Two cats are lying down. The cat on the left is Flintpelt, she/her, 69 moons old. She is a gray bengal cat with brown-black flecks and green eyes. The cat on the right is Yarrowmoon, he/him, 58 moons old. He is a yellow cat with orange tabby markings, white crescent moon "earrings," and scars on his chest and nose. His eyes are closed.
Flintpelt asks Yarrowmoon, "Shouldn't we be gathering herbs?" Yarrowmoon responds, "Nah, we don't have anywhere to put them. Besides, I'm still tired from traveling." He thinks to himself, "And you're still recovering from having our kits..."
Panel Two: CloudClan
A kitten yells at an adult cat. The kitten is Snakekit, he/him, 4 moons old. He is a gray speckled tabby with one white ear and indigo eyes. The cat he's yelling at his father, Cement Mixer, he/him, 49 moons old. He is a pink masked tabby with white eyebrows and indigo eyes.
Snakekit yells, "I hate that we were kittypets!! And I hate that you kept that dumb kittypet name!! It's like you don't even want to be a CloudClan cat!!" Cement Mixer looks hurt.
Panels Three and Four: ShellClan
Kestrelpaw, a small gray cat with blue mackerel tabby markings and green-yellow eyes, touches noses with another cat, Ashtrot, a blue-ish gray bengal tabby with a yellow-ish underside, orange eyes, and a scar on her nose. Kestrelpaw uses she/her pronouns and is 6 moons old. Ashtrot uses she/her pronouns and is 80 moons old.
In the third panel, text reads, "Kestrelpaw is now a mediator apprentice!! Her mentor is Ashtrot. Her traits are now playful, quick to help." Kestrelpaw looks thrilled. Ashtrot's expression is distant, almost bored.
In the fourth panel, Ashtrot looks the same, but Kestrelpaw looks devastated, hurt, and confused.
ALRIGHT, SO. I've tried to design this character multiple times and never been happy with the result so I've decided to give him to y'all!
This is Gorsepelt, someone you may have seen mentioned in Greyclan lore! He was the former deputy of Greyclan at around 60 moons and has long, spiky and tangled fur reminiscent of a thicket or brambles, and his personality trait is Ambitious.
I'll leave this open until the end of July (since I'm busy with artfight anyway), so go wild!! All designs will be properly credited and I'll probably post the runner ups along with the winner at the end of the month!
True to his word, Cowbirdsoar leaves at sunset. He emerges from the cave into the fading sunlight. He steps carefully into the bright snow, shivering as it meets his paw pads.
"Be careful," He mews to Madtomtuft, "There could be ice underneath."
She steps beside him. "I doubt it's cold enough for that."
He rolls his eyes, but doesn't press it. It's only her first winter, he reminds himself. "Just be careful, please."
"Alright."
They carefully make their way up to the meadow. Under the last traces of daylight, they creep through their old territory. Despite himself, Cowbirdsoar stops when they reach Grouseclan's former camp. The dens were little more than scraps now. The snow had buried the nursery and caved in the Leader's den. No den, was safe, not even his den. The sturdy oak log that he slept had been split in half. The infected in there must have grown through the walls. He shivers. If I had stayed there…
Madtomtuft noses his shoulder. "Let's keep going," She whispers. He nods, casting one last glance at the camp before leaving.
They continue through their territory, and Pipitclan's before eventually finding the cave. He motions for Madtomtuft to sit down. He speaks quietly, "I need you to keep guard." She opens her mouth to protest, but he raises a paw. "The cave is well protected, except for this entrance. If an infected comes while I'm in there… I need you to be able to warn me, okay?"And be able to run if I can't.
She flicks her tail with irritation. "Fine." He smiles at her and steps towards the cave's entrance.
The dark, endless maw welcomes him. Jagged, gray teeth stick out from the roof, threatening to destrly any predators. Or cats Starclan rejects. He brushes the thought out of his mind and walks into the cave. The inside of the cave is just as dark.
He traces along the rocks as the cave grows tighter and tighter. It's a tight fit, but he manages to squeeze himself.
He emerges into the Guardian's cave. There, he sees the ancient bones of the Guardian, curled up in xyr eternal slumber. The only light in the cave comes from the mushrooms that grow over xyr bones. Xyr giant skeleton easily outpaces even the infected. He tries to focus elsewhere, but his eyes keep drifting back to xyr head. Xyr skull is almost the size of his body. If xe were alive, xe could easily crush him.
Cautiously, he bows to xem. It feels silly how relaxing the traditions are. After a minute, he stands and approaches xem. He presses his nose against one of the mushrooms on Guardian's paws.
He shuts his eyes and lies down. Darkness envelops him as he falls asleep. A gentle light greets him, but before he can speak, he is shocked awake. A sharp splitting pain overtakes his head. He scrambles back from the bones, each movement bringing him new pain. He wheezes out, sickness clutching him. He digs his claws into the stone. He struggles to get his bearings. His ears ring.
Stop. Starclan. Please. He begs his ancestors, but each plea brings a fresh wave of pain. Please. He shoves his head into the stone, crying.
He remains there for an hour before Madtomtuft finds him. Upon finding him, she rushes to his side. She grooms him. "What's wrong?" she asks so sweetly and so innocently.
Even without the pain, Cowbirdsoar could not meet her gaze. She does not deserve this pain; no cat does. Starclan… Starclan can not save us. He buries his head into her shoulder. Her scent helps ground him, but as he moves his head, he can't help but notice a foreign scent on her fur. Too tired to think about it, he rests his head on hers.
"Let's… just get home," He says, his voice raspy.
Madtomtuft doesn't push him- Stars, I hope one day she does- And the two of them return to camp.
True to his word, Cowbirdsoar leaves at sunset. He emerges from the cave into the fading sunlight. He steps carefully into the bright snow, shivering as it meets his paw pads.
"Be careful," He mews to Madtomtuft, "There could be ice underneath."
She steps beside him. "I doubt it's cold enough for that."
He rolls his eyes, but doesn't press it. It's only her first winter, he reminds himself. "Just be careful, please."
"Alright."
They carefully make their way up to the meadow. Under the last traces of daylight, they creep through their old territory. Despite himself, Cowbirdsoar stops when they reach Grouseclan's former camp. The dens were little more than scraps now. The snow had buried the nursery and caved in the Leader's den. No den, was safe, not even his den. The sturdy oak log that he slept had been split in half. The infected in there must have grown through the walls. He shivers. If I had stayed there…
Madtomtuft noses his shoulder. "Let's keep going," She whispers. He nods, casting one last glance at the camp before leaving.
They continue through their territory, and Pipitclan's before eventually finding the cave. He motions for Madtomtuft to sit down. He speaks quietly, "I need you to keep guard." She opens her mouth to protest, but he raises a paw. "The cave is well protected, except for this entrance. If an infected comes while I'm in there… I need you to be able to warn me, okay?"And be able to run if I can't.
She flicks her tail with irritation. "Fine." He smiles at her and steps towards the cave's entrance.
The dark, endless maw welcomes him. Jagged, gray teeth stick out from the roof, threatening to destrly any predators. Or cats Starclan rejects. He brushes the thought out of his mind and walks into the cave. The inside of the cave is just as dark.
He traces along the rocks as the cave grows tighter and tighter. It's a tight fit, but he manages to squeeze himself.
He emerges into the Guardian's cave. There, he sees the ancient bones of the Guardian, curled up in xyr eternal slumber. The only light in the cave comes from the mushrooms that grow over xyr bones. Xyr giant skeleton easily outpaces even the infected. He tries to focus elsewhere, but his eyes keep drifting back to xyr head. Xyr skull is almost the size of his body. If xe were alive, xe could easily crush him.
Cautiously, he bows to xem. It feels silly how relaxing the traditions are. After a minute, he stands and approaches xem. He presses his nose against one of the mushrooms on Guardian's paws.
He shuts his eyes and lies down. Darkness envelops him as he falls asleep. A gentle light greets him, but before he can speak, he is shocked awake. A sharp splitting pain overtakes his head. He scrambles back from the bones, each movement bringing him new pain. He wheezes out, sickness clutching him. He digs his claws into the stone. He struggles to get his bearings. His ears ring.
Stop. Starclan. Please. He begs his ancestors, but each plea brings a fresh wave of pain. Please. He shoves his head into the stone, crying.
He remains there for an hour before Madtomtuft finds him. Upon finding him, she rushes to his side. She grooms him. "What's wrong?" she asks so sweetly and so innocently.
Even without the pain, Cowbirdsoar could not meet her gaze. She does not deserve this pain; no cat does. Starclan… Starclan can not save us. He buries his head into her shoulder. Her scent helps ground him, but as he moves his head, he can't help but notice a foreign scent on her fur. Too tired to think about it, he rests his head on hers.
"Let's… just get home," He says, his voice raspy.
Madtomtuft doesn't push him- Stars, I hope one day she does- And the two of them return to camp.
