❧ Inkclan- Is It Blood That Runs Thicker Than Water? ❧
Oct 17, 2023 13:35:36 GMT -5
Goldenstar likes this
Post by cowbird on Oct 17, 2023 13:35:36 GMT -5
(ok i lied guess ill get it up TODAY!)
The air was chilly, but the sky was clear and hopefully over the Manor two sunrises before the Gathering. Redinferno had hardly had time to let his paws get clean from the blood of the tom he killed while driving The Brotherhood away when Joystar began demanding a revamp of their beloved home and even the usually argumentative Red knew better than to say anything then. The Manor was a mess, the wood seemingly rotting, the smell of death clinging to each corner, the nests that had provided safety and comfort for generations of Inkers now torn and desolate… it was enough to make the small warrior’s fury bubble up again. But the aggressors were gone- even Yellowwasp. He had been very confused when Joystar, instead of riding the world of the maggot-ridden traitor once and for all, let the menacing queen and her kits leave safely.
“Has she lost her marbles?” he had hissed to Deerfreckle, who for once turned her usually nervous, flinchy gaze to him as if surprised by his fury. “She’s the one who orchestrated this mess!” It had been clear to many that Joystar’s decision wasnt exactly unanimous, but the older cats had been fine with it- even Astergrove had managed to limp out of her nest to support the leader’s choice of mercy. Redinferno frowned as the memories of that chaotic day drifted back to him and with a flick of his ear as if the thoughts were a bothersome flea, pushed them away. The true Manor cats had won. That prey was killed and eaten already and it would do them all good to put that part of their history behind them.
The inked warrior pushed through the wooden frame of the camp entrance and as he laid his dawn catch at the slowly but surely growing freshkill pile, he caught the eye of the queens who were gathered outside their den. Despite everyone’s best efforts, there was an aura of darkness that persisted with many of the cats who had suffered under the Brotherhood and the queens in particular were the most reluctant of all to speak on the horrors that had gone down. He followed their collective gazes to the bustling kits just a way off. Its not hard to see why, he thought with an involuntary shudder rippling down his spin. He turned back and swiped up his kill- a young rabbit not too far from the edge of their forest territory- and made his way to the she-cats.
“Morning my dears,” he meowed, keeping his eyes bright and his tone joyful as he greeted them. The attempts to lift their spirits hadnt worked before yes… but Redinferno wasnt going to suddenly stop trying now was he?
…
Coniferpaw, more commonly known as Connie by anyone who wasnt a gray muzzle, rolled her eyes at her little sister’s jittery nature, but nonetheless pressed back when the smaller she-cat cringed away from the loudness of the chattering cats. “Oh dont worry so much Skypaw! We are gonna be warriors any day now- the CloudClan cats wont seem so big now that we’ve grown.” When the apprentice’s wide eyes didnt show any signs of relaxing, Connie bit back a sigh and drew her tail comfortingly down her sister’s back. “If you really dont want to go, I’ll ask Aspenspirit to tell Joystar then. Im sure she wont mind one cat opting out when the whole clan wants to go!” she joked.
Ocelotpaw swiped playfully at Bearpaw’s haunches, causing the apprentice to stumble. “I dont think Elknose will want to see you flop to your side like a fish like last time!” he teased. Their other sister, the ever demure Silkpaw flicked her tail. “Ocelotpaw dont tease. You know Bearpaw gets over excited sometimes,” she murmured with a twitch of her whiskers.
Russetpaw pranced up to her denmates, shaking the last of the moss she and Blackwood had collected for the elders den off her shoulder as she nosed her way to the center of the group. Her paws ached from cleaning out so many nests, but her energy seemed to zip right back up at the buzz of excitement she detected from her friends.
“Well I cant wait to go back to the Valley,” she declared as she heard Skypaw’s reluctance. “Cinnamonst-sky said she expected good progress and its clear that i'm the best hunter here,” she bragged, sticking her nose in the air in faux-haughtiness.
“Yes, best at hunting moss and bedding!” exclaimed Thawpaw from the back of the group and they all purred loudly as Russetpaw shot her a look, a mixture of annoyance and amusement.
…
Tigerlash frowned at his leader’s suggestion, but couldnt help but let his stiff composure down just a bit in a sigh of relief. Q had only just a quarter moon ago given birth to two small, rather weak kits and the whole clan was worried about the state of the newborns and Q after the long, hard birth. Tigerlash had been a mess; ripping bedding to shreds, pacing the whole Manor up and down, denying prey after prey in his frustration. He wished he could have taken the pain himself. He wished he could done anything to help, to end his beloved suffering. Each scream pierced him and he had to stop himself from losing it and running out of camp as the nursery walls vibrated with tension and the whole camp basically stood in the shadows in uneasy silence.
At last, as the moon reached its peak that night, Yarrowleaf struggled from the nursery, his shoulders hunched but his eyes shone like the very warriors of StarClan in the darkness of the night. “Come on in and welcome your kits, Tigerlash.”
There were just two. They were both very small- Hazelglen said they were half a moon early- but the tom was clearly the fierce one of the two, his fur already fluffled up as if in battle already by the time Tigerlash bounded into the nest. His sister was frail, but her breathing was stable and over the next few days, Yarrowleaf and Hazelglen took turns keeping an eye on the newcomers. Q was exhausted. Even now when Tigerlash visited her just before answering Joystar’s summon, the bags under her eyes persisted and she hardly could keep herself awake for more than a few moments and that was to eat or do the feeding. Worry had etched a permanent place in the young deputy’s heart and mind and he couldnt help but feeling relieved at the option to stay behind with his new family, even if it was a sign of weakness that he didnt like for himself.
“Thank you, Joystar,” he replied with a grateful nod to the Clan leader. “I want to spend as much time with them as I can. Roosterkit opened his eyes today, you know. And Sapkit seems to recognize my scent now.” Affection temporarily quieted the sturdy deputy as he thought of his kits. His paws itched to be with them even now. “They will make fine warriors once they are strong.”
He cleared his throat and looked over his shoulder towards the entrance of Joystar’s den. “Do either one of you have a list in mind of who you want to come? Almost everyone has been hoping to be chosen, but surely we can go with them all? Plus a few need to stay. None of the queens should go or at least only one. With so many kits they will need supervision. Astergrove is… well she isnt fit to make that far of a journey.” Tigerlash shifted his paws. Everyone knew that Astergrove was dying, but the formerly fierce warrior seemed to be holding it out to see Graysplash one more time. It was a heart-touching sentiment, but everyone seemed to flinch at the mention of the old cat who hadnt stepped foot out of the elders den since the Manor had been won back.
Tigerlash blinked and went on. “We should bring the Bond Kits for sure. I think Oatspeckle too.”
…
Speaking of the newest warrior in InkClan, Oatspeckle was purring at the antics of the young toms in the clan as they chattered excitedly about the upcoming Gathering. She had been given her name just a moon ago and while being part of a civilized, well-functioning clan was something she still was getting used to (certain parts of the warrior code still made her eye twitch), Oatspeckle didnt regret her choice one bit and she purposefully avoided her father’s cruel gaze as he was chased out of the place he used to rule.
She nudged Blackwood’s shoulder as he laughed. “Lets hope you can keep your paws to yourself then. I heard from Emberpool that they have Gem warriors there- some of the prettiest cats ever seen. A fickle headed cat like you might not be able to resist,” she teased, laughter dancing in her amber gaze.