PAFP Border SC This place doesn't feel like home // Intro & lost

[Jackdawkit]

Jackie wiggled around in the mud trying to free themselves from it. Shaking and shaking they finally freed themselves from its grasp. Exhausted the little kit splattered onto the ground. Breathing heavily they looked around to see where they'd be left to see the road glistening not far behind them. Scrunching their nose they tried to get up, their legs shaking and weak they pushed to an anvil.

Finally after a few minutes of resting Jackie tried again when the sound of a car coming scared her sending her running into the long grass ahead. Tired, she looked at her sore paws sobbing, "They don't want me anymore." she sobbed. Why had her housefolk left her here, had she done something wrong? Was something wrong with them?

After crying for a while she curled up in a ball, tucking her tail over her nose. Letting sleep drift heavily over her, till she couldn't think anymore about what had happened.

𖤓˖⁺‧₊☽𓅨☾₊‧⁺˖𖤓 ⋆｡°✩

• 
  OOC: Let @Stoatpaw reply first please!! After that it's public!
  
• 
  𓅫Jackdawkit𓅫
  ⟡ ShadowClan Kit
  ⟡ They/She
  ⟡ Thoughts, "Speach", Attack
  ⟡ A fluffy black sliver tabby with high white and silver eyes
  

[tabs][/tabs]

 

[Stoatstream Stoatstream]

——————————————— Together, we'll make our way home ✦

Stoatpaw allowed herself a huff of relief, if she could call it that. A border patrol alongside the Thunderpath had been arranged, and she was able to convince Sablestar to come along so she could stretch her paws and maybe get to say a brief hello to Serpentberry or a glimpse of Icepaw as they trailed the acrid-smelling monster path.

She didn't flinch with the monsters roaring past, the rumbling at her paws was nothing to fear, she knew they were loud from how they reverberated the ground up through her whole body. But unlike her clanmates she didn't have to face that, so it was only the gust of wind they caused that caused her some surprise.

Another one roared past, a silvery beast, her eyes following it as it soared down the path. But in the corner of her eye, something drew her attention in. As the monster roared down the Thunderpath, a blur of something small and... Muddied? Like a mottled blur, it stumbled into some nearby long grass. Stoatpaw sniffed the air, but all she could tell was the tar of the path at her side. She swallowed hard; it was small, so it could do little harm if it was dangerous.

Tentatively, carefully, she approached the grass, trying to make sense of what it could be. There was a trail of mud from a huge puddle the thing had clearly dragged itself from, straight to where Stoatpaw correctly assumed it was hiding. Part of her assumed she would see a squirrel, maybe a mouse or even a bird. But her heart dropped, realising that even through the caked-on mud it was obviously a kitten, one that was barely moving...

Her throat caught, pressing a nose against the tiny thing, trying to see if they were... She let out a sigh of relief, even before the thought crossed her mind, the poor thing squirming slightly. They were tiny, faces wet from tears and clearly exhausted. Gently, though, she jostled the kitten with her nose to try and stir them awake. "Oh you poor thing..." Stoatpaw's voice was barely a whisper, but she knew she needed to get help. She couldn't leave them here, surely Sablestar would allow them into the clan? "It's okay, I'll get you some help, you'll be safe now."

Stoatpaw had to take a breath, to steady herself, muttering an apology preemptively to the kitten, before turning her head and calling out. "Sablestar! Anyone-" Her voice cracked, faltering as she called out. But just as she tried to, another monster roared past, louder than she ever could be. Her face fell seeing the kitten writhing, clearly frightened by the roar of the monsters. She swallowed hard, making the quick decision to gingerly pick up the kitten by the scruff of their neck and go in search of the rest of the patrol. It wouldn't be safe for either of them to linger any longer at the side of the path.

The sheer weight of what must have happened to the poor thing to have been abandoned like this, cast aside. There had been many cats left by the Thunderpath who were welcomed to Shadowclan, but this was by far the smallest to have been left to fend for themself so close to where monsters passed by. Stoatpaw just hoped Sabletar wouldn't turn the kitten away, especially now Cicada and Cherry's kittens had been apprenticed, the nursery had grown suddenly more empty. Though she steeled herself for the worst, but hoped for the best

——— While you were sleeping,

Everything changed at once. ———

• 
  Stoatpaw
  ✦—Shadowclan apprentice | 9 Moons
  ✦—She/Her
  ✦—"SPEECH", 'THOUGHTS', ATTACK, PAWSPEAK
  ✦—A slender white cat with faint lilac markings and blue eyes.
  #96d5f1/#50BBF0
  
  ⤷ Written by Phoenix ​

 

[MIREPURR]

​

MIREPURR

Mirepurr's claws rake over the muddied ground, a precised movement that fills them with satisfaction—a job well done. Now that one piece of prey had been successfully caught, the act of burial gives them the opportunity to go looking for more before returning to camp. Their ears twitch with the knowledge that somewhere past the rows of trees and the calmly-settled shadows roams one of ShadowClan's patrols. It isn't one that Mirepurr had actually joined; the proximity is mere coincidence, and one that fills them with something akin to peace, knowing that their Clanmates are simultaneously going about their day, just like they are.

They have taken a liking to calm solitude ever since the... incident, as they like to call it within the confines of their own head. That shared nightmare a few moons ago had stirred something within them. Rattled their bones, so to speak, which is rather ironic if one considers the subject matter. The angered, shrill cries of spirits beyond have confirmed something for Mirepurr: every bit of the Clans' actions have consequences, and those consequences reverberate through the forests, the rivers, the hills. It would be foolish to continue thinking that what happens in the past remains in the past—the battle that had taken lives in exchange for claimed land is proof enough of that.

Mirepurr had been foolish to turn a blind eye to it all. At least their eyes have been opened since then, hence the conscious decision of turning more inward than ever before, serving their Clan placidly.

None of that is to say they are so far gone that they would ignore the desperate cries of someone unfamiliar.

Mirepurr rushes through the marshes without a moment's hesitation, their paws carrying them towards the roar of the Thunderpath. Brilliant blue eyes widen as they take a look at Stoatpaw; they had no idea what to expect, but seeing the apprentice by herself had certainly not been one of them.

"What happened- oh!"

The black fur that acts as a sharp contrast against Stoatpaw's pale pelt is answer enough.

"You poor thing,"

they soothe, empathy oozing out of their every feature as they regard the tiny kitten. When the pines around them reveal more incoming cats—the nearby patrol, most likely—Mirepurr turns their gaze to Stoatpaw.

"I can keep her warm while you talk to the others, if you want."

Their thick fur should be more than enough in that department. Plus, Stoatpaw is the only one who can offer a proper explanation to Sablestar, if she has seen anything other than a lonesome bundle of fur near the most dangerous location in the vicinity.

 

[SABLESTAR]

The strip of spongey stoned earth that wrapped around the pocosin had gifted his Clan quite a grand defense the moment anyone approached too close. Trespassers they stumbled across rarely came from the monster-ridden path, but rather the Clanless lands on the other side. More manageable numbers that dropped in here and there and luckily nothing more.

Sablestar is far too entranced in staying awake on this patrol Stoatpaw begged to attend, his back to the trickling sunlight as he sunk his claws into the ground. A few monsters roar past, expectant of their presence now while his Clan meandered about. The leader knows he is far too unfit to try his luck in hunting like this. He would only serve to scare off what his warriors could catch and so he took to simply watching and assessing where needed. Mirepurr stalked off in search, and Stoatpaw...

The tom rose as her shout was swallowed by the sound of another patrolling beast and rest on the sight of his apprentice guarding over a much smaller creature. Mirepurr took to comforting the kit (which he struggled to see as a cat at all under all the filth), and glanced around the Thunderpath to see if there were any others like this one. "She smells of twoleg." Surprising, given the layers of dirt and muck covering her. "Will there be any to come look for her?"

this heart beats cold like the devil his own

• "mew"
• 

  SABLESTAR— he/him ･fifty-nine moons ･leader; shadowclan ･penned by gonkpilled

  a black and white tuxedo with dark amber eyes

 

[hemlockpaw hemlockpaw]

Hemlocks days consist of dragging themself after their mentor or after anyone else who had the misfortune of having to bring them along, not really talking much, not really doing much of anything besides what is asked of them, really... And today is no different, they force their paws to start moving, tail down and ears backwards as she follows after the hunting patrol. They're zoned out more than usual today but thats quickly snapped out of when Stoatpaw starts yelling for Sablestar, for anyone, more than likely for help. Panic jolts down their spine like an electric shock, and Hemlock knows damn well they'd be of no help, so why do their paws start moving towards the voice of their friend?

When they stumble across Stoatpaw, they feel like they're going to hurl... Until they realize Stoatpaw is with others, and is shouting for a... pile of mud? Dirt? Thunderpath ick...?

"Oh!" they echo after Mirepurr, eyes wide as the pile of mud and grime starts moving! Oh, Stars, that was a kitten! She threatens to come closers to Mirepurr, trying to appear as small as possible so she wouldn't scare the little one. "Hi- Hi," she whispers, in awe. "D-Do you have a name? I'm Hemlockpaw." she's quick to introduce herself, curiosity flooding over her tongue and in to her tone.

She smells of twoleg. Sablestar states what should be obvious, and maybe its just because Hemlock isn't the best at being an apprentice, but she can't smell anything other than dirt and the acid tang of the Thunderpath. Will there be any to come look for her? Oh, now that thought makes her sick to her stomach! What if twolegs come and kidnap us all?! What are we gonna do?! Still, Hemlock manages a shaky smile despite the fear that begins to threaten to overtake anything else that she feels. The kit deserves to feel safe... Loved.

LEARNING TO BE YOU IS WHAT HURTS MOST ♡ CLOSE YOUR EYES AND HOLD YOUR TERROR CLOSE

• @Hollowmist [ optional mentor tag :3 ]
  
•  
• 
  HEMLOCKPAW ♡
  
  ( apprentice of shadowclan )​
  ❥ tall spiky-furred lilac ticked tabby with low white & blue-violet eyes
  ❥ mentored by hollowmist
  ❥ peaceful powerplay allowed & welcomed
  ❥ penned by chuff
  
  "speech"

 

[Tickfrost Tickfrost]

When you're lost in the universe, lost in the universe, don't lose faith
My mother says, "Your whole life's in the paws of the Stars"

.

Tickpaw followed closely at his mentor's heels, his ears pricked forward, orange eyes wide with tension. Stoatpaw's voice still echoed in his ears. She had sounded urgent, strained, and part of him feared the worst. Was she hurt? Cornered? But nothing could have prepared him for what he saw when he arrived. Not blood. Not battle.

A kit.

Dangling from Stoatpaw's jaws, small and trembling, eyes wide with terror. His heart gave a sharp pang. " Stoat... " he murmured, voice soft with disbelief. His gaze briefly flicked to the kit, then back to Stoatpaw's face, searching for answers. A child. A scared, helpless child. And then came the sound of pawsteps behind him, Sablestar arriving. Would they... search for the kit's mother?

But deep down, Tickpaw knew the answer before the question had fully formed. A sharp memory cut through his thoughts like claws through ivy: the darkness of a bag, the jarring impact of being thrown, discarded like trash. Left for dead. His ears pinned back as a cold truth settled in his chest.

" …I doubt it. " he said at last, voice quiet but edged with bitterness. " Humans are… cruel. " His eyes rose to meet Sablestar's, and his voice shifted, gentler now, but steady. " Are we going to help the kit…? " It wasn't really a question. It was a belief. Because whatever else Sablestar was, Tickpaw had never once seen cruelty in him. Not toward the weak. Not toward the forgotten.

And this kit?

This kit deserved a chance.

Speech, thoughts/emphasis

10 MOONS

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SHADOWCLANNER

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SONG

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bio

 

[Stoatstream Stoatstream]

——————————————— Together, we'll make our way home ✦

She knew many cats would rush to her call; it was a strange thing to be able to do, but at least it wasn't just Sablestar. Admittedly, seeing Mirepurr first allowed her to relax a little. One of the few cats who Stoat saw as a good and kind presence in a clan that frankly seemed full of cats all too ready to unsheath claws at the first sight of a strange cat. She was apprehensive of the warrior's offer for a moment, the writhing thing in her maw so fragile and scared. But they were too right, they had to be able to talk to any other approaching cats, so she gently placed the kitten down near Mirepurr, her own face evidencing her own distress about the whole thing

Stoatpaw wasn't so surprised to see Sablestar, but a little more so to see Hemlockpaw bolt into view, clearly panicked. She felt a little shame, realising most would be assuming she was hurt and felt rather bad for her friend to worry them, she smiled to them weakly, still hovering near Mirepurr. "Sorry if I scared you, Hemlock, I just-" Her tail flickered to the kitten, but it seemed the other registered them just as quickly as questions poured from their maw. But it made her think, yeah, the kitten's name was a mystery for now. There would be time to learn it, but for now, she couldn't ignore the moose in the room - or well, the leader.

She shook her head, certain of it. "They smell of twoleg, but it's faint even with the coating on mud. I didn't struggle to grab them either, so they're exhausted, so they had to have been out here for a while." Her eyes darted to the kitten, it was a pleasantly warm day, but coated in mud, their body temperature wouldn't be very high. And didn't father say something about keeping kittens warm too.... Stoatpaw shook her head. "There's no way they will come back for them, if a twoleg would come back for them they wouldn't have left them in the mud." It felt obvious to her, they had been abandoned and cruelly too.

But it was Tickpaw's words she sharpened more at, standing up without thinking. "We have to help them! Even if a twoleg came looking for them, they were awful enough to dump them a tails length from the Thunderpath. They have no right to try and claim a kitten that could have been-" Her words died on her mouth, glancing at the Thunderpath as a bitter taste laced her tongue.

She shook her head, glancing back at Sablestar again. "It's not like my brother's going to be in the nursery forever, Sablestar, he's going to be apprenticed in a moon's time, right? We have room for another kitten- I'll make sure of it!" It was almost defiant, but it wasn't like Stoatpaw would stay quiet at even the suggestion of a kitten not being allowed into the clan. "If prey were an issue, I'd go hunting more." It wasn't like the leader had even suggested the idea; it was Tickpaw who had accidentally put that seed of fear in her mind, but she wouldn't mind taking that extra responsibility for the kitten if she had to.

——— While you were sleeping,

Everything changed at once. ———

• 
  Stoatpaw
  ✦—Shadowclan apprentice | 9 Moons
  ✦—She/Her
  ✦—"SPEECH", 'THOUGHTS', ATTACK, PAWSPEAK
  ✦—A slender white cat with faint lilac markings and blue eyes.
  #96d5f1/#50BBF0
  
  ⤷ Written by Phoenix ​

 

[SABLESTAR]

Sablestar's tail twitched in rhythm as Stoatpaw spoke with the naivety he would expect from a child below her station. Speaking of what twolegs held right to as if they were no different than a rogue and not just as dangerous as a wolf. It was still a risk to consider, catkind could not simply fight the wills of a twoleg so easily- not when they held monsters as allies. But Stoatpaw's passion came from inexperience, still green to the world she took space in. He would have found it amusing if it wasn't the sort of thinking that put the pocosin in danger.

"They are cruel, Tickpaw." Sablestar meowed as his tail continued to flick back and forth behind him. "Cruel enough to not care for our claws and teeth. Cruel enough to trap us and shove our Clanmates into the bellies of their monsters and disappear. So cruel to not care for the land we live in and invade without hesitation, because they know it is a battle they will win every time." Sablestar's voice rose in intensity as his voice drawled on, speaking of moments these children had yet to see in their lives. Heartbreaks and separations they had not yet experienced, because their kin and their Clan had done well enough to protect them from it.

"It is not up to you to make decisions for your father. We'll bring the kit to camp and he will decide." They both knew how that would end, either way. Timberfrost would not deny a kit in need, and Monsterkit was to be apprenticed next moon, but his apprentice must know her station. Acting with authority upon those older and above rank would only sow him trouble later. "Careful with what you say, Stoatpaw. You're beginning to overstep where you are welcome. Save it for when you are a warrior."

The tuxedo regarded the rest of the patrol with a wave of his paw, rallying them to continue onward. "We bring the kit to camp before the foxes realize it's out here, this patrol is over."

this heart beats cold like the devil his own

• "mew"
• 

  SABLESTAR— he/him ･sixty moons ･leader; shadowclan ･penned by gonkpilled

  a black and white tuxedo with dark amber eyes