[ti]Open[/ti]Mantisclaw's Party

[Fireflake]

Mantisclaw stopped by the border between MothClan and MistClan, turning to face her patrol. There had been an odd glint to her eyes ever since she came back from MothClan's ruined camp, and there was no sign now of the responsibility that had been behind her games in the challenging moons before. This dusk patrol itself seemed to be just for fun, unofficial and never quite reaching a purpose as they milled around the territory on their way here. The tabby warrior hadn't made a concerted effort either to get to the border or stop to let anyone hunt, which was probably a good thing considering that they'd all but been kicked from MistClan's territory already. So now, when she faced them with the look of a cat with a plan, the situation seemed to simultaneously make more and less sense. A daring smirk turned up the corners of her lips as she felt her words tingle on them.

"Alright, good job everyone. Anyone who's up for a fun time, stick around. Anyone that wants to be home before curfew, go with him. We've got it from here."
Mantisclaw flicked her tail to a friend that had turned down her offer of a party but agreed to help her execute it. Many of the cats on the patrol were friends that had already heard her plans and had excitedly, or hesitantly, decided to go along with them. Others were randoms she'd invited on the patrol in the hopes that they might choose to stay and celebrate with her. The seasons had run through twice since she was born, after all, and she wasn't dead yet. Her brother was, and her home was destroyed, an illness was going around, and soon enough her clan would be homeless in leaf-fall, but she was still breathing, for now. That was worth celebrating, right?!

[MistClan and maybe RootClan cats if they're still with MistClan are welcome to find their way there, but only MothClan cats were invited.]

[pants]

Gustwhisker had agreed to join Mantisclaw for a special patrol. What exactly they were going to do, he wasn't sure, but it sounded like fun, so why not? Mind as well get away from the rest of the chaos back at home. Or, what makeshift home they had made, rather, in their old camp. It would be good to see something rather than endless black.

The tom followed closely behind Mantisclaw, trying to get ahead of the rest of the patrol as they were behind, but talking amongst themselves. While in front, Gustwhisker hoped to avoid most of the conversation, not wanting to exactly open up to anyone, and small chit-chat was such a bore. Who'd want to talk about the weather or what they had to eat that morning? So dull...

Though, it was odd that the brown tabby molly had invited a bunch of them on this patrol. But for what reason? It obviously wasn't a border or hunting patrol. But more like a mini gathering considering of just MothClan cats to roam and do whatever. It was a strange idea, indeed, but Gustwhisker wasn't going to complain. Though, his curiosity got the best of him..

Once Mantisclaw announced that they had arrived and the fun was to begin, Gustwhisker looked around before glancing at the host. "So, uh.. What is the exact purpose of this?" He asked a bit nonchalantly, sitting down and wrapping his tail around his slightly stubby legs, eyebrow raised.

[Fireflake]

"Ah! I'm glad you asked. See, the exact point of this is living!"
Mantisclaw straightened up and pushed out her chest as if it made her claim to authority any more legitimate. It always seemed to work for Eveningstar. She was glad not to feel the pressure from smoke damage she'd had over the past few moons. That meant she was fit and ready to be active again. Her ears briefly perked, then flicked to the sides as she added ominously, "While we still can."

Mantisclaw tore her zealous yellow gaze from the group and glanced to the slowly setting sun, then to her friend walking away with the cats that didn't want to stick around. It was entirely their loss, as far as she was concerned. She and her patrol would lose some sleep, but they would never forget the memories they made before the sleep deprivation kicked in. That's how she had planned it, at least. The thrill of it all would be going off-plan, she was sure. "We're gonna have fun," she said, almost a threat. "And I'm staying out here 'til the sun has gone down and come back up again, whether you lot are or not. And if anyone snitches to my dad, I'll find some creative way to get back at you."

The she-cat cracked a smile. "Who knows, maybe we'll even do one of my challenges tonight."
Those games had never garnered as much of a reputation as she'd dreamed as a young cat, but she had done one recently, and spirits still seemed low enough to warrant another. And think of what we could do with nobody watching! Mantisclaw glanced up into a tree with the same mischievous look as a young apprentice watching someone walk into a trap. Not that she'd ever done that, of course.

[LupTacco]

Gossamerheart and Eggfeather walked at eachother's side as the "patrol" meandered through the early evening, seemingly without purpose- frankly, neither of them could remember if it was originally a border patrol, hunting patrol, or indeed if it even ever announced a purpose. The two brothers were still a bit tense, but had apologized and made amends after the fire. It was just them and their sisters now. No parents left, and one sibling down. A thin scar still remained on Eggfeather's face from their argument in the very literal heat of the moment during the blaze, but their relationship seemed stable for now. They could rely on each other again.

As the patrol came to a stop and Mantisclaw made a... very interesting announcement, the two glanced at each other; Gossamerheart with a smirk, and Eggfeather with a look that said 'Really?'. The all-white tom sighed, turning around, "Count me out. I'll be 'home' if anyone needs me. Have fun at... whatever you're doing out here." Gossamerheart watched Eggfeather leave but raised his tail, finally a little excited about something for once. Once those who weren't sticking around had left, the large fluffy tom raised his head, asking with half-lidded eyes and a lopsided smile, "What kind of 'challenge', oh Mantisclaw?" He dimly remembered her bold games as a kitten, when he'd been a few moons ahead of her in training already. After what felt like years of squatting in some damp clan's home, he could really use an outlet.

[Fireflake]

Mantisclaw wandered away from her patrol to loop around the tree she'd been staring at, brushing against it as she did so. Why bother staying still? Their eyes were on her anyway. "The dangerous kind, hopefully."
The she-cat trotted playfully back to the front of her party. She noticed some of the formerly receptive eyes narrow with a wary look. "Not real danger, just silly danger. Like climbing trees with- with only three paws, or hanging on the underside of the branches!"

She unsheathed her claws to help her make her point, dizzy at the simple idea of clinging upside-down to a tree branch. Her former apprentice's recent plight brought a purr of amusement to her throat and she wondered what he'd think if he saw her at this moment. "Maybe we'll even go out by the tracks, if nothing around here is interesting enough."
Quickly, before anyone had the chance to question whether she was joking or not, Mantisclaw moved on. "Or maybe just dumb stuff like seeing who can count the most grass blades, for you lightweights," the she-cat teased.

[pants]

"A challenge, eh?" Gustwhisker questioned, remaining in his sitting position. He heard Mantisclaw out as she explained the sort of things she was thinking. The tom gave a sneer. "You call counting grass a challenge? I'd rather go push our border on MistClan waaaay up just to see how Sablestar would react." His voice had a almost boasting tone to it, as if he were trying to see how far he could push the borders, both literally and figuratively, with his clanmates. "Now going to the abandoned thunderpath? That might be interesting. You better make this worth my time. I didn't come out here for nothing." Gustwhisker stood up, shaking his pelt.

"Or maybe we could go antagonize the kittypets," he offered with an amused tone and a wicked grin, obviously looking to stir up some trouble, as the tom usually did. It wouldn't be the first time that he might have gotten in trouble for brushing someone's fur the wrong way. "Unless you have a better idea, that is?"

[Fireflake]

Mantisclaw rolled her eyes emphatically at the tom's suggestion before throwing her gaze back at him. "Ha! I think any idea might be a better idea than that."
The she-cat flicked her tail disapprovingly. Fun was one thing. Trouble was another. Sometimes they mixed, and sometimes they didn't, but she hadn't set up this whole thing so she could blow it off to be rude to a bunch of kittypets. "My mom got captured by rogues once, you know, in the Twolegplace. And let's not ruffle up any MistClan pelts, or they won't be so helpful next time we need it."

The she-cat paced closer to Gustwhisker, sizing him up. He was something. Maybe a friend, maybe a rival. Maybe just another cat to pad out the patrol next time she did this. She'd have to see. "Don't you worry, this will be worth your time."
Mantisclaw brushed past him. "After all, who says we have to go to the abandoned thunderpath," she teased quietly, "when we've got a perfectly good working one right over that way?"

The tabby stepped back and returned to the front of the crowd. She jumped up and landed in a crouching pose, letting a purr slip from her tongue as she remembered performing the same little show as a kit. "But, for now, who wants a tussle? I'll put my next meal on the line that I'll win."
She scanned the crowd for a worthy adversary, a smirk coming to her lips as she felt a rush. Maybe that's why she'd come out here tonight, for that feeling. Maybe, but more likely it was just to get her mind off of-- Mantisclaw raised her head. "Anyone else?"