{$title} HUGE IC opinions warning rufouspaw really hates the govt. and parents
RUFOUSPAW
Welcome to the celebration, baby!
Rufouspaw hooked up a clump of moss from her nest and squeezed it absentmindedly, having all but given up on sleeping that night. Something about the "Clan meeting" was bothering her—of course, anything coming from the council was bound to have that effect—and tugged at the corner of her mind like a tick. Perhaps it was the medicine cat's plea to protect sons and daughters (the phrase left a bitter taste at the back of her throat), perhaps it was the thought of having a mentor so close to their fool of a leader... she clicked her tongue. That must be it, right? Juniperstar. What kind of warrior was she, having them all cower from Hawkstar instead of facing her head-on? Forcing them to travel in flocks like some sort of mice, apologizing for making them see "something so violent"—as if that was the problem, and not her! Her "peace" was only delaying the inevitable, really. Rufouspaw knew—without need to see, or be told—SkyClan was lurking beyond their "borders", lying in wait... hearing she wasn't the only one who saw this sorry excuse of a plan for what it was only barely dulled the fire in her veins.
She couldn't play along with it—they had to do something, anything to stop this madness!
...And she might just know where to start.
The tomcat didn't quite manage to sleep fruitfully, but it was the least of her problems. She spent most of the day tracking down the cats she'd fought a while ago; the apprentices who agreed to come train with her. Her heart was caught in her throat the whole time—for all her sworn fealty to ThunderClan, she had yet to trust any of her clanmates with a secret—and yet, despite her nature, she tread on. They had a fighter's spirit, like her; that had to count for something! No self-respecting cat should adhere to Juniperstar's rulings (obviously), though a true warrior would, invariably, defend their right to battle. Rufouspaw would, at the very least. So, if she had seen that spark of defiance in their eyes...
She'd rehearsed her invitation so many times she lost count.
The hours came and went, and before she knew it, she found her paws creeping through the undergrowth and away from prying eyes. She'd snuck away from Gyrfalcon many, many times before; despite her loudness and her (new, she always stressed to onlookers) clumsiness, it was still all too easy for her to shrink her frame and scurry away. And so, she made her way to her chosen meeting spot... and waited. It was much harder than she expected. With her... maker, she knew it was only a matter of time before he dragged her back to her prison, but Owlbark—would he care? Did anyone else? Did the cats she reached out to even want to come here? Rufouspaw sat on the dusty, barren earth underpaw and breathed through her mouth. She knew what she'd seen in them last night, and she wouldn't call what she extended to each of them trust, but...
If they cared like she did, they were bound to arrive.
She couldn't play along with it—they had to do something, anything to stop this madness!
...And she might just know where to start.
The tomcat didn't quite manage to sleep fruitfully, but it was the least of her problems. She spent most of the day tracking down the cats she'd fought a while ago; the apprentices who agreed to come train with her. Her heart was caught in her throat the whole time—for all her sworn fealty to ThunderClan, she had yet to trust any of her clanmates with a secret—and yet, despite her nature, she tread on. They had a fighter's spirit, like her; that had to count for something! No self-respecting cat should adhere to Juniperstar's rulings (obviously), though a true warrior would, invariably, defend their right to battle. Rufouspaw would, at the very least. So, if she had seen that spark of defiance in their eyes...
She'd rehearsed her invitation so many times she lost count.
"If you wanna be a real warrior,"
she whispered in their ears while passing by, carefully quiet, "meet me near the Sandy Hollow tonight. Alone."
The hours came and went, and before she knew it, she found her paws creeping through the undergrowth and away from prying eyes. She'd snuck away from Gyrfalcon many, many times before; despite her loudness and her (new, she always stressed to onlookers) clumsiness, it was still all too easy for her to shrink her frame and scurry away. And so, she made her way to her chosen meeting spot... and waited. It was much harder than she expected. With her... maker, she knew it was only a matter of time before he dragged her back to her prison, but Owlbark—would he care? Did anyone else? Did the cats she reached out to even want to come here? Rufouspaw sat on the dusty, barren earth underpaw and breathed through her mouth. She knew what she'd seen in them last night, and she wouldn't call what she extended to each of them trust, but...
If they cared like she did, they were bound to arrive.
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OOC: FIRST FIGHT CLUB THREAD! @Snapdragonpaw @Cardinalpaw @Coyotepaw after this it'll be officially open to join weehee
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KEY:
"speech"
'thoughts''owlpaw''eaglepaw''vulturepaw'
attempted action
"other character's speech"
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Rufouspaw is a small ginger bicolor tabby with tortie point patches and odd blue-green eyes. A former loner, she faces the world with her head held high and her claws at the ready—for she believes danger is lurking at every corner. It remains to be seen whether her foolhardy yet distrusting disposition is justified...
9 moons, ages every 6th.
Genderqueer (she/he/it); any gendered terms OK!
Gyrfalcon x Unknown — Generation 1
Host of a plural system of 4: Owlpaw, Eaglepaw, Vulturepaw and herself.
Mentored by Owlbark