Beating Heart of Stone {RETURN TO ACTIVITY}

This is an archived version of FeralFront. While you can surf through all the content that was ever created on FeralFront, no new content can be created.
If you'd like some free FeralFront memorabilia to look back on fondly, see this thread from Dynamo (if this message is still here, we still have memorabilia): https://feralfront.com/thread/2669184-free-feralfront-memorabilia/.

    And you're standing on the edge, face up 'cause you're a natural

    Took an oath by the blood of my hand, won't break it

    When Flint had left Windclan, he hadn't expected that he'd be away for so long - he'd expected it to take a half-moon or two at most, but here he was, coming up on Windclan's golden moors and soft heather and harsh wind-bitten scents nearly five moons later. His paws pressed down on the crow in his grasp, a skinny, but energetic thing that was bleeding across their border, smearing the heavy scent of blood and his scent across the ground. It would carry his scent, the heavy smell of the city. The only downside, he thought with a twitch to his lips, is that he would be on the opposite side of those hostilities.


    No doubt Eaglestar would be one of the first to arrive, and no doubt the most suspicious of Flint's return, considering he'd left and reappeared with new scars and was currently smearing blood across their border with the city and the barn. And Flint would be able to tell him the reason for his departure easily - his family in the city had needed him. It was a life-or-death situation that required anyone and everyone they could get, and Flint hadn't regretted leaving. He just regretted that the fighting had taken up so much time. He'd missed so much, he felt.


    Petalkit was probably long since a warrior by now - or at least coming up on her warrior ceremony, and Flint hadn't even been there to see the first one. He'd missed his niece and missed how Wolfsbane had turned out. He'd missed Mouse, even though they had gone their separate ways, she'd been the first familiar face who hadn't acted outright hostile when Flint had arrived at Windclan the first time. Those were people he missed, but mostly, he just missed the sense of purpose the clan had given him. However, he did not miss Eaglestar.


    As far as he was concerned, he no longer held any personal loyalty to the other tom - and he hadn't done anything to help in that regard. It was something he'd struggled with at first, realizing that Eaglestar and Eagle were both dead to him in their respective ways, but by the end of it, he didn't really mourn it much. He had more time for self-contemplation without Eagle there to blind his eyes, without trying to please Eaglestar so that he wouldn't be thrown from the clan and away from those he knew, and so he matured somewhat. Maybe in a different direction - he was no longer the brat who wanted Eagle's guidance, and now his paws were moving on their own path. His mind was sharper without the unnecessary baggage now too, and he could feel the effects almost as soon as the change had occurred.


    It made it easier after the moons had stretched on, for him to practice on improvements to his skills instead of worrying about the clan he'd left behind to help his family in the city. It hadn't helped during those nights when he'd had time to himself, and he often found himself watching in the direction of the clans, a hollow feeling in his chest and a tight feeling in his throat as the moon came further up over the skies of the city. But that was neither here nor there because he was back now. He was going to shoulder his way back into Windclan's ranks - and this time for good. So he'd sit until Eaglestar or others noticed his presence with feathers and blood pooling beneath his paws, a shrewd look to his gaze and a cocky smirk on his mouth.


    There wasn't any damn badger this time to nearly take his life to prove his worth though - so that might put a damper on things.




    🔥 Currently listening to [ Natural ] by [ Imagine Dragons ] 🔥

    //mobile


    Petalpaw was walking around quietly among the moor, near where she too had returned. Her warrior ceremony was...definitely delayed. She had abandoned her home, her family. And for what? Because she can't handle having siblings? She sighed. No, no it wasn't just that. It was more, it was worse. She had been overwhelmed.


    But not as overwhelming as the smell of blood that hit the roof of her mouth so sharply it made her reel back. Then, on top of that, there was city smell. And that harsh scent made her heart thunder in her ears. She raced forward through the moor, barely able to see in the grass and relying on her nose before she burst out and face to face with... Flint. Her lungs kept expanding and deflating rapidly, her veins coursing with adrenaline as she stared down her uncle, covered in scars, her own scarred shape shaking.


    To say Petalpaw had abandoned Windclan paled to what Flint did. He abandoned her when she became an apprentice. When she had had her younger siblings come into the world, when Cowspots had became the father of those siblings but no love for her mother. Petal had been...alone. She dealt with it alone. And as her paled dilute pointed pelt buffeted softly in a peaceful breeze along with the waving grass, it felt like time stopped, blue eyes hard and unreadable as she tried to put her thoughts together. And when she did, it was three words spoken so hollowly, so empty and broken they hurt her.


    "You left me."

    LYRICS HERE

    sublyrics here


    Flint hadn't spoken when Petal had appeared, his own eyes becoming shadowed as he stared down his niece, eyes following the scars littering her frame as he let her collect herself - letting her piece together the thoughts that were no doubt bouncing around behind those hard, blue eyes that used to look at him with so much fire and life in them. He knew, at some point, that what he did was no better than what Eagle had done to him. He'd left the cats he cared about to go to lands unknown without telling them - any of them - where he'd gone or what he'd done. And then, not only had he left, but he'd come back, triumphant, almost expecting a fanfare upon his return. Only, instead he found a broken apprentice who had looked up to him looking at him with such hollow, betrayed hurt.

    "You left me."


    Flint closed his eyes, letting the wind rustle around them, his eyebrows furrowing at the words before he finally opened them, stepping past the crow but hovering uncertainly within her striking distance. He paused, finally looking into her eyes, regret that he had previously stomped down coming to the surface as he looked into her face. The same face that he had when Metal had died - the same face he had looked at Eagle with the night they had argued. Broken, scared and confused, but above all, hurt. He knew that none of the words he wanted to hear from Eagle would probably be the ones she wanted to hear, but in this case, they were all Flint had to offer.

    He was holding out a scarred paw with nothing to show for all of his moons away - for his abandoning her and the rest of his family in Windclan. The cockiness from earlier had vanished in light of just what he had done - and it was a chilling, sobering reminder. He only had four words to say to his niece, and he could feel the tightness in his chest from her expression. "I know. I'm sorry."

    I should have been there, I should have protected you, I'm here now. The words kept repeating in his mind, but remained lodged in the tightness of his throat. After all, what do you say after abandoning someone to their own devices to suffer? He tensed, waiting for the claws he had wanted to throw at Eagle more than once during the time he was gone, patiently bracing for the bite and sting that he knew he more than deserved from the members of his family - or something else. He didn't know, but he wanted to promise that she wouldn't have to deal with it alone anymore.

    Except he couldn't really guarantee that, could he? With his membership to Windclan up in the air as it was.

    🔥 Currently listening to [ SONG TITLE ] by [ BAND NAME ] 🔥

    It wasnt claws or teeth or even vile words that responded to Flint's outstretched paw but...a flinch. A sharp jerk of movement, the same she had done to her half-brother, to separate herself from more overwhelming things. And like clockwork the words of the older barn cats began to flood her mind. Youre nothing special. You can barely hunt for yourself. No one is looking for you, you left them, worthless scrap. They never loved you. You don't belong here, you dont belong anywhere! Maybe theyll kill you if you go back and do everyone a favor. It was like she was there again, having to figure out the herbs she used to remember so well that would be applied for infections, bawling over her own actions. And that fear, pain, desperate cry for help didn't leave her eyes as she backed up, tail curled around her back leg. She wanted to get mad. Wanted to scream like she used to, cry, hug him, anything. But all that rang was a hollow bell of a voice, "You left me. You left me and Eagle left and...and I had to deal with being a big sister. Deal with my mom having kids with a tom who didn't even love her! I was... alone." She whispered the last part but even as her voice cracked, no tears sprouted from those eyes. But she continued, voice shaking unsteadily, "I was alone when I ran away from home to the barns. I was alone when the barn cats beat me up and I couldn't remember the herbs to stave off infection. I was alone as I was teaching myself to hunt and they told m-me everyday how...how useless I was. A-and all I've wanted was to make the world fair...and better. I was alone." Finally tears watered up her gaze but, she didn't break off her gaze to him. She wanted an answer, an explanation.

    LYRICS HERE

    sublyrics here


    Flint could only watch as his niece fell apart in front of him, his eyes tracing the tears streaming down her face, and suddenly, the scars on her body made sense. The flinching, the distance, the look to her eyes.. He'd seen it before, in kits who he'd grown up in, in Eagle, and in himself. It left a disgusting taste in his mouth when he realized just what had occurred, and he put his paw down, holding very still. He knew, vaguely, how to deal with cats who were struggling with the same things that he and Petal had gone through; but it was a different story when it was his niece.

    "Not now. I'm back, I'm not planning on leaving you again," He promised, his voice low and quiet. He didn't blame her for the emotional outburst, because he'd done the same when he encountered Eagle again, had railed against the other tom, had cried himself hoarse when not in the other's presence. One of the things he had desperately needed back then, that Eagle and no one else had given him, was some physical contact to bring him back from the brink, to ground him when his world slid from out under his paws. Flint paused, his tail trembling as he kept his body language as unobtrusive as he possibly could.

    "I can't answer your questions yet, but, do you want to come closer? I give decent hugs, kiddo." There wasn't really anything else Flint could say - he wanted to answer her questions, but right now, this just wasn't the time or place to do it. He wanted to talk with her one on one, to help patch up whatever leaking holes he could and help her get some of the life back to her eyes again. If that was even something he could do.

    But right now it felt like they would be happened upon by a patrol - Flint would be very bemused if no one except Petal responded to the high stench of blood and city cat. Did they not protect the borders anymore or were they all just lazing around in camp?


    🔥 Currently listening to [ SONG TITLE ] by [ BAND NAME ] 🔥

    It was not far from the truth that Olivepaw, despite not knowing Petalpaw very well, could sense a great change or sadness in her. He never liked seeing people upset, and especially people related to him. But when he tried to help her, he never understood what she thought of their shared mother. That is, until now.


    He was stalking a rabbit and missed it narrowly, cursing as it fled into a burrow. He sat up and his ears angled to the left when he recognized his half-sister's voice along with another unfamiliar one. He was curious enough to investigate, but he began to wish he hadn't. His mother and father ... didn't actually love each other? It sent a sharp stabbing pain through Olivepaw's heart and he swallowed thickly, shoulders tensing. It felt like his entire world had flipped upside down. He knew his parents both loved Minkpaw and him, and maybe they weren't as close as regular mates, but ... was that all he was? An accident? He disliked how self-centered he had become by listening to Petalpaw vent out her own struggle ... No, I'm completely justified. He convinced himself.


    He couldn't bring himself to approach them. And the one whom he did not recognize was right. Soon some patrol would surely come along and Olivepaw might get caught up in it, so he had to leave before that happened. He turned to run off, as if he had never been there.


    TAGS ☆彡the blue tabby had waltzed onto the scene entirely late, but the stench that was radiating from flint was a bit questionable, at best. he'd hesitant, unsure of why petalpaw was so emotional, and what exactly was happening. his cranium would tilt curiously to the side, not entirely too sure he wanted to butt into... whatever this was. if he had heard petalpaw, he probably would've attempted to set her straight, and gently point out the fact that she had set herself up for failure. she, after all, had been the one to run away; she, after all, had not faced reality, or had tried to attempt to accept her new role as a new, older sister. she had ran away, and assumed stuff, instead. perhaps, however, it was better he hadn't heard anything at all.


    flint. petalpaw. he'd say their names neutrally enough, simply drawing their attention to him. what's going on here?

    Wolfsbane was supposed to be watching Olivepaw hunt. He was supposed to be following the other tom as Olive chased a rabbit. He was supposed to offer helpful advice, but as the younger male shot off, the scent of blood and the city sidetracked Wolfsbane. Blood, the city, and Flint. Maybe Wolfsbane ought to have found Olivepaw and ordered him back to camp but all he could think about was the blue tom that the name Flint called to mind. The blue tom who'd been his shadow, his opponent, his biggest critic. The blue tom who'd been dedicated to supporting him, who'd become something approaching a friend. The blue tom who'd up and disappeared one day, leaving Wolfsbane none the wiser.


    Instead of hunting down his apprentice, the chocolate and white warrior turned to follow the scent, pale eyes running past Morningstar and Petalpaw (whose outburst, admittedly, he only somewhat understood) to Flint. "Spirits, Flint." Unlike the tabby leader, emotion laced his voice. "Where were you? Why'd you just leave?" Had he thought that his disappearance wouldn't be noticed? Flint had left Wolfsbane disoriented. He'd left Petalpaw alone. He'd abandoned the home he was supposed to serve, the cats who were supposed to be able to rely on him. Why?

    OOC; TEXT HERE

    IC; She considered approaching, rushing into her uncle's arms but as she thought about it, Morningstar approached. Instantly, her eyes averted back to the ground, fur rising on her shoulders in obvious physical discomfort and allowed herself to sidestep to give him more space then was already there. Keep everyone just within arm's reach. Until Wolfsbane approached and she offered a slight glance to the side to look at him briefly before her eyes dropped again. She looked more part of his family than ever probably. And as more cats approached, it took alot for her to not run off back to camp and hide, to just wait to hear what happened here later on by eavesdropping on the gossip the queens spoke of and the elders and senior warriors. She finally murmured in response to Morningstar, her voice quiet and meek as a pitiful excuse of a report, "Flint's back. I-I thought it might of been...Bloodclan when I smelled city and blood, so-so I just came to check it out..." She was happy no-one else seemed to hear her emotional outburst, bringing one pale blue and ginger paw up to her face and wiped the ghostly tears with her wrist from her face, ears flicking back as she seemed to weigh options.

    ∙∙thoughts∙∙ ∙∙actions∙∙ ∙∙speech∙∙

    (c)trexgirl

    LYRICS HERE

    sublyrics here


    When Morningfrost spoke and entered the clearing, Flint's head snapped around to him immediately. He had been waiting for an awful long while - and this was the first warrior who'd actually showed up to the border to investigate the smell. "I'm coming back home, is what this is," He informed the other tom with a swish of his tail, green-yellow eyes narrowing slightly as he looked the other tom up and down. His body language had obviously shifted from something less equal - he was carrying himself like a cat of authority, and Flint wasn't sure what to make of it. He was annoyed, he quietly decided, because even though Flint had been away for a while, there was no reason to treat him like an outsider.

    Well, he didn't think there was at least, but it made his lip curl a little to see Petalpaw flinch away from the other tom and himself - it hurt to a certain degree. He thought that even though he'd been away that she should have known that Flint wasn't the one who was going to hurt her. He cared about her enough that just seeing the tears on her face had brought both protective rage and a great sadness to his chest. Eagle, it seemed, had even more to apologize for than when Flint had left originally. "I'm not with Floodclan, if that's what you're worried about. I was--" Flint's ears twitched and his eyes snapped towards the brush, even though his body hadn't shifted away from addressing Morningfrost - it was clear his attention had shifted.

    Perhaps the cat coming through the grass was Eagle - and Flint felt the familiar bile rise in his throat at the thought. He had originally wanted to scream, to shout at Eagle and blame him for everything that he never got an apology for the first time around. But then the others in the city had talked him down from the outburst that came every time he thought of Eaglestar. He'd never get anywhere if he kept howling like a kitten at the unjustness of the other tom - expecting things from him without telling him what he wanted and then becoming disappointed when Flint couldn't deliver was a prime example, by the way - and railing against the expectations put onto his shoulder without explanation. So now, he had a new purpose.

    He was going to beat Eaglestar at his own game. He would become better than the other tom - prove to him and to himself that out of the two of them, Flint was the superior one. Not because of strength, though that had a factor to play too, but because he would just be.. Better. And starting with it, he'd come back after what was essentially running away. Fixed up all his loose ends and left behind what he knew in the city to come back to Windclan.

    And damn Eaglestar if he didn't want to accept him - because Flint would stick around regardless.

    But it wasn't Eaglestar who rushed through the grass and came to a halt in the clearing - out of breath and shocked. It was Wolfsbane, and Flint's eyes grew as he turned his head to the tom fully. The emotion draped across his face had Flint.. Confused. They hadn't been especially close when he'd originally left - although Flint had definitely been, strangely, by the end of it all, a somewhat begrudging supporter of the other tom, but certainly nothing enough in his own mind to warrant that kind of reaction.

    At least, not that he had thought of. He furrowed his brows, biting his lip just slightly as his tail swished behind him in a tense arc. He could feel his muscles tensing just slightly under the inspection of the other tom, and he quickly fought the reaction. "When Eaglestar gets here, I'll explain everything to you guys - but it's a bit of a complicated story. Five months worth of it, actually."

    He said, chuckling at his ill-timed joke and flicking his ears over to Petalpaw. "And you did fine - the original intent of the scent was to draw attention, for you guys to respond to it as quickly as possible." He tipped his head over to Morningfrost. "I'm surprised more didn't show up, actually," he admitted carefully, gauging the other's reactions. Wolfsbane and Petalpaw might agree with him, but quite frankly, he wasn't sure what to make of Morningfrost. They hadn't interacted much before Flint left.

    🔥 Currently listening to [ SONG TITLE ] by [ BAND NAME ] 🔥

    Petalpaw's voice was so soft that Wolfsbane barely heard it. Of course, it was Flint she was talking to, not him, and he was content to eye the loner as the two conversed. He was, he supposed, feeling betrayed: he'd just started to accept that Flint might be able to help him, might be able to guide him morally, when the other had left. Wolfsbane hadn't thought of him often in the intervening moons, but when he had, it had always been in the guise of, "What would Flint tell me?" He'd based the middle of his time in WindClan on Flint's directive to play nice, and just when he felt ready to admit that Flint might be able to teach him right from wrong, he'd been forced to teach himself. He'd been forced to lean on Grace, although his sister wasn't supposed to see his failings, wasn't supposed to realize that he was struggling. She'd realized, of course, and had helped him to the best of her ability. He could not help but wonder if Morningstar would already trust him if Flint hadn't left and had finished helping him. Perhaps it was better this way. He was building himself on who he thought that he ought to be, not on who Flint thought he ought to be, but he still couldn't help but blame the tom for leaving him with no one to explain the concepts that he hadn't been raised with.


    And now Flint wanted to return. It seemed to Wolfsbane that if he'd run off once, he might do it again, and he glanced at once toward Morningstar, trying to determine if the blue tabby agreed with him. Wolfsbane was not sure which option he'd prefer. He missed Flint's input, strange as that was to admit. "Or," he suggested, "You can tell Morningstar what happened." Was it cruel of him explain Morningstar's new role without telling Flint what had happened to Eaglestar? Leadership usually passed on when one leader died, and Flint might think that was the case if he wasn't told otherwise. But Wolfsbane was entitled to a little cruelty, wasn't he? It had been cruel of Flint to leave him without a guide, and like it or not, that was the job that Jasperstar had assigned to Flint when Wolfsbane had joined. "He'll decide if you can return, after all."

    LYRICS HERE

    sublyrics here


    Flint didn't actually look too terribly surprised at Wolfsbane's not-so-subtle jab at how long he'd been away. "Hm." He said, appraising Morningfrost - ah, that was, Morningstar - with new eyes. His mind, despite the indifferent appearance, was whirring again, trying to fit pieces together with very little facts and only probable guesses. Eaglestar had done either one of three things that made the most logical sense in Flint's mind.

    Either A, he'd died while Flint was away, which was unlikely, because neither of the other two cats had the appropriate reaction to the mention of the reminder. Another fact made this unlikely because Petalpaw had earlier, distinctly, told Flint that he'd left. So either, B, the tom had considered leadership too much to handle - again - or, C, he'd gotten so absorbed in his past and decided he was too much of a danger in his own melodramatic way - again. Flint couldn't wait to find out which one it was, if you could read the sarcasm in that thought. When he came out of this brief period of thought, he looked straight at the other tom.

    His body language, his features, and the way he had spoken let Flint know he wasn't going to be wholly irrational about the entire thing, but that could easily be not the case as well. Because Eaglestar had had the same kind of body language and Flint wasn't so eager to trust his instincts about cats he didn't or no longer knew. "Well, obviously you know I'm back - for good, this time, by the way. Obviously, I'm not coming with any other cats or pose a significant threat to your clan, since I've been allowed in before, and obviously I can pull my own weight, since I did that in the past and a bit more." He spoke, casting a side-eye to Wolfsbane. The first bit had been intended for Wolfsbane and his niece, but the second bits were directed towards Morningstar personally. "I'm also a capable fighter and.." He paused, casting a glance down to the ground.

    "I wouldn't mind starting out as an apprentice or what have you just to prove that I'm not going to leave. I'm not sure what else I could do to make my case on those fronts."


    //I just had a thought of Morningstar asking Flint to take on a warrior name to prove his loyalty?? idk, seeing as he was so resistant to it in the past it might be a good sign.

    🔥 Currently listening to [ SONG TITLE ] by [ BAND NAME ] 🔥

    OOC; TEXT HERE

    IC; Petalpaw bit at her cheek, not enough to cause damage but enough for the sharp sting to keep her grounded. Her ears pulled back as her eyes darted to the side and head turned. She inhaled deeply as claws ripped at her stomach in the most aggressive, scary way for her. She murmured in response to both Flint and Wolfsbane, "He stepped down... U-Uncle Eagle. He's still around just...Jasperstar...came back and once he did, Uncle Eagle allowed Morningstar to take charge." She rasped her tongue over her maw, blue eyes glancing at Flint's face as she watched the dribble of crimson leave from his mouth again, just as he would in the past when nervous or stressed. Perhaps thats where she picked it up when she was younger. She exhaled shakily, the exhalation of her warm breath relaxing her muscles that she didn't even realize were tensed, tail tip still rattling in her anxiety as she only looked at Flint, head tilted down, blue eyes trying to memorize his features again cause, like her Uncle Wolfsbane, she believed that when you leave once, you might do it again. She did it. She wanted to do it again.

    ∙∙thoughts∙∙ ∙∙actions∙∙ ∙∙speech∙∙

    (c)trexgirl

    TAGS ☆彡the blue tabby wasn't particularly annoyed, simply confused. his neutral stance on this mess was a bit unwavering- and how he addressed flint, was the same as usual. quiet, stone-faced, not really emotional. morningstar had a problem in relying emotion at times, especially when he didn't know what to think of one particular emotion to focus on. the leader would softly snort at the other's declaration, rolling his evergreen eyes to himself, the first actual display of feeling he's exposed so far. his gaze would shift, curiously, to petalpaw, and to wolfsbane, gauging their reactions.


    i showed up, and that should be enough, he'd state neutrally, not arrogant or anything, but straightforward. he was the only current high position they had, besides hawkpaw, and his adopted son didn't seem to be needed at the moment. he'd contemplate the other's words for a moment, evergreen oculars coolly fixated on the other male, before he'd, eventually, slightly, give a thin shrug of his shoulders.


    you're welcome to join again, he'd eventually say aloud, voice quiet. however, if you're unable to keep yourself put together, you'll be thrown out. his gaze wouldn't go to wolfsbane, like it wanted to, but it was a close one. unlike flint, wolfsbane had never run away, and for that, the other would earn a slight respect point in that regard. whatever conversation you were having with petalpaw, have it somewhere that isn't the border. otherwise, check in with hawkpaw if you have any wounds needing tended to.


    as those were his parting words, the tom-cat would withdraw himself quietly, not even giving the group a backwards glance as he departed. he didn't really see a reason to deny flint, as his drama had been with eaglestar, and not him personally.

    /morn wouldn't do that icly c: + out