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.
Her response wasn't very satisfactory, but what could one expect from a kit? He heaved a quiet snort in response to it being boring, because a warrior really didn't have a pick of exciting duties all the time. Swiftwave was already realizing the kind of difficulty he would have in knocking the facts of life into this she-cat's head. In her defense, she at least stated she wouldn't mind the task, but if he was being picky she shouldn't have to state that in the first place.
"Even if it's boring, it helps your clan. How would you feel if the queens and elders starved because you went off doing something else fun?" His tail lashed, betraying a mild form of irritation. He didn't have the kind of patience to explain the basics to an apprentice. Couldn't her mother have straightened Toadpaw out before handing her off to him?
He didn't have the energy to argue with her eating beforehand. Hunting did surprisingly take up a lot of energy, and she was soon going to figure out that carrying around juicy, fresh tidbits made your stomach ravenous. The young tortoiseshell got another grunt in reply to her question about the sun, although one with a bit more agreement hidden in the tone. At least she wasn't entirely stupid.
He flicked his tail for her to follow, and dashed off at rapid speed, away from the camp. She was expected to keep up, and perhaps he was being mildly vindictive in wanting her to get a little tired and more mild for the training. His mind went elsewhere though, as they clawed their way over the jungle terrain - what sort of hunting would he show her? He had his own skillset, and that involved mostly land prey and scavenging from tidal pool sea life. The latter was a very small lesson best saved for later, the former they'd already been working on a bit the past few days.
Fishing and bird hunting were next - both of which he wasn't the best at. Birds involved climbing most often, and his tall frame left him feeling lanky and unstable in treetops. Fishing just.. Irritated him. It was a slow, precise skill that involved a lot of waiting. And water, which he could live without. Swiftwave didn't feel like ending up in the bottom of the ocean like his father...
However, there was one type of fish he actually enjoyed hunting for. Perhaps because they didn't really seem like fish, and the technique to snatch them involved more than just standing in the waves waiting.
With a small, toothy grin, his path veered off towards the beach. "This way! We're going to try fishing." He would gallop full speed till they hit the sand, then slow to a confident romp to reach the water's edge. Swiftwave swept into a sitting position, looking down with perhaps a tiny bit of eagerness at the young apprentice.
"Now.. Have you ever seen a flying fish?" he asked with a grin, knowing she most likely hadn't.
Vin, I feel like Hibiscus and Turtle could totally be friends, or at the very least Turtle just enjoys being a motherly/guiding figure to her. Maybe have some girl talk threads in the future ;D
Rosa, I'm loving Swift and Cocoa! He definitely finds her irritating, but there's also that need to have cats he can relate to, and I feel like he'll probably hit that point with her eventually.
@artemis, hit you up already in the discord, but after deputy trials we totally need a Tiny/Turtle thread to discuss how it goes!
nifty, Definitely can see Swift just not getting along with Orchid and biting his tongue a lot around her. As for Shark, maybe someday they can meet in neutral territory and have a little spat Turtle will definitely feel mildly intimidated by Shark, but do her best to be a guiding force seeing how much younger he is. I can see some awkward threads ahead xD
Swiftwave - Jungleclan warrior Rain that Blurs the Sky - Tribe navigator Turtlehop - Tidalclan Healer
Tunapaw, despite his cheekiness, never failed to elicited soft girlish giggles from her. Something about his happy-go-lucky attitude was just so refreshing in her life. Out of all the fledglings, he was probably her favorite. The messiest, the most often in trouble, but somehow just a ray of sunshine in their sometimes dark clan life. Turtlehop purred back at his tease, waiting till the nasty little insect released its hold on his back before trying to reply.
"Now don't give Kraiteye too much stress, Tunapaw," the healer joked back, though with a slight seriousness to her tone. "At his age, you're likely to give him heart jitters with your cheek." Hopefully, the pair would survive long enough for the black and white tomcat to become a proper warrior. She looked forward to the day he might feel a tad more responsibility and goof around a little less.
One tick down, she used her paws to part his fur in search of more. His question had her humming, attempting to think up anything interesting to tell him about that didn't involve the usual boring healer tasks. Her work was probably far from interesting, in all honesty. She wasn't running about getting into scraps, hunting, or climbing tall jungle trees. "We do," she answered slowly, "But in our own wa- oh Tunapaw, you have some fleas!"
A little black dot had jumped between her claws, and she practically leaped back in mild disgust - quite the feat for a healer trained in injuries and rather gruesome wounds, but fleas... Fleas held the other kind of disgust and fear. Where he'd picked them up, she had no idea.
There a disgruntled cry from the other fledglings, some skittering back slightly. "You'll need to come with me to my den, I'll give you a thorough grooming and put some herbs in your coat to repel them." She might need to come back in the morning and place some lemon grass around the bedding of the other fledglings, in case the vermin tried to spread.
"No need to panic," she reiterated, tail lashing with a renewed purpose as she bustled Tunapaw up and towards the entrance with her nose. "I'll leave the bile with you lot, if you have any ticks you need to treat immediately. If not, I'll be back tomorrow."
The work of a healer never ended, she thought with a sigh.
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Swiftwave - Jungleclan warrior Rain that Blurs the Sky - Tribe navigator Turtlehop - Tidalclan Healer
He still wasn't sure how he felt about having an apprentice, finally. Toadpaw was... She was. She was his first apprentice, so he was supposed to feel proud. She was a she-cat, so he kind of felt a tiny bit awkward dealing with her. She was happy, and energetic, which was technically good. But she was also very, very outgoing, and hadn't seemed to realize yet that Swiftwave was the type of cat who would more often than not grunt in reply to your questions.
As he sat off in a corner, giving himself a quick groom, she got a small grunt in reply to her greeting. Great Starclan, he had to train this... Kit. He'd been thinking up things to keep her occupied with, but even if the short time she'd been assigned to him, it seemed he was running out of ideas.
A paw flicked over his ear, thoughtful. He could work on her hunting.. Show her the territory.. Battle practice? Was she too young for that still?
Maybe he could just tell her to go clean the elder's bedding. Then he could go off alone in peace. That wasn't appropriate, however. He knew better than to push his attitude off onto the younger cat. Toucanstar had granted him with a very heavy warrior duty, and he wasn't about to mess it up.
Hunting was the best option. "We're going to work on your hunting technique today. Eat now if you're hungry, because we won't be able to once we leave." He recognized his tone came off a little blunt, but it was early enough in the day he didn't care to correct it.
Family Turtlehop's father! Mate to Jasmineleap. Sons are Stormsong and Shadowfur. Personality Open! Some key points are he's very proud, stubborn, and strong-willed. He's definitely always seen as a hot-head, but is of course loyal to his clan. I imagine only his mate can keep him calm when he's having a big hissy fit. Relationships Somewhat bossy with his family. Loving to Jasmineleap, but often expects her to follow his lead without question. Has a strong resentment to Turtlehop for not following in her parents lead and becoming a fighter - he often silently questions whether she's even fit for the position, or if her mentor took pity on her. Constantly tries to breathe down her neck and find things she could do better. Adores Good Boi Fighter Stormsong. Gets into arguements with Shadowfur, who's as tempermental and stubborn as he is. Appearance Image just an idea! Feel free to use your own or ask me for a bigger version.
SHADOWFUR
Tidalclan * Fighter * 58 moons
Family Turtlehop's brother! Parents are Piranhaclaw and Jasmineleap. Personality Open, but the main idea is he's even more strong-willed and bossy than his father. Quick to fight, argue, and question authority, he was a spoiled kit who has grown into a spoiled, entitled warrior. Maybe secretly doesn't believe in the Gods, or even resents their power?? Depends on how edgy you want to get. ;D Relationships Often gets into arguments with his father over who knows best, and will openly do the opposite of what he's told just to irritate the old man. Doesn't really talk to his mother or brother - they're dull to him. Resents Turtlehop's position in the clan, and often avoids her - when they do interact, he somehow always manages to slip in subtle insults about her capability. Appearance Image just an idea! Feel free to use your own or ask me for a bigger version.
Swiftwave - Jungleclan warrior Rain that Blurs the Sky - Tribe navigator Turtlehop - Tidalclan Healer
Tunapaw, was unsurprisingly, the first cat to jump for her attention. She could not help but beam around her uncomfortable mouthful at the little tomcat's enthusiasm. Most fledglings shied away from the foul stuff, acting as if they were much too tough to bother with it. She disliked wrangling them down, and honestly wished that cats (aside from elders) would just openly come to her for help more often. The black and white fledgling wasn't shy, to her delight, so she had no apprehension about gesturing him closer to work. "Of course sweetie," Turtlehop purred, her voice still a little distorted from her mouthful.
He asked after the elders, causing a collective groan. The young cats knew she shouldn't be helping them sneak out of the typical fledgling duties, even if she insisted it was fine and she had plenty of time on her hands anyway.
It was ah... A bit of a stretch, honestly. Healer duties took up a surprisingly large amount of time. But she wouldn't let them know that, of course.
Her tail twitched in amusement at any rate, as she nudged a wad of spare moss over with a paw. Balancing the stick bundle on it carefully, so not to let the precious bile drip off, she rubbed her cheek against Tunapaw's comfortingly and then had him settle lying down. "Oh, the usual," Turtlehop joked to the tom, parting the fur along his spine in search for ticks. "Achy, grouchy, arguing about the best places to hunt. They're sometimes hard to stand," she continued, talking a little louder so the group of fledglings could hear, "But they earned it. A full life of serving your clan means you get to annoy young cats too one day." There were always a few more bossy youngsters who'd fully enjoy that.
A fat tick was spotted near Tunapaw's shoulder blades. She grasped the stick and began dabbing bile onto it, till it dropped off. "How goes the exciting adventures of fledglings?" Turtlehop queried, with honest interest. She knew the kind of trouble her brothers had gotten up to...
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Swiftwave - Jungleclan warrior Rain that Blurs the Sky - Tribe navigator Turtlehop - Tidalclan Healer
Ticks this time of year were always a mess. The hot weather brought them creeping out, attached to the tropical foliage waiting for unsuspecting victims to brush against them. Not just the elders suffered, but the fighters and fledglings often came back from patrols and hunts with the little insects attached. Typically, they could deal with them on their own, but Turtlehop knew that even the fittest of cats appreciated a little help getting the trickily attached ones off.
They just often tried to wave her off. Act like it wasn't a big deal. Turtlehop knew better, and the healer wasn't easily shook away. The clan knew by now, even if she wasn't the strongest character, she couldn't be dissuaded from her duties. The tortoiseshell would follow a fighter through the whole territory dabbing mouse-bile on their ticks if she had to.
Mouse-bile, the most disgusting of remedies. Even if a fledgling was on punishment duties, she often tried to sneak them out of dealing with the nasty stuff. She was used to it. A poor six moon old cat didn't need to breathe in the stench! Turtlehop was fine doing it on her own.
It was methodical work, and she honestly loved it.
Today, she was carrying two wads of moss, attached to a stick, reeking of the pungent odor of bile. The elders got first treatment, but were their usual grouchy selves and almost caught her in the middle of an argument over which was the best hunting spot in the territory. She had to be graceful backing out of that conversation. It wasn't like she often hunted - how was she to know?
The fighters and fledglings would be easier targets to her aid. They were always polite, offering her respect she didn't sometimes think she deserved. She wasn't that important, was she? Surely Tinystar outshone her. Turtlehop stunk of herbs and bile and spent her days fiddling with herbs, not running a clan!
But at any rate, she headed over to the bundle of moss that was the fledgling's sleeping spot, looking to catch a few of the little rascals before they tucked in for the night. "Ticks, anyone?" came a muffled mumble from around her stick, the she-cat's tail twitching in the sort of way that meant business.
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Swiftwave - Jungleclan warrior Rain that Blurs the Sky - Tribe navigator Turtlehop - Tidalclan Healer
Friends They're a WIP. I imagine he's pretty hard to get along with, and not too close his clanmates. Enemies He probably makes them easily. I'd love some tenseness between clanmates and maybe even some Tidalclan cats he's seen and pissed off? Love life If you like an edgy boi... Open to romance, I imagine he's a difficult little poop.
TURTLEHOP
Tidalclan * Healer * 58 moons
Friends I'd love for her to have some buddies! I'm sure she'd have a few in the clan, probably more females than males. She'd feel a little shyer with the opposite sex outside of healing duties. Enemies Wouldn't imagine she has any... But perhaps some clanmates who question if she's really strong enough to hold the title of healer? Love life She's a Good Girl, but I can imagine with her easily pushed personality that she might be tempted into a romance.
Rather petite in size, Turtlehop has a short, soft pelt of light tortoiseshell colors. She likes to think she’s rather pretty, and attempts to keep herself decently groomed - especially her white portions of fur. Not extremely muscled, she appears a little dainty - most certainly not a fighter. The cold gets to her a bit more than her clanmates at times, and she often has sneezing fits come the stormy months. Her eyes are yellowish color, bordering on green. They are set in a wide, almost chubby face. Her body is more slender, with small white paws and a sleek tail. She has no noticeable markings in her mixed coat, aside from a white patch on her stomach.
Personality
Positive Traits:
• Motherly • Organized • Observant
Negative Traits:
• God-fearing • Indecisive • Anxious
Personality:
Turtlehop has all the qualities it takes to be a good healer - she's motherly, organized, and observant. She treats her clanmates like she would her kits, and often acts as a shoulder to lean on or an ear for other's troubles. Her major fault, though, is that when asked for an opinion she often can't give one because she just.. Hates taking sides. She doesn't want to upset either party, and is often easily coaxed into agreeing with someone depending how pushy they are. Often this leads to her becoming overly anxious about what she should do. Is it better warning her clanmates of an ominous prophecy? Or should it keep it from them to stop the clan needlessly panicking? Her fear of the Gods often makes her assume the worst of situations, despite her best efforts to think things through logically. She is, however, very observant. She learned the hard way the dangers of not paying close attention to her clanmates - her mentor, Palmsong, died because she wasn't aware he was ill. From then on, she's been almost nosy over her clan's well being; the smallest limp means you're being examined. It keep everyone rather healthy, admittedly, but oftentimes it can be a little exasperating.
Skills & Combat
Strengths:
• Herbal knowledge • Healing • Climbing
Weaknesses:
• Fighting • Running • Swimming
Combat:
• Defense: 16 • Attack: 1d20+6
Character Background
Family:
Mother: Jasmineleap Father: Piranhaclaw Brothers: Stormsong and Shadowfur
History:
Turtlekit was born to a typical pair of parents - two young fighters in love since kithood. Her mother, Jasmineleap, was a sweet cat; her father was a rather tough tom who expected nothing but the best from his kits. He was proud to have two toms in the litter, but was always a little awkward around his rather quiet and sweet daughter. He was a very hands on father, at least, and often tried to help his kits practice tussling as soon as they could play outside the nursery.
By then, Turtlekit was already showing her tendency to keep things orderly, and preferred to stay out of her boisterous brothers' ways. She didn't like fighting them! Besides, she was always easily bowled over by the bigger kittens. Her parents tried to encourage her, to no avail. Piranhaclaw wasn't sure how to deal with his daughter, and never truly considered her becoming a healer fledgling - the former healer was still rather young at the time.
At one point, hoping to dissuade his daughter from collecting her little piles of leaves, Piranhaclaw chucked them all out of the nursery, telling her to focus or she'd never end up useful to the clan. Turtlekit, hurt and lost, ran off out of camp when her mother wasn't looking.
Luckily for everyone involved, this doesn't end in her falling into the ocean and getting eaten by sharks.
She met Palmsong, their current healer. He seemed to understand her upset when he finally coaxed the whimpering kit to explain, and promised he would talk to her parents.
When he brought her home to her worried parents, he took them both aside and explained that, perhaps, the path of a fighter wasn't for Turtlekit. Even though he was young, Palmsong argued with their leader that he wouldn't have any other fledgling than Turtlekit, much to her delight. The young kit was finally on a path she could be happy on, and do her best. She would be useful to her clanmates, even if it wasn't through hunting or fighting.
Her fledgling role went smoothly. She was satisfied with being a 'paw for a while yet, knowing that Palmsong was still quite a few years away from retirement. She watched her brothers made into fighters proudly, though they were never equally proud of their sister. Shadowfur was particularly jealous of her high ranking position, and eventually the siblings grew so distanced that they now rarely speak outside of duties. Her father was equally suspicious of her eventually becoming the clan's healer - often he would try to insert himself in her way, questioning if she even knew what she was really doing or if she only wanted to get out of fighting. Only with age did she gain a tiny bit more respect, but she still feels as if she's a disappointment to him.
In her second year, the clan's leader, Coconutstar, died. She witnessed her mentor perform the Resurgence on the current deputy, bringing their new Chief Tinystar back to life. It only helped to solidify her belief, and fear, in the Gods' power. From then on, she began taking even more serious note of omens and symbols around her, perhaps even becoming slightly worrisome in her attempt to correctly interpret meanings.
Around four season later, her healer skills were put to the test as sickness spread through the camp. Palmsong and Turtlepaw struggled to fight it off, and the healer den was full of infected cats. It took nearly a moon for the worst of sickness to pass, but by then Turtlepaw had realized too late... Palmsong had become infected, hiding it from her so that he could keep caring for those even weaker than himself. She did her best to help, to cure him... But in the end, it was too late. He was lost to the clan, much too young, and she once more felt the blame was on herself for not being truly good enough.
She had to hide those worries, though. She kept them to herself, and put on the warm, motherly front that came so naturally to her when not plagued by family issues and fears. Sometimes she even forgets her insecurities, and feels like she's doing a good job... But often, some sort of family conflict comes up that puts her back down once more.
But either way, Turtlehop is now Tidalclan's full-fledged healer, and has been comfortably in that position for a few seasons. She still wonders if there was more Palmsong might have taught her, but she's satisfied she does her best for her clanmates, despite her own flaws and worries. She will continue to do so, until the time the Gods see fit for her to rest.
Tall black and white short hair tom with yellow eyes.
Appearance:
Swiftwave is a little taller than the typical Jungleclan tom - which means overall, he is a very lanky specimen. He has long legs made for sprinting, and a sleek figure that shows off a decent amount of wiry muscle. His coat is short and shiny, easily groomed with a few careless laps of the tongue. His coat pattern has a touch more white in it than some of his clanmates, but he does not let that spell weakness when it comes to hunting. Sharp yellow eyes pick out prey in the darkest of places, and hold a rather intense gleam in everyday conversation. As for Swiftwave's coat, it is a simple black and white shorthair pattern. His most noticeable markings include white paws, a white stomach, and a white blaze down the center of his nose.
"Laid-back" does not quite describe Swiftwave's intense personality. He is a loyal Jungleclan cat, and would die without question for the right cause. But, with intensity comes a form of impatience and willfulness that can often be a bit overwhelming. Whatever he does, he does for his clan... Be it good or bad. He can come off as hostile at times, with an oddly intuitive mind that can come off as a tad unsettling. High-strung, Swiftwave is a very suitable name for the tom. He is eager to keep moving and doing things. But like a flowing wave, he may often change his stance on what he thinks is the best option for himself, or his clanmates. He would not outright fight against authority, but he wouldn't be afraid to question a situation if something arises that makes him believe there is a better way to deal with it. Despite being younger, he likes to think he is one of the best warriors in the clan - the smartest, fastest, and most skillful. When he performs well, it only solidifies this stance, and can make him a little hard to deal with. Swiftwave has a hard time making close relationships, and though he would never say so, often feels a little distanced from the cats in his clan. He likes to think that doing better in the warrior way of life will make cats like him more, but he's afraid to admit his own social attitude might need an adjustment.
Swiftkit was born with a single stillborn sibling, to an older mother. Morningsplash was considered to be elderly for a queen, and knew very well this was going to be her first and last litter. She had worked hard as a warrior, never once considering to have a litter of her own. She did not want to be tied down by kits, but as she grew closer to retiring to the elder's den.. She decided perhaps she was missing something in life.
Enter Swiftkit's father, Runningshine. A bright, sweet male who was much younger than Morningsplash. He loved the idea of having a family in the clan, but was perhaps a little bit too socially awkward to find a willing mate his own age. The two cats, while not truly in love, agreed that having a litter would fulfill both their wants. They got along decently, and soon enough little Swiftkit came along.
Perhaps because she only had one kit, Morningsplash was a very overly-protective, doting queen. Swiftkit often preferred spending time with her compared to the other kits in the nursery at the time. They didn't praise him when he did well playing catch the mossball! They were jealous that he was so good at it!
His mother did nothing to discourage this haughty behavior, and his father was too inexperienced to know how to scold such an attitude. Swiftkit turned into Swiftpaw, and continued to be a troublesome apprentice through his training.
Not long after his first hunting trial, Runningshine became swept away attempting to fish on the coast in not so ideal weather. Instead of properly grieving, Swiftpaw's mother dealt with her grief with the attitude that his father deserved it, if he had been so stupid to try such a thing. Swiftpaw, not knowing how else to cope, followed her lead - furthering his attitude problem, and making him even more socially awkward.
He didn't mind, usually. He had his doting mother to keep him company when he wanted to be social, even when he grew into a warrior.
Swiftwave never thought about a day when he might not have her anymore.
Not long after he received his warrior name, Morningsplash grew ill. Despite everything the medicine cat tried, she only grew worse, until at last she died a few sunrises later. It shook Swiftwave to his core, and never before did he feel so alone and unwanted. Suddenly, the fact no one wanted to sit with him to share prey hurt more. He slowly became more closed off, unsure how to resolve his own issues and make the other warriors like him more.
The only way he knew how to be appreciated was to continue to try and be the best warrior in the camp, but he still feels like something is missing...