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Post by Frisby on Apr 23, 2011 8:10:33 GMT -5
The orange tabby tom placed the fresh-kill beside the slab of rock that Foxwit was curled up on. He smiled weakly at his grey brother. "I doubt I could make it up that tree if I tried. Besides, I would like the cats to regain more energy and strength. After they wake up and start eating, that is when I will address them." he rumbled. He dragged his tail across Wolfecho a=on his way into the cave. "You and I will have to visit Startree soon though. Better to have answers before stirring the clan..." --------------- Newflight started when his numb conciseness grasped him in icy claws. He sat bolt upright. /Where am I???/ His golden eyes were round in terror... He had fought so hard to stay alive.... He had fought so hard to remain on Earth. /Am I in Starclan?/ The trunks of a thousand black trees stretched before him, seeming to scratch the sky. A low chilly fog carpeted the hard still ground. He didn't feel like he was in Starclan...
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Post by Frisby on Apr 26, 2011 19:28:14 GMT -5
Wolfecho's whiskers twitched dubiously. "Well, let's hope StarClan will be on speaking terms then, eh? I can't say they seem to happy with us at the moment." He sighed, eyes dropping exhaustedly from his brothers and down to the crumbling remains of an asteroid from the previous night. He pawed at it, wincing at the sharp texture that grated his burned pads.
---x
Mistedstar awoke, overheated and smothered, packed so tightly next to Charcoalstar under the bush. She groaned and pulled one of her legs out from under his back, them clambered the rest of the way out into the open. The sky was pink and innocent compared to what she'd gleaned of the previous night before, but an acrid scent still lingered on the air, and patches of grass here and there were roasted black. She snorted at Charcoalstar's namesake. With a faint sigh the tom rose, struggling to open his exhausted eyes. He mumbled something inaudible, lumbering over to Mistedstar and bumping her shoulder in his groggy daze. The grey she-cat's eyes were relatively bright, her voice crisp. "So what was that all about?" Her thoughts fixated on the image of Foxwit, yowling at them. "Are we...banished?" "Mm, guess so." "How in StarClan's name...?" "I'm not entirely sure myself. But with this fiery hailstorm..." "But there's got to be a reason! Why'd they assume we're the problem?" He paused, sighed, and grunted, "'Cause we're in love. And I guess that renders us incapable." "We're...?" She sighed, shook her head.
They stood there quietly.
"Come on. Let's go to the river, and then maybe we can head around the ridge--I don't know, but we can't stay here." She silently relented, following his lead.
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Post by froscogo on May 11, 2011 20:52:58 GMT -5
ooc: Whoah!!! He said it! He said the "L" word!!! ^^ tee hee...
Bic: Marbleclaw slunk past the watching gaze of Dragontooth and crept next to Foxwit, who was slumped against a stump outside the cave. He usually had the answers... thought the young warrior and sat down. The grey ash felt so soft, ironic since the storm was like the battle cry of Lionclan. With her big green eyes pooling she asked, "Why did Starclan do this to us Foxwit?" He glanced at her and sniffed. After a long while he muttered, "I'm still thinking it out. It doesn't make sense in any way I look at it. I don't think the Storm came from Starclan... It just doesn't add up..."
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Post by ayla1313 on May 22, 2011 19:49:53 GMT -5
Prydwen's Moon starred up as the stars fell from the great expanse of open sky like tear drops for the the Great Earth Mother when she wept to fill the flowing waters of the world... The earth shakes as the flaming rocks make impact setting some of the nearby brush and trees on fire. Prydwen has no choice but to take off into the flaming night sky. Her heart races and she feels the painful grip of panic take over. Why has the Great Mother brought this upon us? She thinks. The air was hot and dry making is a little hard to breathe. She lands in a near by sapling. As more stars fell to the earth panic began to grip Prydwen's heart tighter. She can't stay here. She continues her search for a safe place. She flies and she flies until her wings become tired and she can fly no longer. She knows that if she doesn't land soon she'll crash. Her vision is becoming blurry and she shakes her head to clear it. When she spots a clearing in the trees not littered with space rocks she slowly lowers her altitude until she is able to land on the soft brown earth below. She hears other creatures near by, but is to exhausted to care. Folding her wings back she is finally able to rest a little.
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Post by froscogo on May 31, 2011 16:52:20 GMT -5
ooc- where exactly is Prydwen?
bic- Marbleclaw finally gave up with pretending that the asteroids were a dream and slowly slunk onto her pure white paws. She glanced at Newflight, is was a pity that his pelt was no longer the color of her paws. He lay motionless and stiff. His body was covered with scabs from the asteroids and blood and smears of chewed up plants. Marbleclaw blinked painfully away from the gruesome scene and padded carefully over to Dragontooth and Wolfecho. They were the only other cats that were awake other than the two medicine cats. "What happened and what happens now?" she mewed quietly.
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Post by ayla1313 on Jun 5, 2011 16:15:39 GMT -5
ooc- somewhere around the camp. She's close enough to hear them.
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Post by Frisby on Jun 10, 2011 16:01:30 GMT -5
Wolfecho sighed. His eyes flashed to Dragontooth, a bit anxious after all that had unfolded the night before. Dragontooth had been after the leadership position...was it mere coincidence? Or perhaps Dragontooth just had better judgement than the rest of them and had a will inline with StarClan's. He frowned at his paws and hesitated a moment before replying to Marbleclaw. "Well, I mean, it's up to Dragontooth. He's our leader now. It seems to me that our priorities should be clearing the camp of all the debris, repairing the dens, and well, talking to StarClan to figure out what's going on?" /What if StarClan doesn't want to talk to us?/ Dragontooth hoped that if that was they case, they would signify it by silence and not another firestorm.
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Post by Frisby on Jul 5, 2011 9:23:45 GMT -5
While Willowrain was at the herb garden, searching for more herbs, Asterfire watched over their patients. The whole clan was injured. She had never imagined anything like it during her training as a medicine cat apprentice, never thought things would get this bad. It was a nightmare, indeed, her worst fear. Thankfully there weren't any kits to worry about, and the older warriors who were injured seemed to be faring alright on their own, although seeing such powerful cats weakened was a bit unsettling.
The apprentices though--the younger cats--they were not looking any better since the morning after the meteor shower, despite the herbs she was using on them. They had every reason to heal, but they just seemed to grow weaker and weaker. Asterfire didn't want to contemplate what she feared, but it was hard to avoid. It seemed logical that the meteors contained some illness, that was slowing the healing. An illness neither she nor Willowrain had any knowledge of how to treat. The memory of waterflesh lingered unpleasantly in her mind. She didn't think that she would have the mettle to conduct a treatment so radical, nonetheless invent one. But what treatment could be used on a cat that's body refused to be treated?
Worse, perhaps, than a disease from the fallen stars, was her fear that this was all StarClan's doing. That StarClan was punishing them further, refusing the young cats to be healed and leaving them to die horribly slow deaths. How could she, as a medicine cat, oppose StarClan?
Quietly as the morning dew, Willowrain snuck back inside the cave and shook her head sadly at Asterfire's hopeful look. She mewed quietly, "How are they young ones? Have they improved at all?"
Asterfire growled softly in frustration. "No, they're the same. The same, always the same. I just don't think...This isn't normal." She sighed, her head heavy, and sank back on her haunches. "Do you think this could be StarClan's doing?" the medicine cat ventured after some hesitation. If it wasn't surely StarClan wouldn't be happy to receive the blame.
Willowrain paused, but didn't feel that she could answer Asterfire's question. She had never grown up believing in StarClan. It was only when she became a medicine cat that she was introduced to the powerful star-encrusted warriors. She picked herself up and passed Asterfire without a word, and started inspecting the sleeping and unconscious patients. "Newflight," she cooed softly, trying to awaken the warrior. Trying to keep her cool, she began inspecting him, looking for vital signs, desperately trying to hold back the wave of panic that was rising quickly inside her. She called over her shoulder to Asterfire, "Look at him. Can you find anything? Where has he gone?"
Asterfire glanced up in alarm. Newflight hadn't stirred since the night of the meteors, but the tone in her fellow medicine cat's voice signaled that something worse had happened. Oh StarClan, don't let him be dead. Please. How can you do this? She quickly rose and darted to his side, lowering her ear by his mouth to listen for breathing. Silence. Oh StarClan. She moved closer, putting her head against his chest. To her surprise, his body was warm. It was a cool day outside, so he had to be alive, unless he had just passed away. She held her breath, listening, listening, until finally. A heartbeat. One heartbeat, impossibly slow. Time passed. Another.
How was it possible? She sat back, staring at Willowrain in wonder. "He's alive, but barely. His heart is barely beating, but his body is warm." She stared down at him sadly. "I don't think there's anything we can do now. I think...he may be...on his way..."
Ethre's ear flicked. Her mind drifted deliriously between darkness and the pale light of the den, which seemed horribly bright and glaring through her eyelids. Words drifted across her mind, most passing, not comprehended, but a few caught, hanging on for a moment long enough for meaning to apply. He... He's barely alive. ...on his way... A soft breath of air struggled from her mouth, indignant, and she blinked open her eyes. Ethre tried to lift herself from the ground, tried to see--Was it Newflight? It had to be...of course it was--she expected no better luck after everything that had happened recently--but she couldn't see. The wall of white light hammered her back down into the earth and forced her eyes closed again. Newflight. No. She groaned quietly.
Willowrain's eyes and ears were drawn quickly to Ethre, who was stirring. "I'm sorry, Ethre. He's in StarClan's paws," she breathed gently.
No. Ethre sank back further into the darkness as she absorbed the words, one long, mournful moan slipping from her mouth as her eyes began to burn. No, not Newflight. He died because he saved me. And now...and now I'm dying too. Her thoughts fell silent, nothing more than aching emotion, and the cave faded away completely.
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Post by Frisby on Jul 5, 2011 15:12:03 GMT -5
Dragontooth glanced up at the medicine cats. They seemed to be worried about something. He padded up and sat gently between Willowrain and Asterfire. "What happened?" he asked softly. "Is everyone going to be okay?"
Asterfire glanced sullenly up from Newflight. She longed for a moment to blame Dragontooth for the whole thing--if he hadn't started causing tension with the leaders...if Mistedstar and Charcoalstar were still around...The whole thought that their StarClan appointed leaders were now gone was greatly unsettling, but then again, if the meteor shower meant anything at all, perhaps Dragontooth was right. Yes, she had to trust him now, had to bury her frustration, deeply rooted in her rigid definition of how things should work. She swallowed grimly and glanced back to Newflight before replying. "Newflight...and the other young cats...they aren't healing at all. It seems only a matter of time before he passes away, and the others...they seem to be on the same path, for all we know." She gave him a desperate, panicked look. "We're doing all we can, but we don't know what to do! I...If it's not completely irrational, I think it'd be wise to talk to StarClan about it." Her tail twitched with concern. "I just hope they aren't the ones responsible."
Dragontooth swallowed slowly and seemed at a loss for words. His eyes gaped blankly around the cave, as though looking for an answer, although one could never be there. He closed his mouth and gave the medicine cats a stiff nod before he got up and slumped off to Wolfecho. "I think it's time to talk to StarClan. Will you accompany me on the journey to Startree?"
Wolfecho raised his weary head. With so many cats injured and off patrol, there was far too much remaining to be done, and his body ached for a break from it all. He stared at Dragontooth for a moment, eyes tired, but them lowered his gaze to the ground and nodded. "Of course, Dragontooth." It would be an important moment, and wrong to miss it simply out of a desire for sleep. The large blue-grey tom pulled himself to his paws, gripping the ground tightly and trying to hide the fact that he was wavering on his paws in dizziness.
Dragontooth took a deep breath of the clean cave air before stepping out and sinking his paws into the warm dusty ash that seemed to disappear at the very touch. He'd only seemed to have gone a few pawsteps before his brightly orange pelt was dulled to a deep brown from the light coating of ash that he had stirred up. He sneezed, "I hope the entire forest isn't like this," to Wolfecho before he hunched his shoulders and headed off along the path.
Wolfecho's pawsteps grew steadier as he trailed his brother. The air tasted bitter from the fallen stars, and he tried to suppress his coughing as they exited camp. "No, I don't think it will be," he quietly mumbled, glancing up to survey the grasslands that spread about them. It would be a long journey. "I think it was mainly around camp." It wasn't a very comforting observation, only seeming to point to the fact that it was a result of their own wrongdoing. Misted and Charcoalstar, he uneasily thought, tasting the air curiously for their scent.
The sound of the river now seemed dampened, and as Dragontooth peered over the bank, he saw that it had been choked almost completely with ash, and now looked like a slow grey snake slinking across the land. "Hang on, what's that?" he exclaimed as he squinted his eyes against the sun. Something else was slowing down the river's mighty current. He padded forward, quicker now, to see what was embedded between the banks of the river. It was the biggest asteroid Dragontooth had ever seen. It sat snugly within the river, looking like it touched the bottom. Even so, enough of it was exposed to the air that Dragontooth and at least five other cats could sit comfortably upon its face. "Let's go check it out."
Wolfecho blinked, feeling that the air here was acrid from the mixing of water and ash. He cleared his throat, focused more on keeping his paws steady than Dragontooth's observations of the river. After a few heartbeats he raised his head, curiosity getting the better of him. The immense stone was larger than Wolfecho had thought possible, and he was quite glad he had not been around for its fall. The riverbank around the stone had been crushed to firmly embrace it. At Dragontooth's prodding, he padded closer, lowering his nose the surface. It seemed as if cold air emanated from the rock's ragged, sharp exterior, and a shiver ran down his spine. There was something familiar about it's smell...
Dragontooth had this intense look on his face that showed that he was in deep thought. "This came from StarClan, right?" he asked Wolfecho. "I suppose so," the grey tom murmured, looking confused. "Well then, that means I might be able to reach StarClan through this rock!" Wolfecho looked doubtful, but shrugged. "If you want to try, this is better than walking all the way to Startree." Dragontooth's face light up and he radiated a great toothy grin. "Keep watch, will you, while I'm deliberating." Wolfecho grinned slightly. "Come back with a new name if you can," he joked.
Dragontooth climbed to the top of the rock, inspecting a puddle of water within a pock mark in the stone. Urged by instinct, he lapped up the water and lowered himself against the surface, feeling heavy darkness pulling his consciousness down...
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Post by froscogo on Jan 15, 2012 22:40:44 GMT -5
Dragontooth gasped awake and scrabbled on the slick surface of the asteroid, barely regaining his footing in time to save himself from falling into the river below. "Wolfecho, we must gather the clan!" The look of horror in Dragontooth's eyes seemed to fill the forest with impending doom.
The blue-grey tom raised his head in alarm from where he had been watching the silverly shapes of fish flitting about in the water. This wasn't at all what he'd hoped for; the tom had actually let himself believe that Dragontooth might come back a named leader, but it only seemed that the situation was degrading further. "What do you mean?" he rumbled, concern tainting his usually unfazed voice. It had been a while since Wolfecho had seen his brother so perturbed that he couldn't begin to guess what had taken place, only that the necessity with which the orange tabby spoke, was not exaggerated, but should be heeded. He began stepping towards the land, glancing back over his shoulder at the other cat, waiting for him to follow and explain.
Dragontooth leapt down from the asteroid and pelted into the forest, Wolfecho at his heels. "I'll explain everything when we reach camp," he gasped under his breath as he forced himself to move faster. It seemed to take years to reach the camp, although it must have only been moments. The startled clan poked their heads out of the curer den, shocked to see Dragontooth in such distress. Not losing any momentum, the orange tabby tom hurled himself upon an ash-covered branch of hightree. "Let all cats old enough to catch their own prey," he began. "There's no time for that, just get here, all of you, so you can hear me!" His fluffy tail sent the dusty ashes swirling in the air as it lashed back and forth with his impatience.
Wolfecho was really left behind by Dragontooth, the stockier tom unused to running with such velocity. He staggered into camp, gasping and feeling quite lightheaded, weakened already by his wounds from the asteroid-fall. A sick feeling was growing in his stomach. Perhaps it hadn't been the right idea to cast out Charcoalstar and Mistedstar--to have such a new leader in such an apparently vile situation just seemed like a terrible idea, not that he doubted his brother's integrity. Though it was experience that was needed in such situations, Wolfecho wasn't sure what the alternative was; no other cat was coming forward to accept responsibility, and he didn't see Dragontooth sending cats out to search for the two former leaders.
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Post by froscogo on Jan 15, 2012 22:58:44 GMT -5
Dragontooth's fur drooped sadly as he saw that the only capable cats still standing were his brothers, Marbleclaw, and the curers. Slowly, Dragontooth retold his ordeal in "StarClan". "*insert invigorating speech*," The tom paused, and then cast a mournful glance at the asteroids that littered the clearing. "These are our ancestors, DayClan. Slaughtered by the sick claws of the enemy. They watched over our lives for generations, and now, if we want some hope of that for our kits' future, we need to watch over /them/. This is their time of need. Rise, join me, and we will vanquish the spirits that have destroyed the ones who fought before us!"
Marbleclaw didn't know what to think. She'd never truly believed that the stars up in the skies belonged to the dead warriors of other clans. To the wolves and foxes that she'd been raised with, the stars in the sky were just balls of light that served no particular purpose. But now, with the ground covered with the dead stars... Marbleclaw shook her head, and slumped back into the cave. She sat next to Thunderpaw, wishing he was awake. He might have some words to comfort his restless mind. She watched his ribs expand and contract. Was she just imagining it, or did each breath seem to take longer than the one before it? "Asterfire?" she called nervously over her shoulder.
The calico healer pricked up her ears, slightly reluctant to answer the weakened warrior, having little hope for good news. "What is it, Marbleclaw?" she meowed lightly, drifting over to the other she-cat's side to join her in watching Thunderpaw. Concern darkened her features as she watched the tom, pelt dewey with a feverish sweat. She had the horrible feeling in her gut that this was just like the others. All of them, beyond their ability to heal. There was nothing so bad as being so terribly helpless.
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Post by froscogo on Jul 10, 2012 9:38:11 GMT -5
Foxwit picked at his teeth with his tongue. He felt that ever since he and his brothers had left Fittsgerald's cave, way back beyond the old Dayclan Plateau, life kept getting harsher, rushed, and unpredictable. At first he had enjoyed the adventure, but... but now his bones ached, his ribs seemed tight from the lack of a good hearty meal, and his eyes stung from restless sleep. Maybe he was just feeling the affects of the asteroids. Foxwit snorted in disgust at the disheveled territory that lay around him. Deep inside him him he felt the prickle of shame. Even if the life he lived was hectic and demanding, he should still be thankful for his brothers, the Clan that had excepted him, and that fact that he was now part of something bigger than himself. He stopped picking at his teeth and sighed softly. His eyes followed Dragontooth lazily as his brother sent of a blast of ash. With a sniff, Foxwit rocked off his haunches and pressed his shoulder into the dirty fur of his brother. The met their gaze and they seemed to radiate their tiredness between them. "What happens now Dragontooth?"
Dragontooth closed his eyes against the grating and grey world around him. "We wage war upon the warriors of the Dark Forest" His stomach churned with the reality of what he was asking of the cats around him. With his voice barely a whisper, "It's up to us to save Starclan..."
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Post by Frisby on Jul 31, 2012 13:30:47 GMT -5
A chill filled Wolfecho's stomach at Dragontooth's words. They went against everything he had grown up knowing. How could they ever trust StarClan if they couldn't look out for themselves? Disturbing as the thought was, there seemed little alternative than to fight for their ancestors. /The longer we wait, the weaker they grow./ Though the meteor shower from the night before had weakened the clan tremendously, if Dragontooth's words were true, only more were to come. Their action had to be immediate. "Then there's no time to waste," he growled to the gathered cats as Dragontooth's words faded. "All who are well enough must take part in this battle."
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Post by froscogo on Jul 31, 2012 13:37:11 GMT -5
Willowrain kept her gaze upon the cave floor. Her pelf felt stiff as if it were gripped with sharp bracken. /I can't fight against those dark and bloody warriors though, I wouldn't be any help.../ She sighed slowly and approached Dragontooth. "Dragontooth... I... I'm going to stay behind and watch over the warriors that are sick in the cave."
Dragontooth blinked glumly at the curer. "Alright then, You'll be ok by yourself while we're gone?"
Willowrain nodded and walked back to the den and sat next to Asterfire. "Do you think you're going to go fight?"
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Post by Frisby on Jul 31, 2012 13:40:41 GMT -5
Asterfire's gaze slid over the unconscious cats that filled the den. The thought of more bloodshed and illness turned her stomach, but if they were going to have a battle, they needed a healer. She nodded slowly. "I'm sure there will be injuries enough to keep me busy. Perhaps I can get by without joining in the battle. The clan will need some mediator too--it would be foolish to venture before StarClan without a curer." She flicked her tail. The camp would be eerie, empty of all its cats. Nonetheless, they had to go. "I will accompany your party," she called to Dragontooth, feeling uneasiness stir in her stomach. She had never searched for herbs in StarClan before. Whether they even existed, she had little idea. /But I'll do my best./
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