The Royals (Join for Cat Politics)

((Hey guys! Sorry I've been absent!))

- - Thundheart

Thunderheart waved his tail. The shock of seeing his brother was beginning to wear off, and now he was beginning to think with an inkling of rationality again. He looked at Lighttail and narrowed his eyes.

"Tell all the herbalists to join me in the royal tower as soon as they can. I'd like to talk about this more in depth. And listen, everyone," he raised his voice so he could be heard clearly. "I care about the well-being of this castle. I don't want to put anyone in danger . . . but as long as my family is being threatened, I will not back down. I am going to continue looking into this situation--let's hope that, for your sakes, the killer is found before moon high." He turned tail and walked out of the garden, gesturing for a royal guard to follow him as he headed back to the royal tower. He prayed that his brother was still alive, or better yet, conscious; that way he could back out of this and let Stoneheart fix everything, just like he used to.

- - Sandstripe

Sandstripe refused to respond to the other herbalists and kneaded the ground with her claws. What could she do now? The other two were onto her--they would undoubtedly try to turn her in, or she would force Thunderheart into keeping his word about the rats. She wanted to believe that he would back down from it, but after this, she wasn't sure she knew Thunderheart at all. And if she was found out, she would be thrown into the rats nest herself! Perhaps if I made a run for it. But she had nowhere to go, and no hopes of surviving in the heath alone.




((I'm thinking it might be interesting if Sandstripe went to one of the priests for guidance and admitted what she did, almost like a confessional, if someone wants their Priest character to be involved in that? Or we can skip right to taking the herbalists to the royal tower. And @tinkerzb if the rat thing does end up happening, depending on whether Sandstripe gets found out or not (which there's still a chance she won't, purely because Thunderheart trusts her more than the other herbalists because they've been lifelong friends--so maybe Duskstorm being there as a witness would be important since he saw Sandstripe give Dewfern the leaf bundle the night before) I think it would be great for everyone to rally together, and honestly that might be a good moment to kill Thunderheart off bc if that happens there's really no redeeming him lol))

(Meanwhile... XD)

- - Flamewhisker

Lizard people, eh? That sounds interesting.., the orange tabby thought with a curious flick of his fluffy tail. [/i]Im going to have to ask him about that because...[/i] Perhaps it was an outside source. He'd seen lizards before. With their mischievous eyes, and their- He shuddered when he remembered pulling off one's tail as a kit to see the severed thing squirm. The lizard just ran off, relatively okay.

- - Tawnyclaw

Tawnyclaw leaned against the entrance to the garden, unsure of what to make of this situation. Everything was a bit chaotic. Well no kidding, Tawny. Geez, this is sucks. Almost as bad as when the second part of my name became 'claw'. My claws aren't tawny colored, mouse-brains, she thought silently, watching the scene unfold before her. Well, she would if she weren't now looking at her claws with some curiousity. Whatever.

(EDIT: Just saw that post. I'll get to responding!)

)

Littlespring growled as she stalked off. She wished Maplefall didn't ruin the fun she was having. Well she wouldn't forget this that's for sure.

Duskstorm blinked at her slowly, before tilting his head. 'Why would they let a low-down like me stay?' He questioned, flicking an ear. 'I'm only a hunter. We're not exactly known because there are so many of us.'
He began to clean his paws with delicate licks. 'I'm unimportant to a King.' He said, tucking his paws contently beneath his body.

(I appreciate the warm welcome, I may create a tom sooner rather than later.)

The apprentice gave Littlespring one more glare before padding hastily after Lighttail. If Thunderheart accused any of them Dawn would be there to completely and utterly defend them.

[ all right ]

(( Sure ))

Robincall stepped out of the dorm she was sleeping in. She went to front hall to find her apprentice. " Hi Flint. Shall we head out ? " She mewed firmly and gave her ear a few licks

" Some people have not liked the Leadership of King Stoneheart ... " She said with a dim voice

" The king has been down to his mate and son dying .. Some of the cats in the castle do not approve of the ways hes acting. ... You should have seen King Stonehearr before his kin died. He was the cheeriest in all of the castle. " She explianed to the tom.

Ello?)

Oak turned the corner and arrived at the rat's nest, surprised to see Fox there.

"Guess you had the same idea," he mewed in a grim, wry voice. He took a seat beside her, not mentioning he was glad it was Fox there and not anyone else. He could hear the faintest of scritching noises from behind the rocks, and the stench of rat was everywhere. He crinkled his muzzle and stared ahead rather than at the rocks or his fellow apprentice.
---
Petalheart returned to the hall of ancestors and paced in a circle on the raised platform in the back. Everything was different colors here, thanks to the odd colored non-melting ice patterned on the ceiling. Petalheart settled under a particularly bright patch of color and closed her eyes.

She wanted to be here because it was peaceful, not because she wanted to speak with her ancestors. Sometimes the hall was just a place to think.

The action that had just happened had her unsettled. She felt even her fur was slightly ruffled and wished that Thunderheart had a clearer head.  What they were to do with a useless king, an overly aggressive royal brother, and a practically nonexistent heir.  Things were definitely looking up for the royal family.
---
Sunpetal padded through the halls, looking for her sister.  She'd heard Thunderheart's plea to speak with the herbalists and wanted to alert the herbalist--and also take note of how angry she was.  She needed her sister to at least consider talking to the royal guard--he couldn't unleash the rats!  Sunpetal had kits to think about, unborn kits, Hailstrike's kits--her kits.

Everything was falling apart.  This castle was an unstable wall, and each ripple of trouble made more stones fall out.  Soon everything would collapse . . . and who knew how the wall would be rebuilt?
---
Maplefall ran into her sister trying to make her way back to the garden.  She narrowed her eyes at Sunpetal's already placating expression.

"I'm not calming down," she meowed immediately, but Sunpetal shook her head.

"No, this is--well, Thunderheart wants to meet the herbalists in the tower soon." She leaned forward and tapped noses with Maplefall. "You must go, Maplefall, and make this right.  Think of my kits!"

"All right, all right." She sighed. "You know I care.  But I still--" she shook her head. "All right."

(Great!)

"With my excellent tree climbing skills, I'll do fine," Oak replied, letting a little life of amusement come through the dreariness he felt. "I had a good sleep. I'll be fine." He sighed and hung his head, resolve already leaking out of him like water through a badly-stoned dam. Like rats through the stones . . . "And this is my duty. This is my castle, too, the one I've grown up in and will live in forever. I have the same need to protect it like noble hero and all too. I'd hate myself if I stayed away like a coward, you know? We need to take stand. And other inspirational stuff, too."