Open Territory you're a carnivore // mud bath

[SABLESTAR]

There were plenty of reasons why one could be unsatisfied with the home they were led to. Some were far more obvious than others- a lack of preference for muck and grime for one. A distaste for the common meal of frog being another. It was a change that not even Sablestar had been prepared to expect, but it was a solution in the end, and it was a door opened as one slammed shut and locked behind him.

Before the Colony crumbled beneath itself there had been some attempts in exploring the other parts of the forest surrounding the oaks. It wasn't too smart to travel alone, the distance wasn't always worth traveling for a days hunt in unfamiliar territory. He had known of it, though, as he also knew there were lands of open fields and mossy trails on the riverside, but they did not appeal to him the way the pocosin had. Sablestar had always struggled to hunt when he felt too exposed, preferring to keep himself hidden and low to the ground. The thick forests were too noisy for him to stalk through but here, in the cover of night, with the clusters of pond pines together keeping him covered in shade, it felt perfect.

The rainfall was a double-edged sword that would take some skill and adapting to, of course. Wash away the scent of a hunter, but with it the potential trail for prey and predators alike. So Sablestar began to experiment, if one could call it that. At least he had started with a plan to persuade into a new hunting method but at the end of it he just looked like an overexcited pig. Mud caked into his fur that the whites of his coat were indiscernible, save for the speckling across his face.

The would-be tuxedo didn't look all too upset over it, though. It felt quite nice, if he ignored the occasional itch from the silt. "Mm. It feels warm, somehow." A thermal coating nearly from his ears to his tail, but far too heavy on the body for it to be comfortable or useful if he wanted to do anything but sit around in it. The thought of rest at all sparked the aches in his muscles, as if to alert him that he should. Maybe just for a few minutes, and then he would wash away the filth before he was spotted.

Limbs lowered back into the mud, paws tucked beneath his chest and Sablestar hummed in the comfort in his mud bath- at last some peace and quiet.

this heart beats cold like the devil his own

• "mew"
• 

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

  a black and white tuxedo with dark amber eyes

 

[F l e a p a w]

its dead! poke it with a stick.

​

tw - language

Fleakit thought mud was right up there with sticks and frogs on the fun scale. It was goopy. It got everywhere. If she molded it just right, it held its shape—and that wasn't even the best parts! She could throw it. It was great for leaving in the nests of cats she didn't like. A perfect glue for making cool shit.

Yeah, mud was totally awesome! If there was one thing she didn't have to complain about, it was ShadowClan's turf. Plenty of frogs. Lots and LOTS of mud. She was already buzzing with excitement, thinking about all the mischief she'd get up to once it warmed up.

Of course, she never played by the rules. "Stay in camp," they said. "It's dangerous." Yeahhh, she didn't listen to that. And the one time a kit was allowed out? She wasn't freaking invited!

Sablestar was taking Stoatkit to the mud pits—just like that. All Stoatkit had to do was bat her big, pretty eyes, and Sablestar was all for it. But when she asked if she could join a patrol or take some totally-gonna-die cat's bones? Suddenly, it wasn't okay and she got the paw.

Well, they weren't getting away with it. If they were going, so was she. Fleakit tailed them out of camp, attaching herself to their shadows like a parasite. She scrabbled behind bushes and trees, keeping out of sight—until they hit the jackpot.

More mud than she had ever seen in her entire life. Glorious. Goopy. Somehow not frozen into a hard block.

Her jaw slackened with awe as Sablestar sank into the warm muck. She wanted to try it. Bad.

Even if he towed her back to camp kicking and screaming, she had to do it. Fleakit gave her war cry. She took off running, paws skittering across the open ground until they hit air. "RAAAAAAAAAAAAA—!"

She hit mud with a less exciting PLOOP.

It smothered her, clinging from head to tail, stuffing itself into her nose, her mouth, her ears. A lot less fun that she imagined it would be. She clawed her way to the surface, sputtering and spitting.

"Bleh—ung." She coughed, spewing mud. Frankly mud had no business looking so tasty. It really wasn't.

​

shes got a knife ▬ι═ﺤ stab stab

• ooc - - -
• 
  I extend my hand like a mob boss and allow you to kiss my ring but when you lean closer you see its one of those glow-in-the-dark spider rings you win at arcades [MUNCH] you disrespec me - and eat my spooky spida ring! which cost me 50 tickets at funtime arcade and pizzeria. VINNY! Hit her with da sticky hand!​
  ​
• FLEAKIT / FLEAPAW / FLEABITE
  - she/her
  - kit
  - 5 moons; ages on the 1st of every month
  - speech thought
  - physical powerplay permitted (smol bean)
  
  
  penned by Scarlet​

​

 

[Stoatpaw]

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

The kit was more than ecstatic. With her wide-eyed pleading to Sablestar, she convinced him to bring her along to the mud pools, which her father often avoided while they lived alone; her snow-white fur was a nightmare to maintain in the pocosin, let alone when she was determined to dive into pools of mud. Though she loved the feeling of wading through the mud, for a young kit, it always baffled her father and equally confused the leader too, but knowing the kit's past and not often seeing her this excited for something, he relented. While leaving camp, though, Stoatkit noticed the telltale brown-coloured kit tailing the cats leaving the camp, but since she was her friend, she promised not to tattletale on her, so she acted like she didn't see her friend following suit.

Instead, the glee was evident on her face when Sablestar settled into the mud pit, she wasn't sure why the leader decided sitting in mud was a good idea but she wasn't one to argue. A blur of brown ran past before she could even put a paw in the mud. Apparently, Fleakit had caught up and beat her to the mud with a splatter, spluttering with a mouthful of mud. Stoatkit couldn't help but giggle, turning into full-blown belly laughter at the sight of her friend spluttering from getting full body submerged. She clearly hadn't been in the pools before; getting in like that was a surefire way to have your ears cleaned out for half a moon. Usually, she'd take a careful approach, more like Sablestar, but instead, still giggling, she ran as fast as her little legs could and lept into the mud after Fleakit. Being so small, there wasn't much of a splash, but it was still enough to have hit the peaceful-looking Sablestar, who had settled contently in the pool. But Stoatkit paid no mind as she shook her head, dislodging any clumps from her face. She grinned at Fleakit, still spluttering, making her giggle in kind. "Shoulda closed your mouth before you jumped!".

——— While you were sleeping,

Everything changed at once. ———

• 
  Stoatkit
  ✦—Shadowclan kit
  ✦—She/Her
  ✦—"SPEECH", 'THOUGHTS', ATTACK
  ✦—A slender white cat with faint lilac markings and blue eyes.
  #96d5f1

 

[Smogmaw.]

Smogmaw's firsthand experience with getting ensnared by the murky dredges has him stank-eyeing his leader's gratuitous lounging about. Silt-adjacent in its tarry darkness, and filthy from one end to the next, the body of muck does not spark joy in him. No. In fact, the tom's cringing about the sorry state of affairs that Sablestar's next grooming session is sure to be. His pelt'll feel gritty for the next half-moon.

"It's an odd hobby you've picked up, there, Sable," Smogmaw drawls, tone dry as a bone. "You ain't cold in the slightest?" Amber eyes flit to the wee ones romping in the same mud pit; paternal instinct compels him to go and rescue the little goobers from a gooey end, until he identifies one of the kits as Fleakit, who, for all he cares, could be left to sink. The other one, though, he does not recognize.

So his hackles bristle, his tail straightens into a rod, and Smogmaw is suddenly a very attentive, very alert guardian. "Just be careful in there, eh? Mud might swallow ya up and spitch'a back out as toads." An old elder's tale which he was subjected to as an impressionable kit; and it falls on him to spread that wisdom to these youngsters, if they're capable of receiving it.

No, he will not join them in the mud bath. No. Gross. Eugh.

 

[Stoatpaw]

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

Stoatkit was still giggling, most of her body sunk deep into the mud, which she relaxed into; she was so small she didn't sink too deep in, so it felt like she was floating. Even if that was in the sticky, goopy mud pool, she and Fleakit revelled in. Sablestar was still content, not as if her splash did much damage, considering he was just as coated in mud, which made her giggle harder. While the kit was apprehensive of most of the other older cats in the clan still, Sable was kind to her and her father, which only meant he was subject to her nonsense.

With some difficulty, Stoatkit waded through the mud towards the leader, who sat content, if not seeming to be cajoled by Smogmaw near the edge of the pool. 'No fun not getting in the mud...' she jeered to herself; at least Sablestar knew how fun it was. Eventually, tiny legs got her to the leader, with a tiny tail flicking uselessly under the weight of the mud clung to her fur; she shovelled more mud onto the older cat. He was already coated in the stuff; his pelt would be hard to clean up as if she hadn't ruined Timberfrost's desperate attempts to keep her white fur as clean as he could since the last time she dunked herself into these ever-so-alluring mud pools. Stoatkit continued to giggle as she lumped mud and silt onto her leader - he'd be able to get out fine, she knew that all too well - while the mud was heavy on her own tiny body, he'd be able to escape easily.

Out of the corner of her eye, Smogmaw still seemed to be chattering, and she had no idea what it was about. It wasn't until she turned and looked at him that she scrunched her face up, confused. "Cats can't be toads." Surely she'd misunderstood what he'd said; she hadn't talked with Smogmaw at all, really. She knew who he was from Timberfrost trying to teach her everyone's names, but that was a lotta cats. Maybe she just hadn't learned how to read him yet. She tilted her head, looking at him incredulously; still propped up against Sablestar as she was mid-coating him in more mud, instead looking to the leader for confirmation. "Can cats turn into toads?", worry knit across her face.

——— While you were sleeping,

Everything changed at once. ———

• 
  Stoatkit
  ✦—Shadowclan kit
  ✦—She/Her
  ✦—"SPEECH", 'THOUGHTS', ATTACK
  ✦—A slender white cat with faint lilac markings and blue eyes.
  #96d5f1

 

[SABLESTAR]

He could trust Stoatkit to remain close by if he shut his eyes for a few minutes, her own plodding about would be noisy enough for him to keep track of where she was even when he wasn't looking. It was a peaceful as he settled down and got comfortable, until another kit's voice broke out into the silence. A kit he had not explicitly left camp with. Sablestar opened a single narrowed eye at Fleakit with a firm frown tugged at his maw as she sank into the mud pit. "You're not supposed to get it in your mouth." He offered uselessly while looking to Stoatkit with the hint of a smile.

Smogmaw is not very impressed telling from the distasteful glare he met, shrugging his shoulders. "I'm doing what the kids call, lettin' loose, or something like that." No one actually said that to him, but he liked to imagine he could be cool enough for the apprentices to offer him some youthful wisdom time to time. Maybe that's why he was out here, spending his company with kittens. He looked down to Stoatkit as she plapped closer and sighed in a mix of resignation and acceptance as she piled more mud onto his coat. Maybe he should pretend to get lost under it all and make them dig him out.

"Oh, it's true alright. I saw it happen once. Ah, I used to have another brother other than Shadesight, y'know." Sablestar nodded solemnly, looking up to the sky as if he would find this mysterious brother in the clouds. "He swallowed too much mud and became a frog, and then, jumped so high he disappeared into the sky. Haven't seen him since, maybe Smogmaw ate him."

this heart beats cold like the devil his own

• "mew"
• 

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

  a black and white tuxedo with dark amber eyes

 

[Stoatpaw]

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

Stoatkit stared up at Sablestar as he spoke, her little face scrunching with worry. She looked back to Fleakit, ears pinned as she looked down at the mud and back at Sablestar. Her face was still knit with confusion and worry; rather than pile more mud on the leader, she shook out her paws as much as she could and unceremoniously clambered onto the back of Sablestar. Now, using him as a platform to stare down at the mud with whine. "Maybe you can turn into a frog," she spoke at Sablestar, shifting awkwardly not to fall off back into the mud. "But I'm gonna stay here." The kit announced, certain.

She didn't know how much to believe Sablestar and Smogmaw; she'd have to ask her father when they were home, but until then, Sablestar had become Stoatkit's safe haven from the mud. Though her ear flicked, still seeing Fleakit wedged in the mud, worry returned to her face. "You're not gonna turn into a frog, right Fleakit?"

——— While you were sleeping,

Everything changed at once. ———

• 
  Stoatkit
  ✦—Shadowclan kit
  ✦—She/Her
  ✦—"SPEECH", 'THOUGHTS', ATTACK
  ✦—A slender white cat with faint lilac markings and blue eyes.
  #96d5f1

 

[F l e a p a w]

its dead! poke it with a stick.

​

Fleakit spat out the rest of the muck and stuck her tongue out at Stoatkit. After being fully submerged she was covered head to toe. Fleakit imagined she looked like some kind of mud monster. "Blehhhhh!" Mockery quickly gave way to a mud-speckled grin. Smogmaw was being a stick as usual—except he wouldn't get in the dang mud. "Is that what happened to you, Frogmaw?" She teased, shooting a sly glance at the old warrior, knowing full well he wasn't about to dirty his pelt to get at her.

Her tongue was pressed against her teeth as she strained to paddle through the dense mud toward Stoatkit. The muck was a lot thicker than she expected. But once she joined her friend, she started helping coat their leader in a thick layer of mud. Heck, there were plenty of times she would've loved nothing more than to bury him—Now she actually could.

Her ears twitched, flinging mud droplets. Flea knew Sable was just messing with them. Cats turnin' into frogs was just plain silly. Though Stoatkit seemed a bit more worried about that being a possibility. "Nah, only warriors can turn into frogs. Plus, you gotta make 'em a cocoon outta mud—like a butterfly," As she said that, Fleakit scooped a glob of mud and smeared it into Sablestar's fur, least where she could reach.

"Hey Stoat, climb up on my head. I wanna finish Sablestar's cocoon so he can turn into a frog and join my army." She snorted, a little mud bubble popping out of her nose.

​

shes got a knife ▬ι═ﺤ stab stab

• ooc - - -
• 
  I extend my hand like a mob boss and allow you to kiss my ring but when you lean closer you see its one of those glow-in-the-dark spider rings you win at arcades [MUNCH] you disrespec me - and eat my spooky spida ring! which cost me 50 tickets at funtime arcade and pizzeria. VINNY! Hit her with da sticky hand!​
  ​
• FLEAKIT / FLEAPAW / FLEABITE
  - she/her
  - kit
  - 5 moons; ages on the 1st of every month
  - speech thought
  - physical powerplay permitted (smol bean)
  
  
  penned by Scarlet​

​

 

[Stoatpaw]

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

The once white kit, now looking a lot more like her father, coated in a heavy cloak of mud, weighing down her pelt as she balanced precariously on the back of her leader, looked to her friend. The worry knit on her face relaxed as she paused to think, 'Like a butterfly...' She pondered; she had no reason to distrust Fleakit's sentiment, its something she'd have to check with her father, but maybe that's why he's not been wanting to eat frogs? Maybe the ones around here... Used to be cats... A shiver ran down her spine as a bitter taste laced her tongue. She'd definitely need to ask now.

But without argument to what Flea suggested, she wriggled from her place on one of the few mudless spots on Sablestar and precariously balanced herself standing atop her friend. "You okay down there?" She questioned before realising she couldn't hear the other's response. Instead, with a hum, she took pawfuls of the mud Fleakit flung as high as she could from Sablestar's pelt and smushed it on his back. You could only tell his pelt colour from his face at this point, and with how heavy just half a body of mud was for Stoatkit, that's gotta weigh him down some. Her stoic expression quickly melted to that of fits of giggles again, having far too much fun burying her leader in the mud. It was a shame Smogmaw was a real stick in the mud, not joining in the fun.

——— While you were sleeping,

Everything changed at once. ———

• 
  Stoatkit
  ✦—Shadowclan kit
  ✦—She/Her
  ✦—"SPEECH", 'THOUGHTS', ATTACK
  ✦—A slender white cat with faint lilac markings and blue eyes.
  #96d5f1

 

[SABLESTAR]

Sablestar let out an audible, disturbed grunt of surprise as Stoatkit unceremoniously clambered on top of him. Even with her smaller stature, she was half the size of a full grown cat! There was hardly much room left on his back to keep her safe from his telltale, and he's quickly realized it's now backfired instead of helped his case.

But I'm gonna stay here. "Yup. Got it." Sablestar said in a strained tone, trying to accommodate her while still trying to breathe beneath the pressure of the mud and the entire kit using him as a mud boat. Fleakit is no help, but he would be dumber than a bird flying into the sun to expect anything different. Only warriors can turn into frogs, smart twist. Even better, now she's coating his pelt with mud, too. Why are kits so grabby and grubby? He is sure Fleakit was filthy enough before diving headfirst into the mud, he didn't need her touching him, too.

A big exhale left his maw as Stoatkit's weight disappeared and his lungs were free again. He glanced at the pair with wide eyes, pausing to answer Stoatkit's concern.

"... Ribbit." The tuxedo gasped in horror, wriggling weakly in feigned panic, failing to lift himself free of the mud. "No! I'm not ready to be a frog!" The tom yowled in his despair, unprepared to give up his mammalian life so quickly.

this heart beats cold like the devil his own

• "mew"
• 

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

  a black and white tuxedo with dark amber eyes

 

[F l e a p a w]

Fleakit grunted softly as Stoatkit clambered onto her head, perching there like some oversized bird in a very unstable nest.

She hadn't expected the white kit to be so heavy, but it was too late to take it back now. "Yeah... Ain't that heavy," She huffed, one eye squeezed shut to avoid the splatter of mud kicked up from her paws.

They worked together, smothering black-and-white fur with layer after layer of brown muck, shaping their leader's new cocoon.

At this rate, he wasn't gonna be a frog—he was gonna harden into some kind of weird mud creature. Maybe a rock. That was her thought, right up until Sablestar made a noise she had never heard before.

Fleakit froze, mid-smear of her mud-caked paws, ears twitching. Her balance wobbled, she teetered dangerously, trying not to send herself and her friend tumbling... and failed.

She lost her balance, flopping back into the sticky, sucking mud, taking Stoatkit down with her. Popping back up, she gawped at their leader for a moment. and then abruptly a hoarse, wheezing cackle shook her whole body. She got to kicking and slapping the mud with her paws, sending globs flying everywhere.

For a second, he almost had her convinced he was becoming a frog. He looked so freaking stupid right now, far from the stoic no-fun tom that she was used to dealing with. "Don't—" She gasped between spurts of laughter, "Worry—pfft—frog life ain't so bad I bet! We'll catch you lots of yummy flies, won't we Stoat?" Fleakit just couldn't help herself.

____________IF I COULD PAINT THE SKY 𓆏 WOULD ALL THE STARS THEN SHINE A BLOODY RED?

• ooc: —

• 

• FLEAPAW she/her | shadowclanner | 6 moons
  → FLEAKIT / FLEAPAW / FLEAFIRE
  → mentored by POSSUMGRIN and FROSTSTORM
  → former mill kit and kittypet
  → some physical powerplay permitted
  → speech thought/emphasis attacking

 

[Stoatpaw]

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

Stoatkit purred, content as she unceremoniously slathered the leader in mud, wobbly perched on Fleakit's head. She worried she was hurting the other, but knowing her temper, she'd made that abundantly clear if she needed to. She could feel Sablestar's chest hum as he spoke, or was that- "It's working!" Stoatkit squeaked amidst another fit of giggles; while she'd never heard the noise of a frog, that weird croaking like a funny breath in was something a very, very upset frog had helped her learn. Though this time Sablestar wouldn't scramble under her paws trying to escape like that little amphibian tried.

Though, amongst her fit of giggling, eyes crinkled, she could feel something amiss. While her paws were wobbly she'd managed to get a good hold stood upon Fleakit, but the other's balance began to waver. "Fleaki-!" She began, only to be cut off by the smaller's balance failing entirely, sending the pair of them tumbling backwards into the mud with a dull plop of a noise. Stoatkit landed harder from the higher point, being only a skinny little thing her whole body ended up submerged in the mud, the world muted for that split second she was buried beneath the mud. But an instinct kicked in, she didn't know where from, but she managed to hold her breath before falling back. For just a moment she could smell the ocean spray again....

But just as fast did Stoatkit burst from the mud, unable to see or hear anything, for a moment sat a little stunned. She wiped the mud from her face, looking to the sight before her. Sablestar curled in the puddle still, slathered in mud, Fleakit coated just as much, and Smogmaw stood at the edge, stunned. She could see Fleakit in a fit of laugher, and her chest swelled as she couldn't help but join in too. Not her little mischievous giggles, but laughter at the sheer ridiculousness of this all. She didn't care she was covered head to paw in mud, or that her father would have all their heads on sticks after this. She found a joy in it all she didn't know was missing.

She squinted through the mud to try and see what Fleakit was saying, 'Flies...' She pondered, glancing again at Smogmaw. "I think it's too late! We're already turning, we've gotta find something to hunt Frogkit." Stoatkit waded through the mud towards Fleakit, mischief on her face beneath the mud, trying to get the other on her brilliant plan. If Smogmaw wouldn't join them, maybe they could bring the mud to him instead.

——— While you were sleeping,

Everything changed at once. ———

• 
  Stoatkit
  ✦—Shadowclan kit | 5 Moons
  ✦—She/Her
  ✦—"SPEECH", 'THOUGHTS', ATTACK
  ✦—A slender white cat with faint lilac markings and blue eyes.
  #96d5f1
  ⤷ Written by Hawk