❧ ravenclan (open & accepting)

[Ephemeris]

Sundusk
═══ ♂ ═══ rogue ═══ 36m ═══ tags: open ═══ edge of training grounds ═══

Sundusk padded through a damp, grassy clearing, looking for prey. He paused, sniffing the air and taking in the view. The dew on the nearby undergrowth sparkled like stars on a clear night, the grass swayed gently with the breeze that pulled the clouds along the perpetually foggy, pale sky, and the crisp morning air filled his lungs with a primal joy that Sundusk had not felt in a long, long time. He allowed himself an ear-to-ear grin as he took in his surroundings, breathing deeply to pick up traces of potential prey to sink his sharp claws into. He smelled a faint scent of clan cats in this clearing, perhaps about a day old. He would have to move on quickly from the area. A few calls of squirrels alerted him to their presence, and he began to track them along the far edge of the clearing, nearly obscured by the pine trees, shrubs, and rocks.

Lightpaw
═══ ♀ ═══ apprentice ═══ 7m ═══ tags: Dapplestar, Mottlepaw ═══ camp ═══

"Oh yeah! I'd love that, but I guess I'd have to check with Thunderfall first to see if he thinks I'm ready," Lightpaw meowed. She noticed Mottlepaw had approached her and Dapplestar. "Oh, hi Mottlepaw! Sorry, I didn't mean to keep Dapplestar busy, since you guys have training to do and all that."

[vaermina]

ＤＡＰＰＬＥＳＴＡＲxxx
I.x40 moons old II. leaderx II.xtags: lightpaw, mottlepaw


indentdapplestar glanced at mottlepaw when she noticed the young apprentice making her way over. "good morning, mottlepaw," she responded to her nod. dapplestar had taken mottlepaw as her own apprentice because she wanted to see the young she-cat thrive personally. she knew her inability to speak was a challenge - especially when it came to communication - but she had the chance to be a fine warrior like every other apprentice in the clan. being mute shouldn't hinder her potential. dapplestar was a firm believer that every cat deserved a chance to grow. she had been leader herself when mottlepaw first came to ravenclan after being found by a patrol. she always tried to give every cat a chance, especially those who are young and without clan-blood. she flicked her tail at lightpaw's apology. "that's quite alright, lightpaw," she told her kindly. she knew her mentor, thunderfall, probably wasn't awake yet so she didn't mind her company. the leader's bright green eyes turned to mottlepaw, noting how she had been approaching the pile earlier before making a turn. "go and get something to eat, mottlepaw," she encouraged her. "there's no need to train on an empty stomach. prey is aplenty." the warrior cat code permitted that cats cannot eat until they've caught prey for the rest of the clan but traditionally, every cat eats in the morning before fulfilling their duties.

ＡＤＤＥＲＦＡＮＧxxx
I.x53 moons old II. warriorx II.xtags: badgerpaw


indentat badgerpaw's confirmation, adderfang nodded before he turned and made his way out of the camp, making sure not to go too fast so he didn't outpace his apprentice. he knew that not too many moons ago, badgerpaw and his littermate swallowpaw had been dropped off by a loner when they were kits. there were quite a few apprentices this season born without clan-blood, and adderfang has always been wary of cats coming into the clan without warrior blood. dapplestar was too kind; she'd take in any kit, no matter what their status was, and allow the queens to raise them. he supposed that's the most moral thing to do. no cat in the clan would kill a kit. when he was a kit, though, such events didn't occur. kits brought into the camp by patrols or loners wanting to join were always turned away. there was no such thing as newcomers joining the ranks. everything changed once ravenstar died. however, badgerpaw has so far pleasantly surprised adderfang. he showed promise, and adderfang had been determined from the start to make him one of the best newly made warriors in the clan.
indentonce they fell into pace out in the forest on their way to the border, adderfang glanced at the smaller tom. "how has your littermate been doing?" he asked gruffly. he knew swallowpaw was under sneezetuft's tutelage, meaning that his kin was receiving totally different training techniques from a totally different tempered cat than adderfang. adderfang hasn't been around swallowpaw enough to see her skills, although he was curious of how much she differed from badgerpaw.

ＭＯＵＳＥＰＡＷxxx
I.x9 moons old II. apprenticex II.xtags: pinepaw


indentonce they were out in the forest, the two apprentices fell into pace. mousepaw took in a deep breath of the crisp pine air. she could hear rodents scurrying in the brush, and birds flapping above in the canopy. orange eyes turned to look at pinepaw at his confession, although all it earned was a swish of her striped tail. "hmm, i don't think that surprises me much at all," she responded casually. "it certainly explains your eagerness to hunt. i'm sure fawnsong wouldn't be able to teach you how to catch a mouse, nevertheless fight another cat." no foulness to fawnsong, of course, but medicine cats simply don't have those skills. at-least, that's what mousepaw assumed. pinepaw would have to earn them elsewhere, and she wouldn't be surprised if he had learned by sitting high above on a branch or crouched in some bushes. ah, the wasted potential. she was sure that pinepaw would have thrived with a cat like adderfang or thunderfall as a mentor.
indentshe stopped walking once she caught scent of a rodent, but it seemed like pinepaw had also detected the smell. she resisted the urge to roll her eyes at his wink as he dropped into a hunter's crouch. she was silent and still as she watched the older apprentice catch the mouse. once he dropped it at her paws, she looked up at him with approval. "not too bad, medicine apprentice," she congratulated him coolly. "but mice are one of the easiest rodents to catch. what about a bird? can you get me a bird?" mousepaw wasn't necessarily testing him as she was just trying to see what skills he's garnered by observing the rest of them. birds were harder to catch due to their ability to fly. mousepaw found it's easier to catch a bird that's on the ground attempting to look for food than to try and catch one in a tree due to how dangerous thin branches can be. but that was just her preference; mousepaw has always excelled in hunting and she's made strategies the past few moons on working smarter and not harder.

[Ephemeris]

Sundusk
═══ ♂ ═══ rogue ═══ 36m ═══ tags: open ═══ halfway to eastern border ═══

Sundusk had caught a squirrel and mouse during his hunt, and had taken a moment to clean his paws off. The prey was plentiful in this part of the woods, which he assumed was why there were more faint cat scents here rather than farther out near the border. Satisfied with his haul, Sundusk picked up the two pieces of prey and headed towards the border, where he had made his home in the old tree. The food would be a welcome addition to his fresh-kill pile, and he didn't feel like sticking around too long. The clan cats would probably find and kill him for hunting in their land, and Sundusk really didn't feel like dealing with sore limbs and scratches that morning. Sundusk continued making his way through the undergrowth until he reached a small stream where he took a moment to pause and catch his breath. He noted that it would be a good spot to catch fish if he ever needed to.

Lightpaw
═══ ♀ ═══ apprentice ═══ 7m ═══ tags: Dapplestar, Mottlepaw ═══ camp ═══

Lightpaw finished the last bite of her dove, licking her lips to catch any bits of flavor left. Her face lit up as she turned back towards both Dapplestar and Mottlepaw. "I'm gonna go find Thunderfall and ask him about hunting patrol. Maybe if Mottlepaw is ready too, she can go as well?" Lightpaw meowed, her words almost blurring together as she spoke quickly and excitedly.

[кσι]

🌫️
Name Pebbleheart
Age 53 Moons
Rank Warrior
Apprentice Deerpaw
Gender Male
Mate Open
Tags Deerpaw

Pebbleheart
---------------------------------------------------------------------------

The large warrior narrowed his eyes as his apprentice made a b-line for the camp's entrance, completely ignoring the food pile he'd passed on the way over. He let out a small sigh and gave the younger male a shake of his skull "It's not smart to train on an empty stomach you know. You need the energy." Pebbleheart gave his apprentice a small smile and nodded in response to his question, his long tail swaying slowly behind him "Well, as you know, you have your warrior exams coming up soon, and I want to make sure your hunting technique is perfect.. so we'll begin there. Later on we might include ourselves in a little sparring match with a few other apprentices." The large tom got to his paws as he finished speaking, his gaze focused completely on his young pupil, a feeling of pride overwhelming him at the sight. It was no secret that this young apprentice had some problems due to the absence of his father, and Pebbleheart was happy that he could be of some help.. especially since he couldn't help but feel as though Deerpaw was his own son. He could see himself in the young tom.. a young kit abandoned by his father.. spending his entire life trying to prove himself to someone who isn't even there. Pebbleheart had decided a long time ago that he would do everything in his power to mold Deerpaw into the warrior he'd envisioned himself as.. no matter what obstacles got in his way. The siamese tom motioned for his apprentice to follow him as they made their way out of camp and into the forest, a small sigh leaving his jaws as the fresh, early morning scents filled his nostrils "I'll follow you. This session is all about honing your skills."

🦡
Name Badgerpaw
Age 10 Moons
Rank Apprentice
Mentor Adderfang
Gender Male
Mate Open
Tags Adderfang

Badgerpaw
---------------------------------------------------------------------------

Being quick, as to not aggravate his mentor, Badgerpaw trotted quickly behind the older tom, his wary gaze scanning the area around them. He made sure to keep his legs in line with the other male's, watching out for any sharp rocks and stones in the process.. he'd learned his lesson plenty of times before when it came to sharp objects and his paw pads. The small tom looked toward Adderfang, taking note of the somewhat faraway look in his eyes.. it was obvious he was lost in thought, though he couldn't begin to guess what the warrior was thinking. Badgerpaw's eyes widened as his question was answered, somewhat shocked that Adderfang was asking about his sister, though he wasn't too surprised. It was common knowledge that his mentor was an avid follower of the previous leader Ravenstar.. including the purge, which was discontinued by the time the apprentice joined the clan. He knew that the loyal tom didn't approve of Dapplestar's kind actions, especially when it came to half-bloods, and cats who had no clan ancestry. Badgerpaw looked down at his paws, his shoulders buckling in a small shrug as he thought up an answer to the warrior's question "As well as she can with that mentor of hers. Her hunting is a bit lacking in skill, but she gets the job done regardless. I feel bad for her, but I have faith in her.. I know she can succeed if she puts her mind to it." The black and white tom looked back up at his mentor, his gaze locked on the older tom's as he continued on "I was surprised when Dapplestar called Sneezetuft's name when it came to picking my sisters mentor.. but at the same time, I know that she's a good warrior, and still has the ability to pass on the right skills."

🕊️
Name Swallowpaw
Age 10 Moons
Rank Apprentice
Mentor Sneezetuft
Gender Female
Mate Open
Tags Sneezetuft

Swallowpaw
---------------------------------------------------------------------------

The fluffy apprentice shot her mentor an empathetic smile as she neared her, the sounds of her mentors sneezing still ringing in her ears. She had grown used to the sound over the moons, especially when it came to their hunting sessions.. she had to learn to ignore the startling sound and remain focused on her work. Swallowpaw nodded slowly as her mentor explained the training session, not at all surprised that the older fae chose to work on battle techniques rather than hunting. She knew that her mentor had trouble when it came to prey.. especially when their clan mates would react negatively toward her tendency to scare it away. The only thing she knew she could do to help was remain positive, something she was great at doing "Awesome! I was hoping you'd say that.. I think my moves are getting a bit rusty. I'll follow after you Sneezetuft." The black and white fae's lips curled up in a wide smile, her tall ears perked high atop her skull as she began walking toward the entrance of camp. "Can we go over that one really cool move again? I was practicing it a little bit with Badgerpaw, but I can't seem to get it right.."

🦢
Name Goosefeather
Age 23 Moons
Rank Warrior
Apprentice Open
Gender Female
Mate Open
Tags Fawnsong

Goosefeather
---------------------------------------------------------------------------

Goosefeather sat outside of the warriors den with a smile spread across her jaws, her fluffy tail wrapped neatly around her paws as she remained seated. She decided to wait a bit before attempting to join any patrols, somewhat relieved that she didn't have an apprentice to look after for the time being, especially with how much her paws seemed to ache recently. She decided that today would be the day she finally went to see Fawnsong about her pain, though she was reluctant to do so. The tabby warrior just watched as her clanmates bustled around camp, some more ready than others to begin the long day that lay ahead.

[AquilaFuga]

[removed]
molly • eight moons • apprentice • in ravenclan camp • with dapplestar, lightpaw
▬▬▬ ▬▬ ▬▬▬ ▬▬▬ ▬▬▬

Although she felt a bit guilty doing so, Mottlepaw gave a soft smile to Dapplestar at her suggestion of getting prey. At Lightpaw's suggestion of a hunting patrol, she softly nodded before turning away towards the fresh-kill pile. She grabbed a mouse from the pile, big enough to stop her stomach from growling during a patrol yet small enough that she wouldn't feel too guilty, then returned to the two cats. Though she silently wished that she could've had a few more moments of slumber this morning, she was excited to begin the day of training. Mottlepaw really valued Dapplestar's kindness towards her, knowing that despite her challenges with communication the leader never gave up on the apprentice.

[removed]
tom • thirty two moons • warrior • in ravenclan camp • with goosefeather
▬▬▬ ▬▬ ▬▬▬ ▬▬▬ ▬▬▬

The warrior looked up from his grooming to notice Mousepaw leave camp with Pinepaw, giving a slight smirk to himself. Mousepaw was well-trained, he thought, so the two apprentices would probably be fine on their own for a bit. He found it amusing how interested Pinepaw was in their training; he had tagged along on a couple of their training sessions and, to Littleheart's surprise, was a skilled cat. He would have to catch up to them at some point to go on a proper patrol, but decided to give them their fun for a while before then. Littleheart peered around the camp and spotted Goosefeather sitting alone outside the den, then padded over to the young she-cat, giving a soft nod in greeting as he sat himself next to the warrior. "How's your morning been?" He asked softly, though a bit raspy due to his morning-voice.

[vaermina]

ＤＡＰＰＬＥＳＴＡＲxxx
I.x40 moons old II. leaderx II.xtags: lightpaw, mottlepaw


indentdapplestar flicked her tail at lightpaw's suggestion. "i don't see why not," she commented, with a glance at mottlepaw once she returned from the fresh-kill pile. "if thunderfall is willing, that'd be lovely." of course, dapplestar would have to tag along to see her apprentice's progress but she saw nothing wrong with that. it'd be good for mottlepaw to join in on a hunting patrol. similar to how mottlepaw had to adapt and attempt to communicate to her clanmates without speaking, it was their responsibility to learn how to read her movements and eyes to communicate with her. it was all about being observant and patient. mottlepaw showed promise, too, and dapplestar did not mind if it took a little longer to train her than it would the other apprentices. she was as capable as they were. dapplestar knew that after mottlepaw, she'd probably not have another apprentice but that was alright. alongside mottlepaw, she's trained two other kits so this was not her first go-around.

ＡＤＤＥＲＦＡＮＧxxx
I.x53 moons old II. warriorx II.xtags: badgerpaw


indentadderfang found himself nodding in agreement to badgerpaw's statement about sneezetuft. "of course." just because the warrior suffered from chronic sneezing did not mean she didn't deserve to not teach an apprentice. he's been on hunting patrols with her. although it was frustrating to have prey scared away half the time, there's nothing one can really do about it. sneezetuft had a lot to give, and her condition shouldn't hinder her. "our leader has a..." he trailed off for a moment, "kind heart. she gives her clanmates chances." he shook his head. "there's been a loner scented around our territory recently. our leader thinks we should try and assess the situation and see who the outsider is. i say that's a mouse-brain idea," he growled. "loners who are interested in clan life usually make an appearance to us first. those who are just lounging around taking our prey don't. it's our duty as warriors to protect the clan, badgerpaw. if we allow outsiders get too comfortable taking our prey, what will happen during leaf-bare? we need all the prey we can find when the snow falls." it was common for adderfang to go into such lectures, lectures that didn't even involve lecturing his apprentice, per say. "if you ever become leader, badgerpaw, remember that. ravenclan comes first."
indentwhen they arrived at the northern border, it was quiet. there was no sign of any avid life apart from the scuttle of prey and flocks of birds. the northern border lay situated between two large boulders in the middle of the forest. as adderfang approached, he caught whiff of many scents. prey, a fox or two... an outsider. he felt the fur along his spine prickle at the unfamiliar scent. as he began refreshing the border marks, he spoke to his apprentice. "it's always important that we constantly keep our borders scented and fresh. we don't have any neighboring clans to watch out for but it's always good to mark our boundaries and let outsiders know this land is claimed. you'll be able to recognize unfamiliar scents that belong to outsiders because when a loner attempts to mark their territory, it won't be on the border. it'll be irregular, and the scent won't match those of your clanmates." he looked at badgerpaw. "what do you smell?"

ＭＯＵＳＥＰＡＷxxx
I.x9 moons old II. apprenticex II.xtags: pinepaw


indentonce they were out in the forest, the two apprentices fell into pace. mousepaw took in a deep breath of the crisp pine air. she could hear rodents scurrying in the brush, and birds flapping above in the canopy. orange eyes turned to look at pinepaw at his confession, although all it earned was a swish of her striped tail. "hmm, i don't think that surprises me much at all," she responded casually. "it certainly explains your eagerness to hunt. i'm sure fawnsong wouldn't be able to teach you how to catch a mouse, nevertheless fight another cat." no foulness to fawnsong, of course, but medicine cats simply don't have those skills. at-least, that's what mousepaw assumed. pinepaw would have to earn them elsewhere, and she wouldn't be surprised if he had learned by sitting high above on a branch or crouched in some bushes. ah, the wasted potential. she was sure that pinepaw would have thrived with a cat like adderfang or thunderfall as a mentor.
indentshe stopped walking once she caught scent of a rodent, but it seemed like pinepaw had also detected the smell. she resisted the urge to roll her eyes at his wink as he dropped into a hunter's crouch. she was silent and still as she watched the older apprentice catch the mouse. once he dropped it at her paws, she looked up at him with approval. "not too bad, medicine apprentice," she congratulated him coolly. "but mice are one of the easiest rodents to catch. what about a bird? can you get me a bird?" mousepaw wasn't necessarily testing him as she was just trying to see what skills he's garnered by observing the rest of them. birds were harder to catch due to their ability to fly. mousepaw found it's easier to catch a bird that's on the ground attempting to look for food than to try and catch one in a tree due to how dangerous thin branches can be. but that was just her preference; mousepaw has always excelled in hunting and she's made strategies the past few moons on working smarter and not harder.

[кσι]

🌫️
Name Pebbleheart
Age 53 Moons
Rank Warrior
Apprentice Deerpaw
Gender Male
Mate Open
Tags Deerpaw

Pebbleheart
---------------------------------------------------------------------------

The large warrior narrowed his eyes as his apprentice made a b-line for the camp's entrance, completely ignoring the food pile he'd passed on the way over. He let out a small sigh and gave the younger male a shake of his skull "It's not smart to train on an empty stomach you know. You need the energy." Pebbleheart gave his apprentice a small smile and nodded in response to his question, his long tail swaying slowly behind him "Well, as you know, you have your warrior exams coming up soon, and I want to make sure your hunting technique is perfect.. so we'll begin there. Later on we might include ourselves in a little sparring match with a few other apprentices." The large tom got to his paws as he finished speaking, his gaze focused completely on his young pupil, a feeling of pride overwhelming him at the sight. It was no secret that this young apprentice had some problems due to the absence of his father, and Pebbleheart was happy that he could be of some help.. especially since he couldn't help but feel as though Deerpaw was his own son. He could see himself in the young tom.. a young kit abandoned by his father.. spending his entire life trying to prove himself to someone who isn't even there. Pebbleheart had decided a long time ago that he would do everything in his power to mold Deerpaw into the warrior he'd envisioned himself as.. no matter what obstacles got in his way. The siamese tom motioned for his apprentice to follow him as they made their way out of camp and into the forest, a small sigh leaving his jaws as the fresh, early morning scents filled his nostrils "I'll follow you. This session is all about honing your skills."

🦡
Name Badgerpaw
Age 10 Moons
Rank Apprentice
Mentor Adderfang
Gender Male
Mate Open
Tags Adderfang

Badgerpaw
---------------------------------------------------------------------------

Badgerpaw's lips curled up in a small smile as he listened to his mentor's reply, finding it hard to stifle his airy laugh at the hesitation in his words "That's for sure, I mean, she did take me and Swallowpaw in and treat us as if we were original members of the clan.." The young apprentice trailed off as he engulfed himself in thought, the smile remaining on his maw as he thought about their arrival to the clan. They had all been so nice and accepting, though it did take a bit of time to earn the older tom's respect. He couldn't complain though.. had they come around a few moons earlier, they probably would have been turned away.. that being the best case scenario. Badgerpaw snapped himself out of his thoughts as his mentor's voice rang through his ears, feeling slightly embarrassed that he had trailed off in thought while his mentor spoke. The small tom gave him a curt nod once he'd finished his lecture, a sudden feeling of guilt overcoming him as he took in the words "I agree. There are borders set for a reason.. and if those loners can't respect that.. we'll just have to force them out. The clan comes first, always." The black and white tom held his head high, a rush of confidence jolting through him as the words left his mouth.. words that were nothing less than the truth. He tilted his skull as the words 'if you ever become leader' left the older tom's mouth, hoping with all his heart that this warrior he had so much respect for believed in his dream.. that he could become the leader of their clan some day.
xxxxxxxxWith a smile still stick on his maw, the tom padded onward, watching carefully as his mentor refreshed the fading border marker, taking note of the technique for his own marking later. He stopped as the older tom began speaking, giving him a curt nod to make sure the warrior knew he was listening and taking in the information being shared with him. Badgerpaw stepped forward toward the border marker, his mouth parted slightly to enhance the scents of the forest and to ensure that he'd be able to make out the scents his mentor had obviously pointed out "I can smell a musky scent.. a fox.. but it isn't strong, the creature hasn't been through here for a few days at least." The small tom let in a deep breath of air, his eyes widening as an unfamiliar feline scent filled his nostrils, the hair on his spine standing up as he muttered out his find "I can definitely smell another cat.. not one of ours, and they've been very close to our border. What should we do? follow the trial and find this strange loner?"

🕊️
Name Swallowpaw
Age 10 Moons
Rank Apprentice
Mentor Sneezetuft
Gender Female
Mate Open
Tags Sneezetuft

Swallowpaw
---------------------------------------------------------------------------

The fluffy apprentice shot her mentor an empathetic smile as she neared her, the sounds of her mentors sneezing still ringing in her ears. She had grown used to the sound over the moons, especially when it came to their hunting sessions.. she had to learn to ignore the startling sound and remain focused on her work. Swallowpaw nodded slowly as her mentor explained the training session, not at all surprised that the older fae chose to work on battle techniques rather than hunting. She knew that her mentor had trouble when it came to prey.. especially when their clan mates would react negatively toward her tendency to scare it away. The only thing she knew she could do to help was remain positive, something she was great at doing "Awesome! I was hoping you'd say that.. I think my moves are getting a bit rusty. I'll follow after you Sneezetuft." The black and white fae's lips curled up in a wide smile, her tall ears perked high atop her skull as she began walking toward the entrance of camp. "Can we go over that one really cool move again? I was practicing it a little bit with Badgerpaw, but I can't seem to get it right.."

🦢
Name Goosefeather
Age 23 Moons
Rank Warrior
Apprentice Open
Gender Female
Mate Open
Tags Littleheart

Goosefeather
---------------------------------------------------------------------------

The Siamese mix shook herself out of her daydreaming as another warrior approached, his voice soft as he greeted her. She could feel her stomach erupt with a swarm of butterflies as she thought of a response, a feeling she had come to know all too well recently "Ahh, good morning Littleheart. It's been fine so far, I can't complain." Goosefeather gave her head a slight tilt and curled her lips in a soft smile, any lingering feelings of nervousness dissipating at the sight of the friendly face sitting beside her "How about you? and how's your apprentice's training coming along? I heard exams are coming up." The lithe warrior turned to face the black and white tom, her fluffy tail curling tightly around her paws as she sat, a sudden feeling of excitement washing over her as she awaited the warrior's reply.

[way]

sneezetuft / f / 23 moons / tags; swallowpaw

sneezetuft felt a wave of gratitude for her apprentice. swallowpaw seemed to not mind her sneezing attacks, and was still quite enthusiastic about learning from sneezetuft, even if swallowpaw could probably tell by now that sneezetuft wasn't exactly the strongest warrior in the clan. at swallowpaw's request, sneezetuft dipped her head. "i don't see why not, i'm sure-" sneezetuft paused, a few sneezes racking her body before continuing. "-i'm sure you'll be able to get it perfectly this time around." she mewed encouragingly, rubbing her nose with her paw. as they made it to the training clearing, sneezetuft pointed with her tail to where swallowpaw should stand. "alright, use the move on me, and we'll assess it and see what needs to be fixed," sneezetuft suggested, bracing herself for swallowpaw's attack.

pinepaw / m / 14 moons / tags; mousepaw

pinepaw's stubby tail twitched. "a bird... hm, challenge accepted!" he responded cockily. his gaze trailed up a tree and into its branches. he could see a couple thrushes chirping away on a thin branch. pinepaw gave mousepaw a tentative glance, but refused to let his discomfort show. he had never hunted in the trees before, but he didn't want mousepaw to think he was a scaredy-mouse. gulping, pinepaw squared his broad shoulders and marched forward, hauling himself up the tree. as lightly as he could, he approached the tree branch and glanced down past his shoulder. he wasn't terribly high up, but a fall from here could be quite painful. flattening his ears, pinepaw climbed onto the branch, still hidden by leaves, and crept forward, unsheathing his claws.

as he stalked, he accidentally brushed past a clump of leaves too harshly, and the birds were immediately alert. with warning chirps, the thrushes began to flap away from the branch. furious, pinepaw exploded from his cover and ran out onto the branch, completely forgetting he was several fox-lengths above the ground. he lunged for one of the thrushes, feeling his claws barely slice through feathers, before the branch beneath him disappeared, and he began plummeting down to the ground. a screech erupted in his throat, and he thrashed helplessly for a heartbeat before he hit the ground with a thud. the world went black for pinepaw, and he struggled to breathe; he was winded. "i can't breathe - i can't breathe!" he wheezed frantically, trying to heave some air into his chest while panic overtook him.

[vaermina]

ＤＡＰＰＬＥＳＴＡＲxxx
I.x40 moons old II. leaderx II.xtags: lightpaw, mottlepaw


indentdapplestar flicked her tail at lightpaw's suggestion. "i don't see why not," she commented, with a glance at mottlepaw once she returned from the fresh-kill pile. "if thunderfall is willing, that'd be lovely." of course, dapplestar would have to tag along to see her apprentice's progress but she saw nothing wrong with that. it'd be good for mottlepaw to join in on a hunting patrol. similar to how mottlepaw had to adapt and attempt to communicate to her clanmates without speaking, it was their responsibility to learn how to read her movements and eyes to communicate with her. it was all about being observant and patient. mottlepaw showed promise, too, and dapplestar did not mind if it took a little longer to train her than it would the other apprentices. she was as capable as they were. dapplestar knew that after mottlepaw, she'd probably not have another apprentice but that was alright. alongside mottlepaw, she's trained two other kits so this was not her first go-around.

ＡＤＤＥＲＦＡＮＧxxx
I.x53 moons old II. warriorx II.xtags: badgerpaw


indentadderfang twitched his ears at badgerpaw's suggestion. "we would need to gather a patrol to do so. it wouldn't be wise to tackle a loner without several other cats with us. for all we know, it could be a rogue with company. i'll probably tag along on the patrol and take you with me. it'd be good for you to see how patrols deal with these issues." although he only smelled the scent of one cat, they've had problems in the past with groups of rogue cats lingering near their territory. as much as adderfang wanted to sink his claws into the loner's pelt, he knew it wouldn't be wise to drag badgerpaw into a potentially dangerous situation. he knew the apprentice could defend himself but he'd probably end up hurt in a scuffle with a much older and potentially dangerous cat. it'd be good experience for him to learn how to deal with a loner but in the proper way. adderfang would have to further alert dapplestar and push whitewolf to lead a border patrol to deal with this. he sighed, obviously frustrated with how their leader hasn't already dealt with the situation. "good work noticing those smells, though. the fox shouldn't be a problem unless it's made a den in our territory; if so, we would have noticed by now. foxes can be nasty creatures but they're not a problem for a group of cats to chase off. we always have to be alert for badgers, though. if they find a way to our camp, they could easily kill a cat." badgers are known for their dangerous bites and for snatching and often killing kits. if a warrior ever catches the scent of one, the clan must immediately be alerted.
indent"alright, let's make our way to the cliffs," he told badgerpaw, beckoning the apprentice to stay close with the flick of his tail. "that's our western border. there's hardly any issues on the western border because it's close to the cliffs but it's our duty to keep our entire territory secure. i'll let you mark the border once we arrive."

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I.x9 moons old II. apprenticex II.xtags: pinepaw


indentmousepaw sat back on her haunches and watched as pinepaw hauled himself up a tree towards a group of thrushes in the canopy. the longer she watched pinepaw, the more unease she felt. she was beginning to think this was a bad idea. not every cat was experienced at hunting in the trees, and although pinepaw was more than happy to accept her challenge, mousepaw knew he wouldn't have backed down regardless. she felt her ears flatten as she watched the older apprentice stalk the thrushes. a lot of trees in their territory consisted of thin branches and noisy leaves, making it very hard to hunt a bird successfully. and unfortunately, the accidental movement of leaves startled the birds pinepaw was after. before mousepaw knew it, pinepaw was in the air with claws outstretched at the fleeing birds. he didn't make it. one moment he was in the air and the next he was falling, thrashing and screeching. he hit the ground with a thud, causing pine needles and crisp leaves to bounce off the forest floor.
indent"pinepaw!" she gasped, jumping to her paws and bounding over to the struggling apprentice. there was no blood, no bones protruding from underneath his fur. did he break anything? it didn't look like it. he hadn't fallen from a disastrous height but it wasn't no simple bound, either. "it's okay, you're fine! it's okay. just take some deep breaths," she lowered her head and gave his a gentle nudge in an attempt to calm him down so he didn't hyperventilate. she could tell it was mostly just panic gripping him right now. he was simply winded from the fall. "did you break anything?" this was probably the consequences of going out to hunt when they're not supposed to. littleheart usually gave her some time to herself in the mornings before finding his way to her, and now she was beginning to wish her mentor was here with them. he'd know what to do; and probably would have forbid pinepaw to make such a dangerous decision as hunting in a tree.

[deftonesly]

x

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( 50 moons ) ( deputy ) ( where: camp ) ( tags: dapplestar, lightpaw, mottlepaw ) ( words: 487 )

the magnificent white tom slid from the warriors' den into the open, parting his jaws in a yawn and stretching his stiff limbs. the warm new-leaf air hit him, and a breeze tugged at his long hair; it was a cloudy day, and whitewolf sensed rain in the clan's future. the forest was coming alive as the shadows of the night crept away, washed by the balmy, pale light of dawn. prey was plentiful this season, and the fresh-kill pile was constantly stocked. every cat was pleasant and it satisfied whitewolf to see thick, sleek pelts again after a hard leaf-bare. it gave him an immense sense of pride at his role in it all; the deputy had always been ambitious, yet shy and reserved about it, so to have acquired his dream of becoming deputy was amazing. he carried out all his duties with purpose and a stern attitude, taking his objectives as second in the clan as seriously as one could.
indentas whitewolf groomed himself and watched over his gradually awakening clanmates, he glimpsed dapplestar appearing from her den and grabbing a sparrow. it's time the day began, the deputy thought, yawning once more and blinking his narrow yellow orbs in order to shake off the last reaches of his sleep. i'll eat with dapplestar and see what she'd like me to do . . . he'd heard the mottled she-cat mentioning the scent of an outsider the other day, and he was curious to go check it out, as it wasn't often that strangers entered ravenclan's terrain. besides, he hadn't led a patrol in days, so consumed was he with organizing hunting parties and somehow squeezing in training with his apprentice, tansypaw. his thoughts switched to the ginger-and-white she-cat and he vowed to take her out with him today to learn more about scent markers, and to practice her sparring.

indentwhitewolf bounded across the camp to the fresh-kill pile, selecting a particularly plump vole and then trotting over to where dapplestar laid at the entrance to her den. before he could reach her, two apprentices, lightpaw and mottlepaw, padded up, eagerly engaging in conversation with dapplestar. whitewolf chuckled around the vole and ducked his head respectfully to the she-cat as he approached. he settled down beside her and sat quietly, listening to the chatter of the youngsters but not interrupting. the white tom was much more of a listener than a talker; what he had to say could wait. it was a good thing, to see apprentices addressing their leader, showing such respect. while he awaited interjection, he began to eat the vole he'd selected, his yowling belly urging him to do so. the flavors were intense and its meat was hearty, and it didn't take long for whitewolf to devour it. once finished he swiped his tongue over his lips and began to clean his whiskers of the mess upon them, yellow eyes shining with contentedness.

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( 9 moons ) ( apprentice to fireflower ) ( where: forest, hunting alone ) ( tags: none ) ( words: 579 )

just one step more . . .
indentthe mouse buzzardpaw was stalking froze and looked up as the apprentice accidentally stepped on a series of twigs. it held a seed between its tiny hands, and its hairless tail swished from side to side as its ears swiveled with nerves. the tortoiseshell abruptly halted in the ferns, her frosty blue eyes wide and tail slightly bushed; she didn't dare move, everything growing still as she observed the mouse's anxious movements. did i just blow it? she asked herself silently as she continued to crouch there in the concealment of the shadows of dawn, nose twitching and lips wrinkling as if she was drawing them back to finish the hunt. a few painstaking moments went by, but eventually the small brown creature returned to its prior task of nibbling the seed, seemingly passing off the sound as a rustle in the bushes. buzzardpaw felt relief rush through her . . . like rainwater hitting parched soil. thank starclan above. the young molly inched nearer, small paws moving quickly and softly across the flourishing new-leaf ground.
indenther tail stayed a few hair-lengths off of the ground, careful not to give her position away; her claws slid out, itching to sink into something. buzzardpaw slid a little closer and bunched her muscles as soon as she determined that she was close enough to strike. now!

indentbuzzardpaw exploded out of the green, furling ferns in a silent flurry of mottled color, her paws outstretched and claws unsheathed to capture the mouse, which had taken notice of her and was fleeing. she cursed under her breath, fretting losing it, but then remembered something her mentor, fireflower, had taught her: don't go to where your prey is, but where it's going to be. immediately, buzzardpaw slowed in her chase and glanced around, letting out a small yowl of excitement when she found the mouse's hole. with a massive leap, the devon rex soared over her prey, landing in front of its escape route and slamming her paws on it. the mouse squealed in her grasp, but with a quick killing bite, buzzardpaw was victorious.
indentglee poured through her at how well she was doing; previously, she had managed to catch a large crow and a nest of shrews. ravenclan would be well fed today. buzzardpaw loved hunting; it was the one way that she could escape her clanmates and the occasional sneers and just give herself up to the wildlife. even though she technically wasn't supposed to, most days the apprentice slipped out of her nest and entered the forest through the dirtplace tunnel to hunt until around sunhigh, or whenever her mentor needed her for training. no one really said anything though, as she made sure to return loaded down with as much prey as she could carry; the older cats just turned a blind eye, probably pleased for her to show so much initiative. buzzardpaw wasn't always hunting though, sometimes content to sleep under the stars or to explore. it gave her peace of mind, while often times, being in camp and surrounded by her denmates only fueled her anxiety and bitterness. it was hard not to be bitter, when she was so different from them . . . burying her mouse where she'd left the crow and shrews, buzzardpaw continued to hunt, seeing that dawn wasn't close to giving way to sunhigh yet. she headed off deeper into the forest, towards the border, curious to try her luck in some thicker undergrowth.