Plot Announcement

A sickness so bad that it was dubbed red cough ripped through JungleClan and forced the ancestors to step in with omens to all clans. This is what eventually drove the two clans to meet the Tribe for the first time. Once the cure was obtained, they decided that now they have been forced together by the paws of fate that they should meet up and have meetings between the three groups. Below is what happened, and what is coming next.

In TidalClan, things had been pretty relaxed since the death of Coconutstar. Since the rule under Coconutstar had been rather paranoid, she had plans to start up the expeditions again and explore the surrounding territories; perhaps even take more land for the clan. However, before these expeditions began the clan Healer had an omen. Turtlehop, the clan’s healer, came to Tinystar in the middle of the night and shared her troubling dream. In it, cats came running in fear from the jungle and splashing into the cold ocean. The God of Shrieking Storms descended from the sky to tell her to "beware of the red bark that runs from the Jungle.”

The two she-cats pieced together that the omen was likely warning of a sickness or something else entirely that threatened to drive JungleClan out of their territory. TidalClan and JungleClan were civil at this point, and so the two agreed it might be wise of them to send a patrol to the border to see if they had received an omen, too. Tinystar and Turtlehop were acting partially out of wanting to help their neighbours, but also somewhat selfishly. They wanted to ensure that if JungleClan was going to be threatened by something, they would also keep their own clan safe, too.

Toucanstar’s fall off the cliff was entirely unexpected for JungleClan, especially since Mosquitostar’s death was still recent. It was touch and go for awhile, as her injuries were pretty severe. She managed to pull through with Anispine’s skilled paws, but she had been injured badly enough that she was unable to continue her responsibilities as leader. Cue Ivystar’s entrance as leader. She had large plans for the Clan, ideas to explore the surrounding territories and take territory that would feed their growing numbers. However, everything came to a halt when a cat got sick and shortly after they got sick, they started to hack up blood. This strange illness terrified Ivystar to the point of ordering Anispine to quarantine the warrior, only it was too late. The medicine cat came to the leader once cats started dying, having received a prophecy from the gods.

Anispine told her of a storm, paws seeking purchase in tangled roots, the ocean bleeding red and their clanmates struggling to swim in the water, their ancestors alongside them until they came to land and strange shapes healing them. Disturbed by this message, Ivystar did her best to keep their clan alive, give them comfort, and be there for grieving families. She was curious to know if TidalClan got an omen as well, but she seriously doubted it. It wasn’t until Ivystar got sick with this terrible redcough that Anispine thought he would have to ask TidalClan for help.

The Tribe of Twisted Roots had known peace for longer than was perhaps necessary for the group. Growing antsy under moons of little to no conflict, internal strife had begun building amongst some of the more aggressive members. As some muttered about the young Quartermaster’s rise to power and the sudden disappearance of their Witch (leaving behind his partially untrained Swabbie), it was matters at home that had the Tribe’s attention..until Sand Where Stingrays Hide brought a midnight omen to Tempest Rages At Night’s attention.

He spoke of how he saw cats with red pouring from their mouths struggling across the waves, latching onto the Tribe’s land as their ancestors and the Tribe’s Gods mingled. An omen was given: “When shaky paws find purchase in your sand, steady them and find new hope”. Stingray thought the omen was a sign that they needed to help these wayward cats from the main island while Tempest felt they could be too large a danger to the Tribe as a whole. A heated discussion resulted in a compromise - Stingray could aid the cats if and only if they made it to the beach, and none would be allowed, healthy or not, to visit the Tribe’s camp or territory.

Tinystar led a patrol over to the JungleClan border to see if they had received an omen as well. However, once the patrol had arrived, the smell of sickness was so thick it was obvious the other clan was in trouble. At first no patrol could be seen, but eventually a small group of JungleClan cats met them at the border and delivered the news that Ivystar (among other clan members) had grown sick with a disease they had not seen before and that Anispine had received an omen much the same as Turtlehop had.

Together the two clans decided that with both omens laid out, the answer was obvious. The clans decided to select their healthiest warriors and fighters, letting the sick ones rest. Then the strongest began a dangerous voyage across the ocean to find the antidote.
After several attempts, the Gods and ancestors blessed the journeying patrol with safe passage to the island of the Tribe. Upon arrival, the cats encountered a patrol from the Tribe (which included a select few of the more diplomatic members). Included was Stingray, who explained that he too had received an omen but with a different message - instead of seeking help, the Tribe would provide...for a cost.

Negotiations between the groups occurred, and an agreement was struck - The respective healers of the three groups would work together to find a cure, no matter the cost. Those who were sick would be given shelter on the beach, but borders would remain intact. An uneasy alliance between the trio began, continuing for the next moon. Many lives were lost between them all, but eventually they found that the cure was a mixture of ginger and a mysterious herb that only grows on the Tribe’s island. Thankfully once the cure was put together, Ivystar’s life was saved and so were many others who seemed doomed to succumb to redcough. The three groups has finally been forced together by the paws of fate, but their future lays ahead and it is unsteady. The three leaders decided that they should hold a meeting of the groups once every three moons to keep in contact and share any news, hopefully to prevent a sickness like this from claiming so many lives in the future. The meetings will be held on an otherwise unclaimed island which has been dubbed as Paradise Peninsula.

Little do the new tentative allies know...The troubles are not yet over...and that the mountain towering between two of them holds more than snow...

The next plot rolling out involves the Kingdom becoming known to the clans and tribe. There is also a surprise coming that involves a threat of danger to all of the groups. Stay tuned for more information on that coming over the next couple of weeks once the new high ranks get settled into their roles!