Saffron's Prompts

Doveclaw was born into a clan of all work and no play. The clan bordered a somewhat residential area as well as having numerous roads running throughout the territory. This not only made it dangerous for the cats who claimed this land, but also lead to a lack of food due to the constant activity from the humans. From the moment she could walk, Doveclaw's parents and the other warriors of the clan were urging her onto her feet and out into the wilderness. They claimed to have a "tough love" mindset, but Doveclaw doesn't recall feeling any love at all. Minor mistakes were blown up and those who committed them were then ridiculed in front of everyone in hopes that the wronged action would not be repeated. Shunning was common amongst the cats, as was backstabbing. Despite all living together, there seemed to be no warm feelings at all felt between the cats for each other. Doveclaw developed this way of thinking early: shutting down any emotions in favor of getting done whatever it was that she had to do. She was humiliated once in front of the clan and reminded herself over and over again that she had to do better at whatever she did to avoid those terrible feelings again.

Despite her mindset and the consequences she knew she'd face if caught, Doveclaw couldn't help but befriend the kittypet who resided in a house just at the edge of their territory. It became routine for the two, starting when Doveclaw ran into the other she-cat on one of her hunts. Her and Koi would meet almost once a week, the kittypet often rationing the treats given to her from her humans in order to gift the more scrawny Doveclaw. The two built a bond, slowly but surely, as Koi worked on breaking down Doveclaw's hardened exterior. The pattern the two had created didn't last long though, as the slight weight that Doveclaw began to put on became noticeable to the other cats within her clan. They all held thin frames, so she began to stick out in comparison to the food she was bringing in from the hunts. With suspicions rising, there was a team sent to follow her on her hunts, thus leading to her meetings with Koi being found out.

Unknown that her excursions had been found out, Doveclaw returned back to the clan's camp with a measly vole to show for her hunt. Upon walking through the entrance, the tension in the air immediately set her on edge. She barely had any time to process what was happening before the cats of the clan descended around her, eyes staring daggers right into her. They hurled insults, hissing as they taunted her with her kittypet friend. Doveclaw curled into herself, feeling smaller than she ever has before, as the cats she called family circled in closer around her. Before her was her parents, both of them closing in and, once within paws reach, her father reached out and clawed her across the face. Now bleeding, Saffron turned on her heels and ran. Mind running a million miles a minute, she could still rationalize with herself that she had to warn Koi.

It didn't take much for Koi to agree to go with Doveclaw. The two took off for the mountains, running as fast as they could, with tears held back in her eyes and Koi constantly looking over to her friend. The cats ran for what seemed like forever, going until their limbs physically could not carry them anymore. They hunkered down in abandoned dens, drank from small streams and scavenged from leftover carcasses they found along the way in order to keep themselves going. They moved high into the mountains, away from the past the two once called home, only coming to a stop when the stream they followed came to a fork. The area around them was cleared, appearing to be fenced in on the outside by trees. It was then that the girls agreed to make this their new home, a place just for them: a place that was safe, where mistakes were met with comforting and where family wasn't always by blood.

In the passing days since Doveclaw and Koi claimed their home, Koi tended to the other female's wounds, sure to keep them from getting infected. She noticed, upon calling her friend, the gray she-cat always winced whenever she heard her name. So it was decided, right then, that Doveclaw was her of the past. In her new life, she would be known as Saffron, and she would be sure to offer a home to those who need it.