the raid -- a suicide mission?

heh. i was wondering why there was a simp there.

Shoulder's down, head focused, her sea green eyes squinted against the strong headwind. Her muscles, tight, heart pounding, her fur raised itself in downright defiance of weakness. Embermoon's body was battered and exhausted, every molecule set on edge. Every blood cell wide as oxygen flowed through her, trying to coax sluggish winter moods and chill away. But Embermoon would be okay, she had a duty to fullfil. Copperfall's words, gentle and forbidding, toxic and honey sweet replayed themselves in her head. Certainly what he had in mind wouldn't be that bad? She knew times were hard but certainly, desperation or not, Copperfall wouldn't dare risk the lives of his loyal followers on a suicide mission? Or would he? Questions began to race through the sharp angled she-cat's mind as she quickened her pace, every hair on her short pelt fluffed against the chill.

As she entered the den, an overwhelming wave of heat, almost to the point that made her sick, washed over her. The quick change in tempeture made Embermoon's head spin. She had never been inside Copperfall's den before, and now she could see why. Even with the lean bodies that winter provided, the den was still jammed to the brim, and almost threatened to spew the overload of Circle members out into the snow beyond the entrance.

Without a word, she took a seat close to the entrance, pelt relaxing on her frame. Where she was she was still quite warm from the close quarters but could feel the cool air from the outside, creating quite a mixed and pleasant sensation. From her seat, she could also bail if absolutely nessecary.

An air of curiousity and fear hung over the den. Embermoon herself was excited but could almost taste death on her tounge. Now that she thought about it, going seemed almost insane, but not going was unquestionable. She had nothing keeping her here except herself. Her love of the moon could be satisfied wherever the moon was visible, she had no one within the circle she was emotionally tied too, no kits, or specific duties to tend to or perform. In fact, Embermoon was simply ordinary. Just another cog in the machine, something which she was neither happy nor proud of. So, this "suicide mission" seemed like just the way to make herself noticed. And if not, at least she died trying- and loyal.

Wrapping her ember tinted tail around her paws she sat up straight and found Copperfall's eyes. She had so many questions but others had already asked the main burning one. What did he have planned? Despite dying to know for herself, and only herself, she knew that was out of question so she kept her mouth shut.

Copperfall’s olive eyes watched the collection of volunteer rocks gather under his den with gradually growing interest. There were so few of them, he noted as the last of the group squeezed herself into the den. The group had formed a pretty, neat crescent along the edges of the Chosen One’s den and Copperfall decided, after a moment, that this was the optimal arrangement, rather than an unorderly clump. All of the rock’s faces were on him – he could see them, all staring at him, from his ‘throne’ backed up against the wall’s back. Copperfall liked to be able to see the faces of those he spoke to, so he knew that he had captured their attention.

The eyes that the ginger tomcat stared at started off worried and then turned impatient. It was at this point when Copperfall was snapped out of his ‘daze,’ more or less. Also, the voice of a gray tomcat helped him stay away from daydreaming. This cat, who first spoke, was the second to enter and the first to speak. The rock, Cranetail, spoke one single word, but there was so much defiance, so much questioning of Copperfall’s rule within it, that Copperfall’s ears went back and his neck fur bristled, in a feline position most commonly know as the defensive position. Well? Cranetail said. After the initial feeling of fear, Copperfall’s position reverted itself and was replaced by anger. Cranetail acted as if he wanted Copperfall to go ahead and speak. Did the stormy gray tomcat realize that half of the group hadn’t even settled? Snorting, Copperfall waited until his temper evened out before speaking to this male. “I’ll address everyone when they’ve settled,” Copperfall said and nodded, before tilting his head, to show he was referring to the ‘settling’ as once the noise and grumbling everyone was making subsided. Although this tomcat annoyed Copperfall greatly, the Chosen One had spoken kindly to him only because he feared the if he didn’t, he might lose one more fighting spirit. But would Cranetail really leave if he said something that might be considered as rude, or what the gray tomcat really deserved? Heronleg was his sibling and he knew the she, out of all of the volunteers, would be the last to give up on Copperfall.

Blinking, Copperfall watched the pair. Cranetail, with a look of hatred and irritation on his face, Heronleg, with a look of excitement and loyalty. However could Cranetail and Heronleg be siblings? Their pelts were the same color of gray, and Heronleg’s eyes were only a shade darker than Cranetail’s. Smirking as he listened to the white noise , Copperfall’s mind delved into possible entertaining scenarios. From the outside, their appearance made them look like most certainly siblings. Even their bone structures were similar. If there was no light in this world, Copperfall thought, then it would be incredibly hard to believe that the pair were siblings, unless the cat had been at their birthing. The two sibling’s minds were so different. Cranetail was so full of hatred and Heronleg was so full of life. How could Heronleg stand Cranetail? Copperfall knew just by looking at Cranetail’s annoyed face and his stiff, uncomfortable position, that he did not like Heronleg much, even though they were siblings. Copperfall couldn’t exactly see why.

The longhaired tomcat didn’t linger on this thought for long. Two cats spoke, a gray tomcat and a brown one and they, like Cranetail’s words, pushed him out of his daydream. The entire group of cats was quiet and looking directly at him, minus the two cats addressing him. He wasn’t even sure what the two cats had said. How long had he been standing her without speaking? Or, more importantly, how long had they been waiting? The ginger tomcat found himself blushing underneath his light ginger fur.

For a few moments, Copperfall just stared awkwardly into the group of warriors. Then, he took a deep breath and began, saying everything in one breath. “The plan and the thing that all of you have volunteered for is simple, yet very dangerous. We plan to enter ThunderClan campground, in the dead of night. We will go along as quietly as possible and take all of the prey that we can carry back home. This raid, as you may call it, will take place tomorrow evening. You are to tell no one about what you are going to do and ESPECIALLY where you are going. We don’t want any of the younger circle members to go running off to the clan land just because times are a little rough,” Copperfall said, his gaze cool and collected. He’d recited ‘the plan’ thousands of times before he slept. He had repeated it so that his stutter would be minimal and he wouldn’t miss a thing. The longhaired tomcat wished there was some other way for the circle to get food; a way for them to survive that didn’t involve fighting. Maybe Copperfall was just dense. A lot of cats did say that he was, when they thought he was out of earshot. But Copperfall, being the ‘dense cat’ he was, saw no alternative.

The ginger tomcat’s tail began to flick back and forth. Copperfall was surprised at the monotony of his speech. Maybe he had recited it one too many times. “For those too young to remember our journey, know that ThunderClan was my birth home. It was the place where most of the older cats grew into the fine rocks they are today. It is, admittably, in better shape than Rapidfall’s is. But … we cannot go back. Not with Elkstar in control. He is full of hatred for us, those who support Eveningfall, may she rest in peace,” Copperfall said and paused, to supposedly clear his throat. This part wasn’t a portion that he had recited. He had realized a flaw in his speech and had corrected it while he was speaking. Some cats might not know about ThunderClan. This impromptu portion of ‘the plan’ was rougher than a porcupine’s back and he did not deny it. It sounded, to the copper male, like one big stutter. He hoped that the rocks of his circle found it intelligible enough.

The tomcat realized after a few moments of complete silence, that the other rocks were not speaking. It was an awkward moment and Copperfall hated those. He shuffled his feet and moved his paws up and down, just to make noise. “Does anyone have questions?” Copperfall asked and peered at the collection of cats, his eyes winding along the semi-circle effortlessly. The ginger tomcat’s olive gaze rested on the face of Starfrost, who’s face was twisted with agitation. What got her feathers in a bunch? Copperfall thought. He had known Stardust since kithood and had never thought of her as angsty. Something must be wrong. He must;ve done something to displease her. Why she was irritated came to him right away. He must have ignored her. Tossing his head, Copperfall looked away. Maybe she;d been telling him to speak. Maybe her question, he supposed, had already been answered. Maybe he was about to answer it. Opening his throat, Copperfall turned away from Stardust. One cat’s irritation wouldn’t get to him. Unless that cat was …

Copperfall forced all thoughts and all glances of a certain gray she-cat from his mind. He needed to focus on the raid. He needed to focus on his circle. Now was not the time to be making goo-goo eyes at a pretty she-cat who probably thought of him as nothing more than a good friend.

Wasn’t that what she was to him, too?

Copperfall realized what he had created. Yet another silence. Soon the cats were going to disband if he didn’t finish it. Oh, yes. Copperfall had more to say. “If you do not want to participate in the raid after hearing what it is about, I can more than understand. You do not have to. Remember, this is voluntary. I don’t want anyone to give away their lives if they have something to live for.” Copperfall said and laughed a short, slicing, awkward laugh. He knew it wasn’t necessary, but wasn’t their something he could do to lighten the mood? “It would, of course, mean so much to me if you would take part in the raid. I am going to do it. I feel that it will greatly impact our circle. I will do it alone if I have to. I just don’t think that it will make much difference. Anyways … most of you don’t want your Chosen One to die without a successor,” Copperfall said and cast a single glance at Cranetail, before letting his eyes zip away to the blank gray wall. Surprisingly enough, no spider had weaved a web in this location, nor was there a big green pile of moss living there. Copperfall wondered why, but he didn’t linger on such thoughts. The tomcat needed to let the other cats know he was done with the major part of the planning, besides the questions.

Questions. He hoped he’d be able to answer them and put the rock’s mind at rest. Copperfall walked from the back of the den and let himself be surrounded on all sides by cats with possible questions. He knew this would be disorderly, but it would be much easier for him.

Word count; around 1603. xP
Character; Copperfall
Rper mood; Really confused.
Post Quality; Pretty awful, but I needed to get it done.
Gradients © HERA <3