Open Territory ThunderClan took a walk to the summit at night . ݁₊ ⊹ . ݁˖ a ghost(?)

[S t i l l d r e a m]

The moon hung low and bloated above the trees, its pale light trickling through the canopy in faint silvery trails. The slender creature moved like a breeze, paws gliding over damp earth, breath soft against the night chill. The quiet was a balm to the day's searing brightness. She endured the sun to attend her assigned patrols and volunteered for the dusk or dawn shifts whenever she could to spare herself the discomfort. Annoyingly, the clan was filled with its share of morning birds, and she dared not ask for accommodation. After all, she was still new to them. Learning their ways and testing the boundaries of their acceptance.

She slipped between thickets and underbrush like mist, her pale coat catching what little light broke through the trees. Even in the shadows, she gleamed like gossamer in the gloom. Her lavender eyes, well adjusted to the dark, flicked along the path ahead. She very much liked her nighttime walks. Just her, the plants, the gentle symphony of crickets, frogs, and things unseen—all stitching the darkness together with sound.

After a while, she paused at the muddy bank of a stream, cooling her paws against the gentle current. The wind whisked through her pelt as she stopped for a rest. There were always things worth finding in the dark. Plenty of interesting flora that could not be seen in their truest forms during the day. Not all of them were useful. Some were simply... beautiful. ​

OOC NOTES . ⏾ . CHARACTER INFO

• OOC: — oooooooo​

• 𖥸 LH albino w/ bluish red eyes and abnormal ears.
  𖥸 A calm and ethereal sounding voice.
  𖥸 Likes long walks in the woods, kissing in graveyards, and collecting fungi at sundown.
  𖥸 Peaceful and healing powerplay permitted. For other powerplays, DM.
  𖥸 Smells strongly of herbs and detritus.

 

[Boarpaw Boarpaw]

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

He couldn't sleep. How he tried to, but now in the apprentice's den, he couldn't help the knot in his chest that stopped him from dozing off. Boarpaw didn't know why there was so much anxiety about the idea that he was an apprentice now. Perhaps the sudden weight of expectations? Whatever it might be, it buzzed in his mind like the pesky flies in the mill.

Which was how wandering paws found their way outside of camp. The first time since he joined the clan. He was much too scared to before then. Well.... He still was. No one would know that, though, he steeled his racing heart as paws gently thudded against grass as he walked a little ways from camp. He just wanted to tire himself out, get some fresh air. That was all!

But of course, Boarpaw wasn't alone.

There was a rustle, one that sent a cold shiver down his spine. Instinctively, he pressed his body to the ground at the base of an old, decrepit-looking tree, one where the roots seemed to twist and curl and made a perfect place for him to curl up and hide. The apprentice gulped, steeling himself, trying to hear where it was coming from. It wasn't overhead, he could tell as much, no terrible bird looking to make him a tasty meal. But it was past some overgrowth, where he could hear a faint trickling of water.

So, being as brave as a newly made apprentice can be, he crawled away from the tree, trying to peer over tangled roots for whatever was there. He sniffed the air, but everything smelled so strongly of pine and home he couldn't decipher what was nearby.

Until his eyes met with something...

Haunting.

At the riverside, there seemed to be a cat that almost glowed in the moonlight. Shockingly pale against the dark of the night. Boarpaw had to hold his tongue, shocked. He had heard about ghosts and spirits, Starclan... But they didn't live with the living, they wouldn't show up to lounge about the stream. They spoke to Serpentberry and Rowanpaw and Juniperstar...

His fur stood on end as the wind bristled. In such a fearful mindset, Boarpaw had to stop himself from yelping aloud, feeling as if something had brushed past him. The young cat pressed against the ground again, hoping the ghost hadn't seen or heard him. In that moment, he had no idea what to do, even if he had started his training, he didn't think there would be any lessons on how to deal with a haunting....

——— You keep on grinnin'

and this world keeps nagging. ———

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

 

[S t i l l d r e a m]

For a long while, Stilldream sat quietly by the stream, soaking in the moonlight the way flowers drank in the sun. A rare moment of peace, carved delicately from the night before tomorrow's dull obligations clawed their way back in. With luck, she might even find a plant or two worth hiding away.

It would've been nice to rest a while longer, but that was not to be. A rustle—subtle, but enough to prick her ears. Lavender eyes slid open, intently scanning the forest.

She wasn't afraid of what lurked out there. Whatever beast thought to creep up on her would not find an easy target. Menders in the colony were expected to know more than herbs. They should hold themselves to some degree in a fight, not just to protect themselves but those in their care, should it come to it. Besides, she once performed the same tasks her brother did. Though she was not nearly as skilled as he, and had since grown rusty without practice.

Her eyes narrowed on a quivering lump nestled in the grass... Not as well hidden as it thought. She rose fluidly from the streambed, gliding across the damp soil, graceful paws carving a path towards it. He was not what she expected to find. Upon a closer look, she realized it was one of ThunderClan's whelps. With the lack of discipline, it was no surprise the irritating brats didn't keep to their beds like they were told. Didn't he know it was dangerous for children to wander the woods at night?

Her mouth pressed into a thin line. Stilldream stared down at the quivering lump with mild disdain.

"Oh my…" There was no need to try so hard, not for an ugly little duckling like him. Stilldream knew a pushover when she saw one. "Aren't we brave sneaking out all on our own." She cooed, hauntingly saccharine despite her annoyance. "Isn't it past your bedtime, underbite?" Stilldream supposed she wasn't one to talk, but she was grown. Who was going to tell her she couldn't have a nightly stroll?
​

OOC NOTES . ⏾ . CHARACTER INFO

• OOC: — oooooooo​

• 𖥸 LH albino w/ bluish red eyes and abnormal ears.
  𖥸 A calm and ethereal sounding voice.
  𖥸 Likes long walks in the woods, kissing in graveyards, and collecting fungi at sundown.
  𖥸 Peaceful and healing powerplay permitted. For other powerplays, DM.
  𖥸 Smells strongly of herbs and detritus.

 

[Boarpaw Boarpaw]

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

As he tried to peer over the winding roots, his fur bristled as his blood ran cold. The figure turned, scanning the area. 'They heard me?' Boarpaw didn't know what to do, run or hide or fight- No, no he couldn't fight a ghost that made no sense. The longer he thought, the longer his paws stood planted in the earth, not realising the slinking form approaching.

It was only when the rustle of grass and a smooth voice filled his ears that, for a moment, Boarpaw braced himself, expecting some kind of impact or fright. That was, until- He blinked, recognising the voice. His face screwed up a little, before looking up with blue eyes meeting lavender ones. The apprentice sighed a breath of relief. "Oh! Hello Sthtilldream!" He chirped, standing up, he didn't get to talk with her much, she seemed a rather busy cat even though she only just joined the clan. Even despite that, she was one of the warriors of the clan, so he felt a little silly feeling scared of her before realising who it was.

"I- I couldn't sthleep..." Boarpaw admitted, sheepishly. He looked up at her, though it already seemed as if he didn't need to crane his neck up as much anymore to look at her, had she shrunk? He shrugged off the thought and continued. "I justht wanted to go on a walk, I didn't mean to disthturb you..." He found the addition of pointing out his underbite a little strange, but also, she was from a different place, so maybe that was just the usual there? Or maybe she forgot his name! He'd wait to see if she had, maybe she just needed help remembering if she had.

——— You keep on grinnin'

and this world keeps nagging. ———

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

 

[HOUNDHOWL HOUNDHOWL]

It's not unfamiliar for Hound to find himself laying awake in his nest, mind turning over every possible interaction he's ever had. And its hard not to turn over the ones with her, which was awfully unpleasant to relive. It's why he pushes himself up quite abruptly to his paws and flees the warrior den towards fresh air. The cool breeze ruffles his pelt as he breaks the entrance and a sigh of relief tumbles from his mouth. Well, he was wide awake now... He fears he'll sooner collapse from exhaustion than get a half-decent night of sleep.

Theres not much left to do but walk, and out of the camp he slips. His walk is fruitful, and he finally feels the tug of sleep at his bones... Until the scent of two others hits his nose and he flicks his ears in irritation. Theres no blood, theres no caterwauling, but its better to check it out than to leave... whatever is going on up to fate.

"Why're y'all still up, 'nyways?" his voice is gruff as he rounds a bush in to the near-stream that an apprentice and a white-pelted she-cat stands in, poor Boarpaw looking like he may just explode from fear before he relaxes in Stilldreams presence. He levels the odd she-cat with a look. Their most recent additions to their rank... And one that Houndhowl wasn't exactly eager to get to know. He twitches his whiskers, then plops himself down on to his haunches. Stars, his legs ache...! And hes hardly old enough for it! Something cross and annoyed flashes across his expression at the thought.

YOU HAD A DREAM, YOU WANTED BETTER ♡ YOU WERE SICK OF ALL THE HOLES IN YOUR SWEATER

• 
  
•  
• 
  HOUNDHOWL ♡
  
  ( warrior of thunderclan, 65 moons )​
  ❥ long-furred chocolate ticked tabby with low white & orange eyes
  ❥ mentoring n/a
  ❥ peaceful powerplay allowed but may not be entirely welcomed
  ❥ penned by chuff
  
  "speech"

 

[S t i l l d r e a m]

Stilldream tilted her head slightly, ears twitching at the lisped butchering of her name. The longer she stared, the more disarming he was to look at—all large eyes and jutting teeth, gawking up at her like she were his mother. It instantly grated on her nerves.

"Oh, I see. She murmurs, stepping close enough to fold herself into the cool grass beside him, her long tail sweeping a lazy curve through the dirt. "But it isn't safe for little beasts to be tromping through the woods at night, you know." Her voice was airy, laced with a lilt—honey and poison, pleasant enough on the surface, but lacking the warmth to make it genuine.

Stilldream lowered her chin, pale eyes dragging over him. Had he grown since the last time she bothered to look? She straightened her spine slightly. "You're lucky it was me and not something with sharper teeth." Her pale lashes bat softly before she adds with a sharper edge. "You'd be halfway down something's throat by now."

A voice salts the air, jostling her shoulders slightly. She turns her head, regarding Houndhowl as he emerges from the shadows.

"Oh, just a moonlight stroll. Stilldream says simply, "I always take one, soothes the soul, you know. But I was surprised to find Boarpaw on my walk, by himself. Seems he couldn't sleep." She smiled down at the apprentice, a more pleasant curl of her lips—as if the entire litter of ThunderClan brats and their incessant mewling and running underpaw didn't positively drive her mad.

Her tail flicked, light catching the white strands like frost under moonlight. She was already losing interest in whatever conversation was to be had between them. Her gaze slid to the gnarled thing behind them, a twisted tree with crooked limbs rattling in the breeze. A sight to steal one's breath. So very beautiful in that eerie, rotting way that always delighted.

"What of you, Houndhowl?" She asked, abruptly rising to her paws. "Does sleep evade you tonight?" Stilldream glides the distance, nose twitching as she pads to the roots, paw prodding gently for signs of anything useful growing in the bark.
​

OOC NOTES . ⏾ . CHARACTER INFO

• OOC: — oooooooo​

• 𖥸 LH albino w/ bluish red eyes and abnormal ears.
  𖥸 A calm and ethereal sounding voice.
  𖥸 Likes long walks in the woods, kissing in graveyards, and collecting fungi at sundown.
  𖥸 Peaceful and healing powerplay permitted. For other powerplays, DM.
  𖥸 Smells strongly of herbs and detritus.