TW: Sensitive Content Camp I SLITHERED HERE FROM EDEN [ gathering return ] JUST TO SIT OUTSIDE YOUR DOOR

[hazelheart hazelheart]

{$title} cw // blood, mentions of leader death

(🜲) juni comes to life when they are halfway home. slumped upon owlbark and magnoliapeak, the caramel hued molly looks corpse-like, crimson trickling beneath the cobwebbed wounds that litter her frame. hazelheart breathes a sigh of relief as she turns to watch her leader raise her head. tail flicking behind her, she nods to her deputy and her daughter before setting off again, golden gaze still grim even if a spark of relief tinges it. it'd taken longer this time, she realizes. when juni had lost her first life, there'd been only a few moments of chaos before she'd opened her eyes again. this time, the forest's queen had taken what felt like lifetimes to come back. it scares hazelheart, just as the scent of blood does, the look of crimson on creamy brown fur.

they approach camp and the storm guard slows her gait, breathing deeply before she plunges into the entrance, heralding the gathering patrol's return with a soft call to the guards. "make way, please," hazelheart murmurs, parting the crowd of those left behind that begins to gather. coppery eyes watch as juniperstar is brought in, blinking gently at the groggy leader. you okay? her gaze seems to say as the storm guard steps back to allow serpentberry to do what is necessary. it is only now that hazel allows the horror of the night to hit her. before, adrenaline and duty had combined in a soldierlike state within the woman, but as she watches the healer tend to her recently revived sister-in-law, she feels a lump forming in her throat. forcing it down, she shakes the night's chaos from her head. "it's been a long night."

I NEED MY GOLDEN CROWN OF SORROW 🜲 MY BLOODY SWORD TO SWING

• // we return from a quite bloody gathering! tagging those mentioned, but no need to wait for 'em. @juniperstar @OWLBARK @Magnoliapeak @serpentberry " #b8a300"
• 
• HAZEL 🜲 SHE / HER, WARRIOR OF THUNDERCLAN. 54 MOONS OLD, PENNED BY LAVS
  
  
  a stocky, medium-haired brown tabby with hazel eyes. this is a large cat with a rippling musculature. hazel's frame is wide and tall, shoulders broad, muzzle and eyes heavy in her skull. chestnut and chocolate fur swirl across her pelt, sliced through with tabby stripes of shadow. her eyes invoke images of a sweet summer's day, honey and brown mingling into a soft amber gold

​

​

 

[Dewshine's icon Dewshine Dewshine]

Come on, come on
We can go away

.

Dewshine is one of the first to approach those returning from the gathering, alarm and fear apparent in every inch of her body as the scent of blood is carried into camp. Eyes search frantically for those closest to her heart: Copperstorm and Boarpaw. Serpentberry. She only spots the medicine cat at first and it does little to soothe her nerves especially as Juniperstar comes into view.

"Hazelheart..." She pauses, giving an uncertain twitch of her tail. She did not know if she wanted to hear the details but undoubtedly they would be said for all to hear regardless. "What happened..? Is Juniper ok?" Pale eyes drift from the Storm Guard's face, searching for another of her number in the crowd of those returning.

"This was supposed to be a peaceful gathering... Did Shadowclan start something..? Is there anything I can do to help?"

Stars, please let Copperstorm and Boarpaw be ok...

36 moons

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thunderclan warrior

◆

she/her

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bio

We Don't Need Them

DEWSHINE

✦—"SPEECH", 'THOUGHTS', ATTACK
✦—Silver She Cat W/ Orange Eyes And Dark Stripe Along Her Tail
#8f85c2

 

[Magnoliapeak]

The trip back to ThunderClan's camp feels like it takes the duration of an eternity. Magnoliapeak's coat is spattered with blood. It's a sickly feeling; the hot, heavy smell of copper permeates the air and her coat, hanging languid and humid over them. She thinks for once she might voluntarily ask Serpentberry to help her get the smell out. She is thankful that Hazelheart is here. She and her mother have never been particularly soft with one another, but the sturdy presence of the storm guard is like a beacon in the midst of this turbulence. The warrior moves dutifully with Owlbark, even once Juniperstar revives. Magnoliapeak doesn't want to admit that she'd been afraid the leader was starting to lose warmth; that she might not come back this time, somehow having been taxed more lives than expected.

They arrive grim and silent. Magnoliapeak lingers, but she, too, steps out of the way to allow Serpentberry to do her job without hindrance. As is expected, several of their clanmates begin to clamor and wonder what happened. Questions come, and Dewshine asks if ShadowClan is to blame for the blood that speckles them.

"The fault lies with SkyClan," Magnoliapeak declares raggedly, her eyes wide and wild. During their travel back, she has found that her grief and horror has morphed into anger. Perhaps spurred on by Juniperstar's only temporary death. "Their leader is a tyrant," she continues sharply. "Owlbark defended himself from one of her pawns and the fool died. Hawkstar demanded he die-" she does not spare him a glance, but the hardness in her voice conveys that she stands by him "-and Juniperstar offered one of hers instead. They are wicked and barbaric. They have killed our leader and threatened the life of our deputy for the crime of defending himself when attacked on our side of the border." Whether any ThunderClan cat should have been made a martyr could be debated, but this was not the time for that discussion.

Magnoliapeak dips her head briefly to check on Graybird and Magpiepaw, a watchful eye lingering on the ShadowClan medicine cat apprentice. She expects no hospitality from Serpentberry towards Magpiepaw, but she hopes the rest of their clan will at least regard him with respect until dawn comes and he can return home. After all, he had once been part of ThunderClan too. And their loss belongs to him as much as it does to any among them.

SPILL IT OPEN ❀ LET IT RUSH TO MY HEAD

• / tagging @Magpiepaw oopsie sowwy he is a late addition to the party <3
  

• 

• MAGNOLIAPEAK she/her, thunderclan, twenty-three moons.
  ❀ shorthaired dilute tortoiseshell with amber eyes.
  ❀ mentored by her parents (informal), mentoring sandpiperpaw
  ❀ sister of hyacinthrain and honeysucklecry; daughter of hazelheart x bracken (rip)
  ❀ peaceful and healing powerplay permitted / underline and tag when attacking pls!
  ❀ penned by carat / ccaarraatt on discord, feel free to dm for plots.

 

[Boarpaw Boarpaw]

————————————— The melody sings what the words can't say. ✦

The apprentice trudged at the side of Copperstorm, tips of the fur on his cheeks still damp from crying and streaks of crimson from curling at his mentor's side. From the unwavering chatter of the young cat that night to the morning heralding silence from him following the grave encounter with Skyclan.

Most of the rest of the cats entered before him and the large tabby; he wasn't going to shove through. But his eyes did cast down as Juniper was carried through.

Finally, as he entered the camp, his eyes scanned the crowd. Many cats hadn't come along; they were lucky. One so was Dewshine, a kind face he looked to with a pain in his eyes as he finally spotted her amid the rabble. Stepping away from Copperstorm, ignoring the words of the other cats.

He found himself at her side, leaning his head on her shoulder, quietly, painfully so. Before then, he was hoping to bring her back stories of new friends or interesting discussions with other cats. Instead, he leaned against her side, trying not to cry more. His throat was tight, nearly impossible to speak, so instead he embraced the silence, there curled at Dewshine's side.

He had nothing else to explain; the adults handled it with ease, but he tried to ignore the scent of blood on each of them. How strong it was as it clung to his own pelt.

——— You keep on grinnin'

and this world keeps nagging. ———

• Interacting with @Dewshine
• 
  Boarpaw
  ✦—Thunderclan apprentice | 8 moons
  ✦—He/They
  ✦—"SPEECH", 'THOUGHTS', ATTACK
  ✦—A long-haired, dark grey tom with a prominent underbite and blue eyes.
  #a4bac1

 

[Copperstorm]

You walk along the edge of danger
AND IT WILL CHANGE YOU

.

Copperstorm walked with two at his sides. On one flank was Boarpaw, shaken, tear-streaked, quiet. On the other, Thistlepaw, smaller, younger, visibly trying to piece the night back together with every shaky step forward. He kept casting glances to both, subtle but constant. A check, a tether. Were they okay? Did they need a moment to breathe? Should he stop? Stars, he just wanted to be home. Home, with Dewshine. To curl into her warmth. To speak of all this... Yhe pain, the confusion, the doubt. A warrior code. That was what SkyClan had spoken of. Words like law and tradition tossed around like feathers. But the moment they were inconvenienced, blood. Cold, final, sanctioned blood.

Their code. Their rules. Their survival. His stomach twisted. This was what Coalstrike had always believed in. Strength above mercy. Survival through dominance. No empathy. No compromise. Just steel. He thrived under this code instead of the Warrior Code that was spoken of. And Copperstorm? He hated it. Every part of it. Because if this.... This violence was what their code looked like, then what were they? Just animals following rituals to justify the carnage? No. They could be more than that. They had to be. But if killing became normal, expected, then maybe they weren't any better than rogues. Maybe they were just doomed to become shadows with names.

And then the question returned, like it always did.

What if it came down to Coalstrike? What if it was him or Copperstorm? Would he kill his own father?

The answer came too fast. Too easy.

Yes.

And that chilled him more than any gathering wind.

His tail brushed lightly against Thistlepaw's back as they finally padded into the familiar safety of camp. The apprentices needed to rest. They deserved peace after tonight's chaos. He bent slightly, lowering his voice with a softness he saved for only a few. " Please... go rest, Thistlepaw. " he murmured, golden eyes warm. " It's been an eventful night. Curl up with your siblings. "

And then, from the corner of his eye, Boarpaw. Already making a beeline across camp. Straight to Dewshine. Copperstorm followed, but more slowly. Magnoliapeak's voice drew him back to the present. He listened in silence, then gave a slow nod. When he finally spoke, his tone was measured but heavy with the weight of truth. " I agree. " he said. " The SkyClanner was a fool to hunt here. To provoke a fight. " A pause, he weighted the words he would speak but knew no matter how he would say it, Magnoliapeak would likely disagree. " But death... that's a permanent solution, the cat didn't learn jackshit from it. It could have been handled better. By both sides. "

He knew he'd make no friends with that opinion. But he didn't care. They had all been too quick to forget the last war. Too eager to pretend the blood on their paws had dried. He wasn't going to spill another word on it, not now. Instead, he turned to Dewshine. The second he was close enough, he leaned in and pressed his forehead gently to hers. A touch that said everything he couldn't, how much he needed her, how much he hated what tonight had turned into.

His voice dropped to a whisper meant only for her.

" ...It was a fiasco... " he breathed out, finally letting the weight slip from his shoulders. " I'll tell you everything... when we're alone. "

Speech, thoughts/emphasis

33 MOONS

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THUNDERCLAN

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SONG

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bio