zephyrine wrote:"Dewpaw," Frigidrose purred as she quickly padded toward him, a broad smile on her face. "I asked Ashenclaw if he could put us on the hunting patrol so everyone could see how your training has progressed and if you're ready for your ceremony. Most everyone is working on patching up the dens so the flooding doesn't reach many of them, especially the nursery, so it's going to be a small patrol. And guess who's coming...." she trailed off with a slight giggle, staring at him expectantly. Dewpaw narrowed his eyes a little in puzzlement. It was weird how happy she looked while she told him this. "Uh..." "Your mother." A slight chill ran down the white tom's spine. So that's what she was talking about.... "You remember what we rehearsed, right? You know the plan?" Dewpaw nodded, his flat expression revealing none of his inner turmoil. "Great! Oh, and it gets better. Webfang's coming, too. StarClan, luck is on our side!" Frigidrose whispered. Her expression was very similar to one of an excited kit when they get to leave the nursery for the first time. The apprentice gulped, his face remaining emotionless while his stomach began to churn as the realization came to him. Their plan was being put into action - today, now. It was frightening. "They should be here any moment - oh, yes, there you are!" Frigidrose called to the two approaching warriors. Snowstep was beaming with pride as she gazed at her son. "Oh StarClan, I can't believe it! You've grown up so fast.... How are you feeling, dear?" Dewpaw shrugged and stared at the ground, gnawing on the inside of his cheek. "Ah, nervous, I see. You'll be just fine, don't worry," she purred as she stepped forward to lick the top of his head. For once he didn't pull away in disgust. Noticing this, Snowstep tilted her head to the side a little. "Is something wrong?" Dewpaw shuffled his paws uncertainly, keeping his gaze toward the ground in front of his paws. His voice came out in a tiny whisper as he raised his head to look her in the eye for just a moment, "Mom..." It sounded like a whimper. Out of the corner of his eye, he found Frigidrose shooting him a cold, hard stare. Quickly, he lowered his gaze, stuttering quietly, "N-nev-v-ver mi-mind." "Alright," Frigidrose meowed quite loudly, "Let's get going, shall we?"
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"We should try another way. There isn't going to be any prey near this rushing water," Webfang suggested. Frigidrose shook her head. "Oh no, this is perfect. They will all be trying to get a little drink and will be too focused on not falling in, so it would be easier to catch them this way." The dark tabby warrior narrowed his eyes. "I've never heard of that. It's too risky. One of us might fall in if we aren't careful." "It will be fine," Dewpaw spoke up. "We're all skilled hunters. We won't fall in." Webfang sighed and shook his head a little, "Alright, if you say so." Frigidrose motioned to him with her tail and mewed, "Webfang, why don't we try a little farther up the river while Dewpaw and Snowstep stay here?" Webfang agreed and followed her about four monster-lengths away from the other two. "Do you see anything? Smell anything?" Snowstep asked her son. He shook his head. "Not yet. Let's get closer to the water and have a look around." "Be careful, okay?" Dewpaw nodded as he began to step toward the swollen river. It was quite a sight, and the roar of it was almost deafening. He came to a halt just a few mouse-lengths away from it, shaking the droplets of water from the spray out of his pelt. When Snowstep came up beside him, he threw Frigidrose a glance, asking if the time was right. She held up her tail, signaling to wait a bit. "It's so beautiful, isn't it?" Snowstep mewed, watching the foamy water rush past them. "And yet it's so deadly." Dewpaw remained silent, going over his training sessions in his head, preparing for what he was about to do. "I'm so glad I got to come with you on your assessment. You're going to be such an amazing warrior. I'm proud to call you my son." The apprentice's breath caught in his throat. He stared at the water with wide eyes. How could he do such a thing? How could he do it to his own mother? He just had to do it - now, before he convinced himself otherwise. Unthinking, fighting tears, he lunged at Snowstep. The force of his body slamming into hers knocked her off balance and tumbling into the river. Dewpaw struggled to regain his own balance and hurry away from the water's edge, running to a nearby tree and collapsing against it. He held his paws tight over his ears to drown out his mother's screams for help. When at last only the rushing of the water could be heard, the young tom fought back the coming sob. His throat tightened and his breaths came in gasps. He would not let himself cry. He had proven his loyalty to Frigidrose, but a sobbing mess afterwards would make her think him weak. Then another splash, farther away, sounded. Dewpaw threw a glance toward the area where Frigidrose and Webfang had been standing. Webfang was gone, and Frigidrose was trotting toward her apprentice. "Good," she meowed. "You have earned my trust, Dewpaw. But next time wait for my signal."
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Ashenclaw's ears flattened against the back of his head as a wail sounded from the leader's den. Frigidrose and Dewpaw had returned, but Webfang and Snowstep hadn't. They had been 'lost to the floods.' But the other two were completely fine. Ashenclaw knew that something was up. Frigidrose, the Clan-mate all the newcomers had once been warned about, the one who was known to cause trouble, and her apprentice had arrived at camp unscathed. If they had been trying to help their Clan-mates out of the river - however impossible some may deem the idea - their pelts would have been soaked and smeared with mud. They would be breathing hard. Instead they looked just the way they had when they left the camp, but most everyone was too grief-stricken to notice. The gray tabby tom padded quickly to Emberstar's den. Frigidrose was sitting next to the leader with her tail wrapped around her. When Ashenclaw entered, her head jerked up in surprise and she gave him a hard stare. The deputy ignored this and sat down on the opposite side of the den. "Emberstar, is there anything I can do for you?" he meowed calmly. He was met with trembling sobs. Frigidrose advised, "It would be best for you to leave. She's still in shock, and having multiple cats around would likely overwhelm her." Ashenclaw nodded but paid no attention to what she said. "Emberstar, might I suggest a possible cause of your mate's death?" Frigidrose glared at him and hissed, "He slipped into the water. There was nothing I could do." Emberstar nodded her agreement. Ashenclaw sighed, pausing a moment to gather his thoughts. "I believe that may not be correct." Finally Emberstar looked up at him. The fur on her face was damp with her tears and her eyes were glossy. "Wh-what do you mean?" she choked out, her voice a hoarse whisper. "Nothing, Emberstar, nothing - don't pay any attention to him," Frigidrose quickly intervened, shooting an icy glare at Ashenclaw. He ignored it and answered the leader, "I apologize for my bluntness, but I believe it may be a murder. Same for Snowstep." Emberstar gasped and Frigidrose leapt to her feet. "GET OUT!" she shrieked. "I cannot leave, I am waiting for my leader's response." "I said -" "Ashenclaw..." Emberstar interrupted. "How... how could you suggest such a thing? Frigidrose would never do that." There was a long, drawn-out silence before the deputy spoke again, "I must insist." Emberstar shook her head slowly, gaze glued to the ground. "No... no! She never would! I can't believe you're saying this!" she hissed. "Emberstar -" "No! No! I don't understand how you could think such of your own Clan-mate! Soon enough you'll be splitting the Clan apart, and my life's work will be destroyed! You - you cannot be my deputy any longer - you can't!" Ashenclaw was taken aback by this. Was she serious? Had Frigidrose really twisted her mind this much? "Yes, that's what I must do. Ashenclaw, you will no longer be my deputy. Frigidrose will take your place." The tom stood there, gaping, while the gray she-cat allowed a broad smile to creep onto her face. "Emberstar, thank you. I would be honored to be your deputy."
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"Sootkit, do you have to go sleep in that other den when you're an apprentice? Why can't you stay here?" Lightkit whined as he began to chase his brother's tail. "Because I'll be an apprentice, silly," Sootkit sighed. "Apprentices sleep in the apprentices' den, kits sleep in the nursery." "But can't this be an exception? I don't want you to go until we all can go!" Daisyskip chuckled at Lightkit's complaints, "Don't worry, Lightkit. It won't be so long before you and Tawnykit are apprentices, too. Sootkit might have to wait a little longer anyways..." she trailed off as she thought of Emberstar and what she was going through. "Poor Emberstar probably isn't feeling well enough to do his ceremony." Lightkit gasped, a bright smile instantly replacing the frown he had a moment ago. "Really?! Yay!" "Lightkit! That isn't something to be happy about!" Tawnykit giggled, "Lightkit, you're hilarious!" The giggles were quickly interrupted when Isidora came trotting into the nursery. On her face she wore something that could be described as a sad smile. "I just checked with Frigidrose - she said the ceremonies will begin shortly." Daisyskip narrowed her eyes in puzzlement. Wouldn't that have been Ashenclaw's task? - to speak with the leader about matters such as ceremonies and then deliver the news to the Clan? An ordinary warrior wouldn't be doing that. Why was Frigidrose? However, the queen decided not to question it and began to frantically clean Sootkit's pelt.
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"Mom! What happened? Are you okay?!" Heatherpond cried as she ran to her mother, who was returning from a stroll out in the forest. It was the day after the incident, and she had decided to go for a little walk because it would help her to calm down. But it looked as though it had been anything but calming. The leader had clearly been attacked by something. She was struggling to get herself into the camp and she looked utterly exhausted. "Badgers," she breathed. "Four. Not far." Heatherpond, Willowcloud, and Dustfall helped her to the medicine den where she collapsed onto a bed of moss. "She'll sleep for a while," Willowcloud mewed as the three stood there watching their leader, all wishing to do everything they could to help her, but it was in StarClan's paws. "Badgers couldn't have ripped away as many lives as she has left. Hopefully she lost only one, but it could be up to three, I guess." "Is there anything you can do for her?" Heatherpond whimpered. The medicine cat shook her head. "StarClan is taking good care of her, don't worry. She will be healed in no time." "What happened?" All three heads turned at Frigidrose's voice. "She said it was a badger - no, four badgers, sorry. They're near the camp," the young warrior mewed. Frigidrose stiffened, recalling her son's death. "She's alright?" she asked, stepping forward to take a look at the leader. "Just fine. StarClan is healing her." Frigidrose sat back on her haunches, her gaze never leaving Emberstar, and remained silent for a little while before speaking again, "I'm going to get a patrol together. We're going to drive these badgers out once and for all." They had no idea, however, that the new deputy didn't plan to merely drive the badgers out of the territory, but drive them into a certain couple of camps.
Webfang is murdered by Frigidrose
Snowstep is murdered by Dewpaw
Becoming warriors: Dewpaw, Russetpaw, Otterpaw, + Brightpaw -> Dewfang, Russetdash, Ottershade, + Brightstream
Becoming an apprentice: Sootkit -> Sootpaw
Emberstar forces Ashenclaw to give up his deputy rank and become a warrior
Frigidrose is appointed deputy
Emberstar loses three lives to a badger attack
Frigidrose, Patchthorn, Frostpath, Badgerstrike, Breezeclaw, + Dewfang set out to lure the badgers into the CaveClan and ForestClan camps (will be rp'ed out)
Herb hunting: Appleheart
