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impulsivewcrewrite · 10 days

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Allegiances

< Cover | ToC | Prologue >

(Original names are italicized in brackets after the cat's description.)

ThunderColony

Leader

Bloom (Morning Glory)- blue molly [Bluestar]

Deputy

Ruddy (Penny)- tortoiseshell tom with a distinct red tail (mentor of Raven) [Redtail]

Druid(s)

Scarlet (Penny)- tortoiseshell molly [Spottedleaf]

Elder(s)

Sparrow (Dusk)- big dark brown tabby tom [Halftail] (head elder)

Shrew (Fieldfare)- gray tom with small ears [Smallear]

Patches (Oreo)- black and white patched tom [Patchpelt]

Lily*- blind and deaf pale gray molly [One-eye]

Amanita (Strawberry)- tortoiseshell molly [Dappletail]

Warriors

Rose (Poppyseed)- tortoiseshell molly with a pink tinted tail [Rosetail]

Honeycomb (Maria)- magnificent golden tabby tom (mentor of Pebble) [Lionheart]

Basil (Cornflower)- cream tabby molly

Tiger (Hollow)- big dark brown tabby tom with unusually long front claws [Tigerclaw]

Snowstorm (Snow)- fluffy white tom (mentor of Sandy) [Whitestorm]

Willow (Nuthatch)- gray molly [Willowpelt]

Nightshade (Willow)- black tabby tom [Darkstripe]

Stag (Lily)- brown tabby tom [Runningwind]

Mouse (Lily)- brown tabby molly [Mousefur]

Hornet (Basil)- cream tabby tom [Longtail]

Queen(s)

Speckle (Rhubarb)- pale golden tabby molly (camp queen) [Speckletail]

Frost (Inkcap)- white molly (mother to Juniper, Thorn, Shine, and Bracken) [Frostfur, Cinderkit, Thornkit, Brightkit, and Brackenkit]

Goshawk (Hedgehog)- gray tabby molly [Brindleface]

Buttercup (Maria)- golden tabby molly [Goldenflower]

Apprentice(s)

Raven (Robin)- black and white tom [Ravenpaw]

Sandy (Maggy)- light yellow tabby molly [Sandpaw]

Pebbles (Willow)- gray tom [Graypaw]

ShadowColony

Leader

Shatter (Garlic)- dark brown tabby with kinked tail [Brokenstar]

Deputy

Shrike (Holly)- white tom with black paws (mentor of Wolf Spider) [Blackfoot]

Druid(s)

the Mog (Saffron)- large gray molly with yellow protruding fangs [Yellowfang]

Slug (Garlic)- gray and white tom [Runningnose]

Elder(s)

(None)

Warriors

Newt (Bindweed)- old short black-and-ginger tabby molly [Newtspeck] (head elder)

Foxglove (Trinity)- dark gray molly [Darkflower]

Comfort (Rat)- brown scarred tom (mentor of Tiny) [Clawface]

Tangle (Garlic)- light grayish brown tabby molly [Tangleburr]

Wise (Holly)- gray tom (mentor of Cowslip) [Flintfang]

Proper (Beverly)- gray speckled tom [Frogtail]

Amity (Beverly)- gray molly [Ashheart]

Noble (Patience)- brown tabby tom with a stumpy tail (mentor of Reason) [Stumpytail]

Humble (Patience)- thin gray tom [Cinderfur]

Grace*- brown molly [Applefur]

Ranger(s)

Noodle*- dark ginger molly [Russetfur]

Antler (Garlic)- brown tabby tom [Deerfoot]

Thyme (Storm)- tall brown tabby molly [Tallpoppy]

Prudence (Holly)- pale calico molly (mentor of Peace) [Fernshade]

Howl (Dart)- gray tom [Wolfstep]

Mercenaries

Forest (Katniss)- black and white molly (mentor of Yew)

Cobalt (Midnight)- gray scarred tom

Duke (Alice)- white tom with orange spots

Ram*- light brown tabby tom (brother of Lacy)

Lacy*- light brown tabby molly (sister of Ram)

Queen(s)

Saffron (Chanterelle)- black and white molly (camp queen) [Brightflower]

Parasol (Slush)- ginger tabby molly (mother to Love and Dignity) [Dawncloud, Blossomkit, and Swampkit]

Crystal*- brown molly (pregnant visitor)

Apprentice(s)

Reason (Newt)- large brown tom [Brownpaw]

Tiny (Newt)- short brown tabby tom [Littlepaw]

Cowslip (Foxglove)- gray tabby tom [Wetpaw]

Peace (Fang)- black and white tom [Whitepaw]

Yew (Shatter)- white molly [Snowpaw]

Wolf Spider (Shatter)- large dark brown tom [Ratpaw]

RiverColony

Leader

Storm (Rain)- brown tabby with a twisted jaw [Crookedstar]

Deputy

Oak (Rain)- handsome reddish brown tom [Oakheart]

Druid(s)

Mud (Heron)- speckled brown tom [Mudfur]

Elder(s)

Hemlock (Fen)- light gray molly [Lilystem] (head elder)

Pool (Flicker)- gray molly with yellow eyes [Graypool]

Warriors

Ripple (Coraline)- elderly silver tabby tom [Rippleclaw]

Creek (Otter)- pale brown tabby molly [Sedgecreek]

Whirligig (Mist)- black tom [Beetlenose]

Vole (Mist)- gray tom [Voleclaw]

Ember (Dawn)- ginger molly (mentor to Sprout) [Emberdawn]

Buck (Hemlock)- brown tabby tom [Heavystep]

Huckleberry (Shimmer)- black tom [Blackclaw]

Snapdragon (Starling)- speckled golden molly [Leopardfur]

Misty (Pool)- blue molly [Mistyfoot]

Stone (Pool)- thick blue tom (mentor to Petal) [Stonefur]

Skyler (Jana)- brown tabby molly [Skyheart]

Cliff (Paddle)- black tom with a white paw [Whiteclaw]

Ranger(s)

Cattail (Otter)- pale gray tabby tom (mentor to Aurora) [Reedtail]

Frog (Lake)- gray tom [Frogleap]

Mercenaries

Captain- dark gray tabby tom

Baja Blast (Minky)- black and white molly

Clover (Iris)- yellow tabby tom

Hound (Kiki)- light brown tabby molly

Queen(s)

Flow (Paddle)- brown tabby molly [Grasswhisker] (camp queen)

Otter (Ruby)- brown tabby molly [Ottersplash]

Arum (Brooke)- tortoiseshell molly [Mosspelt]

Apprentice(s)

Sprout (Hemlock)- brown tabby molly with green eyes [Greenflower]

Petal (Hemlock)- dark gray molly [Shadepelt]

Aurora (Watermint)- silver tabby molly [Silverstream]

WindColony

Leader

Magpie (Birdy)- tall black and white tom [Tallstar]

Deputy

Cricket (Ginger)- black tom with a twisted foot (mentor to Wren) [Deadfoot]

Druid(s)

Peat (Bracken)- brown tom with a short tail [Barkface]

Elders

Tranquil (Night)- black tom [Crowfur] (head elder)

Warriors

Raincloud (Jay)- light gray and white tom [Cloudrunner]

Gobble (Posy)- gray molly with green eyes (mentor to Butterfly) [Plumclaw]

Apple (Swing)- light pinkish cream molly [Appledawn]

Rocky (Dormouse)- brown tom [Stagleap]

Doe (Dormouse)- brown molly [Doespring]

Rye (Dormouse)- brown tabby molly (mentor to Rooster) [Ryestalk]

Pigeon (Ginger)- gray and white tom [Pigeonflight]

Aster (Boots)- light brown molly [Wrenflight]

Fly (Birdy)- white tom [Flytail]

Rabbitdown (Birdy)- brown molly [Rabbitear]

Gristle (Birdy)- black and white tom (mentor to Brook) [Bristlebark]

Egg (Trill)- ginger molly

Whisper (Rye)- gray speckled tom [Tornear]

Spruce (Rye)- brown speckled tom [Mudclaw]

Leo (Bailey)- ginger tabby tom (mentor to Chirp) [Brushpaw]

Noon (Gobble)- tortoiseshell molly [Thrushwing]

Marble (Gobble)- gray tom [Stoneclaw]

Queen(s)

Rosehip (Ginger)- brown tortoiseshell molly [Sorrelshine] (camp queen)

Chime (Sheep) - gray molly with longer fur around her paws (mother to Chatter, Glen, Eagle, and Daffodil) [Ashfoot, Eaglekit, Hillkit, and Downkit]

Tune (Raspberry)- light tortoiseshell molly [Morningflower]

Apprentice(s)

Brook (Gobble)- gray tabby molly [Runningpaw]

Chirp (Gobble)- gray molly [Robinpaw]

Wren (Aster)- brown tabby tom with noticeably long whiskers [Onepaw]

Butterfly (Rosehip)- white and tortoiseshell molly [Whitepaw]

Rooster (Rosehip)- gray tabby tom [Webpaw]

Outsiders

Elder's camp

Crabgrass (Woodruff)- old black tabby molly [Crowtail]

Night (Rat)- white flecked black tom with breathing issues [Nightfur]

Aspen (Trust)- young gray tom with mobility issues [Ashfur]

Holly (Damson)- dark gray and white molly [Hollyflower]

Dove (Gracious)- pale gray and white molly [Poolcloud]

Modesty (Ragwort)- old brown tabby molly [Featherstorm]

Arch (Zest)- gray tabby tom [Archeye]

Vole (Fang)- light brown tom [Volewhisper]

Kittypets

Rusty- red tom

Smudge- black and white tom

*an asterisk notes that this cat's mother is unknown

#warrior cats rewrite #warriors rewrite #red fire au #red fire into the wild

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aeondeug · 2 years

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Me making a RtW character: I want to be a tragic Sheikah historian who is fated to die and has lived her entire life knowing that this is her one purpose in life. She has crippling anxiety and the self esteem of a depressed slug in track and field events that include hares.

Me making an FFD20 character: I want to be a moogle dragoon named Kupapa who has a roegadyn bf named Cold Salmon and is out to kill the Warrior of Light (who may or may not actually exist) and declare himself King Moogle Mog XXVII solely so other moogles will take him seriously and think his pom is actually very luxurious and shiny.

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master-of-gaburincho · 5 years

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MOG's Throwback Thursday: Imaginext Dinosaurs (2004-2008)

Starting with my first Throwback Thursday post, I decided to share on the toy line I grew up on (along with many others).

This is... the Imaginext Dinosaurs line!!

When I was a wee kid, dinosaurs were my number one obsession. If anything had a dinosaur on it, you know i'd eat that shit up (and quite frankly I still do). One of many staples of a dinosaur-centered childhood during the early 2000's was getting cool dinosaur toys, and the Imaginext Dinosaurs caught my eye.

Let's observe why I love them so darn much, shall we?

The Stegosaurus was the first dinosaur in the line I ever got. Child me thought he was the greatest toy I ever possessed, especially when you pushed the button on the side that made his tail swing back n' forth and let's not forget that dopey grin. My amazement led to me getting the Allosaurus, and from that point on I started collecting these beasts up until I was 9 (I also begged my parents for a Spike the Ultra Dinosaur at that age, but that's perhaps for another post.)

So why do I still hold such appreciation for the Imaginext dinosaurs from the 2000's now?

Easy: The designs. Scientists were still determining what the hell dinosaurs looked like and acted, but because of this, toy companies went with whatever the fuck they wanted when it came to making their dinosaurs. For Imaginext, they chose the best way: adding very colorful stripes and patterns with a more rather grounded stylization of the beasts. The plus side is you can determine whether the dinosaurs were born looking like that or think of it as primal paint the cavepeople decided to splatter on their war-hungry battle beasts.

Oh yeah, did I forget to mention the dinosaurs came with cavepeople/reptoids, accessories, small critters, and saddles for the cavepeople to ride the beasts with?

Because they did. And they absolutely pimped out the dinos with whatever they could find laying around.

Also, I LOVE these shots of the toys. The grass, rocks, and trees really amp up that "primitive" feel. Plus, with the action poses, the dinosaurs and their caveman companions look like they're slugging their way to some great uphill battle.

I also found the addition of small critters neat. They usually ranged from eurypterids, archaeopteryx, lizards, and ground sloths (which were remolds of the cave people, so it ends up making them seem like the sloths were their own race of people)

Somewhere around 2008/2009, Imaginext made a line called Lost Creatures. You could kinda tell that the era of thse Imaginext Dinos was coming to a close.

What I appreciate about this line however is that it seems less about the dinosaurs and more of a "Skull Island" sort of deal (not helped by the fact there's a giant gorilla sporting a sick bone necklace in the line). I mean, you can't just throw giant animals, apes, and dinosaurs and not think of that 2005 King Kong film.

There was a ressurgence of a dinosaur line somewhere in late 2011. This line excited me a bit because not only were the dinos back, but it seems to be based on the 80's toy line Dino Riders. I'm a sucker for the retro stuff, just like how I am a sucker for prehistoric beasts getting decked in wicked tech-armor.

After 2013, imaginext dinos started to get less interesting in my eyes. Obviously I'm not the target demographic, but I would know fun dinosaur toys when I see 'em.

The older Imaginext dinosaurs had some charm to them. As aforementioned, they felt more grounded in stylization: a good blend of "cartoony" and "realistic". The newer imaginext dinos starting from 2014 are too stylized, but that's to be expected with most kid toys nowadays.

The current Imaginext Jurassic World does look nice in my opinion, especially with the feature of those pearly eyes, but they look ugly with the metal parts permanently stuck on them for the sake of gimmicks. I just want removable armor so I can have some nakey dinos

That wraps up for this Throwback Thursday. Until next time...

#Throwback Thursdays! (blogging about the old days)#childhood #imaginext #imaginext dinosaurs #gen z #toys #dinosaurs

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moonguardsecrets · 6 years

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Pssssst. Slug mogs are still ugly. Die mad about it. :)

🐛

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believerindaydreams · 7 years

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Ecstasy in Cosmogone Glossary

Some borrowed, some stolen, some invented, but I have enough odd words now that I need a list. (A warning: some of these don’t adhere to Failbetter canon.)

Aich’s alloy: copper, zinc and iron, useful for underwater work.

Apotheosis: Something, someday, will happen to London.

associative trails: Neath hypertext.

Beloved blubber: when refined, the source of zee-butter, though zailors generally prefer it straight. Can be eaten either hot or cold, very popular condiment aboard the Clipper.

Blemmigan nectar: gods alone know, but it tastes awful.

blood-letting: the mechanism which lowers your stats for incautious activities in SS. Also applicable for the consumption of Bottled Oblivion.

bolegus-timber: mushroom wood.

Calgary Flames: the Innocent Spy’s favourite hockey team. Not that he has any reason to mention this in 1895.

cavern-tuna: what you feed mogs.

Celestial Welshman: Arthur Machen. Bohemian author.

change war: 1. One of SF’s first really good time wars, as recounted in various Fritz Leiber books. 2. the conflict between cats and snakes.

chiropterochronometry: er, bats and timekeeping?

collop: slice of meat.

comci: one of those artistic movements only defined by academics long after its flowering. Generally agreed to have been kickstarted by the Sickly Scotsman’s “The New Arabian Nights��, the definition brushes up against magical realism on one side, Chestertonian paradox on the other, and some kind of five-dimensional Lovecraftian horror on both.

déjà vu: the subject of much vigorous wrangling at the University, where there’s a department attempting to ascertain whether it’s some sort of psychic occurrence, a temporary displacement with one’s reflection, or something else entirely.

DDD terms: (permanent) death, dismemberment, drownification. Grounds upon which a Neath contract might reasonably be voided.

(this is getting a bit long, more beneath the jump.)

driftweed: the Underzee’s most common variety of edible seaweed, eaten by vegetarians and very, very desperate zailors.

duck tape: a dreadful anachronism. Made from zee-glue and Parabola linen duck.

DXS: Department of External Services, the Innocent Spy's former employers. Seem to take on both internal and international missions without batting an eye.

First City coin stamp: a joke.

flectere: the art of mirrors.

flexion: what reflections call us.

fungal mint cake: highly calorific foodstuff, in much demand for Neath adventurers. Sufficiently hearty to ward off the effects of UP, for a day or so.

freightage: the poor chumps indentured to private companies such as Iron and Misery, who transport the most boring of cargoes. Zee-coal from the Iron Republic, crates of mushrooms to branches of Harbour Provisioners, etc. So pathetic they travel in convoys, and no decent zailor will shame the profession by admitting they even exist.

Grand Sanction: that which has enabled the Innocent Spy to live through a twentieth century with no space bats or immortality in it. The Phoenix Foundation is responsible for it, though the Spy doesn’t actually know that part.

geas: a bit like an oath, but with more punch and narrative interest to it.

INCURSION: an unpleasant but not lethal random encounter in the Iron Republic.

Innocent Spy: current work-name for one MacGyver. Accidental time-traveller, brilliant engineer, and oh yes, also a spy.

jati: borrowed from the Hindi word for caste, appropriated by Londoners to mean something more like untouchable. That which happens in London entirely outside of the Bazaar’s remit, and officially does not exist. Examples of jati would include driftweed sellers, anybody living in a terraced house, the chap who’s next-door neighbours with The Most Boring Man in London.

knitting: something the Innocent Spy does to make a jumper. Something the Herald does to upconvert Whispering Hints and Cryptic Clues.

Kabulstan: a country in central Asia. Location of the Ammukash valley and the Mountain of Youth, better known to Neath inhabitants as Stone.

Last Night’s pudding: the flaming pudding traditionally eaten twelve days after the first lacre-fall. Society folk rather look down at this; Dockers love it.

late-reign: 1. anything that’s happened in the Neath since the Innocent Spy arrived, more or less. 2. for later historians, the fin de siecle period of the Traitor Empress’ reign. What precisely this entails is a matter of hot debate amongst the handful of academics permitted to study the matter.

Lillywhite’s: the bible of cricket.

Literary Postman: Anthony Trollope, Society author and postal worker. His last public act before a graceful retirement to Nuncio was pressing forward the decimalisation of Echoes, making London’s currency minimally less terrifying.

Norton: those who would take a Liberty. The umbrella term for a loose association of anti-Fall ideologies, ranging from those who insist that London never left the Surface, to those who insist it’s fated to return. Originally referred to a number of activists from Spite who tried to bring the Empress to court, on the grounds that she lacked the legal authority to bring their street to the Neath. You can usually find one at the Square of Lofty Words.

obscurity: 1. to posies and potential posies [every single PC], the most horrifying fate imaginable in London society, only undertaken by the maddest of Seekers. 2. to everyone else in London (of whom there’s rather a lot), an exchange in which one trades away a never-gonna-happen future of Making Waves in exchange for the safety of being Closest To a particular faction. This is how random zailors are closest to Dockers and so forth.

The Penniless Archeologist: loosely based on Eduard Glaser, the Archeologist is a late-19th century Surface scholar attempting to find the location of the Garden of Eden. His map, a hundred years later, leads the Unimaginative Assassin to start investigating a mountain in Kubulstan...

posy: a more amusing and period-appropriate bit of slang for Persons of Some Importance than POSI.

Phoenix Foundation: the Innocent Spy’s employers. Partly a do-gooding charity, partly an agency for plausibly deniable intelligence work.

Pinksaw's Guide to Edible Fungi: exactly what it sounds like.

quirks: the measure of a man.

rat extract: Neath Bovril.

red-handled knife: the Innocent Spy’s tool of choice.

reflection: that which you see in a mirror. May occasionally be sentient.

reppeljack: newly Fallen. Mildly offensive.

ritual: the Herald’s all-purpose term for anything quasi-magical, esp. for her ship-keeping prayers to Stone, Salt and Storm. (She usually refrains from telling the Innocent Spy the proper names, both for safety and to head off arguments about how silly the proper names are.)

“The Sapphire”: Fallen London’s equivalent of “The Gem”.

scintillack: that blue stuff that helps you shoot things.

secret sharing: a ritual to improve one’s stats, by offering up a secret to another party. Usually undertaken as a matched set, unless a Captain is involved (it is the duty of Captains to give, not to take).

Sickly Scotsman: Robert Louis Stevenson. Author, affiliation indeterminate (he notoriously cycled through Closest To on a regular basis.)

Slug and Mushroom: a terrible chain of pubs owned by Murgatroyd’s, found across the Underzee.

solacefruit extract: sweet substance akin to stevia, usually used to flavour Darkdrop coffee.

speaking tubes: a piece of historical accuracy! How people at opposite ends of a steamship can talk to each other.

Sporting Times: The name the Pink ‘Un is forced to trade under, in Fallen London.

suchenroman: literature dealing with Seekers. Only became popular in late-reign London, and even then only as penny-dreadful tosh, more illegal than red honey. Ironically, due to their confiscation on sight, one of the few forms of popular Neath literature available for Surface historians after the Grand Sanction.

Surfacer: 1. Someone who lives on the Surface and has never seen the Neath. 2. A Londoner stupid or optimistic enough to keep insisting they’re going to return to the Surface, one of these days...

“Tasted on the wind”: depending who’s talking, either foretold or made a lucky guess.

telesthetic: what the Student calls telepathy, cos it sounds cooler.

Tireless Mechanic: the Innocent Spy’s later work-name, after a number of as-yet undescribed events.

travel slate: the thing the Herald chalks courses on for her shipmates to follow.

trionfi: the Herald’s predictive tarot games, in which she studies the Hours.

tree-effigy: Guy Fawkes Day not being on anyone’s mind these days, there’s now a Neathmas tradition among the lower classes to make a flammable effigy of the Consort. Other popular candidates for the effigy are the Traitor Empress, especially hated zee-captains, and, if you’re feeling especially daring, one of the Masters.

tynged: Welsh version of a geas.

Unimaginative Assassin: Surface name Murdoc, the Innocent Spy’s nemesis.

Venderbight: that Tomb Colony I can never remember how to spell.

zee-code: something the Captain is constantly blathering about, and which may or may not exist.

...huh, that was more than I expected.

#fic #macgyver #fallen london #glossary #failbetter

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impulsivewcrewrite · 1 year

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Into the Wild: ShadowColony Allegiances

Leader

Shatter (Garlic)- dark brown tabby with kinked tail [Brokenstar]

Deputy

Shrike (Holly)- white tom with black paws [Blackfoot]

Healer(s)

The Mog (Saffron)- large gray molly with yellow protruding fangs [Yellowfang]

Slug (Garlic)- gray and white tom [Runningnose]

Elder(s)

(None)

Warriors

Newt (Bindweed)- old short black-and-ginger tabby molly [Newtspeck] (Head elder)

Red*- dark ginger molly [Russetfur]

Foxglove (Blossom)- dark gray molly [Darkflower]

Comfort (Rat)- brown scarred tom (mentor of Tiny) [Clawface]

Tangle (Garlic)- light grayish brown tabby molly [Tangleburr]

Thyme (Storm)- tall brown tabby molly [Tallpoppy]

Flint (Holly)- gray tom (mentor of Cowslip) [Flintfang]

Pignut (Holly)- pale calico molly (mentor of Gull) [Fernshade]

Howl (Dart)- gray tabby tom [Wolfstep]

Batwing (Patience)- brown tabby tom with a stumpy tail (mentor of Brownie) [Stumpytail]

Cinders (Patience)- thin gray tom [Cinderfur]

Mercenaries

Forest (Katniss)- black and white molly

Cobalt (Midnight)- Scarred gray tom

Duke (Alice)- white tom with orange spots

Ram*- light brown tabby tom

Lucy*- light brown tabby molly

Queens

Saffron (Chanterelle)- black and white molly (camp queen) [Brightflower]

Parasol (Slush)- ginger tabby molly (mother to Blossom and Mallow) [Dawncloud, Blossomkit, Marshkit]

Crystal*- brown molly (pregnant visitor)

Apprentices

Brownie (Newt)- large brown tom [Brownpaw]

Cowslip (Newt)- gray tabby tom [Wetpaw]

Tiny (Newt)- short brown tabby tom [Littlepaw]

Gull (Fang)- black and white tom [Whitepaw]

*Red's mother's name is unknown

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impulsivewcrewrite · 3 days

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Chapter 13: Rocky Foundation

< Chapter 12 | ToC | Chapter 14 >

Still buzzing with excitement, Rusty hardly knew what to do with himself after waking up before the sun rose. His first gathering! What would it be like meeting the other Colonies? Would they know he was a kittypet before? Would they even like him? He felt an edge of fear.

The entrance tunnel rustled. The Mog slowly crawled back down into camp. Perhaps she had woken up early too. He headed over to her. Maybe she’d be less spicy in the morning.

“Good morning, the Mog,” he chirped. “Did you sleep well?”

After fixing him with a hard stare, she grunted. “I slept fine. Don’t you have a mentor to bother?”

“Bloom’s asleep. Plus, I’m not allowed to go to the leader’s den without permission,” Rusty clarified. Then, feeling bold, he propped a bit further. “Are apprentices in Shadow allowed to wake up the leader?”

Surprisingly, the Mog cracked a wry smile. “Not usually, but they often bother the druids at all hours of the night. Since being brought here, I’ve had the best sleep in years!”

“Oh, awesome!” he beamed at her. “I’m glad. I was a bit afraid you’d have a hard time adjusting… but then again, I don’t know much about ShadowColony.”

“I may be a bit biased, but ShadowColony… at least the one I grew up in… is the most noble Colony in the forest,” the Mog’s voice took on a dreamy, child-like wonder. “We believe that the Stars are closest to the pine forest, so much so that any old warrior can read signs and omens. My father was a ranger, he showed me much about Twoleg culture. In camp, everyone is equal, and everyone is expected to get along…” she trailed off. “But that was many moons ago. Now I don’t recognize the Colony. My friends and kin are long dead or exiled.”

A soft sadness engulfed the pair. The Mog gently wiped away a tear. “It’s not all bad. I believe that StarColony will make things right again. I know I’m not the only one who prays for peace in Shadow.”

Rusty nodded. From what he knew, there were a few spirits you could pray to for certain things. At the moment he wasn’t sure what Star Shadow represented, but he quietly sent her a prayer.

“If you have the time, say hi to Slug for me,” she cut across his thoughts.

“Slug?”

“My apprentice. ShadowColony’s druid. You’ll know him when you see him,” the Mog yawned. “Little gray and white kid, runny nose.” She paused. “Not so much a kid anymore. Anyway, I’m going to try and sleep.”

“Goodnight,” he mewed.

. . .

The following day was a blur. Night couldn’t come soon enough. Rusty spent the day with Scarlet, helping her clear out bad herbs. While she did this, she told Rusty about the other Colonies, and who their leaders, druids, and deputies were. Rusty found it difficult to listen, as he kept getting distracted by her gorgeous red eyes and velvety fur. His heart felt light around her.

He was so distracted he didn’t hear when Pebbles started calling for him. Only when his friend headbutted him did he realize it was time to leave for the Gathering.

Bloom led the patrol out of camp and towards Fourtrees. With each step, Rusty felt more and more excited.

They finally reached the bushes around Fourtrees. Beside him crouched Raven and Pebbles. The air was thick with the warm scents of cats from the other Colonies. They stared down at the many cats already mulling around in the clearing. Under the light of the full moon, the cats all looked pale gray.

“That’s a lot of cats!” Raven whispered nervously.

“Don’t be so worried, there’s a truce! Hey, is that Star Shatter?” Pebbles pointed to a huge brown tabby.

“No, Shatter’s on the rock,” Rusty squinted at the cat Pebbles pointed out. “Look at that jaw!” The tom’s face was twisted, as if his jaw had been broken and healed wrong. “That must be Star Storm, of RiverColony.”

Beside him, Raven shivered. “Oh, I think I’m going to be sick. What if Shatter attacks? What if he doesn’t know the truce exists? He’s only been a leader for a few moons. Maybe they haven't taught him the truce yet!”

“We’ll just have to see what happens,” mused Rusty.

“No sign of WindColony,” Pebbles noted.

“They were chased out, remember?” reminded Rusty. “Hang on, Bloom looks about ready.”

As he had said, Bloom stood up and flicked her tail at the Gathering. The Gathering patrol immediately descended upon the clearing. Rusty felt the adrenaline rush as he burst out and into the growing crowd.

Pebbles was right. The warriors who walked around were fearsome looking. A huge gray RiverColony tom gave Rusty a side glance, but all Rusty could see were his strong muscles flexing under his fur. Beyond that warrior was an elderly ShadowColony molly, with faded scars all across her pelt. Rusty felt intimidated.

“Rusty, Raven, Pebbles,” Bloom’s voice startled Rusty. She had snuck up behind them. “This is a valuable opportunity to meet your enemies up close. Keep your eyes and ears open and your mouths shut.”

“I understand,” Rusty nodded. He didn’t want Bloom to doubt his loyalty ever again. She nodded and walked off towards Star Storm. To his surprise, the two struck up a polite conversation. Didn’t she care that her deputy had been killed by Storm’s own brother?

“Now what?” Pebbles wondered aloud.

“We go out and meet the other Colonies, I guess,” Rusty responded. He began aimlessly wandering through the crowds. Pebbles quickly scampered after him.

“Woah! Look at that tom’s paws!” Pebbles blurted out as a large white tom walked past. Rusty stared. The tom’s jet black paws had extra toes! That must be Shrike Holly, ShadowColony’s deputy, he recalled what Scarlet had told him. Shrike glared at Pebbles, who ducked his head bashfully.

“It’s rude to comment about other cats’ appearances!” chided Nightshade.

Looking ahead, Rusty nudged Pebbles. “Look, that’s Slug, the druid of ShadowColony.” He pointed to a small gray tom.

“I can see why they call him Slug,” Pebbles remarked. Slug’s nose was wet with snot, much like a slug’s slime.

“Don’t be rude,” Rusty shook his head. “He’s talking to Scarlet. Let’s listen in.”

Despite his sickly appearance, the tom spoke with an air of absolute confidence. “Since those Twoleggeds came and uprooted the natural plants, none of the Goil plants will grow there!”

A large brown tom nodded. “It’s been seasons since I’ve found Goil either. The Twolegs have the blood of many kittens on their paws.” Rusty guessed that was RiverColony’s druid, though he couldn’t remember his name. He looked surprisingly rugged for a druid.

“Catnip can still cure kitten-cough, though. We should look at the positives, not the negatives,” Scarlet mewed simply.

The brown tom frowned. “If I were half the warrior I once was, I’d slay the Twolegs myself.”

“Warriors can kill Twolegs?” piped up a small brown tabby apprentice. After he spoke, he nervously covered his face with a paw. All eyes turned on him.

Slug too, suddenly seemed rather shy. “Well, no, Mud was just fantasizing. Tiny, it’s rude to listen to other cats’ conversations!”

Tiny, the apprentice, nodded, but continued to stare at Mud with wide eyes.

“Tiny’s one of the new apprentices, right? He’s named appropriately. How many moons old are you?” Scarlet asked. Her tone was gentle, but her eyes revealed concern.

“He’s six moons,” Slug moved and patted Tiny on the head.

“My mom and dad are small too,” Tiny added quickly.

“Go run along now, find some other apprentices to converse with, won’t you?” Slug’s pats turned into shoves, and Tiny vanished into the crowds. “Anyways, I do have a few seeds which I believe to be Goil in my den, so I plan on planting this coming New-Leaf…”

“C’mon, let’s go find Raven. He’s found something more interesting than whatever Goil is,” Pebbles muttered. As the pair turned, they instead spotted Tiger in the midst of a story. This was the first time Rusty had ever seen Tiger look happy, engaging with his eager audience.

“Then I was blinded by blood,” the huge tom pointed to the scar on his nose. “But I still managed to best Stone. As he was fleeing, I heard Oak scream in rage!”

Rusty and Pebbles padded closer. This was Rusty’s first time hearing the events of the night from Tiger himself.

“I turned just in time to see Ruddy running towards me, yowling “Oak is dead!” But the rogues kept fighting. If a fight is what they wanted, a fight is what they got!”

Rusty felt a chill run down his spine. Raven had just said that Ruddy had killed Oak. How could Ruddy be killed by Oak if Oak had died first? Maybe Tiger was mistaken.

“Excuse me? Are you ThunderColony’s kittypet?” a curious voice asked.

Rusty turned, confused. There stood a silver tabby molly, from RiverColony. Her blue eyes glistened with concern. Behind her stood another RiverColony apprentice, this one a brown tabby.

“My name is Rusty, I’m a ThunderColony apprentice,” he asserted. “But can I help you?”

“Hi Rusty, I’m Aurora,” the silver tabby mewed meekly. “I just wanted to ask you about Smudge. We used to play and fight, but I haven’t seen him in a few moons, and I’m getting worried. He mentioned you a few times, and I thought I could ask you about him?”

Smudge. The name almost brought a tear to his eye. Biting back tears, Rusty tried to explain his last encounter with Smudge when a loud yowl signaled to all the cats for quiet.

He looked up to see where the yowl had come from. Three cats sat silhouetted against the moonlit sky on top of the Great Rock. They were Bloom, Shatter, and Storm. And yet, there was another cat trying to climb on top. It was a scruffy brown tom with angry orange eyes. He looked half starved, and carried a faint WindColony scent. Where had he come from?

Shatter had been the one to yowl. His fur was bristled and his claws extended. “You are no leader! You have no right to be here!”

The stranger growled back. “WindColony deserves representation after you threw us out!”

Gasps and shouts of protest echoed around the clearing.

“Rocky, Shatter is right. Please step down!” Storm bellowed.

“Tell them why you did it!” Rocky demanded. Now his fur spiked in fury. “Tell them why you killed my family and chased us out!”

At this, the crowd fell into an uneasy silence. All around him, Rusty could smell the acrid tang of fear. Shatter slowly lowered his hackles, and turned to the crowd.

“As many of you know, my father, Tatter, was murdered by a WindColony patrol. His death was brutal, and unprovoked. It deeply affected me as a young tom,” Shatter spoke slowly. “As Colony leader, it is my responsibility to protect my Colony. I take this role very seriously.”

“You’re a monster!” Rocky shouted.

Shatter closed his eyes for a brief moment, then opened them and continued. “I strive for peace in the forest. That is the desired outcome for everyone, yes? We all want to be well fed, uninjured, and free from disease. We want to protect our queens and kits.”

“Your warriors tore our kits from their mothers!” protested Rocky. ShadowColony cats began yowling with protest. Rocky threw his head back in a loud shout. “Right now, four of our kits have been trapped in ShadowColony!”

Along with many others, Rusty found himself standing up, claws extended. Was this Gathering going to devolve into a battle?

“Kit-knappers!” someone shouted.

“Liar!”

“Monsters!”

“WE HAVE PROVIDED FOR THEM WHEN YOU COULD NOT!” Shatter shouted. Everyone fell silent. Even Shatter seemed surprised at his own outburst.

Then he let out a sigh. “Rocky, truly, I am sorry. WindColony, and all the Colonies have suffered losses over this past Leaf-bare. All Colonies except ShadowColony. We remained strong. Our kits are strong, and we need more prey than the other Colonies. When I saw we could help WindColony kits, I took the chance. You want your kits healthy and safe, correct?”

“Healthy and safe in WindColony,” Rocky spat.

“Then I will personally see they are delivered to WindColony, once they are at the appropriate age,” Shatter purred. “I saw their needs were not being met, so I took them into my care.”

“You’re sick!” Rocky took a step towards Shatter. Bloom and Storm immediately stepped forward to protect Shatter.

“Rocky, listen to me, there is a truce,” Storm blubbered. “Please sit down.”

“You don’t know what I’ve seen,” Rocky’s voice dropped to a growl.

“You’re very determined. Shame you aren’t a part of ShadowColony. You’d be a great warrior if you joined me,” Shatter noted casually.

“I’d rather die than fight for you!” Rocky spat. “Cats of all Colonies, listen to my words!” The tom turned to face the crowds, spittle flying from his mouth. “Shatter is a traitor, and has broken the warrior’s code! His Colonymates have slain my Colonymates, they killed Raincloud, Marble, Gristle, they killed my own sister, Doe! They are monsters, and all of you are in danger.”

ShadowColony once again erupted with fury. Cats of all ages threw their angry words up at Rocky. Rusty watched the ShadowColony leader. He seemed genuinely hurt by Rocky’s words. The tom was quiet, and finally stood up and let out a loud yowl. Shatter’s voice finally raised above the noise. The crowds’ shouts fell into silence.

“I tried to be diplomatic! I told Star Magpie I would avenge my father. I gave him enough warning to turn over the killer to me to be dealt with. And yet he refused. They are harboring a murderer!” Shatter righteously yowled. “Rocky is short sighted. To deny me is to deny StarColony. They were the ones that chose me.”

“Can we please get on with the Gathering?” shouted a RiverColony elder. This was met with nervous laughter. Rusty noticed Bloom quietly saying something to Rocky, and although his fur slowly flattened, he remained in an aggressive stance.

“I do have something to propose to the Colonies,” Shatter continued. “As I have mentioned, ShadowColony is strong. Our nursery is bursting with kits. Our apprentices are many, and our warriors and merciaries are growing numerous. The needs of ShadowColony are simple. In order to survive, we must increase our hunting territory. That is why I insist that you allow ShadowColony warriors to hunt in your territories.”

A shocked but muted growl rippled through the crowd.

“Share our hunting grounds?” called the outraged voice of Tiger.

“It is unprecedented!” cried a tortoiseshell molly from RiverColony. “The Colonies have never shared hunting rights!”

“Should ShadowColony be punished because our kits thrive?” questioned Shatter from the Great Rock. “Do you want us to watch our young starve? You must share what you have with us.”

“Must!” spat Shrew furiously from the back of the crowd.

“Must,” repeated Shatter. “WindColony failed to understand this. In the end, we were forced to drive them out of their territory.”

Snarls of outrage burst from the crowd, but Shatter’s caterwaul rang loud above them: “And, if we have to, we will drive you all from your hunting grounds in order to feed our hungry kits. Their hunger drives us!”

There was instant silence. On the other side of the clearing, Rusty heard a RiverColony apprentice start to mutter something, but he was quickly hushed by an elder.

“I am not asking for your answer now.” Shatter continued “You must each go away and consider my words. But bear this in mind: Would you prefer to share your prey, or be driven out and left homeless and starving?”

Warriors, elders, and apprentices looked at one another in disbelief. In the anxious pause that followed, Storm stepped forward. “I do not want kits to go hungry. ShadowColony is permitted to hunt on the territory-” the leader’s words were cut off by loud outcries.

“The council was not consulted!”

“That’s against the warrior’s code!”

“Star Storm, no!”

“This is best for all Colonies,” Storm loudly explained. His voice was heavy with exhaustion and resignation. “The river is plentiful. It’s better to share prey than spill blood fighting over it. StarColony knows we fight too much.”

Bloom shot Storm an angry stare. The tom winced but ignored it.

“I will make no such agreement until I have discussed this with my council and Colony,” Bloom cooly said.

“Yeah, Star Bloom!” Pebbles yowled, startling Rusty. He’d forgotten Pebbles was beside him.

“No bother, Bloom. I am confident you will come to the right conclusion,” Shatter mewed. “But I have another announcement. A ShadowColony cat has turned rogue and spurned the warrior’s code. We chased her out of our camp, but we believe she has not left the Valley. I will not say her name as it is a disgrace to all who hear it.”

Rusty’s fur bristled. Could he mean the Mog?

“She is dangerous, despite her feeble appearance,” he continued. “Until she is hunted down and killed, keep your kits close.”

Rocky laughed cruelly, and spat something about Shatter being the dangerous one.

Around him, Rusty knew the nervous growls from ThunderColony meant that they too had thought of the Mog. None of them spent enough time with her to see past her prickly exterior.

Shatter leapt off the rock, and his warriors converged on him like ants on a crumb. Seeing all of them together, suddenly Tiny didn’t look too tiny. All the other apprentices seemed equally small. And yet, he couldn’t spot a single adult who was shorter than average.

“Did you hear what Shatter said? There’s a dangerous Shadow exile. Do you think he meant the Mog?” Shrew’s voice carried towards Rusty. More ThunderColony cats were gathering around the elder, voicing concerns.

“But she was so nice to Frost’s kits the other day. Was that a trap to lure them in?” worried Speckle.

“Oh, we’ve left her behind with the camp unguarded!” wailed Lily.

“Since the first moment I saw her I knew she was trouble!” Nightshade hissed.

Tiger strode up to the group. “We must return immediately and deal with her.”

There was no point in listening further. Mind racing, Rusty knew Shatter wasn’t telling the truth. From what he knew of her, the Mog would never dare harm a kit. ShadowColony kit or otherwise! It wasn’t in her nature.

“Don’t let anyone know I’m gone,” he hissed to Pebbles, before charging up the hill and into the forest. If it cost him his place in ThunderColony, he didn’t care. He refused to let the Mog suffer because of Shatter’s words.

#warrior cats rewrite #warriors rewrite #red fire au #red fire into the wild

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