Warrior Cat Clans 2 (WCC2 aka Classic) is a roleplay site inspired by the Warrior series by Erin Hunter. Whether you are a fan of the books or new to the Warrior cats world, WCC2 offers a diverse environment with over a decade’s worth of lore for you - and your characters - to explore. Join us today and become a part of our ongoing story!
News & Updates
11.06.2022 The site has been transformed into an archive. Thank you for all the memories here!
Here on Classic we understand that sometimes life can get difficult and we struggle. We may need to receive advice, vent, know that we are not alone in our difficult times, or even just have someone listen to what's going on in our lives. In light of these times, we have created the support threads below that are open to all of our members at any time.
dm me if you want to listen to me ramble about the interstellar soundtrack
2,314 posts
Post by achromatic on Apr 8, 2020 20:06:35 GMT -5
This sort of communal thing had never worked well with Hywel, and frankly, he didn't quite understand why, of all the places they were settling in, Rhiannon decided that right now, she wanted to stay with a group of cats who probably knew each other from birth. He had always been an outsider in many aspects, but this? This was new, in all aspects. They had their own religion, their own systems, their own modus operandi, and they stuck out like hawthorne berries in the snow. He sighed, his tail lashing once, as he moved through the moors. That was the only thing he found familiar; the landscape reminded him of home, in the highlands by the great castle.
Frankly, he couldn't care less what these cats believed in. Whether there was a god or not wasn't his problem–he'd believe in a higher power, he just didn't think any type of higher power had his best interests in mind. It didn't matter to him what others believed in or how systems worked–those things were learned things. The only thing he was concerned about was what his sister was looking for. He knew she had an ulterior motive, and that she rarely told him the full story of anything unless necessary, and usually, it didn't matter, but he could feel his fur on edge. These cats were more united and organised than many he had seen in his life–village cats were polite, but they didn't work together like this. It was new and foreign, and like anything new, he couldn't help but feel the sinking feeling that their kindness couldn't last forever.
He was so absorbed in his thoughts he barely noticed the presence of another within the vicinity.
In his defense, she was the kind of cat that could go unnoticed. She’d worked very hard for this to be true; at one point, she’d stuck out to the world as a prodigy. When she left the world in which had once been her family’s throne, she still stood out from the other wanderers. She was still too much of her homeland. It had taken her years before she could effectively distance herself from the cat she had once been.
This always had benefits, being able to slip in without being noticed. The benefits only increased once she joined MoonClan. It was easier for her to disappear in and out than to constantly be seen and considered. Her ability to make herself a ghost gave her space to think, space she desperately needed.
She had been out that evening because she needed that space. Although she had been in the clan long enough to embrace a mostly nocturnal habit, she found herself still waking most days just before the sun dipped below the horizon. This was a liminal time for MoonClan, one that was supposed to be off limits. It was also her time, one where she would silently move out of camp. It was a daily routine, and seldom did she ever interact with others. Most MoonClan cats were still tucked away in nests, after all.
The Archbishop had been wandering thusly when her gaze befell another form. She was surprised, at least until she got closer. Upon realizing it was Hywel, her lips twitched slightly. It wasn’t because she was secretly glad she was no longer the newest member, although this had passed her mind the day that the duo could join. It was, instead, a faint relief. As much as she enjoyed the presence of her clanmates, there was something about conversing with someone of similar situation that put her mind at ease.
“It took me a significant amount of time before I was adjusted to being completely nocturnal,” she meowed to him, the small smile still curling just the tips of her lip. “Personally, I find this time of day particularly powerful, when the colors rush across the sky like that.” She glanced up, taking a moment to appreciate the cotton candy skies. She then turned back to him. “Hywel, is it? I don’t think we’ve been formally introduced. My name is Avette.”
dm me if you want to listen to me ramble about the interstellar soundtrack
2,314 posts
Post by achromatic on Apr 8, 2020 21:25:41 GMT -5
He almost jumped at the sound of a voice that wasn't his own, his head turning to the voice it originated from. Huh, he blinked, before relaxing when he realized it was someone from the clan. He had seen her before, so she must be important, right? Though Hywel couldn't quite place a name–he had never been good at remembering names, there were just so many faces in and out of his life. A friendly twitch of the ear told her she was welcome company. Yes, he was wary, but that didn't mean he was unfriendly, and someone starting a conversation was plenty easier than if he had to go out and look for one.
To be honest, Hywel was so unused to their lifestyle that for a moment, he only stared in confusion, before remembering that, right, cats around here were completely nocturnal. Of course, he was laid-back enough to spend most of his waking hours in the late afternoon to nights–after all, the best naps were taken basking in the sun–so not too much of it felt different. However, sleeping in a den with other cats other than Rhiannon? That was...definitely new.
He blinked slowly. "Well, nice to meet'yeh, Avette," he spoke, his voice had a lilt to it in almost a melodic way, his eyes wide and inquisitive, "I'm guessing you're also not from here originally?" He couldn't help but feel comforted by the thought. "So, do they give you a rundown of what you need to know when you join? Or do they just throw you in a ceremony and watch you fumble around with all the rites and call it comedy?"
His face had a cheeky smirk on it, as if testing the waters whether the other cat would respond favorably or not.
If he had said something aloud about the strangeness of living in such close quarters, she wouldn’t have been able to do anything but agree. She had never shared a den outside of those she was directly related to, and even then, Avette had only stayed with her littermates in the Shaman’s den, since technically her litter wasn’t supposed to exist. Every once in a while, another cat would have entered the den for care, but Katie seldom allowed them to stay very long. She was a broken cat after what Jynx did to her, and Avette was half confident that her mother would have abandoned her entire litter to Jynx and Marie had Jynx E’tan made that possible. But even those days of sharing spaces with her family were little more than a distant memory. Before her entrance into MoonClan and its strange culture of sleeping together, Avette had slept under the stars mostly. The change had been challenging for her. But, alas, he didn’t make the comment, so she didn’t agree.
“The pleasure is mine,” she meowed in a warm tone. Some found the Archbishop to be impersonal or unwelcoming. She personally didn’t think this was true, and those who spent time getting a little closer to her wouldn’t think it was either, she hoped. Her reputation, or at least the reputation of her group, had preceded her, though, and few cats had any desire to change their opinion of a League-born huntress, even if said huntress was now their superior officer.
When he spoke again, amusement flashed in her eyes. Perhaps she was wrong about her gossiping clanmates. Maybe they were starting to come around. Or, probably more likely, Hywel and his sister were just new to the organization. “I joined around a moon ago,” she meowed. Had it really been that long? Frankly, she didn’t think so. Two or three weeks felt more accurate, but she half figured that letting the tom think she was hear longer than she was and still not quite adjusted would make him feel somewhat better if he was struggling at all.
For the first time since joining, Avette grinned at another cat. His words were deeply amusing, and they hit just the right note to bring out a slightly less put together she-cat. “To be quite honest, that’s exactly how it happened. I hadn’t really even intended to stop here, but Levee was insistent that it was Selene’s will. I didn’t even know who this Selene was for the first few days.” She let out a chuckle. “Between you and me, I still don’t know what’s going on most of the time.” Avette offered him a wink of her baby blue eyes, before shifting her weight slightly. “You pick things up as you go at least. And, I’ve heard other clans have much worse initiation processes,” SunClan in particular, but she didn’t say that, “so I’ve just accepted the fact that maybe one day I’ll have a concept of this strange new world.” She tilted her head; that wasn’t the cheeriest depiction of the group, now was it, Avette?
dm me if you want to listen to me ramble about the interstellar soundtrack
2,314 posts
Post by achromatic on Apr 10, 2020 18:31:13 GMT -5
Hywel's brow was raised at her comment, that she had only joined recently. She certainly didn't act like it; he hadn't noticed anyone being a foreigner in this strange group, and he had assumed the others knew each other since birth. They did seem close-knit after all, especially compared to places he had been before, and well, in his experience, the only tight knit group–his home village–had known each other for generations, and well, he knew about these type of societies, the drama of it all. Frankly, he couldn't care less. The drama of it all, as they say, had only caused his family problems. He had heard it all when they were younger, that their mother was a witch, that his sister was a changeling, that his father had beaten them down since they were kits...
The gossip never helped anyone, and he really didn't care too much about it besides an air of feigned interest.
Still, a moon ago? That was a surprise. "Yer telling me I'm supposed to be you in a moon?" he chuckled, "that's a right hard goal to achieve if I say so myself." He shrugged. "It's only been a fortnight since we joined, been wandering 'round here for a bit longer I suppose." He could at least relate to her statement. He certainly hadn't planned to stay here either; even passing through, there were too many scents that told him others had marked their territory, and as confident as he was, he wasn't thick. Messing with a crowd almost never won him any favours.
Yet, Rhiannon had found her interest here, and well, he followed where she went. That was just the way it was. "I guess I can relate to that," he smiled at the other cat, his gaze seemed almost wistful, "never seem to mean to stop anywhere, it just sort of happens. But Rhiannon found her interest here and she's the only family I've got. Family...guess you gotta stick together, huh? At least your Selene wasn't much different to the Green One from back home."
She noticed the brow raise and she couldn’t help but chuckle. She knew what he was probably thinking; Avette appeared to have seamlessly integrated into the group structure, and rather quickly. As for the rest of the group, she was unaware of their origins. Levee and his mate were outsiders as well, but as for the rest of them? She’d never cared too much to know, mostly because they’d all settled into the group before her time, whereever they came from. That didn’t mean she didn’t understand what it was like to be a part of a group. Avette had been part of the inner circle of the League, an area where it was kill or be killed. A prodigy turned prodigal, she had managed to slip through the claws of her father and the inner turmoil of the royal family. She was able to navigate her mother and his consort, the unique assortment of kittens the two lines produced. She knew far too well about the drama that came with closeness, and Avette had adapted that to fit MoonClan now. She’d watched carefully to understand their unique synergy, and now was as assimilated as she’d ever be. It wasn’t surprising that he wasn’t aware of her condition, then.
“Well, I would hope you don’t run me out of a job in a moon, hmm? I’d like to keep my position at least two.” She offered him a mrrow of amusment and a wink. “Two moons from now, though? Two moons from now you’d better be ready to take me down.” Her tail swished across the earth as she watched him. She nodded as he spoke. “It’s strange how we end up in the places we end up, mm?” She didn’t really expect him to answer that, although wasn’t opposed to his thoughts.
“That’s how I was at first. I left my home the day my father got bored of being the king. A funny thing to get bored of, I used to think, but he was damned either way.” Primal Instinct had gotten rowdy at the fact that he had … domesticated Katie, the feline who had brought the group back from Toxicity. A valid thing to be angry about, she supposed, but he got his recompense, and his murderer got hers. “I’m glad you and your sister were able to stay together, at least. It’s a lonely road if you take it alone.” There was a hint of wistfulness in her voice. She wished that she had had company on her road, but that was just how it went.
When he spoke about Selene, her whiskers twitched in interest. “Pardon my curiosity, but who is the Green One?”
dm me if you want to listen to me ramble about the interstellar soundtrack
2,314 posts
Post by achromatic on Apr 30, 2020 19:31:56 GMT -5
He chuckled. "Trust me, I wouldn't want to," he spoke with a genuine smile. Despite his natural talent for finding trouble, Hywel had no lofty goals of his own. For him, existence was existence; it was eat, hunt and be merry, after all. Of course, he understood very well that not everyone shared the same perspectives as him–one only really had to look at Rhiannon to understand that–but he could genuinely say that he didn't want to be anyone else. Dealing with his family was enough responsibility for a lifetime, even if his memory of his father and mother felt like lifetimes ago.
"Let's just say that I'd rather we didn't have to fight to the death two months from now," his voice was teasing, humour laced in its dulcet tones, "I've always said I'm a lover, not a fighter, and I mean that in the most unromantic way possible too." Her comment about the strangeness of the situation made his nose twitch. Right. How strange, he thought. He knew nothing of the other cat, she seemed quite normal, though he was not always a good judge of character. He knew something about her reputation preceded her, but he knew not what it was. Part of him wondered, of course. Curiosity did kill the cat after all, but it wasn't any of his business. He wouldn't have liked others digging into his past, and he was certain the other cat could share the same sentiment. He was mildly surprised she decided to tell him regardless.
"Hm, strange indeed," he spoke absentmindedly. He had no idea what these groups were like, having only heard their names, but he could imagine. His father had been charismatic enough, just the same, and well, he knew a little about how family didn't always provide comfort. His ears perked up at her question, almost as if rather amused that anyone would take notice of the things he said. Most simply dismissed it as some kind of strange tale from the north that mattered little to anyone else.
"The Green One...he's sort of like your Selene, I suppose," he spoke slowly, "he creates the seasons and he is life, but he is also death. He's not as involved in our lives as your Selene is, but he gives us signs. He has different names. Those from the rock shores say he was a horned being, and others from the lowlands called him Herne, the hunter, but the only thing we really know is that he has three faces...they're signs, you see? They predict what will happen..."
He brushed his paw across the earth, the soft dirt and leaves rustling underneath, as if writing a symbol. "The foliate head is covered in leaves; he symbolises life and birth." His paw pressed into the cushion of leaves. "The Disgorging head has leaves in its mouth, and he reminds you that death is near, and that one day, all will die." His voice was deeper, almost a whisper as he spoke, "and the Bloodsucker head–" he chuckled quietly, "has leaves coming out from all over...he tells you change is inevitable, and one day, even gods will fall."
His baby blues fixed back onto Avette, as his serious expression softened once again. "It's...a story our mother used to tell. I was never sure whether it was real or if it's a story to scare us into listening to her."
“A good fight to the death is the best way to keep things interesting, but suit yourself,” she responded easily. She generally didn’t talk to toms unless she had to. Perhaps she was a misandrist, but she always had a hint of paranoia around them unless the interactions were specifically work-related. But, this wasn’t the case with the tom. It almost felt as if the two had known each other for a long time; things were easy between the two and she didn’t know why. She appreciated the fact he didn’t pry, and she appreciated that he was willing to tell her information.
She listened quietly as he spoke, nodding her head at all of the appropriate times. This was an interesting deity, she had to admit, perhaps even more interesting than the goddess herself. She wouldn’t say that out loud, of course, but it was fascinating.
“Parents often make tales to get us to listen,” she murmured, “but that doesn’t mean there isn’t truth in the tales. I learned a long time ago that it is better to be open to those things; it’s better safe than sorry,” she mewed. Her own soft blue eyes met his, and she offered a half smile. “Plus, there’s gotta be something out there, mmm? The universe is such a large place; something has to set it all in motion.” Her gaze trailed off as she realized she wasn’t entirely sure what she was saying. “Real or not, though, your mother was an excellent story-teller.”
dm me if you want to listen to me ramble about the interstellar soundtrack
2,314 posts
Post by achromatic on May 9, 2020 21:54:54 GMT -5
He laughed lightly, as if unsure whether Avette was joking or not. Of course, he appreciated that she naturally had a dry sense of humor, the same as his sister, but at the same time, he was always just a tad wary, though his face didn't quite show it. It was just natural, after all. He was the older brother, and despite his easy demeanor, he had his own secrets to hide, and well, anyone who'd leave home at such a young age would have stories to tell out in the wild, no? Still, it didn't matter. Here, they were safer than if they were out there, at least for a little while, and if things got too messy, well, he'd be used to it by now, leaving, running, disappearing into the night.
The tom nodded in agreement. "I suppose so too," he replied, "I always assumed that all of the gods we believed in must be out there. We only inhabit such a small part of this world, what's to say that they don't exist in some other part of the world, no?"
As she continued to speak, he found himself looking at his paws, though the small smile on his face remained. "She was," he murmured, "though...her stories are the only things I still remember from her. She passed when Rhiannon was a kit...I think that winter was especially harsh."
He turned to Avette, his head tilted. "I assume your family aren't here with you," he spoke tentatively, "are they still alive? Or are you an orphan just like me?"
She offered him another smile to ensure him that she was just teasing. Her humor was… obtuse at best. She came across it innocently, at least. Primal Instinct wasn’t a place where fun was fostered, and the only humor she’d ever really been exposed to was the humor of Jynx E’tan, and, well, that humor was not pleasant.
She blinked as he spoke. “I feel similarly, but between you and I, I truly hope that the Sun God is just a figment of everyone’s imagination. It’s been a while since the forest had an episode of mass hysteria.” She knew that out of all of the deities, the Sun God was probably the most tangible around these parts. It was an unfortunate reality; he was a destroyer, one hell bent on bringing down the forest. But, Hywel didn’t need to know that, did he? She flicked her whiskers, before letting him continue.
His tone changed slightly when he referenced his mother. She was familiar with this change of tone; it meant that there was emotion that bubbled just under the surface. She had experienced that one too many times. It was the way that she felt about her own family. “I’m glad you have her stories,” she mewed in a soothing tone, before once again looking off into the distance.
Unknowingly, Hywel had asked a particularly difficult question of Avette, perhaps the most complicated. Few since her arrival had been so brazen as to ask, but she appreciated that he had asked as it came up, and that his voice was tentative. At least it seemed that he respected her in his inquiry.
“Truthfully, I am unsure about my mother. I have reason to believe she is dead; she would be far into her moons as an elder if she was still around.” She tilted her head slightly as she spoke of Katie. She had never particularly interacted with her mother much. “My father ruined her, I think. We were the product of her destruction, and I think she resented us.” She let out a soft hum. “When we left the League, she stayed. I don’t know what happened to her after that.”
She then cleared her voice, steeling herself to speak of him. “My father was murdered three years ago by someone trying to earn her place back into the group. We had left the group a year prior, and the one who led at the time told her that his corpse was her entrance fee. The she-cat left Primal Instinct again two moons later.” She flicked her tail. There was so much she could say about the man who both shaped and destroyed her, the one who built her up only to crush her under his weight. “He was a bad man, perhaps the worst I’ve ever met,” she couldn’t help but let out a chuckle, “but he didn’t deserve to go like that, as a means to an end.”
Avette let out a sigh. “So, all of that is to say, I’m an orphan like you.”
dm me if you want to listen to me ramble about the interstellar soundtrack
2,314 posts
Post by achromatic on May 17, 2020 20:17:09 GMT -5
Mass hysteria huh? He let out a snort of amusement; so it wasn't just back in the loch where cats lost all ability to reason, huh? It was amusing to say the least, even though he knew little to nothing about the gods they prayed to around these parts. Frankly, they all sounded the same to him, and he was still not completely used to MoonClan's own religion. Still, he dismissed it as something he'd figure out later, filing it in the back of his mind, before listening to her story.
His expression was a slight frown as he listened to her words. Her story was....sad. That was all he could describe it as. It wasn't like his own family had been picture perfect–far from it, in fact–but his heart ached at the story she was telling. They could relate to some degree, he supposed. Both chased out of their original home. Both with terrible fathers. Both...alone in the world to some degree. At least he had Rhiannon; Avette didn't seem to have anyone. How lonely that must be. Rhiannon pissed him off to endless heights but...they stuck together. They had to. There was no one else he'd trust other than her, but to not have anyone? He couldn't imagine that sort of life, to be so isolated from such a young age.
To tell the truth, Hywel could relate mostly to her sentiments about her father. Perhaps his had been just the same, terrible, arrogant, and small-minded, everything he hated, but did he deserve to die? Sometimes, he questioned that too. He had to remind himself that, even if the cat didn't deserve to die, Rhiannon deserved to live more.
A sigh left his mouth. "I wouldn't wish that sort of life for anyone," he murmured lowly, before glancing to her, "how alone you must've felt." He knew he was probably overstepping his boundaries. It wasn't pity, just...solidarity. A laugh left his lips, harsh and dry. "The world out there isn't kind to most of it, I guess," he mumbled.
