TW: Death The Colony i hope the fences we mended - fall down beneath their own weight ───〃★

[Thornstar]

He feels lighter than he had in moons, since his father began to feel unwell to his passing Hawthorne has felt as if he was buried under a massive weight, crushed beneath the expectations of the colony and his own suffocating grief. It had been hard, even with the support of those who had remained at his side from the beginning, but finally now he felt as though he could breath. The lynx point inhales deeply, takes in the crisp night air that surrounds them as they walk steadily forward on a path illuminated by the moon and stars; it felt right. He felt free, he felt unburdened somehow despite another burden being placed on him. This was different in a way he couldn't articulate, different because it was more personal - it was a hard fought victory to obtain...peace? Stability? Something his father struggled to keep within the colony was enough prey to feed them, places that could shelter them more adequately, his very relaxed method left them without a lot of structure but here he could find that structure. It was already given to them and would be explained even more when they arrived. There was a confidence to his steps now, despite the losses, despite their peace upturned for selfish goals, they had overcome it. Hawthorne would return to his clan, renamed by the stars with their words to teach and his kits would be the first clanborn of ThunderClan, he would greet them as their father and new leader.

The lynx point turned, head canted to the side as he nudged her lightly. He knows Juniper has suffered much, that she still stands is a testament to his assurance on his decision to make her his deputy. "Thank you again, Junebug. I...I know this has not been easy for you and I can't even say I'd be strong enough to do what you did, but I appreciate it all the same." This should have never become a matter of picking sides, he knows he will never forgive Sable for turning this into a war when it need not be. They could have settled it any other way, including the wretched duel they had originally agreed upon but that tom's ambition ran dark. He wants to be a good friend and console her, tell them that perhaps one day Sable would change his mind and come back, perhaps they would all be able to talk it out at some point; he had left the other alive despite feeling as though he'd made a terrible mistake but perhaps some good would come from it eventually.

 

[juniperstar]

juniper

the respect that flutters towards her in shy glances and lack of argument toward orders feels undeserved. it warps itself into something closer to pity.. or maybe fear. would it be difficult to trust one who'd shared a nest with their enemies or would they cut the two neatly down the seam; seeing Juniper as herself and that alone. pride doesn't adorn her like a warm coat, keeping the chill of regret and grief off of her as neatly as ThunderClan needs; a deputy who does not crumble under the weight of the world.

but how could she pretend this was fine? her little sibling freshly laid to rest... all for some stupid seizure of power her mate had reached for.

the crunch of winter's breath is broken by a show of gratitude, one that finds light behind distracted shades of celadon. "You don't need to thank me for anything..." if she'd been more aware, maybe she could've nipped this whole thing in the bud ages ago. it may've spared more lives for her to have firmly placed a paw to his throat when it first bubbled with such toxins and make sure they did not spill out again.

her gaze flees towards the undergrowth, searching listlessly for something else though she isn't sure what it is exactly. they were being made to take this extravagant trip at the behest of a ghost and that in itself leaves room for anxious uncertainty. how long had the colony thrived here... to only now be offered such guidance when they'd already begun to rot.

"I just want this to work... or we've given up so much for nothing..."

Bracken's children would not get the chance to embrace their parent again. she'd have to face Chanterelle and Hazel forevermore knowing they might blame her, even if they don't mean to. "ThunderClan.... it's such an odd name..."

 

[Thornstar]

ThunderClan. It was an odd name, he had never really heard of groups referring to themselves as clans in such a way. It wasn't very different from Colony but it was different enough. "Do you think they picked the wrong leader for it?" He asked and for a brief moment he seemed to lapse into a moment of quiet self-depreciation before laughing, "You'd think they'd pick Thunder to lead given he shares a name with it, eh? Wonder if he's bothered his name was taken." It was lighthearted banter, not something he had gotten to engage in in some time and though Juniper spoke plainly of her sorrow, of the fear of having lost with nothing to gain, he had faith this was the right path.
"I believe the stars, I do. I trust them, with all that I am. If they had not warned us, if Coffeestar had not some to tell me what Sable was planning..." He does not want to linger on the thought of morbidity, does not wish to relieve the terrifying moment of believing his colony mates, his friends, his love, his unborn kits, may have all been slaughtered in their sleep with no chance to fight back at all. It had been underhanded and if he had any hope Sable was reasonable it had crumbled then and there.
"Why would they save us if they did not have a means to help us survive in the aftermath?" The losses would have punished them come leaf-bare, they had already been struggling for prey. Why bother with divine intervention only to let them all starve quietly in the cold with no able bodies to depend on, joining his father in the cold earth so soon. Hawthorne shakes his head, offers a tight smile to the tabby and a gentle bump of his shoulder, "We are alive to do good things. You are here to do good things. Remember that." His mouth opens, his voice hitching as he goes to continue speaking only to stop, twin striped ears swiveling forward at a sound that was distinctly sharp and close. Prey scuttling from their voices? A limb cracking in the cold? It was hard to say, but he HAD heard something.

 

[SABLESTAR]

Fleecefur had restored the broken pieces of Sable's self-assurance, mending together the strength of his confidence to deflect the self-doubt that was creeping up onto him. The knowledge she shared felt otherworldly, calling back onto a past untouchable to memory. A cycle broken, a path forged through sheer power and will. He would succeed despite whatever their stars had planned for him. He would define his own fate, and he would live as a champion to the darkness.

Killing Hawthorne was the only hurdle that stood in his way now. The last step to securing his title, his rightful destiny, belonged to watching the tom fall one last time and for good. He wouldn't take any chances now. Fleecefur had given him her word that this plan would not be foiled. They would be sure to outnumber him as enough distance was placed between Hawthorne and his allies, and of his least injured allies two stood out to him the most. Shade, a brother tied together through shared bonds in distant fields of barley. And Dunny, who had been so brave (if stupidly so) to put himself between Sable's own mate so that they would finish what they started.

"I scent Juniper with him." Sable murmured as he followed the trail before him, plucking a tuft of chocolate and white fur from a spindly shrub. What was she doing out here with him? "One of you will need to distract her. I don't think she'll let herself get pinned down a second time tonight, not by Dunny anyhow... Shade should lead her away from Hawthorne." He flicked the tuft off of his claws as roped in another thought. "They might expect me if they get suspicious. I want you two to go first, and once Shade has her far enough, I'll join Dunny. We'll end this together."

Back onto their trail and hiding away from the moonlight, Sable kept himself a few paces behind the pair now. Soon enough he could pick up their voices, then he could see their paws- they were close enough now. Sable looked to the others and nodded his head, flicking his tail for them to make the jump.

this heart beats cold like the devil his own

• @Dunny @SHADE hey guys! dont mind me :)
  "mew"
• 

  SABLE— he/him ･fifty-two moons ･colonist ; no clan ･penned by gonkpilled

  a black and white tuxedo with dark amber eyes

 

[SHADE]

☆ Moonlight coated them- Shade's figure blended into the background, each step silent and calculated. His eyebrows were drawn together. Only the faintest hint of doubt found him- was this really the right thing to do? Murder, in the moonlight, to strike down an enemy that once wanted the best for them? Gray eyes shifted towards his adoptive brother, watching on for a long moment before looking forward just as they found the tuft of fur upon the bush. He wasn't alone, then.

Shade didn't speak, looking towards Sable with a nod. He knew his task- he had his orders. He trailed after Sable once more, set forth on a path he couldn't back down from now. What reason was there to stray from what he had been told to do? Sable was going to make things right- even at the cost of the life of Fray's son. Claws unsheathed and pressed into rougher dirt then where they had settled, peering through the underbrush at the flash of paws continuing to move forward. One glance right to Sable, who gave them a final nod, and his fate was set.

He pushed out of the brush silently, and when his heart caught in his chest and his breath silenced, then and only then, Shade leapt out of darkness, claws outstretched as he found @juniper's flank, aiming to seperate her from Hawthorne by grappling with her then flinging her towards a tree. If successful, he'd roll to his feet, standing between her and Hawthorne, trying to press her backwards and away from the other- he had to trust that Dunny had his flank, that he didn't have to turn and protect him on both sides.

‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ HOW AM I SUPPOSED ☆ TO LIVE LIKE THIS?

• "speech"
  

• 

• SHADE AMAB he/him, LONER of the COLONY, seventeen moons.
  ☆ An average sized dark pelted tom with heavy bangs over gray eyes. A notable scar on his left cheek. Looks at you with skepticism (and awkwardly.)
  ☆ mentored by npc / mentoring no one (currently)
  ☆ npc x npc / no mate currently
  ☆ peaceful and healing powerplay permitted / / underline and tag when attacking
  ☆ penned by dallas ↛ dallasofnines on discord, feel free to dm for plots.

 

[Dunny]

☼ ✧

Dunny pads after Sable and tries to quiet his heart. He feels out of place, his golden fur between two dark coats and the shadowed underbrush; but he has to believe he's right where he should be: one step behind Sable, doing what must be done. He remembers Viper's ribs showing under his pelt, the hunger making his little brother even snappier; the wan looks of other cats feeling the gnawing of starvation and cold.

They are not doing what's right--but it is necessary. He holds this knowledge tight against his heart even though it feels so brittle, like a fallen leaf edged with frost: something has to be done to keep them all safe, to protect themselves and all they love from starvation and vengeance, and if it must be done then it should be Dunny doing it. He's made this nest, after all. He ought to lie in it.

Sable outlines their plan and he listens intently, eyes darting away at the reminder of his tackle of Juniper in the earlier battle.

"Together,"

Dunny repeats, grim--but vaguely comforted, knowing his help is needed.

Quiet descends on his mind as their targets approach. He jumps after Shade, darting forward and throwing all of his weight into Hawthorne's flank: aiming to push him further away and leave him open to Sable's approach. He throws his front paws over the pale cat's back, claws skittering over his spine, and tries to drag the tom to the ground. His teeth clench around the urge to apologize; he has nothing to apologize for, except Hawthorne's own pride.

✧ ° . ☼ . ° ✧

ooc Information

• ooc: —
• 

  DUNNY — HE/HIM･ 25 MOONS ･ COLONY CAT ･ PENNED BY @Kangoo

  A solidly built flame point/red tabby chimera with golden eyes and a small nick across his lips.

 

[juniperstar]

juniper

the wrong leader...?

wasn't that what they fought and spilled blood for? their lips contort into a frustrated frown, casting Hawthorne a glare as if he were stupid for even asking. he tries to move away from the question quickly by suggesting Thunder be the far more aptly named choice but the joke doesn't land, it only slides off of her like the paper-thin diversion it is. "You shouldn't ask stupid questions... it's unbecoming of you," they grumble, reaching to flick his shoulder with her tail like his anxious wondering were a flea to be removed.

he sallies forth towards more optimistic hopes and ranting, a droning about Coffeestar, whoever that nebulous she-cat even was. could they trust such mysterious benevolence? could they afford not to? the questions overwhelm the answers, becoming a mountain so steep she isn't sure how to begin climbing it. it is perhaps a great boon of his, to have unrelenting energy to begin this task with only the burden of her teeth sunk into his tail to help him, begging to be dragged up towards the sunlight he sees at the top.

living is of questionable value when they remain to suffer meaningless barrage after pointless battle... but she tries to cling to that gleam of hope in his eye, the crease of the corners of his lips where the smile pulls too tightly. he had an infectious way of spreading cheer in the gloomiest of times- that good spirit had spawned a friendship between them a long time ago. Juniper forces a polite smile onto her own face, a mask for now that the spotted cat can only hope will feel more sincere with time. they'll make it to this meeting place, the heavens would share what they knew and they'd finally feel their paws slip into the right place. things would get better.

they were here to do good things.

the brush shifts with a foul wind, a foreboding chill gliding down her spine only a fraction of a second before it's already begun. a whirl of fur, tones of brambles and shadow mixing in a graceless tumbling out of reach of pale starlight. panic makes her chest feel heavy, her stomach twists into knots- not again... not so soon... not now... not when they were finally within reach of their goals. she staggers to her paws, trying not to lose her footing and whatever chance she has at rejoining Hawthorne- paws shove into her side and it aches far more than it should. the bark of a tree grates uncomfortably against her spine where she falls against it, slumping to the ground with a low growl. she lifts a gloved paw with claws extended, rolling onto her back slightly to give herself access to all four sets as tufted ears angle back- "You're all so damn persistent- why are you even out here?"

how long had they been following them?

"This is madness- what good will this do?" if @SHADE were to advance towards her again, juniper would kick out her hind legs to rake at his chest, simultaneously aiming to cuff at his ears with her forepaws to drive him back- being plastered between the trunk and however many enemies may yet linger in the brush... the chocolate she-cat cannot ignore the fear that bubbles in her throat.

 

[Thornstar]

He laughs and it is the last sound of joy that escapes his throat as it clenches suddenly in alarm - the brief lull of peace gone too quickly, too soon,too sudden; already returned back with the scent of pocosin clinging to their furs, he recognizes Shade and then Dunny in rapid succession before the latter is upon him as he moves to go help Juniper, ""Get off her-" He's snatched back by claws in his back, raking down along the chocolate patterns of his spine; he is larger than Dunny but the element of surprise and the sheer shock sends him slamming pale belly to the ground under the others paws before he can regain his footing. Hawthorne tenses with a snarl, claws out and digging into the cold earth as he pushes up to break free but he is still tired, still aching, the fight with Sable still a fresh wound, he still has the other tom's blood dried in pieces on his pelt where he had not washed thoroughly enough between organizing and running ragged prior to their journey outward. Sable's scent is suddenly thick in the air, not just his stale blood scent but the tom himself a creeping shadow breaking from the treeline with an almost nonchalant gait forward to where he was pressed against the soil; Hawthorne's teeth flash white in indignant fury, he sees the tuxedo's lips part and is only faintly aware of him speaking before a surge of anger gives him a second wind powerful enough to lunge forward with claws out. He feels them catch on dark fur, hook over eyelids and tear downward in sweeping streaks, the lynx point howls like a baying hound as he digs them in further, yanking evermore onto what flesh those curled knives can cling to before he is subsequently slammed back down pinned under sunset spotted fur and umber limbs, "I should have killed you." He hisses, ice and fire gaze narrowing, body tensing as he watches blood splatter the dirt before him, knows retaliation is to come. Hawthorne's panicked eyes flicker over to Juniper, willing them to run, to break away before they turn on her as well but she is hackles raised and backed into a tree, her holly leaf eyes meeting his for one fleeting second and he finds himself smiling suddenly, eyes wide and wild, a feeble effort to assure her, to comfort.

 

[SABLESTAR]

They move for expertly in the darkness, even Dunny despite his orange freckled pelt, towards the pair and stop them with enough dizzying force. Sable looked to his side and could just barely see the peak of what Fleecefur had warned him as Highstones. Good, so Hawthorne's last view could be his last failure.

With Shade keeping Juniper busy and Dunny having the advantage of surprise Sable finally pushed through the scraggly brush to show himself, eyes narrowed and calculating the best action to not inconvenience his battle partner. "I didn't have the heart to tell everyone we lost, figured I'd fix that." His heart still burned with his own rage that some false idols would interfere with the tides of mortal business. He took a step too comfortably close, and Hawthorne's claws drag down his face. Instinctively Sable squeezed his eyes shut and had he taken a second longer his sight might have been ripped from him. Luck- luck flickered at every turn for him, even if it appeared not a moment too soon.

A painful shriek erupted from his maw and Dunny, for all it's worth, tears Hawthorne back down. Sable's sight is bleary with thick crimson, sensitive skin stinging and eyes burning from the fresh injury. "I had my own bird sing to me!" He spat, tail whipping back and forth behind him as his fur rose in quills down his spine. "Whatever your precious stars say will serve you nothing!" The tuxedo is done talking, belligerent now as he latched his jaws around Hawthorne's throat mercilessly. His teeth sank to the gums, while iron pooled against his tongue. Bitter, hateful, growls rumbled from the back of his maw and he shook his head against any struggle until there was nothing but stillness beneath him.

Dark rose drenched where once was white fur by the time Sable relaxed his jaw. He pulled away from the corpse with a shaky breath, his slight lost to the sanguine that rushed from torn skin.

"JUNIPER!!" His roar is desperate. He had done what was needed, demanded of him from the darkness, he had broken the cycle. She must understand now it was all a farce? "Help me."

this heart beats cold like the devil his own

• // edit: dunny and shade may chase juniper or decide to bring sable home! if choosing the former, they will be intercepted by some chill spirits who lowkey dont gaf
  "mew"
• 

  SABLE— he/him ･fifty-two moons ･colonist ; no clan ･penned by gonkpilled

  a black and white tuxedo with dark amber eyes

 

[juniperstar]

juniper

the scene takes years... and only milliseconds. hawthorne's gaze catches hers, the faintest glimmer of a smile spread wide on his face like they were kits again, sharing a secret. 'don't tell fray!' don't tell sable. "See you soon..." anywhere he'd go, she'd follow.

there's a choked cry that dies in her maw; lips that had once uttered words that loved her, adored her and cherished her wrap around the throat of one who'd cried with her, grown with her and tumbled through long grass with scrapes on their elbows from playing too rough. a furious tear of the heart's halves, fractured by their own internal struggle for dominance. no more fighting for first place... not when Hawthorne could not breathe to contest him.

how could he lay there... and die with a smile? it doesn't suit him. such a violent end.

and he roars for her, a yelping animal begging for comfort. comfort he denied her the moment he tasted copper on his tongue. her gaze flashes towards Shade, only for a moment, a panicked recognition of her position. she is alone. and they are many. despite the way it feels like tearing out her own claws to run from him when he wails for her like a kit needing its mother, Juniper cannot will herself to help. there is no promise that she will not be next to taste her final breath and the spotted cat will not wait long enough to find out how much control Sable's delusional reign has really given him.

"I'm sorry..." it isn't clear who the apology is meant for. even she isn't sure who she yearns to run to and hold tightly and feverishly try to stem the flow of blood. her paws find their purpose in a wild scramble to right herself, eagerly darting around the base of the tree to give herself some cover before making a mad dash for the rocky outcropping on the horizon. they are sure to chase... sure not to be satisfied with her flight towards Highstones. not if they know the purpose of this journey.

but all that was left to do was sprint for it... to waste whatever breaths she was afforded in a last ditch effort to take the path handed to her in that last smile.

-- feel free to assume shade may've gotten a lucky swipe in on her way out! she's just bolting for highstones

 

[SHADE]

☆ Shade struck true- electricity flew through his paws, eyes widening with the excitement of the ambush. It felt good, to be on the winning side for once, he realized- infectious power chittering in his ears. It's short-lived as Juniper slams against the tree, and he hears Dunny leap at Hawthorne. Juniper asks him something, ears shoving forward and gray eyes remained narrow, knowing Dunny was well to take care of his flank. "I think you know why." He responds, his tail flicking behind him. Sable's words join his, and his head cocks gently towards Juniper.

He's wise enough to not press the attack, though- Juniper lays in wait, talons raised and poised to strike at him. Instead, he edges closer, only ducking away if she tries to swipe, keeping her firmly pinned between him and a hard place. Head ducked backwards, hearing the sickening crunch of Hawthorne's throat- ears pinned backwards then, eyes closing. It wasn't you who took the killing blow. It wasn't you. Eyes slide open again, a grimace on his face as recognizes the pain much like his, just far more of it, play across Juniper's features.

No. You can't afford to feel pity.

His tongue licked his lips, trying to steel himself back into the unwavering soldier he had been asked to be. She is quick, though, with agile paws- Shade leaps forward, a swipe aimed at her tail, but she was gone into the underbrush. He staggers to a stop, staring after her, before his head turned towards Sable. He ignores the dying body, ignores the blood spreading with a sickened stomach, and speaks- "Should I go after her?"

‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ HOW AM I SUPPOSED ☆ TO LIVE LIKE THIS?

• "speech"
  

• 

• SHADE AMAB he/him, LONER of the COLONY, seventeen moons.
  ☆ An average sized dark pelted tom with heavy bangs over gray eyes. A notable scar on his left cheek. Looks at you with skepticism (and awkwardly.)
  ☆ mentored by npc / mentoring no one (currently)
  ☆ npc x npc / no mate currently
  ☆ peaceful and healing powerplay permitted / / underline and tag when attacking
  ☆ penned by dallas ↛ dallasofnines on discord, feel free to dm for plots.

 

[Dunny]

☼ ✧

It happens in seconds: Hawthorne's straining under Dunny's grip, his claws slashing at Sable's face before he manages to wrestle the bigger cat back down, his muscles straining to hold him still as Sable's jaws close around his throat. And then, as quickly as it began, it's over.

They've won--he thinks.

Juniper dashes past them in a flurry of fur. Dunny catches a glance of her eyes as she runs for it, grim determination in a fierce face; his claws flex against the ground--going muddy with blood--and his shoulders tense, ready to dash after her… and hesitates, for too long: she's gone before he has made the choice to pursue. Shade staggers to a similar stop, thankfully unhurt. They stand there for a second, the strange trio of them: alive and victorious, in a way, and unsure of their footing in this apparent brand new world order, the air still echoing with Sable's keening cry.

Hawthorne has a faint smile on his maw even in death. With the red tainting his pale throat, it makes for a gruesome sight. Dunny looks at him until the sight is imprinted on his mind, and then he turns to his leader. He looks fiercer than ever with the blood pouring down his face, but Dunny can't help but remember the raw edge of his voice as he called for his mate--former mate? Love can survive even the worst of betrayals, he knows, and surely Juniper would realize this was for the greater good--eventually.

"We oughta get back…"

Home? Is that what they have now? A home, away from the original colony which they have ended in one swift strike?

"To safety,"

he settles on.

"Wouldn't want to be around when friends of his find the body, yeah?"

His own words make him grimace. His skin crawls with a discomfort he resolutely pushes aside for more immediate concerns. He briefly considers cleaning Sable's face as he would Viper's: licking the gash to stench the blood flow, so he wouldn't have to walk across the forest mostly blind. His little brother already hardly suffers the tender treatment, though, and he doubts the black and white tom would allow it. He settles for pushing his shoulder against Sable's, an offer of support or at least a brief comfort--hoping the tom would agree with him and let this end, rather than sending Shade after Juniper.

✧ ° . ☼ . ° ✧

ooc Information

• ooc: —
• 

  DUNNY — HE/HIM･ 25 MOONS ･ COLONY CAT ･ PENNED BY @Kangoo

  A solidly built flame point/red tabby chimera with golden eyes and a small nick across his lips.