Clash of the Forest (#3758 & #33777) [CLOSED]

Was peace ever an option?

Content:

• Character Sheets
• A New Beginning: Badgerstar, Sabersnow, Onesight

 
It was just the crake of dawn, when Sabersnow wandered out from his den. His coat was messy, fluffier than usual. Padding into the middle of the camp where the day light glimmer down, he laid down to begin to groom his grey striped fur. His silver ears flickered around, listening to hear if the is any of the clan was awake. Nothing, but a few bird of in the forest. Peace for a moment, he thought to himself. There would be things to do when Badgerstar awoke. They would need to step out of the camp, patrol, hunt and perhaps find some wanders for their small clan. The Pineclan had be inching upon their territory a little more every day. Anger filled his heart, thinking of Specklestar. That young, stupid, small tom with no sense of understanding. He growled into his fur jut thinking of Speckle. He wanted to bite his little fat head off, with that stupid brown muzzle and chin.

Shaking the thought away, he rose form his place and made his was to his leader's den. "Badgerstar? We have things to begin. We must get the clan moving and get a patrol out, if not a hunting party." Sabersnow took a seat at the mouth of the great hollowed oak, staring into the darkness of it.

Badgerstar | Dawn | Late Spring

He could taste the rain on the wind from where he stood at the edge of Oakclan's territory. His whiskers and ears twitched, pushed back by the gale, as the leaves rustled and hissed overhead. The sky grew darker with each moment, heavy with rain, until a darkness like night settled over the land.

Badgerstar's anxious eyes watched the shadows. They felt alive somehow; moving, as if they were restless for something. He didn't know what they were waiting for. He shifted, kneading unsheathed claws into the damp earth nervously as lightning split the sky over his head, illuminating all in its path. Amongst an explosion of light and embers; one that made his heart leap and his fur bristle; he heard the familiar sound of a breaking trunk. Turning his gaze quickly, Badgerstar leapt to his paws as a dead pine on the other side came twisting to the earth— crashing towards him.

He came to reality in a start, with the sound of his name distant on his clouded mind. Breathing heavily, the tom lifted his head— greeted by the silhouette of a familiar cat waiting patiently at the front of his den. The tom's torn ears twitched; his tongue swept along his maw, his throat feeling as dry and uncomfortable as a bone. He rose to his paws, shaking himself vigorously in an attempt to brush away the remnants of the nightmare from his mind. Now was hardly the time to dwell, and yet... the images of his dream settled in his stomach ominously, nonetheless.

With Pineclan growing bolder by the day, trying to extend their territory onto long-respected borders, he feared a storm truly was brewing on the horizon. Badgerstar moved to the mouth of his den, his muscles groaning with each step, and poked his head out to greet his deputy. "Sabersnow," he mewed, his voice somewhat hoarse. "What would I do without you to wake me up when I nearly oversleep?" The tom stepped out, joining Sabersnow at the mouth of the great oak. He settled on his haunches, his eyes still tired.

The clan was quiet, as it were during the mornings.

"The dawn patrol, yes... That's right. I'd like to have them run the border along Pineclan and ensure they're not overstepping their boundaries again. Starclan knows if we continue to leave them unchecked, they'll be complaining that we're invading their borders at the next gathering."

Sabersnow | Dawn | Late-Spring

"Ah, my friend. I am always here to awaken you," Sabersnow smiled at the tuxedo cat. His comrade always lightened his stern moods. Sabersnow listened carefully to his words and nodded along. "I wish that little brat, Specklestar, would stop testing his power. He is too young to hold such a position anyway." He shook his head and sighed.

Looking around the camp, Sabersnow's tail lashed against the ground. He was still full of anger and spite for the Pineclan's leader. "Why do you think those fools are going this to us? I don't see a reason for them to cross the river and push into our territory. For so many season, we have held the honor of the river as the defining edge of the territories. They do not need to hunt in our lands. We will soon have war on our hands if I had the chance." 

Maybe a flaw of his was anger, but he just wished for the normal course of action to be followed. If the Starclan placed the river between the clan, why bother trying to stretch their reach? Sabersnow sighed at the useless thought and let go of it. 

"I will get Brambleflower and Fleetfoot for the patrol. Would you like to come, as well?"

Badgerstar | Dawn | Late Spring

Dawn | Late-Spring

Sabersnow 

He nodded to his leaders words, enjoying the company and banter. Sabersnow looked up through the leaves as he listened, wondering when they would go to war. It is inevitable, he though to himself.

"I will wake them and you go speak with Onesight. I know she has been busying herself with hunting herbs lately, but she should be in her den. She is a late riser, you know." He stated, beginning to walk away from Badgerstar.

He strutted to the warrior den, which he slept in himself, and laid down next to Brambleflower, his beloved mate. "Wake up, my sweet. We have work to do."

Brambleflower's amber eyes flickered open and she smiled to him. "Yes, love. I am awake. Are we going on a patrol so early?"

"It is not as early as it once was. Badgerstar will be coming with us after he speaks with Onesight. For now, I will spend time with you. We will have to wake Fleetfoot, Rosefall and Mousenose, along with their apprentices soon, but let them sleep for now," he purred softly, licking behind her velvet ears.  The two shared tongues in the quiet den.

Onesight

Waking with the soft light spilling in, Onesight opened her single eye and blinked. She pulled herself to her feet and yawned, stretching out. Another day of foraging, I hope! She peeked her head out of her den to have just a look at what was going on, seeing Badgerstar in the camp clearing.  

"Good morning, Badgerstar!" She chirped happily before ducking back into her den. 

Badgerstar | Dawn | Late-Spring

"Oh, I know." He shook his head, bemused. "Thank you, Sabersnow. I'll meet with you soon." Badgerstar called after him, watching the tom disappear into the warriors' den. It took no time for another voice to catch his attention; and Badgerstar turned to gaze in the direction of the Medicine Cat's den; greeted by a familiar, cheerful sound. "Onesight," he greeted as she ducked back into the den; she was up somewhat early, today.

The tom took a moment to breathe a sigh; he stretched his forelegs out in front of him, and flexed his claws. After one more stretch forward— back legs extended— Badgerstar shook himself, and headed to where the she-cat had vanished. He ducked his head as he approached, brushing beneath the draping leaf covering, and slipping inside the mouth of the den. "Good morning, Onesight." he rumbled— the smell of various herbs and greenery was stronger inside the den. "I trust you slept well?"

He narrowed his eyes in the dim light of the den, catching the sight of Nettlepaw, the medicine cat apprentice, still fast asleep— tucked close to the wall in her nest. He lowered his voice, amber eyes following Onesight's movements. "Do you have a moment to take a short walk with me? I'd like to speak with you."

Onesight | Morning | Late-Spring

"I did sleep well, but had a bit of help with a few poppy seed," she laughed jokingly. "But yes, let's go walk. What is going on, dear leader?" Her ears flicked back towards Badgerstar before she turned around from her storage that she was hunting through. 

Padding over and brushing past him out into the clearing, she smiled. "What is it? I assume something important happened with such a need to speak with me." Her single green eye was filled with curiosity of what her leader had to share with her.

Badgerstar | Dawn

Badgerstar breathed a chuckle at her jest, his ears perking as she agreed to speak with him. His tail flicked, and the tom turned to follow after his medicine cat. "Thank you, Onesight. I know you've been busy storing new stocks of herbs, recently." he remarked as he brushed beneath the draping leaves of the medicine cat den after her. He gave a shake of his fur, before padding after her— he brushed by— offering a glance over his shoulder as an encouragement for her to follow.

"This whole business with Pineclan..." he started, brushing past the hollowed oak and slipping through a loose batch of foliage; his pawsteps began to slow once they were out of camp, until he had stopped altogether. His eyes were troubled as he turned to look back at her. "I had a dream last night of a storm brewing, and a pine tree falling onto Oakclan. It felt like an omen, but I can't tell if it's one from Starclan, or something of my own mind." Badgerstar's ears tilted back, lying nearly flat to the side. "Have you heard anything from them, recently?"

Onesight | Dawn | Late-Spring

Following along through the lush overgrowth of the forest, she listened to him. Her one eye sparkled with excitement as he told his dream to her. "You have been touched by Starclan, my friend. That is an omen. I have had a similar dream lately, but have been too busy to tell you. I apologize for that, Badgerstar. Pineclan will begin their strike on our land soon. Starclan has not told me when, but we must gather our clan and inform them of this. The Gathering will be in a few moons and we have a chance to sway the tides of fate, but I highly doubt it if Starclan has touched us both." 

She shook her head, pawing at the soft mossy ground. Bird chirped above her, causing her to look up at them. "You are a good leader, you know. I am proud of you, Badgerstar. Let us pray that Pineclan will not take you from me anytime soon."