polar dust { tinsel }

[✦dreamy]

COSMOSPAW Hear me once more, and show me your smile. This time, for sure, I’ll see the truth hidden inside your tears. But I know you're gone. So I will go on, howling and HOLLOW. TAG [:ripples:] WORDS 559 count NOTES take your time to get to this, just wanted this to be before his ceremony ic wise is all. semi-training thread too. feel free to have tinself tell him that the bag he has is a satchel, so i never have to write "two-leg carrying device" again xD. also hr post!

He left quietly in the middle of the night. The clan would be fine without him there. He'd taught a few things to Ottersnarl so that if they needed anything, they could ask him instead. If anything major happened, he could trust Duskfeather to help them, or Wintersky or Roanfur (though he doubt ThunderClan would be willing since the Gathering). There was a concern when he first brought the idea of him leaving for a day or so to Sootstar but it hadn't been the leader that expressed the most concern. There had been offers from the others to go with him but he wanted them to stay home. If something went wrong, he didn't want their lives on his paws when they could be in the camp, doing their duties to the clan. It had been Duskfeather that made him curious. Her mention of the apprentice in WindClan who was having breathing issues had been mentioned, and with it came the possibility of a solution.  Roughly a day or so prior to that, Cosmospaw had left with Fastflight to the summer two-leg place where he had stolen a two-leg carrying device (satchel). It hooked onto him well enough, making sure he grabbed one of the smaller of the devices and was good for collecting herbs. He'd brought it with him even, in case he found something that he didn't often find in RiverClan. The device was what he thought would help Duskfeather carry back the herb she needed for Troutpaw, but he didn't really know how it would take to his carrying device, so he had decided to go on ahead and just grab it himself. Maybe he would get a good word in for RiverClan with WindClan. But in all honesty, he just wanted to help. He couldn't imagine being stuck in the camp all the time ... He felt a pang of guilt, remember how they had tried to keep Heatherstar confined in the camp. Remembered when she could barely breathe and Red Cough took over her, causing her to lose a life. Now, she was gone, taken by the two-legs. Walking among the stars. The lights above him blocked them out even now, showing nothing but the inky black sky beyond. He felt as if he was alone, with no ancestors to guide him back home if he got lost. Every now and then, he heard the sound of trash cans clanging together as something moved them, but he wasn't sure who or what had done it.  He was just reaching the different two-leg nests, peeking around the corner to try and find the cream that Duskfeather had described. After a few yards, he could smell something sweet, like milk. With his ears pricked and his nose on high alert, he fixed his carrying tool and made his way to the yard that held the scent, peering around the corner carefully.  There - just mere fox-lengths away from him - was a shiny rock, the smell wafting from it. He was nervous, his golden eyes wide and his heart hammering in his chest. When he saw movement from the window, he flinched, but it was gone within seconds. Tentatively, he continued to move forward, able to now peer into the rock. Inside, the cream that Duskfeather had been looking for. Now he just had to figure out how to get it to WindClan ...

MADE BY VEL OF GS, WW + ADOX 2.0

[[:ripples:]]

♥ Tinsel of bloodclan

SHE HAD BECOME MORE FAMILIAR with the human gardens than she would have imagined early on in her tenure as medicine cat. She had run from the boring life of a house cat long ago, and did not wish to return, but with the talent for agricultural pursuits of the humans and the ease of access from the city, and particularly with Niner’s gardening project, she was even taking whole plants from their homes. Niner had become a persona non grata from the point of view of many of the occupants of the homes (owing to his frequent missions to… re-home their tender young sprouts.) Tinsel had, for the most part, managed to remain unseen by the humans, though she was sure that it couldn’t last.

TODAY, THOUGH, she was not out to steal plants- most of theirs were producing nicely, and the summer had treated their little garden well. No, today she was out for a resource that did not grow on trees. For all she could tell, it came out of the cars that the humans brought home, but she imagined they must get it from somewhere. She wanted bags. The little ones that you could press closed with a paw. They were fantastic for storing honey, and much better for transporting liquid than moss. Those she had, she had found on the street. Many had holes, making them less good at their purpose. She wanted them fresh. After days of recon, she had discovered that the humans seemed to have them in boxes, with the bags pictured on the front. They seemed to be a common item in a haul of human groceries. Tinsel’s plan (masterful, in her opinion,) was to get them fresh. All she needed was a few moments and a distraction…

AND AS IF SENT BY FATE, a pale tabby tom smelling of the forest clans- RiverClan, if she remembered correctly- ambled into view to sniff at a plate of milk left out by humans. He was dragging along a human bag, though this one was the sturdy sort that could be re-used for seasons without terrible wear and tear. He looked at the milk and his bag, and she wondered to herself what on earth he might be thinking. And then she came up with a plan. She crept closer, sticking to the wall, quiet, getting closer as he stared into the bowl.

“HEY FISH-BREATH. NICE PURSE.” She mewed, eyeing him, smiling slyly from the shadows. She imagined that she would be recognizable to any cat old enough to have attended the gathering where Axel had, well… She imagined that, had he been there, he would know well enough that she was BloodClan, and perhaps even that she was their medicine cat. She flicked her tail as she looked him up and down. He couldn’t be much older than Faye- if he’d been there at the gathering, he might have been a young apprentice. Perhaps he would know her from back then. She wondered if he would run, or perhaps try to attack- from the looks of it, though, he was out here alone.

words ♥ 521
muse ♥ good
other ♥ ✦dreamy, shit is about to get WILD let me tell you. + JAMIE DELAWARE HR post

regrets collect like old friends,
here to relive your darkest moments.

[✦dreamy]

COSMOSPAW Hear me once more, and show me your smile. This time, for sure, I’ll see the truth hidden inside your tears. But I know you're gone. So I will go on, howling and HOLLOW. TAG [:ripples:] WORDS 373 count NOTES pfft xD

She must have moved like a ghost because he never saw her or heard her coming. He was so focused on the task at hand that the she-cat had become a part of the wall that she scaled. He caught the faint scent of the city and cats but thought nothing of it. After all, he was sitting in front of a two-leg den, attempting to steal milk. StarClan, I'm crazy for this! Never did he think that he would be in this position of his life.  He grabbed the satchel, positioned it so that he would be able to tip the liquid into it. Thinking back now, he realized he should have tested whether it would hold it liquid. But it was no time to worry about it now, he couldn't be sure of when he would get another opportunity like thi--- He shot into the air, leaving his satchel on the ground. He'd rounded on the voice, having backed up a few spaces from where his paws were previously. If Ottersnarl could see him now, he would be making fun of him. Daisychase would have definitely called him a giant, life-sized burr. His fur bristled and his straw-colored eyes were a mixture of 'come at me' and 'crapcrapcrap'. He looked around, wondering if there were more cats or if she was the only one. The smell of herbs hit his nose first, the familiar smells of poppy, thistle, and mint. It nearly made him drop his guard. "Who are you?!" he hissed, taking in her appearance properly this time, noting the way her body held itself and short fur that made her look nearly hairless, yellow-green eyes watching him. And the smell that clung to her pelt, a mixture of city and feline. He'd smelled it before, at the Gathering when BloodClan came out of the surrounding trees. She had been with them, remembering it  "You're from BloodClan, aren't you?" His legs trembled slightly, making him unsure if it was from the low temperature of the night or the adrenaline that was suddenly coursing through his veins. But his voice had dropped some; softer - he couldn't risk a twoleg catching him. He wouldn't allow himself to be remembered that way. "What do you want? And ... what's a purse?"

MADE BY VEL OF GS, WW + ADOX 2.0

[[:ripples:]]

♥ Tinsel of bloodclan

“CUTE, WATCHING YOU TRY TO ACT TOUGH.” She mewed, smirking from the shadows. She stepped forward, padding casually and confidently towards him, looking down at the bag, the bowl of milk, his pretty little feet which hadn’t been hardened or blackened by the grime of the city. He smelled overpoweringly of the forest, and then there was the fishy smell of RiverClan- she’d been around Slate enough to know it well. But now that she was closer, she also realized that this wasn’t just any clan idiot- he had to me a medicine cat. She sized him up again with another look, and gave him a sniff. Awfully young. And last she knew, clan cats hadn’t taken to carrying around human objects. And if he thought he was going to get the milk into that bag and do anything but ruin the fabric, well, he was wrong.

“CLEARLY A GRADE-A STUDENT, though I’d still say you’re a little young to be a medicine cat, but I suppose that times are tough, hmm?” She narrowed her eyes at him, looking for a reaction. She didn’t like to involve herself in forest-clan business, particularly when BloodClan had so much of its own business to attend to, but she knew enough to know that they were (as always, but perhaps more so) at each other’s throats yet again. Niner and Xerxes had been able to report that much following their unfortunate detainment by WindClan. She laughed at him as he hushed his voice, no doubt afraid of the humans. Why did he think they left the milk out here? Honestly, forest cats were hilarious. They knew no more about living among humans than a fish knew of walking on land.

“THEY WON’T COME AFTER YOU HERE, dummy. They left that out for the neighborhood cats. Go ahead, take a sip.” She looked meaningfully at his bag again. “Though I can’t imagine they would take kindly to your stealing their bowl, if they saw it. And good luck getting that milk anywhere in a purse” She pointed at the satchel this time, a thing, she thought to herself, that might be a rather useful addition to her and Niner’s growing collection of human objects useful for stealing other human objects, not to mention for collecting the regular herbs and things.

“BUT SEE, THE THING I DON’T UNDERSTAND about you is what the hell some starclan-loving tree-head is doing in the suburbs trying to steal milk. Don’t you have some sort of stupid rule about that? What’s got Mr. Fish Fur so far from home?” She mewed, flicking her tail, getting close to him once again, and then looking down her nose at him (for among Tinsel’s many talents was being taller than most other cats.) “Seems like a bit of a strange adventure, especially to be taking all alone, wouldn’t you say?” She waited for a reply. For this was the first step to securing your way in a negotiation- understanding just what it was that the other party was intent on having.

words ♥ 509
muse ♥ good
other ♥ ✦dreamy, got you some grade-a Tinsel. Feels a little like she's playing with her food. Don't worry Cosmos, she only bites those who deserve it RIP. + JAMIE DELAWARE HR post ALSO THIS IS MY 5000th POST!!!!!!!

regrets collect like old friends,
here to relive your darkest moments.

[✦dreamy]

COSMOSPAW Hear me once more, and show me your smile. This time, for sure, I’ll see the truth hidden inside your tears. But I know you're gone. So I will go on, howling and HOLLOW. TAG [:ripples:] WORDS 646 count NOTES tinsel is so spicyyyyy

She had stepped out of the shadows with a smirk, sending jibes his way. He had only learned the basics of fighting, not enough for an all out battle if needed but just enough to keep him alive long enough to figure out an escape route. He didn't trust her, couldn't. Narrowing his eyes, he watched her carefully, could feel the shock of another cat ebbing away and being replaced with adrenaline.  He wasn't sure if she was complimenting him or insulting him - or maybe even a mixture of both - but at the mention of medicine cat, he found himself slip a slight expression of surprise before returning to his more defensive appearance. She's from BloodClan, of course, she would know what a medicine cat is. And if they were also technically clan cats themselves ... He found himself putting two and two together quickly, stepping back slightly as she closed some of the distance between them. "Yeah, and you are too, aren't you? I can smell it. Even though you stink of the city and other cats, you also have a smell of herbs that just doesn't go away no matter how much you attempt to get rid of it." He relaxed his muscles slightly, straightening a little. A thought drifting across his mind: What if she knows how to help Troutpaw? He tensed slightly at the idea of trusting humans so completely that one could confidently say those words, glancing at the door and back to the she-cat again. "Even so, I know that not all humans are caring like that. Nothing wrong with being cautious. Especially if you aren't from the area." He wanted to get home after all this, he had someone important waiting for him. "And I'm not interested in trying it. And I'm not planning on stealing the bowl either."  He had sat down at this point, wrapping his tail around his paws. He was still watching her carefully, but she hadn't done much of anything other than talk and call him a few names. And inform him of what he was carrying, following her motion to look at the satchel and back to her again. He supposed that meant he should have tested it out in the river first.  She inched closer to him again, to the point that he could smell her breath. He'd rooted himself in his place, grabbing at the ground with his paws as he felt a twinge of anxiety. If he paid close enough attention, he could have sworn a slight tremble started just at the place where his paws connected to his legs. He flicked an ear, raised a brow at her. "Which rule is that?" He tapped his tail carefully, thinking. He couldn't recall anything in the code that tilted towards stealing unless it came from another clan's territory. But BloodClan ... they didn't believe in StarClan as far as he could tell.  And then there was the other issue. She would want an answer, and soon. And though he felt uncomfortable just being in her presence - because she was quite large and intimidating - he wondered how far he would be able to get if he just told her the truth. He took a deep breath and sighed. "Another Clan is dealing with a cat whose lungs were damaged in a fire. He now suffers from severe asthma and doesn't have the pleasure of moving about as freely as we can. I was told by the medicine cat of that Clan that milk might help to fix the problem but they have no way of carrying it back or taking the other cat to it. I was hoping to help them with that by using the purse as you called it, but clearly, I didn't think of everything." He paused, studying her for a moment, trying to keep any other rising emotions from building up. "Do you have any ideas on how to help him?" He straightened a bit more, raising his chin. "And I came alone so I wouldn't put others in harm's way." He flinched as something seemed to pop in the distance, doing his best to hold his ground. "I'm Cosmospaw. And you?"

MADE BY VEL OF GS, WW + ADOX 2.0

[[:ripples:]]

♥ Tinsel of bloodclan

SO, HE WAS MORE INTERESTING than he appeared. She appreciated his efforts to put on a show of strength, though she could detect the slightest tremble in his voice. And his predicament was one that she could relate to. City cats suffered from asthma with some frequency. She had a few remedies for this, the foremost of which, she thought, was making sure to get the really good fish scraps from the restaurant down the way. But she had heard other things. Milk thistle, for starters- easy enough to find around here, and with a distinct look from other plants. Though it was not her go-to remedy, she had heard of the use of actual milk for the disease. She did not know why it helped, but it seemed like cats who had grown up drinking milk given to them by humans were less likely to have lung problems than those who had grown up on the streets from day one, at least in her experience.

EITHER WAY, HIS NEEDS played perfectly into hers. Already, she was hatching a plan.

“TINSEL.” She mewed, as if to confirm all of his asks about her at once. Sharp enough to be able to smell the herbs on her fur, but not enough to understand that you couldn’t put loose milk in a purse. But she supposed that was more a product of the inadequate forest education that he had received than any issue with his baseline intelligence. And he was spunky. She appreciated spunk.

“IT’S MORE OF A SATCHEL, really, but I digress. It does sound like you have a predicament, though. I’ve got a few recommendations. And a request. I think that if we work together, we can each get what we want. Some milk for you, and something for me. I’ll also give you what I know about asthma treatment, no reason not to share medical knowledge.” She looked around conspiratorially before sharing her plan.

“BASICALLY, THE HUMANS have these things that are great for putting stuff in. Bags. You can find them on the street, but I want them fresh. They come out of the cars, when they get home. I want to steal some. I grew up among humans, and I think I could also steal you a thing of milk or cream- they are buying that sort of stuff all the time. It might be dangerous. So, are you in?” She smiled, looking down at the young tom. He was perfect. Cute and cuddly looking, small enough to seem helpless.

HE WOULD BE AN EXCELLENT DISTRACTION.

words ♥ 429
muse ♥ good
other ♥ ✦dreamy, ok lets do some nonsense + JAMIE DELAWARE HR post

regrets collect like old friends,
here to relive your darkest moments.

[✦dreamy]

COSMOSPAW Hear me once more, and show me your smile. This time, for sure, I’ll see the truth hidden inside your tears. But I know you're gone. So I will go on, howling and HOLLOW. TAG [:ripples:] DELAWARE + JAMIE WORDS 408 count NOTES sorry for the wait!!! HR Post!

He had been surprised by her quick response, keeping his guard up still because he still wasn't too sure about trusting her. Her name was just as strange as she was, but he supposed that was typical for an outsider to the Clans. They all had strange names but they never changed with rank like the Clans did, and he supposed that made this a little less complicated.  Of course - and he'd been partially expecting it - she wanted something in return for helping him. He wasn't sure he had ever met a cat outside of the Clans who didn't want to make some sort of bargain (or so he heard since Tinsel was the first). So he listened, listened a bit too intently. Listening was something he excelled at, which helped him to absorb all those moons of training with the Natureheart and the other Medicine Cats. It seemed to be an irony when the she-cat offered to teach him a thing or two, having asked to learn the ways of the other Clans methods. Never did he think that BloodClan's Medicine Cat would be one of those to teach him. Whether she was to be trusted or not, she was correct about one thing: there was no reason not to share medical knowledge. The mention of the two-leg homes however sent his stomach spiraling. He would do it because it was something important and he wasn't about to go home with nothing. The question was, however, whether or not he would go home. He glanced at the satchel, remembering all too clearly the risk he took to get it. It had been a dangerous move, he'd gotten Fastflight involved, and they both had nearly been captured. They had barely made it out and now Tinsel was asking him to do it again. She had no knowledge that he was wary, so he couldn't blame her for it. And he was curious to know more about bags. "Alright." He said shortly after she finished. He thought about what he could lose, what was waiting for him at home. But he knew that when he took up the full responsibility of a Medicine Cat that he couldn't be biased over his mate. The sick had to come first, even if that cat was from another Clan. "What do I have to do?" He eyed her carefully with his golden eyes, the she-cat looking as if she were a hawk looming over a mouse.

MADE BY VEL OF GS, WW + ADOX 2.0

[[:ripples:]]

♥ Tinsel of bloodclan

HE TOOK A MOMENT TO CONSIDER her offer- respectable. One liked to know that a minion was intelligent enough to take in a new situation before making any sudden moves. She was not surprised, however, when he readily agreed to the plan. She knew the forest clans enough to know that he, like she, was duty-bound to help those in need. Though BloodClan’s medicine cats had no code they held dear, it was part of the profession. If you were fortunate enough to be the one who was called upon to serve and heal your clan, it meant that you just rise to the occasion when needed. It was a thing of honor to be a medicine cat, and one had to uphold the honor of the role by acting in the best interests of those in their care. This Cosmos-streak, though he was from a different place, was no different.

FOR A MOMENT, TINSEL WONDERED to herself what it would be like to be a part of a group of medicine cats. She had Niner, of course, who she had promoted to her junior, and who would take on her role after she retired. He had gone from pathetic charge to a true peer, someone she could consult with and trust to handle even most of the more complicated cases that they came across. He had exceeded her expectations, and though it had taken her time to forgive him for running away, she now saw his as perhaps her closest confidant outside of her daughter, Faye. But still, it must be different to have cats of one’s own station, caring for their own clans, to exchange knowledge with and talk to. Who could better understand the unique experience of a medicine cat than another medicine cat. She allowed herself to feel that tug of curiosity and longing for another moment before burying it. She could not think of that now. They were on a mission.

“EXCELLENT.” She mewed, her lips curled into a smile. She and Niner had participated in a number of ridiculous ploys aimed at stealing things from humans, including but not limited to plastic sandbox toys, silverware, and, of course, live plants to put in the herb garden. This, though, was particularly ambitious, because it would be done not only in broad daylight, but while the humans were near- they never seemed to leave their precious groceries in the car for long. But that was where her new acquaintance came in.

“SOMETIMES, THE HUMANS TAKE THE CARS and come back with lots of stuff in them. Stuff that often includes bags and food. When they get back to the house, they leave the car open and start to drag the stuff inside. I’ll get into the car and find what we’re looking for. And you… your job will be to keep them occupied while I work. I need the car to be open, but I want you to get their attention before they take anything inside. Hopefully it’ll be a lone adult, or one with a couple of kits. Do whatever you have to do. Be cute. Look injured. Start a fight with the family dog. Whatever feels right. Just don’t let them get near the car. Sound good?” She looked down the suburban street, waiting for the right prey to pull into a driveway so that they could make their move.

words ♥ 566
muse ♥ good
other ♥ ✦dreamy, I’ll have the car pull up in the next post, just wanted to give Cosmos a moment to mentally prepare himself lol.

regrets collect like old friends,
here to relive your darkest moments.

[✦dreamy]

COSMOSPAW Hear me once more, and show me your smile. This time, for sure, I’ll see the truth hidden inside your tears. But I know you're gone. So I will go on, howling and HOLLOW. TAG [:ripples:] DELAWARE + JAMIE WORDS 304 count NOTES sorry for the wait!!! HR Post!

That smile unnerved him a little, but he held his ground. He needed to trust her in order to get what he needed. As he listened to her explain everything, he shuddered slightly. He wished momentarily that she would be the one to distract them, but he had no idea what he was looking for while she did. It wouldn't be ideal for him to attempt searching for the item. But he nodded and complied non-the-less. As he mentally prepared himself - debating on the method of distraction that he would be using - he felt the rumble of the monster (or car, as Tinsel had called it) grow with each passing second. His heart sped up at this, but he willed himself to calm down, though he began to shake at the attempt. It would be an adrenaline rush that kept his paws light and quick, his mind focused and not darting. He focused on thinking about his plan: He could act hurt, but that might provoke them into wanting to touch him and he didn't want that. What if he kept his distance each time? Moved away with each step they took? And the family dog? Maybe, but what if the dog was faster than he was?  He decided to opt-in for the method of acting injured. Maybe his paw? There was still a cut from where the glass had been a few days prior. He went over to a bush, dropping his satchel there so that the humans wouldn't question it, and returned to Tinsel once more, flexing his paw a few times, remembering how it had been a few days ago. He rolled on the ground a bit, ruffing up his fur and causing dust to fly when he stood and shook himself. "Alright, I'm ready." He prayed to StarClan that everything would turn out alright.

MADE BY VEL OF GS, WW + ADOX 2.0

[[:ripples:]]

♥ Tinsel, bloodclan medicine cat

SHE WENT TO RETRIEVE THE SATCHEL- she didn't want him to lose it, and even if things went well, they would likely need to make a quick getaway. She pressed herself into the bushes as she watched the cars go by, more slow and lazy than those in the city, perhaps cautious given that there were human children playing in the street. And then a large blue minivan caught her eye. It sounded like there were a few human young in the back from the clamor that rang from the windows, and had one of those little yellow stickers on it that seemed to signify that there were many small noisy distractions inside. "This way!" She whispered, moving at a clip towards the house that the car seemed to be pulling into.

SHE PULLED UP against the siding of the house as the vehicle backed in. Out of it climbed an adult human female with mismatched socks. She was making noises at her kits, who yowled from the back seats of the car, as she went to open the trunk. Tinsel held her breath, crossing her fingers that it would be full... and bingo! There in the back were several bags of groceries piled on top of each other, enough to feed a large human family. The human went to open the back doors of the car to release her young from the harnesses that held them in place. "Okay, Cosmo, this is the one! Here's your moment!" She mewed, practically shoving him forward and launching herself into the trunk.

♥ ✦dreamy, I forgot how fuckin hilarious the premise of this thread is.

she was caught in a mudslide
eaten by a lion
got run over by a crappy purple scion