``steppin' on up || open

[»Ιmαgε]

HARESTEP

As the sun's flickering rays drifted into the stony hollows and crevices of the enclosure's barren walls, a tawny she-cat awoke from her daily slumber. Her ears flicked as the sounds of chattering cats drifted over her, their voices timid in some spots, excited in others. The female gently lifted herself from her nest of dried bracken, green eyes flashing irritably at her make-shift nest. It was prickly and bothersome at night when she needed rest, yet it was all she could seem to locate in this barren wasteland she was forced to call home. Still, the female bowed her head. She should be content with what she had; she knew far too well that some cats went without such bedding. With a wide stretch of her jaws and a shake of her striped face, Harestep prepared herself for the day's events that she had planned the night before.

Today was to be her first day of recruiting. Harestep had been sure to wait some weeks following her mother's death before starting her campaign of clan life. She had needed time to grieve and to organize her thoughts. Yet today inspired strengh and ambition in the she-cat; the warm glow from the outside sun made her fur tingle with excitement and a tinge of anxiety over her first day as a new, prospective leader. She needed to show these cats the benefits of clan life, lead them to the clan ways, show them what it really meant to bear a warrior's name.

Harestep shook the scraps of bracken and grass stuble off of her pale coat before making her way over to the central throng of cats. For a moment the she-cat paused, listening to the conversations that were thrown through the air. What should she say first? Introduce herself? Make friends with older cats or younger? The options swirled in her mind as she contemplated; she had planned to talk amongst the cats and start a small clan in a week or so, but she hadn't exactly planned the exact dictations she should speak aloud. Hrm.

Pull yourself together, Harestep.

The she-cat took a deep breath before speaking; what she said now would make or break her start as a possible leader. She needed to entice the other cats, gently, but decisively. With a call loud enough to be heard, yet not domineering to ruffle another's fur, Harestep stood up, waving her tail for attention.

"Could I have your attention for a moment?"

Harestep paused as a few cats turned around, their beady eyes focusng on her. Green eyes glanced around, surveying the group before her. Average. Now what to do with them... After a momen't passing, the idea hit her. Harestep continued, her voice stronger and more fluid as she spoke this time.

"My name is Harestep. I would like to gather a group of cats to go hunting together."

It was a start.

OOC || as a debut post, i'd say not bad. not exceptional, but just enough to get cats talking about her--good and bad. We'll see where this takes us. Open; the more the merrier!

[Darky [Megan]]

Speckledclaw, who had been skulking around the walls looking for some activity, finally had a chance to perk her ears. This was the proposition she had been looking for! It had started off a rather sluggish day, prompting her to wallow in old sad memories and yearn for interaction with other cats (although not enough for her to start anything herself, as it has happened). A hunt was just what she needed.
She padded towards the ticked tabby while glancing with her own yellow-green eyes at the specks of prospective hunters that would tag along, and seated herself on the ground somewhere nearer by the speaker. "I'm Speckledclaw, and a hunt's just what I was lookin' fer," she greeted, with a genuine crooked grin.

An orange tom, who sat opposite to the older tabby, froze. He hadn't noticed Speckledclaw was here, and recognised her from the Rebellion. He knew she was a good fighter and counted his blessings, since it has been a while since he last had rat to eat. Movements slow and lazy, he dragged himself closer to where the two tabbies sat and flicked his tail. "Orangestorm. 'Ow many more cats do we need to get this thing going?"

[Ten]

After snapping at a cat for smiling too much, and having no success in finding Redstream, the tail of the tuxedo-patterned tom was flicking back and forth in irritation. The enclosure was filled with so many cats who, in terms of raw intelligence, were indistinguishable from crickets. It was rare to find a Clanner so noble as Redstream, and though he clung to the idea of her leadership, she was not the leader he had always envisioned. Perhaps this was a good thing. Not in his view, of course.

Redstream was a good cat, but he feared that good would not cut it. These were dark times. He needed someone great. Everyone needed someone great. In order to rise out of the depths of anarchy, the enclosure needed a Clanner who could command respect, enforce unflinching will, and sculpt her followers into embodiments of discipline and obedience, the way of the warrior. He had not known a cat like this since his mother. Perhaps he never would.

Padding through the center of the enclosure, Shortwhisker's round head was low as he began to sink into despair. He could not give up hope that a Clan would be formed some day, and he could not cease striving for that goal, but thus far, besides participating in the experiment, he was not working hard enough to make it happen. He was such a worthless cat. Patchfur was always telling him this, and in his heart he agreed, though for different reasons. It wasn't any problem with his views; it was his ineffectiveness in bringing them to fruition.

He did not think of this, but it would have been very difficult for him to do. He was a follower, a supporter. All he could do was follow and support, and it was a boss who would have to get the ball rolling. Once he found the right boss, he would have no excuse for slacking. At the moment, though, Redstream and Spiderstripe appeared to be his only possible authorities. None else had stepped forward. If there were any else interested, any else worthy, why hadn't they stepped forward by now?

The sound of a command caught the attention of his black ears and they swiveled toward the source, his head following in turn. A ticked tabby named Harestep wanted to start a hunt. He did not recognize her and narrowed his eyes in suspicion. She could be a dirty con. However -- and it was not often that Shortwhisker would put a however after the phrase "could be a dirty con" -- participating in a rat hunt would at least be a way of being productive today.

The short, stubby, black and white tom walked right up to Harestep and, speaking up into her face, asked with his characteristic, stuttering hostility, "Are you a c-c-con? If you're g-going to lead th-the hunt--" He was making an assumption based on nothing more than her tone and attitude from a couple of sentences. "--then you'd b-b-better be a Clanner, because I'll s-sink low enough t-to hunt alongside a c-c-cricketbrain, but I'm n-not going to listen t-to any kind of m-m-moron who's ag-gainst a b-better life."


ooc: /ramble ramble ramble. Point is, Shortwhisker wants to join the hunt, and he has to make sure Harestep is a Clanner first.

[»Ιmαgε]

HARESTEP

"I'm Speckledclaw, and a hunt's just what I was lookin' fer,"

With the gathering of more cats, Harestep breathed a sigh of relief. Most cats were nodding their heads in approval or walking away if they were disinterested. At least they aren't shooing me away... It was then that a she-cat with a spotted coat and dull yellow-green eyes padded up to her. The cat's coat and overall appearance seemed a bit worn out, although her personality seemed rather enthusiastic in contrast. Harestep simply dipped her head, pausing to greet the next cat that joined her ranks.

"Orangestorm. 'Ow many more cats do we need to get this thing going?"

"Four cats should do the job."

It was quick reply and as Harestep looked around her she noticed one male cat who seemed to debating with himself, fidgeting before he braved the surrounding cats and joined the group. Harestep had barely opened her jaws to welcome him before he was growling warnings at her.

"Are you a c-c-con? If you're g-going to lead th-the hunt--then you'd b-b-better be a Clanner, because I'll s-sink low enough t-to hunt alongside a c-c-cricketbrain, but I'm n-not going to listen t-to any kind of m-m-moron who's ag-gainst a b-better life."

Well spoken, clan mate. Harestep had an immediate rush of compassion for the tom cat; he seemed strictly loyal to his duties and obviously was a clanner, through and through. Just what she needed.

"Of course not!" she meowed indignantly, flashing her green eyes, "I think it would be best for us to gather as many cats as we can and form an actual clan. We need it, more than any cat can imagine."

Pause. Harestep's gaze raked the crowd, her heart beating rapidly in her chest as she continued on, her voice full of purpose. Pride.

"I believe that a Clan would bring not only protection and unity to the cats here, but we would have pride in ourselves. We would hunt as a clan and care for our young kits and raise them to be real, wild cats. No more of this slinking around and fighting uselessly. And when cats grew old we would care for them in respect and devotion to all the hunts and knowledge they have provided us with. We would be united. We would be a true clan."

Harestep stood up at her words as she presented her ideas to this new cat. The she-cat's verdant eyes glowed with determination as she spoke, before ending her small speech and turning to the unnamed tom.

"Clanmate. What is your name?"

This brash passionate start to all of this was not what Harestep had expected from herself, but the more the she-cat thought about it, the more she was glad she had spoken so freely. These cats needed a leader, one who would be strong enough to pull them together and show them the clan life in all it's golden glory and dazzling appeal. Harestep lifted her head, and eyed the gathered cats for a moment before turning to Speckleclaw and Orangestorm. Surely they shared the same views as herself? It was no matter; she was completely open to asking.

"Speckleclaw and Orangestorm? What do you think of forming a clan?"

[irae]

GREYWHISKER

Greywhisker sat back, leaving her long tail to flick about idly behind her, unsure of what her next move was to be. Her body lay within the dark confines of a shadow, shoved backwards as far as she could against a rock to give some sort of protection from the heat and sun. She was momentarily glad that her fur was grey, and not black. This moment was cut short as a she-cat in the area before her called those around to attention, introducing herself and calling them together for a hunt. Greywhisker herself was hungry, her gaunt frame with it's skin stretched tight over it's bones and ribs were enough to show that she hadn't eaten well in the past weeks. The amount of bugs she caught just wasn't enough for her to survive upon right now. She could only blame herself for avoiding the places where others normally gathered, and where the largest supply of food roamed. She scooted herself out of the shadow, standing on her feet as she saw three others go to join the hunting party. Her small white paws, miniature circles upon which she perched her slight frame, padded across the tan earth to wander near the outskirts of the group. Her mouth was about to open before the other spoke of creating a clan.

Greywhisker balked for a second, her body shoving backwards slightly before she could control herself. In her lifetime she had seen too much fighting over a clan to want to join one now. "Excuse me if I'm misinformed, but why mess with something that causes such a debate between everyone?" Her voice was soft, drifting out airily as she looked across the faces of those before her. Right now, all she wished for was to hunt, her stomach was growling, gurgling quietly within her. She hadn't participated in a hunt in a very long time, being a loner, and that's all she wished for, not a one-way ticket into a clan she didn't want.

[Darky [Megan]]

Speckledclaw and Orangestorm reacted simultaneously to Shortwhisker's familiar stammering voice, and both of them flicked their tails and twitched their ears in irritation. Speckledclaw, who had been feeling particularly agreeable since greeting Harestep, felt a better part of her positive emotions begin to ebb away. She could hardly be called fond of Shortwhisker and his judgemental antics. He was a tom she knew was quick to criticise and argue. He was also immensely stubborn and completely set in his ways, somebody it was impossible to hold a proper conversation with. Why in the walls did he have to show up today? The pesky tom would do better to stay out of her sight.

His arrival did, however, alert her to Harestep's views as a Clanner, and she perked her ears and watched the she-cat carefully as she spoke. She nodded idly to herself as she listened, recognising Harestep as yet another potential leader, and possible new addition to the Experiment, which she proceeded to enlighten the she-cat about thusly.

"Have ye heard of the Experiment, Harestep? For someone as keen on clans as ye are it's somethin' you'll be interested in. I fer one am keen on a clan, but I don't think it'll last in the enclosure here."

Skulking, Orangestorm sat with his eyes narrowed at all the talk about clans. He didn't want to delve into this sort of thing now, he wanted to hunt and have some rat to eat. Stupid Shortwhisker had to show up and prompt the she-cat to give a mini-speech he didn't really care for, and what was more her indignance at being called a con really was unwarranted and irritated him. The clanners could stuff their prideful advertisement of all their idealistic views down a hole for a bit, he decided, as his stomach rumbled in a low bass. "'Ate to interrupt your interesting banter, but I didn't sign up for a con and clanner debate 'ere. I'm 'ungry and I want to eat. If this 'unt is going to turn into a recruitment drive for whatever the 'ell it is you clanners do I might just be best off leaving."

[Ten]

ooc: Aww, Orangestorm. x3 I hope someone pays attention to him, because I'm afraid Shortwhisker is too stupid to do it himself.

bic:

The black-and-white Clanner listened to Harestep with nodding respect and told her his name in a much more level-headed voice than he had first addressed her with. This cat, Harestep, seemed like a good, honest Clanner. She understood. She wasn't afraid to speak the truth. That was always important. She might be like Woodstripe, though -- soft-minded, too gentle, easily swayed from less popular choices, bending to the will of the situation. He decided to keep an eye on her and determine whether Harestep was any stronger than that, but his attention was easily torn away.

Shortwhisker's eyes widened at what Graywhisker had to say. His fur began to bristle, as usual, as he stepped forward toward the she-cat. "Are y-you out of your m-mind?" he screeched. He had heard cons question what was the point of a Clan, but he'd never heard anyone question the purpose of discussing it, which to him seemed an altogether bat-brained outlook. "A C-Clan would imp-prove everyone's lives! We'd b-be healthier, st-stronger, w-wiser!" He flattened his ears and spat, "But ap-pparently you don't like d-discussion and deb-bate, so you can j-just sh-shut up and agree with m-me!"

[irae]

Should I just post like Harestep walked out of the thread? We can pretend someone else offered to start the hunting party.

[Ten]

ooc: Sorry for taking a while to get back to this.
Let's see... It would be weird if Harestep came and said all that and then just left everyone, but if we imagine it was another cat, we have to put another cat in the hunt when it rolls around, so... Can you just ignore her for now? Maybe, if Short and Grey get into some kind of heated conversation, it would make sense that she quietly slipped away instead of getting involved in that tricky mess.

[irae]

okay, that sounds good. I'll be getting to this post soon. My sis is due to have her baby in two weeks or so and I'm following her around all day in case she goes into labor.