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

◆

thunderclan warrior

◆

she/her

◆

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

𖧧

THUNDERCLAN

𖧧

SONG

𖧧

bio

 

[Graybird]

I am not your kind and gentle husband

Magpiepaw trembles between his forelegs, the small black and white apprentice was still practically a kit and had seen more bloodshed already in his young life than most. Graybird didn't truly hold a fondness for his nephews if he was being honest, they were a reminder that the love that bound Juniperstar and Sablestar together had not even cracked in face of all his brother had done. Perhaps fractured, perhaps not entirely whole anymore, but it still stood against all that had befallen them and still did. He noticed the young cat seemed to eye Serpentberry with a wariness he could not place, he assumed it was her paws drenched in his mother's blood that scared him - he'd make a poor medicine cat if he didn't get over that fast. At Magnoliapeak's look he only nodded stiffly, eyes glassy and unfocused as he watched Juniperstar as though she were a ghost. Perhaps she was, perhaps she was gone now and what walked among them was a mere effigy in her likeness, a reminder, a punishment.
"We can not let this go unpunished." He says quietly in a voice that is a little too high and gentle for the words he's speaking. Graybird wants bloodshed, he wants SkyClan to regret what they did. Though hadn't...they done so? He had thought, sworn almost, that Hawkstar's unyielding stare wavered slightly as she left. Whether it was regret or something else he couldn't say but he wanted to look down upon those eyes once more beneath his claws, to pry the answers from a maw that once spilled such accusations to his clanmates. It didn't matter to him if Owlbark was right or wrong. Owlbark could be outright lying to save face and he'd not bat an eye at it, all that truly mattered to him was retaliation for what had been done to their leader. His nerves were frayed, he felt his pelt prickling as if dried with blood but he had not gotten any on him, he'd not touched her for fear of making it worse, but the sensation was there all the same. His tail sweeps around the still shaking medicine cat apprentice before his limbs, the gesture is almost tender, almost caring, but it is more a shield to ground himself than offer comfort. He remembers when he used to watch this kit wander the camp, imagined pressing his paw down on a small neck to crush the tiny likeness of his brother. He finds those feelings are long gone...thankfully.

Ooc- Magpiepaw is with him in his post.

& I am not the love you knew before.

GRAYBIRD

— Warrior ThunderClan
— He/They
"SPEECH", 'THOUGHTS', ATTACK
— SH Gray Tabby with holly green eyes.
#82847e

 

[GENTLEFLAME]

x

The scent of copper is what draws the grizzly tom over only for his eyes to widen at the sight of Juniperstar being carried into camp by Owlbark and Magnoliapeak and he notes the scarlet that's near the throat of the fallen leader who seems to be clinging onto life. A frown pulls at the sides of his mouth with both his ears laying flat against his skull and he listens as his clanmates begin to explain that Skyclan had been the cause of this and not Shadowclan, something about that makes his skin crawl, and he can't help but agreed that this wasn't right. He couldn't believe that they had allowed this to happen during the gathering and he can't help but silently agree with Graybird that they couldn't let this go unpunished though his gaze catches sight of the black and white tom that is Juniperstar's son, he offers a faint smile in the direction of Magpiepaw in form of a silent greeting.

"To kill Juniperstar in front of all the other clans... that's sickening." The silvery tom says at last though he wouldn't know since he hadn't gone to the gathering and a part of him feels glad that he hadn't, he can't imagine that being a pretty sight especially with it being the first gathering for all five clans. Skyclan might believe they've shown all the clans that they meant business but the act itself had been just as Magnoliapeak described it; barbaric and wicked.

WITHOUT PASSION, YOU ARE ALREADY DEAD

GENTLEFLAME

THUNDERCLAN WARRIOR
TRANS MASC x HE/HIM/IT/ITS​

x

"speech", thoughts, attacking
a mountainous tom with a silvery sepia pelt with a scar drawn across his snout after the great battle and recieved from his opponent that he had killed, he has a pair of warm copper toned eyes and low white. a magpie feather is neatly tucked near the end of his tail to remind him of the young tomkit, magpiepaw, as he cares about him
eldest brother of of gracebloom and dahliaface; mate to scalejaw

gentleflame's a steady, hardworking tom that tends to overwork himself if he's allowed to do so and has become an insomniac after the battle that split the rogue group apart forming thunderclan and shadowclan. the death of phantom resting in his claws causing him to be weighed down heavily by guilt. despite this, he's still loving and tender to those around him especially his sisters and his beloved mate, he tries to remain a friendly face around thunderclan

 

[OWLBARK]

She is so heavy. In every sense. Her presence, her sorrow, and the seven lives Juniperstar has remaining. Her body, though, is light like a bird. He wanted to be concerned of her weight and how she is faring daily, but the gash on her neck is enough to make that seem miniscule. He is grateful for Magnoliapeak's presence as well in carrying Juniperstar home. Owlbark did not even try to insist it was his duty alone. He was done insisting for the night. He had only got him so far in the end. A dead leader and a target on his back for presumably the rest of his life.

Owlbark could not meet anyone's eyes as they entered camp. He wants to croak out a thanks to Hazelheart for taking charge, but bites his tongue as Dewshine inquires hat had happened. No she is not okay. No you can not help, he answered silently. The deputy set his leader down softly like she was an egg about to crack again, and stepped away for Serpentberry to at least examine her. Magnoliapeak, always the first to bite, spoke her mind with an edge in her voice that was harsher than usual. She is his defender now, and he can't help but feel sick humor at what he felt was a role reversal. Now is not the time, though. Not tonight.

Copperstorm is next in his thoughts. Owlbark felt so tired. He was done defending himself tonight. He wanted to hear no more of what was right and wrong. He did not want to think of what he should have done in that moment any longer. "Enough! He barked. His tail lashed behind him and his ears were pinned to his head. Green eyes flashed to Magnoliapeak and Copperstorm. "No more tonight. No more. Speak in private if you must, but I'll hear no more of it," he said, much softer. He was so tired.

i turned 'round and there you go *ੈ✩‧₊˚

• ooc: -
  
• 

  ☾ OWLBARK
  ☾ THUNDERCLAN DEPUTY
  ☾ 51 moons, ages every 1st of the month
  ☾ open to peaceful interactions
  ☾ "SPEECH #687A63"
  ☾ penned by muddly

• toyhouse
  playlist
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[juniperstar juniperstar]

juniper

it is a relief to feel the rush of cold air in her lungs; the promise that Thornstar's intervention on her behalf had not earned her any scorn. still though, the advice he offers and the shrill voice of the eager spirit of a son lost moons ago echo between her ears. Owlbark's rigidity is familiar... and the scent of Magnoliapeak is a welcome surprise; ever the emotionally reserved molly but still willing to bear the burden of kin when necessary. she is perhaps more stubborn than they'd like her to be, trying to shuffle at the very least to help ease how much weight is pressed against them. they'd carried her far enough... she could limp the rest of the length home.

by the time they arrive, the blood around her throat has become dried, leaving a grisly impression of the events of her night for the clan to behold. her deputy pulls away from her, ginger and careful, like depositing a broken bird onto the ground in hopes of not breaking its wings.

Copperstorm speaks as a moral authority on the situation and it's all she can do not to openly grimace at his words; it was plenty easy to cast judgement as an onlooker... and it's evident in the way Owlbark practically bristles against it that this argument is helping no one. "Return... to your dens," the spotted molly rasps, "We can discuss this... in the morning."

after some well-deserved rest... after everyone's nerves have had time to settle.

after death did not cling to closely to her coat.

her gaze flicks towards Magpiepaw, a hot twist of guilt twisting in her gut. "Everything's... fine. It's over." It had only taken a moment to be over... a moment, and a river of blood.

──✩°｡⋆⸜ ✮

• juniperstar leader of thunderclan seven lives remain

  ignore me