[Robin: SRP-FIN] Searching for a Home

[belloblossom]

Now that Robin had it fixed in her mind that she wanted to begin a Clan of her own, with Riversong's assistance, she knew that she would need two things. The first was other cats and they had been spreading their message throughout the known territories of LightningClan, RiverClan and even the unclaimed lands. That brought up the second thing they would need: a proper territory and camp.

LightningClan occupied quite a large portion of the forest and Frostbreeze had let it slip that Brightstar was looking to expand. If that were the case, where would TreeClan go? They couldn't go to the mountains... They were TreeClan, not MountainClan after all.

So, she started to travel across the branches into the unclaimed territory. She knew vaguely where she was headed, knowing that if she found an old twoleg den, she'd gone farther than she was willing to look for a home. She kept a wary eye out, for any other cats she may find on her journey.

Eventually, she made her way out of a tree and began to hunt around on the ground. She hadn't spotted any other cats... did that mean that there would be more prey here, if it wasn't as frequently hunted or less? The snow was cold on her paws, crunching beneath her as she walked. She kept her mouth open and her ears perked. She was ready to flee into a tree at a moment's notice. She wished she'd brought Riversong with her, rather than sending her to search for territory or new Clan mates in the opposite direction, towards RiverClan.

But I did what I did and now I have to be brave on my own. Robin thought and puffed out her chest, continuing her hunt. Besides, what's the worst thing I could fi... She froze in her place and looked around. Was that fox scent she smelled? With her fur puffing out, she proceeded forward carefully, finding herself at what appeared to be the entrance of some manner of tunnel. Inhaling again, she relaxed a bit. The scent is old. Very old. She assured herself. Still... Robin glanced around the entrance of the tunnel, noting which trees she could race up the easiest and the most quickly.

Would Riversong encourage me to explore this tunnel? If I were to choose this area for our camp, surely we should know about something so prominent in our territory, right? She thought. She did another sweep with her eyes and then nodded. And it's not like we're going to live in the tunnel. She said as she slowly crept inside, eyes searching for something notable. After all, we're TREEClan, not TunnelClan.

caffeinecraving

I was hoping you might be able to help me figure out what Robin might find inside of the tunnel.

 

[caffeinecraving]

belloblossom

Perfect, so depending on if this is after the gathering meta, you may find an autumnriver in the den as Chisa was gonna have him hunker down so imputting this before the gathering if thats alright, cause im sure brightstar would have mentioned that she was planning to expand to her clan xD

The area wasnt particularly foreboding, but the thought of going down a dark hole could be, especially to a cat that was trying to get as close to the sky as a cat could.

The hole was very definitely an old fox den, the smell of fox and a nursing vixen would meet her nose, however there would be an odd, damp smell that covered anything else that would be scented from the opening of the mouth. If she went deeper she may be able to find out more.

 

[belloblossom]

Robin peered into the gloom of the tunnel, her paws rooted at the mouth opening. Her tail twitched anxiously from side to side. If she went in on her own, would she be able to find her way out again? Would she find a fox at the end of the tunnel, if there was an end somewhere down there? She backed out hurriedly.

"I can do this. I need to explore it, in order to find out if it's going to make or break my chances of taking this on as territory for TreeClan." She told herself. Not the tunnel itself, of course, just the trees around it. But... if she was so concerned with the trees, shouldn't she get back out there and explore them? A little voice asked her. Yes, she replied inwardly. And I'll do that. After I see what's in this tunnel. I'm fast; I can outrun something unfriendly if it finds me in the tunnel. Riversong will be so proud of me and how brave I was by doing this.

So, with a deep breath, she shoved her way into the tunnel, trying not to think about how the walls around her were narrow, how the smell of fox, however stale, was making it hard to breathe normally. She could do this. She had to. Once it was over, she'd never walk into any tunnel ever again, but right now... This was a mission she had to see through... For TreeClan!

Pushing herself further down the tunnel, she forced herself to keep her eyes forward. The light of the entrance to the tunnel was getting smaller behind her, but she was determined to press on.. and on... and on.

caffeinecraving

Oh golly! Yeah, this is fine to have this placed before the Gathering.

 

[caffeinecraving]

(Sorry for slow... )

As she went further in the musky darkness would swallow her, it would get down to pitch black even for a cat. Farther in the tunnel would shrink in size and press her on both sides, but if she kept on, and then scented the tunnel ahead, she would smell water. Hm how puzzling, she may have to even dig a small bit but if she did she would open up into a large cavern with moving water running through.

 

[belloblossom]

Robin was not having a great time. She wasn't even having a good time. In fact, as far as things had gone, she was certain she was having a miserable time of things. The walls in the tunnel pressed close around her and she wanted to thrash around against them. She'd stopped occasionally, looking back and nearly lost her mind with panic when she saw only darkness behind her.

What if a badger were to appear? Or a dog? Or a vixen and her cubs? She was opening her mouth in a wail when something new caught her attention. Was that the smell of... water? Walking slowly forward, she started to dig through the dirt, which began to come away more easily as she got through it.

As she opened up the space, she stumbled forward into the cavern. As she let her eyes adjust, she heard the sound of running water and approached it, but was careful not to fall in. Where was the water coming from? From the river? She wondered how it was that cats hadn't found this cavern before. Wait... maybe they had. She started forward, placing her paws carefully lest she trip over a rock or fall into the moving water.

"Hello?" She mewed. "Is anyone else here?"

caffeinecraving

 

[belloblossom]

It soon became evident that no one else was there. As her eyes adjusted, Robin took a deep breath and began to scout out what was, even if it was no manner of cats. Luckily for her, no badgers or foxes remained in these dens. What were the ancestral Clan names that watched over them? StarClan was the one that Riversong disliked, she remembered that. Was FurClan the other one?

"ForestClan!" She remembered and purred with pride. "Well, thank ForestClan that there aren't any threats in here." Even though it still felt cramped in the tunnels. Paired with the anxiety that she would have to go back the way she came too... she shuddered at the thought. Maybe she should do some more exploring before she had to head back.

So, she set off, finding that there were similar tunnels that connected off of this cavern, like the one she had come through. She poked her head through a couple of them, finding that they led to other, smaller openings. For a scary moment, she imagined a Clan of foxes living down here, then with a breathy laugh, she imagined moving TreeClan underground.

"We could call it RootClan." She chuckled and shook her head. "No... I don't think cats are meant to be underground. Leave that to the moles and gophers." She decided. Still... with the moving water coming through and now yet deciding where they would retrieve their own water source from... Robin didn't see any reason why she couldn't just... take this tunnel and all that was in it for herself? There was only one entrance, as far as she could tell and that was the one she'd found.

So, with a nod of decision, she moved back through the tunnel she'd dug through, trying not to scramble towards the light when she found it again and burst out of the hole in the ground.

"Won't Riversong be surprised at the sight of me." She laughed again, noting her dirty pelt. Shaking a small rock out of her ear, she started towards the nearest tree. "And won't she be proud, too, for the adventure I've gone on for the betterment of TreeClan."