Marlowe

Trial of Shadows | Warrior Cats

@savannahssu @sassy1085 It's only the intro posts, so don't worry about it! My posts are always about 2-3 paragraphs if they're not skips or introductions to something.

The Rise of WillowClan

I'll post too

Trial of Shadows | Warrior Cats

Shadestar & Mottledpaw

MENTIONS: N/A

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Morning dew dripped from the edges of the reeds that littered the fen, adding a sheen to the fog that hovered above the water. The sunlight caught the moisture in the air and flooded it with a yellow light, much of the territory seemed to be coated in a thin golden mist. It really was a beautiful sight, especially in leaf-fall, when the distant trees turned just as gold or a more dilute brown and red. Shadestar watched from the opening in his den, ducking his head to avoid the water from dripping off from the edges of the reeds and onto his head. He had just groomed-- no need to seem wet in front of his Clanmates, especially on such an important day.

There was little movement in the clearing, or at least, not as much as there would be when it was sunhigh. Some warriors clustered around the fresh-kill pile, and he saw that Badgerlurk and Ravensong had brought back a couple of fish to add to the cluster of food in the midst of camp. He smiled lightly. He enjoyed seeing his clanmates work together, even if they weren't from the same litter. Sure, it wasn't like they had any other choice. Lone cats were more likely to get eaten by crocodiles or bitten by snakes, but oh well. It wasn't like anyone in the Clan hated each other, as far as he was aware, and he appreciated them for that. MistClan was the best he's seen it in ages. Even with the murders and such going around.

His smile diminished and he found himself growing moody again. Shadestar had done all he could to get down to the root of these strange assassinations, but none of the Clans had any leads. The deaths weren't clean or pretty, either. Every time they found a body, the throat was literally ripped out or they had been mangled with scratches. It was hard to believe that one of these days, an apprentice might not make it back from a hunting patrol, or a warrior might not come back from marking the borders. A chill ran down his spine. I can't think about this now. Today is a special day, one that's supposed to be filled with happiness. And it's also the half-moon, so maybe StarClan will actually speak to Eelpond or Tinypaw...

Shadestar shook out his pelt and bounded over to the Poolstone before leaping upon it gracefully. "All cats old enough to catch their own prey gather beneath the Poolstone for a Clan meeting," he yowled. He saw several cats perk up and turn their attention to him before they padded forward, their eyes alight with curiosity. There were some that knew exactly what the meeting was for-- for instance, Mottledpaw who came bounding over to the front with her fur unkept. The apprentice was probably in the middle of washing herself when he sounded his call.

"I think Skykit is gonna get his mentor today!" Mottledpaw said a bit too loudly as she leaned close to the closest cat. "Aww, that means that there's gonna be less room in the apprentice's den!"

Shadestar let out a little purr of amusement. His green eyes searched the crowd of cats, trying to find one certain tiny kit that was far too old for his mother's milk. "Skykit," he mewed, waiting for his approach.

Trial of Shadows | Warrior Cats

Prologue

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The moon hung like a silver claw scratch in the sky. The grassy fields, usually emerald green and verdant in the sun, was washed silver and gray by the light beaming from above. Four cats, lined with stars, watched over the plains from their stony perch that overlooked the fields. They calm but expecting eyes, and none of them moved. It seemed like they were frozen in time, that was, until the largest of them, a silver and white cat with ethereal amber eyes, swiveled his ear to the right.

"They're coming," he meowed.

The black she-cat to his right huffed. "About time."

It happened in a moment. Cats streaked out from the neighboring woods, one or two or even three at a time. All of their pelts were filled with stars. Their eyes glowed with spectral energy and pierced through the night like multicolored flashes of lightning. Slowly, they approached and clustered about the base of the short stone with the rounded top, where the four cats watched from above. A long-furred cat huffed as he shuffled closest to the base of the stone as his berry-pink tongue hung out from between his jaws.

"They're all here, Thornstar," he panted.

Thornstar glanced over the gathered cats. There were about fifty of them, and they all stared at the four cats on the stone with nervous gazes. He shuddered a little. This reminded him of the Gatherings he used to attend back when he was still alive. Nostalgia flooded his chest for a moment, but he swallowed it down. No. He couldn't be thinking about when he was still living. This was about the cats that lived now.

"These might not be all the cats in StarClan, but asking you to gather all of them would be impossible. Thank you for your help, Swiftrunner," Thornstar nodded his head down at the cat before he turned back to the waiting cats. "We've called you here to inform you of our decision. The Clans stand at the edge of a precipice, and one wrong move may plunge them into the abyss."

The cats at his feet remained silent. The cats beside him shuffled nervously. Thornstar swallowed.

"There may not be any leader in StarClan, but we believe we are the four that know our Clans the best. That we will make the best choices for the Clans of the valley-- that this decision will benefit everyone in the long run," Thornstar continued. "And so, Duskstar, Miststar, Birchstar, and I have decided that StarClan is not to intervene with what fate has in store for these cats. This means no dreamwalking and no prophecy giving."

There was an uproar. The starry cats yowled and screamed and hissed up at the four cats. Thornstar cast a glance at the cats next to them. The black cat, Duskstar, snarled down at the lot.

"Don't you see? The Clans cannot depend entirely on us to guide their way. Living cats, not the dead, must guide the living!" Duskstar snarled.

A light gray she-cat next to Duskstar nodded. "The Clans will not get anywhere if they rely solely on the word of their ancestors. It is time for them to lean on their clanmates and friends in order to survive these treacherous times," Miststar murmured.

"This will surely bring about their destruction, then!" a sandy-colored she-cat howled. Thornstar recognized her as one of the first medicine cats of DuskClan, Leopardbrook.

"No," Thornstar persisted. "Not if they do this correctly. Surely you remember the times when StarClan has remained quiet during your life, Leopardbrook. Did you not survive your ordeals with your own paws and your own mind?"

Leopardbrook glared at him. "Do not compare those times to now."

The cats no longer hissed and yowled, though they stared at each other helplessly. Thornstar noticed there were some that sent glares as sharp as fox's teeth in their direction. He suspected that this decision would divide StarClan into factions, no matter how necessary this was. A long sigh left his jaws before he lifted his head again.

"StarClan has been walking at the Clans' side ever since they arrived at the valley. There must come a time when they must learn to be independent and strong-willed in order to survive. Do you not have any confidence in your Clans? Have you not seen how they have flourished in the midst of droughts and cold leaf-bares? They have the strength to walk their own paths and guide others, as they've shown in the past," Thornstar raised his voice again. "Any cat that is caught sharing tongues with the living will be sent to the Place of No Stars. Any cat that is caught delivering warnings or visions of the future will be sent to the Place of No Stars. Any cat that is caught visiting the dreams of their kin will be sent to the Place of No Stars. Is this understood?"

More bristling and growling. Mistystar's tail rested on his shoulder. Duskstar and Birchstar remained silent. Yet, there were no further outcries or words of anger. Thornstar nodded his head.

"Then this meeting is finished. May Silverpelt light your path," Thornstar meowed as he leapt off the rock.

Slowly, the cats drifted away and stalked over the hills or back into the starry forests not far from them. He watched them leave as his tail flicked to and fro, yet his expression remained as stoic and stern as when he was atop the rock. Guilt and worry wash over his bowels, and then came the doubt again. He looked over at the other leaders.

"Well?" he asked.

Duskstar shrugged. "We did what had to be done. It went better than expected."

"The Clans will have to learn to deal without us for some time," Miststar murmured. "It's the truth of the matter. Besides, we have our own issues to deal with..."

"Your big mouth did a good job of keeping that under wraps. Silverpelt forbid what would have happened if StarClan cats start to panic," Duskstar pointed out. Then, she arched her back and stretched. "Anyways, I'm going to go back to napping. Try not to have a panic attack, alright, Thornstar?"

The two she-cats went their own way and left Thornstar and Birchstar alone. The dark tabby tom stared at him with large, solemn eyes.

"What is it?"

"Nothing." Birchstar shook his head. "I'm just wondering if you made the right choice."

Thornstar flattened his ears. His pelt prickled and he lashed his tail. "I'm sure of it."

Birchstar frowned, then nodded as if in affirmation. "Very well. I trust your confidence. So long, Thornstar. Make sure to get enough rest." The other tom didn't even give him a chance to bid farewell. Within a heartbeat, he was already bolting towards the dark horizon, over the hills where the other cats went. Thornstar was left alone.

He rushed off in the opposite direction, running as fast as he could. It was kind of hard to believe that, despite him being dead, he still had issues with running for a long amount of time. Then again, it wasn't like they were immortal. There was something past StarClan, he believed, something that actually let cats rest and remain unworried for eternity.

Thornstar ran and ran for a long while, until the skies became black and empty. He streaked towards the shadowy forest in the distance, but was careful not to get too close. His eyes narrowed as he attempted to peer in between the branches. He saw pairs of eyes glimmer at him from the depths of the blackwood.

"I did the right thing," he growled, lashing his tail once. "There's no other way. I did the right thing, and they'll know soon enough."

Trial of Shadows | Warrior Cats

@savannahssu Sorry messed up my tag from previous post.

Trial of Shadows | Warrior Cats

@sassy1085 I think she's alright, as long as you remember what flaws deaf cats have. :)

@Rusty I'm giving you until the end of the week to respond, if not, you're booted from the RP.

[@savannahassu] You still part of this right?

The Rise of WillowClan

I would post but Im waiting on Brambletail again

Trial of Shadows | Warrior Cats

@PrankFox Accepted!

@skitts Accepted!

Legends of Pyrrhia | Wings of Fire

Silently, Dreamseeker walked after Eclipse and Aardwolf. Now that she could actually take the time to look around, the Scorpion Den certainly was... something. Vendors lined the street as they waved about purple prickly pears and strange-colored roasted snakes. She caught the scent of spices in the air, along with roasted meats and other types of fruit that littered the desert. What she noticed the most, though, was the fact that much of the population of the Scorpion Den didn't necessarily looked friendly. Many of the dragons there had a curious sheen to their eye and an interested expression upon their face. She caught sight of more than one dragon staring at them. Dreamseeker didn't even want to know what rolled around in their minds. We're with the Outclaws, we're safe, now, she told herself over and over as she made sure to keep up with the two other dragons.

They finally came upon a larger tent, though they hardly got a chance to speak before they were approached by two large SandWings. Dreamseeker shuffled behind Eclipse, somewhat intimidated. SandWings can be so harsh with one another, she thought as she made sure to keep her head low. Maybe they'd relax a bit if they saw they were no threat? To her surprise, Aardwolf's sharp reply earned them passage into the tent, and before she knew it they were being ushered inside.

The tent felt like it was bigger on the inside than it was on the outside. Dreamseeker arched her head around to peer at the cobalt blue and golden carpet spread over the floor, embedded with ornate images of golden lizards and hawks and snakes. Incense burned within tiny brass containers, and a smoky, light lavender haze hovered about the tent. And right in front of them lounged a large SandWing the color of parched dirt. Her underbelly was an ashen gray, and her eyes were as dark as night. Her right ear was bejeweled with a cluster of small, colorful earrings, and a long, gruesome scar ran deep over her throat. Dreamseeker shuddered as the dragon's black gaze scanned them.

"Welcome," Drought's wings spread open in greeting, revealing the cream color under her wings. "I am Drought, leader of the Outclaws. I hear you bring news from the Sky Kingdom."

Dreamseeker did not like this dragon. Firstly, she was bigger than her, and could easily claw her in half with one swipe of her talons. Secondly, the look in her eye was accepting, but not friendly. And thirdly, even though this dragon's mind was void of nefarious plots and thoughts, she just didn't seem right. There was something strange about her, but she couldn't put a finger on it.

"O-oh," Dreamseeker jumped when she saw that Drought and Jackal were looking at her. "Y-yes, we come from the Sky Kingdom, actually. We... w-well, uh, Queen Ember has been assassinated, you see, and--"

Drought narrowed her eyes. "I already know this. We received word about it at dawn," she interrupted in a cold voice. Her tongue, long, black, and forked, poked out from between her jaws and slithered back again.

"U-uh... well," Dreamseeker tried her best not to panic; it was difficult, because her heart was practically beating out of her chest. "She was struck by a dart, which had been covered in black poison, which has in turn been unidentified for now. We suspect that the poison comes from a beast in the rainforest, and we were heading there in order to garner aid from the RainWings."

There was a very long pause. Drought turned her head to look at Eclipse, her eyes scanning him up and down. "Is this true, SkyWing?" she asked.

Legends of Pyrrhia | Wings of Fire

Dreamseeker's eyes shifted between Eclipse and Aardwolf as she listened to them speak. What Aardwolf said made sense. They needed all the help they could get, and they were lucky they were able to get to the Scorpion's Den before Skua fell even more ill. She ducked her head as Eclipse's words became even sharper, so much so that even the SandWing had been caught off guard. At least he was able to smother whatever frustration had been bubbling up in his mind. Even now, she sensed the tension that clustered in his mind like dark storm clouds. She frowned at him as she pondered upon his well-being. Oh, Eclipse, she thought, curling her claws into her palm. You really need to relax sometimes. You can't carry the world on your shoulders.

Her gaze drifted back to Skua. The dragon was still in a deep sleep, albeit in a much more peaceful one. "I think we should go ahead of him. He might not be able to walk, even if he does wake up soon. Rest is important," Dreamseeker suggested as she got up to her feet. Her body still ached a terrible amount, but she forced herself to stand as straight as she could as she stepped closer to Aardwolf. "I'm ready when you are."