Chamrosh wrote:The warriors returned to camp essentially at a run. Some bright spark Lionpaw had decided that racing back to camp was a great idea, and so they did.
!!I knOf course.
owmyBugleclaw was having to struggle to keep up with all of them, given how quickly they were travelling, and that he was no longer at his peak of fitness. Or rather, he was struggling to keep up with most of them. Ospreypaw was lagging due to constantly pausing to check for any signs of danger – Clarystorm had really rubbed off on her – Mosquitopaw was staying close to her father, as she was meant to, and Saffronpaw was staying close to his cautious sister.
wordThe most sensible of the apprentices.
swillHalf of them were meant to be becoming warriors next moon…
beigThey arrived back at camp after not too long – thankfully the apprentices slowed quickly, having exhausted themselves by sprinting – with the apprentices still in front.
noreBugleclaw reported straight to Heronstar, who nodded calmly as he finished his summary.
dBut"He’s a good warrior. He’ll be warning our neighbours – particularly Lambclan, they’re still so small – if he sees any danger. He’ll be back once he’s sure the danger’s passed.”
perhBugleclaw nodded uncertainly.
apsI"I hope so.”
----
’llkeHe was not.
epmyBut Heronstar assured the clan – those who weren’t kitting, anyway – that he’d be back soon.
consAs soon as he had finished informing their allies.
----
cienNettleflower curled tight around her kits, using her limbs to hold them close and warm.
ceclShe’d barely allowed long enough outside that position for Harrierpelt to check them for any health issues.
ean.IIt was paranoid, sure.
ntimBut-
eyou’She couldn’t talk!
llseeIf something happened to her kits, she had no way to inform anyone.
yourSo the logical thing to do- of course- was to make sure that there was no way that harm could befall them.
choiAnd as she’d told her father earlier, she was going to be a vicious mother – to anything that threatened her kits, anyway.
----
cedeMyrtleclaw’s eyes opened slowly.
plorIt wasn’t that they were stiff, or anything like that.
ed,BIt was just… the last time they’d been open – what he’d seen!
utwhMyrtleclaw shuddered, and his eyelids drew forward again, protectively, his eyebrows drawing forward in synchrony, and his limbs pulling inward into a tight ball, keeping everything he could as protected as he could.
y–toHe couldn’t get the images out of his head.
you,E- everything had been – it’d been-
thatNo!
’sun Myrtleclaw stayed curled, not daring to open his eyes in case he saw something worse, for what felt like eons, until he heard something else-
fore"Look!”
seen.It was just a kit’s voice. … “Just”. It sounded an awful lot like a younger Heronstar might have, actually. There was that same sort of mild raspyness and vowel shift. But also, it sounded... not quite right. Like something was seriously off about the kit speaking.
xxxxThere was a slight gasp, and then a mild chuckle from about the same place, and then an older voice, similar enough that it might well have been Heronstar herself, spoke.
.I kn"Good job spotting him, Elmfang.” – Elmfang? But… - “I dread to think how traumatic that must have been for him to have not gone to look for anyone else yet.”
owthMyrtleclaw’s eyes opened again despite the images burned into his mind, and quickly flicked over to where the voices had come from. OH-
atonOh that-
eyouOh. Oh. Oh. Oh.
’llpoHe--- he was dead?
wereNo, he… he had to be. He’d remember that face anywhere. Boulderdash’s anguish at the loss of her kit had been too much to bear, and had he not remembered that- what sort of friend would he be? What sort of father would he be? Except… he’d never been this kit’s father.
ndowWell. He had to be in Starclan now, didn’t he? That meant he’d be meeting Sealkit again soon, and Saddlekit too. That thinking didn’t really do much for the sickening feeling in his stomach, like someone had shoved something long and spikey in there and was twisting his organs around it. The feeling of knowing death is coming and there’s no way to avoid it, but ramped up a hundred fold.
WillMyrtleclaw took in a deep breath, and then slowly pushed himself to his paws, and till he was standing, only to be slammed into by a small ball of grey fur – a ball of grey fur with enough momentum to push him back a step.
lead"Myrtleclaw! Dad!” Huh? He’d… never been able to interact with Elmkit before, how come she was… so… enthusiastic about him? Myrtleclaw was painfully aware of the eyes of a larger molly fixed on him. “I- I know Harrierpelt was my dad, but you were my siblings’ dad, and that makes you my dad too!” Huh? “You may have lied to the whole clan, and I know I should discourage that, but you always had the clan’s best interests at heart, and you were a great father. I wish I could have had both you and Betonycloud as my parents.”
areiMyrtleclaw had the feeling there was something more important to ask about, but he couldn’t quite place his paw on what it was…
gnmoWell, surely he’d remember it later? Meeting his daughter for the first time seemed more important right now.
stbrAs did anything he could to get the images burned into his eyes removed.
[center]—This Moon--
utal;The two kits were simply tiny, even after half a moon of life.
AndwOf course, of course, they
were newborn.
hatsBut Nettleflower couldn’t help staring at how tiny they were. Such tiny ears, and such tiny feet, and tails!
houlAround her, the kits’ grandparents and Harrierpelt were talking, but Shellcloud’s head was resting on her side, and his eyes followed hers to. There was no need to check what was being said right now. Nothing they were saying could matter so much. Although – Myrtleclaw was still missing and it had already been days since he had gone! How was it taking this long for him?!
dwasEven if it looked a lot like Shellcloud was entirely enraptured with the talk the one time that Nettleflower glanced back to check the direction of his ears. Well, it didn’t matter, she knew he was admiring the precious new kits for the clan.
hthoAfter what felt altogether too long, the older generation left the new parents alone – Harrierpelt reassuring them both that the medicine den was right beside the nursery, and that if
anything was wrong, they could fetch him at a moment’s notice (did every new mother get that same advice?).
sewhShellcloud gently lifted himself away from Nettleflower, so that she could see him, and sat squarely upright. Nettleflower copied the position, as much as she hated having to move her side away from her kits. But she wouldn’t be able to communicate unless she did – with one paw, she pulled her kits back in close to her side.
iske"What are we going to call them then?”rsnoNettleflower twitched her head to one side, trying to say something as close as she could to what she wanted to, but unfortunately they were missing the words yet –
"Brain – joke - bird”.w,BuShellcloud twitched his head in puzzlement.
"What in silverpelt do you mean?”tacrNettleflower rolled her eyes slightly.
"You would be white – water – rock. Dad said he wanted one of our kits to be called it, and I know it was… a joke but I…” Nettleflower took a deep breath.
"I don’t think he’s coming back.”eekfShellcloud shook his head.
"That’s ridiculous.”ull,f"Sparrowfoot said it first, and you know how she is with knowing things like that. She told me straight after Heronstar said not to tell me. Sisters and all.”reshShellcloud’s face visibly fell. He wasn’t one to show much of his emotions at all, but his sad realisation of what Nettleflower meant had happened to him was obvious on his face.
andt"Oh. Myrtleclaw suggested the name?” Nettleflower nodded.
"Well, we’ll have to work it out then. Something to do with brains and jokes? Humour? Whimsy?” Nettleflower shook her head.
”Jovial? Jocular? Farce? Laugh? Witty?”aste"Shorter than the last!”ful? "Wit?” Nettleflower nodded her head quickly.
"That’s a bird?” Nettleflower nodded again.
"Oh, well? Which… one?” Nettleflower pointed at the grey kit with one paw.
"I… feel like I should check that that’s a real thing.” Nettleflower tutted – admittedly in their signs, not verbally, but it was a very
obvious tut to anyone who knew how she communicated, and unmistakably so obvious that there was no possible way that it wasn't done jokingly.
xxxx"If you’re going to be asking others anyway, you could do that for the other, too. If we’re going for something unique with one, it makes sense for both.” Shellcloud smiled gently at his mate’s suggestion.
"I’ll be fine for the few minutes it takes for you to ask, go on!” Shellcloud got up and walked out, moving away even as Nettleflower curled back around her newborns in the nest.
----
TheonIt was hard to explain exactly how the Starclan cats knew what was happening, and what would happen. It wasn’t like seeing in the normal sense. It was more just an awareness of what would happen. And… not every cat even had it. Apparently, even among those that
did it differed.
eyouCertainly, Elmkit – no, Elmfang, as she called herself – seemed surprised at what Myrtleclaw had to say. Betonycloud had, too. It had turned out that Betonycloud had functionally been Elmfang’s mother. It was strange, but she seemed a good mother, which he couldn’t express how glad he was of.
pick"They’ll never listen to you.” Had been the first thing Betonycloud said.
“Very few warnings get through. No matter what we try, they only ever get the vaguest hints of what we mean. Only a tiny proportion of our messages get through – and even then only to cats who really try to find them. Even then, half the messages the clans “receive” are the results of a corrupt cat.” Betonycloud shook her head.
“You’ll never be able to communicate it clearly.”inst"I need to tell them.”ruct"I never said you shouldn’t. But it won’t work. They won’t hear you. You need to be prepared to keep trying, over and over again, and even then, they might not get it.”tsyoMyrtleclaw took in a deep breath.
urki"Alright. As soon as I work out how to send omens, I’ll warn them. And I’ll keep warning them, until they get it. Making sure they know the danger is my top priority.”ller-"I hope you manage it, Myrtleclaw. I really do.”----
IsweThe apprentices sat in anticipation, wondering how many of them were going to become warriors now. There was nothing else that this meeting could be about – most of the clan had already met the kits (under careful supervision of at least one watchful new grandma), and there wouldn’t have been the delay needed to
form a clan meeting if Myrtleclaw had been found.
arthMosquitopaw had sat herself next to Saffronpaw. Despite frequently disagreeing with each other, they’d formed a sort of bond between themselves, as the most similar members of their respective litters to each other.
eothMosquitopaw caught Noctulepaw wiggling her brows at the two of them as they sat down, and rolled her eyes generously in return. No, just no. It wasn’t Mosquitopaw’s fault he seemed to be the only other proper critical thinker around her age.
eronIt was hardly a surprise as Troutpaw was called up first. She
was the oldest apprentice. Mosquitopaw smiled slightly at Saffronpaw as he pulled a sceptical look at her brothers’ expressions of surprise.
e’sbeAnd up went her sister- of
course Pheasantpaw became Pheasantcloud, she was
so soft in the heart. And then Camberpaw, the fastest runner in their cohort of apprentices. And Lobsterpaw who prided himself in his fighting and had done since he was a kit…
nignMoquitopaw shot a look of joking superiority at her friend.
-The"See, Heronstar values my maturity more than yours. She clearly agrees with my views on things more than yours. Why else would I be becoming a warrior first?” Mosquitopaw whispered in a low pitch and volume.
succ"Because you’re older, and Heronstar values us all being taught an equal amount. I’m betting I’ll be a warrior next moon at least.”ess"Pah, no. She clearly doesn’t care about us becoming warriors according to our ages, or Troutp- Troutstripe would have become a warrior a moon ago. And besides, you barely understand the basi-”orfo"Mosquitopaw!”rwhoMosquitopaw puffed out her chest very slightly.
myou"Told you.”’rek "She’s making a mistake.”eene"No, she’s recognising my clarity of vision.”rYou"Keep telling yourself that, miss-I’m-not-a-kit,-I-don’t-need-honour,-or-parents-to-tell-me-I-do.”’llse Mosquitopaw was already walking away, but she shot a look of venom back at him.
e,driHer new suffix was sufficiently predictable that Saffronpaw had to catch himself tutting (which Chubtail for one noticed across the meeting space). Of course she had a skill name, she’d never settle for being dubbed for less than that if Heronstar had consulted her, and Mosquitopaw was definitely the sort to ask in advance of her ceremony. And fighting was hardly her style… Mosquito
whisker would know exactly what she saw as most important and
of course focus most on that during her warrior appraisal.
nksbIt might not be the most obvious fit at face value, but to Saffronpaw, it made a
lot of sense. As did the mild smug look that she shot at him. Saffronpaw rolled his eyes again.
----
loodSleep had not been a safe retreat from her worries for many moons now. Heronstar’s dreams had been plagued nigh daily for far longer than she cared to recall accurately.
from"None of us can stand by you. To the Dark Forest with the code, you clearly don’t care about it either.”moreA laugh coloured with disdain for whomever had just spoken.
than"I’ve already talked to you about that. Honour’s a luxury we can’t all affor-.”nine.Heronstar’s eyes snapped open. And in that moment, she realised something. She’d been hearing those voices in her waking, too.
[Witkit and Knawelkit are born]
[Jack of all trades, master of none, But better that than master of one ; Troutpaw has grown into a warrior: Troutstripe]
[Pheasantpaw has grown into a calm and gentle warrior; Pheasantcloud]
[Mosquitopaw has grown into a meticulous and intelligent warrior; Mosquitowhisker]
[Lobsterpaw has grown into a brave warrior, skilled at fighting; Lobsterclaw]
[Camberpaw has grown into an agile warrior, skilled at running; Camberfoot]
[Zinniakit is apprenticed to Knotfish and becomes Zinniapaw]
[Teaselkit is apprenticed to Harrierpelt and becomes Teaselpaw]
[Moraine is in her second moon of gestation]
[Osierfang and Lobeliafur are in their first moons of gestation]
[Heronstar, Argusheart, Shellcloud, Cicelynose, Troutclaw, and Narwhal go hunting]
[Chubtail, Pearstone, Tabbyfur, Mosquitowhisker, Adoniscloud, and Garganeywhisker go hunting]
[Bugleclaw, Pheasantcloud, Lobsterclaw, and Camberfoot go on a patrol]
[Lionpaw and Osierfang, Ospreypaw and Clarystorm, Noctulepaw and Vendacethroat, and Saffronpaw and Firepath train]
[Ringpaw and Langoustinefang, Dipperpaw and Droseratail, and Squirrelpaw and Ploverstripe train]
[Zinniapaw and Knotfish train]
[Teaselpaw and Harrierpelt train]
[Nettleflower stays in camp to look after the kits; Minnowkit, Witkit, and Knawelkit]
[Boulderdash, Sparrowfoot, Lobeliafur, Moraine, Barnfish, Merlindash, Martinwhisker, and Aspenfoot stay in camp]
[Gustclan consume 2 big fish and 1 rabbit – 8 portions]
(I'm hopefully going to do a "Last Moon" thing next post to show why it's Teaselpaw becoming MCA not Zinniapaw, but I'd reached the length I wanted to already...) 
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![]kits](https://i.pinimg.com/564x/32/21/8d/32218d5339858716bc9fc25fa67a178d.jpg){kind=link}
