[HibiscusBlossom]

mark!

[wolf ;;]

dropping

[aortic]

Dropping!
Good luck to everyone!

[eel.]

So beautiful, mark!

[kittykore]

Username: Jack Cat Name: Clearsky Gender: Male Clan: Sootstar Qualities:

[aergia]

markinggg

[Hail.]

Username: howlingtothestars
Cat Name: Frostheart
Gender: she-cat
Clan: Cinderclan

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Note: for coding purposes, the word "space" is placed hidden at the start of the paragraph. For the complete text without hidden words (for word count purposes) there is a google doc here with the complete text, or you can use this site.

--Word Count--
Microsoft Word: 4,819
WordCounter.net: 4,835

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Qualities:

spaceThe woods were still, filled with the rhythmic chirping of crickets and quiet rustling of trees softly shaking in the breeze. In the camp, the cats were returning to their dens to sleep. Sparrowpaw slipped into the apprentice den and quickly flopped onto her bed of moss, though her eyes lingered open. Duskfall hesitated before entering his den, eyeing Cedarstar, but eventually stepped within and sat on his bed. Petalfall and Lightpool entered the medicine den, chatting quietly with their eyes flicking back to the new warrior. Cedarstar stood outside of her den, watching the new, short-tailed cat as she entered the warriors den. Frostheart walked slowly, her head and tail low and her eyes distant. Cedarstar’s ear flicked as the female vanished from sight. The leader waited a moment, then approached her deputy – Duskfall – who quickly stepped out of his den, expecting her to arrive. “Is it bothering you, still?” The tom purred quietly, his eyes flickering to the warrior’s den and back.

space“I don’t have much of a reason not to trust her, but it still eats at my mind.” Cedarstar purred back, her eyes focused on something distant. “Her story seems truthful, but a bear in these forests?”

spaceDuskfall met her eyes. “So, what will you do?”

space“I wish to consult StarClan about this matter, but I don’t want anyone left behind. . . If she is lying, it would be too dangerous.”

space“I’ll get the others, then.”

spaceAs if on cue, the apprentice padded out of her den and approached the two cats, her fur ruffling in the soft wind. “Where are we going?”

spaceCedarstar smiled at the apprentice. “Your ears are too large.”

spaceSparrowpaw stuck her tongue out playfully at her leader and Duskfall spoke up. “So, the Moon Stone or the Pool of Dreams?”

space“The Pool of Dreams. StarClan is present there more often.”

spaceCedarstar opened her mouth for a moment, puzzled as to how Sparrowpaw knew this, but closed it and nodded, deciding now wasn’t the time. “Let’s move quickly and be back before morning.” The cats nodded and slipped to the medicine den to gather the remaining two and make their path to the Pool of Dreams.

·....·...·..· ··▹❅◃·· ·..·...·....·

spaceCedarstar entered the small clearing first, her eyes widening slightly as she took in the beauty of the area. Trees towered in an imperfect of ring, circling a large, crystal clear pool. The surface of the water seemed to sparkle, releasing vibrant blues and whites into the air above it. As the five cats drew closer to the water, their eyes drifted downward. The bottom of the pool was visible and they watched the grass as it swayed hypnotically.

spaceCedarstar looked back for a moment and Lightpool nodded to her in encouragement. The she-cat crouched before the pool and gently tapped her nose against the still water, disturbing it with a small ripple. Almost instantly, a light arrived behind them and the they looked back to the source. Before them, two she-cats stood. The first, and larger, was a pale grey, long haired lynx-point with rich green eyes. The second was a rich seal and cream lynx-point she-cat with a cream muzzle and vibrant green eyes. On the seconds chest, a savage wound shimmered in vibrant silver, marking her cause of death.

spaceCedarstar stepped forward and opened her mouth, but the smaller she-cat spoke before she could. “You don’t have to do any of that fancy introduction or explanation stuff, we know why you’re here.” Her voice was like a warm summer's day, strong and a little deep, but also soothing. She gave a warm smile to the trio and gently sat down, curling her tail to her feet. “I am Bearfur, Frostheart’s sister.”

spaceCedarstar’s eyes widened slowly and fell to the mark on her chest. Frostheart’s story came to her mind, and suddenly she believed it a little more. There was no way a cat could make a wound such as that.

spaceThe larger female spoke up next. Her voice was soft, like wind through trees. “I am Eaglewing, Bearfur and Frostheart’s mother. You have come to find the truth, have you not?” Cedarstar nodded and Eaglewing gestured to Bearfur.

spaceBearfur sighed softly and smiled, making eye contact with each of them one at a time. “My sister did not lie to you. We had an argument in our clan and she ran off. I followed after her – later than I am happy to admit – and found her at the Moon Stone, though we did not know its name at the time. I tried talking with her, but an argument broke out. That is when the bear arrived. I told her to run, but she was frozen in fear. So, I tried to fight it to buy her time. . .” The she-cat’s paw drifted up to her throat and she smiled sadly. “You can guess how well that went. . . I followed her after that, back to the clan, and I watched as she told the truth. But they rejected her, claiming she was a liar and banishing her. I followed her on her path until she found your clan.”

spaceCedarstar frowned slightly. “So, we can trust her?”

spaceBearfur nodded boldly. “She is perhaps the most honest and peaceful she-cat I have ever met.”

spaceDuskfall stepped forward. He glanced at Cedarstar for a moment, then spoke up. “So, you two seem to know her best. What is she like, then? How would she benefit our clan?”

spaceThe two she-cats looked at each other for a moment, then Eaglewing spoke up, meeting Duskfall’s eyes. “I died when they gained their apprenticeship so I cannot speak from full personal experience of her actions later in life, but as a kit she was always cautious, though never fearful. Every new thing she would encounter, she would stop to investigate it thoroughly until she felt she had a solid understanding. In the times where an object startled Bearfur, she would study it, then call her sister over only when she felt it was safe and would help Bearfur adjust and learn that it was safe. She looked out for her sister, and me as well. When she was to become an apprentice, she was extremely eager to have the chance to explore the clan’s territory to its fullest and would talk to me often on those nights where rest evaded me, telling me stories of how she and her sister would become the best warriors known.”

spaceBearfur spoke up next, a thoughtful smile on her muzzle. “Everything she said is true. She was always there for us and would encourage me to test the limits and gain courage. After Eaglewing passed, I was quiet and reclusive for a while, but she was the one to work harder to make Eaglewing proud. It was her strong spirit that helped me to move on. We were trained separately – our mentors weren’t the best of friends. She was assigned to Lionjaw, and I worked under Wolfhowl. I cannot say how quickly she learned, but I can say that she was better than me.

spaceThere is one encounter I can remember vividly. I was hunting a squirrel when she jumped out of a different hiding place and caught it first. The wind was blowing our scents away so neither of us knew the other was there. While our mentors argued about whose kill it should have been, she talked with me and gave me tips and tricks to hunting and how to make my body lighter and quieter. She apologized for taking my prey and invited me to a secret hunting session after the sun fell, so of course I agreed. Once they left, though, Wolfhowl put it into my head that this was all a big competition. He made me jealous of her and weary that she would make me the lesser sibling, so I planned to beat her during our hunting session.” Her voice grew a little softer here, full of regret. “During the session, I was getting frustrated. She was catching more prey than me, but I refused to listen to any advice. At one point, I wanted to steal her prey from her, but she caught it before I could try. I got so angry that I jumped at her and slashed her cheek. We quickly went home and she went to the medicine cat’s den. I was sure she would tell on me, but I soon found that she claimed we were sleeping when I had a nightmare. She tried to wake me up but I accidentally caught her face with my claws. Despite my horrible action against her, she forgave me the next day.”

spaceDuskfall’s eyes drifted to Cedarstar, who was lost in deep thought. He opened his mouth to speak, but Petalfall spoke first.

space“So, why did you guys argue again, then?” The she-cat frowned, watching the StarClan cats.

spaceBearfur smiled softly. “Well, while Frostheart was ready to forgive nearly everything, I was more vengeful. She got her warriors name half a moon before me, and I could never let it go. Our bond grew more and more fragile, but she wanted to repair it. She approached me and said she was assigned to a patrol and wanted me to accompany her. I agreed, not having anything else to do. We walked and she talked about how beautiful the territory was and how the other cats told her stories of lands beyond this one. I got frustrated and yelled at her. I wrongfully accused her of stealing everyone’s hearts and turning them against me so she could get all the attention. I accused her of being a terrible cat and sister, even after all she had done for me. She grew upset and denied it all, but I persisted. Eventually, she gently told me that if I wanted the attention of the clan then she would get out of my way, and she ran off, leaving the territory borders. I didn’t follow her. I started marching back, angry and seething, but with guilt pulling at my heart.

spaceOn the way back, I ran into the deputy. She asked what I was doing and I told her that Frostheart invited me on the patrol she was assigned to. She told me she had never told Frostheart to do a patrol. It was then that I understood that she had lied to me get me away from the clan and attempt to restore our bond. I ran, leaving the deputy without an explanation and following Frosthearts trail. That’s when I found her by the stone.”

spaceDuskfur frowned. “If Frostheart wanted to repair your bond and you felt guilty, why did another argument break out?”

spaceBearfur nodded slightly. “You need to understand what she was going through. She had lost her mother eight moons earlier and was now losing her sister to envy and jealousy. She was upset and wanted to think, but I had followed her. I wanted to talk, and she said she didn’t so I asked her to listen. I began apologizing for everything, beating on myself and putting her up higher. She got mad. Frostheart did not want to hear me beating myself down, and she had become fed up with being placed on this pedestal of perfection by other cats. She shouted at me, telling me I was wrong, and I reacted poorly. We began shouting at each other when the bear arrived behind me.”

spaceIt was Cedarstar’s turn to speak up. “You speak highly of this she-cat, yet it seems to me as though she likes to bend the rules. She snuck out with you to train without other cats knowing, she lied to a medicine cat, she went on a patrol without permission, and then she left her clan with little cause other than that her sister was upset.” Cedarstar frowned and met Bearfur’s eyes. “Forgive me, but she doesn’t exactly sound trustworthy.”

spaceBearfur frowned and nodded. “I never said she was perfect. However. . . She spent four moons alone, living as a rogue and believing no one stood by her side. During that time, I saw a change in her. She first grew angry with StarClan and cursed them for taking me away and placing her on this path. Soon, though, her bitterness faded into sadness and she apologized to them sincerely and tried to bargain with them. If she could see me once, she would never complain again. If she could hear my voice, she would be satisfied with a life alone. They never answered her, but she never gave up hope. She eventually stopped bargaining and walked in silence.”

spaceBearfur’s expression slowly darkened with a strange sadness, the kind of sadness one gets when thinking of a loved one who suffers greatly and would be happy to find a release. “Frostheart. . . She’s not perfect, but she tries her best. She is kind and generous, though she lies.” A small, sad laugh escaped her. “She’s hard on herself, brutal sometimes. She can be a mess, but her heart is right.” Her voice slowly faded to a quiet mew. “She gets hurt, but she learned how to toughen up. She's been broken, but won’t seek help. And. . . because of me, she is lonely.” Her eyes lifted and locked onto Cedarstar. “I know your clan is small, and I know that accepting a cat like her at this point is probably not what you want, but. . .”

spaceHer eyes closed, and she stood slowly. Her eyes opened as she began to speak. “If I’m honest, you’re not what I asked for. In those moons I followed her, I pleaded with StarClan for a clan that could help her. I pleaded with them for a strong clan that would help her repair herself and become who she was again, but it was not so. In those moons, Eaglewing approached me twice and told me of StarClan's course for my sister.” Her fur bristled slightly and her eyes gleamed with fire. “She’s bruised, and scared, and she feels alone now. At this point in life, she needs a clan to help her. A clan that can remind her to fight, even a little, to herself again. She needs a strong clan.”

spaceCedarstar spoke, her head high. “But that is not what she got, no? We are not what you would consider a strong clan.”

spaceBearfur’s body slowly relaxed as she released a soft breath. “No. . . No, you are not a strong clan. . . yet.” Her eyes grew strong as she made direct eye contact with Cedarstar. “You are a small clan of five, and if I didn’t know any better I would be pleading for you to let her go. But I have been told her purpose in your clan by fellow StarClan cats and I have learned to release it. I have learned to let go of the fears I have for her living with a small clan like this, because I know of her fate. I know of the fate of your clan, how she will help you, and that's why I am asking – no. Begging – you to give her a chance. I will not say she will not disappoint you, for all have their flawed moments. I will not say she will never break a rule or never grow frustrated or angry, but I can say that in the end, the benefit she will be to your clan will make her flaws appear infinitesimal.”

spaceCedarstar stood for a moment, gazing stoically at Bearfur. Then, she broke her gaze away and turned to her clan mates. “So, what do you think?”

spaceLightpool was the first to speak. “She seems humble and respectful, and she hasn’t held any ill intent towards us. If she is looking for a home, I think we should give her a shot. Everyone is flawed, I am not excused from that, either. . .”

spacePetalfall rested her tail on the medicine cats shoulder, then spoke. “I agree. I had the chance to speak with her. She is much like how I was when we first met - broken hearted and depressed. A clan could be just what she needs to get back on her paws and restart her life for the better.”

spaceSparrowpaw spoke up eagerly. “I like her. She entered our clan with a low head and heart, uncertain, knowing she was a rouge and what could happen to her for trespassing. She asked us only for a place to sleep for the night, but I saw it in her eyes. She wants a family again, cats to be friends with and to live peacefully with. She was wrongly thrown out and accused of killing her sister, an action she did not do. My vote is for her to join us. She has knowledge of clan life and Wolf Forest, and she sounds to be a skilled hunter. Plus,” Sparrowpaw smirked teasingly. “she’s a gorgeous she-cat, so maybe we could attract more toms.”

spaceCedarstar stared in shock at the apprentice. “Sparrowpaw!”

space“What?! We only have old Duskfall! Besides, is it too much for me to ask that another apprentice shows up so I’m not considered the baby of the clan?” Sparrowpaw bristled, staring up grumpily at the older cats. Cedarstar’s expression did not change, but Duskfall’s broke as he burst into laughter.

space“Well, on that note.” Duskfall calmed his laugher and smiled at the apprentice, then his leader. “I’d vote she stays as well.” He faced Cedarstar. “You accepted me, as a deputy no less, knowing I killed my leader – my father – removing four lives from him, and killed his deputy – my own brother.”

spaceCedarstar frowned at him. “You did it out of loyalty for your clan, you did it to save and protect them.”

spaceDuskfall smiled. “And Frostheart did all of that out of loyalty for her sister. I see no difference. She is a loyal cat looking for a home and a family, and we are hypocrites if we were to deny her a home.” Duskfall lifted his head, suddenly filled with confidence. “Weren’t you the one saying you wanted your clan to be a sanctuary? Why deny a she-cat who has done nearly everything in her life for the sake of her family?”

spaceCedarstar’s eyes narrowed as she glared at her deputy, but the expression was short lived. She released by a heavy sigh and looked at the two StarClan cats, then down at the grass which poked up around her paws. She adjusted her jaw and moved her tail to the other side, then flicked her ear. “When she first entered the clan, I could tell she was no threat.” Her eyes met Bearfur’s. “As you said, she looked broken and lonely, and exhaustion lined each movement.” She turned her gaze to Lightpool. “I accepted you because knowledge is limited. You had gone to two-leg place for a new start, and not as an act of betrayal. Even when there, defeated and ashamed, you continued to work hard.” She turned to Petalfall. “You came to me broken and depressed at the loss of a friend, a loss that was not your fault. Since your arrival in the clan, I have seen growth in you, growth that cannot be measured by words.” Her eyes drifted to Sparrowpaw. “I accepted you because your clan had died and you had no home or family to return to. And if I decide to accept Frostheart, it will not be to attract more toms.” She turned her attention to Duskfall. “I accepted you because your family and home had rejected you for your actions. You broke the warrior code by killing other cats – including your leader and deputy. However, sometimes the breaking of the code is a necessity. I accepted you as deputy because of your loyalty to your clan, one which triumphed even family bonds.”

spaceSlowly, her eyes returned to Bearfur. “You claim to know how Frostheart will benefit my clan. I understand that these are things which likely will not be revealed to me in this moment, as StarClan seems to work in strange ways. However. . .” Cedarstar’s eyes turned to Eaglewing, then up to the stars. “StarClan led me out here, took me from that barn and my family so that I could create a home for those who are lost and rejected.” She paused and her eyes turned to her clan. “Rejecting Frostheart would be breaking the purpose given to me by them. It would be turning my back on my father completely – leaving him alone for no cause. Frostheart has done nothing wrong, she was banished unjustly. She may have made mistakes, but to error is to live.” Cedarstar bowed her head to the StarClan cats and her clan followed suit. “Thank you for your knowledge, and thank you for the honesty you presented my clan.”

spaceBearfur and Eaglewing smiled and nodded. Eaglewing vanished into stardust, but Bearfur hesitated. “May I make a request?” Cedarstar nodded and the she-cat continued. “Please tell my sister that I will never let her be alone, and that we are proud of her.” She smiled softly. “I think, knowing that we are okay and watching over her will help her to repair what has been broken.”

spaceCedarstar nodded. “I will ensure your message is passed on.”

spaceBearfur smiled in gratitude, then vanished into stardust.

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spaceThey slipped through the brambles which surrounded the camp, Cedarstar in the lead. Once within, she hesitated and gazed at Frostheart, who sat outside of the warriors den, watching them quietly. As the others slipped through, Cedarstar mewed to them, her eyes remaining on Frostheart. “Go to your dens, I will talk to her and share the news.”

spaceThe cats hesitated for a moment, then broke off to return to their dens for the night. Once both cats had left her, Cedarstar approached Frostheart and sat beside the she-cat, her eyes on the stars above. “It’s beautiful, isn’t it?”

spaceFrostheart’s eyes followed hers and met the stars. “Yes. . . I’ve always wondered what it’s like up there.”

spaceCedarstar smiled. “I’m going to guess cold.” Frostheart smiled at her joke, but didn’t laugh. Cedarstar’s eyes remained fixated on the skies as she spoke. “So, you plan on leaving at dawn?

spaceFrostheart’s eyes fell. “Yes. . . I do not belong in a clan, and I do not want to burden yours any longer.”

spaceCedarstar shrugged softly. “They seem to like you – particularly Sparrowpaw.” She thought of telling her what Sparrowpaw had remarked on, but decided not to make the situation awkward. “Duskfall thinks you have good potential as a loyal warrior.”

spaceFrostheart frowned. “Why? My clan accused me of murder and threw me out, so why would he consider me to be loyal?”

spaceCedarstar smiled softly. “You know, when I met Duskfall he was on the run. That scar on his neck was open and bleeding, and his fur was in a matted mess. He told me his story, and told me the truth of it all. He had killed his leader, removing the toms final four lives, and killed his deputy as well.” Frostheart stared at Cedarstar in shock. “They were his family – his father and brother. However, even with that knowledge I accepted him into my clan and as my deputy.” Cedarstar finally broke her gaze from the skies and met with Frostheart’s. “Do you know why?”

spaceFrostheart shook her head slowly, baffled.

space“Frostheart, I value honesty, especially honesty about hard things. He admitted to me – a cat he did not know – what he had done with little hesitation. Much like you did. You told me the truth you knew your old clan rejected. I could have done the same as them, I could have tried to kill you. You could have lied, claimed you lost your clan to a river or fire. Yet, you were honest. Duskfall explained your loyalty to me, as well. You hold family in high standard and you are loyal to them.” Cedarstar’s expression grew serious. “Frostheart, if you are to join this clan I ask that you treat us as family. We are small, and weak now, but we could use a cat like you.”

spaceFrostheart’s eyes widened. “Are you. . .?”

spaceCedarstar nodded. “We were gone to speak with StarClan. The result led me to see your value and capability to help my clan.” She stood and stretched her legs. “I will retire to my den, and I advise you get some sleep as well. You can inform me in the morning if you would like to stay or leave.” She began walking forward, but stopped and looked back. “Also, a she-cat named Bearfur asked me to tell you that she has been and always will be watching over you, and that you have made her and Eaglewing proud.”

spaceFrostheart’s eyes widened and Cedarstar walked back to her den. Before entering, she looked back at the she-cat who was facing the sky with wide eyes and a slightly opened mouth. Cedarstar smiled softly and slipped into her den. She curled up on her moss bed and allowed herself to fall asleep.

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spaceCedarstar awoke to the light resting on her pelt being interrupted by a shadow. She opened her eyes and glanced up to see the large, soft paws of Frostheart slowly begin to step back as the she-cat realized Cedarstar had been sleeping. Cedarstar straightened to a seated position, stretching her back. “It’s okay, you can come in.”

spaceFrostheart walked in with her head lowered. “Sorry for waking you.”

spaceCedarstar shrugged. “I needed to get up anyway. Did you make your decision?”

spaceFrostheart nodded. “Cedarstar, you clan is indeed small, but full of heart. The bond between you and the other two is clear to see, even after only one day. You are family to each other.” She paused and sat down, looking at the light seeping in from the den opening. “You offered me a place in your family last night, and, if you are sure, I would love to accept it. I want to start anew, with a family and clan again. I want to make my family proud, and I want to help your clan strengthen and thrive. I will do whatever I can to make it so.”

spaceCedarstar smiled and nodded. “Well, Frostheart. You want to strengthen my clan?” She stood and walked out of her den, Frostheart following her. “Sparrowpaw, come here.”

spaceThe apprentice sprinted over eagerly. “Yes?”

spaceCedarstar looked at Frostheart. “Have you ever mentored before?” Frostheart shook her head and Cedarstar continued. “One thing your sister told me was how skilled you were at hunting. I want you to mentor Sparrowpaw, and I want you two to learn from each other in the process.”

spaceFrostheart’s eyes widened and she gazed down at the apprentice who beamed up at her. Frostheart’s shock faded into a warm smile and she nodded. “Thank you, Cedarstar. For the mentorship, and a second chance.”

spaceCedarstar smiled at her. “What do you mean, second?” Frostheart tilted her head. “Frostheart, in this clan your past is forgotten. This is not a second chance or a second start, but a reset button. Your past is done and away with, it cannot be changed, so start anew and grow, marching forward to the rising dawn.” Cedarstar padded off to greet Duskfall and inform him of Frostheart’s joining.

spaceSparrowpaw grinned at Frostheart. “You know, I was the first to vote yes for you to stay.”

spaceFrostheart’s eyes lingered on Cedarstar for a moment, then a smile grew on her face and she looked down at her apprentice. “Really now?” She laughed as Sparrowpaw nodded proudly. “Well, then. I guess I should thank you.” She pondered for a moment. “How about we go out to practice, and we will find something fun to do out there, as well.”

spaceSparrowpaw tilted her head. “What do you mean?”

spaceFrostheart turned around and began walking to the brambles, her apprentice in tow. “Well, Sparrowpaw, the world is a beautiful and wonderous place. To find something fun, you need only to see things in a different light.” They passed through the brambles and Sparrowpaw’s eyes widened as the world revealed itself around them. Light sparkled from the morning dew, flowers rested in the tree tops, and birds sang melodies. Frostheart smiled back at her. “Hey, last one to the lake is fox bait!”

spaceSparrowpaw gasped excitedly and sprinted ahead, Frostheart running behind her at a purposefully slower pace. As they sprinted through the forest, the claws which gripped Frostheart’s chest and stomach seemed to relax. The sadness was still there, but the emptiness was slowly beginning to fade. For the first time in several moons, Frostheart finally felt happy again, and she didn’t plan on letting it go.

·....·...·..· ··▹❅◃·· ·..·...·....·

Credits

Characters
Cedarstar
Duskfall
Sparrowpaw/feather
Lightpool
Petalfall

Bearfur and Eaglewing are not official Rise cats. They are NPC's designed and created by me.

Art
1, 2, 3
None of the art was colored in, traced, or remade; all of it is custom made for this particular competition.
In art #1, only the primary 4 cats are rise cats. All others are npcs and not official Rise cats.

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[StormSerpent]

mark

[CertainNorth]

Username||Tendency
Cat Name||Light that Sings Over Water - Lightsong
Gender||Female
Age||84 moons
Clan||Dustclan
Rank||Seer and Healer
Companion||Praying mantis named Glimmer
Song|| Little Talks by Of Monsters and Men

Qualities||
You want to know what I think about our seer? Hawkpaw, wouldn't you rather I tell about something more interesting, like the omens her pet praying mantis showed her last week? No?

Well, ahem, ah, sure... Let me just... Can't I think this over? Tomorrow maybe? I'm tired and a good clan leader should sleep before...oh it's sunhigh...right.

No, don't start with the blind jokes. Don't make me give you moss collecting duty again! I mean it!

Anyway...I didn't exactly ask Lightsong to join us because she was easy to get along with. I like to think I fill that role myself. I asked her to join because...well, she's observant. And she knows what she's talking about and has had a ton of experience with her old tribe. Not to mention she understood me right away and didn't pester me with questions about it. It was...refreshing. And honestly, you might think she's a bit strange as a seer, but she's not that bad. And seer's a really useful so, I asked...her..to...join Dustclan. Yes.

Okay, okay! Honest answer; she wouldn't stop asking me about it! She kept pestering me if my traveling companions and I were sure we could take care of ourselves and had someone to look after us if someone was injured or if we knew what sort of herbs to use here or there or whatever. I'll be honest, it was actually kind of annoying. I talked to Wraith about her finally and why he didn't seem so bothered and for some reason, when I brought it up, he sort of...I don't know, he didn't zone out like I do exactly, but he got this weird look. Finally he said she reminded him of his mom.

In that moment, I realized he was right. Which was probably why I was taking her pestering as annoying, but it wasn't pestering at all it was just her showing how much she was invested in me and my friends. And to be honest, I think she was being a little sarcastic about it. Like, one time she said she hoped we new how to dry ourselves off after getting wet. Which I thought was obvious so when she said it I was a little concerned she thought I was a kit. But now I realize she was trying to drive the point home that she wanted to tag along and was hoping the sarcasm would get to me. Not that I could personally tell since...well, you know, roll your eyes if you want me to know you're being sarcastic because for the fourteenth time, Hawkpaw, I'm not going to hear you.

As for how she's been once she joined us...she's the only reason we made it to this new territory in once piece. She may not be a fighter, but she knows how to travel well and isn't afraid of anything. You get over the whole talking to insects thing. Trust me. It's not worth worrying about. And I guess I don't even know she's doing it half the time.

You heard Starclan doesn't talk to her? Well, you know that's true. They don't "talk" to her. But they show her things. Like, visions of the future, only she's supposed to do something different when the moment actually happens. IT's actually really funny. Like one time, Wraith was about to leave on patrol and Lightsong just tackles him from behind, stares at him and says, "Don't leave." Now, normally, anyone but me doing that to the second Navigator would get you shredded, right? Yeah, I see that scar there, you'll heal. But Wraith just lays there staring back at her and I honestly think there was some tension there.

Yes, romantic tension! Is there any other kind? I think she jumped on him because she couldn't resist, not because Starclan showed her not to let him go. Nothing happened the next day. But Lightsong swears that's exactly the point. I would have been terrified if I as her and Starclan wanted me to stop Wraith from doing something, but not her. Something about her gets to him...must be the nurturing and motherly attitude since he's probably not used to that.



We've been fine so far and she helped guide us here safely when reading the skies on our travels. I'm still not sure what I am supposed to do here, but I'm sure Lightsong will be shown something when the time comes, either through Glimmer or something else. You know that praying mantis is another way she communicates with our ancestors. Wait, you apprentices didn't know that? Well now you do and that "it" bug as a name and I would appreciate you use it and not try to eat Glimmer because they are important to the success of our clan. That's why Lightsong makes you catch all those bugs as punishment.

[shishou]

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Username: eggshells | Cat Name: sleetfall | Gender: male | Clan: beachclan | Qualities: (/5000 words)


in the eyes of hailcreep

the first time hailcreep met sleetfall they were apprentices introduced to each other by owlstar. the first
they interacted was when owlstar had set them up together to hunt as a 'bonding' exercise and it went bad.
everything else from then on was a roller coaster from both cats.

--

"hailpaw and sleetpaw!" two silvery gray heads perked up at the sound of their name. "you two will be going
on a bonding exercise, dont worry you two wont be completely alone as ill be around somewhere near." owl
star smiled. hailpaw inwardly groaned, he absolutely hated going anywhere with this cat. the first thing sleet
paw did when they first met was blame hailpaw for a failed hunt. after that, hailpaw had started trying to
avoid doing anything together with him. he has also classified sleetpaw as the 'prideful' cat in the clan. from
hailpaws observations he has concluded that sleetpaw does nothing better than puff out his chest and show
off.

"cheer up hailpaw, im sure sleetpaw isnt as bad as you think. hes an actually helpful cat when he want to be."
the leader re-assured. "when he wants to be." hailpaw muttered. without missing a beat, his leader and father
figure pushed him forward to catch up with the older apprentice.

w i p