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Post by Flamepath on Apr 21, 2014 19:44:12 GMT -6
( Cloverstar only, I thought I should make a thread of some sort to tell you of what the heck Flamepath just agreed to do, it does not have to be too long if you do not want ^^" )
He was not injured but he still felt as if he had endured the entire battle. Flamepath had been tending to his clan-mates after Deathclan had left and felt utterly guilty for not being in camp during the battle, he definitely would not be going on many hunts for a while... if he had just been in camp he could have been at Cloverstar's side..........
"Cloverstar...." he muttered as he looked at her den.
Cloverstar had been in her den alone for a few hours now, no cat dared enter her den after the battle. She still had not received any treatment for her wound as far as Flamepath's knew and she was probably angry with herself and possibly him and the rest of the clan. Does she know what I agreed to, does she know that Dogkit had been taken by them? A million things raced through the young tom's mind but one still was stabbing at his mind, Would she disapprove of my decision to comply with Drought, there was no going back on the bargain now was there?" He was so confused and unsure that he wanted to yowl.
After a lot of thought the deputy decided he would confront the leader, he did not want to be firm with her but she had just lost a life and her first battle as leader, she may snap at any moment. He swallowed before padding to her den.
"Cloverstar?" He called into the den as he stood cautiously at the entrance.
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Post by Cloverstar on Apr 21, 2014 21:19:52 GMT -6
(No, it's fine. I think a thread was needed, too.)
It was surprising, almost, that Cloverstar hadn't lost all that much blood from her battle wounds save the one that'd taken her first life. They had mostly dried over, though they still stung if she made any sudden movements.
That suited her, however. She wasn't planning on going anywhere for a while. Her nest felt like a haven now, a fortress to protect her from what had just happened and her own bitterness, her anger at Drought, at Flamepath, at herself. Especially herself.
She buried her face into the warm moss and feathers, eyes squeezed shut as she shakily breathed in the familiar musky scent. Tail wrapped around her paws, she was curled into an impenetrable ball that had lasted for...she didn't know how long, but her back and limbs now felt stiffer than they probably should have been. It wouldn't help her injuries, but she could hardly bring herself to care.
A failure. She was a failure of a leader, of a warrior. She had had a duty to protect her Clan from enemies like DeathClan, and what had she done? She had messed up so badly that she'd gotten herself killed in her attempt not to give in to cowardly blackmail, only to further it by her killing rendering her another thing for Drought to use to claim victory. She hadn't even been leader for more than a moon, and already she'd failed her job.
Even cursing Drought, swearing to kill him for sure the next time they met, didn't help. Cloverstar knew she was only looking for a target to take out her anger on, and he was the easiest one. She hated him, but he hadn't been the one to cause her failure. He'd only wanted a victory through any means necessary, and she'd made her choice.
She couldn't face her Clan like this. How could she, when she'd made it so obvious to them all she'd let a kit die for them to win? She supposed in that aspect, she was no better than Drought.
Her ears twitched involuntarily at the sound of a voice, the last thing Cloverstar wanted to hear right now. Flamepath. What did he want? Was he going to yell at her further for what she'd tried to do? She wouldn't blame him if he was, but she was in no mood to hear it.
Then again, she hardly knew him personally. But from what she did know of him, he didn't seem to be the type to rub in mistakes. And she would have to talk to him at some point. He was her deputy—she couldn't avoid facing him forever.
Slowly, Cloverstar picked herself up. She winced as her limbs stretched, popping in the joints before she stood. She stepped out of her nest, taking care not to stumble, and moved towards the entrance all while determinedly not looking at the walls. The flowers she'd strung up on them...they looked so stupidly kit-like now, a mockery of the hopeful beginnings of her leadership.
Flamepath was there, right at the entrance. She took another few steps before she was standing there as well, in front of him. She regarded him tiredly, shoulders slack with the heaviness of defeat.
"Yes?" she asked. Her voice came out sharper than she'd intended. "What is it? What do you want?" |
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Post by Flamepath on Apr 22, 2014 13:59:25 GMT -6
Flamepath flinched at he tone but relaxed himself after a moment. He took a few moments to stare at the defeated leader, she had a limp to her step as she had walked over to him. er wound was still visible of course, it had closed up for the most part but still probably would need some treatment. It was not his place to tell her to go visit the medicine cat's den today though so he kept that thought to himself despite his worry for her. The tom sighed and swallowed hard, unsure of how this would go.
"We need to talk Cloverstar, I am not sure if you are aware of what I agreed to after you had been injured.... he trailed off and looked away from her for a moment. If she hadn't been aware already she would surely be troubled further, she did not deserve all this pressure after experiencing something as draining as losing a life. The deputy was also terrified out of his wittz that Cloverstar was furious with him. He could not possibly lead the clan alongside her if she no longer felt he was trustworthy.
"Regardless of that we still to talk in private, I am sure you know this though... " He stated , his body tensing up as he was worried of what her response would be. He was not sure how to speak to her, they did really need to talk and he could not risk having her get upset and refuse to do so.
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Post by Cloverstar on Apr 22, 2014 19:32:19 GMT -6
Well, Cloverstar thought dryly, he didn't seem angry. If anything, he looked more nervous than she'd anticipated. It almost hurt, seeing it as if he was afraid of her. Was she really that bad?
Yes, you are. You just proved you were willing to sacrifice a kit, for CloudClan's sake! a voice hissed at her ear, and she repressed a wince. In her mental arguing with herself, she just barely heard what he said: something about talking and injury before he'd trailed off, apparently at a loss for words. Good for him.
Cloverstar had the sense she knew where he was leading the conversation. She'd heard, albeit not too well, the bargain he'd made with Drought while she was dying. It'd involved sending warriors, that she knew for certain. But she didn't want to reflect on it; just thinking about how she'd lost her first life was enough to make her fur prickle sharply with shame.
"I know what you agreed to." Her tone was slightly clipped. "Sending warriors. RockClan's best ones. Am I correct?" |
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Post by Flamepath on Apr 24, 2014 15:57:50 GMT -6
( This is probably the last post I can make in this for about a week because I will be gone on an emergency family trip so I probably will have no internet access , sorry it is a short reply too )
Flamepath flicked his tail nervously and tried to straighten up as he spoke, "Yes you are correct Cloverstar , he wants two of our best warriors in three days at the border... I am assuming without an escort. He wants them for something... he told me they were to do as they were told or they would be killed." He explained with a bit more detail and for a moment a flash of frustration and anger burned in his eyes, he felt so hopeless and just thinking of Drought made his blood boil.
"They took Dogkit with them to their camp I assume, he did hint at doing something to Dogkit if we do not comply." He added as he looked at her for her opinion.
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Post by Cloverstar on Apr 24, 2014 19:15:08 GMT -6
(Ah. That's okay, I can wait. Have fun on your trip!)
It probably said something that Cloverstar found herself completely unsurprised at Flamepath's explanation of what Drought wanted. Of course. He wants to rub it in about how helpless we are as much as possible, she thought bitterly. First a kit, now warriors.
The worst thing about all of this, she believed, was that none of them could do anything about it. They were as helpless as puppets, and the weight of that weakness was crushing. One look at Flamepath's expression was enough to tell her that he felt the same as her.
Her voice was unnaturally stiff in her throat, the words nearly wooden. "Who are you going to send?" she asked, although she sensed she probably already knew the answer. The best warriors were the seniors, the ones with the most experience and value to the Clan. Drought, she supposed, would settle for nothing less than the best. |
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Post by Flamepath on May 3, 2014 14:17:45 GMT -6
(Alrighty then I have to catch up on all my threads now ..I just got back from my trip, sooner than expected too c:)
Flamepath had tried not to evade her gaze as he looked up at her. " That is half the reason I thought we needed to talk, I think I have an idea of who to send but it is so hard to just decide who to send away to become Deathclan's toys .... and who Drought would be satisfied with" The deputy let out a sigh and shook his head in frustration.
" I think it would be safe to send Diamondlight and possibly Moonstep ..... what do you think?" He asked hesitantly. He thought they were both fit for it but Cloverstar after all was leader and was entitled to decide when it came down to it.
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Post by Cloverstar on May 5, 2014 15:46:03 GMT -6
Diamondlight and Moonstep? Cloverstar knew them, though she hadn't spoken to them all that often. They were skilled warriors, to be sure, but far from seniors. Not that it mattered, anyway. DeathClan would be lucky to get anyone from here.
"They're good choices." The words tasted sour on her tongue, as the unspoken half of her sentence lingered in the air: for DeathClan's puppets. She scowled at the thought, flicking it away in a way how one would brush off a pesky fly. Now was not the time to work herself into a terrible mood again. She couldn't lie around and mope like a kit while her Clan was being kept prisoner.
"This isn't right." It was a gross understatement, but it was all she could think of now to describe the situation. Her claws clenched against the stone, her shoulders stiffening. "We have to do something. How can we just send off our own warriors to be used like pawns by someone like Drought?" |
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Post by Flamepath on May 5, 2014 18:00:31 GMT -6
Flamepath felt an off-settling feeling of relief that Cloverstar did not disapprove of his choices but he still felt sick to his stomach. He got even more of a sickening feeling as Cloverstar began to speak again, her words were pretty much how he was feeling inside.
" It isn't right but giving up on Dogkit's only true hope of survival is just as wrong..." he commented quietly with limp ears and a heavy chest. What could they do? Drought was in control now whether or not they complied or not. He would probably go after the clan if they did not send the warriors to the boarder but what ever he is using the Rockclanner's to do could not possibly be without its own sort of consequences.
" I understand how you feel, I want to do something more than anything but what is there to do? If we do not comply it will only put us at higher risk, we definitely could not handle another attack from them..." He told her with a troubled shake of his head. What if there is a better choice than this, will they even give Dogkit back after this? His lack of ability to fix the situation and the feeling of helplessness was almost painful.
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Post by Cloverstar on May 6, 2014 15:26:47 GMT -6
If it was possible, Cloverstar felt even worse at the mention of Dogkit's survival. It reminded her, again, that she'd be willing to gamble with a kit's life for victory. She didn't need to reflect on that any longer than she had to. She already felt conflicted enough over whether or not she'd done the right thing, if she shouldn't have done it at all.
Not that it mattered now.
"They won't kill him," she said hollowly, head hanging. "He's their 'bargaining chip', as Drought so charmingly put it. If he dies, they don't have any leverage over us."
After several long, painful moments, she finally lifted her head. Her emerald eyes seemed lifeless, almost, if it weren't for that clearness showing the cogs turning at rapid-fire speed in her mind. There was too much at stake to risk and too much to hope for in vain and no good options. It felt like a never-ending trap.
"...We'll have to comply." She spat the words out viciously, though her anger was aimed at Drought, not Flamepath. "That's all we can do for now. I doubt he'll want much with our warriors anyway, other than extra muscle. But..."
She paused, thinking. "...What about the other Clans? Do you think...we could get help?"
It sounded stupid. Why would any of the other Clans want to offer support? They were neutral at best. However, she saw no other choice. They needed more warriors, more backup, unless DeathClan had gotten to them as well. Something had to happen. Hadn't the Clans worked together in the past? Why couldn't it happen again? |
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Post by Flamepath on May 9, 2014 14:06:46 GMT -6
Flamepath flashed her a look of curiosity and confusion. Asking for help from the other Clans never even crossed his mind. " The other Clans...." the deputy repeated as he wrapped his head around the new development. Rockclan was the smaller of the clans and every Clan shared a hatred for Deathclan.
" That actually makes sense , Clans have allied together in times of need before. THat might be the only way we can strike back without being foolish."
The deputy felt a small feeling of hope in his chest, if they asked one of the other clans for help they could take on Deathclan. They would be able to storm their camp and take back Dogkit along with Rockclan's pride.
" But what Clan would we go to and what in Cloudclan's name would we tell them to convince them to help us?" He inquired as he thought more about the situation. No clan would just leap to their rescue without a reason to, they would have to think of a way to convince them. Rockclan would also be indebted to whatever Clan aided them against Deathclan, no Clan would let a favor like that be left without being returned later.
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Post by Cloverstar on May 13, 2014 16:59:24 GMT -6
Her ears twitched as Flamepath spoke. Instinctively, she started to move, pacing the den with her tail lashing about her paws in agitation. In times like this, she just couldn't stay still. It seemed to have been ingrained in her.
"We could go to the nearest Clan," she finally said, her voice decisive. "If the trip's not that long, then if we send someone, it'd be a while before DeathClan notices they're gone. The nearest one..."
Cloverstar turned slightly to look out the entrance. Over the camp, beyond the rocks that peaked below the horizon, were the mountains. Tall and grand. "That's IceClan, isn't it? Last time I checked, I don't think we were on bad terms..."
But she trailed off, leaving that on a note to think. Not being on bad terms was good, but it didn't mean they were allies, either. Come to think of it, had they ever really interacted? How did that guarantee IceClan's assistance? And they could be having trouble of their own, for all she knew.
"...We could get them to help by offering something in return," she mused. "A mutual agreement. That would be fair, right?" |
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Post by Flamepath on May 16, 2014 19:28:22 GMT -6
Flamepath gave her a small nod, "Iceclan is closest, I do not think we have actually had much interaction with them recently." He commented as he went over the idea. Iceclan had no reason to dislike Rockclan as of now but would they be willing to help, they would be risking warriors of their on. Who knows maybe Iceclan needs something that they could help with in return?
" That would be fair though with something as high risk as this we will have to carfully choice what we say. Even if they have nothing they need at the moment we could always bring up the fact that we still do not know Drought's intentions. For all we know Iceclan might be next on their list. He inquired. Even if Iceclan was not in jeopardy of being raided by Deathclan, they could use the idea to convince Iceclan.
"If Iceclan felt they might be in danger, would you think they would be more willing to help out ?" The tom asked Cloverstar as he looked at the mountains. Up there was the only chance of Rockclan striking back against Deathclan.
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Post by Cloverstar on May 21, 2014 15:19:44 GMT -6
Cloverstar thought this over. "Maybe," she said slowly, not wanting to jump to conclusions. "But we can't be sure. There's no way they could have heard of what DeathClan's done to us. They probably have no idea that they're in danger in the first place."
She paused. "Then again, what about TreeClan and FireClan? Do you think Drought got to them already?"
It was a horrible thought, but it had to be said. It didn't seem too far of a stretch for Drought to have already assaulted the other Clans and taken kits hostage for leverage over them as well. |
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Post by Flamepath on May 25, 2014 18:31:34 GMT -6
Flamepath shook his head in speculation. "True Iceclan does not know what happened but don't you think that they would ask why we are requesting their help? They might feel that they themselves are in the risk of danger once they learn what happened." The deputy trailed off as he pondered all the possibe ways to go about the situation. His thoughts stopped as Cloverstar spoke up again.
His was caught off guard by Cloverstar's statement. It quickly began to consume his thoughts as he began to consider the fact that Cloverstar's proposition could be indeed true. Drought must have some motive to their attack besides taking a kit and having Rockclan's warriors do their dirty work. What if he had a larger prize in mind that would include more than just Rockclan.
" It would be hard to say but it is not impossible that Drought hass attacked the other clans or at least plans to in the near future..." He replied as he went over her idea. If he has actually assaulted all the other clans than all the forest cats would be desperate for revenge.
" If something like that is happening, we will have to seriously consider taking action and putting in place your idea of a temporary alliance with another clan Cloverstar." Flamepath inssured her with a firm nod. " Even though it is just a thought, it is one more reason to consider Iceclan as a resort."
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