BLOOD BEFORE DAWN — Episode One: “The Blood Dawn” ? SCENE 0 — THE MOONMEET The clearing is wide and silver under the full moon. Pines surround it like tall, silent guards. Fireflies drift lazily between the two tribes. Hollowshade arrives first. Ivory walks with Mira and Rowan, her short lynx tail giving sharp, irritated flicks every few steps. Ivory: “Why do we have to come to this every season? It’s the same speech. The same cats. The same fake peace.” Mira: “It’s tradition.” Ivory: “It’s boring.” Rowan: “You say that every year.” Ivory: “Because it’s boring every year.” She sits down with a huff, ears angled back. Stoneclaw arrives next — heavier pawsteps, louder voices. Jynx walks near the back, calm, quiet, eyes scanning everything. Slate: “You’re doing that thing again.” Jynx: “What thing.” Slate: “The… staring at everyone like you’re solving a puzzle thing.” Jynx: “Maybe I am.” Slate blinks, confused. The leaders step forward. Ashen (Hollowshade leader): “Tonight, we acknowledge peace.” Tarn (Stoneclaw leader): “And we keep it. For one night.” Ivory mutters: Ivory: “Wow. Riveting.” Mira elbows her. After the short announcement, the tribes mingle awkwardly — exchanging herbs, news, and stiff greetings. Ivory steps away to breathe. Jynx ends up near the same patch of grass. Ivory notices him and immediately bristles. Ivory: “What.” Jynx: “Didn’t say anything.” Ivory: “You were thinking something.” Jynx: “True.” Ivory narrows her eyes. Ivory: “Well?” Jynx: “I was thinking you look like you want to claw someone’s face off.” Ivory’s tail gives a sharp flick. Ivory: “Maybe I do.” Jynx: “Fair enough.” He doesn’t tease. Doesn’t flinch. Just accepts it. Ivory hates that. Mira (calling): “Ivory! We’re heading back!” Ivory turns away. Ivory: “Finally.” She storms off. Jynx watches her go, unreadable. The Moonmeet ends. Cats disappear into the trees. The clearing empties. --- ? TRANSITION — NIGHT TO DAWN The clearing is silent now. The moon hangs low. Mist creeps along the ground. A shape moves between the trees. Slow. Heavy. Dragging something. A faint grunt. A thud. A whisper of breath. Then stillness. Hours pass. The sky lightens from black to deep blue. Birds should be singing — but they aren’t. The forest feels wrong. CUT TO: Ivory’s den. --- ? SCENE 1 — IVORY’S DEN Ivory sleeps curled tightly in her nest, her short bobbed tail tucked close. Her breathing is uneven — like she’s dreaming something unpleasant. A distant, shaky call echoes through the territory. She twitches. Her ears flick. Her eyes open slowly. She yawns, stretches— —and her paw lands in something sticky. She freezes. Slowly, she lifts her paw. Blood. Dark. Dried. Thick between her pads. Ivory stares at it, confused at first. Then horrified. She checks her chest. Her muzzle. Her legs. More blood. Not hers. Her breathing quickens. Ivory (whispering): “…What… what is this…” She tries to remember the walk home. The Moonmeet. The forest path. But her memory is foggy — like someone smeared the night with mud. Another cry echoes through Hollowshade — louder, urgent. Rowan (distant): “Everyone—come quickly!” Ivory flinches. Mira (closer): “It’s Elder Reed—someone found her!” Ivory’s stomach drops. She looks at her paws again. Ivory (soft, terrified): “…Oh stars.” She bolts out of her den toward the voices, heart pounding, paws hitting the ground hard as she sprints through the misty forest. CUT TO: Hollowshade clearing. --- ?️ SCENE 2 — HOLLOWSHADE CLEARING The clearing is crowded. Cats whisper, tense and frightened. Elder Reed lies still in the center. Ivory pushes through the crowd, breath shaking. Rowan: “She was at the Moonmeet! Look at Ivory’s paws!” Ivory recoils. Ivory: “Rowan, shut up—” Mira: “Rowan, stop. Let Ashen speak.” Ashen steps forward, face grim. Ashen: “Ivory… Reed’s claws held your fur.” Ivory’s ears flatten. Ivory: “I didn’t touch her. I swear. I don’t even know what happened.” The crowd murmurs, uneasy. --- ? SCENE 3 — JYNX’S DEN Jynx wakes abruptly, breath uneven. His claws are dirty. His fur is a mess. There are drag marks leading away from his den. He stares at them, confused. Jynx: “…What did I miss?” A Stoneclaw alarm cry erupts outside. He steps out, calm but tense. --- ? SCENE 4 — STONECLAW CLEARING The same elder’s body lies in Stoneclaw territory now — dragged there. Stoneclaw cats crowd around it. Slate: “Grey fur under the claws! It’s Jynx’s!” Riven: “Slate, calm down. We don’t know anything yet.” Tarn: “You were at the Moonmeet, Jynx. Explain.” Jynx’s voice is steady. Jynx: “I didn’t kill anyone.” --- ? SCENE 5 — THE BORDER CLEARING Both tribes drag Ivory and Jynx to the neutral border. Ivory is furious and terrified. Jynx is calm but tense. They see each other. Ivory: “…You too?” Jynx: “Looks like it.” A Hollowshade scout, Fenn, rushes forward.
(continued) Fenn: “There’s something else. Found near the Moonmeet site.” He holds a piece of bark. Two names carved into it: IVORY JYNX Silence. Ivory’s voice is low, shaking. Ivory: “Why us?” Jynx’s eyes narrow. Jynx: “Someone’s setting this up.” --- ? SCENE 6 — ESCAPE The tribes erupt into shouting. Bramble: “They’re running!” Karn: “Get them!” Ivory leans toward Jynx, breath fast. Ivory: “They’re not going to listen.” Jynx: “No. They’re not.” Ivory: “Run?” Jynx: “Run.” They bolt into the forest, dodging roots and branches. Shouts fade behind them. --- ? SCENE 7 — DEEP FOREST They stop only when the shouting is gone. Ivory is panting, furious, confused. Jynx is breathing hard but steady. Jynx: “This doesn’t mean we’re working together.” Ivory: “Good. I’m not looking for a partner.” She holds up the bark. Ivory: “But whoever carved this… they’re not done.” The forest around them feels too quiet. CUT TO BLACK. END OF EPISODE ONE Ok so this was completely by Leela I had nothing to do with this lol. and uh yeah. -Angel
