storms make trees take deeper roots
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Post by cosmic on Jan 13, 2024 22:19:56 GMT -6
#s://i~imgur~com/pQhWpJM~png | cherry always the fool with the slowest heart, but i know you'll take me with you |
A pebble fell down the side of a walkway up the side of the ridge, with the small she-cat trying to steady her breathes. Hawk-hunting had never caused her adrenaline to skyrocket like this, but exploring the unknown conditions of the uncharted territory. Despite this, she trusted Laurelfern. Since arriving, she has canvased a good portion of their new home already, in which she pointed to a location for Cherry to investigate. It was only past a couple ridges behind the Skywalker camp, but still enough distance to not be too close.
Laurelfern had asked cats who were willing to help in the expedition to meet at the top of the second ridge, but Cherry wanted to make sure she was the first. Others may have went in groups, but she wanted to be there ready to go with who arrived.
The small she-cat walked to the top of the ridge, before her eyes gazed down the side of the slope. Along the next ridge in front of her, at the base, sat a small opening. It was marked by a couple larger boulders, almost shielding the entrance from weather or prying eyes. 'Laurelfern, you are so smart,' she thought to herself, knowing that the Skywalker leader probably had her in mind when seeing this location.
She was eager to explore already, but there was no idea of what dangers laid ahead. Cherry was smart, obviously, despite her anticipation for the possible home of her faction. A home that she could make herself. Alas, she sat and waited, with the winter wind howling along the corridors of the mountainous territory.
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Post by tor on Jan 19, 2024 9:51:43 GMT -6
#s://i~ibb~co/s2gdqjC/sanguine~jpg How novel, Sanguine thought, his breath causing plumes of thick air to billow in front of him as he walked, to be a part of creation. So accustomed was he to death, the idea of forming something new sat like a heavy, foreign weight on his chest. It wasn't an uncomfortable weight. It was more like an anxious hope (burdensome in its own right) that this could really mean a different life for him. The sun was creeping above the mountain ridges. Laurelfern - what a pretty name, he always did love how clan cats named themselves, somehow similar yet unique to each clan he ever encountered - told them to meet on the second ridge to explore the territory, seeking a camp for the Nightwalkers. Sanguine had little preference for what faction of the Kingdom he wound up in. It was only because he met Cherry before any other cat that caused a slight loyalty to the Nightwalkers, and now he felt a responsibility to join her and pick a camp. He didn't really want to be awake this early, but he'd do it if it meant earning more of Cherry's trust. Speaking of Cherry, he could see her now, standing just on the ridge up ahead. Sanguine flicked his tail in greeting at a distance, then easily crossed the remaining space between them with long, confident strides. It was cold this far in the mountains, but his dark fur was doing a wonderful job absorbing the early morning sunlight, keeping him surprisingly warm for how short his coat was. Lucky for him, it was easier to be chipper when he wasn't too cold. "Good morning, dear," he called out once he was close enough to not have to raise his voice and be heard. "Will it just being us to search?" He glanced around, confirming no one else was following behind him. "Or are you knowing of more to join?"- ooc: please imagine sanguine speaking like a french guy who only sort of knows english lol |
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storms make trees take deeper roots
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Post by cosmic on Feb 4, 2024 19:04:30 GMT -6
#s://i~imgur~com/pQhWpJM~png | cherry always the fool with the slowest heart, but i know you'll take me with you |
Despite the optimistic opening for the conversation to start, the gray she-cat only gave a swift flick of her tail in greeting, as she looked toward the opening that had been explained to her. It was time to go, and only two of them were present? An angry flick of her ears was fast enough to slice a leaf, before she tried to reason within herself for the lack of participation. Nightwalkers wasn't exactly the most inviting name, compared to the other two.
"Just us, unfortunately," she finally gave the tom an answer after ignoring his chipper mood. Not that having more cats would have made her any happier... "This means that we will have to be alert and ready for anything. There's no telling what's down there," her paw lifted to point toward the opening at the bottom of the ravine. "Laurelfern gave me this location after she was scouting with others. Said it might be suitable for the second camp, for the Nightwalkers." Cherry's gaze settled back on the tom, who's stature and demeanor ever since she met him proved that he was ready for any challenge.
"Let's head down to the opening. With any luck, if something lives in there, it will be gone hunting." Praise above, she hoped that there was nothing in there. The opening looked big enough for a wolf to enter from the outside, but there was no telling what the entrance was like. With careful paws and claws grasping anything she could get them wrapped around, she slowly made her way down, with her tail flicking to stable areas for the tom to follow. It was her first, real mission as a leader, and she would make sure that it was successful for her newfound reputation.
At the bottom, it was quite a distance toward the opening, as Cherry began to walk toward it. No need to trot or run, in order to conserve energy. However, it would get her a chance to talk to this newer member of the Kingdom. Get some positive social interaction, which she desperately needed. "So, Sanguine, correct?" There had been so many cats joining that it was hard to keep everyone straight. How did leaders keep up with everything? As a clan cat, it was easy to remember everyone's name... but as a leader, it felt completely different. "And Caius? How is they? And there was another one, Quail, yes?" So many foreign names, it would take time for her to be able to understand the names of those outside of the clans. Still, her name now could be considered a clanless name, if it wasn't for her past.
"I just hope that this leaf-bare ends soon. The clans weren't lying when they said it would be hard to live up here during this time," Cherry snorted, before her eyes trailed back to the entrance of the tunnel in the distance. It was only hard because it was their first leaf-bare, she told herself. During the next cold season, they would be better off. And perhaps by then, the Nightwalkers would be strong under her control.
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Post by tor on Feb 12, 2024 20:52:52 GMT -6
#s://i~ibb~co/s2gdqjC/sanguine~jpg Ah, it would just be them. Sanguine regretted not pushing Caius and Quail a little harder to join him on this quest. Both of them were more interested in their actual task at hand - seeking out Nyx, or whatever name it was he was going by these days. Sanguine hummed his understanding as Cherry described where they were headed and how it was found. His gaze followed hers to the entrance far below. It seemed a grisly place to call camp, but perhaps after a few treks up and down the path, when he was used to it, it wouldn't seem so bad. "With any luck, if something lives in there, it will be gone hunting."Sanguine shivered in delight and said, "I'm told I'm lucky!" Given the birdsong he could hear and the lack of any pungent predator smells, Sanguine thought they would be fine. The walk down into the ravine wasn't as bad as first glance would let him believe. Cherry seemed to struggle more - the woes of walking on shorter legs. If they ended up choosing this location, he made a note to come and smooth out the walkway. He hummed again when Cherry said his name, then turned a beaming smile on her when she asked after his friends. How kind. "Sanguine, Caius, and Quail, yes," he purred. "None such a pretty name as Cherry. They're both well, thank you for the asking. Focused on a search and rescue mission." He shrugged. "Not to worry about them."Rescue wasn't a fair word, anyway. Nyx didn't want to be rescued. Sanguine did, but he wasn't ready to accept that yet. "Winter will end when it ends." Leaf-bare. What a funny word for it. "Leaf-bare, I am meaning. It ends the same time every year." He cracked a grin. "Except, there are some cats that let groundhogs make winter longer. How silly. Have you heard of these cats? Probably not. They're far away from clans." Shadows, that entrance was far. "What was it like, your clans? I've met clans before. All are similar, but different, too." |
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storms make trees take deeper roots
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Post by cosmic on Feb 22, 2024 17:57:45 GMT -6
#s://i~imgur~com/pQhWpJM~png | cherry always the fool with the slowest heart, but i know you'll take me with you |
Her ears twitched with each hum that escaped the tom, before the second time that she looked at him with a stoic blink to follow. As he confirmed that it was the three of them that had joined, Cherry couldn't help but be proud that she was able to remember all of them. She'd have to get to know the other two eventually. "I'm charmed, truly," she spoke in a rough tone toward Sanguine calling her name "pretty". Inside, she did feel it was pretty. Not in the same way that Cherrynose was pretty, but Cherry was pretty too. But, before she could linger any longer, her head snapped at the last couple sentences of the tom. "Uh... no... let's go back to that, they are on a what?" A search mission? For what cat? There were none missing from the Kingdom. Cherry wanted to continue to pry, but she was too concerned with being too "pushy" as a leader.
Nah, it's fine.
"Why would they be on a rescue mission? Did you lose someone from wherever you all came from?" Cherry paused, before her eyes went back to the tunnel. It would be a long walk.
Winter. That was a new word. She'd been learning a lot of new words from the influx of clanless cats that had joined them. Horus had taught her some words on a recent hunt. Fuck, shit, damn. They were fun for her to practice alone.
"That is quite... silly," she said, thinking about the cats that watched the groundhog to tell them about leaf-bare. Did these cats... worship groundhogs? Before Cherry could get too lost in thought, she heard the brown cat ask her about the clans. "The clans of the valley? Well, I guess they are all kind of similar. But different, different than how I saw them." Her eyes grew into slits as she looked into the distance, before returning to normal and looking at her comrade. "There's three. MistClan, they border us on the east. PrairieClan is lower in the valley, next to the barn. And RidgeClan..." she hesititated, "they border us to the west. It's where Laurelfern, Honeythorn, and I originate from. Unfortunately," she whispered under her breath. "We used to follow the Warrior Code, a set of rules that our ancestors laid out for us long ago. It says things like, 'Elders, queens, sick or injured cats and kits must be fed before apprentices and warriors. Unless they have permission, apprentices may not eat until they have hunted to feed the elders'. It keeps the balance of the clans to unify them in harmony and balance. But sometimes, that doesn't always work."
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Post by tor on Feb 25, 2024 11:41:05 GMT -6
#s://i~ibb~co/s2gdqjC/sanguine~jpg True to her role as leader, Cherry didn't let his comment about Caius and Quail's rescue mission go by so easily. He purred in response, both pleased that she was listening enough to notice, and touched that she actually cared. It was something he was learning of clan cats (or former clan cats, really). They all cared. What must it be like, to hail from a place that encourages you to care about others? "Did you lose someone from wherever you all came from?"Despite Cherry's kindness, Sanguine knew he would have to lie to her. It made him feel no different than telling the truth. "Yes, someone is lost. My little brother." His ears flattened as his pace slowed. This was no act. Thinking about Nyx's loss did sadden him. Even if they'd never been close, Nyx was the only family he cared about. Blood family, at least. There were others sired by Calypso back home, but Sanguine had never learned to love them like he did Nyx. "He had making a mistake and ran away. He is thinking he isn't welcome back, so we came to make a new home for him here. He is somewhere close." He flicked his tail in annoyance that Nyx was close, but not close enough. "Nyx, my brother, is an all white cat. Hard to find in winter snow. I am wanting to bring him here, with you."Whether or not they actually stayed in the Kingdom was a question Sanguine would never entertain without Caius and Quail. It frightened him to think of it. Better to let Cherry think all of them - including Nyx - would stay in the mountains with her. "Well, I guess they are all kind of similar. But different, different than how I saw them." Different - how curious. Would this give him insight to why Cherry and the other leaders of the Kingdom split from their clans? "And RidgeClan... They border us to the west. It's where Laurelfern, Honeythorn, and I originate from. Unfortunately."
Sanguine smiled, his eyes crinkling so tight, all he saw was Cherry, lit by the sun. "RidgeClan is sounding like there is a story to be told," he said. "I would love to hear it!" The other clans garnered far less of a reaction. Curious, that they didn't share a border with the clan in the prairie. And what was this barn? "A code is good. Gives instructions. I like instructions." Easier to live if someone told him what to do. "But a code good is meaning nothing if the cats are bad. Are your clans bad?" |
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storms make trees take deeper roots
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Post by cosmic on Feb 27, 2024 19:46:29 GMT -6
#s://i~imgur~com/pQhWpJM~png | cherry always the fool with the slowest heart, but i know you'll take me with you |
She matched his pace as the strange tom talked about his lost brother, and it caused a little hurt in her heart. She thought of her own kin that were "lost" to the clans when she left for the Kingdom. "I'm... sorry to hear that. I hope that he is safe." Sanguine talked about bringing his brother here, which was good for the Kingdom to have a cat that is kin to a cat seemingly as strong as this tom. "Well, I'll keep an eye out for him just incase," she mewed gently. "I have kin in the clans still. My younger brother, just like you, Longleap. And my daughter, Mothflight. I miss them both, and I can at least understand your worries." Was Longleap okay in the clan that she left? And was Mothflight still hoping that she would join PrairieClan eventually? Her thoughts clouded her mind until the tom spoke again.
The brown tom's cheeky smile caught her attention, as he asked for her to tell the story of RidgeClan's history. Like a thorn in her side, her tail began to lash out angerly. It wasn't his fault, really, that RidgeClan and the war was still a sore spot to the new leader. Cherry felt as though her fury toward RidgeClan's superiority taking away her mate had only increased since leaving. "I'd rather not," she hissed slightly, with her tongue laced with bitterness and spite. If he was so curious, he could ask another cat, in her opinion.
The newcomer still asked more questions, one's that the small she-cat could stomach a little bit better. She agreed, in some terms, that a code was good. But the question about the clan's moral alignment allowed her to really share how she felt. "The clans are inheritably bad, I guess. Our ancestors built the clans to work together, while still living independently from one another. The code was supposed to help with that. But, there are always bad cats. And when bad cats are able to do bad things," she paused, thinking about the horrible reign of Wolfstar, "then they have the power to cause chaos." The solemn looking Cherry's eyes was present, before she hid them in a stoic gaze at the tom. "That's why we created the Kingdom. That way the leaders can make sure the other isn't too powerful. It's a perfect balance."
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Post by tor on Mar 3, 2024 11:51:28 GMT -6
#s://i~ibb~co/s2gdqjC/sanguine~jpg How pleasant it was to be believed. Back home, Sanguine's words were taken as truth, his every command followed, not because of some inherit goodness or faith others had in him, but because to deny him would be to invite his father's ire. Here, such a reputation did not linger. Cherry believed him because she wanted to. Because he convinced her of his story. He supposed it wasn't a challenge, not when it was rooted in such truth: he and his friends were here to find his brother, and he was genuinely worried for Nyx's wellbeing. The only lie - and perhaps it wasn't a lie, he wasn't sure yet - was his plans for the future. "I am so curious about the leaving family behind," he said, light and airy, humbling his curiosity before Cherry. It was clear on her face that discussing her clan, RidgeClan, was not something that interested her. Still, he itched to know. What devastation could a clan bring, forcing families apart like this? Driving cats to leave their birthright, in favor of cobbling together a new life in the mountains? During winter, no less? "But I am understanding you don't want to speaking of this, so I will ignore."Later, when his friendship with Cherry was more secure, he would press. And now, she'd given him exactly which bruise to press to learn what he wanted to know. Cherry had family back in RidgeClan. Cherry missed them. How foolish of her to give up a weakness so readily. "But, there are always bad cats." Such was true. " And when bad cats are able to do bad things..." She paused, telling Sanguine she had a specific cat in mind. More to be curious about. "Then they have the power to cause chaos."
Patiently, he let her finish before responding. "Oh, but a little chaos is being good," he said. "A little chaos inspires change. Change is needed for growth." It was why his home was failing. Calypso, unlike other Calypsos in the past, was not embracing change. "Making the Kingdom is chaos. Are you bad, because of this chaos?" He shook his head. "No, no, you're lovely. Not bad at all."He doubted Cherry wanted a morality lesson, though. Instead, he would criticize her politics. "I am liking the balance of three leaders," he said. "But it is no different from three clans with three leaders. You disagree, that is okay. You see three clans as three separates, and the Kingdom as one whole with three leaders." He shrugged. "But they are the same. Trusting me, I've seen many clans and many Kingdoms." Or things similar enough. "They are all the same. Bad leaders are everywhere. Structure keeps cats happy. Meeting different needs. It does not stop bad leaders." |
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storms make trees take deeper roots
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Post by cosmic on Apr 3, 2024 14:16:31 GMT -6
#s://i~imgur~com/pQhWpJM~png | cherry always the fool with the slowest heart, but i know you'll take me with you |
Cherry was glad that the tom didn't pry anymore about her family or RidgeClan. It was trauma enough even thinking about it, especially on her way to make a new life for herself.
But he had... pretty strong opinions about the clans and the Kingdom for a cat that just got here. His allusion to the Kingdom being chaos and being "bad" because of the chaos made her snap her neck towards him, almost giving herself whiplash in the process. Her golden eyes narrowed sharply as she eyed him with her tongue licking her lips like a predator on the hunt. "I never said that chaos was bad itself," she sharply snapped, trying to compensate for what she explained moments ago. "Bad cats make bad chaos, is what I was saying. Good cats make good chaos." Laurelfern was good, in her eyes, so the Kingdom was good. She knew it was good. It was the best way for the disgruntled clan cats to make a home for themselves. Some could say, she guessed, that the Kingdom was bad, but honestly she couldn't give a shit what they thought.
But then, he made the comment that three leaders of the Kingdom was no different than the three leaders of the clans. Oh, StarClan, if she wasn't a leader, he wouldn't have a mouth to speak out of again. Despite that, and wanting to be the best leader, she couldn't control her ears pinning and a soft growl escaping from the depths of her throat. Her small body trembled, which was probably a funny sight for anyone other than her.
"How- How dare you- YOU know nothing about the clans. Nothing that me or Laurelfern or Honeythorn have been through. And you spew shit like it's a rapid river." Just because she was a leader, didn't mean that she held her opinions back. Just her claws.
"Our structure doesn't allow one leader to become more powerful than the others. If I decided to turn out to be evil or some shit, Laurelfern and Honeythorn would shut it down. Including any changes they didn't agree with." In that moment, she felt her breathing and heart slowed, as she began to clear her mind and become calmer. "The clans, they don't exchange ideas like we do. If a leader in the clans decided to do something, the other leaders have no say in it. Hell, StarClan doesn't have a say at times." The she-cat paused. "That's what happened many moons ago, why the Kingdom was formed. So that nothing like that happens again. If you're so curious about it, ask anyone but me." Cherry couldn't help but feel her claws wanting to push through her claws, but she kept them sheathed. It wasn't his fault, she reminded herself. He meant no ill-will in his comments, at least she hoped. "If they are so similar though, tell me about where you come from."
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Post by tor on Apr 6, 2024 20:33:59 GMT -6
#s://i~ibb~co/s2gdqjC/sanguine~jpg Oh, he made Cherry mad. Sanguine would be delighted, if Cherry's anger didn't happen to reveal the one thing that made him disappointed in her: she thought the Kingdom was good. It was a truth he'd been forced to accept long ago. No governing structure, clan or Kingdom or Calypso or otherwise, was good. They simply were. Until Cherry learned that, she was just at risk of bad as the clans she seemed to hate were. "You are misunderstanding me," he said blandly, not at all bothered by her outburst. In his life, Sanguine was accustomed to being met with claws and blood when he upset a leader. Being shouted at was nothing but a welcome relief compared to his father's way of doing things. "You hate the clans so much, you are failing to see how clans and Kingdom can both be bad. This is being a problem you should correct." He tutted, like scolding a kit, and didn't care if Cherry would see that as insubordinate. He knew who would win in a fight between them, should it come to that. "I think clan and Kingdom are similar. You do not. Fine, we can disagreeing there. However, you must be agreeing that clan and Kingdom can be spoiled by bad leaders just the same. You say Laurelfern and Honeythorn keep you balanced, but is that true? You are all agreeing with each other. What if you are all agreeing to a bad thing, but you think it's right? Good?" He shook his head. "Structure is structure. It's not good or bad to be Kingdom or clan. Like I said, these things are meeting different needs. Kingdom is what you need. Clan is what others need. Some need none of this. Some need twolegs. None of it has morality assigned to it: it just is."Maybe Cherry would understand that. Or maybe she wouldn't, and this conversation was pointless. Sanguine didn't particularly care. Cherry was interesting, the Kingdom was interesting, but plenty of things were interesting. He could find a new home. (He could return to an old one.) "I will ask another cat about many moons ago." Surely some former clan cat would share the details. "Can I asking you about StarClan, or will you yell at me more? I've heard this name. StarClan. I'm curious!"RidgeClan lived on the mountain ridges. MistClan in the misty forest. PrairieClan in the prairies. So StarClan lived in the stars? Sanguine could assume it was a reference to clan ancestors, but he was so curious to know for certain. "I come from a bad place very far away. My father is being the leader there, he's a bad cat." Sanguine smiled. "A very, very bad cat. And so my home, which once was good for some, is now bad for most, including me and my friends and my brother." He shrugged, knowing he might return there anyway. "So we are here, looking for something that is good for us instead." |
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storms make trees take deeper roots
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Post by cosmic on Apr 30, 2024 10:09:14 GMT -6
#s://i~imgur~com/pQhWpJM~png This really wasn't the way that the she-cat was expecting the conversation to go, but here she was. The tabby really wish she wasn't an authority figure otherwise she would have slapped the ears right off of this know-it-all tom. But, Laurelfern trusted her for a reason, and that reason is what kept her claws in her paws.
Sanguine was correct about a few things she would admit, but her stubborn nature and bias against the clans would keep her still in the rut that she was in. The Kingdom was good, because it didn't have to rely on the other clans being good as well. Laurelfern, and Honeythorn, and herself, she liked to believe, wanted nothing more than peace and prosperity outside the eyes of StarClan, even if her beliefs in the ancestors was only a secret to herself.
"You just don't understand, coming from the outside. No offense." The she-cat could feel her nose forming a scrunch, but she kept it level. It was no use to start a fight over difference of opinion just yet. "If you saw the clans as I saw them, as Laurelfern and Honeythorn saw them, maybe you'd understand."
Cherry blinked with appeasement when the taller cat said he would ask another cat about the past. But, before she could relish in a moment of silence, he continued. "StarClan is worshipped by the clans. When a clan cat dies, their soul goes to StarClan, which you can see in the night sky. They watch over us, they send us signs of the future, good or bad." And yet they didn't warn us about Wolfstar. "My mate, Rockbelly, he is up there. Probably laughing at me for where I've ended up now. Lots of other family members too, but it's part of the clan life."
Sanguine continued and talked about his very, very bad father. Cherry knew that there were obviously other groups around, but the extent of how many would probably never come to her in a lifetime. But the last part of his sentence caught her. "So, if you find something better, you just plan on leaving then?" Agitation grew in her tail. "We welcomed you with open paws, and you already are questioning your loyalty? You're either in or out." Cherry was a hypocrite, all of the Kingdom was if they begged their members to stay. But Sanguine and his comrades, they would be a great asset to the Kingdom. Good members, good friends. |
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