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Vritra-Rising In reply to ??? [2016-01-29 22:10:14 +0000 UTC]

His approach grew hesitant, his paws trying to pull him back the way he came. The tabby remained at the water's edge, glancing over his shoulder. Still no sign of the rogues, though a patrol would probably sweep through in a while. It's be best if neither he nor his littermate were found here, specifically together. His ears were pricked. He felt tired. Not just tired – exhausted. His guilt clawed over him, but not for any of the warriors he killed. For Morningfrost, for failing to do anything. He was being torn apart – his loyalty to Dreamstar and their future family or the one he left in MoonClan.

After debating whether to say any more, Falconscreech waded across the stream, the cool water tickling his underbelly. "You shouldn't be here," he said firmly once he stood a few feet from the pale cat. Although his body was rigid and in an aggressive position, his claws were sheathed and his eyes softened. "It's not safe for you, for anyone."

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PatchyFallenstar In reply to Vritra-Rising [2016-02-18 21:53:22 +0000 UTC]

Windcrest dipped their head like a kitten being scolded by their mother. "I know," they mewed solemnly. "But--Falconscreech," they looked up and locked eyes with their littermate. "MoonClan has no prey. We took in..."


They hesitated, the words catching in their throat. They didn't wanting to give away that any RainClan cats had escaped Dreamstar's attack, or that Fallenstar was harboring them in MoonClan's camp. StarClan knew if Falconscreech was on Windcrest's side or Dreamstar's, but they weren't going to risk it. "We have more mouths to feed, and there haven't been as many hunting parties because we're all basically confined to camp."

The spotted warrior's eyes blazed with determination as they said, "I'm not going to let my Clan starve. I swore to protect them, even at the cost of my life."

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Vritra-Rising In reply to PatchyFallenstar [2016-02-18 22:13:25 +0000 UTC]

He was taken aback when they looked sheepish, their ears slightly flattening when he warned them to stay away. It was refreshing – not like talking to a sack of boulders. These rogues were morons. The only use Dreamstar had for them was brute strength and plenty of battle ecperience. "I know," Windcrest mewed solemnly. "But – Falconscreech–" they looked up and locked eyes with their littermate, "MoonClan has no prey. We took in..." 

The few RainClanners that escaped. Like Fernsplash's sister and her army of kits. He was well aware, though he never mentioned it to Dreamstar. She had no use for so many weak mouths to feed. They may have been killed, and Falconscreech didn't have the heart to let that happen. Adult cats, he could. But most certainly not kits. There was a special innocence and selfless kindness to them. True, they were stupid and could be self-centered, but they rarely did anything to intentionally harm another cat. Windcrest's eyes hardened with determination after a long pause of hesitation. "We have more mouths to feed, and there haven't been as many hunting parties because we're all basically confined to camp." Their eyes blazed even more fiercer than before. "I'm not going to let my Clan starve. I swore to protect them, even at the cost of my life."

For a moment, Falconscreech wasn't sure how to react. Should he send them away? If they had little prey... doing so could spell starvation for his birth Clan, his friends, his family. True, some moved away to the other Clans, but his mother, his littermates. They had all returned to MoonClan. He could see that Windcrest wasn't going to budge.

He let out a slow sigh, then gave them a resigned, tired smile. "Okay... but if you're hunting near here, I'll stay with you. But as soon as I tell you to leave, you run. Fast." He was sure he could keep an eye on any possible border patrols. Maybe there wouldn't be one. Dreamstar was focused on keeping the rogues in line, having them practice with one another on an hourly basis. They had plenty of prey in the fresh-kill pile, and they usually hunted near FireClan's territory where prey was easier to find. "I have some prey you can take back with you." It wasn't like it was a first time he had come back empty-handed, and Dreamstar was too busy to know or care. Hunting became a frequent activity for him, since some of the rogues were basically useless in that skill set. The fresh-kill pile was well-stocked – he had made sure of it.

"I have a hare and a few birds." He had startled a small grouping of quails and managed to dispatch a good number of its members before they fled. The hare had been a nice find; a nice surprise.

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PatchyFallenstar In reply to Vritra-Rising [2016-02-19 17:35:41 +0000 UTC]

Windcrest held their ground, waiting for Falconscreech to reply. Would he attack his own littermate? They watched the striped warrior carefully until he finally let out a slow sigh, then gave them a forced smile. "Okay... but if you're hunting near here, I'll stay with you. But as soon as I tell you to leave, you run. Fast."

Windcrest let out a breath they didnt realized they were holding, but their muscles relaxed as they nodded. Falconscreech looked exhausted...Dreamstar was probably working him to the bone, since he was likely acting as her Deputy or something similar. He must have been out here hunting as well, because he offered Windcrest some of his catches.

"Um..." The spotted warrior hesitated at the offer. What if this was all a ruse? What if they stuffed the birds or the hare with deathberries to get rid of the warriors who were supposed to fight? Windcrest couldn't know for sure, and though they wanted to believe Falconscreech wouldn't harm them, they weren't certain on that fact. "No, I'm okay. Thanks, Falconscreech." They declined politely, offering a smile to show that they were on good terms. "The exercise would do me well, I think."

The spotted MoonClanner shifted uncomfortably on their paws. Would it really be okay to hunt here with Falconscreech following so close behind? Windcrest wasn't sure if they could even focus if such a thing were to happen. What if their brother attacked while their back was turned? There were too many loose variables in this situation. Windcrest mentally scolded themself for getting caught.

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Vritra-Rising In reply to PatchyFallenstar [2016-02-20 03:00:38 +0000 UTC]

Falconscreech blinked. Then again, it made sense. Any cat that ate those prey would find his scent of them. And that wouldn't do at all. No, no, no. It was a good thing that Windcrest declined his offer. "All right." He glanced to a side thoughtfully. "Over there's a good place to find vole," he meowed, flicking his tail to indicate a number of fox-lengths away from where they stood. He could just see the rise of a few boulders, sprinkled with smaller ones and plenty of earthy, moist moss and soil. "They tend to go there in roves. I tend to see a dozen of them there on a good day. Maybe that'll help."

He felt a tug inside him. He shouldn't be helping them. MoonClan was his enemy. Windcrest, Vixenfire, Timidbreeze, Smilepaw, Silkleaf, Scalewing – they were his enemies. Well, maybe not his directly, but there was a war on the horizon. He had to protect Dreamfrost and his future kits, and most of them were a possible threat – especially Fallenstar. "I know the best place I can drive them out. I'll show you where to stand – they'll practically jump into your awaiting paws." The tabby walked along the stream, making way for the location he had pointed out. He glanced back over his shoulder. "You coming?"

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PatchyFallenstar In reply to Vritra-Rising [2016-02-24 18:49:42 +0000 UTC]

As Falconscreech began to explain where the voles were, Windcrest felt their mind drifting. Tears sprung to their eyes as they recalled the days of their kithood, and how different everything was now. Morningfrost, their sister, their mentor, was dead. Falconscreech was helping her murderer. And now he was offering to help Windcrest hunt? It was too much. Why help them, when he didn't help Morningfrost? "O-oh, yes," Windcrest snapped out of their daydream as Falconscreech made sure the spotted warrior was following.

Windcrest forced their legs to move, feeling unnatural and sick to their stomach. They needed to ask. They needed to know. 

"Falconscreech?" they asked, voice barely a whisper. "Wh...what happened to Morningfrost?"

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Vritra-Rising In reply to PatchyFallenstar [2016-02-24 20:00:45 +0000 UTC]

"Falconscreech?" they asked, voice barely a whisper. "Wh...what happened to Morningfrost?" The tabby tom froze, and thank StarClan he was facing away from Windcrest because he felt tears spark up inside of him. He had to stand there, unmoving, not speaking, while he clenched his jaws. He didn't want to be weak. He couldn't be weak. He wasn't weak. Falconscreech finally managed to compose himself once more, but he couldn't bring himself to face his littermate. 

He remembered feeling so helpless, being torn apart. He had struggled to make a decision – help Vixenfire and Morningfrost escape or stand by Dreamfrost's side and let her do as she pleased. In the end, the decision didn't matter. Falconscreech was too late. He remembered his mate's jaws locked around Morningfrost's throat, and that horrible, ear-splitting snap of her neck. He steeled himself, but refused to turn so he could look Windcrest in the eye. "She's dead," the tabby tom said ruefully. "Our patrol caught her and Vixenfire trying to warn SnowClan... She hit her head and... and I did nothing!" His claws unsheathed and struck a moss-covered boulder. He was furious with himself, with Dreamfrost, with all of this. "Dreamfrost," he choked before gritting his teeth again. He couldn't do this. "The burrows are over by that large boulder leaning up against the hill."

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PatchyFallenstar In reply to Vritra-Rising [2016-02-25 20:43:41 +0000 UTC]

Windcrest felt their heart sink lower as Falconscreech hesitated in answering. The tabby was unmoving, not even a whisker dared twitch. The two of them were at a stand-still; literally and metaphorically. Windcrest almost asked again, but couldn't bring themself to do so.

"She's dead," an answer so simple. Windcrest felt their heart shatter as Falconscreech went on to explain. Our patrol. Ours. Falconscreech was there. He could have stopped it. He could have saved her. 

"And I did nothing!"

His thoughts echoed Windcrest's, but his fury did not. He struck a boulder, leaving streaking claw marks down the mossy side, disrupting a moth from it's slumber. Windcrest jumped slightly at the outburst, their pelt standing on end. 

Falconscreech muttered a name that the spotted MoonClanner had heard more and more over the past few days. Dreamfrost. Dreamfrost. That murderous she-cat who had turned Windcrest's brother into this.

Windcrest fought to move. To stay. To run. To do anything. What was there to do? What was there to say? Falconscreech said nothing, besides the directions to the burrows. The spotted warrior felt trapped. Do they leave? They couldn't. They wouldn't.

Finally convincing their muscles to work, Windcrest took a cautious, shaky step forward. "Falconscreech," they said quietly. "Come home with me."

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Vritra-Rising In reply to PatchyFallenstar [2016-02-25 21:45:42 +0000 UTC]

The pain of slamming the rock with no hesitation flared up, almost causing him to cringe, but it swelled and ebbed with lesser ferocity than before. The pain he felt was a welcome distraction from right now, from everything. It was easier to focus on, easier to understand. His love for family, and his love for Dreamfrost – they were not so simple. He wasn't sure what was right anymore, or what was wrong. Everything, it seemed, that he did, every choice he made – it was always wrong, and someone always suffered for it. Some died. By being loyal to her, he was a monster. By being loyal to his Clan-mates, he was a traitor. Fear and love, which was more important?

This emotion turmoil, this confusion – it was far worse than any physical pain he had had to endure. He didn't know what to do with it, so he bottled it up and let it scorch inside. Every so often, he'd have to lash out or else he'd lose his mind. Running through the flames of the old forest, dragging a kit along. Feeling the burning cinders scorch his pawpads was far more doable. Falconscreech found himself fighting for every inch of ground he made with plenty of backlash to spare. The tabby let out a shaky breath. 

He was afraid of how Wincrest would respond. They could put two-and-two together. He failed Morningfrost. They knew it now. He couldn't pretend anymore. Couldn't pretend that he had no power, no will of his own to take action. Falconscreech's head lowered for a moment, and he bit into the side of his mouth until he tasted blood. He was letting his emotions rule him. He couldn't be the warrior and deputy he needed to be if he let emotions of despair, frustration, and fear overcome him. As he raised his head, he used his breath to run those emotions down, force them from his mind and body.

When he looked back up, his eyes, though tired, were hard, focused. For the first time in a long time, he felt calm. Not in the kits blissfully playing and he watching them from afar kind of calm. It was a cold detachment. He had taught himself how to do this over the moons of his apprenticeship. He face was relaxed, calculating. "I'm not coming home, Windcrest," he said. Although his expression hardly changed, the intonation of his voice showed more kindness and familiarity than when he made the same display around the rogues. "I have a mate, kits. They need me, and I have a duty to the Clan." Or whatever you would call it. It wasn't much of Clan – more like a bunch of cats heaped together for many different purposes. Out of fear, out of lust for power, out of rage for Clan cats, for protection.

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PatchyFallenstar In reply to Vritra-Rising [2016-02-26 21:30:47 +0000 UTC]

Windcrest's ears flattened and their heart nearly stopped. Falconscreech seemed devoid of emotion, and that absolutely terrified the spotted warrior. They'd seen their brother act like this before. It was commonplace during their apprenticeship, and Falconscreech hadn't been the same since. Did he know Dreamfrost was going to do this? Was he just preparing himself for it since birth?

Dreamfrost had ruined everything. The tabby had given everything to her, the cat he claimed as a mate and now a mother of his kits. Windcrest could't help the vile taste that made its way to their mouth, to think that any kin of theirs would have to share genetics with her. What kind of kits would they become, if Dreamfrost was their mother? Nothing good would come of it. Nothing good had come of her accepting Falconscreech as her mate, her friend, her play-thing, whatever he was to her.

Their grip on the earth tightened, claws aching as dirt pulled between their paw-pads uncomfortably. Teeth gritted to a painful degree, and eyes large, Windcrest couldn't hold it in any longer.

"I need you!" They shouted, an unusual volume for the usually calm warrior. "Don't you think we are worried sick about you? Timidbreeze has been calling your name since she found out about Morningfrost. Fallenstar blames himself that you left! Vixenfire hasn't been herself since Momo was killed, and I..." they were trembling, tears unable to be held back any longer. They hit the ground silently, dampening Windcrest's face. "Everything is falling apart. She's ruined everything. RainClan, SnowClan....what she's done, that's no Clan, that's no family for you, Falconscreech. We're your family. I'm your family. You're my brother, and I..."

Their grip on the earth relaxed as their emotions subsided, sniffling only slightly. "I need you, too." They almost whispered, their voice raw now.

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Vritra-Rising In reply to PatchyFallenstar [2016-02-26 23:41:32 +0000 UTC]

He hardly reacted to their outburst. Just an angling of his ears and a tail twitch. Despite his sangfroid appearance, it broke his heart to hear these words. Windcrest needed him. They worried about him. Clear tears welled in their eyes. He wanted to step forward, to comfort them, to nuzzle them, to assure them that everything would turn out okay. But he couldn't. These were questions and insecurities he himself felt but dared not speak of. Well, he didn't really have anyone who really knew him around except for Dreamfrost, and she'd say something snarky if he voiced any of these thoughts aloud. 

"Everything is falling apart. She's ruined everything. RainClan, SnowClan... what she's done, that's no Clan, that's no family for you, Falconscreech. We're your family. I'm your family. You're my brother, and I..." Windcrest paused, gathering themselves. They spoke so softly, he hardly heard: "I need you, too."

"You have the whole family with you and a number of Clans; Dreamfrost has no one. What kind of cat would I be if I abandoned her? She needs me to keep these rogues in line – otherwise, they may turn on her. She's too small to defend herself, though she'd never admit it. I have to protect her. Me! No one else will. Not if they know just how vulnerable she is," Falconscreech replied. His tail lashed. Enough was enough. They had probably frightened off the voles by now. "She won't give up on what she has now, even if threatened with death. If there are no options, she'll go down fighting and try to take down as many cats as she can. I have to make sure this doesn't happen, that she doesn't die."

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PatchyFallenstar In reply to Vritra-Rising [2016-03-14 19:47:48 +0000 UTC]

"I don't understand," Windcrest argued, "Why....after all she's done...do you still feel loyalty to her? After she killed Morningfrost and Echostar and-and Hiccupstar, and you still don't think she can defend herself? What she's done, you really think that she still deserves life?"

Their heart hammered in their chest as Falconscreech kept his distance. What more could he want than a family who loved him and was waiting for him at home, in MoonClan? What could Dreamfrost offer him that they couldn't? Was it power he was after, for revenge on Fallenstar? Windcrest's head spun. Everything was spinning, and everything ached.

"I don't know what you see in her that makes you think she's vulnerable and helpless," Windcrest muttered, "She's done more than enough to prove she isn't."

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Vritra-Rising In reply to PatchyFallenstar [2016-03-15 21:41:19 +0000 UTC]

"We've gone around and around and circled back and back again with this, Windcrest," he said, his voice steely and cold. "I've given you my reasoning, and if you can't accept that, then there's no way I can understand." The tabby started wading through the water again, feeling its cold sting against his pawpads. Falconscreech unsheathed his claws and tucked them into the stones to keep balance. Was the water churning faster? Maybe it was his own thoughts and feelings. His body was revolting against him, didn't want him to leave his littermate.

But talking to them was not getting him nor them anywhere. They were too naive, too thoughtless. They were selfish. He was selfish, and nothing would change that. Whatever any cat said, Falconscreech still loved Dreamfrost – Dreamstar – and whether or not that was enough, he didn't care. "You wouldn't understand. You don't have a mate." They were two halves of a whole, they were soulmates. They were meant to be together. Or maybe that was what he hoped. "And you don't have kits on the way."

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LittleDisneyMagic In reply to ??? [2016-01-24 21:21:15 +0000 UTC]

OH MY GOODNESS! <3 She's incredible.

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PatchyFallenstar In reply to LittleDisneyMagic [2016-01-24 21:38:40 +0000 UTC]

Thank you ;u;

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LittleDisneyMagic In reply to PatchyFallenstar [2016-01-26 01:02:09 +0000 UTC]

You're welcome! <3 Can't wait to see more of her.

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PatchyFallenstar In reply to LittleDisneyMagic [2016-01-26 03:49:44 +0000 UTC]

I cant wait to draw her more!

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dehani In reply to ??? [2016-01-24 14:45:24 +0000 UTC]

EEEK so glad you're taking on this bab <3

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PatchyFallenstar In reply to dehani [2016-01-24 21:38:47 +0000 UTC]

I am too I love herrrrr

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dehani In reply to PatchyFallenstar [2016-01-25 12:02:46 +0000 UTC]

IT GOT BETTER BC SHE'S NOW IN MOONCLAN MY HEART AHH

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PatchyFallenstar In reply to dehani [2016-01-25 23:35:54 +0000 UTC]

NOW SHE CAN FLIRT WITH EVERYONE

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dehani In reply to PatchyFallenstar [2016-01-26 00:12:52 +0000 UTC]

PLS KEEP THIS BAB PROTECTED AND HAPPY AT ALL COSTS, JESS. AT ALL COSTS 

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PatchyFallenstar In reply to dehani [2016-01-26 03:51:30 +0000 UTC]

I WILL

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TheWarriorDogs In reply to ??? [2016-01-24 14:10:30 +0000 UTC]

She looks really amazing and cute

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PatchyFallenstar In reply to TheWarriorDogs [2016-01-24 21:38:14 +0000 UTC]

Thank you!

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arodote In reply to ??? [2016-01-24 12:49:15 +0000 UTC]

gReat desiGN M8

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PatchyFallenstar In reply to arodote [2016-01-24 21:38:24 +0000 UTC]

Thanks m8!

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SingTheSeraphim In reply to ??? [2016-01-24 06:12:53 +0000 UTC]

She might be my favorite out of all your cats, Patchy

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PatchyFallenstar In reply to SingTheSeraphim [2016-01-24 21:37:57 +0000 UTC]

I love her so much ;u;

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sijed In reply to ??? [2016-01-24 05:44:52 +0000 UTC]

Hnnngh she is very pretty oh god

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PatchyFallenstar In reply to sijed [2016-01-24 21:38:06 +0000 UTC]

Thank you!

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CrescentRose3716 In reply to ??? [2016-01-24 05:09:14 +0000 UTC]

Pretty <3

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PatchyFallenstar In reply to CrescentRose3716 [2016-01-25 03:45:55 +0000 UTC]

Thanks Barley!

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CrescentRose3716 In reply to PatchyFallenstar [2016-01-25 03:48:48 +0000 UTC]

You're welcome ^^

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