Posts by Owl That Flies At Night

^{Relieved to find that their allies hadn't bothered the ShadowClan leader too much, Owl followed her lead by getting to her paws. It seemed this was goodbye then. "Oh, no thank you. Luckily, we prepared for this journey with strengthening herbs." Besides, it seemed all of the groups were beginning to struggle with the drought that had hit them. Surely herbs and prey weren't very abundant, and the Tribe would not be taking vital resources from one of their closest allies. Still, her smile would grow even warmer at the offer before she dipped her head. "I look forward to seeing what the future holds for our two groups, Briarstar. May we meet again soon." With that, she turned to nod at Mink before taking her leave, pleased with how the encounter had gone.}

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        ^{"I don't think I've ever heard of a clownfish, either," Owl confessed, approaching the group with a friendly smile. She peered down at the playful kit before turning her gaze back towards Shadow and Mink, glancing between the two. "I'd assume it was a type of fish...? You should definitely catch one for our own little Clownfish," She would then chuckle towards her to-be, swinging her fluffy tail around to wrap about her body as she sat down. If clownfish were real, did they live in the mountains? Maybe someplace hidden and secretive, where no one could ever hunt them?}

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^{As the camp was evacuated, Owl and the other cave-guards continued to fend off the terrifying beast. Yowling and snarling were all that she could hear, drowning everything else out. It was everything she could do to keep from being mauled by the Sharptooth, but they had to keep going. Until everyone was out and they could make their escape. After flinging her paws out to slash the creature's shoulder, a familiar battle cry reached her ears and she peered to the right to see her brother hobbling towards them, fury lighting up his gaze. "Hawk, stay back!" She would cry out, but it seemed the Sharptooth agreed, for it had flung the cave-guard across the camp. A soft hiss left her throat as the Stoneteller took in the sight, anger bubbling up inside of her. Mink would take care of her littermate; she had to believe that. Her job was to stay here and help her cave-guards keep the thing at bay. She spotted Shadow in the throng of battling cats and prayed that he would keep himself safe. She couldn't lose more friends. Just a little longer, and they'd make a run for it.}

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^{After Hawk's injury, you could say the Stoneteller was a little...overprotective. Having ordered him not to leave the cave and spend as much time resting as she could, she felt like she was becoming her mother. Still, it was for his own good, but that didn't keep Owl from feeling a little bad about it. She had even been avoiding him, sending Mink to check up on his wounds the past couple of days out of guilt. But now? She felt lonely, and needed her littermate.}

^{Entering the den with the wing of an eagle, the tabby paused to look at him. "Hungry?" She would mew hesitantly, dropping the piece of caught-prey at her paws. She hoped he wouldn't turn her away. Would he be mad at her for staying away from him? Would he be hurt? Oh, how she regretted it...she just couldn't bear to look him in the eyes after giving orders to her own brother. It felt wrong.}

^{Screech of Hungry Hawk}

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^{The patrol of Tribe cats remained eerily silent as they traveled down the mountain in the cover of night. The sun was just starting to peek out from the horizon, signaling just how long the night had really been. Blood stained many of their pelts, most of it belonging to the cats themselves. They were fools to think they could've taken on that Sharptooth by themselves. They didn't have the numbers nor the strength, and they all knew it.}

^{Memories of the beast flashed in Owl's head as she walked, carrying one of the orphaned kits in her jaws as she stared at the ground in front of her. Its terrible roar and the sickening sound of its claws slicing through her tribemates like they were nothing. The fear in the den-mother's eyes as she was flung about before joining their ancestors in the stars. Leaving behind these four young children with nobody left to care for them. Had the Tribe of Endless Hunting known all along just how terrible this would all end up being? How heartbreaking and devastating? Had they known of the families that were to be torn apart?}

^{...Did they try to tell her, and she missed the omen?}

^{A bitter feeling settled in the Stoneteller's stomach as she sighed, a heavy sound as she stopped at the DarkClan border. One thing was certain. The mountain they called home currently belonged to the Sharptooth. It had already proven to them once that they were not strong enough to defeat it. They had to leave for now, or risk being torn apart one by one. DarkClan is our ally. They'll let us stay. Eaglestar will let us stay. As she waited for a patrol, her gaze would flicker back to travel over her scared and weary Tribe. Please, let us in.}

^{// feel free to post before any tribe cats!}

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^{Owl stared at him for a moment, taking in the pain across his face and transferring it to herself. Her heart ached for how she'd acted. She hadn't been the sister she was supposed to be, and she desperately hoped he didn't hate her for it. But he spoke to her. That was a good sign, right? She hesitated a moment longer before padding forward, coming to sit beside him as she gently released her hold on the wing. She glided over his attempt at a joke, knowing she didn't deserve the mercy that it would bring with it. No, she had to apologize upfront.}

^{"Hawk, I...I'm sorry. I haven't been a friend to you. I was just...scared...in the moment." Her amber eyes trailed away from him, back towards the ground in shame. Yes, in the moment after the attack, when she had placed him under strict orders to not leave the cave, much less her sight. She wanted to protect him. He and Feather? They were all she had left of her family. She couldn't lose her brother, but she feared she still would, just in a different way. "I've been a real beetle-brain."}

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^{It wouldn't take long before they were greeted by a to-be-aged tom and relief washed over the Stoneteller as he failed to threaten them. Instead, genuine concern laced his voice and it lit up her eyes with hope. Gently, Owl would lower her head to set down the white she-kit in her jaws before meeting his gaze once more. "There's been an attack," She'd mew, willing her voice to be strong but failing as it cracked with emotion. "We...we can't go home, not right now. We ask for shelter." Just then, a warrior would approach and the tabby turned her gaze to meet his. He instructed them to come to their camp, to rest and receive treatment for their wounds.}

^{At this point, Owl felt so relieved she thought she might cry. Would they really help them so willingly? No questions asked? This alliance they held, it was stronger than she had thought. Or perhaps that was just who DarkClanners were: a clan full of good-hearted cats. She would look back at her Tribe, unable to hide the soft smile on her face as she nodded to them. They were welcomed here.}

^{Picking up the kit once more, she padded forward to walk alongside the ivory tom, ears flattening against her head. "I can't thank you enough. We've been driven from our home by the Sharptooth." Her words were muffled through the scruff of the little one she carried, but her words were audible.}

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^{Owl's ears flicked backwards as the DarkClan apprentice asked what a Sharptooth was. She almost didn't want to respond, the image of the creature already causing her heart to race all over again. But if she didn't answer him, it would only be seen as rude, and it was best to educate others about the dangers of the mountains anyhow. Turning her head to look at Smolderingpaw, she stifled a weary sigh in order to mew, "It's a beast. A very terrible animal; a cat, but much larger, with fangs and claws longer and sharper than a dog's. If you ever see one, you have to run. Do not fight it...it's too fast, too powerful."}

^{The Stoneteller would then look at Moon as the kit approached and pain erupted within her chest. She was asking where her mother was. She had no idea that she would be the first to fall when the Sharptooth raided the cave. Images of the lifeless den-mother being tossed about in the predator's jaws flashed in her mind and she blinked furiously to rid herself of the horrors. What could she say? Should she tell her that her mother was dead? Or should she lie, just for now? No...to give the poor thing hope would just be even more heartbreaking. She would be honest.}

^{"Moon...I-" But then her littermates appeared, young Fox and Flare bouncing about and trying to find their mother. Owl would look towards Veil with panic in her wide amber eyes. What now? Tell the whole litter the truth? Finally, she would draw in a deep breath, turn her gaze back towards the three kittens searching for their brother, and mew gently, "Little ones...your mother is with our ancestors now. She rests in the stars with the Tribe of Endless Hunting, watching over all of you."}

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