clan population: 06 | next starclan visit: march 23rd (today) | servings: 02 | mod: katrione | pebbles: 35 | previous: x | archive: x
──────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────Cricketpounce spared a glance at the trembling grey cat besides him. The young loner had been a pleasant companion on his journey to find SpruceClan's new home, a self proclaimed "barn cat" who was curious to know more about the older cat's way of life. But now, with an intimidating healer breathing down their necks as he inspected for travel injuries, Smokey seemed terrified. Cricketpounce felt bad for not warning the poor tom about his brother's one-track mind, but all sympathy was forgotten as Applefall ran a paw down his side, brushing right over a raw scrape in his check for injuries. "Great StarClan, Applefall!" the burly tom hissed at his brother, jerking away to lick at the tender area, fur standing on end. "Did your mentor teach you nothing about being gentle with your patients?"
The healer snorted, flicking Cricketpounce across the nose with his tail. "It's just a shallow scratch, you big baby. It won't even need herbs. Besides, Bluenose never taught me to treat our clan's warriors like they're half-moon-old kits." Cricketpounce's lip curled in offense, but his brother had already moved on to circling the newcomer, yellow eyes narrowed. "And you are?"
Smokey choked a bit in surprise. "Uh, m-my name's Smokey?" he stammered, a startled meow slipping out as Applefall poked and prodded at him experimentally. The grey tom's tail fluffed up, but he did his best to repress his shivers. "I guess your name is Applefall? It's just that, um, Cricketpounce said I could join your clan-group-thing? Wow, you guys have funny names— ow!" His rambling cut off with a yelp as the healer cracked a tick between his teeth, accidentally pinching the tom in the process.
"Finished!" Applefall chirped, suddenly much more relaxed now that his initial job was done. He sat down promptly, staring with intent at his littermate and the tagalong. "I see you picked up a stray," he mewed, to which Cricketpounce stuck out a tongue. "And you, Smokey, you say you want to join our clan?"
Relieved that he was no longer being glared at, Smokey nodded with enthusiasm. "Yes! That's why I came." When Applefall said nothing, he shot a worried glance to Cricketpounce for support. The larger black-red dappled tom moved to wrap a protective tail around the loner, raising an ear threateningly. Applefall rolled his eyes at how seriously they took his teasing.
"Alright, then. I would take you to our leader, Sparrowstar, but Cricketpounce is very obviously in favor of you sticking around," the healer purred, humor coloring his tone. "I don't have any reason not to let you in. Welcome to SpruceClan." Cricketpounce gave his brother a thankful tilt of the head, before rising to his paws and padding off deeper into the caves in search of Nightfang. Applefall started to follow, but thought better of it, pausing in his movement. The calico turned back to look at Smokey, and addressed the loner. "Here's an idea," he said. "Prove your loyalty. Hunt for the clan, and if you come back with something, I'll see to it that Sparrowstar gives you a warrior name like the rest of us when he returns." With the ultimatum delivered, Applefall spared the newcomer a smile, before vanishing into the caves with a swish of the tail.
Now alone, Smokey stared down at his paws. "Okay," he mewed. "Hunting. Yeah, I can do that." Determined, he marched right out of the caves and into the light of day.
---
Though Nightfang had protested, Sparrowstar knew in his heart that this journey was meant to be taken alone. He didn't regret the decision one bit, either. Someone needed to keep the clan running in his absence, and his close friends were just the right cats for the job. Sparrowstar was regretting the decision to forgo a meal beforehand, though, as his stomach rumbled for the fourth time in the hour he'd been walking. But none of that mattered, because as he rounded another corner of the jagged stone path, any complaint he might have had died on his tongue. "Found it," he breathed. The gaping cave mouth was dark, but somewhere in there, he knew there was a cavern filled with massive glowing pointed stones and a pool of icy waters. Sparrowstar's chest heaved with excitement and a little bit of fear; just thinking of what was to come had his heart racing. He steeled himself, and took a step into the shadows.
---
The small, fluffy little she-cat practically blended in with the mountain, but everywhere she looked, it was beautiful. "Whoah..." Ivypaw murmured, quivering with lots of excitement and a touch of fatigue. "This is amazing!" Above, the skies shone a clear blue, high up enough that the heavy fog of SpruceClan's old territory no longer clouded her vision. Traces of Newleaf greenery popped up in every place the hardy plants could find. The air was heavy with the scent of prey. And somewhere nearby, she could hear pawsteps. In fact, if she squinted, Ivypaw could make out a black figure pacing around near the entrance to a cave. 'A SpruceClan cat!'
"Hi!" the apprentice greeted, her green eyes wide and bright as she scampered after the cat. "I'm Ivypaw!" Alerted by the noise, Nightfang turned to face her pursuer; her jaw dropped. She recognized this cat, from back when Ivypaw was just a tiny grey Ivykit, nestled at her mother's side. 'That would've been right before before Marshstar's death, when everything fell apart... but who gave Ivypaw an apprentice name? And why is she here alone?'
"Who let you climb that mountain by yourself?" Nightfang practically wailed, horrified. Ivypaw's nose wrinkled as the black she-cat practically threw herself at the little cat, grooming her with the ferocity of a first-time queen. This kept up until Ivypaw looked less like an apprentice and more like a disgruntled grey dandelion, at which point the she-cat wrenched herself free from the warrior's grasp.
"Nobody!" Ivypaw sniffed, offended at the very suggestion that she'd need permission. "I chose to come myself. My mentor Weaseltooth left SpruceClan, 'cause it's not going so well down there, but I didn't want to!" At that, Nightfang sat down slowly, watching the kit rub the tan streak of fur on her nose flat. "So I said goodbye to my mentor, and found you guys! I just followed Cricketpounce and that grey cat that went with him." Taking Nightfang's loss for words as an invitation, Ivypaw opened her mouth to bombard the she-cat with questions. "Is it true, what Briarmask said? That Sparrowtail's gonna lead us now? And who's gonna be my new mentor? Can I talk to—"
"Okay!" Nightfang yowled, loud enough to startle Ivypaw into silence. The grey kitten blinked, before sitting and staring at the black she-cat expectantly. Nightfang's face grew a little hot. "Um," she began. "Sparrowstar can answer your questions later. For now, though, I guess I can be your mentor. My name is Nightfang."
Ivypaw beamed, touching noses with the older she-cat gracefully. "Nice to meet you, Nightfang!" All hostilities forgotten, Ivypaw sidled up next to her new mentor, nudged the warrior to her feet, and immediately began to chatter louder than a bluejay in Newleaf. "C'mon, c'mon, c'mon! Show me around! This place is so cool. Oh, and what else are we gonna do today? Maybe train a little? And—"
Nightfang smiled wryly, suddenly and painfully aware of just how much energy apprentices had in them. "Alright then, mouse-brain," she meowed. "Follow along, and listen closely! I won't be repeating myself."
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ACTIONS
SpruceClan consumes 1 mouse and 1 frog
[ Sparrowstar goes to the Star-Cave to get his nine lives. Before he leaves, he asks StarClan for a warrior ]
[ Nightfang becomes Ivypaw's mentor ]
[ Nightfang and Ivypaw train in climbing ]
[ Nightfang, Cricketpounce, and Ivypaw go on patrol]
[ Smokey hunts alone to prove himself ]
[ Applefall searches for herbs ]
MOD NOTES
* the cooldown for a starclan request is two weeks if you request a specific cat, right?
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- LEADER
Sparrowstar | 39 moons | male | x
Lives: ★★★★★★★★★
DEPUTY
Name | Age | Gender | [url=link]x[/url]
HEALER
Applefall | 34 moons | male | x
Skill Points: ✿ ✿ ✿ ✿ ✿
WARRIORS
Nightfang | 26 moons | female | x
Cricketpounce | 34 moons | male | x
Smokey (Smokestep) | 25 moons | male | x
APPRENTICES
Ivypaw | 9 moons | female | x
Name | Age | Gender | [url=link]x[/url]
QUEENS
Name | Age | Gender | [url=link]x[/url]
Name | Age | Gender | [url=link]x[/url]
KITS
Name | Age | Gender | [url=link]x[/url]
Name | Age | Gender | [url=link]x[/url]
ELDERS
Name | Age | Gender | [url=link]x[/url]
Name | Age | Gender | [url=link]x[/url]
- HERB STORAGE
Alder Bark (1) | toothache
Borage (1) | eases fever, produces more milk
Catmint (2) | cures greencough & whitecough
Chervil (1) | bellyache, infection, kitting
Cobweb (1) | binds a wound, stops bleeding
Horsetail (1) | infection, stops bleeding
Marigold (1) | infection, inflammation, stiff joints
Yarrow (1) | extracts poison or toxins
FRESH-KILL PILE
Snow Hare | x 0 | 3 servings
Bird | x 3 | 3 servings
Small Fish | x 0 | 2 servings
Ermine | x 0 | 2 servings
Frog | x 2 | 1 servings
Mouse | x 0 | 1 servings
MENTORS
Nightfang | Ivypaw | hunt, swim, climb, battle, stealth
Mentor | Apprentice | Skills
DECEASED CATS
Cat Name | Cause of Death
Cat Name | Cause of Death
FAMILIES
Name and Name | Kits
Name and Name | Kits
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