Leave her, Johnny! // Warrior's Plight

[SirDio]

Hurricane

Hurricane was eager to explore for the plight - it was in his blood. So when dawn began to show against the sky, he set out, and went south. He had begun with the twisted forest, and found a few random turrets with scrap metal scattered about. Within the distance he saw what seemed to be a ship, and so he walked toward it.

When he was met with the large cruiser, he was awestruck. Along it's side was the name U.S.S. ROCKELL in scratched, worn paint. The hull had been torn open to reveal the inside, with part of the hulls metal warped and bent to act as a ramp inside.

The ship was tilted gently on its side, but not too much as to hinder ones balance on the ship. Ivy from the forest had begun to web itself across the front of the ship, and sea water completely screwed up the metal from the ship. Scrap metal shards and bones were strewn across the area, creating a hazard.

He entered the ship at noon, and exited it when the sun was beginning to reach its rays into the water of the horizon. It was still early enough for him to come back to camp and bring a group, and thus he did.

Returning to camp with a call, he gathered whoever wanted to see the wreck, including kits, and led them to the ship. When the ship was in sight, he began to speak, "This ship is massive - and I've never seen a ship before. My dad would tell me about them, and how humans used them for fighting in the water. There's a large gash in its hull from a battle."

Approaching the ship, he stopped and turned to face the group. "This is my favorite place thus far - the ship could be used as a last resort if camp becomes uninhabitable by any means, as well as a perfect hiding spot or watch if you can get past the ivy." He was proud of his discovery, and added sternly, "Kits, don't stray too far from the group, the scrap metal is sharp and rusted."

[RHINESTONE.]

LEADER ❝ RHINE ❞ PALMCLAN

When Hurricane had originally left camp with the intention to go and start the journey of his Warrior's Plight, Rhine had expected the other to be back before too long. After all, Palmclan's territory was large, but it wasn't unmanageable, and it wasn't as if one couldn't cover it all in a few hours if they moved quickly. Of course, when the sun had begun to dip down against the horizon in the distance, Rhinestone had begun to grow a bit worried. Maybe Hurricane had gotten lost somewhere? Or maybe he had gotten in trouble with one of the other groups? Many unpleasant possibilities swirled in the leader's head, causing him to sigh and push himself up to his paws. He was tired from the morning's long hunting patrol, but it wasn't as if he was about to just let one of his members stay missing. He wasn't that type of leader, and he doubted there were many out there that would – at least, not if they were respected enough to have become leaders. Thankfully, it didn't seem as though the tom would need to go far to find the large and fluffy feline that was Hurricane. Rhine succeeded in only taking about two steps before Hurricane came back into camp, his chest puffed out proudly as he ushered for others to follow after him.

Of course, Rhinestonestar had decided that he would be one of the ones accompanying the new warrior, for multiple reasons. One of them being that he didn't want to risk anything happening, and the other being that he was just curious about what Hurricane had managed to find. It seemed almost impossible that Hurricane had managed to find such a structure off the shore, but then again, it was also clear that the other really did love exploring. Despite this, Rhinestone couldn't help the faint shock that was on his face as they all approached the ship, his pale eyes growing wide as he looked over the wreck. Growing a bit closer to the massive structure, Rhine hesitated for only a moment before he turned to Hurri, grinning, "Hurricane, this is definitely an amazing place to choose as your favorite spot... and you're right about it being a good last resort in case of danger. The entire thing must've been dragged in further inland by the hurricane..." He had never gone exploring the shore so close to the Twisted Forest, usually too terrified of the prospect of what he would find there, so the nearly beached ship certainly was a discovery. Continuing to let his gaze wander over the deck and the hull, Rhinestone mused softly, "This thing really is massive... how many twolegs do you suppose they had on this thing at once?" It was more of a rhetorical question, since he didn't expect anyone to know the history of such ships – Hurricane knowing about them from his father was probably the most knowledge any of them had.

NEVER OPENED MYSELF THIS WAY
LIFE IS OURS, WE LIVE IT OUR WAY

— Reggan

[SirDio]

Hurricane

Hurricane's face was gifted a large grin, pleased with himself for finding such a thing. "I'm betting that, yea - but with the Ivy, I'd say it's been here a little longer than the hurricane. Unless that Ivy is Kudzu." He set his eyes upon the name of the ship again. U.S.S ROCKELL. Turning to look at Rhine, he shrugged. "I'd say.... close to a hundred? With this big of a cruiser, it's hard to tell. But you just reminded me.." He glanced to a bone that was sticking out of the sand nearby. "in order to keep kits and others from having nightmares, there's some skeletons we're gonna have to get out." He huffed - "Probably should have said that earlier.. oops."

[RHINESTONE.]

LEADER ❝ RHINE ❞ PALMCLAN

Skeletons. The implications of those being present was obviously unpleasant, but also pretty understandable as well. After all, if the ship had ended up capsized and eventually washed up to grind into their shores... it only made sense that some of the twolegs would've died in the process. Rhine's ears briefly flicked backward, pressing down against his skull as he sighed softly. Catching the glance that Hurricane had thrown towards the nearby bone half buried within the sand, the leader was quick to pick up one of his legs, kicking a little bit more sand over the bone in order to leave it entirely hidden. They could deal with that later, when there weren't kits present. Nodding his head to acknowledge that he had heard Hurricane, the tom muttered with a sigh, "I suppose that does make sense... hopefully it won't be too much of a hassle. For now we'll just leave it, and later on we can have a patrol come out here to clean out as much as they can... that way if we do have to use this as a temporary base at some point, we won't end up with a bunch of traumatized kits." Not to mention that he had no doubt that the clan's kits would start to use the ship as a place to hide and play around when they had somehow snuck away from camp.

NEVER OPENED MYSELF THIS WAY
LIFE IS OURS, WE LIVE IT OUR WAY

— Reggan

[Grimm]

ALL I KNOW IS HERE AND NOW

CALL ME HERE AND I WILL APPEAR

LIKE THE LIGHT OF DAY

Warmth threaded through dwindling illumination, waning golden shimmer cast against pale grains, beneath ceaseless progression packed and yet fine still. Among did the opaque crescents of rather miniscule claws trail, cut shallow grooves, paths smeared and filled with the careless sweep followed after. Again the curl, passage interrupted for indents to fade beneath disturbed particles, written over. Again.

Repetative the action, calming in manner strange though held, if only within tentative grasp, abandonment nonetheless staged with ease when call arose. Others arising, tasks found completion in hours past and so their own that which remained, chatter arising as they followed lead. A pale spectre the child that slipped among their fold, found place in the forest of moving legs, a tiny explorer jostled and at times stopped for apology only to continue on. Long the trek, much too so to gauge if abilities were up for such, exhaustion tugging.

Do you need some help?

Pleasant the offer, no scorn met yet it was derived, upward turned nose and off marched the kitten with resolve renewed. Still, with harsh breaths and a bitten of groan lacing tkngue hanging from open mouth, upon his own did Foam complete the arduous journey, a sight as he settled. Over the planes of rust and ivy choked metal did half lidded eyes rove, barely caught the very last words spoken, odd a singular that stood out.

Bones he knew, against them scraped teeth as he dined with a fervour that at times worried, though in full, and that of the origin surely contained further within the breached hull, a matter different. Struggle to arise but it was done and closer did he stumble, barely caught before he may collapse against Rhine. Yet to the other did he look, curiosity there even as clumsy tongue framed the word in rather poor fashion. "Selatin?" At the very least similar, in some places, the sound of odd word, this brushed aside as he waited answer to his single word query.

code by Reggan

[SirDio]

Hurricane

He nodded solemnly, a soft, humorless chuckle coming from him. "Yes, we don't need to be terrorizing kids." He turned to look at the opening in the hull, and huffed quietly. He looked to Foam and let out a quiet 'hahf'. "Howdy, Foam-kiddo. Yes, ehm.. Skeletons. Don't tell the other kids - it's our secret until this ship is cleaned out." He knealt down to get to Foam's level, a sly grin coming to his broad muzzle. He then stood up and went to cover another bone in sand.

[RHINESTONE.]

LEADER ❝ RHINE ❞ PALMCLAN

Rhinestone knew that, on some level, he should've expected that Foamkit would be one of the one's among the group traveling towards Hurricane's new discovery. However, part of the leader had hoped that, perhaps, Foam would somehow be asleep, or otherwise preoccupied, unable to come with. It wasn't because he disliked the child, rather, it was because he actually wanted Foam to get some rest. Rhine knew that the other's caretaker did a rather valiant job at attempting to wrangle him and keep him safe and healthy, but the leader still couldn't help but worry. He worried for all those that lived within Palmclan, but kits in particular needed a lot of TLC, and Rhinestone knew that well, even despite not having any of his own quite yet. Unfortunately, the leader also knew Foamkit to be incredibly stubborn, and that was easy to see in the way the child held himself, turning his nose up at the slightest offer of help. The rusty red tom had to hold back a bout of laughter as Foam came stumbling over, the boy just barely able to catch himself before he collapsed into the leader's side. It wouldn't have surprised Rhine if he would need to carry the other back home.

When Foam spoke up, however, Rhinestone immediately felt his heart sink, swallowing down the sudden ball of anxiety that had somehow found its way into his throat. The tom would absolutely have his ears clawed off if Foam's caretaker heard about the bones, whether Rhine was leader or not. Thankfully, Foamkit didn't seem to yet have a very firm grasp on the word uttered by Hurricane, which would hopefully mean he wouldn't be understood. Shooting an antsy look towards Hurricane, Rhinestone sighed before turning to Foam, saying with a nervous chuckle, "Hey, Foam... I promise that this isn't anything you need to worry about. It's nothing all that exciting, right Hurricane?" He glanced back at the other as he hid another bone in the sand, trying to smoothly remedy the oncoming situation. It didn't help that Hurricane had referred to it all as some big secret, something that would definitely intrigue the child more than it would push him away.

NEVER OPENED MYSELF THIS WAY
LIFE IS OURS, WE LIVE IT OUR WAY

— Reggan

[Grimm]

ALL I KNOW IS HERE AND NOW

CALL ME HERE AND I WILL APPEAR

LIKE THE LIGHT OF DAY

Poor the choice of words, though the exact ramifications such careless decision may wrought as of yet unknown. The manner in which addressal was framed different than that he had grown accustomed to, brief the divergence of his attention, about the rusted interior moving among the assembled seeking any response. None were made apparent upon Hurricane did he once more settle, that odd word again uttered, confusion further bolstered when it grew apparent no explanation was forthcoming.

Their secret.

The words rang through his head, a silver chime that may not be silenced once it had begun, arising along pale lips a smile familiar, as crooked as it ever was. Down did other lean, level for a moment, mirrored a grin his own though quality more mischievous than the plain child shared with widened edges. Agreement arose, settled behind his teeth yet too soon had Hurricane arisen and trajectory was shifted, from view hidden his objective. A few steps was all Foam was capable of accomplishing before voice rose, forgotten for a moment all else as head tilted back and vision settled on Rhine.

Contradiction his placating words, though within favour worked the minimal structure of expanding vocabulary at the disposal of the kitten, further restricted as exhaustion plagued his mind, disappointment rather minute. Between teeth rushed expelled breath, annoyance within that low huff, dwindling as yawn broke through and paw arose to rub, rather clumsily, at eyes. "Sekwet." Low the murmur he voiced, slight but definite the nod following soon after. Indeed it seemed the notion such lay only between them lingered yet any further introspection was at least halted for now, another yawn concluding with the tip of tongue peeking out between closed lips.

code by Reggan

[RHINESTONE.]

LEADER ❝ RHINE ❞ PALMCLAN

It seemed that, at least for the moment, Rhinestone had managed to prevent a massive disaster within Foamkit's mind. The leader knew full well just how easily children could end up clinging to something, and he didn't want Foam to go off breaking the rules just so that he could share secrets with others. Of course, it was hardly Hurricane's fault for the somewhat poor choice of words. Rhine didn't think the other had any children, and the tom also knew that Palmclan was somewhat unique in how they kept children at home until they were safe enough to start apprenticeship. He didn't want Foam to make a habit of sneaking out and lying about it – although Rhinestone did have a feeling that ship had already sailed, unfortunately. Either way, the rust colored feline would do everything in his power to keep Foamkit safe, even if it meant none too subtly nudging the child away from secrets, also very much not wanting to get in trouble with Foam's caretaker. Rhine wasn't as much of a scaredy cat as when he was a child, but a mother scorned was something to be reckoned with.

Nodding a little at Foam's best attempt to replicate the word secret, Rhine then found himself smiling slightly when he noticed the drowsiness in the child's eyes. That was a good sign, since it meant there was a chance the little one would forget this encounter entirely. With this in mind, Rhinestone brushed his tail lightly against Foamkit's side, questioning with a chuckle, "Yeah, a secret... you getting tired, Foamkit? Cause I can take you home, and you can get some rest. I know this is exciting, but there's plenty of time for exploration later." Rhine really doubted that the boy would agree at first, but Foam might not have much of a choice. With how much he was yawning, it seemed as though he was about ready to just lay down and pass out eight then and there.

NEVER OPENED MYSELF THIS WAY
LIFE IS OURS, WE LIVE IT OUR WAY

— Reggan

[SirDio]

Hurricane

A deep, bass laugh sounded from the dark tom, more to himself than to the other two, as he turned to face them. He seemed to have realized what he said, and had this idiotic bashful look on his face - he's definitely done something similar to claiming something to be a secret before. "Yessir, nothing to worry about for the kiddo. Besides, he's definitely too tired to stay here." His voice seemed only slightly deeper, maybe out of embarrassment. "We can get an exploration patrol out sometime soon - maybe you can join them when you have more energy." We- he knew Rhine would have to do so, but he already said it.

Hearkening back to the 'secret', he looked away as he remembered how his mother absolutely beat him into the mud of the river bank after his brother told her about the secret fishing spot. The spot was normal looking, save for some really nasty snakes that would have been fatal for the felines. His mother never let that slide and Hurricane never kept something that dangerous a secret. At least, not until now, anyway. But Hurricane didn't see the ship as dangerous, just something that was to be treated with caution.