TW: Sensitive Content Open my mother told me - bringing back body

[flowercloud]

the walk felt longer than coming back from the dog attack. the weight of the body draped on her back was hardly noticeable compared to the weight that- she was too late. cheeks were drenched in tears, lightened fur soiled and stained in blood that was not her own.

her paws no longer shook, her throat raw from the scream that echoed through her jaws- she had heard the birds flutter from the sudden sound, and long abandoned the mouse she had caught. Green eyes were dull, empty- and her chest was a flutter of panic, while her stomach settled on sickness.

she had heard quiet footsteps join her side. she wasn't sure if it was real or not. her ears only heard the loudness of her heart, and the screaming thoughts. but, as she pushed through the barrier of camp, and draped her sons body gently on the ground- the rage came back, seeing the crumpled mess.

Her teeth clenched, and green eyes tightened closed. As if it wasn't real, as if it was a dream. but as her eyes opened, a fire burned. "Hawkstar!" Her voice called- raw throat far from the honey sweet. Rage filled back in her eyes, her body shook, her blood burned. Green eyes searched for the blue eyed leader- but her body did not move.

Her son needed her.

As soon as green eyes met blue, and the leader stepped forward- she heard nothing Hawkstar said. "A Thunderclanner Killed my son." He wasn't supposed to be dead. He was supposed to grey and age. "I demand justice." She wanted to dig her claws into the others face, fur, make him regret.

"Would you let another clan take the blood of one of ours without repercussions? 'Peaceful' Night of treaty, I don't believe a damned word!" Her claws dug into dirt, her head lowered in the rage she felt, that set a fire in her eyes, and pulled her face into a disgusting snarl.

my queen- my leader- understand my anger, heed my need for justice.

her second child- taken away too soon. his siblings- left to grieve.

@Hawkstar
​

 

[Hawkstar]

LEADER OF SKYCLAN

.

TRIGGER WARNING

TW for detailed descriptions of gore, blood, wounds, and handling of dead bodies. Reader discretion is advised.

Flowercloud never calls for her anymore. The thing that transpired between them - the thing that Hawkstar had seen fit to draw the line for - had rendered the former deputy quiet. Reserved. So when Hawkstar does hear her, when she does does deign to turn one pointed ear towards her roar, her electric blue eye follows the line of action to horror.

She sees him before she hears his fate.

Rosebelly. Her perfect, floppy-eared, fierce apprentice with his fluffy cheeks and blue eyes always filled with determination and so much cleverness, now cleaved near in two. Beneath the tangled mess of belly fur stained with gore, she could see where the gash between, where her little apprentice had been caught vulnerable: in the very place she had named for, as if his attacker had known about that fire that Hawkstar had stoked in him and wanted to rip it out just to spite her. As if they meant to tear out her heart and fire by way of this proxy.

A ThunderClanner killed my son. Blood rushed to Hawkstar's ears - loud, angry, pounding. Juniperstar had dared to approach her border with this promise of peace, this simpering cover up for her lawless soldiers and secret sadism. She had allowed herself to lower her guard a fraction and in that blink of an eye, she had already lost a life.

"Bring him to me," it's a command, but Hawkstar could feel her voice shake under the weight of it. "Please, let me -"

She moves past her former deputy to him, his fur still etched with kitten softness, his jowls not yet filled in with the telltale thickness of a fully grown SkyClan warrior, his eyes now glassy and dull where bright blue once was. Hawkstar placed a paw against his muzzle, searching desperately for some small puff of air, some small show of life, but there was nothing.

Juniperstar had lied to her. ThunderClan had murdered her apprentice. And StarClan had allowed the world to take another one of her warriors without even a thought towards the hurt and damage it would cause. In a just universe, their punishment would be swift and exacting, but even brusqueness was not enough for this. This time, Hawkstar would be sure they burned for it.

Hawkstar's paws move from head to belly. The blood had stopped flowing a while ago from the looks of the wound. Now it had congealed into a honey-like texture that matted his fur into tight clumps, and clung to her toes as she inspected the severity of the killing blow. She felt sick. Rosebelly's blood clung to her, staining her fur, just as she was sure a ThunderClanner warrior was cleaning it off as if her little warrior were no more than a bird caught to feed ThunderClan's nursery queens.

Her eye floats back to Flowercloud, glassy to match Rosebelly's beneath her paw. "Did they see your face? If I put you in front of that crowd, would they know you well enough to show fear? Could you pick out the murderer if I asked?"

@flowercloud

pointed torbie

◆

64 moons

◆

she / they

◆

bio

 

[Teaselfeather Teaselfeather]

TEASELFEATHER

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

Their paws trembled with each step, as if the earth itself no longer welcomed their weight. Teaselfeather moved forward through a fog of disbelief, eyes wide, too wide, blinking against the terrible image before them.

Rosebelly.

Their brother, who had burned so bright.
Sharp words. Sharper wit. A firestorm of a cat... Alive in every breath, impossible to silence. Even when they clashed, even when he stung with barbed remarks, he had been theirs. Family. They had once shared nests and dreams, wide-eyed hopes of warriorhood, promises whispered under starlight when the world still seemed kind. They had received their names together. Teaselfeather. Rosebelly. Cygnetscratch. They were supposed to grow old together.

So how... How could he be still now?!

How could he be gone? Laid out on the ground, slain by the claws of a ThunderClanner... The world became a blur of motion as tears gathered in their eyes. Words were spoken, his mothers rage, Hawkstar's words. None of it registered in their mind. Not anymore. Hot, white grief seared through them. Their breath hitched.

And then it came, a cry, raw and sharp, cracking through the air like lightning.
" ROSEBELLY—! " It wasn't just mourning... It was protest. It was rage. It was the sound of a heart breaking, not cleanly, but all at once and everywhere.

They collapsed beside him, body trembling, pressing their forehead to his fur already cooling. They were supposed to heal the fractures in their family. Now two would remain forever. A piece missing. Irreplaceable.

═════════════⊹⊱ ⟡ ⊰⊹═════════════

 

[Maiseyleg Maiseyleg]

ababababababa The seasons change, we are not the same

indentThe sounds of Flowercloud's anguish draw Maiseyleg from the warrior den. A white ear flicks, shaking off a stay pine needle. She can smell the thick scent of blood and hear talks of 'murder' and 'justice'. Maiseyleg takes a deep breath and braces herself for what she's sure to see as she leaves the comforting shade of the den. She's no stranger to death and violence, having seen many cats lost to the rats in their old territory.

indentDespite her preparations, she's struck speechless by what she sees. Rosebelly, barely a warrior, is dead, flayed by the claws of another cat. Despite all she's seen, this type of violence is foreign to her. There never used to be a good enough reason for cats to fight one another, before the journey. Not to the death, at least. No rouge wanted to risk their life against Skyclan - these forest cats don't have the same reservations, though.

indentMaiseyleg urges to rush forward to Flowercloud, to comfort her apprentice, but her legs won't move. Soft white paws remain locked in place, claws digging into the podzol. 'There's nothing I can do for her now. No sweet words will bring back her kit.' She sets her jaw, and holds back tears. She'll wait for Hawkstar's command, and follow through. 'The time for petty feuds is behind us, now. We need to keep this from happening again."

ababaugfbiufhufbdfduibabababa

Maiseyleg | 63 moons | Warrior of Skyclan ababababbnihfibnfdifdhfhababa

 

[Downypaw]

But my words, like silent raindrops fell

And echoed in the wells of silence

​

It was starting to become almost a normal occurance for someone to come back to camp bloodied and broken. While it wasn't something that happened everyday, it was still something the small apprentice was starting to get use to. From when Stripe-tail came back leaning against Blood-heart, to when her own mentor, Wave-legs, came limping back from a bad fall, injuries seemed to plague the life of a warrior and Downypaw couldn't help but feel apprehensive for her own adult life. Would she be graduating soon, like others had when they were her age? What if she wasn't ready, having only been under Wave-legs care for about a moon. She wasn't sure she could handle an injury to herself like she had when the white molly was younger, scars etched deep into her shoulder blades and back to tell the story.

Yet.... everyone who came back injured always ended up okay, in the end... And so, wouldn't that be the same for Flop-ear, as well? The small apprentice watched with sky blue eyes as Stripe-tail entered camp on soft, nearly shaking, paws. The non-moving body of her son was gently laid against the earth of camp, like a fragile leaf ready to crumble at the slightest touch. Then, everything turned. Downypaw couldn't hear the words spoken but she could see the anger seething through the usual cheerful former-deputy. Whatever Stripe-tail had spoken, whatever had made her tense up like a lion poised to strike, it seemed to cascade through the clan like a wave. One-eye stepped forward first, more gentle than she had ever seen the leader act, as a paw was brought up to examine the tom. But why... why not call for Tree-legs? Afterall, she had helped so many of the other injuries heal up with barely any issue...

Then there was Sticky-fur. This was when Downypaw noticed there was something wrong. They had been nervous. They always shook just a bit. But this... this was different. The way they trembled, the way they collapsed with their jaw agape like they were locked in a cry that she could not perceive. The way their eyes squeezed shut, the glistening shine of tears trickling down their cheeks. Her ears fell back. Sticky-fur was always kind, always visiting the medicine den when she had been healing. It wasn't like them to look like this. But... there was no reason to... Did no one realize? Everyone seemed so upset but Downypaw knew that this wouldn't be the end. Just like it wasn't the end for her, for Stripe-tail, for One-eye. She had to show them! She could remind everyone that Flop-ear would be okay, just like everyone else!

With a sudden resolute spirit, the little apprentice ran over to the group of cats surrounding the body. She had no one to get their attention except for touch and so, she bumped heads against One-eyes leg first, before her legs carried her in a circle around the body, brushing up against both Sticky-fur and Stripe-tail as she did. Once all eyes were on the white molly, she stomped a front paw and shook her head, as if to reject their anger and sadness. 'Dont be sad! Look!' A gentle paw was placed on Flop-ear before she started putting on her own little show. Stepping back, with shaky legs, Downypaw stumbled a few steps before collapsing as Flop-ear's side. She closed her eyes and held her breath, wanting to emphasize the part she was playing from her memory.

She stayed like that, unmoving against the earth, lungs held in place for as long as she could before... a deep, sudden breath was taken in and she slowly rose from her act. When she was done, she stared up at her companions with a smile to large for the situation at hand. A paw was brought up, pointing to One-eyes before moving to point at the still Flop-ear against the earth. Again, she flopped down on her side before springing back up. 'He'll be back, see? He'll get up soon, watch!' Turning her back to their gaze, Downypaw pranced her way over to One-eye and flopped down on her haunches, staring with bright sky blue eyes at the collapsed clanmate on the groud. Her smile never faltered. After all, she did good! She was sure everyone would feel better once Flop-ear awoke again.

Just like One-eye did, so long ago.
​

OOC ✧❦✧ Basic Info

• ooc
  ——
  Because Downy is deaf, obligatory nickname list!
  Hawkstar -> One-eye (for her one eye)
  Fujimoto -> Wave-legs (for their wavey-striped front legs)
  Flowercloud -> Stripe-Tail (for her big striped tail)
  Teaselfeather -> Sticky-fur (for always having things in their fur)
  Rosebelly -> Flop-Ear (for his one floppy ear)
  Stormcrow -> Blood-heart (for her red chest spot)
  Swallowbreeze -> Tree-legs (for her brown striped legs)
  
• 
  string of lyrics / lengty or short quote goes

  here

  ​
  ​
• Downykit she/her
  ❧ A Small Long Haired All White Molly with Sky Blue Eyes, Deaf In Both Ears and Mostly Mute
  ❧ Apprentice of Skyclan
  ❧ 11 moons; ages on the 7th of every month
  ❧ speech thought attack
  ❧ peaceful + healing powerplay permitted
  
  penned by Taru​

​

 

[flowercloud]

Flowercloud held her head high, her jaws clenched together in a tightness that almost felt like her teeth would shatter-break underneath the anger and rage she felt. Green eyes were unmoving from the leader. She knew that Hawkstar would feel a specific way about her former apprentice, that the words wouldn't make sense coming from Flowerclouds mouth.

She had already let out her grief, had already curled her arms around her son, sobbed tears into his pelt- she had stepped to the side to reveal his too soon broken body, watching as Hawkstar examined, checked, and her jaws rolled and crunched.

The fluffy warrior stayed tall, fluffy tail flicking across the dusty covered dirt. Did they see your face? If I put you in front of that crowd, would they know you well enough to show fear? Could you pick out the murderer if I asked?

"The tom was across the border, while Rosebelly collapsed on our side. He showed no remorse, and turned and said nothing to me. I could pick him out in a crowd, every scar, every tuft of fur I took in my rage. If he does not show fear- I will make him." My beautiful son, killed- the light in her eyes were not there, replaced with ice and coldness. The honey sweet voice was bittered with rot.

But the scream of her son- the shock, her gaze turned to him, lightened, and her features frowned, ears flicking back. He slid to Rosebellys body, and grief struck his features. "My family did not deserve this and our clan does not deal with lies and deceit. What is your plan, Hawkstar?" She asked, carefully, bringing her body besides Teaselfeather to press her fur into his in some form of comfort. "I am by your side through whatever you decide." She reminded, but it felt different. Her green eyes remained locked against blues, honest.

She didn't recognize herself right now. The movements to comfort were distant, as if she wasn't sure how- for the first time in her motherhood, she didn't know how to comfort her child in seeing a dead body. Because she never would've expected it to be their brother. Her son. "Breathe, my child." She reminded gently, though her voice caught in her throat. There will be no reassuring that everything will be okay. Because she had no doubt in her mind that Rosebelly wouldn't wake up.

Which Downypaw reminded her of so... Innocently. The apprentice didn't know. And though her lips curled, a frown etched into her features, and her eyes didn't hold the light, she let out a sigh, dropping her head. "Downypaw doesn't know." Her words were ever so soft, still rough against a raw throat. To teach death was an act she couldn't bring herself to do. And Downy looked ever so hopeful up at Hawkstar.

​

 

[Cherrydawn Cherrydawn]

CHERRYDAWN OF SKYCLAN

It was wrong. Nothing about it was right... The molly with the mismatched eyes stepped forward, reluctant and heavy-hearted. Grief lay thick in the air, and it gripped her chest like thorns. Before her was horror, unfathomable, cold, and crimson. The blood matted into Rosebelly's fur was far too fresh. He had barely earned his warrior name. She had been that young not long ago, still finding her footing, still believing the world held more wonder than cruelty. But she had never seen this before. Not like this. Not up close. Not this kind of death: silent, merciless, and icy cold, just as Flowercloud had described. A kill made without remorse. Without warning.

Her mouth went dry. Her legs felt unsteady beneath her. She stared at Downypaw, and her heart ached. The poor apprentice... she didn't understand. She couldn't understand. Death had never truly touched them before, never in this way. SkyClan should have been thriving in their new territory. But instead, they were met with this. " Rogues. " she said at last, her voice cracking as she looked up at Flowercloud and Hawkstar. " Lawless rogues... For what reason did this death occur? " Her voice trembled, then sharpened. " Unjust...! " she growled. " Unnecessary. He was barely a warrior! Fresh into the paws of one! "

She turned to Downypaw again, her expression softening with sorrow. The apprentice still held hope in her eyes, hope that Rosebelly would rise, just like Hawkstar had. But Rosebelly... Rosebelly was no leader. He had no extra lives. No second chances. Pain flickered in Cherrydawn's gaze as she slowly shook her head. " No, sweetling.. " she whispered, barely audible. " No… Rosebelly will sprint across this earth no longer. Not in the body he left behind… "

THROUGH DIRT AND SHADOW I GROW ——･ﾟ✦​

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

 

[[SNOWVEIL] [SNOWVEIL]]

SNOWVEIL, 91 moons / SkyClan + Perm Caregiver
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 @Downypaw & @Hawkstar

---

Snowveil did not need to see what lay before her. She did not need eyes to know that Rosebelly's body was stretched out in full view of SkyClan. The sharp tang of death hung in the air like a blade. The youngster's life.... So bright, so fragile.... It had been taken. Nothing would bring him back. All that remained was a husk, still and cold beneath the morning sky. Her thin tail flicked once through the air as she stepped forward, head low. A faint waft of Downypaw's scent brushed past her muzzle. The mute child... the one she couldn't speak to properly, not in the ways most could, but loved fiercely, without question.

Snowveil's ears pinned back, flattened tight to her skull as voices rose around her. Then came the scream, Teaselfeather's wail, sharp enough to cleave the air in two. For a child who rarely made a sound, that one cry said everything. Horror. Grief. Rage. She stepped forward until she reached Downypaw, reaching out with one paw until it brushed against the familiar soft fur. Gently, slowly, she pulled her in close and gave her ears a rasp of her tongue, a gesture of quiet comfort amid the storm.

She didn't know the full story. She hadn't seen it. But she could guess. Flowercloud's trembling voice had made it clear enough. Downypaw doesn't know. But Snowveil did. Flowercloud demanded justice. Snowveil agreed. The pain of losing a kit, unspeakable, hollowing, endless. A pain she would never wish on any cat, yet one that hung heavy now in the clearing.

" Retribution. " she spat at last, her voice hard as stone. Her head lifted, milky eyes unseeing but unwavering. There was fire in her chest now, burning low, but deadly. " This murderer cannot walk free. There was talk of the Gathering. Let us see just how wise ThunderClan's leader truly is. " She bared her teeth. A n g e r. " If she understands the weight of what's been done, she'll make the right decision. If not… " her ears flattened again. " Then we'll know exactly what kind of leader we're dealing with. "

DON'T LET MY CALM FOOL YOU

there's fire underneath this snow

 

[DUSKPOOL]

DUSKPOOL​

He'd been nearby when Flowercloud's voice rung in the distance like the steady drum of thunder rollin' in, angry and violent for things left unspoken. His battered figure rippled, head swivelin' to stare at his younger sister carryin' the body of her son. His nephew. "Oh, kiddo." He rasped wearily, tired and broken-hearted from lives he'd watched wither to dust by the very tom who swore to protect 'em. His figure slipped forward toward his half-sister with a rumbled sigh, starin' at Rosebelly's mutilated form with a heavy heart.

'M sorry, kiddo. Though, Duskpool ain't ever been one for apologies, not verbally, at least, but to have a kid so young succumb to the cruelty of life was nothin' more than bitter heartbreak. To have a life snuffed out so soon after becomin' a warrior. Ain't that the purpose of a becomin' a warrior? To die for yet clan and clanmates. It made somethin' silly twist in his guts, scarred lips peeled into a subtle frown, weary-eyed. It seemed their family ain't nothin' but a curse. It left a sour taste in his mouth. The sight so closely intertwined with the past, Duskpool had prayed Flowercloud would never know the grief of loosin' a child.

That pain? It won't ever go away. It might diminish, but it ain't ever gonna leave ya.

His bulky frame shouldered through the crowd to reach her, pelts brushin' in silent support though his brows furrowed, lips tugged at the vicious call for revenge. His skin bubbled with rage for the loss of another, but maybe he ain't so good when his thoughts rolled like lumberin' thunder, battlin' against the need for blood and the desperate snarl of what good will it bring?

These folks ain't aware of most of the code, not like SkyClan. But maybe it was due time to start implementin' 'em before another kiddo lost their life to some pointless thing that could've been avoided. He saw nothin' but a bunch of rogues claimin' to be clans, guided by Starclan he ain't too sure he believed in anymore. His chest rumbled, lips drawin' into a tight-lipped sneer, well hidden beneath obsidian wool. "Remember, most of these folks ain't aware of the code." He rumbled gruffly, wooly plumage sweepin' the ground in a slow arc. "Reckon it's about time we do somethin' before another youngster is killed over somethin' stupid." His head pivoted, starin' at Rosebelly's frame with a look of anguish masked behind careful indifference.

He might be a hypocrite, havin' gone after a thoughtless rogue and a controlin' kittypet, claws stained red and lips forever stuck in a bloodied sneer. The lot of ya best be keepin' a clear head. If Juniperstar refused? Then what? Was Hawkstar willin' to go to war and risk the lives of more of their clanmates? His gut might be coilin' with rage at the loss of kin, but perhaps he ain't nothin' more than a selfish bastard, mind a steel trap, words rattlin' like boot heels on old wood.

His molten iris drifted to Flowercloud, scarred head lowerin' to press into the meat of her shoulder. "Come on, kiddo. Why don't we get Rosebelly cleaned up? Reckon we can find some flowers growin' nearby." His words rumblin' like the sound of fire cracklin' over coals.

"One of ya best be gettin' Swallowbreeze if she ain't already made aware. We have all the time for revenge, but right now, Rosebelly needs his family more than ever." His words steady, heavy with grief and steady like a hum against a storm-wracked world.

Perhaps he'd grown too accustomed to the sight of death and kin. His eyesight heavy and limbs like lead. How many had to die for someone to grow uncomfortably numb at the sight? Maybe he'd always been a heartless bastard.

we're only haunted by the things we refuse to accept

ooc

information

main ref

• xxx
• 

  DUSKPOOL he/him a storm carved in flesh and smoke, duskpool towers with the bulk of a maine coon and norwegin forest cat. his wooly black pelt bristles with ghost-stripes and scars—old wounds etched like lightning through dusk. one copper eye burns like molten steel and the other a mangled ruin of war. every step is heavy, thunderous—war-born, death-burdened, and unflinchingly alive.
  
  ᯓ★ senior warrior of skyclan (sun guard during coffeestar's reign)
  ᯓ★ brother to outlawbite & thistlestrike, half-brother to flowercloud
  ᯓ★ eighty-two moons; ages on the 1st of every month
  ᯓ★ speech thought action
  ᯓ★ peaceful/healing powerplay permitted
• ​

 

[SWALLOWBREEZE]

cw: very minor descriptions of a corpse, gore, death

there wasn't any reason to call for swallowbreeze. flowercloud's banshee cries stirred the whole clan, and then some. she doesn't leave her den until she musters the courage too, the battle hungry cries of her clanmates echoing off the walls. justice, they demand, while rosebelly body begins to cool. hawkstar lays the kindling out, and hands flowercloud the matches— whatever happened tonight may be talked about for generations.

[cw start] rosebelly lays flayed out for his clan. his limbs twist at awkward angles, as it must have stiffened while flowercloud carried him back. the killing blow is the first thing swallowbreeze noticed, how messily the attacker's claws sliced open the poor warrior's stomach. there's nothing she could have done, swallowbreeze believes that him bleeding out before making it back to camp is the most merciful way he could've died. she doesn't think she could've looked a desperate flowercloud in the eyes while her son gasped for breath. [/cw end]

"i'm here." she speaks up, shouldering past her clanmates to get closer. it's a horrific sight, she tries not to think about how small he used to be. "we need to prepare the body for vigil, if we're still attending the gathering." swallowbreeze is grateful for duskpool's presence, she's not sure she could've wrangled a grief-stricken flowercloud by herself. her anxieties twist in her own chest, curdling into nausea she has to ignore for right now.

 

[Hawkstar]

LEADER OF SKYCLAN

.

SkyClan falls in easily, each soldier primed and ready for their next order, each set of claws at Hawkstar's command, each set of fangs ready to be bared for their fallen clanmate. For their friend. For their family.

For their brother. For their son.

Hawkstar's electric blue slips from Flowercloud to Maiseyleg. Duskpool. Swallowbreeze. To each and every warrior she had at her disposal. And then to each apprentice that slunk behind them with wide, inexperienced eyes, the kind of eyes that had maybe known of death but hadn't quite conceptualized it yet. Too young, too kind, too sweet. Anger sparks in Hawkstar's chest for them, for the children of her clan who shouldn't have to be acquainted with this dark underbelly of their life so soon.

Duskpool offers something and Hawkstar pushes down the urge to smack him about the ears for his stupidity. "A clan with a leader, a deputy, and a medicine cat is a clan that knows the code. If they refuse to acknowledge it, they can not be dismissed as rogues. They can be torn apart because they are parasites. At least rogues can claim ignorance instead of sacrilege."

She turns her glare back to Flowercloud, determined. "Then so be it. Stand with deputies tonight, act as if you have all the authority that position would give you. Let him see you, find his face. Then let him see your son's blood on your fur and on my paws. We're not giving him the mercy of subtlety."

"Snowveil, Milkheart." the pointed leader flicked her tail, pitching her voice up and towards her former mentor and her friend so that Snowveil may hear the need for justice she instilled in her apprentice all those years ago. "Help Swallowbreeze clean and prepare the body. We will not bury him until our return. Not until I know who to blame. I'll drag Juniperstar here if I have to. I will make sure she memorizes the face of the son she killed." Because even if it were the most unhinged of ThunderClan's warriors that made the killing blow, it was still their leader that had to answer for the failing of her command. SkyClan's warriors would never dare such an act, not when their king had such control of her kingdom.

But SkyClan's warriors were also noble, true, and instilled with respect for the code and the lives of the cats around them. They had shown that much during the journey, during their first interaction with RiverClan, and in all moments in which Hawkstar deigned to test them. Every single time she put them to the sword, her warriors came back better and wiser. Why was it that other leaders could not do the same?

"Fujimoto, Duskpool, Stormcrow, Cherrydawn, Mousefang, Maiseyleg, Swallowbreeze." Hawkstar singles each of them out with a pointed glare from her good eye, her electric blue zinging from cat to cat as she named them. "I will need you at my side at this Gathering. Be prepared to fight. Be prepared to win. But do not strike first. Maiseyleg, I will need you to be prepared to run back to camp to alert the warriors I leave behind if it comes to violence. You and Downypaw will be our messengers. Stonepaw,"

"You will stay behind with Cometglow, Outlawbite, Fitzgerald, and Sagesong. If ShadowClan or ThunderClan choose cowardice tonight, it will be your duties to get our most vulnerable to safety, and then yourselves. Get to the trees and get high. We have strengths up higher than the other clans."

She pauses, her chest almost heaving with the effort it took to stay calm and reasonable, to think rather than act. To breathe rather than feel. "You all have one hour until we depart. I suggest you all prepare yourselves for whatever this night will bring."

/ anybody NOT mentioned may choose whether to stay or go of their own accord

pointed torbie

◆

64 moons

◆

she / they

◆

bio

 

[flowercloud]

she felt her brothers presence push through the crowd before she could see him- she heard his words rumble through the air, but didn't necessarily register it. her fur on one side pressed to her one childs- and the fur being pressed by her brother- and yet she felt no comfort. she felt no resilience or calm that was usual before the storm. "dusk-" A breath of his name between grit teeth, but couldn't muster the strength for more words of comfort. her head pressed to the top of his as he pressed his muzzle to her shoulder, but it was still, distant feeling.

rosebelly needed her. and she wasn't there in time. she couldn't save him. she couldn't have done anything. her body stiffened.

she felt her anger boil with her clanmates- they stood by her side too. her green eyes flicked with not kindness, but hunger that couldn't be fulfilled by grieving. the blood that made her fur feel heavy and stained with grace of the cooling body before her- her mind ran, her paws tensed-

and finally, before she could still speak and formulate words for Dusk to speak, hawkstars voice rose amongst the clamor. the voice her mind needed the most- the one with the answers to enact what flowercloud craved most.

"Then so be it. Stand with deputies tonight, act as if you have all the authority that position would give you. Let him see you, find his face. Then let him see your son's blood on your fur and on my paws. We're not giving him the mercy of subtlety."

and what she heard was of a slight difference- stand beside me, find the killer- it settled her enough to bow her large head, slowly closing green eyes as she finally felt a bit of control back in her body. a breath finally escaped her throat, a deep breath- and finally she would respond.

"I will do as you wish, i will stand beside you as i once did, but for now- I would like to sit with my son and help prepare his body- if you will allow me before we leave, Hawkstar." She rumbled, wanting to kill this hour to prevent pulling his blood from her fur. it was strange, unsettling, but she couldn't have found the energy to do it immediately anyways. she still clung to the idea he was just resting, even if she knew the truth.

 

[Mousefang]

A rake of claws against a mirror - grazing pelts we all once wore.

Green eyes find the body easily amidst the crowd of cats, he has never particularly liked any of Flowercloud's brats. Mousefang tolerated Teaselfeather at most for sharing some of the values his mother did, but the other two were sniveling and insolent at their best. Rosebelly was an especially egregious example of the sort of cat he couldn't stand, but any animosity he once felt faded into dust at the sight of that once fiery young cat split apart like prey. He can't grieve like a mother, can not suffer the loss as a friend, but he can feel the sting of a clanmate gone and his ears flick up at the mention of ThunderClan. To so callously invite them for peace only to murder one of their own the night of. His rosette spotted pelt bristles as he bares his teeth and it is only Hawkstar, of all cats, whose voice pierces the blinding red veil over his eyes enough to bring him back focus. His name is called, he hears it alongside cats she favors and is briefly confused until he lifts his head to meet that single scrutinizing gaze unflinching.
When his mother named him his full warrior name she seemed hesitant to give him something so sharp, his siblings both had names speaking of their kindness and compassion, bravery and loyalty- heart and cloud. Yet he alone bared his teeth. Coffeestar, caring and gentle, had never known how to handle her tenacious son and while he became her Sun Guard honorably through his dedication he had always felt leashed in a way. Tethered to her sympathies and desire for peace. There were no other clans in the old territory, loners and rogues plenty but no defending their territory from neighboring cats or fighting for prey against other groups during leafbare.
His fangs had long since been neglected, not allowed to defend his clan as he desired.

But now?

Now Hawkstar barks his name like she does her own dogs - his name is uttered alongside a cat as devout and loyal Stormcrow, a sturdy and dedicated tom like Duskpool…she was calling a war band together.
And he was chosen. A brief thrill like the day he became a warrior scorched through his veins and he ripped his gaze away from the body to the treeline beyond. Retribution, retaliation. For the first time there is an almost enthusiastic energy to his voice that was so often neutral and calm, "As you say, Hawkstar."

Ooc- ooc info here.

x

Mousefang

— SkyClan Warrior (Scout)
— He/Him
"SPEECH", 'THOUGHTS', ATTACK
— A black rosette tabby with high white & mint green eyes.
#84ba64

 

[cygnetscratch]

StarClan, are you so weak that you could not save him?

Cygnetscratch stands idle. Cats sharpen their claws with their cries of outrage and pain, gnash their jaws for vengeance and retribution. But the white furred warrior remains so still. Her mother sobs, her sibling shrieks. Yet, from her, nothing. She watches as paws grace the body that once belonged to her brother and come away red, as if all that remains of him is what is left. His soul has joined the stars, but what use is that sanctity when the strength of the stars is volatile now? Cats across the borders do not revere the code nor honor their ancestors like SkyClan does. If they did, Rosebelly would be alive.

Is there use in reverance? She can spend hours of her day praying her brother made it to the beyond and feels no pain. No aching hunger, no festering infection, no troubled thought. Free. But fear creeps in quicker, for what use is a code not honored? What faith can there be if the beyond does not protect those who follow its every beck and call? Rosebelly could've sunk into the depths of nothingness instead, and Cygnetscratch would not know the difference.

His body would still be here, and his killer would still be out there.

Hawkstar begins her battle calls, holstering cats to her haunches whilst others prepare her brother's body. It snaps; the thread that keeps her upright, that ties her muzzle shut, breaks with her next breath. She's breathes ragged, as if the act of surviving is suddenly so difficult. Cygnetscratch's golden eyes cannot fit onto that of Rosebelly's corpse anymore. Claws score the ground and she rounds to Teaselfeather's side - protectively, possessively. StarClan in all of it's lacking ability will not take another sibling from her. She will sooner sell her soul to a beast of darkness before she watches more kin of hers die.

"We will go," she tells Teaselfeather, voice low, gravelly, as if tears wish to shed and sobs wish to rip, but she forbays both from occurring. The only thing she wants to feel right now is rage and potentially the pelt of another beneath her claws.