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.
Despite her dark words, the eye roll told him she at least didn't truly believe them. Cats said things all the time, and he knew she was right - Vixenblaze had been losing nuts from her tree long before she passed on. It surprised Swiftwave to hear Cranefeather admit so, in such a soft voice. That softness was what she used to be like, as a very young cat, before she was clawed into this shell she was now. He nodded in agreement, a small bob of his head.
"Cats sometimes can't deal with what they've been through. I think she just didn't want to live anymore, and it wasn't your fault. I remember you tried to connect with her." His fur ruffled along his shoulders uncomfortably. "There's only so much pushing you can do before giving up."
They fell into silence, Swiftwave left to chew the thought that he... Honestly didn't miss his father much either. There was always bitterness surrounding his death, as if that had slowly led Morningsplash to her death, as if he was never going to amount to anything, like he had. It at least drove him not to be so stupid, but even still... He recalled his discussion with Cocoafur about venturing to the forbidden island. Was that not a stupid risk?
No, he told himself. It was driving to better himself and the clan, not just taking a stupid risk for a few measly fish.
Cranefeather's words, when she spoke, mirrored his thoughts nearly too perfectly. He flinched, just ever so slightly, his muzzle twisting into a frown of pain. "Yes," he murmured, eyes fixed out onto the lights of fireflies, "I do. It felt like she was the only one in Jungleclan who really cared about me. Saw me as more than just another body to the warriors' den." He dug his claws into the grass, kneading. "But I don't miss my father. He was nice. But it feels like I'm destined to be just another average cat like him. Die an average death. Never do anything special."
Swiftwave looked to her again, wondering if perhaps they were more similar than he'd realized. "Why do we stay here when we're not happy?" What truly kept him in a mass of cats who weren't connected to him outside of the clan duties? Was it only loyalty?
She had a very morbid outlook on life, not too dissimilar from his own... Yet he had a tad more self-preservation left than she did. Perhaps because he wasn't completely isolated, as Cranefeather had been. If cats hissed as he passed by, he wasn't sure how long he'd care to stick around. It was therefore odd that she did, but he kept his mouth shut for now. Prying hard into the reason she stayed alive would ruin what was so far, a rather nice moment. He hadn't had a civil conversation with her since they slept in the apprentice den together, moons ago.
He nodded in understanding to her reply, tail swishing. "I can't sleep in the warriors' den often either. Too many cats too close together." He missed the nights he'd had in the apprentices' den, really. It had seemed roomier with less cats, and that was when his clanmates still enjoyed his company, and when his mother had been alive...
Swiftwave was startled out of his thoughts when the firefly hit his pelt. He twitched, ears flicking forward as it fell to the ground. He frowned, and trapped it under his paw once more, feeling the creature buzzing lightly at his pads trying to escape. Yellow eyes lifted, to find he was being glared at.
He raised an eyebrow. "Who said I was sleeping?" Swiftwave shot back, teasing once more, but only to avoid the question at hand. Why had he followed her, other than simple curiosity? Why risk his pelt? He couldn't honestly say, other than it had just... Felt right. He was a nosy creature, and well... "We used to be friends, right?" He looked away, back out over the jungle below. He at least had thought they were, as apprentices. But then both of their subsequent lives had become shit, and somehow instead of bonding, they went into their shells.
The tom fell silent, wondering if perhaps at the time of her mother's death he hadn't been as good a friend as he could have been. But she hadn't been there for him either, through both his parents' deaths. So really, it was tit for tat. But it didn't stop the knot in his stomach... "I never believed you were a murderer, you know." He risked a glance her way, out the corner of his eyes. "I should have stood up for you more, but they wouldn't have listened to a bratty young cat like me." He hadn't been well liked, even back then - his attitude had been more openly scathing. He'd learn to withdraw, and keep opinions to himself.
diesel, Turtle definitely needs friends, and I can see she's already having a few she-cats younger than her who just need the motherly figure in her life! I think she'd get along well with Turtle, and perhaps after trying to pry once or twice, she'd know better than to do it again because she hates tension and awkwardness between herself and others. xD
Swiftwave - Jungleclan warrior Rain that Blurs the Sky - Tribe navigator Turtlehop - Tidalclan Healer
Tunapaw was settling in as if he was staying for a while. Turtlehop couldn't help but mentally sigh, because while she adored the feisty young fledgling, she knew in about a whiskers length of time he'd be making a mess in her stores. Young cats didn't seem to understand she had them organized for a reason.
Before she could say "mouse!", he was pawing through her herbs, and the older she-cat held back a loud sigh. At the very least, he was confirming her own decisions - Shellpaw held some interesting talents. "Having a strong memory is a useful asset to both fighters and healers," she purred knowingly, padding forward and crouching down beside him. The tortoiseshell wasn't offended by the scent of poultice in his coat, of course. She held no sign of being tired by his ramblings - it was lovely, hearing about clan life outside the healer den. Crushes and relations and so forth. Turtlehop herself had never thought of taking a mate. There was no rule saying she couldn't, but she knew doing so while being the only healer in the clan would certainly be frowned upon. Her duties came first. But, perhaps if Shellpaw learned quickly, she could think about taking a break from her own duties for a family...
She shook her head mentally. That was a long way off, and no one had ever shown her romantic interest.
"Quirks can be very interesting indeed. Just don't get too caught up in romances. You need to earn your fighter name first! And before that, learn to keep your coat handsome!" She nudged her nose into his ears affectionately. "When you're older, you'll have all the she-cats mooning after you. I'm a healer, I know things," she teased, winking.
It was the truth, at any rate. Charismatic toms always did well in the clan. She'd observed it for many moons, and helped birth many litters because of it.
She had a mental image of troublemaking mini Tunapaws running around her herb stores, and nearly snorted.
"Now, cmon dear. Would you like to help me paw these back in order?" Turtlehop purred, eager to get her stores back in order, and knowing having something to do would help Tunapaw settle.
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Swiftwave - Jungleclan warrior Rain that Blurs the Sky - Tribe navigator Turtlehop - Tidalclan Healer
A coward was it? Swiftwave rolled his eyes at her words, ignoring the fireflies finally and padding after her. "Wanting to keep your hide intact isn't the same as being a coward. A coward wouldn't have followed the broody girl out of camp during the night." Most cats still thought she had something to do with her mother's death; he imagined very few would 'risk' following her into the jungle alone. He knew better, in all honesty. She hadn't been an evil kit. She'd been pushed into solitude, just like he had, yet in different ways.
He kept his edginess to grunts and sulking.
Swiftwave nodded to her words, finally going quiet as the terrain grew a bit more difficult to navigate. She went ahead, leaping almost in a show-off way, and he had to use his wits to keep up and not appear to be stumbling along. It was rather impressive, he admitted mentally, that she kept this up nearly nightly and hadn't been hurt yet.
When they reached the edge of the cliff, he understood why this was worth it to her. It was a gorgeous view, moonlight bathing jungle underbrush below them. More fireflies flitted around their heads, and further below. He took it in silently, eyes a little wide, settling into a comfortable sitting position. No way he was going to leave this spot anytime soon.
He felt a stare on him, and yellow eyes flicked over to meet Cranefeather's. For whatever reason, he felt his ears start to get hot under his pelt. This was probably considered romantic or some garbage. Swiftwave wasn't romantic. He never even had a she-cat glance at him with anything other than annoyance in her eyes.
The tom looked away quickly, focusing on the flickering lights below them. "It's pretty." His tail swished over to curl onto his paws. "Is this why you sneak out then?" It was such an innocent reason, if it was. Maybe the apprentice he'd known was still in there, somewhere.
He nearly scoffed out loud. "I'm older than you. If it's dangerous for me, it's equally as dangerous for you," he reasoned, perhaps with a little more playfulness than he'd offer to any other clanmate. Something about growing up in the apprentices' den with the she-cat, and their shared introvert personalities, made it easier to talk to her. Easier to tease even. He had a flashback to being a young cat, and leaving burrs in her nest as a prank. He'd nearly gotten his ears clawed off, but there had been a sparkle in her eyes that made him think she liked the attention.
That sparkle hadn't been there in moons.
He followed - of course he did. Swiftwave wasn't about to cowed down by a pissy she-cat. Besides, she had a point that the nighttime jungle wasn't safe. If she wanted to be all edgy and wander off, he could at least join her. He liked being edgy too, you see. The tom sprang after her, and kept up a brisk trot alongside her white figure.
"You do this a lot," he commented, though not in an accusatory tone. "I have to admit, it's nice taking a walk at night. Ignoring the fact we could both be eaten."
His ears were definitely staying perked for the first sign of anything stalking them. Dying as some panther's lunch was not on the list of life goals, okay?
A firefly buzzed overhead, and he stopped to leap up, batting it out of the air. It flopped to the forest floor, stunned. Purring, he put both paws over the glowing form, watching his white fur start to glow eerily. "There's more of these here than in camp," he mused, tail swishing.
He followed with increasing difficulty. The terrain so familiar to him in the day became nearly impossible to navigate at night with the speed in which Cranefeather did. She had been doing this for a while, he realized, probably moons. Now he thought over it, he hadn't ever seen her sleep in the warrior's den - the few attempts she tried were met with the hissy fits of mistrustful cats. Funny how fast hate could spread.
Swiftwave kept up with her as best he could, ignoring the distracting lights of fireflies buzzing lazily through the vines. As they drew further away from the camp, he thought about predators lurking in the undergrowth, and became a touch more wary. Doing this every night was certainly a risk, and it was only a matter of time before Cranefeather's luck ran out.
Finally, she must have noticed she had a shadow. He halted as she did, crouched down low in the grass. The she-cat scented the air, but the wind was keeping his scent from her. As she hissed and became more agitated, he decided to finally reveal himself before she panicked too much and jumped him. The white she-cat likely thought he was a creature hunting her, or a more aggressive clanmate looking to call her out. He was neither - even if it was odd behavior, he wasn't the sort of stuck up pansy who would report to Toucanstar looking for good boy points.
"It's Swiftwave," was quietly offered, as he stood up fully and stepped forward so she could see the white streaks of his muzzle and chest in the dark. He eyed he claws with a raised eyebrow, then snorted. "I'm not going to eat you, if you were worried."
He didn't know exactly what else to say, aside from admitting he was bored enough to spy on her, so he fell into a comfortable silence to let her explain... Or not.
He generally stood up too late. It came from not feeling comfortable sleeping in the warrior's den. There was a sense of being surrounded, which as an instinct, felt safe. But then the more detailed thoughts came, as he lay there listening the rhythmic hums and purrs of sleeping felines. Did they truly care if he was here? Did it matter if he was, or wasn't? He was a body count, one more member of Jungleclan who made a larger whole. He didn't have any true friends, no more family left who cared. Perhaps one or two cats he could loosely describe as not annoying to be around... But not really.. Deep, connected friends.
So it would grow uncomfortable, and suffocating. Swiftwave would pad out of the den, and lay down in a shadowy corner of the camp, under twinkling stars that held no comfort. At least he could breathe.
He noticed things, too. Sometimes a kit who was bravely poking its head out of the nursery while the queen slept. He'd hiss softly at them, a pair of yellow eyes, and send them scurrying back inside. Sometimes mates sneaking off for a nighttime stroll.
More often than was probably good, Cranefeather sneaking off into the jungle. He wondered if she knew he knew, though he never called her out when the sun rose. She was the odd one of the clan, but despite old bones and spats, she did her job. That counted for something. She could have just as easily gone off on her own never to be seen again... But she didn't.
Just like he didn't.
Tonight, as he lay with his head on his paws, he watched her leave again with a rousing curiosity. For some reason, tonight it felt right to rise onto all fours and quietly pad after the ghostly white form of his clanmate into the jungle. He wasn't doing it to call her out, to be malicious and give info to Toucanstar... He just simply needed to know, after so many moons of watching.
So he followed her, a sleek black form. Wondering how long it would take till she noticed she had a shadow...
He honestly stifled a small bit of laughter as she fell over in shock when the fish began to fly out of the water. Was this the joy of teaching a young cat how to... Be? Seeing them learning?
He was getting a bit too sentimental, especially over Toadpaw - probably one of the daftest apprentices in the camp. He choked it down, and let his black and white face fall back into blank seriousness. "Told you," he grunted, though a faint smirk rose up despite itself. Perhaps next time, she'd believe him and not question his sanity on flying fish.
Back to the task at hand. Swiftwave was not about to mess up catching one, in front of Toadpaw. It lent him a feverish short of perseverance as the first few fish blew right over his head in their panic. His haunches bunched up, his yellow eyes turned into slits watching the sky...
And as another flew over his head, he propelled himself into the air as cats do, front paws lashing out to smack the creature out of the sky. It flopped down into the water, stunned for only a moment - he wasted no time in lurching down and killing it with a quick bite to its neck.
Thank you Starclan, for its life. It was mental thought drilled into him by his own mentor, but it always felt empty when he thought it. Swiftwave pushed the thought aside, and waded out of the water to let the prey drop on the sand.
"And that is how you catch a flying fish. Think you could try?" The only right answer here would be yes, because even if she said no, he was going to have her do it anyway.
All these sound awesome! I'll DM you about Swift/Crane And I'd totally be up for a turtle tuna shell thread! I think they'd be a cute group to play out!
Swiftwave - Jungleclan warrior Rain that Blurs the Sky - Tribe navigator Turtlehop - Tidalclan Healer
Turtlehop knew she was the oldest of the three high ranking cats in Tidalclan. It was time she chose an apprentice to carry on the spiritual duties she had learned from her own mentor season ago. It was coming soon after the deputy trial, she knew. Another big ceremony for the clan to bond over, or perhaps be rifted apart over. She knew there was some mild upset from the older warriors who were upstaged by Sharksong, but she also knew he would do his utmost to prove himself to them as capable.
She had chosen to have this ceremony in the morning, the night before when she discussed the final decision with Tinystar. It had been a close call between Pearlpaw and Shellpaw, but in her gut, Turtlehop felt the young she-cat held more of a mindset that could lead to a strong connection with the gods and their ancestors. What better time to start this young cat's new life, than with the rising of the sun?
The healer swept out of her den as the darkness started to fade, ducking her head into the leader's den to softly mewl for Tinystar. "It's time," she purred, a hint of excitement in her usually calm voice. She had so much to show Shellpaw, and she could only hope she would be a good mentor to the she-cat.
The pair of females would head over to the Stone Wall together. For once, the healer allowed to sit atop it - on equal ground with the leader for this ceremony under the Gods' watchful eyes. Tinystar would yowl the call for their clan to gather, some sleepy faces emerging from dens, and early-rises coming forward curiously. Turtlehop, despite her mild nerves over getting the ceremony's words right, attempted to hold herself high, somewhat regal. She needed to match Tinystar's strength.
When the clan was gathered, she raised her voice. "As you all know, I'm getting on in years. I'm certainly not done checking you all for ticks yet, but it's time I trained a fledgling in my wake." Yellow eyes swept across the familiar faces, and she took a small breath. "The Gods work in mysterious ways. While there are no young kits to take on as an apprentice, I have been watching the young cats of this clan for the past few moons. I believe it is one fledgling's destiny to move from the path of a warrior to the path of a healer."
Her gaze landed onto the sleek form of Shellpaw. "Shellpaw, Tinystar and myself have agreed that you hold the potential to become Tidalclan's next healer. You will be trained by myself starting today, until you may hold the title of healer yourself."
Her tail beckoned the she-cat forward, though her eyes flicked briefly to Tinystar in an almost apologetic manner. It felt odd doing this all on her own, and not just watching the leader say the fighter fledgling words.
Turtlehop jumped down from the wall, and stood in front of Shellpaw. Her voice rang clear, with some effort on her part to not let her voice shake. "Do you accept the path of the Gods, Shellpaw, and renounce the ways of a fighter in its wake?" The apprentice could of course refuse, but the event was as unlikely as Sharksong refusing the deputy trials had been. It was an honor, and she was already mentally reciting the final words of the ceremony should the she-cat say accept her fate.
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Swiftwave - Jungleclan warrior Rain that Blurs the Sky - Tribe navigator Turtlehop - Tidalclan Healer
"You show promise in other expertise!" Turtlehop shot back through a mouthful of herbs, shooting the young tom a small smile. He was such a personality, always up in the other young cats' business. It was good, but at times she could imagine his mouth running himself into a deep hole. In this case, she was using it her own advantage. She nodded understandingly to his words, knowing fully that his sibling, Bleakpaw, and Urchinpaw were most certainly not the cats she had in mind. They would wilt in the healer den - she needed someone who would grow.
Then he mentioned the two fledglings she'd been considering. Pearlpaw and Shellpaw. Both stood out as not quite fitting into the happy go lucky vibe that blanketed the group, and she'd been eyeing them since kithood. They both had hard upbringings - the healer, while not able to step in to help much as some family issues were beyond her power, felt compassion for them both. It reminded her of her own childhood, many moons ago, and the current estrangement with her family members. Part of her wanted to rescue them both, show them you could move past family trying to bring you down.
But that was beyond the point. She needed one who could hold the skills and knowledge of a healer. A small frown graced her muzzle at the mention of Pearlpaw not talking much. A healer needed the skills to deal with patients, give them comfort in times of need. Another tick up for Shellpaw - especially if she could ward off Tunapaw's flirting.
The last of the rosemary lapped into his fur, she purred a laugh. "Gorgeous is it? Does my favorite troublemaker have a little crush?" Turtlehop's whiskers twitched. "Though don't tell the others I said that." Couldn't have him running around with an inflated head being the healer's favorite. His poor mentor.
She swept back into her stores, rifling around for more herbs. "What kind of strange is Shellpaw? Does she go off in her own head a lot?" That could mean she was in fact more attuned to the gods, and their ancestors.
ulla
Swiftwave - Jungleclan warrior Rain that Blurs the Sky - Tribe navigator Turtlehop - Tidalclan Healer
Ravenfire & Swiftwave I weirdly think these two would get along? They're both socially awkward and just want to do their duties without being overly chatty and friendly - I could see them working well on hunting/border patrols. Just two sturdy introverts who understand there's not always a need to be social.
Cranefeather & Swiftwave I'd love some interactions with these two. I feel like he's definitely wary of her, but has some sort of respect for her cunning and resourcefulness. He's probably pretty curious about where she heads off to at night sometimes, but just can't be bothered to question her or follow xD They wouldn't be friends, but I think he wouldn't make an enemy of her either - unless she really dislikes him and makes an effort to get into little spats.
Turtlehop & Tunapaw These two are really cute! I think she admires how happy-go-lucky and cheeky he is. She definitely has a soft spot for him.
Turtlehop & Pearlpaw She probably relates strongly to his family issues, and would likely try to catch him on the side sometimes to just be an understanding older figure to talk to about it.
Turtlehop & Newtstripe She probably gets on with him easily enough, but I can imagine she knows a bit about the younger cats' little love triangle and it makes her awkward as heck. xD
Swiftwave - Jungleclan warrior Rain that Blurs the Sky - Tribe navigator Turtlehop - Tidalclan Healer
Turtlehop was mentally preparing herself to go through the Fledglings' bedding tomorrow, searching for any more signs of the little black insects that caused annoying itches. Even if she didn't find any, she would probably end up redoing the mossy nests herself anyway. It was just how she liked to work - nothing done by halves. She nearly missed Tunapaw's question, and certainly didn't notice how he looked at the other she-cats with a shy embarrassment. Healers didn't often think of those kind of romantic ventures... Or at least, she didn't.
"Mhmm," she replied with a brisk nod, leading him into her den. "Ticks generally bite one cat, then leave you alone. Fleas stay on you as long as they're untreated, and can hop onto others easily. So if I left you with them, next we'd know the whole camp would be flopped around itching instead of hunting." Turtlehop was making it out a tiny bit worse than it actually was, but that was a tactic to keep young cats grooming themselves frequently - and little Tunapaw definitely needed it.
She ducked into the little cleft she kept her herbs in, pawing out a pad-full of rosemary. As she turned back to the black and white tomcat, he asked her if she had an apprentice yet. Turtlepaw shook her head, chuckling. "I won't pick you, don't worry. I only will pick a cat who shows promise." So far, she had her eye on one fledgling, but she wouldn't be announcing anything till after discussing it with Tinystar. Certainly not to another, rather innocently blabbermouthed fledgling. "I haven't found the right cat yet, but I'd like to take on an apprentice soon." She was getting older, and she knew it. Turtlehop had moons still of serving her clan, but she refused to leave training another healer to the last minute. Look what happened to Palmsong, and he had been younger than she was now...
She began to chew up the rosemary, a pungent, but not unpleasant odor starting to fill the space around them. "Have any of your fellow fledglings shown interest?" Perhaps he knew better than her any cats his age who weren't suited to the path of a fighter..
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Swiftwave - Jungleclan warrior Rain that Blurs the Sky - Tribe navigator Turtlehop - Tidalclan Healer
Her response was exactly what he expected - disbelief, mixed in with some more good humor, perhaps. She smiled back at him, causing Swiftwave to feel like perhaps he was getting the respect he deserved. Good choice then, going to the beach. His tail curled around his paws neatly, and the tom cat shook his head to her words.
"Well, you haven't been out of camp enough to see one, have you?" he shot back, one eyebrow raising. "I'm sure you have at any rate, the warriors bring them in as fresh kill sometimes. It just takes a certain type of skill to catch them." Truly, there were probably easier fish to prey upon - but something about the thrill of hunting flying fish was just more... Fulfilling.
She was going to learn, and perhaps find that spark that was needed to drive her into becoming a warrior... Not just a lazy kit.
"Stay here, and watch." The black and white tom flitted up onto all four paws, before pacing along the damp shoreline where the waves met sand. He was searching for the tell-tale sign of a silver flash, and after a short while he spotted what he was looking for a little ways down the beach.
Swiftwave flicked his tail to Toadpaw, saying "Come here." When she was closer, he would tilt his head to the water to show her where to look. "See that shimmer underwater? Those are the flying fish. They always come in little clans of their own. What I want you to do," he continued, turning an intense yellow gaze on her, "Is throw any idea you have about fishing out of your head." She probably thought it was boring. Which it was, generally, but this would be far from it. "You're going to go in, and start chasing them along the shore. Herd them away from going deeper into the ocean as best you can. Stomp, splash, stick your mouth in and snap. When they start flying, I'll show you how to catch them, so pay attention to what I do."
It was a lot of instruction at once, Swiftwave thought with a bit of wariness. Hopefully the young she-cat could retain it all. It'd be a good test for her at the very least.