[IC] Trial of Shadows | Warrior Cats

[sassy1085]

@LetMeDoStuff@skitts

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Rainstripe thought about Flamepelt question, she doesn't think about starclan sometimes, they are usually mysterious figures for many clans and she does wonder if any warriors can get starclan dreams. "Both probably beautiful and free, not sure if medicine cats can hunt but they can try." Rainstripe sign to Flamepelt. When Branchfall talk Flamepelt about better positions of power and having a mate, kits and a lineage, Rainstripe does think about her future but not a lot when she was a kit, she doesn't see herself as a leader, would understand a she-cat leader who is mute and deaf at gatherings? As for mates, Rainstripe wasn't sure about that future, would her future mate be tired of her signs and silent and want to pursue a another she-cat? Would her future kits would resented their mother and don't want to learn any signs? Thinking about it right now makes Rainstripe feel kind of nervous, she need to get those thoughts out of her mind and just focus on the task at paw.

When Mist warriors finally made it to the border, Rainstripe can already foul scent, it seems that the forest have claim a another victim, a BirchClan warrior probably, she was unsure, she still remember the day when they found Mottledpaw mother body, Rainstripe thoughts were full with angry on who ever killed her clanmate, her thoughts were also full with sorrow for her and her kit, Mottledpaw. No kit would never go through what Mottledpaw gone through.

Rainstripe claws were already out when a BirchClan warrior start barking at her, Branchfall and Flamepelt, she won't hesitate to fight any warrior if they act like a threat to her or clanmates, but it seems there is not going to be a fight today when BirchClan warrior walks away, taking the body with him. Rainstripe and Flamepelt stay put with two BirchClan warriors when Branchfall walk with a another BirchClan warrior, that could be his sister, Reedcoat, she hear once or twice that Branchfall have siblings at BirchClan. While they were talking, the four warriors from different clans are just staring at each other, waiting for one of them to start a argument, Rainstripe look down at her paws and see that her claws are still out, she quickly make disappear before one of the BirchClan warriors notice.

Rainstripe spotted Branchfall walking toward them, she notice the sad and disappointed on his face, it seems something went down between brother and sister. Rainstripe was about to ask Branchfall if anything is all right but didn't have chance to when Branchfall order her and Flamepelt to keep an eye on blood while he going to report to Silverflight, she watch as Branchfall walk back to camp, thinking about what is on his mind.

[PrankFox]

Mentions: @Ambra @LetMeDoStuff

Silverflight gave Shadestar a gentle smile as she settled down nearby, tucking her paws underneath her chest, "Let's hope so. We need their help more than ever and suddenly they've decided it's better to be silent," She frowned looking down at the ground in front of her, "Maybe the other medicine cats will have some idea, or will at least be able to tell Eelpond if Starclan has been silent for them as well." In the days growing closer to leafbare and the silence of their ancestors she could feel her faith in them wavering. If they wouldn't help with the murders then would they help them during the colder seasons? She couldn't recall a time in her life, or the lives of the elders, that Starclan had ever abandoned them so completely. She let out a quiet sigh, shaking her head to banish the negative thoughts. The clan needed their leader strong and it wasn't her job to worry him more than he already was.

"The sunhigh patrols have been sent out. I imagine they'll be back before too long with news," she glanced towards the freshkill pile, "and more freshkill." She settled deeper into the reeds and let her eyes slip closed for a moment, enjoying the fainter warmth of the late leaf-fall sun and the sounds of the camp going on around her. She could hear the quiet murmurs coming from the medicine den and the sounds of shuffling paws around the camp from the warriors and apprentices that hadn't been sent out on patrol.

Her ears pricked slightly at the sounds of rushing pawsteps coming towards the camp. She let her eyes snap open as the slender form of Branchfall pushed through the entrance to camp in a rush. She sprang to her paws, her fur beginning to bristle slightly at the mixed emotions she could feel coming from the younger tom. She had sent him with Flamepelt and Rainstripe to the Birchclan border, had they been attacked and he was coming back for help? She didn't see or scent the rest of the patrol nearby as she quickly padded up to meet him at the middle of camp. "What's happened Branchfall?" she meowed, concern coloring her voice, "Where's the rest of the patrol?"

She could feel the nerves prickling across her pelt. They couldn't afford to loose anyone. Not with leafbare this close and tensions already running high. It would crush the rest of the clan if one of them got killed on patrol or by this murderer stalking the valley. Even the smallest thing that went wrong could spark a war between the clans.


Mentions: @skitts @Apoalo

Nightpaw nodded at Dawnstep, "She has. I just wanted to make sure we wouldn't be too close to the border patrols or anything." He watched as she slipped off into the plants in the direction on the Birchclan border, proabably to check in on Flamepelt. Sometimes he wished that he had a sibling that he could have a close relationship with like Flamepelt and Dawnstep did. He wanted to get to know them as his older siblings, but they were so much older than him it felt...weird. There was no way they'd want to spend time with an apprentice when they could just be with each other. Of course, he had Mottledpaw, who was kind of like a sister, and now Skypaw, but it wasn't really the same. He turned to follow Froststorm who began to head off in the opposite direction. Not far enough away that they couldn't hear each other, but enough that any noises wouldn't disturb the others prey. He kept his ears pricked for the sounds of scuffling paws or rustling feathers and leaves.

His ears swiveled to the side as they picked up the sound of smaller feet in the shrubs close to one of the smaller streams that ran throughout the territory. He flicked his tail to alert Froststorm and dropped into a hunter's crouch. His kept his steps careful as he crept around the shrubs and reeds so none of them broke underneath his paws. Slipping through a small break in the undergrowth he could see a good-sized lizard perched on a large, dark stone soaking up the every growing warmth of the day. It had it's eyes closed as it rested on the rock, giving him the perfect opportunity to get close enough, and with a strong push of his hind legs he landed directly onto the lizard and sunk his teeth into its neck.

He trotted back through the brush and found a place to bury it nearby.Maybe it'd be worth it to look for some fish in the stream... His mentor had slipped off somewhere else, likely hunting for prey of her own, so he returned to stream and settled onto the rock that the lizard had been sunning itself on. His own dark pelt soaking up the sun and he couldn't help the slight purr that worked its way out of his throat. Looking down into the clear waters he kept an eye out for the telltale flash of scales in the sun that would signal a fish. He let his mind wander slightly to the state of the valley. Birchclan was more hostile than usual but he supposed it was within reason with everything that was going on. Blame was already being thrown around between the clans and he didn't know how much longer, or how many killings, they'd be able to last without things escalating into violence. He knew he would protect his clanmates with his life if it came down to it.

He shook his head, Gotta stay focused on hunting. I can worry about that later, He looked back to the stream, hoping for the sight of a fish. He remembered hearing Mottledpaw say to her mentor that she would catch the biggest fish for Skypaw and chuckled slightly. We'll see who gets the biggest one.

[Jeep Wrangler]

_{Interacting with: @PrankFox}

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Upon his return to the camp, he was quickly met with the haste of Silverflight, the deputy. It shouldn't have surprised Branchfall to have seen her be the first to take action, yet it still did just a little. She was amongst the larger group of the clan he never conversed with outside of clan duties, which in and of itself was limited to small sentences and acknowledgement of orders. It wasn't any different to what she was doing now and it left much to be desired. As she rushed over, he felt the aura of her presence almost immediately. A prowess unmatched by all but the leaders themselves, she sternly made her mark. If Branchfall wasn't breathless, he'd have held his lungs so as such to not make a noise out of line. Her intimidation was perhaps unintentional, the strict professionalism seemingly taking her away from the realms of conversation and friendship, or whatever else possible. A perfect description for a deputy, and a perfect heiress to the leader's mantle. Something to be envious of, yet also grateful if she so looked his way. And, with his rapid and unsolicited return, it was only natural that she lurched forward to investigate the anomaly.

Her voice was...unexpectantly smooth. Well, maybe it wasn't, but Branchfall's panic seemed at ease when she questioned him for answers. His hesitation had left her in a bit of a state, unknown as to what horrific sight had been discovered. When he realised that he was alone he felt an extra layer of anxiety plague his body and churned his stomach. Unless they'd kept the peace, a violent border incident could very well have ignited a diplomatic hellscape for the leaders to work with. He looked to Silverflight with a flair of confusion himself whilst he tried to piece together his sentence. If the situation wasn't had enough, she alone made him anxious.

"There...we ran into Birchclan cats on the border, they were..." He inhaled slowly and cleared his words. At the least, he tried to build up some sort of false expression of confidence, something he definitely lacked beside Seilverflight. "They were next to one of their own clancats, and they were dead. Not...it was a really barbaric sight."

He gave her a second to gather her reaction before he continued. The worst of the sight had to have been the blood, the recent decay of the fallen victim. Had it been another murder? Just as the concerns were coming back, such a killing could've been disastrous for clan relations. Or was it of a natural predator, one that lunged them aside? He could not answer, as the body had been taken away back to the clan.

"The patrol we encountered was a bit hostile and defensive, so we couldn't really get a glimpse of it all. I ran back as soon as I had the chance to. Rainstripe and Flamepelt are still there with the other border patrol. Either they'll come back soon or stay put, I wasn't sure what they'd do." Beside her, he felt that aroma of alienation stemming from his pelt. A great clancat like herself was anything but a wanderer, and the piercing eyes of her professionalism unsettled him. Not for her own personality or reputation, mind you, but the harshness he felt towards himself. Something inside him trembled and the mystical shade of her clouded fur left him silent for another few seconds. He wasn't sure what to say or how to say it, or if he'd said enough. In his panic, he hesitatntly bowed down his head and stammered out an apology for no reason whatsoever. "I'm...sorry for coming so hastily, maybe I should've stayed there too."

[Hazelrah]

Hawk

Interacting with: @sassy1085 and @skitts

Today he felt like fish.

One of the (albeit very few) benefits of being exiled from a Clan was that he could roam the territories as he pleased, pursuing whatever type of prey he was in the mood for. (Well, as long as he didn't get caught.)

And Hawk was very good at not getting caught. The large orange tom jogged along the edge of BirchClan's territory, heading towards the wetlands of MistClan territory to see if he could catch a big, juicy, plump, fish. He'd been loitering on the edge of ThornClan and BirchClan territory for awhile, hoping to catch sight of his sister, thinking maybe enough time had passed that some of their other Clanmates would have stepped in on his behalf, but alas....nothing.

So he wandered.

He liked to tell himself that this fun and commitment-free life was what he wanted, that he enjoyed living outside of responsibility and away from obligation.

But none of that was true.

He missed having someone to share tongues with after a long day of hunting or patrol. He missed playing pranks on susceptible Apprentices, he missed gently playing with little kits as they learned how to walk and jump and play-fight.

He missed Whitewind.

The thought of his friend pierced deeply within Hawk, and the large tom slowed his jog, letting the grief wash over him. He spotted a lizard darting in front of him and lashed out with his claws, but it was a half-hearted attempt and the hapless lizard scrambled away. Whitewind would have called him a lizard-brain for wasting prey like that. Hawk chuckled at the inadvertent joke he had made to himself. When you've lived alone for as long as Hawk has, you had to learn to entertain yourself.

Suddenly, up ahead, Hawk heard some kind of altercation between some cats. It seemed that a BirchClan border patrol had perhaps encountered some MistClan cats. But then...what was that?

He slowed down to a stalk, maneuvering the tall reeds and exposed roots around him, doing his best to blend in to the territory around him. His amber eyes were closed to slits as he approached, wary of what he was seeing. Had those MistClan cats attacked that poor BirchClan cat? But those wounds...that didn't look like anything a Warrior would even be capable of doing...it looked....barbaric.

Hawk was having a hard time seeing from his vantage point, awkwardly tucked behind a large rock, but he dare not try to move closer. Were the BirchClan cats still there? He hoped not. Just what I need. Two Clan Border Patrols angry at a trespasser, and a cat-killing-monster. Great. Why didn't I want vole today!? I could have stayed far away from this whole mess, but noooo.... He sighed. Since when had he ever been good at staying away from the trouble?

The two MistClan Warriors seemed to also still be there, and he couldn't tell if there was an altercation between BirchClan or MistClan, but he was ready to fight if he needed to. He wasn't sure on whose side yet though. Probably MistClan's, he found BirchClan cats to be pretentious and irritating....but that's neither here nor there. One of the MistClan Warriors had definitely run off, "presumably to report to their Deputy, I'd bet" Hawk muttered to himself, anxiously kneading the ground.

Well, he didn't want to get roped into a confrontation with these Warriors, particularly as he hadn't done anything wrong and he was up to his whiskers with being accused of crimes he didn't commit, but curiosity did have him staying there and watching to see what unfolded, pressing his large frame against a rock and staying as low to the ground as he possibly could to stay out of sight.