09.30.2019 → There has been some exciting changes on CD lately! We've added a new monarchy to the groups of cats on the islands, as well as restructured the boards a bit to allow for some space - thus, redrawing the map! We've also promoted Nifty to Global Mod! There are some auditions open right now for JungleClan Deputy as well as for all of the new Kingdom of Mokuhau high ranks - Artemis
09.12.2019 → Unfortunately Elaedria is stepping down as administrator due to life being too busy to keep up! The site will be going through some restructuring in high ranks as well due to this. Effective immediately, the word count is now 100 minimum. Some more changes will be coming in the future - members have been emailed a survey to help us figure out what to change and how to get better. Thanks for your patience! - Artemis
WEATHER
Year 55, Scorching Sands 09.05.2019 → The temperatures of the islands are a steady 98° F on land/ high 80s in water. There is almost no breeze, the sun is uncomfortably warm.
Prey during the day is pretty scarce due to the heat, however is quite active after the sun goes down.
Lost in the dense jungles of scattered islands, facing perils unimagined by their ancestors, are three warrior groups - The traditional JungleClan, descendants of the original clans carried aboard a twoleg contraption from their home long ago and breaking new ground on old beliefs. Second, the curious TidalClan, made up of kittypets who chose to abandon their long since passed twoleg civilization ways for those of true felines. Lastly, the mysterious Tribe of Twisted Roots, hidden in the mist from others with their strange ways and a deeper knowledge of the land around them. Together they must learn how to take their fate into their own paws if they wish to survive this land of erupting mountains and roaring waters.
Join our crew and dive into an island-based Warriors roleplay - a twist on the original series by Erin Hunter. We are a semi-literate site with a minimum of 100 words per post.
As she slipped into the lake water, she was shocked by how cold it was compared to the overheated temperatures of the beach. Her mouth opened to yowl, without thinking. She gulped down a large mouthful of water, making her sputter bubbles. Rain wasn't about to do something as silly as die from this, of course, but she was definitely going to look like a small wet rat as she kicked off the bottom of the lake and surfaced. Front paws flailing in a weak swim, her ears were flat as she coughed and paddled toward the reddish blob that was Ember.
She attempted to mewl she was alright, but it came out as a gurgle. Rain merely decided to lean her body against his, and allow him to help her back to the sandy shore.
When her paws touched the ground, she whined a complaint as back paw-pad burned. "I'm so clumsy.." she apologized to the tom a little warily, expecting to be yelled at for not being graceful at all and nearly hurting herself. Any other Tribemate would, surely. She was a pathetic specimen, still. Even after trying so hard..
Trying not to meet Ember's eyes, she flopped on her side and inspected the hurt pad. It was sliced, probably from kicking off awkwardly against a broken shell. It wasn't anything serious, but she quickly began to lap the sand out of it with rough strokes of her tongue anyway.
"You must think I'm a terrible Navigator.." she mumbled finally, looking up to the auburn tom with dejected amber eyes.
Swiftwave - Jungleclan warrior Rain that Blurs the Sky - Tribe navigator Turtlehop - Tidalclan Healer
Turtlehop was no mind reader - as much as she was in-tuned to other cats feelings, if they made an effort to cover their own worries it would take her ages to realize it was the case. So as Shellpaw seemed happy, giggling even, Turtlehop did not pick up on anything being wrong. She was just happy that the young she-cat was settling into the role a bit more. It'd take time, of course, but at least she wasn't sulking about her role being switched suddenly.
The older cat purred, tail flicking over her spine. "Of course! I know it's a lot to take in. Why not take the rest of the day off, and we'll get back into training tomorrow? You can show me those mossy places," Turtlehop purred encouragingly, ushering her fledgling out of the herb cache and into the main area of the church.
She'd watch her wander off with a hopeful smile. If only she could be as good a mentor as Palmsong was to her, then perhaps Shellpaw would learn to love being a healer as much as she did..
Your Name: Atari Your Current Characters: Turtlehop, Swiftwave, and Rain that Blurs the Sky Do you have any high ranks? If yes, would you like to relinquish any? Tidalclan Healer! I am keeping her!! Do you wish to archive any characters/threads you have on the go? Nope!
Somehow, she inched him towards the water. Her anger still bubbled, but a softer sort of boil now. She wasn't used to this kind of burst of emotion, honestly, and it left her nearly exhausted. Aside from, you know. Being slightly overweight and trying to shove a huge barrel of a cat a few turtle-lengths.
She hadn't even realized that Sharksong had hit the water's edge, until he jumped. The she-cat jumped with him, bristling in shock. Then, her fur lay flat, and her ears folded back. "Nothing about this whole situation makes me feel good," she replied, with a hurt expression. "You think I enjoyed this? I help cats. I don't fight with them. Mentally or not." She sniffed, and padded into the waves till the water swirled around her paws.
He was angry, she could see. With her or himself, she couldn't say. But they'd gotten this far. "You said you wouldn't resist. I'm here, I won't let anything happen. Try to push at the fear." He needed to at least start by getting his feet wet. If this wasn't a one day thing, they could work on it moons if needed. "A little at a time. It's obviously worse than I thought, so it's going to take time. The longer you avoid it, the longer you'll feel like this."
She could only hope he would tom-up and stop acting like a kit.
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Swiftwave - Jungleclan warrior Rain that Blurs the Sky - Tribe navigator Turtlehop - Tidalclan Healer
She managed to get a grip on his shoulders, and Ember fell to the ground. Rain wasn't convinced it was from her own rather unsubstantial weight, though. He was a very sturdy tom, and she'd watched him in battle training many a time to remember how hard it was to bowl him over. He was playing with her, and being nice enough to let her win, too! Rain was finding herself growing a little fonder of the bold navigator, seeing another side of his usual persona.
He lost his hold on the plant, and triumphant mrrow leaving her mouth. Bunching up her haunches, she sprang clumsily off his back and on top of the cattail. A paw kept it pinned long enough for her to snag it in her teeth, the poor stem starting to droop precariously from all the roughhousing. Her tail wiggled in the air, amber eyes glowing with delight as she regarded Ember's russet form. "Catch me if you can!" was squeaked around the toy, and then she was off.
Rain could be fast when she wanted to, but she was often clumsy. At first, she got a very fair head start, deciding to make a loop around the lake because it was, after all, a game. Getting lost in the jungle was taking it a step too difficult. But there was a small outcrop of washed up rocks that bordered the water. She attempted to scramble over it, but the surface was slick from damp mosses.
With a yowl, she slid off her hold and into the lake with a splash.
She could breathe again as he leaped off her, the she-cat taking some dramatic moments to pant as he called her a furball. "Me! I should think you're the big giant furball, squashing everything everywhere you go!" Her voice was completely teasing, of course. Rain never liked making fun of anyone seriously, for she'd often had such meanness as a kit and swabbie. It wasn't fun being called mousebrained, or being called a big furball for real. She liked Ember, anyway. He was a funny tom, and too sweet to make fun of.
Rain rolled onto her side, looking at the ground, then her white stomach fur. It was covered in plant fragments, which she began to lick off with long tongue strokes. She was aware of Ember going to fetch another toy, but only fully engaged when it dangled above her languishly positioned body. "Ooooh." She swatted without thinking, only for him to playfully yank it out of her reach.
A soft gasp escaped her. "How dare!" She scrambled to her paws, and launched herself forward, attempting to clamber onto his back this time. It was much more of an effort though, so she wasn't sure if she'd succeed.
Swiftwave - Jungleclan warrior Rain that Blurs the Sky - Tribe navigator Turtlehop - Tidalclan Healer
The simple task of practicing picking up herbs delicately suddenly turned into a whole debacle. Turtlehop had expected a little clumsiness, but poor Shellpaw's effort to be extra careful seemingly did more to damage the operation than help. The healer kept her mouth shut for now, figuring that learning by doing would be more helpful than further blathering on her part. But that was a mistake that had them both stumbling around - Shellpaw in shock, Turtlehop in an effort not to get knocked into.
"It's okay!" Turtlehop meowed automatically, used to clumsy apprentices damaging her store. She was maybe a tiny bit disappointed that Shellpaw had done so terribly, but it was only her first try. She would have time to learn, and the healer wasn't about to be cruel with her criticism. "You just need to act less like a mother walking around a sleeping kit, hah! They won't run away, plant your paws."
She dipped down to sniff the herbs Shellpaw had stepped on, whiskers twitching. "A little crushed, but they're still usable. It's Coltsfoot, used for breathing problems but also cracked pads. So we'll just need to use it up quicker before it rots." There would still be more to collect, before the storm season was upon them.
For now, she leaned over and gave her apprentice a quick lick around the ears. "Don't fret sweetheart. You're learning, and when you learn accidents happen. Don't tell me you haven't ever missed a mouse on a hunt? That's the same as this." She lifted Shellpaw's paw up with her own, and gently began to nose the clump of seeds off and back into their normal spot. "You're still doing wonderfully." Her voice held sincerity to it - Turtlehop was more than pleased that the young she-cat was making an effort.
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Swiftwave - Jungleclan warrior Rain that Blurs the Sky - Tribe navigator Turtlehop - Tidalclan Healer
He was doing nothing, and it infuriated her. Why couldn't he try? Was he really so traumatized, or was he falling into the symptoms she'd seen before of tomcats being the biggest kits when sick? She hissed through gritted teeth at his oddly flat tease, very nearly tempted to swat at his ears.
It was very, very odd for the she-cat to get this angry. Turtlehop was a healer, born a calm, sweet cat who wanted nothing more than to care for others. The fact that Sharksong was ruffling her fur so much was rather shocking. She wanted to question why, but now wasn't the time. This was their deputy, and she was beginning to question if Tinystar had the made the right choice.
"Fine!" she snapped, tail thrashing like an angry eel. "I'm not afraid to try." She was afraid of many things, but for once, she felt a bubbling fire in her gut that was driving her to be less passive. It was if moons of swallowed frustrations over her family and life were crawling out her throat.
Doing was a little harder, but in the end, he was just a cat. She wasn't moving a felled tree. Turtlehop dug her paws into the sand, bent her head, and began to shove him in the shoulder with all her strength. She wasn't planning on stopping either, despite the heavy pants and puffs she emitted.
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Swiftwave - Jungleclan warrior Rain that Blurs the Sky - Tribe navigator Turtlehop - Tidalclan Healer
She only mildly worried he'd scold her for being such a kit. Ember was a big tough type of tom, but he'd never really told her off for not being more mature and focused like some other cats would. Gosh, she could imagine the scowl on Tempest's face if he saw her goofing off right now. He wanted his navigators to be battle ready, fierce cats... and she doubted playing with fuzzy plants counted as fighting practice.
Ember was up for some fun, it seemed. She was delight, eyes sparkling as he mrrowed with good humor and crouched. She saw the pounce coming, but her white paws were clumsy as always and her dodge was marred by them tripping her up. He wasn't being violent about the offense, though. His claws were clearly sheathed, but she squeaked in playful fear anyway because he was, quite frankly, huge.
He landed on her back, knocking the wind out of her.. But it was oddly exhilarating. She mewed a laugh, squirming frantically to get out from under him. "It's like dodging a boulder falling off a cliff!" she teased in good humor, her tail flopping around in happiness.
She then realized she'd lost her grip on the cattail. She twisted her head around to look for it, but she couldn't find the plant tendril anywhere. "Oh.. where'd the.. oh.."
Oh dear.
"Ember, I do think we've crushed my toy under us." Then she burst into giggles, thinking of how flat the poor plant was going to be under their combined weight.
Swiftwave - Jungleclan warrior Rain that Blurs the Sky - Tribe navigator Turtlehop - Tidalclan Healer
It was funny, how just a moment before she had been cowering under his threatening gaze. Now the tables had turned, and her hurt and determination to fix this broken cat had him unable to meet her eyes. Perhaps he was ashamed of how he'd treated her. Or perhaps she had more of her father's attitude within her than she'd like to admit, and could be scary when she wanted. It made her mouth rather dry, and she was at a loss for words. Turtlehop stared up at him, trying to catch that ocean-eyed gaze.
Eventually, he would stammer that he couldn't. Her ears fell, along with her expression. He couldn't live like this, especially not as a deputy. "You must," she mewed softly, tail lashing. "What if a cat was drowning? A kit. Are you saying your fear would prevent your heart from helping?" She didn't think so, but right now, it would be very hard to convince him of that.
"I want to help you. I didn't come here to argue about it either. I am your healer, so let me heal your mind." She stepped forward, and attempted to headbutt him up to his paws. She may had well been pressing against the tree, though, given their size difference. She puffed a little, then halted. "Where's the strong intimidating cat you just showed me, huh?" she challenged, wondering if perhaps pushing his buttons might in some way make him angry enough to try and face the ocean. "You're telling me he's going to let a little water best him? That it's going to stop you from becoming deputy, leader even?"
Her tail lashed in rising annoyance. Maybe this was what he needed, pushing. Fighters were tough creatures, no? They weren't gentle like apprentices could be. He needed to be pushed into being braved, like a kit was taught not to fear a fight.
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Swiftwave - Jungleclan warrior Rain that Blurs the Sky - Tribe navigator Turtlehop - Tidalclan Healer
Turtlehop fell silent as the she-cat began to puzzle out the mystery, watching how she dealt with confusion. It was a good sign to see her doing her best to work it out, and not just giving up and saying she didn't know. Perhaps Shellpaw was trying very hard to impress her new mentor. If so, it was working, though Turtlehop was such a kind soul that even featherheads like Tunapaw were endearing to her.
She found it frankly adorable that Shellpaw was talking to the poppy seeds as if they were alive, the older cat struggling not to giggle. Turtlehop had mumbled to herself for moons in this den, but now it seemed there would be two cats with their head in the clouds thinking. They both ended up being startled by the cry of a bird, yet neither knocked anything astray in the tight space.
The tortoiseshell nodded at the final answer her apprentice gave, purring softly as she got it mostly right. "Exactly right. They're one of the more messy herbs," she explained, pointing to the little cluster with a claw. "If you happen to not be delicate, the whole pile goes spilling everywhere. If a kit comes wandering in, up to no good, they'll be less likely to make it deep enough into our stores to do so." She smiled approvingly. "They need a special technique to be handled too, lest you end up swallowing them and getting sleepy yourself!"
Oh wait.. Had she even explained their use to Shellpaw? Thinking back, she hadn't. Teaching apparently also had a learning curve. "I forgot to tell you what they do," she laughed, before licking the pad of her front paw and delicately papping the seeds. They stuck to the dampness, and she lifted two from the ground to show her fledgling. "That's how you pick them up. They're used to help cats who are in pain, shock, or need sleep. They numb you, and you'll fall into a dreamless slumber. Hence why you don't use too many, or eat them yourself while treating a patient."
She shook them off her pads, back into the pile. "Want to try picking them up? Takes a bit of practice not to get too many at once."
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Swiftwave - Jungleclan warrior Rain that Blurs the Sky - Tribe navigator Turtlehop - Tidalclan Healer
The first step to healing was admitting you had a problem. Her ears flicked back slightly when Sharksong admitted he was now afraid of rain and darkness, her heart hurting for the young cat. It was a cruel world they lived in, the Gods demanding so much to those cats chosen to lead. She looked on hopelessly, as he fretted about what would happen if the Clan was to find out his weakness. The healer was about to murmur no one would find out, when she was set upon with a fierce glare.
Sharksong was not a small cat like Turtlehop. He loomed over her, and suddenly she felt very small and vulnerable. The she-cat hated being the spotlight of someone's anger, a trauma left over from her kithood when her father, Piranhaclaw, had often scolded her for being so odd and unfocused. There was hurt too, that he had to ask her to keep this secret. As if she would blather away to their clanmates, and cause drama! The tortoiseshell shrunk into herself, eyes a little wide and fearful. "I w-w.. Was going to.." she whimpered, tail leaving his back fur to curl over her own white paws fretfully. "I'm not going to cause a whole scene with our clanmates because you're still experiencing trauma from the Trial." Her eyes looked at the ground, but with a shaky breath to calm herself, she met Sharksong's green ones once more. "But there's only so long you can pretend. You can go back to your duties, but until you face the fears, they will linger."
Just look at her, still scared of failure and arguments. She should take her own advice one time, and attempt to talk to her siblings and father. But it was easier to stay away under the pretense of her duties being too time-consuming.
It made her angry, not with the tom, but with herself. She pushed herself onto all four paws, and glared back at the deputy with mild hurt in her eyes. "I was going to help you with the fear, even if I had to swim with you in the ocean till next full moon. But I can't help someone who wants to hide their fears, even from themselves." She hated to argue, especially with someone like Sharksong, but her heart was always too big for its own good. She cared about him, like she cared for all her clanmates, and it made her want to help. She couldn't leave him like this, and expect him to thrive as Tidalclan's deputy.
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Swiftwave - Jungleclan warrior Rain that Blurs the Sky - Tribe navigator Turtlehop - Tidalclan Healer
She had, sadly and to her great unease, been right. He was wounded, deep inside, from the trial. She wished so badly there was some other way to test the new deputies, to gain the gods' favor.. But it had, and always would be the way of the clan. That was why she was here, to help. To be a quiet aid to him without the whole clan getting involved in his fear. Turtlehop would do whatever she could to help Sharksong, because this good, young cat didn't deserve to live with the anxiety and worry of being scared of water.
Words poured from him, stalling, denial. She shook her head to it, yellow eyes soft and understanding. "You don't have to pretend. I know, I understand. And I am not judging you in the slightest." The tortoiseshell padded back to where he collapsed onto his haunches. She flanked him, pressing her warmth to his grey fur. This wouldn't be as easy as she thought, but she would sit here till moonrise if she needed to.
"The Gods have told me no such thing," she soothed, looking up to him seriously. "They have told me the opposite, Sharksong. If you were not right for Tidalclan, the Gods would have had your soul fed to the waves. The fact you survived proves to everyone that you are worthy." Her gaze trailed back over to the water, waves churning softly in the hot Soothing Skies sun. "It's normal to be scared. Do you think Tinystar wasn't afraid of water after her Resurgence?" Turtlehop still had the horrible feeling of her friend's struggling body under her paws, holding her to the water till she went limp. Their ceremonies were harsh. But not without reason. "But when you face them, finally, it makes you an even stronger cat. You will have pushed past it. You will be able to push past the fears that leading brings."
She trailed off then, knowing too much rambling would be a lot to process. Sharksong needed time. All she could do was stay close, letting him feel her warmth and the stroking of her tail to his back.
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Swiftwave - Jungleclan warrior Rain that Blurs the Sky - Tribe navigator Turtlehop - Tidalclan Healer
Rain wasn't often able to focus on more than one thing at a time. While a better navigator might have noticed the presence of another cat nearby, she was locked on her little game of rolling around. The cattail was tickling her nose, making her whiskers twitch in amusement. Skillful paws dug into the stem, tugging it firmly to try and wrench it from the ground. It merely shredded, and bobbed back up, bits of green plant now caught in her claws.
With a soft mahhing noise, she chirped at it and launched herself into the cluster of plants. There was tussling, and thrashing, and rustling, but finally she managed to snip one off with her teeth. That was when a familiar voice spoke up from a few mouse-lengths away.
She shot upright amidst the plants, amber eyes widened, and a cattail dangling limply from her mouth. "Hunting skills?" she echoed in confusion, mouth full, looking around for whatever prey she was missing.
It clicked as the feathery plant tickled her muzzle. "Ohh! Not really, just playing." There was nothing wrong with lazing off, when she'd already done her work. Now she was paying attention, she smelled blood on Ember's mouth - he too, had done his daily duties she assumed. So he could laze off too!
Breeze thought Ember was a bit of a loudmouth. They didn't usually converse, hence why Rain didn't usually converse with him either. But he seemed to be nice enough, and wasn't loudly arguing about anything. But in case he did want to get talky, she pounced over and brushed the feathery end of the cattail to his nose. Rain purred a laugh, eyes smiling and daring him to have a bit of fun.
Swiftwave - Jungleclan warrior Rain that Blurs the Sky - Tribe navigator Turtlehop - Tidalclan Healer
Rain that Blurs the Sky, despite her name, preferred the sunshine.
She loved lazing in a warm patch of sun after her duties were done, fully at ease and feeling self-satisfied with herself. No one could say she didn't pull her weight in the Tribe of Twisted Roots. Rain was always cheerfully the first one to offer herself up for patrols and hunting, because she knew that if she did her duties early, she could goof off sooner. And goofing off was such an underrated activity in the Tribe! Some members were so serious, or so fretful, like poor Stingray. He'd been in knots lately, since Scuttle disappeared. He could use some sunshine too.
Sadly, sunshine was best shared with someone. Breeze was her favorite cat to ever walk the earth, the two sisters closer than most siblings ever turned out. It came from not having their mother around, cats said. Rain didn't know about that, but it didn't matter. There was nothing wrong wanting to spend time with her sister.
This early evening, though, she was off somewhere and Rain couldn't find her. So she wandered down to the no-salt lake on her own, because Soothing Skies wouldn't last forever. She wanted to take advantage of the last warm rays of the dying sun.
The tabby cat lay in the sand by the calm lake waters, tail flopping around lazily. The wind blew on occasion, rustling the cattail reeds beside her.
Cattails were funny things. They looked exactly like their name - furry brown tails, which some queens told their kits were the tails of bad little ones who didn't listen to the Gods. Rain wasn't so sure now she wasn't a kit, but it was a good story to keep them in line.
The wind blew a bit harder, and one bobbed down low enough to bap her on the head. With a soft mrrrow, she rolled onto her back and flailed at it. Her white paws snatched the soft plume, and pulled it down to her stomach. Like an undignified kit, she kicked at it, rolling around in play.
Swiftwave - Jungleclan warrior Rain that Blurs the Sky - Tribe navigator Turtlehop - Tidalclan Healer
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Check out this announcement for high rank auditions, mod applications & more!
Oct 14, 2019 15:47:24 GMT -5
Jori: Hi Guest! The Kingdom is in the works, auditions for high rank cats just ended