Chamrosh wrote:Nettleflower’s head lolled back on the edge of her nest, trembling.
xxxxHarrierpelt had arrived just a few moments before, with the two kits alongside.
xxxxNettleflower hadn’t been paying too much attention to what they were doing. She had higher priorities right now – even if her mind kept insisting "What if something’s wrong with them and only I know it” was her biggest.
xxxxOccasionally, Teaselkit’s head popped up by her side, and he’d say something dumb like; “Bet it’s weird for your little bro to see your kits before you do” or “You must really want to be a mum to do this, huh?” or “I so have to see your names for them. Like, tap tap, ear twitch, tail flick? Or are there any other suggestions?”, and Nettleflower would inevitably find herself smiling for a moment, purely at the absurdity of his sense of humour.
xxxxZinniakit’s attention was solely focused on the new kits, and she was the first to speak outloud after Nettleflower’s head fell back, glad to relax.
xxxx"Two healthy girls? One white, one grey tabby.” She sounded uncertain, and Nettleflower could hear the difference in tone as her head turned around – doubtless to look at Harrierpelt for confirmation.
xxxx"Two mollies.” Harrierpelt’s tone was pensive, quiet. “I’m going to have a word with Heronstar. Zi- Zinniakit, Teaselkit, I’ll be back very shortly, and between you you should be able to manage for that long.”
xxxxNettleflower barely hesitated before curling around her kits once he left, swiftly turning around to face them and curling up tight around them.
xxxx"I… I- he’s going to talk about which of us is being apprenticed already, isn’t he?”
xxxxFrom the corner of her eye, Nettleflower just caught Teaselkit’s nod. “I think so.” He said, in an uncharacteristically sheepish voice. Nettleflower’s attention wasn’t focused on her younger siblings, but it was hard not to notice the anxious glances between them.
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This Moon xxxxFirepath looked up as Saffronpaw trotted over to him. Firepath could tell from the way the apprentice was holding himself that he was unsure of something, and was quickly full of worry, wondering what had made him so uncertain. What had happened that merited that?
xxxxSure enough, Saffronpaw sat down beside where Firepath had been grooming himself in the courtyard area of camp, and looked awkwardly at his mentor. For a few moments, Firepath kept grooming his leg, trying to indicate that there wasn’t any pressure on Saffronpaw to talk quickly if he didn’t want to or found he couldn’t. Finally, Firepath’s attention turned fully to his apprentice, who still looked uncertain of himself.
xxxxFirepath waited patiently, until his apprentice spoke.
xxxx"Heronstar wants to make me a warrior – and that’s a good thing, of course! That’s not bothering me, but – I … She said I should have a say in my warrior name and I…” Saffronpaw trailed off.
xxxx"She had a word with me discussing my warrior name, too. If you’re worried about the integrity of the names, tha-"xxxx"No! No, that’s not it at all, uh…” Saffronpaw’s eyes looked directly up at the sky, and Firepath was
sure that was just a method of making it easier to talk, weird as it looked.
“She gave me a choice and uh… she said I could be a -foot or a -stream.”xxxxFirepath’s head tilted in mild curiosity.
xxxx"Do you want me to help you decide? It’s your own name, if Heronstar thinks you’re mature enough to have a say, you should take that.”xxxx"No, that’s… no.” Saffronpaw’s head shook a few times, and his eyes came down to point at his mentor’s again.
“I… I don’t want to be seen as someone whose solution to problems is just to run away from them, I don’t want to be a -foot. But… I… I wasn’t taught swimming by you. I… I don’t want to make you look bad by choosing the one thing you didn’t teach me, and… I mean, I know that I learned well from Myrtleclaw because I’d learned so much from you before but I… I don’t know if anyone else does! And I’d… I’d like it if the clan had a reminder of what he was like before he went missing, if that makes any sense. And I don’t want other clans to have the wrong impression of me from what I pick! I don’t want them to see me as a coward or disloyal to my mentor, I - I just don’t know what I want, I guess.”xxxx"I’m proud of you, Saffronpaw. I wouldn’t judge you whatever you chose, and I won’t with whichever. But I appreciate you wanting me to know your thinking, and to know you didn’t secretly loathe me as a mentor or something. That shows a lot of maturity – a maturity Merlindash rather makes me appreciate now – and I know it’s your choice. You’ll make a good warrior if you can show that much consideration for others and about your choices consistently. And with that in mind – I know you’ll choose what’s best for you in the long run, and I’ll support you in whatever you decide.xxxx"And of course, I’ll argue against anyone who uses your choice against you. You’re not a coward, and you’re most certainly not disloyal, or you wouldn’t have cared about me enough to talk to me about it. I’ll be pleased with you whatever you choose.”xxxxSaffronpaw nodded slowly, considering what his mentor had said carefully.
“Okay. I’ll go think about it properly, then.”xxxxFirepath looked after his apprentice as he left, the ginger tom’s chest puffing up in pride.
xxxx"You’ve come a long way, Lionpaw.”xxxxLionpaw practically jumped at Heronstar’s sudden appearance. He lay on his side, next to where the elders were sharing tongues, enjoying the warmth of the late-season sun – probably the last sun of the season, in honesty – against his fur.
xxxxHis head whipped around, to look at where the leader’s voice had come from.
xxxx"I distinctly remember your opinions on elders when you came here. Your old clan thought they should die, didn’t they? And here you are now, not only tolerating them, but actively seeking their presence.” Lionpaw wasn’t sure that was quite what he was enjoying so much as the sunlight, and it wasn’t
his fault that the elders had chosen a good spot before he got there… but then he realised that maybe he
did like having them there. Huh. That… wasn’t what he’d expected to think about that, but it was obvious now he was.
xxxx"And I’ve heard you are quite talented in your own way. I think maybe… we can have two meanings in your name as a warrior. One to recognise your skills – as most names are given – and one to recognise how you’ve grown out of those barbaric ways.” Lionpaw narrowed his eyes slowly, wondering what on earth the leader had in store for him, but she had gone before he had a clever way of asking on his tongue (he’d not grown up around them, but he knew enough about Heronstar to know he’d need one to get a reply out of her). He guessed he’d just have to wait to see what he was cursed with…
xxxxOspreypaw jumped violently up into the air, spinning neatly before landing. Her mentor’s head wheeled around to face the same way, his skull running nearly sideways along his spine, a wild look in his eyes. The young molly somehow managed to keep a sense of elegance in the motion, although she looked no less depraved as she turned her attention to the rustling in the bushes.
xxxxChubtail was sure he’d been subtle enough to not be noticed…
xxxxBut two wide sets of eyes were directed right at him. Heronstar had asked him to check on the training today, to make sure all the apprentices really
were ready to become warriors.
xxxxChubtail didn’t have the most sensitive humour but he couldn’t help it. Clarystorm and Ospreypaw were wielding almost the exact same expression at him. On Clarystorm, it was openly intimidating and menacing, the face of someone who’d pounce on you in an instant if they thought you were going to attack them. On Ospreypaw, it was elegant, refined, but all the more terrifying for it – the face of someone who didn’t
need to jump on you to tear you apart, who knew they could wield your emotions and will to their own needs if they wanted to; that had a far better weapon than just claws and weight.
xxxxIt wasn’t an instant laugh. He only started laughing after the two of them both relaxed slightly- and, then, of c-
xxxx"CONSTANT VIGILANCE!”/
"CONSTANT VIGILANCE!”xxxx"In recognition of both your skills, and in the huge stride forward you made in personal development, I find it only appropriate that you come to share a suffix with the one who I recognised how far you’ve come because of. You have the raw abilities for it, and your personality merits it too. xxxx"By the power of Starclan, I give you your warrior name. Lionpaw, from this moment on, you will be known as Lionfish. Starclan honours your progress and growth from your roots, and we welcome you as a full warrior of Gustclan.”xxxxHeronstar’s head lowered so her muzzle rested between Lionfish’s ears, and he in turn licked her shoulder.
xxxx"Lionfish!”/
"Lionfish!”/
"Lionfish!”xxxxLionfish turned from his leader, beaming, face practically radiant, before he slipped elegantly off the wall where he’d been summoned, to join the other apprentices.
xxxx"That suits you, Lionfish. You know. Plus, I heard – can’t talk about reliability of course! – that lots of types of -fish can be very dangerous. It’s like, a three layered thing – skill, personality… but also that you’re dangerous.” Said Noctulepath, as the
very slightly newer warrior sat down beside her. It was practically a purr, even.
“It suits you very well. And I can’t help but think-"xxxx"This isn’t an outright no, Noctulepath, but we’ve been warriors all of the time it took you to say that and no more.”xxxxIt was at this moment that Saffronstream helpfully decided to add his thoughts too:
“We haven’t even had our vigil yet, Noctulepath, and I’m pretty sure Heronstar won’t appreciate you becoming mates with anyone before that. Can you hold off your flirting for just one night?”xxxxNoctulepath tried not to cast too guilty a look at her brother. She also tried hard not to notice the look on Lionfish’s face too.
xxxx"Oof!” Zinniapaw yelled, only to be silenced by a paw over her muzzle.
xxxx"Shush!” said the heavy lump that had landed on her side.
“You’ll wake them all up.” Hazel eyes glanced around the warriors’ den, picking out the shapes as they went. Zinniapaw could see the glint of starlight in the pupils.
xxxx"Mmmff!”xxxx"Shush. Do you want to be caught?” Zinniapaw rolled her eyes. She
wanted to tell Teaselpaw that he was being far less subtle and was doubtless going to be the one who got them caught in whatever scheme he had. Instead she shoved at his chest, and he rolled off awkwardly.
xxxxAlthough she knew her brother was trying to help her meet their dream too, and that he’d wanted both of them to be able to achieve it too, it was still hard to look him directly in the eyes. Starclan! She was so
jealous. Harrierpelt had said that Teaselpaw had been chosen because of doing better emotional care, that he’d been trying to keep Nettleflower happy. But … she hadn’t wanted to hurt her sister’s feelings! She was sure Teaselpaw was going to make her cry through all his jibes at some point, and it was a miracle he
hadn’t.
xxxx"H-!” Teaselpaw bit his tongue just before he could wake everyone up, and huffed.
“Come on, then!” Teaselpaw jumped off his sister just as swiftly, and turned, scampering out of the warriors’ den, somewhere he wasn’t meant to go. He lead the way, legs stretching out in uneven strides, down the square rocks, across the wooden ground, and through the fin, across the courtyard, and out into the woods. Zinniapaw was barely a stride behind him, even after delaying for him going through the fin first.
xxxxBefore too long, in fact, just a few metres around the corner from the entrance of camp, Teaselpaw stopped suddenly. Zinniapaw slammed into his butt, causing him to stumble forwards, and the two of them to land in a heap in the dirt. Teaselpaw started giggling while Zinniapaw scowled at him, trying to look dignified again as quickly as she could.
xxxx"Harrierpelt hasn’t taught me a lot yet, but I thought it’d be easier to keep you up to speed if we did this a lot rather than just hoping you remembered everything when I have more to share. He was talking about what herbs he rarely bothers taking back to camp. He said herbs lose their goodness if they’re stored too long, and that it always pays to know what you can afford to not have big stores of, and so he showed me around here!”xxxx"But it’s just a flower, Teaselpaw!”xxxx"It looks like just a flower, but…”xxxxNettleflower had only known her kits for one moon, but she already loved them more than anything. Shellcloud had said the same thing a few days ago. It wasn’t that their love for each other was lessened, far from it. They loved each other more than anything else before, and now, they had others to love
even more.
xxxxNettleflower could hardly imagine living without them already, even while they were still helpless bundles of Not Doing Much Yet, she’d already loved them more than anything.
xxxxAnd now look at them!
xxxx"Look, Witkit, look how good I am at climbing!”xhax"I’m jus ! t as good as you, Knawelkit!”xxxx"No you’re not! Look, I’m higher!”xhax"You started first! !”xxxx"So?”haha"! So it ! ‘s no ! t fair for you ! to judge being higher as being better a ! t climbing!” Nettleflower’s eyes flew wide.hahaShe knew that noise too well by now. It’d been a few moons since she’d heard it… but - !
HAHANettleflower sprang up and out of her nest where she’d been carefully watching her kits, and practically flew through the air, catching her kit even at the moment her claws released. She had time to land awkwardly, her side slamming against the hard, stony edge of the old human nest and the force bringing her to a stop. Her teeth shook awkwardly, her head pounded from where she’d smacked it – and her writhing kit fell onto the floor. Hastily, Nettleflower placed her forepaws on either side of her kit, eyes focused intently on Witkit.
HAHA"Mummy, why’d you do that? What’s Witkit doing?”HAHANettleflower wanted to scream. But however much she wanted to, she
couldn’t. Instead, she twitched her ears and tail as best as she could while her paws were occupied, trying to communicate with her other daughter.
HAHAShe’d
known this would happen!
HAHA"Help. Flying big danger – like smooth water flop. Flop!” She could barely say anything about what she meant! Ah! Why did this have to happen?! WHY WERE STARCLAN SO CRUEL TO HER?!
Yes!Was this her punishment for killing Saddlekit when she was younger?
YouKYes, she’d killed a kit! But she’d basically been a kit at the time herself! How could she have known?
nowNAnd she’d only been trying to be nice!
othiThis punishment was entirely out of line!
ng!xAs one kit wailed, unsure why she was ignored, and the other hit her forelegs and face with all her might, the thing that really hurt, that dug into her heart and clawed at it so she surely felt she was about to die from the pain, was the knowledge that it was her fault.
You murdered me, vengeance is only fair! [Lionpaw has grown into a confident warrior, skilled at fishing; Lionfish]
[Ospreypaw has grown into an unpredictable warrior; Ospreystorm]
[Noctulepaw has grown into a mature warrior, skilled at teaching; Noctulepath]
[Saffronpaw has grown into a confident warrior, skilled at swimming; Saffronstream]
[Minnowkit is apprenticed to Adoniscloud and becomes Minnowpaw]
[Moraine is in her third moon of gestation]
[Osierfang and Lobeliafur are in their second moons of gestation]
[Droseratail and Lobeliafur are no longer mates]
[Ringpaw and Langoustinefang, Dipperpaw and Droseratail, and Squirrelpaw and Ploverstripe train]
[Zinniapaw and Knotfish train]
[Minnowpaw and Adoniscloud train]
[Teaselpaw and Harrierpelt gather herbs]
[Chubtail, Sparrowfoot, Firepath, Merlindash, Noctulepath, and Garganeywhisker go hunting]
[Pearstone, Cicelynose, Vendacethroat, Troutclaw, Saffronstream, and Lionfish go hunting]
[Heronstar, Tabbyfur, Lobsterclaw, and Clarystorm go on patrol]
[Bugleclaw, Shellcloud, Camberfoot, and Martinwhisker go on patrol]
[Harrierpelt and Teaselpaw return to camp to mind Moraine’s kitting]
[Nettleflower stays in camp to mind the kits – Witkit and Knawelkit]
[Boulderdash, Argusheart, Osierfang, Lobeliafur, Moraine, Barnfish, Pheasantcloud, Mosquitowhisker, Ospreystorm, Narwhal, and Aspenfoot stay in camp]
[Gustclan consumes 4 rabbits – 8 portions]
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