Sifa spends all of her life in the East, settled in one of the larger cities of the Red Mountains. Her youth was filled with tension, as she was born when Sauron began amassing power in the East. While Sifaâs family planned on escaping to the West, their routes were blocked by both Sauronâs people and their own, and they were forced to remain in Orocarni. Their loyalties were to their kin, and Sifaâs family made life difficult in thousands of small ways for Sauronâs loyalists. Postponing weapon shipments, delaying messages, minor sabotages left and right.
Despite the danger, Sifa managed to carve out a prosperous life for herself and her family. While her older siblings dealt with politics and soldiers, she threw herself into jewelry, sculpture, and architecture, avoiding making weapons for the enemy as much as she could. She views it as connecting the dwarrow under Sauronâs rule back to their culture, and takes great pride in her work. The Red Mountains are her home, and Sifa has put her neck out to protect her home, craft, and people. When Sauronâs defeated, Sifa is one of the first dwarves to send gifts of thanks to the dwarven strongholds in the West, reopening trade despite never traveling there herself.
I FORGOT TO POST HER ON THE 14TH BUT ITâS FINE ITâS OKAY IâM ONLY A DAY LATE đđđ Iâm really proud of her jewelry, and Iâm especially happy with the way the oxidized copper turned out!!
Height chart and piercing layout below for funzies
(I was gonna do the 9, 7, 5, 3, 1 pattern but it looked strange so bleh, boring symmetry)
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I haven't been able to do the other prompts this week because of time constraints, but ended up doing all the prompts for the last day in one go!
--
It wasnât typical for Ajin to stay out of the limelight when a party was in full swing, but here he was, trying his best to blend into the corner. He felt his heart beat faster inside his ribcage and he tried to hold his breath, letting it out slowly after a few moments to quell his rising anxiety.
So many people were here, and heâd seen so many new things on his journey from Harabza, the Stonefoot halls, to Minas Tirith. Gondor was a place as foreign to him as the other side of the world, but at least dwarven travellers to Ered Luin or even those that took the shorter roadway north-west to Erebor had their own kind to mingle with and a sense of familiarity once they reached the Longbeards. Here in the kingdom of Men, there was no such solace. He remembered when he had arrived a few days ago with the dwarven wagon train, and the curious eyes that gazed from every street corner and building. Some were friendly, old men remembering, perhaps, the times when as boys they had welcomed dwarves into the city, or children laughing and screaming as they ran alongside the wagons, waving up at him raucously. Others less so.
Go back to your own kind, Southron, someone had hissed at him, though he had been conversing with another dwarf and had only half-heard the muttered curse. As soon as he had turned his head, the person who had spoken had melted away into a crowd of Men, where they all looked the same. Tall, dark hair, dark eyes, olive skin.
Southron, Easterling. To the Men of Gondor, those from the East were all the same, and he had both terms thrown at him by drunken warriors who lounged, broken from battle, outside taverns, or younger veterans who had lost blood-brothers in the war. To them, with his braided and shaved black hair that fell to his elbows, dark brown skin etched with striking red-ink tattoos, and the glimmering array of gold rings set in his lips and nose, an Eastern dwarf was no better than those who had served Sauron.
Ajin spoke little Westron, but he understood enough to know he wasnât welcome. At least those of the zulmĂą-khazĂąd were treated with the respect that artisans, craftsdwarves, engineers and masons deserved.
For the most part, he ignored the comments directed towards him and the few Eastern dwarves who had journeyed at Gimliâs behest to help restore Minas Tirith to its former glory. Gimli he knew â his mother was a family friend, her sister marrying one of his uncles over a hundred years ago, and Gimli had visited Harabza where he had been instructed on some of the finer techniques of preparing vorn, the granite-hard, obsidian substance only native to some of the mountains and hills in the far south of the kingdom. It was for this reason that Gimli had chosen Ajin. Guarded by a garrison of Stonefoot mercenaries and weighing several tonnes, a kingâs ransom of the precious eastern metal had been procured by King Elessar to build into the gates of the city and construct several major fortifications. Ajinâs eyes watered when he thought about the price.
At least his hosts had been gracious enough. The King had shown customary dwarven respect and could get by in khuzdul, and the house-keepers for the lodgings they had been provided hadnât commented on Ajinâs appearance, even if they kept their thoughts to themselves.
âIgnore them, Aji. Our way of life and theirs â we cannot compare them. Dwarves and Men are as different as rats and salamanders,â remarked Kurin one evening, a slow-voiced, tall Ironfist dwarf, who, with his rich ebony colouring and wild beard, had got his own share of frightened looks. He was the youngest foregemaster in Nazbukhrin, and had been part of the elite team to craft His Majesty the King of Nazbukhrinâs new axe. To Men, just another Easterner.
Ajin reminded himself this as he watched the Men in the guest-hall dancing, laughing and talking together. A few of them heâd made polite conversation with, but Kurinâs words kept coming back to him. As different as rats and salamanders. Donât expect them to comprehend you. That was easily done though, as Ajin could only nod politely, and stutter a few words of Westron here and there. Mostly though, he kept himself to the other dwarves and to his drink.
âA fine evening, master dwarf.â
Ajin looked around at the speaker, sighing through his nose and steeling himself for another conversation.
âYes. A good eveningââ
His voice trailed off as he looked upwards. And upwards. Something tall and thin was leaning against a marble column in front of him, a glass of wine in one hand, and smiling down at him. He blinked, trying to remove the apparition from his vision, and his fingers made the sign of the hammer inside of his pocket. He knew what the creature was, but not how it had appeared in Minas Tirith. After a few moments, the being frowned and pushed itself off from the wall. Ajin backed away.
âCome no closer, inuk,â Ajin said, holding up the amulet he had worn around his neck since he left Harabza. It had the three-fingered hand on it, reaching outwards to ward against spirits. The inuk â for in Stonefoot legend, that is what this apparition could only be â looked confused and sipped at its drink. Do the inuk drink? At festivals he left red-coloured beverages at the Temple and at the windows of his house in offerings to appease them, but heâd never seen one in person. They preferred to inhabit the dream-land, the world between life and death.
âI am no inuk, master dwarf, though I do not know of what it is that you speak,â the creature bowed low from the waist, and then placed its drink to one side on a ledge. âI am called Galdir, of the Woodland Realm, now Eryn Lasgalen in our tongue.â
Ajin looked blankly up at Galdir. As far as he could remember, the inuk were not named.
âAn elf,â Galdir continued, raising its eyebrows slightly. âI am not sure if you have been acquainted to my kind before?â
âAlves?â asked Ajin, once his head had gotten around the fact that Galdir was not, in fact, a spirit from the other side.
âElves,â corrected Galdir. âWe are those that were created first by Illuvatar, who walked the world first before Men and Dwarves awoke.â
âOh!â exclaimed Ajin, recognising the story at once. âBut⊠elves do not look⊠like you.â He was having a hard time explaining himself and felt his cheeks flush. In Stonefoot tales, the firstborn children of the One God were forest-dwelling giants, with dark blue and green-hued skin. Their hair was mossy, their teeth like chunks of stone, and limbs as strong and as knotted as great oak-trunks. Galdir was sprightly and slight, and his skin no more green than Ajinâs. Common sense and politeness, however, made Ajin think that to mention this wasnât the best use of his limited words.
âAnd what do we look like, to the dwarves far to the East?â Galdir asked, smiling brightly.
âIt does not matter. Seems our tales are⊠mixed up,â Ajin confessed. He bowed in return and stepped forwards. âAjin, son of Ibural. At your service.â For good measure, however, his fingers still rested lightly upon the amulet around his neck. He wasnât taking any chances.
Characteristics: kills to prove a point, kills those that annoy him
Number of Victims: 2
Number of Murders: 2
Murder Method: slitting throats, bashing heads into rock
Known Victims: Stonefoot, Shiverrose
Cause of Death: feline leukemia virus
Cautionary Tale: ??
Story:
It was irritating. All his life, his opinion never mattered. The only thing anyone ever seemed to care about was Starclan.Â
Donât talk back to your elders! What would Starclan think?Â
Listen to your mentor, or what would Starclan think?
They even put it in the code to thank Starclan! If they were so great, what did they think the amazing Starclan would do? That their brilliant, kind ancestors would punish them for failing to say âthank youâ after catching some random mouse?
His feeling of injustice increased when, refusing to thank Starclan, he was punished and made to take care of the elders in the hopes that the older cats could talk some sense into him.
That, they certainly tried. Complaining about todayâs youth and all. Nothing that actually changed Kitepawâs opinion. In fact, it greatly hardened them.
For refusing to thank some random ancestors he never even met, he was forced to stop all hunting and fighting, things actual useful for the Clan to know, for an entire day.
And what of his opinion? No one bothered to hear him out, to even ask why he felt such a way.Â
Brainless ants, the lot of them! Mindlessly following the laws created generations ago, believing that some dead cats could control anything that happened in the Clans if they didnât like what someone was doing!
If that was the case, wouldnât all the stories of Tigerstar, Scourge, Sparktail, and who knows how many others, wouldnât exist? Starclan demands thanks for all they do, and in return they allow murderers and killers to roam free, doing no more than to give a vague warning only helpful when the warriors are at the brink of irreversible damage?
They couldnât stop him from being diagnosed with Pale-sickness, that was for sure. Laying in the medicine den with an elder, Stonefoot, it was hinted to him that maybe, just maybe, he would be perfectly healthy if had never bad-mouthed Starclan as an apprentice.
Was he joking? Bad-mouthing a sick and dying Clanmate, blaming them for their death?
At least that was the good thing about dying, wasnât it? There was no such thing as consequences.Â
He killed Stonefoot to begin. He wasnât going to initially, but the old bat had dug his own grave. He slit the elderâs throat after the medicine cat left for the Half-moon meeting, then hurried after.
Shiverrose made sure to be early due to her limp that often slowed her down. Lucky for Kiteburn, she was quick enough to ensure that they would be alone long enough to get the job done.
Afterall, if Starclan is so powerful, surely they can prevent the death of a devoting medicine cat right at their most sacred spot?
Ha.Â
He wasnât surprised when they failed. He padded away, seeing the other medicine cats arrive in the distance, off to a field of heathers and gorse, where he happily laid to die.
Additional Information:
--Pale--sickness is FelV disease, and is called so due to paling gums and whitening eyes, both of which Kiteburn had as symptoms.Â
--Shiverrose was actually a killer too, and likely thought it was a revenge killing until Kiteburn told her ânah I just wanted to prove a point.â To which she would respond, âoh damn, me too.â
so in the alligences, bluestar is leader and has all of her kits. howd she become deputy and keep her kits? were they born AFTER she became deputy? did you say "fuck canon" and had sunstar make her deputy anyway? also, who's the father of mistycreek(?)'s kits?
It was fuck canon and had Sunstar give her Deputy position. Rosetail and Thrushpelt took care of Stonekit, Mistkit, and Mosskit for her during her Deputy duties and when she went to the Moonstone for her nine lives.
As for Mistycreek, her mate is a house cat called Mr. Mistoffelees that she met on a solo patrol near the two-leg place. Bluestar knows, but can't get mad at since a) it will make her a hypocrite and b) she's excited to be a Grandmother
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It was hard, saying goodbye to Silverpine City for Rusty. He could tell it was the same for Princess and Smudge. This place, even though they were leaving it behind, was their home for six months, basically their world. They could never see the sights, and inhabitants that lived here again. They would never sniff the same scents again. Rusty would always remember that he came from the City; even if he became a Warrior, he would never forget his origins as a cat that lived on Lucky Land Lane.
Penumbra was the first cat they saw, chilling by a black fountain birdbath. The Black and Gray Chimeriaâs face shot up to greet them, four ears crowning her head. âHello, Smudge, Rusty, and Princess! What brings you here todayâŠâ she trailed off when she saw their solemn faces. âWhy do all of you have expressions like you are about to make a life-changing decision?â Penumbra meowed.
Rusty met her gaze, but before he could speak, Smudge beat him to it. âWe are,â the black-and-white tom said, then seemed to hesitate.
Penumbra cocked her two-toned head. âWhat?â
The trio nodded. âWeâre going to live with the Clans,â Rusty said, âSo we came to say goodbye.â
Her nose wrinkled. âYou canât be serious,â she growled, sitting up. âThose snotty cats with their âblood-linesâ and their âboundaries?â â Her tail swished behind her, her long-furred tail catching dust.
âThatâs right,â Princess said.
âYou three might be crazy,â Penumbra began, her voice hard initially. But when she glanced at Smudge, her tone softened a little. âThey will never accept you. Any of you.â
âWe know that realistically,â Smudge said, âsome cats wonât accept complete strangers into their home. But hopefully with time, our efforts can make some see otherwise, and they will call us clanmates.â
Her whiskers twitched. âAlways an optimist, Smudge? That wonât protect you out there in the forest.â
âWeâll keep him safe, donât worry,â Rusty purred. Princess nodded in agreement.
âWell,â Penumbra said. âYou need to try to come to visit. And if I see one hair on your pelt is harmed, Smudge,â she glared at Rusty and Princess, âyouâll have me to answer to me.â
Rusty nodded. âOf course,â he said, blinking. She acted tough and had a soft spot for Smudge, but at the same time, she had a lot of faith in him. âHeâll be ok, Penumbra.â
One set of ears twitched on her head. âHeâd better be,â she said.
âWeâre going to say goodbye to Johnny and Sephiroth,â Princess said. âDo you want to tag along?â
The molly looked at Smudge, then at Rusty and Princess before sighing. âOkay, but if any Clan Cat tries to spout âpure-bloodâ rhetoric at me then I hope they have the cat version of medical insurance because Iâm not dealing with any bullshit-nonsense. I already have to deal with that from Razoul, no need to get it from some Larpers.â
âNoted,â replied Rusty. He hoped that Lionheart didnât piss Penumbra or the others off, but he didnât see the golden tom to be the type to gloat about blood-lineage. Hopefully, they shouldn't have to deal with that once they got to the Clan.
Penumbra sneezed before getting up. âCome on, Sephiroth should be outside sunning his fur by now.â And with that, she took the lead. Blinking in surprise, the others looked at each other before following her.
They had to pass two gardens before they saw the large Nebelung, and sure enough, he was sunning on the patio table that was on the deck. Penumbra wasted no time calling his name. âSephiroth, come down here, you have visitors. Smudge, Rusty, and Princess!â
The tom grumbled before opening his yellow eyes. âWhat?â Looking down, he spotted the quartet of cats amassed below him. âWhatâs going on here? Penumbra, your voice can wake up the dead,â he muttered.
âRusty and the others have something to say...unless you think youâll chip a claw and faint if you come down?â she sneered.
Princess shook her head, âThose two argue like old mates, I wonât be surprised if they have kits when we leave,â she said under her breath.
Sephiroth sprang down from his resting place and padded up to them. âOkay, Iâm down here, whatâs going on?â meowed the dark gray tom, his deep voice vibrating in Rustyâs ear fur.
âSmudge and the others are leaving to join some country hicks who think they're the shit,â Penumbra replied, blue and yellow eyes staring straight at the Nebelungâs face.
Sephirothâs eyes grew comically large. âCountry hicâyou mean the Clans? Why would you want to join them? All they do act that they are Godsâ Gift to the world, and then get mad when you even step over the fence. Last time I checked they donât own the damn city, so why get so torn at that?â
Rusty cleared his throat before talking. âMe and Princess want to join because our owners want us to enter a very high Show-Cat Circuit, and we refuse to put up with all of the drama that goes with it. As for Smudge, one word: Donovan.â
Penumbraâs head turned so fast Rusty was surprised it didnât break. âDonovan? That little ba- that guy with the dead fish-eyed look? Why didnât you mention that?â she hissed in anger. âThis makes more sense now,â a sympathetic look came into her eyes. âSmudge, you feared for your life, didnât you?â
Smudge nodded his head. âDonovan is unpredictable, and Charlie and his sister canât keep an eye on him at all times. Better play it safe. Besides, I want to become a Medicine Cat, apparently, the Clans have some knowledge of herbs, which makes sense since they didnât all die from some sickness or infections. I can contribute so much Penumbra, I know I can!â
The she-cat stared long at Smudge before she spoke. âI truly hope that you find meaning in this Clan Smudge. Same goes for you Rusty, Princess. Donât let some glorified Backyardigans tell you canât strive to do things, show the Clan and everyone in it what cats from Lucky Land Lane can do.â
âPenumbra is right, donât let them shame you for being born somewhere else. They might not like you since you were born over the fence, but donât let them say you will never amount to anything just because you donât have Clan blood, whatever that means.â Sephiroth then looked pensive. âAre you taking anything with you by the way? Maybe if you bring some gifts like a blanket, some will be more accepting of all of you. Winter nights in this country can get harsh, taking one can help.â
Princessâs head shot up. âWe did consider that! It was Smudge's idea, so this morning we took three blankets along with some toys for any kittens.â She didnât bring up Bonnie or PK, much to Rustyâs relief. He didnât need Penumbra to find out about his plush, or sheâll bring it up that he still needs a stuffed toy to go to bed.
Sepiroth cocked his head, âHow do you plan to carry all of that by the three of you? You know what, Iâll help, I'm sure Penumbra would be thrilled to help Smudge.â
Penumbra glared, but Smudge cut her off before the two can argue even more. âWe still need to talk to Johnny, Winry, and Seng. Can we please hurry?â
Sephiroth grunted and went to Princessâs side. âLead the way then.â
Johnnyâs backyard always made Rusty envious. Various garden statues from fantasy games littered the lawn, and he even had a koi pond that his owners defended like it was their newborn child, along with catnip plants in colorful pots.
Johnny was located by a garden statue, a red flower with black eyes from games that have some human with a mustache jumping down some green pipes.
The orange tabby seemed to notice that he had company since he started to wheel himself towards them. Today, he wore a white bandana with blue stars on it. âIs anyone going to explain why they are five cats in my backyard? I mean, Iâm grateful that I have visitors, but I have a hunch that Iâm not going to like what Iâm going to hear.
He was right.
After getting a quick rundown from Rusty, Johnny shook his head. âWell, if that is what you want to choose, then I hope that everything turns out well for the three of you. I canât blame you either, with you and Princess becoming a bunch of fashion divas and Smudge wanting to leave his home so he wonât be hurt. Trust me, I wouldnât wish to stay in homes like that on my worst enemy. Granted, if they got hit by a fully loaded speeding semi-truck, then I'm fine with that.â
Rusty pointedly ignored the two bullet-shaped scars on the tomâs back, the reason why Johnny had to be in that wheelchair. The tom refused to talk about his past, and only said he came from a rescue center and is now happy with his new owners, especially their daughter, Erina. He also hated to be seen as a liability and would grow cold to anyone who tried to baby him.
âItâs nearly time, how about we stop by Winry and Seng before we get the things and leave?â meowed Rusty.
Johnny snorted. âIâm coming along. I want to be there to see these âwild catsâ that I keep hearing about. Too bad I missed Henry fight that tom, I was at the vet getting shampooed.â
Johnny then noticed the looks he was getting. âThereâs a hole in the fence that some humans canât be bothered to fix, I can just go right through it. Iâm not stupid, I know I canât climb the fence,â he said, voice full of irritation. Â
The others had the decency to look embarrassed, and the group of five became six.
To Rusty and the otherâs disappointment, Winry and Seng didnât seem to be out at all. âThatâs right, they should be at HeartGold Park at this time. I guess in all of the excitement, it left our minds,â glumly replied Princess.
âWe can tell them what happened,â mewed Penumbra reassuringly. Softly headbutting her in the shoulder, she went on, âTheyâll understand, knowing Seng, sheâll be happy that you are happy.â
Princessâs eyes glittered with emotions. âThatâs the kindest thing youâve ever said to me. Iâll never forget that.â
âGood. Donât get used to it,â She said in a light voice.
âHey, what about me?â asked Rusty. He didnât get any encouraging words!
âYou two are littermates, you two can share it,â
While Johnny went through the hole he talked about, the others raced back to the garden that Rusty and Princess used to call home. Grabbing PK in his mouth, he carried the autumn blanket carefully as he could on his back so it wonât unfold. Princess carried the Starry blanket and Bonnie, and Sephiroth and Penumbra carried the Jack o Lantern between them since it was the largest. Smudge held his lunchbox in his jaws.
Once over the fence, they saw Johnny was already on the other side. âFinally! I thought humans would have created flying cars by the time you five came here!â
Sephiroth surprisingly rose to his bait. âOkay, oh Sultan of Speed, how about you carry this with Penumbra then? You the only one that doesnât have any cargo. Howâs that fair?â
Johnny puffed out his chest. âItâs because I never volunteered to, I just wanted to see Clan cats and say goodbye to the others. Penumbra is right, you donât deserve that name. The real Sephiroth wouldn't have whined about holding some fluffy blanket, do you need your beauty rest so you wonât pass out from this grueling labor?!" taunted the orange and white tom.
âTime to go,â hissed Smudge. He was getting antsy, and quite frankly so was Rusty and Princess. Honestly, he loved these cats but they canât argue right now when Lionheart should be on his way
âAlright, alright,'' said Johnny. âLead the way."
As they approached the spot where they met the Clan Cats yesterday, Johnny looked around with interest. âHuh, who would have thought that this is behind the fence after all this time. Just how far does this place go anyway?â he wondered out loud.
Penumbra saw a squirrelâs bushy tail darted up a tree with abundant speed. "This makes me want to catch a squirrel or even a bird back home,â she replied. âIt feels peaceful here too, Iâll give those forest cats that."
âOkay, we're here, right on time,â muffled Rusty behind the toy. Â Dropping his cargo, Rusty sat on the grassy floor with a sigh. The others copied his actions, with them carefully placing the items on the soft grass. âThese cats better appreciate this, I swear if someone spits on our faces for âbringing frivolous things" than they can catch these paws with their face,â said Penumbra, whiskers twitching.others
Rusty, Princess, and Smudge shook their heads. With Penumbraâs owner being an MMA fighter, that sounded less of a threat and more of a promise.
Rusty turned his head to take in their surroundings. Tall trees shielded the ground from the midday sunshine, making it comfortably cool. Here and there a patch of sunlight shone through a gap in the leaves and lit up the forest floor. Rusty could smell the same cat-scent as last night, and as a matter of fact, he picked up Lionheartâs scent, along with two unknown ones nearby.
âLionheart! Is that you? You can come out with your friends!â meowed Rusty, which caught the attention of others.
âSomeone is here?â replied Johnny, looking around in surprise.
The bramble bush in front of them shook before Lionheart walked out of the undergrowth.
âSo you scented me, thatâs a good sign that you are aware of your surroundings." His gaze never left the unknown cats as he came to a halt. âWhitestorm, Stonefoot, you can come out now too," he meowed.
âWhoâs Whitestorm and Stonefoot?â was the thought that was on everyoneâs minds.
The city cats watched as two new cats strolled into the clearing. One was a long furred white tom that had a hint of grey on his ears, tail, and face, while the other one had Russian Blue ancestry, and had very faint traces of stripes on his tail and legs.
âLionheart? Who are these cats? I thought you said there would be three of them? And what are those things beside them? They smell like it came from two-leg place," said the greyish tom, who must be Stonefoot.
Rusty stared at the tom, he resembled Bluestar greatly. âIs he related to her by chance?â
Smudge picked up on this and cocked his head to the side as he glanced at the grey cat. âExcuse me Sir, are you related to Bluestar by any chance?â
Stonefoot inclined his head. âYes, I am. Iâm her son, and she was made Deputy when my siblings and I were still kits by her side.â His voice was filled with pride when he mentioned this, and he turned to face the white tom next to him.
Whitestorm, who was probably named for his fur, spoke up. âI have to say, when Bluestar said that they were kitty pets that resembled Leopardshine and was nearly the size of our biggest Warrior, I had a hard time picturing it. But now, I can see why she extended an offer to join the Clan."
âBut to answer Stonefootâs question, who are these cats Rusty?â mewed Lionheart, his voice having the slightest edge to it. Rusty wondered why until it hit him. He might think it is some trap since he had only expected the three of us. He doesnât know about Pen, Sephiroth, or Johnny.
"I guess it is fair we introduce them." Using his tail, Rusty pointed at his friends. âThis is Penumbra, Sephiroth, and Johnny. They decided to send us off when we told them we were leaving and offered to carry gifts for your Clan."
Meeting the Clan Cats gazes, he continued. âAs for those items over there; we figured since you said nights can get cold, we brought blankets, something that can keep you warm. We also brought some toys for any kittens for entertainment.â
The cats gave their own greetings.
Penumbra nodded her head. âI always wondered what a Clan Cat would look like, so itâs nice to meet you three,â she said. Smudge gave her a quick glance, and Rusty assumed she was putting a friendly face so she wonât come off needlessly antagonizing.
âAnd no, I canât hear out of the other pair of ears, apparently they are for show,â the molly answered.
âYes, my back legs donât work. This is called a wheelchair, and it helps me get around so I donât have to drag myself whenever I want to move,â said Johnny. He wheeled himself in a tight circle to prove his point.
Lionheart, Whitestorm, and Stonefoot looked on with wide eyes.
âI never imagined that Iâll see a cat with Russian Blue ancestry in the forest. And one that somehow has ghost stripes as an adult! I know humans who would pay good money to have you as a pet!â Sephiroth told Stonefoot.
Stonefoot had a look of confusion in his bluish eyes. â...Thanks?â
Whitestorm went to the Jack o Lantern blanket and pressed down on it with his paw. Golden eyes took on a contemplative shine. âLionheart, Stonefoot, I think they are right. The Elders and The Queens can make use of these.â
Rusty secretly did a fist pump in his head. They seemed okay with it so far!
The tom then looked at PK and Bonnie. âAre those for the kits? They sure are⊠colorful looking.â
âNo, those two are very special and belong to us,â replied Princess. âThe toys for the kits are in Smudgeâs lunchbox.â She tossed her head to the Spidey themed tin box.
Rusty grimaced as Penumbra got a look in her eyes. âRusty still needs a toy to go to bed? Oh man, why didnât you tell me this before you decided to leave? I could have held this over him.â
The savannah tom sighed in resignation. At least she wouldnât have the time to actually do it.
âSpeaking of my lunchbox, can I please train to become a Medicine Cat? Iâll listen to every word my mentor says and my tin box can hold a lot of herbs!â said Smudge with hope in his golden eyes.
Stonefoot stared at Smudge in surprise. âYou want to become a Medicine Cat? Hmmm, Iâll let Bluestar and Spottedleaf know that there is a potential apprentice that wants to join. If they say yes, then your odds are good.â
Smudge practically glowed with excitement.
âCan me and the others help carry this to the Clan? If thatâs okay with all of you,â asked Penumbra.
Rusty looked at Lionheart with hopeful eyes. Princess and Smudge did the same.
Whitestorm and Stonefoot gazed at the golden tabby, who thought about this question.
âOnly because your gifts seem like a pawful to carry.â Looking at Penumbra, Sephiroth, and Johnny, he went on. âIt is an honor for outsiders to come to our camp, but donât try to come back to our territories to catch prey, or you will be chased out.â
Smudge spoke before Penumbra could. âThey know not to trespass, Lionheart. Right guys?â
Sephiroth nodded, though his eyes held a spark of irritation at the accusation that heâd hunt in foreign territory.
Johnny shrugged his shoulders. âThe Valentines give me beef, poultry, and pork for my meals. So Iâm good on that end.â
Penumbra bristled at Lionheartâs tone but nodded her head. âIâm fine with the prey back over the fence, you wonât find any squirrels missing from me.â
Lionheart nodded. âGood to hear. Stonefoot, you canâŠâ he trailed off as the wind suddenly brought new scents into the clearing. Something familiar to the City cats.
Hissing, Lionheartâs fur fluffed up. âDogs! Dogs are coming straight towards here! You five, hide over there and we shoââ
Out of the bushes shot out two large dogs. One was a brindle Greyhound, and the other was a fully grown black and tan Tibetan Mastiff.
The Clan cats jumped back, the scent of fear and alarm coming off of their fur in waves.
Rusty gaped at the sight, before yowling in joy. âSeng! Winry. You came!â
The dogs now known as Seng and Winry halted in front of the group of felines. The Greyhound huffed, before doing something that nearly gave the Clan cats a collective heart attack.
She spoke. Clearly.
âWhy is it that when Seng and I came back from the Park, we find you,â she pointed her nose at Rusty, âYour sister, and the otherâs scents near our houses that led all the way to the forest?â
Looking at Lionheart, Whitestorm, and Stonefoot, she then cocked her head. âAre you those Clan cats that think they are descendants from Wild Cats? Because I find that really funny when you live right next to a city, mate."
Whitestormâs eyes bulged out of his skull. âT-t-talking dogs?!â The poor tom looked like he was going to faint from shock.
âThatâs a nice Shaggy impression you got going on there,â replied Penumbra. She watched the spectacle with amusement.
Johnny shushed her, but he had the same expression.
Seng went ahead and licked Rustyâs face eagerly. Causing his fur to stick up. âRusty! Why are you here? You could have gotten hurt, or worse! The animal catcher could have grabbed you!â
Rusty shook his head to fling off the remaining slobber. âThe animal catcher wonât go after us since we have collars Seng, but thank you for your concern." He really meant it. Now they could say goodbye in person, and not by second hand.
Winry narrowed her eyes as she looked at the two Savannah cats and Turkish angora, then at the pile of blankets, before at the Clan cats, who seemed to be stuck in a flight or fight mode.
âRusty." Her voice took on a knowing edge, which made him shuffle his paws. âAre you planning on joining the forest cats?â Seng shot up from furiously licking Smudgeâs face with wide eyes.
âHuh? Winry what are you on about?â the Tibetan Mastiff got up and met Rustyâs green eyes. âIs Winry telling the truth?â
Rusty fought the gulp as he saw the confusion in her massive face. Winry and Seng were the only dogs that were their friends besides Oscar, and he was more of a friendly elder. Rusty didnât want to break her heart, but he needed to tell her the truth.
But before he could, Princess answered both of their questions. âWinry is right. Me, my brother, and Smudge are leaving to join the Clan. Pen, Sephiroth, and Johnny came to help carry some things weâll need for our new lives.â
Winry flicked her ears while Seng surprisingly growled low. âAre they making you do this against your will? If so Iâllââ
âNo." Lionheart finally got over his shock, though his eyes were slitted and his tail was puffy. âThey wanted to join our Clan with their by their own will. Bluestar wonât force them."
Whitestorm made a noise along with Stonefoot. âRusty and his friends crossed the fence last night during our patrol, and it was our Leader who offered. She doesnât make those on whims, which tells us that they have the potential to become something greater," rasped Whitestorm.
âItâs true Winry. Seng. Rusty and Princess wanted to join to escape becoming Show-Cats, while I had to leave because of Donovan," Smudge told them. He didnât want them to think Lionheart and the others were trying to coerce them into something they didnât want.
Rusty and Princess nodded in agreement. Penumbra lifted her head. âWhile I donât like it, they do want to join, and I wish them the best in their endeavors.''
Winry showed teeth at the name Donovan. âOuch. Sorry to hear about that Smudge. Heard that the guy is a real headcase."
Seng swung her head to Whitestorm, who stood his ground despite his whiskers vibrating. âYou will protect them with all of your might. Right?" While her voice didnât have any malice in it, the white tom felt the underline pressure in that sentence. The silent âOr Elseâ was easily picked up by his Clanmates.
âWe will protect them with our life, as they will protect ThunderClan," spoke Stonefoot. It seemed that he finally got over the shock, and he looked at the dogs with some kind of awe.
Rusty was confused. Sure, Seng was massive, but other than that, what confounded the Clan Cats so? They know what dogs were, so why act like that?
It seemed like he wasnât the only one who thought of that. âSo, why did you lot act like you just saw a funnel-web spider when we talked? Are dogs talking that big of a revelation to you?â spoke Winry. She had laid down on her side, since sitting down was a bit of a problem for her species.
Stonefoot and Lionheart took a step back. Leaving Whitestorm to speak for his Clan. The tom swung his head and hissed at this betrayal before reluctantly meeting the dogs faces.
âI mean no offense, but the Clans havenât⊠had the best experience when it comes to dogs. Some attack us on sight with no provocation, and we never actually heard them talk. Just bark, with a splattering of words. Also, we see dogs with their two-legs on the trail, but I had never seen one big as you." He nodded to Seng, who stomped her paws. Small clouds of dust kicked up in the air.
âWell, dogs can speak, some just donât try to learn to speak as you cats do." She then let out a series of barks that the city cats could make out as âMy name is Sengdongma, and I like to chew on deer antlers."
Whitestorm and the others twitched at the sound but didnât seem to pick on what she said. âSee, that was me talking in the language of dogs. Some city cats know it, like those cats over thereâ.
A gold, white, and grey head turned to look at them in surprise. âYou can understand dogs?!â sputtered Stonefoot. Rusty puffed his chest out with pride. âYep! We can understand humans too. You have too if you live in the Cityâ.
Winry then took over. âAs for dogs attacking you, I really canât hazard a guess as to why they do that. Unless they are arseholes and help to push the stereotype that dogs hate cats for no reason."
Whitestorm looked pensive before he cleared his throat. âThank you for this conversation, Winry, Seng. But Bluestar is waiting for us back at camp, and we must make haste to return to it," he mewed.
âWhat about your collars?â asked Winry. She had gotten to her paws, and pointed at their collars and bandana with her nose.
Rusty had nearly forgotten about them. Their collars! Would the Clan accept them if they still had it on?
Seng had seemed to figure it out. âHold still Rusty." Lowering her head to his neck, she bit the band and pulled. A quick pinch to his neck, and a loud snapping sound resounded in the clearing. Dangling from her jaws was his collar, snapped cleanly in half.
In total shock, Rusty took a deep breath and felt the hold of the thing that was around his neck as long he could remember disappear. Â
Princessâs blue eyes shone with realization. âOf course! Youâre a genius, Seng. Can you do me next please." Said dog padded over to her, and a couple of seconds later, Princessâs collar met a fate similar to his.
âI feel so free!â she meowed. Turning her head this way and that, she turned to Seng. âThank you so much, who knows how we could have gotten them off in the Clan?â
âNo need to do mine Sengâ Smudge simply sat on his haunches before he used his forepaws to play with the bandana around his neck. Soon, it became undone, and it fluttered to the ground.
âThank you for helping outâ replied Lionheart. âYou three, take your collars, it will show Bluestar and the Clans that you mean what you say you want to join.â Stonefoot, show the others to our camp since they are holding things that require an easier path. Rusty, Princess, and Smudge are with me and Whitestorm."
âTheyâll visit us right?â muttered Seng as she watched the cats get ready to leave. Stonefoot turned his head as he led Penumbra and the others to the side of the clearing.
âThat is up to Bluestar, but Iâll make sure she considers it." And with that, they all disappeared into the thicket, Johnnyâs ginger tail brushing the forest floor.
âGoodbye, Seng, Winry," Rusty said. They each passed their tongues over his face, then did the same to Princess and Smudge, their tails low but wagging faintly. They then lapped the cheek fur of Whirestorm and Lionheart, who blinked and fluffed out their fur a bit in surprise.
Seng looked at Rusty. "It's been fun," the mastiff said. "Be safe, you three."
"We will," Princess replied.
âWeâll show everyone just what Silverpine cats can do,â said Rusty.
Whitestorm and Lionheart nodded. Rusty collected his now broken collar along with his stuffed toy. With Princess and Smudge beside him as they followed the two warriors, Rusty took one last glance at the canines who befriended them.
âWe will see each other again," woofed Seng. Then she, along with Winry, ran back to their homes.
I'm surprised no one is asking about who Nightsong is in the allegiance page. And that Stonefoot, Mossflower, and Mistycreek too. Like they don't sound/ look familiar at all?
