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.
Some said it was the opportunity to start anew, throw away all the woes of yesterday and breathe life back into oneself. Kits often played in the soft rays of sun that danced across the opening to the camp, and guides spent their morning soaking up the warmth. Daybreak was full of undiscovered potential, and a gift from the Gods. Those that awoke to the sun cresting the horizon should be thankful that they made it through the night, and take full advantage of the life they were allowed to continue.
Fern thought that was a load of fox-dung.
Mornings were hard, regardless of how inspirational some wanted to be. Her never-ending plague of questions about what else laid out there, just beyond her reach kept sleep away for the better part of most nights. When the she-cat did finally fall asleep, the length of time was never long enough. Fatigued and groggy, the large dark grey tabby would stretch and groan, eyes bleary from lack of sleep. It was an ordeal just to get out of her nest, and most mornings all she wanted to do was slap her tail over her eyes and slip blissfully back into her dreams.
Unfortunately for her, the Tribe didn’t stop just because she was lazy.
Swabbies launched from their nests to find their navigators, eager to start that days training. Kit-mothers soothed the cries of their hungry kits, and patrols were sent out to replenish the fresh-kill pile and check borders. She watched all of this with mild interest, her burly frame tucked into a ball, her tail flicked over her nose, her piercing amber eyes the only indication that the young navigator was awake. She remembered once when she was that eager. When the thought of training with Rain was enough to light a fire in her heart and get her in motion. That fire had long since gone out.
Fern’s jaws parted in a massive yawn. She knew she had to get up, make herself useful, or at the very least, get something in her belly. But her nest was so warm...
It was a usual morning, Firefly thought to himself. [break][break] He was a lazy one, and loathed to get up earlier than he had to. There was little he was excited for today aside from maybe some breakfast. Warily, he shifted his gaze to the nests by the entrance of the camp. Monarch had gotten up long before the sunrise, and Firefly was not surprised. That's one thing Firefly was relieved about. At least as a mere Navigator, he could sleep in. Firefly licked a long scar along his flank. That scar was fresh; he had challenged Monarch's ascension to Quartermaster and the pain of losing was not something he was willing to forget. [break][break] But Quartermaster or not, the Tribe's life went on. He rose unsteadily from his nest, cursing at his clammy joints. He was one of the last to rise. Tribe life had little left to offer him, and Firefly groaned at the thought of just another day. [break][break] Even later to rise than he, was the rather erratic Fern. Her dark brown tabby fur caught his eye. Perhaps even young cats had trouble getting up in the morning, Firefly mused to himself. He gave her a brief, awkward nod before leaving the nesting area. Perhaps he should get to know her better. Firefly adored many of the younger cats in the Clan. Their energy and their hope spread to his own heart too easily. [break][break] Fern, however, was a strange one. What must have burdened her, to cause such pessimism at a young age? [break][break] As the morning bore on, kits squealed in play and Swabbies raced energetically around the camp to catch their mentors. The sight gave Firefly a small inkling of energy again, just enough to get up and contemplate his tasks for the day. Most cats had already left the camp on patrol or other duties. He thought about inviting Fern on a hunt or something, but the thought of talking to someone made him grumble internally.
it never failed. just as the she-cat found herself drifting off once again, the rustle of a nest brought her back to reality. annoyance flickered in her eyes and she glanced in the direction of the noise, making eye contact with the older black tom. as he dipped his head to her, she made a mocking jerk of her own, and then huffed, dropping her chin back onto her paws. she squeezed her eyes shut, and begged the gods to have sleep welcome her, but knowing that she was literally the last one still in her nest, needled her brain. she could only imagine what tempest would think about the young navigator neglecting her duties. it wasn’t exactly confidence inspiring, to say the least.
with an audible groan and a few choice words, the she-cat forced herself to her paws, pieces of her nest falling from her out-of-control pelt. she gave herself the once over, and decided that grooming right now was just too much work. she’d probably be heading out soon anyways. the redundancy of the task wasn’t that appealing. instead, she slunk over to firefly, and gave him a groggy smile. she wasn’t big enough to apologize to him for her rudeness only moments before, but hoped that the smile would gain her some forgiveness.
“mornin’.” yawning, fern brought her hind leg up and scratched behind her ear, sending more pieces of debris flying from her long fur. she looked a hot mess, no doubt, but everyone was so preoccupied with their own lives she doubted any of them would notice. as she put her leg down, she glanced at firefly’s pelt with jealousy. short-pelts always seemed to require much less work, yet his always looked well kept. how anyone had time - short fur or not - was beyond her ability to comprehend. “not assigned a patrol either?” she wasn’t well acquainted with the older tom, though they had gone on patrols together before. she tried to remember if they had ever actually held a conversation, and came up with nothing. perhaps it wouldn’t hurt to get to know him, the gods only knew how badly she was lacking in friends.
Somehow Fern's momentary rudeness did not last long. [break][break] Firefly was slightly confused, as Fern's grumpy, groggy attitude changed suddenly into a smile. Moments later, bits of dirt and debris flew at him from Fern's long-furred pelt. Firefly grumbled to himself. Dirt was not among things he tolerated, and he silently remarked about Fern's bad grooming. He was not a perceptive cat during these drowsy mornings though, and did not care to think that it was not Fern's fault. It was easy for him to spot debris on his short black fur, and even easier for him to shake it off or groom it out. Thus Firefly's morning routine was not nearly as elaborate. [break][break] “Not assigned a patrol either?” Fern's voice made him realize he had zoned out. [break][break] The wordless tom shook his head and shrugged. Frankly he had stopped checking in with the Quartermaster to see if he was on patrol. He had avoided most interaction with Monarch unless absolutely necessary. While Firefly meant no disrespect, he was still rather upset about it, and it felt weird to take orders from a much younger cat. He could have sworn that Monarch and Dragonfly were squealing kits in the nursery just a few moons ago. [break][break] It was unsurprising that he and Fern had never spoken. Firefly does not really, well, speak. [break][break] He decided that today would be a good day to go fishing, or looking for shellfish. The weather was getting much too hot for land prey since he woke up so late. As he turned toward the entrance of the camp, he looked back briefly and wondered if Fern would follow. Reticent as he was, Firefly still enjoyed company. What else would Fern sit around doing all day anyway?
Stingray occasionally lamented his selection as witch. It was... unfortunate, the way he had been set apart. He would have much preferred to spend his time blending in with his siblings, not being noticed, and simply carrying on his life as everyone else. He just had to be special.
But stepping into this den almost always made him understand why he had made such a choice. He choked on the sudden overwhelming smell of so many cats. He was used to the smell of herbs masking the scent of other cats. While he knew that he carried the smell of lavender on his pelt everywhere he went (because he kept it in his nest), he knew that the smell was drowned by the sheer number.
Swabbies and navigators both were swarming and he groaned, slumping to sit down beside the pair of navigators that had not decided to be overwhelmingly energetic this early. He couldn't even remember why he had come into the den anymore. His ear flicked, and he took careful notice of just who Fern was talking to.
Firefly.
He did his best not to be rude and dipped his head to the pair of them. "Good morning. How are the pair of you?"
the itch had she had attended to only moments before was persistent. like a tick buried in the pelt of a guide, fern tried her best to ignore it. however, when one tried to ignore something as annoying as an itch, it always wound up being the only thing they could focus on. up came her foot, her head cocked to accommodate, and while her attention was focused on that, she missed the tom shaking his head at her question.
when she finished, she cocked an eyebrow at him, as if to ask if he had heard her. she had her own habit of being rude, but usually, she didn’t blatantly ignore someone when they spoke to her. she was about to say just that when he rose and turned towards the entrance of the camp, the look over his shoulder somehow inviting. fern could be petty, but the fight in her had been used up to draw herself out of bed. ah well, there were worse things than having company on a hunt. “mornin’ stingray.” she quipped as the lithe torbie approached, always somewhat amused at how dainty he appeared. the juxtaposition of his light pelt and size to her dark and large frame made her wonder if this was what it felt like to have a swabbie nipping at her heels. “i’m good, tired. i think we are heading out?” her tone took an upswing as she glanced back at the black tom. she wasn’t entirely sure if he was inviting her, or checking to see if she had taken some kind of hint to leave him alone. “would you, uh, care to join us?” she had had little interaction with the witch, gods be praised. her injuries had never warranted care above keeping them clean, and the thought of hanging out where all the boring herbs were didn’t appeal to her in the slightest. why anyone would want to waste their days playing with plants was beyond her. fern wasn’t a dumb cat though, and fostering a relationship with the witch may be in her best interest. she offered him a bright smile, and rose to her paws, hopinhg firefly wouldn’t mind that she had extended the invitation.
Firefly had just about given up on getting Fern to come with him when Stingray arrived. [break][break] He raised an eyebrow at Fern's invitation to Stingray. What was the Witch going to do on a hunt with them? You can't catch fish with cobwebs. To be polite, he dipped his head to Stingray. He had no real problem with the Tribe Witch coming along, maybe there were herbs or something down by the shore. Firefly, like Fern, did not understand why any cat would choose to fiddle with plants over being a Navigator. But perhaps the Witch's dainty frame suited that work better. [break][break] He was not about to wait for these two to idle about though. Fern seemed to look at him in question, to which he nodded. Maybe she did not understand that he was inviting her. The gruff young she-cat sure can be confusing herself.[break][break] With a wave of his tail, he repeated his invitation to both of them, motioning toward the entrance of the camp. The sun was rising higher by the minute and he did not want to waste any time. By noon, temperatures on the island would be high and prey would hide in their burrows. Impatiently, he leaped a few lengths toward the camp entrance and looked back, hoping the other two would follow. [break][break]
