TW: Sensitive Content Open Territory LITTLE RINGING ON THE TELEPHONE = [ thunderpath commotion ]

[salt]

{$title} tw for abandonment, starvation, and general 'kitten-dropped-on-the-highway' discussion!

They were going to.. a home. They had to be. Despite the rumbling in her belly, they were going to a home.

His eyes flashed back and forth in the carrier, body pressed against the wall, two siblings crowding close to him. He couldn't breathe, despite the knowledge that they must be going somewhere safe. The carrier jump and rattled every now and again, and after what felt like days, the monster began to slow down. The twoleg opened the door, lights flooding the chamber of the monster, it's darkened insides suddenly blinding. A keening whine left the noise of the kit, ears flattened against his skull. A hiss leaves him as the belly of the monster opened to let the twoleg in, their hand wrapping on the carrier and dragging them out of monster.

It smelled- her eyes shifted towards the outside of the carrier, nose pressing against the exterior of it. It smelled clean, here, cleaner then the mill. Cleaner then where she was born alongside her siblings, even though the acrid scent of the Thunderpath made her eyes water. His head drops away as the carrier is set down, jostling them once more. Aqua eyes shifted towards the door, where it creaked open, and before she even got the chance to try and approach the opening, the carrier is turned on it's end, dumping them out. A screech leaves the maw of the kitten, head snapping towards the twoleg, crowding against her siblings.

The twoleg doesn't look back in the dim gloom of night, simply getting back in the roaring monster and.. leaving? Leaving! Teeth grit together as tears pricked at bloodshot eyes, ears flattening against a thin skull. "No.. No!" The kitten screams after them, pushing to his paws- "We were supposed to go home! We... were deserve it. We deserve it!" He raged, his head dropping between his paws, shoulders pressing up in the air like stark peaks. Moonlight coats the three siblings, making it obvious to anything where they were- predator, prey, or friend.

_________________________ YOU WANT BLOOD? ☆ YOU'VE GOT IT! __________________________

• "speech"
  // no need to wait, put pinging the siblings... @icekit @phoenixwashere (for whenever u make ur sub, no rush though!!)
  // anyone is welcome to find them!
  

• 

• SALT he/her, to-be thunderclanner, 3 moons
  ☆ a small lh blue mink with low white, sharp aqua eyes, and a feral disposition.
  ☆ mentored by who / mentoring no one
  ☆ whichever relations / want listed
  ☆ peaceful and healing powerplay permitted / / underline and tag when attacking
  ☆ penned by dallas ↛ dallasofnines on discord, feel free to dm for plots.

 

[Copperstorm]

COPPER OF THUNDERCLAN

Copperstorm had set out with a purpose-- to hunt, to find fresh-kill, to make sure his Clan was well-fed. To bring something nice back for Dewshine. That had been the plan. Sure, it was at night. Sure most were snoozing, but he couldn't just sit idly by. Too much tension was still in the air... Too many things. He had hunted his prey already...

There was no time for delays, no reason to dawdle by the Thunderpath.

And yet, here he was. For an entirely different reason.

His paws lingered near the border, golden eyes sharp as he searched for any sign of his father. His hackles bristled, muscles coiled tight, ready to lash out should the massive tom show his face. But the sudden roar of a monster stole his attention. His breath hitched as the creature barreled down the Thunderpath, its glowing eyes cutting through the dim light. Instinct took over, and he ducked back into the safety of the trees, ears pinned flat, teeth bared in frustration.

But then--

What was that Twoleg doing?

Wait.

Wait, wait-- was it… dumping kittens?

Copperstorm's heart lurched as his eyes locked onto the tiny, trembling shapes on the edge of the Thunderpath. Three. They were so small, barely old enough to take care of themselves, their fur fluffed up against the cold. Where was their mother? Their caretaker? Did the two leg leave them on their own, to die? He watched in stunned disbelief as the Twoleg, showing no hesitation, no regret, stepped back into its monster and sped away. Leaving them. Abandoning them like nothing more than scraps of prey.

One of the kits stumbled forward, yowling in defiance, his tiny voice filled with anger and heartbreak. The sound struck Copperstorm like a claw to the chest. His ears flicked forward. They were alone. Growling low in his throat, he finally stepped out from his hiding place, his movements slow, cautious but deliberate. His gaze swept over the three kits, drinking in their trembling forms, the sheer smallness of them. They were too young. Too fragile. His expression softened, and he lowered his head slightly, his voice steady but gentle.

" Are you okay? "

Padding forward, he crouched down so they wouldn't have to crane their necks to see him, his presence solid, unwavering. He studied them carefully, searching for any signs of injury, trying to guess their age. Young. Too young to be without a mother. His gaze settled on the kit who had cried out about going home, and something in his chest twisted painfully. " I am Copperstorm, from ThunderClan. " he murmured, his voice softer now. " Have… have they given you names? "

His tail curled around his paws as he looked between them, waiting, listening. " What happened? " He already knew part of the answer. He had seen it. But he needed to hear it from them. To understand what they had lost.

you walk along the edge of danger ——･ﾟ✦​

･ﾟ✦ —— AND IT WILL CHANGE YOU

 

[Dewshine's iconDewshine]

⋆˚✧˖° Come On, Come On, We Can Go Away

⋆˚✧˖°

Her side had grown cold with the absence of Copperstorm to press against in their nest and it was the gradual chill that eventually woke her. At first she waited, thinking perhaps he had simply stepped out for a moment but as the seconds trudged on into countless minutes the molly found herself restless and she, too, rose to her paws but in search of her mate. He was nowhere in camp, that much had been made clear the moment Dewshine padded out of the den and so she set her sights further as she slowly began to trace the other's steps outside of the ravine they now called home.

She wasn't surprised as she tracked Copperstorm's scent towards the thunderpath. It had been a shock to everyone that Sable and his followers hadn't fled nearly as far as they'd liked- they were all just a short jaunt across the road and Dewshine was keenly aware of how on edge it left Copper in particular. He was probably staring across it, daring that (or maybe hoping Charcoal won't) cross the thunderpath. The scar along her hind leg felt itchy in response to the thought of him on the other side, as if it was still freshly scabbed though that was now far from the case. She was broken from her thoughts at the telltale sounds of a monster stopping, the low rumbling growl signalling it had stopped for its master before gradually fading away in the distance with- who was yowling?

Her paws picked up the pace as Dewshine practically burst from the treeline onto the scene. "Copper, I-" She paused, worry shadowing her face as the three kits huddled before the tom told her what had happened with no explanation needed. That was why there was a monster on the thunderpath so late at night... "I heard yowling..." She finishes, troubled.

Why had the twolegs abandoned them here? They were so impossibly small...were they even weaned? What do they do now? ...Take them in, obviously. She couldn't imagine Juniperstar or any sane cat leaving a trio of kits to freeze in leafbare like this. Soft orange eyes darted to meet Copperstorm's amber for a second before a soft noise of concern left her and she took a step forward towards them.

"My name is Dewshine, little ones, and I see you've already met my mate." There was a flick of her tail to the tom's shoulder as she spoke. "He looks big and scary but I promise you you won't meet a kinder cat. ...We know somewhere safer than this. Warmer too, let's get you warm and fed and you can tell us what happened, ok?"

Despite wanting to leap forward to curl protectively around the three she stayed put, the last thing she wanted to do was scare them into running away-potentially into the thunderpath and if another monster came roaring by-- She didn't want to even think of it.

✦──

── We Don't Need Them ✦

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

 

[Boar]

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

Boar couldn't believe it! He was right; he really was. Salt and Ice never believed him, that they'd never find a twoleg, and here they were, ready to be taken to wherever their new home was. Yes, their little crate was cramped, pressed close between his siblings, but it was temporary! They were going to be okay. He felt Salt's breathing become tight, and even though Boar was scared too, he let out a low grumbling purr, pressing gently against their sibling in a comforting way. "It'sth gonna be okay. We're sthtill together." He spoke quietly, out of habit. Cats at the mill teased him for his lisp, how the mean-spirited older kittens would try and get them to repeat the names of critters and watch him stumble over the sounds he struggled to form with his jaw set peculiarly. Set jutting out too far forward, teeth protruding up and out of his mouth that already begun to scar his lip and made eating more than difficult, Boar never paid attention to what the cats had to say. He tried many times to talk with them, show them kindness. Maybe it was all they needed! They were all suffering so maybe they just needed a friend. Salt and Ice never thought the same.

Though Boar was broken from his reminiscing from the mill when the darkness of the little box erupted to something bright, blinding. He had to blink hard, his eyes sensitive to the sudden change as they grew bleary from the harsh light there was a click from above, which Boar could only assume was the roof of the monster opening. They instinctively pawed for his siblings, ensuring they were both still there. The shaking of the box grew harsher than the rhythmic thump the monster had as it moved down the thunderpath, the twoleg having grabbed it and removed them from the monster. Boar's heart raced. 'Are we really home already?' He purred louder, the sweet smell of the fresh air filled his every breath, like something clearing his lungs truely for the first time. He wished his eyes would adjust to see the beauty of what was to come, but instead, the rattling grew harsher as the creak of metal sounded through the air and the box was shaken forward. The three kittens tumbling out, Boar, unable to see what was happening, landed unceremoniously onto the thunderpath with a yelp and a whine. Their eyes grew bleary again from the pain of the landing, but he tried to remain strong, taking a deep, shaky breath as he regained his footing.

Boar blinked hard, shaking his tiny head to clear away the tears and get a grip of his surroundings. Nearby, his sibling hissed and yowled at the twoleg, as the sounds of the monster veering away down the thunderpath, leaving the three there... alone... He gulped hard, taking a shakey breath. "Sthalt, what... what happened?..." Boar breathed, suddenly all too aware how cold it was, it didn't take long for his paws to start aching from the cool stone of the thunderpath, the smell that crept into his nose and made him wince. He looked around, they all seemed okay, but he was in shock. Were the kits meant to find their own way to their new home? He couldn't understand.

A voice broke from the clearing; Boar's fur instinctively bristled, fear creeping into his chest as he thought about their situation. Eyes darting to the clearing before relaxing slightly, staring curiously. 'A cat? Another cat? Out here?' Maybe the twoleg meant to drop them off. Glancing between Salt - who still glared down the thunderpath at the disappearing monster - and Ice - who was shaking not too far from Boar - he gulped and stepped towards the strange cat. "I think we're okay..." Boar breathed; even his voice was shaky, he realised, his little heart racing in his chest. The cat was huge, bigger than any he'd seen before. Part of him knew to be wary, but he'd rather take a chance with this cat to help them than have the three be stranded out here. "I-I'm Boar." He padded to Ice and gently headbutted his sibling. "Thisth is Ithe... Itttttthe. His little face screwed up, pawing away at the rivulet of saliva that dripped from his lips as he tried desperately to speak clearly. "And that'sth Sthalt.", jerking his head towards the third.

Though he grew quiet as Copperstorm asked what had happened, he wasn't sure and didn't trust his own words to explain everything. His eyes drew up when he saw another cat approach. She was different from the other; she had a silver pelt and kind eyes. Any fear Boar may have had really begun to melt away at that moment. They were gonna be okay; the three were still together, and these cats didn't seem mean or scary, unlike some of the big cats at the mill. Looking between the two bigger cats, he nodded, agreeing. He knew staying out here in the cold and dark would be a death sentence and he'd take the risk to join these strangers, he looked to his siblings, waiting for them.

——— You keep on grinnin'

and this world keeps nagging. ———

• 
  Boarkit
  ✦—Thunderclan kit
  ✦—He/They
  ✦—"SPEECH", 'THOUGHTS', ATTACK
  ✦—A long-haired, dark grey tom with a prominant underbite and blue eyes.
  #a4bac1

 

[GHOSTSTRIKE]

I WON'T SMILE, BUT I'LL SHOW YOU MY TEETH

​

---

Humans. Ghost had never much liked them. There was the odd good one here or there that would take pity on his old colony and set food or makeshift shelters out for them, but even they were tricky, setting traps and taking Coalition members away to the cutter to try and control the population. The rest were on a spectrum that ranged from 'completely indifferent' to 'actively setting out poisoned food'. Hell, the old building they'd lived in had been knocked down and crushed with the entire colony still inside, Ghost the lone survivor– presumably.

And so no, it didn't shock him to see a trio of kittens being carelessly dumped in the middle of winter, either.

He hung back as Copperstorm and Dewshine made their way down to check on them, unsure if his scarred mug would be a settling presence or not for something so young. Thunderclans youth didn't seem all that bothered by him, but he knew that wouldn't always be the case. Either way, he wouldn't be able to provide them the same level of comfort or care that the pair currently doting on them could, and so he kept back toward the treeline, dark eyes vigilant against other humans or predators who may have seen the kits being left there. He was far more useful as a barrier or weapon.

"They don't look broken. Should move back into the treeline with them. " he called toward his clanmates in a subtle urge to get them moving away from the road sooner than later, sparing the group a brief glance. "Serpentberry will need to have a look over though before you put them in the nursery, assuming that's your plan." He already knew his clanmates wouldn't be leaving them behind. He didn't disagree-- the side of the thunderpath in winter was no place for kits, especially ones as underfed and small as these ones. It was a too familiar sight, and he didn't let his gaze linger on them long less the past start bleeding into the now.
​

---

thunderclan warrior- male - a large, grey tabby with dark amber eyes and several scars

​

 

[icekit]

Icekit had stayed frozen next to his siblings, having stumbled forward into the grasses next to the thunderpath when the three of them had been dumped outside of the window. His paw hurt. Really, really hurt. He cried, cried out in pain and in distress while his siblings explained their situation to the big cats that had found them, had watched them as they were abandoned. Not wanted anymore, not needed anymore. Was he not good enough for them? Was he just... too much? Was he too rambunctious to hold their attentions? He couldn't piece together why they would abandon him and his siblings in the forests, on the edge of a thunderpath or take them in the monster when their beds were back home with their ma. Would they leave their ma somewhere too? What would happen to her? Would she miss him?

He didn't know.

He tried to take a step towards the long gone monster, towards the direction it had gone, but he couldn't. His paw gave way beneath him and he dropped to the ground, crying and blubbering as pain lanced through his limb. He couldn't understand. He didn't understand why they had left him. Why was he not good enough? Why couldn't he be good enough for them?

He just kept on crying, snot running down his face from his nose and his ears slammed so far back on his head it hurt.

YOU ARE THE SUN ☆ YOU HEAL & YOU BURN

• "speech"
  
• 
  

  

• ICEKIT he/him, thunderclan, three moons.
  ☆ a sh solid blue tom with high white and blue eyes and flopped ears / lithe and fast, tall and thin shouldered
  ☆ mentored by ?
  ☆ peaceful and healing powerplay permitted / / always tag @hellybear
  ☆ penned by hellybear ↛ hellycinth on discord, feel free to dm for plots / click for toyhou.se

 

[salt]

Salt was still staring at the Thunderpath when Boar spoke, a tenative and quiet voice asking what happened. Salt had been vehement about protecting his sibling, all teeth and sharp jagged edges to throw back in the face of other cats at the mill. "They left us." He snapped out, ears pressing against his head, flank moving to press against Ice's own. While Salt was shorter then Ice, even now, Salt was a hint broader, fur fuzzy in the night air. The approach of strangers, however, made his lips pull back, revealing sharp teeth.

She lets her brother speak, eyes narrowed untrustingly towards Copperstorm. She wonders if he is here to make fun of them, to tease Boar for his teeth, to snap at Ice to stop crying, and Salt's fur bristles at the thought. But what comes out of Copperstorm's mouth- then Dewshine's- makes surprise seem like an understatement. The names that leave their mouth are.. unfamiliar, strange in Salt's mouth. He mumbles out and repeats the names of the two cats, eyes shifting towards Ghoststrike in the distance as Boar introduces them. Ice is still heaving sobs and Salt's teeth press together and grind. "Ice." Salt says, voice sharp but tone not unkind, trying to get him a bit more quiet.

Salt looks towards Copperstorm and Dewshine, even as Boar nods his head towards them in agreement, saying that they could be transported back. ".. Look. We can't trust you, but we don't have any better options." Salt says, words sharper and harsher then they word towards Ice. "Lead. Don't touch us." Salt says, leaving Ice's side to stand in front of Boar, aqua eyes glimmering with anger. With fear.

_________________________ YOU WANT BLOOD? ☆ YOU'VE GOT IT! __________________________

• "speech"
  

• 

• SALT he/her, to-be thunderclanner, 3 moons
  ☆ a small lh blue mink with low white, sharp aqua eyes, and a feral disposition.
  ☆ mentored by who / mentoring no one
  ☆ whichever relations / want listed
  ☆ peaceful and healing powerplay permitted / / underline and tag when attacking
  ☆ penned by dallas ↛ dallasofnines on discord, feel free to dm for plots.

 

[Dewshine's iconDewshine]

⋆˚✧˖° Come On, Come On, We Can Go Away

⋆˚✧˖°

This was no place for kits for small, Dewshine's ear flicked in acknowledgement of Ghoststrike's voice calling out with a suggestion to do what she'd already intended to do the moment her eyes landed on the three before her. Frown softened somewhat as she stepped towards the kits, orange eyes moving from Boar, to Ice, and finally Salt as the former introduced himself and his...siblings? She had to assume they were. Ice was hurt, maybe he'd landed awkwardly when he was dumped on the side of the road. There was no way he would be able to make the walk back to camp like that. Not when it seemed that he could barely stand as is.

"Boar, Ice, Salt," She repeated gently, looking at each in turn. "You're very lucky we found you before something else did. It's not exactly safe out here for a grown cat by himself, let alone three kits." A pointed glance is given to her mate before she steps forward once more to meet Salt, head lowered so she wouldn't have to crane her neck quite so far to see her face to face. He was scared. Confused. There was no rhyme or reason why twolegs did things sometimes... Her heart ached for them.

Fluffy tail curled around her paws as she lowered herself still to be eye to eye with her. "Your brother is hurt, Salt." It's a gentle chiding, searching brilliant aqua for a hint of understanding or perhaps to see if Salt was even listening to her. "We can't let him walk like this or his paw will get worse, do you understand? My friend Serpentberry is a medicine cat, I need to carry him to her den so she can fix it. She'll take good care of him, ok?"

'And with his crying it may well have alerted every predator in the forest that something is amiss...' The grim thought is swallowed back and Dewshine cranes her neck to catch Ghoststrike's eye at the treeline. "Ghoststrike could you..." She pauses, debating her choice of words because she didn't want to scare the trio. "Run ahead to camp-" She accentuates it with a sweep of her tail, orange eyes narrowed. Scout ahead, make sure no predators caught the trail. Please. "And wake Serpentberry? Let her know we are bringing these three shortly, one is injured. Copperstorm and I can handle things here."

Without waiting for a response from the tom Dewshine stepped around Salt and Boar quickly running her tongue across Ice's cheek, ignoring any protests from Salt that she was sure were to come her way. "Shh... Shhh little one, I'm going to take you and your siblings somewhere safe, ok? Come here..." Gently, ever so gently, Dewshine takes Ice by the scruff and turns to face his siblings. A small nod is given to Copperstorm. Lead the way.

✦──

── We Don't Need Them ✦

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