Disasterology [Tagged/Open]

[Glorilyss]

[OoC: Twix @keifer Carotius]

It was the sort of night that boiled the blood and sparkled in the eye. The heat of high summer had dulled with the night's coming; a faint breeze whispered through the birch leaves overhead, creating an endless sigh over the head of the ginger and white tabby as she moved through the forest. The night showed in velvet patches between swaying silver-sided leaves, the occasional glint of a winking star blinking in and out of existence. The moon was a little past the half overhead, but below the canopy, only a clawscratch of light made it to the forest's floor. The shapes of bushes and tree trunks were indistinct to a human eye, blurry and dark and humped, but still sharp-edged and crystalline where the amber gaze saw them.

"Maybe we'll get lucky and find something besides mice to fight tonight," the she-cat called over her shoulder, the high cheekbones of her face giving her the fierce look of a warrior princess. She carried a ridiculous name, sure, but she acted as though she'd never heard 'Blossomwish' before in her life. In fact, if anyone tried to call her by that name, she'd immediately shut them down. Sunstar may have called her Blossomwish in the sight of their warrior ancestors, but to anyone who wanted to get her attention, only Blossomwind would work. She hoped the golden tabby tom behind her would be smart enough not to ruin her mood. She was a moon or so younger, she thought, but held every bit of the temper of a furious elder when provoked.

The younger cat wasn't technically the head of the patrol - honestly, since it hadn't been assigned by a deputy, neither of the two were - but she certainly acted like it, turning her paws toward the MidnightClan border. If she had been in the habit of being honest with herself, she'd admit that she was hoping for a glimpse of the broad-shoulder Hawkblaze tom, but she hadn't been truthful recently. Instead, she knew that, in case of a disappointment in that regard, a nice fight with another Clan would certainly make up for it. She just hoped her Clanmate wouldn't say anything stupid.

[Carotius]

This greenleaf night was proving to be one of those hated ones, with its cloying humidity that made cats' pelts feel heavy. It was only a relief when a light breeze tickled the birches, said trees swaying in a strange symphony of harmless sighs and giggles, the moonlight reflecting off its otherwise dark leaves.

"I found a rabbit the last time I was out night-hunting," Sparkleap recalled trailing after the ginger-white she-cat. "Maybe we can try bringing down an owl, if it tries to grab us."

While Sparkleap was about a moon older than Blossomwish, he didn't want to take up the lead of their two-cat patrol. He hadn't gained enough confidence in it, yet was eager to go when the she-cat asked if he wanted to come along. How I wish one of littermates came along. He flicked his tail tip as they headed on towards the border...which he questioned. If they were hunting, why hunt near the border, where the chances of prey escaping would be higher?

The golden warrior opened his mouth to say it out, but closed it again. She probably knows what she's doing. Let's not rile her. Nodding, more to himself, he opened his jaws again to taste for prey, catching the faint tang of... Rabbit!. He trotted up to Blossomwish's side, eyes bright.

"I scented rabbit, and I think it's at the border!" he mewed quietly, claws unsheathed in anticipation of a good kill.

[Deleted]

The heat of the night had left the thick furred warrior tossed about in his sleepless roost, pulling lose some of the dried moss and feathers in his nest. Despite having attended two hunting patrols and a border patrol, Woollyheart was unable to fall asleep. His body was tired, but his mind was not. Sighing in defeat, he stretched his forelegs out far in front of him, lifting his rump. After waking his muscles, he stepped out of the warriors den, treading carefully over the flickering tails and snoring bodies of his clanmates.

He emerged from the den to scour over the camp. Not a soul seemed to be about except for the night-watch at the entrance. He sighed. Perhaps he could make himself useful now that he was awake; go hunt and stock the fresh-kill pile that was probably inedible after sitting overnight in the leftover heat from the sun. Having decided what to do with himself, he began to walk quietly to the camp exit, when he spotted a smallish frame emerge from the apprentice's den. He flicked an ear, watching the young she-cat stand the ways off, herself seeming unrested.

His whiskers twitched as he padded over. "Training wasn't hard enough today, Silverpaw?" He teased kindly, quietly; as to not disturb their resting clanmates. He nodded his head toward the exit, turning away. "Come this way then. I could do with a hunting partner." He mewed, flicking his tail and looking back at her to follow.

[Twix]

Silverpaw had just left the apprentice's den after her tossing and turning had bothered her denmates. Even though she had trained hard today she still couldn't get to sleep. She quickly looked up as she heard Woollyheart's quiet call as he padded away from the warrior's den. She gave a small nod in reply to him after asking her to come hunting with him. She would be glad to get out into the forest and stretch her legs. She hoped the night air wouldn't be as humid as it was earlier today, when the sun was high in the sky.

The small silver apprentice followed just behind Woollyheart as the two of them pushed through the entrance and out of the camp. The air outside of the camp wasn't as stifling as the camp they had just left behind, thanks to a small breeze that was blowing. She gazed up at Silverpelt and gave a small gasp, seeing her warrior ancestors always amazed her. Turning her attention back to the warrior ahead of her, she asked quietly. "Where are we going to hunt? I can't imagine much prey scurrying around outside their burrows this late. Maybe we'll get lucky, though!", she added the last part hopefully. Her hunting skills weren't too great since she recently started her training, but she would try hard to bring something back. She elders would love early freshkill when they awoke tomorrow morning.

[Glorilyss]

The look that Blossomwish threw over her shoulder wasn't exactly insulting, but it was close. "An owl?" she snorted, wrinkling her nose. "Do you want to deal with all those feathers?" The ragged feline wrinkled her nose, but the amusement on her face was genuine enough to soften most of the anger. Still, she flicked her tail in the vicinity of the older tom's nose, a gesture so completely flirtatious and yet patronizing that it was hard to truly discern her meaning. "Feel free, but leave me out of it. The last bird I caught, I was coughing up feathers for days."

Still, she headed steadily towards the border. In fact, she was only about a stone's throw away whenever Sparkleap came up to her. His words registered in her ear, but she turned toward him with a gesture that would have been universally recognized as "shush!" "The border's right there. If I'm right, we're in for more than a rabbit. That was never the point," she added casually, as if the older tom should know she'd been out mostly for flirting and trouble-making. Duh. Her parents had raised a star child, but what was the point of being pure LeafClan if you didn't make the other Clans feel stupid for not being one of them? LeafClan was the best, and that was that. Clearly, anyone else was just losing.

In fact, the elegant youth strolled straight to the border. Delicately, she lifted a single forepaw, hovering it over a thick clump of bramble that were marked with Clan scent. Throwing a saucy, provocative glance back at Sparkleap, she waggled her brows and twitched her tail. Desperately, daringly, she placed the paw on the MidnightClan side of the border - just before she caught fresh scent. Whipping her head to face forwards instead of behind her at the handsome tom, she peered into the darkness. "Hello?" Somehow, even the word contained arrogance. Despite the deep nagging in her stomach that urged her to make another comment, she remained silent, halfway between the two Clans and full of her own self-importance.

[Deleted]

A chocolate warrior slid out of her den. She noted that her apprentice wasn't around. Nutflower followed the scent carefully. She liked to keep a watch on Silberpaw. Her ears flicked bacl and forth and her tail lashe din irritation. The scent carried her to LeafClan's border. She could hear the noise of a LeafClan cat. Nutflower stayeed hidden, not wishing to be spotted.

The beige warrior follwed his two clanmates silently, weaving through the trees. Another warrior was next to him. He and his friend were spying on Blossomwish. As usual (and unsurprisingly), Blazepelt was to blame for the idea. Why Blazepelt chose to spy on Blossomwish was unknown, though Misteye suspected it was because Blazepelt was bored and didn't have a very good reason. Why Blazepelt dragged Misteye along? Well, according to Blazepelt it was because of his keen tracking senses, despite being blind. To be honest, Misteye thought it was because Blazepelt was sure only he, a blind warrior, would be crazy enough. And prehaps Blazepelt was right.

The two followed Sparkleap and Blossomwish right up to the border. "What are they doing?" Misteye hossed. Blazepelt shrugged.

[Carotius]

Sparkleap held back a wince. It's just a joking suggestion. Besides, with two of them, they could take the owl down with such ferocious concentration paired with their teeth and claws and... Oh. Blossomwish didn't like to eat birds very much because of their feathers. That was understandable to him now - not all cats enjoyed having to pick through the ticklish feathers for their meal.

"I could pluck them for you, if you'd like," he half-joked, before being stopped abruptly with a hiss from her. "Sorry."

The reek of MidnightClan was upon them now, and the golden tabby wrinkled his nose in disgust. How could those cats live with that stench on their pelts? They probably see the same as us, anyway. He was startled when Blossomwish admitted the point of bringing him out here wasn't really to hunt, but to find fun in some trouble. Fun? By stirring up trouble with an enemy Clan? The fur on his shoulders lifted in alarm as Blossomwish placed a paw on the other side of the border.

He let out a hushed hiss. "W-What are you doing?!" His mind suddenly noticed the strange expression from her face and body. Was she being flirty with him? "You can get all the trouble you want in the morning... Those mouse-hearts are asleep right now!"

Sparkleap's nose went into the air again. Something wasn't right; another cat scent was mixing in with the others, but he couldn't point it out anywhere with the MidnightClan reek swamping them. Maybe he was dreaming it, especially with this greenleaf heat. He turned back to Blossomwish, who by now was calling out across the border. He gave her a look as if she'd gone mad. but he couldn't bring himself up to stop her. Nope.

He just stood there, rigid with apprehension as they waited for something to happen.

[Deleted]

The warrior led the apprentice through the exit of the camp. He relished the cooling gush of air the ran through his heavy pelt, taking in a deep breath. Silverpaw mewed curiously beside him. "We will be checking the LeafClan border for any crossing prey." 'And to check the scent marks too.' He thought inwardly. Woollyheart flicked his tail and began padding down the leaf-trodden hill, gesturing for her to follow. "Prey can be very active during the nighttime. Keep your ears and nose pricked for any sign of a catch." He meowed, his voice still hushed for that very reason.

They padded silently through the thick forest, for Woollyheart was not one to make small talk, he was a quiet, thinking type. He heard muffled voices as they came near the LeafClan border, and he flicked his tail to warn Silverpaw. "Stay close." He ordered, and he tread carefully to where the scent lines divulged and pine turned to oak. They were at the border. Hidden by thick lichen and brambles, Woollyheart crouched down and peered through the vines at the cats on the other side of the border.

A tom and a she-cat were chatting away at the border, discussing something Woollyheart couldn't discern for the most part. Suddenly, the female made a bold strut to the border, daintily stepping a single paw onto a patch of brambles marked with the MidnightClan scent. Woollyheart huffed and stepped out from behind the lichen and thorns, padding forward calmly and with a raised brow. "Feeling explorative?" He mewed simply, not hinting any aggression, after all, he was only accompanied by a young apprentice, and he couldn't afford to put her in danger.

[Twix]

Silverpaw listened intently to the older warrior, excited by the idea of showing off her new skills to a warrior besides her mentor. She didn't reply to him except for a small nod of her head as she pricked her ears and opened her mouth as he directed. She trotted quietly behind him, keeping pace when they arrived close to the border. She scented Leafclan a moment before she heard the voices, and instantly moved, silently, closer to Woollyheart. She had never been in another fight before and was nervous. How would my fighting skill hold up against an invading clan? She quickly shook off the thought, as it wasn't the time to worry about such things. She had to protect her clan above all else!

She then crouched down beside him. She didn't dare move, until she felt his fur begin to lift and a huff come from him. A moment before she realized what was happening, he stepped away from her and out of the bushes. She looked up and saw the two Leafclan cats, a tom and a she-cat. Excitement and fear froze her paws. Would she be skillful enough for us to be an even match against them? She pushed the thought away again and leaped to her paws, appearing a few seconds later behind Woollyheart. She didn't speak just yet, and instead followed the warrior's lead.

[Glorilyss]

At her Clanmate calling MidnightClan mouse-hearts, she felt a warm flush under her fur that prickled all the way to her ears. They were mouse-hearts, weren't they? Well, except for Hawkblaze, but she was specifically not going to think about him. In fact, all that she was going to think about was the night full of fun that she was going to have. When she'd become a warrior, she'd been afraid that she'd have to act right. Tonight was a deviation from the model warrior she'd tried to be. Tonight was a return to her roots; tonight, she was going to show the world that LeafClan was certainly the best Clan that this forest had ever seen. What Clan but LeafClan would have fostered a leader that would eventually try to take over the other Clans? What Clan would be able to start a war with all of their enemies at once? LeafClan, of course.

"Just watch. They'll come-" Despite the provocatively saucy glance she sent to Sparkleap, the new voice that sliced through the night air cut her off. Lip curling in the first hint of a snarl, she whipped to face the new tom that stepped into view, closely followed by a half-kit that looked like she couldn't have been in the apprentice's den more than a day. To be honest, Blossomwish was not a large cat. She was lean and ragged with the sort of grace of witch queens, but she was not a visually intimidating character. Despite this, she curled her lip in a smirk.

"No more than usual. Just checking out the territory." Despite all of her training, she glanced at Sparkleap. Could she trust him to back her up? Sure. Her parents had always told her who was pure LeafClan, and he'd been one of them. Not some half-blood, she knew he was suitable. Turning back to the thick-furred, heavyset tom before her, she grinned, a wicked array of feral teeth. "We figured MidnightClan would be tucked into their dens this time of night. Everyone knows you're half kittypet." Not quite the truth; she'd been looking for the broad-shouldered tom, and she knew he was pure feral, but it never hurt to taunt anyone.

[Deleted]

The she-cat whipped to face him with a curled lip, and Woollyheart flicked his tail the slightest bit at the hint of hostility. He face remained emotionless. 'No more than usual. Just checking out the territory' He raised a brow, tilting his head slightly. "Ah? but you've got your own lands to explore, no?" He mewed, his deep voice thrumming in the quiet of the night. The female grinned wickedly, and the MidnightClan warrior narrowed his eyes, taking a cautious step in front of Silverpaw. He did not think the young apprentice had been taught any battle moves yet, and this LeafClan warrior was itching to start something, he could tell immediately. 'We figured MidnightClan would be tucked into their dens this time of night. Everyone knows you're half kittypet.' At this, Woollyheart was taken aback, and he blinked a few times. His whiskers twitched -hinting underlying amusement, but he could not allow himself to put his guard down. Afterall, this was his clan's territory. Instead, he flicked his ears and spoke calmly, unaffected by her taunts. "Oh? And who told you this?" He mused, wondering what this she-cat was trying to get at.

[Deleted]

OOC: I was thinking perhaps Blazepelt and Misteye go struttting back and tell Sunstar of all that goes on tonight... Or do you want Blossomwish's whiteboard to be pure white?

---

While Blossomwish spoke, Nutflower's pelt prickled. How dare this, this cat insult MidnightClan?! The chocolate warrior would not let her get away. Plus the cat looked as if she was going to attack. Attack her apprentice. A newly made apprentice. She stepped out of her hiding spot, head high. "Kittypets? Hardly. I would think LeafClan the one with half clan blood. Or none," Nutflower mewed icily.

Misteye and Blazepelt looked at Blossomwish with disbelief. What was Blossomwish thinking? Misteye smelled the scent of another MidnightClan cat. Blazepelt saw a chocolate she-cat. Misteye's fur was raising as the new cat spoke.

[Twix]

The silver apprentice bristled at the she-cat's words, too stunned to speak until she had finally finished speaking. Her fur bristled more and more as she listened, and a growl began to rise in her throat. As Woollytail began to respond and step in front of her, Silverpaw's impulsiveness arose. Anger shot though her and she barged past the large tom, moving him aside easily despite her size. "I'll show you who's half kittypet if you don't get off out territory" she hissed the reply back at this arrogant furball.

A moment later her mentor, Nutflower, emerged from some bushes not far from them. She quickly stepped up to the Leafclan she-cat, and Silverpaw couldn't help admiring her mentor's courage. She stood and watched her mentor silently, wondering what her reaction would be to her own challenge towards the Leafclan warrior.

[Carotius]

OOC: Sparkleap is facepalming deeeep inside. XD

---

WHAT IS SHE THINKING?!

The golden tom nearly jumped as a thick-furred made his appearance, an apprentice trailing behind him quietly, their eyes focused on Blossomwish with a strange calmness. Their calmness unnerved Sparkleap, who tail fur had bushed out to twice its size. He'd like to believe it was out of aggression and not fear...

"Blossomwi-nd, get back here!" he corrected himself right before he fully called out the name. He wasn't going to have this she-cat bite him in front of the MidnightClanners. "They're not worth tonight's fight!"

Too late! The apprentice, who barely looked older than a kit who just left the nursery, had shoved the first tom aside, eyes ablaze with fury and indignation. Sparkleap admired the apprentice's bravery, half-wishing he had been like that... but now on to warrior matters - a second MidnightClan warrior had shown herself, glaring at his ginger-white Clanmate. Oh, for the love of StarClan...

Taking in a breath to calm himself, the golden warrior bounded forward until he was side by side with Blossomwish, fur bristling. It wasn't from hostility; it was more from disbelief at how wild this was about to become.

"Excuse my Clanmate for...for wanting to explore beyond the boundaries. We all have that wish every now and then," he wasn't sure how they'd react to his words. Sparkleap knew he wanted to bury his head in the dirt for letting them blurt out with second thought.

Is EVERYONE mouse-brained today?!

[Glorilyss]

While Blossomwish felt a sudden flush of appreciation towards her Clanmate for calling the right name - really, it was surprising how many Clanmates thought just because a leader called a name meant it was true - she quickly felt the heat diminish. Was he trying to destroy any chances of a proper confrontation? Was he deliberately trying to make LeafClan look weak? She half-turned towards him, lips curled in the faint beginnings of a snarl. "Are you trying to shame me?" she all but spat, stepping closer to the tom so that her muzzle was near his ear. "Are you trying to make us look like furballs who can't protect our own borders?"

Turning blazing amber eyes back to the tywo cats, one a large tom and the other what looked like a kit, she flashed that same cocky half-smirk at them. "Actually, I could ask you what brings you so close to our border. Looking to steal prey?" She refrained from the taunts - from now - only letting the MidnightClan cats see her contemptuous expression.

However, it was the older female warrior that really set her off. The words exploded in her mind, an allegation of impurity of blood and barely-there Clan lineage. Blossomwish twisted, lip curling and body shooting forwards several paces. While she was slightly under average size, her body was hard and lean, the lines of her frame sketched out with ragged strokes that emphasized the few scars along her shoulders, cheeks, and sides. "Did you want to say that again, kittypet?" she snarled, eyes flashing crimson and fury.