Marlowe

Warriors: Trial of Shadows

Blackmoon was pleased with the fact that Hawkpaw swallowed her herbs without so much as a complaint. The lavender had done its job. After he finished organizing Stonefoot and Shadeclaw's bundles, he padded over to his own assortment of herbs and gulped them down. Even after all of this time as a medicine cat, he still couldn't get used to the flavor. "It'll take us the whole night to get to the Moonbrook and back. If we're lucky we'll be be back before dawn. Now, help me take these to Shadeclaw and Stonefoot," he told her as he walked past her and stepped outside once again. The sun was dipping lower and lower behind the mountains, and dusk was finally to tighten its grip on the valley.

Blackmoon padded up to the two littermates and placed the first bundle at Shadeclaw's feet, his tail twitching expectantly.

Legends of Pyrrhia | Wings of Fire

Jaguar snorted at Aardwolf. She hated the RainWings, but obviously they'd be cheery in a place they called home. Of course a smelly SandWing wouldn't think of something like that. Yet, she held her tongue. There was too much arguing last night, and honestly, the thought of coming across her old tribe was nerve-wracking-- she could hardly hold back the tinges of lime green that surfaced among her purple scales. "They'll probably let you waltz straight into their territory without a question. They're that lazy. Just say that you're peaceful and they won't even give you a second glance," she answered Eclipse with venom in her voice.

"Nothing is going to go wrong. Trust me. They don't even use their poison at all," Jaguar turned back to Aardwolf. "If anyone stays away from the camp, it should be me. I might be the only one that aggravates them enough into becoming a little angry, and I don't want anyone giving me dirty looks or anythin'. So I can stay on the outskirts while you ask questions and all that sort of stuff."

Legends of Pyrrhia | Wings of Fire

Her sleep was rudely interrupted by a heavy set of claws shaking her awake. Jaguar snarled as she stared at the hybrid, who had waltzed off to do the same to the others that were sleeping. He stayed a little longer by the NightWing, spoke about heavy weather, and mumbled something that she couldn't hear. Whatever it was, it made Dreamseeker give him a little smile and nod. They must be mates. Wonderful, Jaguar yawned and got up to her feet, stretching out her body before she walked up them in a wonderful array of purples and blues.

"Whatever the outcome is, I bet we'll all be wet as fish anyways," Jaguar growled as her gaze flicked over them. The IceWing still looked grumpy from last night, and she couldn't really tell what Aardwolf was feeling. Trying to figure out anything from him was like trying to look at your reflection in dirt. She wondered if he had half a brain, sometimes. "If I were you, I'd try to look a little friendlier. The tribe will be much more accepting if they see you're all as cheery as they are."

Warriors: Trial of Shadows

If there was one thing Blackmoon liked about Emberstar, it was his dedication to his Clan. He perked up a little when he spoke about lending him Shadeclaw and Stonefoot, two well-seasoned warriors from ThornClan. He watched them as they approached. Stonefoot, even though she was a she-cat, was much larger than her brother Shadeclaw. Her green eyes glimmered as she glanced between them. "It's about time we're given something to do," she mewed excitedly. "I don't think I've ever been on DuskClan territory before."

Blackmoon rolled his eyes at the siblings as he finished his meal. Funnily enough, it was also when Hawkpaw walked to his side again. "Many thanks, Emberstar," Blackmoon mumbled as he dipped his head gratefully. He then turned to Stonefoot and Shadeclaw. "I'll also prepare some herbs for you two. It shouldn't take long. Hawkpaw," he flicked his tail at her, "come along."

The black tom once again padded across the clearing and climbed up the slope that led to the medicine den. His mind raced as he slipped back inside. Stonefoot and Shadeclaw were full adult warriors, which meant that they probably didn't need as many herbs as Hawkpaw. He set aside some ragwort for them before he turned back to his apprentice. "Are you going to eat your herbs?"

A Song of Shadows | Pokemon Mystery Dungeon

Due to inactivity this is canceled.

Galarian Stories

Due to inactivity, this is canceled.

Warriors: Trial of Shadows

Just as Blackmoon had settled down with the bird, Hawkpaw came bounding over. "We'll be leaving in a few. Make sure to get something in your stomach so you tolerate the herbs a bit better," he explained. "We'll be back at the brink of dawn, though the herbs' effects should last until then."

He picked the rest of the feathers off of the bird, then took a bite. He realized he hadn't eaten at all that day-- he wondered why that was. Was it because he was nervous for what was to come? What if StarClan didn't show themselves to the Clans? What would everyone think? Blackmoon remained silent as he ate, only perking up when he noticed their bushy-furred leader come up to greet them. He swiped his tongue over his jaws before he sat up and nodded curtly at Emberstar. "I can only hope so. They haven't spoken to any of the medicine cats in seasons. With leaf-bare coming up, we'll need their word more than ever," he muttered with a flick of his ear. After a few moments, he spoke up again.

"I was hoping you would be able to send two warriors along with us." Blackmoon's gaze hardened more than before. "Any two will do."

Warriors: Trial of Shadows

"Burnet, chamomille, ragwort..."

A slender black tomcat sat in a large gap in the face of the mountain as he counted the bundles of herbs at his paws. His sharp, icy eyes scanned over them once, twice, three times; this gathering of small leaves was perhaps the most important bundle of plants in the whole moon, for they would do well in securing a quick and healthy passage to DuskClan territory. It would be a long journey, and Blackmoon and Hawkpaw would probably get back to the Clan during the early hours of the next morning. His wandering mind drifted to his apprentice, Hawkpaw. It was to be her first trip to the Moonbrook, and it was going to be a tough one for sure. That was why he had to be careful with the herbs he was preparing-- it was his job to make it easier for her to get there. I'll add some sorrel. Oh, and lavender flower, so it's sweeter and easier for her to eat.

His gaze drifted to the medicine den's entrance. The sky turned the color of fire as the sun dipped behind the mountains. Blackmoon still had to ask Emberstar if he was able to spare them a warrior or two in order to help them cross the territories. It would be bad if they were expected to go alone with all of the death happening. Blackmoon knew how to fight a little-- his mentor, Bluebelltail, had taught him how to fight when he was an apprentice. A medicine cat should always know some basic combat techniques, she had told him. One never knew what could happen. But to defend himself and Hawkpaw against a wolf, or bear, or mountain cat? They wouldn't stand a chance.

"That should do it," he sighed to himself before he pushed the bundles to the side. Blackmoon padded up to the entrance and slipped outside. He stood on the ledge for a few heartbeats, feeling the wind in his fur before he padded down a slope to the main clearing. Sootkit and Robinkit tusseled in the sand underneath a rocky overhang, squeaking and crying out in mock battle. There were some cats sharing tongues in the dwindling light while others ate their last meal of the day. Blackmoon paid them no mind as he walked to the freshkill pile and picked out a small bird from the bottom of the pile.

Warriors: Trial of Shadows

Have you heard the legends of the Clans in the valley?

Countless seasons ago, four cats and their followers arrived in the valley territories. Their names were Thorn, Birch, Mist, and Dusk, and under the guidance of StarClan, they were brought to the valley with the purpose of forging Clans. Thorn and his cats took to the cliff-sides, Birch and his own kind remained in the greenwood forests, Mist's cats roamed south, to the wetlands, and Dusk and his cats chose to reside in a labyrinth of interwoven tunnels that opened up to grassy plains. Thus, ThornClan, BirchClan, MistClan, and DuskClan were formed.

Though again, this was seasons ago-- more seasons than the elders and even the elders' elders could even count. Now is a different story. This tale begins on a precarious precipice. Clan cats are suddenly showing up dead, and no one knows who is to blame. When StarClan remains silent, tensions rise and cats start to blame others. In the midst of chaos, one question stands stark against the looming night... who can be trusted?

LIST OF CHARACTERS

The valley is divided into four territories, one for each of the four Clans. There is a large lake in the middle, giving accessibility to each Clan. Here, leaf-bares can be rather harsh, and Clan cats must sometimes deal with threats larger than foxes and badgers. Nevertheless, the four Clans have been able to thrive for seasons, having been staunch in the face of adversity and severe weather patterns.

ThornClan

ThornClan lives to the northeast of the valley territories, sharing borders with both BirchClan and DuskClan. These cats have flourished on the stark cliff-edges of their home; having adapted to the dangerous environment, they boast of their strength and power. The heart of their Clan rests in the break of a pine forest. There, they are sheltered by both trees and the walls of the mountainsides. The cracks in the mountain walls are used as dens, and the leader makes announcement from the camp's highest ledge, which almost rivals the height of the pines themselves-- the Skyledge.

NOTABLE FEATURES: their fur is usually warm-colored and ranges from black, grays, and browns; broad-shouldered, powerful legs, long tails for balancing; larger in size than other Clans' cats; proud, loud and arrogant

PREY: hawks, hares, small birds, squirrels, and even small deer

THREATS: the very cliffs that ThornClan resides on have caused multiple deaths. Other than that, they must sometimes deal with larger predators, such as mountain lions, bears, and wolves

BirchClan

BirchClan lies to the west of the valley territories and shares a border with ThornClan and MistClan. To the south lies the Oak Dens, where Twolegs sometimes come to spend the summer. The forests there are mostly made of oaks, birches, and other types of deciduous trees. Streams and brooks run across the territory, some of which are filled with fish. BirchClan's camp is also in a clearing in the forest-- their dens are hidden under the roots of trees or in fallen logs scattered around the camp. Their leader makes announcements from the top of a tree that had toppled against another-- the Fallenbranch.

NOTABLE TRAITS: the largest Clan in the valley; adept at climbing trees; silent stalkers

PREY: moles, voles, small birds, squirrels, sometimes fish

THREATS: foxes, badgers, adders, and very rarely wolves, mountain lions, and bears; close proximity to the Oak Dens

MistClan

MistClan is riddled with wetlands, a variety of shrubbery, long grasses and reeds, and very few trees. They share some of their border with BirchClan, for the Oak Dens keep them only a bit separated, and DuskClan. Their camp is made atop the driest island in the wetlands, and their dens are made of reeds and long grasses. The leader makes their announcements from atop a rock in a pool of green water-- the Poolstone.

NOTABLE TRAITS: sleek, glossy fur; long claws and furry pads used to grip terrain; very powerful jaws used to wrangle large fish; webbed paws make them amazing swimmers; great leapers; sharp sense of hearing and smell due to having to deal with morning and evening fog

PREY: mostly fish, lizards, and birds, but may be able to get their claws on snakes and baby crocodiles. Sometimes they're lucky enough to catch small deer and squirrels

THREATS: flooding, crocodiles, and close proximity to the Oak Dens

DuskClan

No one knows much about DuskClan. This is mostly because, despite having the moors to hunt and frolic in, they spend most of their time in an elaborate series of caves. All of the cats in DuskClan are taught at a young age to maneuver around them and recognize the scratch marks on the cave walls in order to know what direction they're going in. Contrary to popular belief, DuskClan doesn't live in total darkness. Every so often, there's openings in the roofs of these caverns and tunnels that provide the Clan with light. DuskClan's camp is in one of the largest caves. Similar to ThornClan, their dens are made in cracks and openings in the wall, and cats are able to walk and lay on the soft sand floors. There are many pools located in the caves, one of which being in the camp itself. The perch where the leader makes their announcement is actually connected to their den; they climb up a slope that leads to the highest opening in the camp-- the Stonewatch.

NOTABLE TRAITS: lean and long-legged; cunning and sharp-witted; very secretive, leading to suspicion coming from other Clans; great runners; amazing hiders and stalkers; their Clan's camp has almost never been invaded due to fear of getting lost in the tunnels

PREY: hares, rabbits, birds, squirrels

THREATS: cave flooding, some cats have gotten lost in the deeper sections of the tunnels

Neutral Territories

The Splintered Rocks

The Splintered Rocks are where the four Clans hold their Gathering every full moon. It gets its name due to the fact that they are a series of rocks that jut up into the sky. Clan leaders take their place at the top of these rocks, while the deputies perch on the outcroppings just below them. The rest of the Clans sit in the sandy clearing at the base of these rocks. The Splintered Rocks is just behind ThornClan territory, as if the already proud Clan needed anything else to brag about.

The Moonbrook

The Moonbrook is where medicine cats and their apprentices go every half-moon to meet with StarClan. It is an underground brook in the tunnels underneath DuskClan. To get there, one must be allowed to cross DuskClan's very camp. Most of the time, medicine cats are allowed passage.

The Oak Dens

The Oak Dens are a cluster of log cabins that sits between BirchClan's and MistClan's westernmost borders. Twolegs come year round to camp there, but it's at its most full during greenleaf. Twolegs are known to fish and boat in MistClan's territory, and will often go into BirchClan to set up tents, walk their dogs, and even hunt deer.

The Lake

The lake is the body of water that sits in the middle of the four Clans' territories. Any cat can go drink there, if they wish. It's best if they drink the water from their own territories, for the water at the lake is sometimes overgrown with algae and moss.

Legends of Pyrrhia | Wings of Fire

The grip on her throat only became tighter, serrated claws beginning to dig into her softer scales. Just as Dreamseeker started to panic even more, she suddenly felt the heavy weight on top of her being knocked away. She rolled onto her side, gasping as she saw the red and black scales in between the IceWing and her. Eclipse had bounded into action in order to save her? Really? She felt her heart flutter with a certain type of emotion, but what was it? Admiration? Gratefulness? No, this was different...

"Fine. Explain, before I lose all of my patience," Skua growled.

Dreamseeker felt the eyes on her again. "I'm telling the truth. There was no time to tell you during our travels, especially you, Skua... I wish I could have told you sooner, but too many things kept happening," she grunted as she lifted herself to her feet. "I promise I won't read any of your minds, on my honor as a NightWing. So please, don't be angry."

She looked between everyone again, noticing that Jaguar simply shrugged in a nonchalant manner and Skua's brow furrowed. His sharp-toothed snarl dimmed slightly, much to her relief.

"You better not mess this up, Dreamseeker. The only reason I haven't torn your throat out was because Eclipse trusts you, for whatever reason."

Dreamseeker blinked as Skua stalked over to one of the taller trees that surrounded their clearing. The moonlight filtered through the trees and made him seem like a silver coin that was lined with fire. "I won't disappoint any of you." The words left her before she realized, but they didn't make her feel embarrassed or unsure. They left her jaw with determination and pride rather than bashfulness.

"I hope so." Skua snorted.

"Can we sleep now?" Jaguar suddenly spoke up again. "You're all lucky that the RainWings haven't found us instead of the other way around."

Dreamseeker nodded slowly. The NightWing walked to an isolated corner of the camp as Jaguar sprawled out on the floor and set her head on her front feet. Picking out the driest spot, Dreamseeker curled into a ball and closed her eyes. Hopefully sleep would come along easily.