TIME: early morning, with some stars still in the sky
WEATHER: a little chilly, overcast, slight breeze from the north that smells of winterAshstarAshstar - female - 120 moons - leader - location: leader's den -> meeting rock - tags: open______________________________________________________________________________________
It had been almost twelve moons, almost a year, since she became leader. So long since Goldenstar faded away in her sleep that night, but still she wasn't sure that she could take care of her Clan without the golden tabby's guidance. She padded out of her den, feeling the cold breeze ruffle her thick, soft fur. It stung briefly against the edges of her burn scar, but quickly subsided. The small calico lifted her head to face the sky, eyes flickering shut. She sent a silent prayer to Goldenstar, willing, however in vain, for the Field of Stars to call back with an answer. It's been so long since you left. You were a mother to all of us, and I can't bring myself to play with a kit. How can I hope to be half the leader you were if I'm nothing like you? The world was silent but for the whistle of the cool wind across the fields of wild wheat. She sighed, her one green eye opening again as she turned her gaze to the camp.
AprilpawAprilpaw - female - 16 moons - med. cat apprentice - location: med. cat den - tags: Thicketwind?______________________________________________________________________________________
Aprilpaw blinked her eyes open quite suddenly, though it might have been hard to notice for anyone watching, as her eyes were as gray as her light tabby pelt. She noticed the cold wind of the fall morning drifting through the air to the medicine den, however sheltered it was in a small gap in the white and gray rocks of the camp. Her eyes, though her mind was unwilling, drifted out to the mountains, visible from the entrance of the den, where she could see the first hints of snow. She tried to fight the prick of excitement, the unbidden deluge of sorrow. Winter did not bring Winter. There was a tiny tinkle from her collar, but the hard bit dangling from it rarely made a sound unless she was shaking her fur out, so she ignored the sound. She sniffed absentmindedly at a shriveled brown leaf that had fluttered into the den, ears perked to detect noise. She trotted out of the den to see who was up, but didn't see Thicketwind outside, so she padded back inside. "Thicketwind?" Aprilpaw called into the silence.
NazarethNazareth - male - 72 moons - senior warrior - location: warriors' den -> river - tags: open______________________________________________________________________________________
Nazareth snorted awake in the least graceful way possible, spitting out a leaf that had drifted into his open mouth as he snored in his sleep. Careful not to awaken any of the other warriors, he weaved his way through the clumps of moss and feathers that served as nests, sniffing the wintery breeze as he wandered away from the camp, down the hill towards the shallow, wide river. He lapped at the edge of the water, the cold surprising him. It was going to be a freezing winter this year. He glanced up to the mountains, where the ever-present white snow atop them seemed to be creeping down towards the valley. With a sigh, he watched the last stars begin to fade from the sky. It had been so long since he'd watched his mother dig a grave for his newborn sister, since he'd heard her name for the first time. Rosie. Her fur was creamy pearl, almost pink. He remembered that a rosebush had started growing over her before the moon had finished, and had grown into a sprawling bush before another had passed. It was as if Rosie's spirit was protecting such a fragile little body from the world, apologizing for not being able to do it before. Apologizing for not being able to cure her cough, not watching her close enough through her first and only night. He liked to believe that the last star to fade, always the brightest in the night sky, was Rosie's star. He liked to believe that she would fight off even the sun to protect every kitten under the vast silvery field. He kept watching, even after she'd faded from the sky.
WhiskeyWhiskey - male - 96 moons - elder - location: elder's den - tags: open______________________________________________________________________________________
Whiskey... was still asleep, dreaming of eating a rabbit bigger than the meeting rock. He was old and tired and it was too cold and dreary to be awake. Do you blame him, really?
