way towards the nest. It made sense, such places were generally well fortified against all manner of weather. Even Hawkstar, who Milkheart knew was considerably less lenient on the concept of hierarchy, didn't speak against it— even she who thought kittypets and even the daylight warriors as lesser wasn't stubborn enough to let that get in the way of everyone's survival. She was a tough cat, but she cared about Skyclan more than she may vocally admit.

"Okay, this way everyone!" Milkheart followed, getting over to the two-leg nest carrying or otherwise guiding his three kits as gently and as quickly as possible. Once he entered, he gave a thankful nod to the ginger kittypet. Looking around for anything extra to keep the three of his kits warm he found basically nothing but boxes. He'd have to search more as soon as possible but for the moment he trudged over to Snowveil. "Snowveil? Can you keep my three warm with Downykit while I make sure the others get in here?" Should the elder queen accept Milkheart's request, he would move back over to the door shaking off excess snow, looking over to Fujimoto briefly. "I'm with you on that, Fuji. We can tough it out a bit longer if it means everyone's safe." Milkheart was so determined to get everyone inside and to safety that it had not yet caught up to him just where he was— a two-leg nest. That simple fact dawning on him and bringing back fresh trauma was held back by what was vastly more important— his clan, his friends, his family. Emotional wounds being reopened would have to wait.

---

I tell you what— you better not be bringing bad vibes,
Leave your troubles behind, then I'll be alright​

 

[Rosepaw]

Oh, I can't stop feeling I want her love ♡

Do we wanna trust a stranger, he hears Spikepaw murmur thoughtfully and he shakes his head with a roll of his eyes, "Then move so those of us who want to keep our tails can warm up, Spikepaw. I'm cold." The younger apprentice does not wait to hear further revelation, nudging past the other tabby to half run, half bounce his way through the biting winds and snows to the house where the clan was slowly filing up to go inside. Seeing the twolegnest made him feel a twist in his chest like calls, recalling the one his father lived in that he had visited once or twice; the tom probably warm and comfortable back in the old territory area blissfully unaware of the struggles his kits had endured because of his failings. Rosepaw found his jaw clenching unconciously, not realizing he was gritting his teeth until an ache formed and he stumbled nearly into Hawkstar's leg as he stopped to stand next to his mentor. As much as he wanted to rush in, she was overseeing every cat's entry and as he apprentice he wanted to prove he could handle it so he took up post alongside the scarred leader with his head high and eyes burning from both the chilling winds and the wave of emotion crashing over him. He finds his words loose now in anger, a muttering of, "I hope the kittypet smell goes away quick when we leave." A feeling his mother would have never once uttered given her care for the clan and even its daylighter warriors, but he can't help but feel bitter.

But all my dreaming is not enough...

So in the mornin', the sun will rise

━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━ And I'll wake up and she won't be-MINE

• 

  Rosepaw

  
  — Apprentice of SkyClan
  — He/Him
  "SPEECH", 'THOUGHTS', ATTACK
  — Chocolate Sepia Tabby w/low white & blue eyes.
  #ef6c71
  
  

 

[[SNOWVEIL]]

SNOWVEIL, 9 moons / SkyClan + Perm Queen
A lean silver black lynx point with milky blue eyes and many scars
Delights in listening to all that goes around, can be a bit gruff, will put you on your place
Tagging @Milkheart @Creamkit

---

The blind molly's tail flicked lightly at Milkheart's request, a hint of amusement tugging at her features. It was as if the father even needed to ask. " You know I will, Milkheart. Go on, I'll keep these little critters close. " she replied smoothly, her tone carrying both warmth and reassurance.

With practiced ease, she gently hooked a paw around one of Milkheart's three kits, pulling them snugly against her fur. Her tail curled protectively around the trio, a barrier of comfort and safety. " Patience now, you little rascals. " she murmured, a small smile gracing her face. " Your father will be back before you know it. " she added, tilting her head a bit. " You too, Downykit. " another paw that hooked around the other kit, pulling them close to her too.

Her ears swiveled attentively, capturing the tiniest of sounds to confirm the kits' presence around her. Every shuffling pawstep and tiny mewl was accounted for, and she let out a soft purr, content in her watchful guardianship.

DON'T LET MY CALM FOOL YOU

there's fire underneath this snow