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when the sun don't shine (open)
mothstar
SkyClan
Posts: 17 
Rank: leader
Age: 39 moons
Gender: female
Played By: riptide
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Post by mothstar on Jun 9, 2015 20:46:15 GMT -5
it had been raining on-and-off all day, coating the pelts of her warriors as they trekked through their daily patrols. thankfully, they made a home in a network of caves, so only the mouth had really gotten wet. the occasional skylight dripped with stray drops, but that was about it. the cream she-cat climbed down from her den carved into the wall and strolled into the main area. the freshkill pile was plentiful, sitting in the middle of the camp. a content sigh escaped her jaws as she walked around it. never did they have this kind of prey readily available in the old lands. it would have taken several sunrises to get this much food. without much thought, her rumbling stomach urged her to pluck a robin from the pile and mothstar padded quietly to the mouth of the cave, setting down her meal.
the she-cat hunkered down, taking a few bites of the bird. she could feel her energy being renewed almost instantly. food was such an important dynamic to her clan, ever since they had experienced real, desperate starvation in the old territory. the leader could still see the awe on her clans' faces as the hunting patrols brought in more freshkill to add to the pile. still, after six moons. the kits were growing at double the speed and everyone, including the elders, had more energy and spirits than they had in a long while. mothstar smiled around her mouthful at the thought. she never dreamed of getting her cats to this point. sure, there was going to be trouble ahead. but they could stop to enjoy the little things that had improved in their lives.
ripping a few feathers from the bird, mothstar looked up as the distant boom of thunder rang in her ears. a flash of lightning shone in the eerily dark clouds ahead. the soft rain would soon turn vicious. for some reason, though, mothstar enjoyed these kinds of storms, especially when she could watch them from their new home in these caves. they provided so much protection to her and her clan. the small she-cat stayed close to the opening, blue gaze locked on the coming storm. judging from the vibrations of the thunder, it was going to be a big one.
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Post by liontooth on Jun 14, 2015 23:08:43 GMT -5
Liontooth’s muscles bunched as he propelled himself forward and in through the mouth of the clan’s caves. He had slunk off earlier in the day to hunt and collect himself, and the evidence of his work was buried throughout their territories, hopefully deep enough to survive the downpour that the thick looming clouds above and rumbling thunder threatened. His lengthy fur was plastered to his body, revealing the thick musculature and healthy weight that the abundance of prey in their new territory helped nourish. The large tom hefted the dark feathered bird in his maw to prevent the wet wings from dragging on the ground before he deposited it onto the kill pile. His eyes swept the cave and dragged over the cats milling about before they landed on Mothstar. Strangely, his usual challenging spark didn’t swell up within his chest. It made the older tom’s brow furrow.
And, much like the day at the Cliffside, it was enough to compel him to join her.
Lowering his hear so that the top of his skull was even with his shoulders, Liontooth lumbered over to Mothstar and slumped down half a fox length from his leader and the colorful bird she was eating. He couldn’t remember who hunted it, but it didn’t matter. It still spoke well of their warriors that they were able to provide such plump prizes. Drawing in a deep breath, Liontooth held it for several moments before slowly releasing it and smiling hesitantly. Though the gesture didn’t reach his eyes, it was well meaning all the same.
”After the rains are through, there will only be more of those to hunt,” Liontooth nodded his head approvingly and then let it rest on his large forepaws. ”They’ll come out hunting the worms in droves, mad with hunger, and it will be even easier than raiding their nests.” His eyes cut over towards the mouth of the den, and Liontooth gave a slow blink as thunder rumbled once again. All they had to do was wait out the storms.
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Post by cedarstorm on Jun 15, 2015 14:00:57 GMT -5
not a day passed that the silver tabby tom wasn't grateful for the home that starclan had led them to. living alongside other clans, though, was odd to him. skyclan had always been on their own, and the tom still didn't understand how the other clans had survived so long living with each other so close by. it puzzled him and sat in the front portion of his mind as his paws carried him across the mossy floors of the forest, the soft green making his pawsteps light as water drizzled down on him from above.
there was a slight chill in the air, but the tom didn't mind. as it was, cedarstorm was double checking to make sure hunting patrols hadn't missed any kills in their persistence to return to camp. the deputy's grey-tinted eyes swept across the visible land and paused on a fluffy rabbit that must have taken a wrong turn as it exited windclan's lands. the kill was still fresh, and the tom truly didn't care for birds, so he picked it up in his jaws before beginning to run back toward the caves where he would likely spend most of his time before the evening patrols began much later in the day.
as his eyes readjusted to the slight darkness of the caves, his eyes landed on the fluffy pelt of liontooth and then on the dappled pelt of their leader, mothstar. cedarstorm saw no reason as to why he shouldn't join them, and tossed his prey down a tail-length from mothstar. dipping his head to her, he flicked his tail toward liontooth and nodded to him before settling down in a position conducive to eating.
he took a small, polite bite out of the rabbit before casting his gaze upward toward them. his face remained blank as thunder rumbled overhead, and his ears perked as liontooth spoke. "i've never cared much for birds," cedarstorm commented quietly, taking another bite out of the rabbit, chewing thoughtfully, then swallowing. "i'm not complaining, though. i'd never do that. prey is prey, and we are beyond lucky that it is so plentiful."
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Post by speckledcrow on Jun 16, 2015 22:06:50 GMT -5
Speckledcrow woke from his nap with a tired groan. So often his dreams were filled with aimless wandering that it was typical for him to wake up less rested than before. This time, the shadowy figure of his mother had been coaxing SkyClan on and promising that they would rest soon, just a little bit farther Bounder, we’re almost there. The rest had already faded, lost to the nothingness where forgotten dreams go.
From his spot outside the elders’ den he had a good view of the camp. Though activity was picking up, his eyes were drawn to a particular gathering. Mothstar was looking out of the caves, eating something. When he looked at her it was still hard to see her leading the Clan through their hardest days. It was much easier to remember her as an apprentice practicing her battle skills while Hawkstar watched with pride. It was that look he imagined the former leader having in StarClan, so different from his troubled final moons of life. With her settled Liontooth and Silvertooth Cedarstorm, with their own pieces of prey. The young cats seemed to be exchanging friendly small talk, even the typically unfriendly Liontooth. Speckledcrow worried about him. It was understandable for him to greive for his mate, but he still had their kits. Maybe if he spent more time with his sons he would begin to heal. Where were Boulderpaw and Duskpaw? Still hunting even during the storm to prove themselves, probably. Hopefully they would bring him some of what they caught; he felt like he hadn’t talked to them in moons.
He considered going over and sharing a bit of fresh-kill, but they were too close to the cold winds for his old bones. Speckledcrow compromised by scooching himself just within hearing range before settling back down with his head on his paws. He cocked an ear to listen for any interesting tidbits of conversation and kept an eye on the camp entrance so he could see Boulderpaw and Duskpaw return from their hunt.
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mothstar
SkyClan
Posts: 17
Rank: leader
Age: 39 moons
Gender: female
Played By: riptide
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Post by mothstar on Jun 17, 2015 9:46:20 GMT -5
mothstar had been so entranced by the distant lightening that she only sensed liontooth the moment he had taken a seat next to her. she took a break from her robin, glancing up to her senior warrior. his attempt at a smile was laughable but she managed to school her features less she give that thought away. a nod was all the she-cat gave in return. she was still surprised liontooth chose to sit with her at all, but she liked the idea that this warrior was warming up to her. the leader's ears flicked over to him at his words and looked back down at her bird. despite the inconvenience of it's feathers, these creatures were one of mothstar's favorite prey. her blue gaze flicked outside, "i could use a nice hunt after this storm, my muscles are all bunched up." it was mostly because of stress and leaping after birds usually helped.
not before long, the sopping-wet pelt of her best friend sped into the caves, glancing up at her and liontooth a few tail-lengths away. cedarstorm dragged his damp rabbit over to them. he dipped his silver head to her and gave a nod to the large ginger tom across from him. it made mothstar pause for a few heartbeats. she had been leader for a little over six moons and still she could not get used to the respectful gestures made towards her. every time she saw them they felt foreign to her. of course, she didn't need to worry about any of them outside her own clan, as most of the forest would love a chance to peel her pelt away from her bones. her thoughts were interrupted when cedarstorm made a comment about disliking birds. "you know you live in skyclan, right? there might be something wrong with you," she teased, though her tone of voice remained relatively steady. it was difficult to distinguish when mothstar was being sarcastic.
the group of three grew quiet as they watched the storm draw closer each heartbeat. it was moving fast, with the winds whipping the tree branches and swaying the blades of grass. the rain started flowing sideways and before she could blink, her face was soaked. the she-cat let out a grunt of surprise and backed up about a tail-length. she was certainly not meant to live with riverclan. "foxdung. you think i'd know better than to stick my face outside the caves," she grumbled, mostly to herself. a rustle caught her ears and she turned, her blue gaze locking on speckledcrow, one of her elders. images of silvertooth flashed through her mind but she quickly dispelled them. the she-cat gave up her life so that speckledcrow could live, and she couldn't have given it up for a better cat. the older black tom sunk down in the corner. "speckledcrow," she greeted with a tail flick. "have you come to watch the storm?"
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Post by liontooth on Jun 17, 2015 20:50:29 GMT -5
The brawny tom cat arched his neck to lean over and lick the water from the thick fur at his forelegs. With the growing intensity of the storms outside, it would be long hours yet before the skies cleared enough to warrant venturing from the caves. It made little sense to sit around wet and cold when he could just as easily groom himself here and now. When Mothstar replied, Liontooth paused in his grooming long enough to look up at her as she spoke, but then promptly resumed his task.
"i could use a nice hunt after this storm, my muscles are all bunched up." pausing to flick out one of his legs, Liontooth shifted uncomfortably. He couldn’t tell if it was simply a statement, an invitation, or something else entirely. It bothered him how poorly skilled he was in the ways of communicating with other cats, but Liontooth knew that he had only himself to blame for his difficulties. ”I’m… sure quite a few of us could,” Liontooth started, only to fade off rather gratefully as Cedarstorm chimed in—perhaps marking the happiest Liontooth had ever been to see the younger tom.
”I’ve never cared much for birds,” His son, Duskpaw, had felt the same way towards them. Liontooth felt a sharp pang of bitterness in the pit of his stomach, but the ginger furred tom wrestled it away and forced himself to focus on the present.
He couldn’t help it, but he snorted, shaking his head. ”And I don’t much like breathing,” he remarked dryly, turning his attention back to the soaked state of his fur. Water droplets leaked from bound strands of fur out onto the cave floors, but the more the older tom cat’s rough tongue worked through the thick matts of hair, the dryer they became.
”you know you live in skyclan, right? there might be something wrong with you," Mothstar teased. It made Liontooth chuckle, and he looked up to nod his head at Cedarstorm. ”Long suspected,” he added in the same mocking light, though the senior warrior’s too serious tone may have given a far different impression. A bit of movement caught Liontooth’s eye, and his amber gaze turned itself towards a black and grey flecked pelt skulking about farther away from their little gathering. He stared for longer than he should have, and were it not for the water weighing the fur on his shoulders and spine down, Liontooth worried he may have bristled at the sight of Skyclan’s elder. He couldn’t help it. Every time he saw Speckledcrow, he saw her. He couldn’t stand it.
”—think i'd know better than to stick my face outside the caves," Liontooth’s ears flicked abruptly towards Mothstar, and the older cat cleared his throat before turning away from Speckledcrow to look back out into the downpour outside. He was starting to dread the long hours he would be trapped within the caves confining walls. Already his muscles were aching to burn away the bitter memories that had been stirred.
"speckledcrow, have you come to watch the storm?" Mothstar’s question made Liontooth cut his eyes towards her, but he remained silent all the same.
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Post by cedarstorm on Jun 19, 2015 20:35:05 GMT -5
as the skyclan leader remarked that there might be something wrong with him, cedarstorm nodded seriously. "oh definitely." he deadpanned, pausing to let her speak once more. cedarstorm's ears flicked as mothstar herself mentioned hunting. a smirk danced across his face before he took a polite bite of the rabbit, looked down at the rest of his freshkill, then looked up at speckledcrow.
"y'know, i've just about had my fill of this already. speckledcrow, would you like some?" the deputy prodded the rodent closer to the older tom until it was within speckledcrow's reach, if he so wished to share. his cool gaze returned to mothstar's pale pelt. "yes, there are more than a few of us that would enjoy a bit of a reprieve from all this hunting," cedarstorm teased in his dry voice, giving mothstar a concerned expression one might give a guilty apprentice.
when liontooth made his remark about breathing, cedarstorm snorted. "nice one." he commented quietly to the senior warrior, a smile gracing his facial features momentarily. his attention returned to mothstar. "hey, you're the one with the lives to spare. just so long as you aren't drowning yourself on accident by looking up into the rain i think you're good." the deputy remarked, adjusting his sitting position so more of his pelt would begin to dry.
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Post by speckledcrow on Jun 20, 2015 18:32:18 GMT -5
The sudden shift of the water brought an amused purr to Speckledcrow’s throat. He’d chosen a spot well away from the water for a good reason! He was too old to try his odds with rain now that even being out in a light drizzle would lock up his joints for days. He was already a little stiff just from the change in the atmosphere, but there was no use complaining. When you got to be an old cat you realized that nothing had a “cure” anymore and the only herbs that really helped were poppy seeds, which Speckledcrow decidedly disliked and would decline until his pain was serious. They took away they pain, but they gave him nausea that could be just as bad if not worse.
His breathing was beginning to even out and his eyes starting to droop when he heard his name. The tom’s head popped up and he took a second to realize what had been said. He gave a friendly wave of his tail, frowning when he caught the glint of silver fur out of the corner of his eye. At the rate her was graying they were going to have to rename him again. Silvercrow, maybe? No. The old guilt resurfaced like maggots writhing anew beneath his skin and he viciously pushed it down. It was a darkness that rotted inside of him every day, but he hated giving it fuel.
Instead he focused on the three cats. The deputy’s offered rabbit would be a much more pleasant meal that whatever soggy morsel the apprentices brought back, but he couldn’t quite muster any real appetite. He seemed to nibble at kills these days more often than he really ate. “Appreciate the thought, Cedarstorm, but you better finish it. I’m waiting on Duskpaw and Boulderpaw to come back with something fresh and see how they did in this weather.” At this he shot a mildly disapproving look at Liontooth. Hopefully he would have an encouraging word for the two of them as well, even if his body language towards Crowfeather was unfriendly as ever. The warrior had every right to hate him, but there was no excuse for letting his mate’s death affect his relationship with his sons. “Thought I’d tell them about the time we were on a patrol and an apprentice got stuck in the mud. Took me, Hawkstar—though he wasn’t Hawkstar back then, mind you—and Gullfeather to get them unstuck without trapping ourselves.”
Realizing he’d done a bit of ranting, Speckledcrow let his head fall back down. “Sorry, don’t let me interrupt. You know how we elders go on.” The self deprecation was light-hearted.
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Post by liontooth on Jul 18, 2015 7:06:51 GMT -5
ooc//not my turn, but it’s been a long time, and I want to be able to mark this as ‘complete’ in Lion’s tracker  ; loved it, you guys are great! Don’t mind lion, he’s a butthead.
The shift in Liontooth’s moods was just as powerful as per usual. The closer Speckledcrow drew to the trio of younger cats, the higher the fur along his spine bristled and flared out at all ends, spiking up with a very prominent, obvious hate for Skyclan’s elder.
It shouldn’t have been Silvertooth.
His pulse began to thrum beneath his skin, and the large tom couldn’t stop the quiet, furious growls that sounded out from the pit of his stomach, eyes unfocused and distant. If he moved, he worried that he would strike someone. More than that, he worried about the fact that he found the idea less repulsive day by day. Swallowing roughly, the unsettled tom pushed himself to his paws, avoiding looking at any of his companions as he stepped back from the group. Red and black pulsated at the edges of his vision, and every breath just felt like fuel for the fires.
’ I’m waiting on Duskpaw and Boulderpaw to come back with something fresh and see how they did in this weather.’
Liontooth’s muzzle wrinkled in a peculiar way, and the thick jowl muscles at the corners of his mouth flexed as his whiskers pulled forward. ”They’re dead.” he spat harshly—unforgivingly. ”Boulderface died a warrior from a wound given by a Windclanner, because apparently,” he raged, tail lashing behind him, ”It was too hard to find herbs to treat him,” the venom in his tone would have appalled his family, had they been alive to witness it. ”And Duskpaw—he starved himself in front of his mother so that she was heartbroken to step in front of a snake for someone that didn’t deserve it,” he finished—at least, it seemed that he had. For long seconds after, the volatile tom cat remained poised, looming above the group and glaring balefully down at Speckledcrow.
It frightened him how much effort it took to turn himself away and stalk farther into the caves when he lifted his forepaw, the tips of his claws aching to extend further.
It would have been so easy. It was never like that before.
Sometimes he wondered if he would have ever felt the rage in his blood if it had only rained at Skyclan’s old home. It made everything feel so far out of control.
Liontooth has left the scene and can no longer be interacted with in this thread.
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; loved it, you guys are great! Don’t mind lion, he’s a butthead.