━━ " 𝒎𝒆𝒎𝒆𝒏𝒕𝒐 𝒗𝒊𝒗𝒆𝒓𝒆 " ✧ 𝘸𝘤 ; 𝘰/𝘢

[eleutheromania]

Sky Walker “Sky” - Tribe Caelum - Tags: Otter

the tomcat had woken early in the day and gone out, though he had planned to return before it got too late into the morning. he was a little past schedule but the tom had managed to hunt and had two mice hanging from his jaws. while he wasn’t as skilled at hunting as the rivulus cats, he still could pull his weight at times. he caught a tidbit of the matriarch’s conversation as he passed them with a dip of his head in acknowledgment. sky then turned his blue gaze towards the rest of the cats as he went to search out otter. the molly was probably still curled up in her nest, having relocated to be with the other queens not too long ago. moving in that general direction, he soon spotted her and a faint smile tugged at his lips, he had been correct. the seal pointed tom padded towards her and dropped the mice near her head before laying down beside her, letting his pelt brush against hers before he began to rasp his tongue over her back, a low purr coming from him.

Adder that Strikes from Bush “Adderkit” - tribe viridis - tags: fawn

Adderkit was simply enjoying the slight pampering from her mother as she felt the last few strokes of her tongue over his ears. her ears flicked at Fawn’s words before she gazed upright towards the feline. Nodding, she spoke “Lost? You know me better than that mother.” she said playfully before standing up and stretching herself. digging her claws into the soft earth, she enjoyed the tension releasing from her sleep stiff muscles. she stuck by Fawn and thought about what she planned to do today until they spoke up. “sure. i don’t see why not. it’s something for us to do and be productive.” adderkit stated and began to move away from Fawn and in the direction she thought would be where they were headed.

[Laetificat]

Otter That Swims At Dusk - Tags: Sky Walker
Otter let out a soft mrrow of surprise as she felt someone lay next to her, though by scent it was clearly her mate. She opened her eyes and saw the mouse in front of her and purred loudly. “How’d you know I was hungry?” Otter teased, enjoying the bath she was receiving. ”Oh, how did your hunt go?” The she-cat was quick to dig into the mouse, purring at the savory taste.

[eleutheromania]

█ 𝚂𝚔𝚢 𝚆𝚊𝚕𝚔𝚎𝚛 "𝚂𝚔𝚢"
──────── tribe caelum │ fifty-two moons │ male │tags: Otter

sky chuckled at her question, stopping his grooming for only a mere moment. he continued upward towards her ears before she questioned how the hunt went. "it went well enough. though i figured you'd be hunger, especially in your current condition." he explained before he gave his own paw a few licks and then turned to the second mouse he had brought with him. "how are you feeling?" he questioned otter next before he went to plucking the hair from the mouse to get to the delicate meat. his hunt had gone well in his eyes, though most probably would have admitted otherwise. it too him far longer and too many attempts to get the two mice he had than it should have any true hunter. sky didn't worry too much about this though, his was more known for his sense of direction rather than his hunting after all.

█ 𝙰𝚍𝚍𝚎𝚛 𝚝𝚑𝚊𝚝 𝚂𝚝𝚛𝚒𝚔𝚎𝚜 𝚏𝚛𝚘𝚖 𝙱𝚞𝚜𝚑 "𝙰𝚍𝚍𝚎𝚛𝚔𝚒𝚝"
──────── tribe viridis │four moons │ female │ tags: fawn

Adderkit was simply enjoying the slight pampering from her mother as she felt the last few strokes of her tongue over his ears. her ears flicked at Fawn’s words before she gazed upright towards the feline. Nodding, she spoke “Lost? You know me better than that mother.” she said playfully before standing up and stretching herself. digging her claws into the soft earth, she enjoyed the tension releasing from her sleep stiff muscles. she stuck by Fawn and thought about what she planned to do today until they spoke up. “sure. i don’t see why not. it’s something for us to do and be productive.” adderkit stated and began to move away from Fawn and in the direction she thought would be where they were headed.

█ 𝚂𝚙𝚊𝚛𝚔𝚕𝚎 𝚘𝚏 𝙺𝚒𝚗𝚍𝚕𝚎𝚍 𝙵𝚕𝚊𝚖𝚎𝚜 "𝚂𝚙𝚊𝚛𝚔𝚕𝚎𝚔𝚒𝚝"
──────── tribe ignis │ two moons │ male │ tags: open

he was tired of being cramped up in the nursery and everyone tending to look at him with a little pity. despite being a bit smaller and frail for his age, he made up for it in the amount of trouble he had tended to cause ever since he could walk. he glanced around the nursery and spotted fawn leaving with adderkit. huffing, he slid out after them before his mother woke. blinking a few times, he let his eyes adjust before he spotted the matriarchs together. he wondered what it was they were talking about before he turned his gaze elsewhere so he didn't draw attention to himself. as for what he would do today, kindle figured he would do some exploring. the tom bounded forward and away from the area wondering what he could find today.

[whispersome]

𝐃𝐀𝐍𝐂𝐈𝐍𝐆 𝐄𝐌𝐁𝐄𝐑𝐒
She/her • 42 moons • Warrior of Tribe Ignis
TAGGED: Sparklekit • LOCATION: DriftClan camp

‎ ‎‏‏‎ ‎‏‏‎ ‎‏‏‎ The wind ran gently through Dancing Embers’s pelt where she sat, vigilant and rigid, near the edge of the clearing serving as the clan’s temporary camp. Not a single muscle so much as; she was still enough to nearly blend in with the scenery, and those looking at her from behind would be forgiven to question whether she had passed on overnight. Even head-on, only her eyes moved, flitting back and forth and occasionally slipping shut.

‎ ‎‏‏‎ ‎‏‏‎ ‎‏‏‎ Tension ran throughout her body, not obvious at first glance but clear on closer inspection. Dancing Embers held her shoulders taut and her back straight, relaxed in form but ready to leap to action at a moment’s notice. Her claws were unsheathed but as still as the rest of her form, a mere threat left on display. She’d had little cause to use them, but the sense of security was helpful regardless. Their current location limited their options, and there were far too many unknowns for her to feel fully at ease, especially those she had little say in.

‎ ‎‏‏‎ ‎‏‏‎ ‎‏‏‎ Against Dancing Embers’s conscious will, her gaze stole toward the matriarchs where they were gathered. A gentle sigh, nearly inaudible, left her. Stress had filled the past two moons, and though Dancing Embers was more than used to letting such things roll off her shoulders, it was beginning to take its toll on even her. She knew well what she thought was best, of course, but trying to change the matriarchs’ minds was a fool’s errand—not that such odds, of course, had ever particularly stood in Dancing Embers’s way before. Her tail flicked, but she turned her head away from the four.

‎ ‎‏‏‎ ‎‏‏‎ ‎‏‏‎ A blur of motion caught the corners of Dancing Embers’s eyes, and with a twist of her neck she brought her attention to the small figure moving from the nursery. And quickly, too, with that familiar youthful determination that drew a spark of simultaneous amusement and resignation from Dancing Embers. She shook her head, whiskers twitching even as she rose to all fours. She could respect such a headstrong, adventurous attitude, but surely it would cause problems for them all—not least his mother—were he to get himself into trouble.

‎ ‎‏‏‎ ‎‏‏‎ ‎‏‏‎ Her steps were slow but steady, large legs bringing her to interrupt the kit’s path. Shadow falling over his small form, she tilted her head back to peer down at him. “If it isn’t our youngest troublemaker,” said Dancing Embers, low voice rumbling with laughter and emerald eyes glinting. “Where are you off to so early—and alone, at that?”

𝐖𝐀𝐕𝐄𝐏𝐀𝐖
He/him • 10 moons • Apprentice of Tribe Rivulus
TAGGED: Open • LOCATION: DriftClan camp

‎ ‎‏‏‎ ‎‏‏‎ ‎‏‏‎ The sunlight burned against Wavepaw’s eyes as he peered up at the morning sky, another day bringing with it another heap of pressure. Though he had slept through the night, it seemed now like he hadn’t slept at all, so heavily did exhaustion and apprehension weigh down on him. He was unable to swallow a yawn, but Wavepaw clamped his jaws shut as soon as it had finished, nervously righting himself again.

‎‏‏‎ ‎‏‏‎ ‎‏‏‎ Since he had woken, he had been struggling to keep himself from pacing. By now, there were far and few between outlets for the anxiety that had been building over the course of the past two moons, that now clawed at his stomach with an opportunistic ferocity that threatened to consume him altogether. Restlessness pulsed through his very bones, every heartbeat seeming to shake his entire body with its intensity. What could he do to shed it but give into it?

‎‏‏‎ ‎‏‏‎ ‎‏‏‎ That seemed to be what Wavepaw’s impulses were vying for, but he had better self-control than that, so he kept his paws still where they rested. When his tail swished in their stead, he settled it, too, maintaining his composure at all costs.

‎‏‏‎ ‎‏‏‎ ‎‏‏‎ With little else to do, he watched the others in the clan mill about. There was little else they could do but stick to their daily routines, Wavepaw knew, and probably there was more discomfort than there seemed to be at a glance, but some sense of envy swept over him all the same, seeing his clanmates fulfill their duties with such apparent ease. Like they couldn’t feel all that was bearing down on them, all that could go wrong no matter what the matriarchs ended up deciding, all that rode on a few choices made by a few cats.

‎‏‏‎ ‎‏‏‎ ‎‏‏‎ Wavepaw forced himself to swallow and breathe, shifting back and forth on his front paws. He needed to do something or he was going to outright collapse, he thought, with how his legs seemed to be swaying under him. His eyes scraped across the clan with—however hard he tried to keep it from showing—somewhat more desperation this time, seeking something he could do or, better yet, someone he could take orders from.

[nightmyth]

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𝚚𝚞𝚒𝚎𝚝 𝚘𝚏 𝚝𝚑𝚎 𝚕𝚘𝚗𝚎𝚜𝚘𝚖𝚎 𝚗𝚒𝚐𝚑𝚝 ─ 53 moons ─ [ ˈkwīət - nīt ] xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
𝖬𝖠𝖳𝖱𝖨𝖠𝖱𝖢𝖧 𝖮𝖥 𝖳𝖱𝖨𝖡𝖤 𝖢𝖠𝖤𝖫𝖴𝖬. a glossy black molly with vivid, light green eyes
location: outside of driftclan camp ; tags: other matriarchs
xxxx

Quiet Night narrowed her eyes at Frost's tone, the fur on her neck rising slightly. The night-coated molly bit her tongue though, realizing that the Rivulus matriarch's passionate stance was rooted in concern for her sibling, Otter. "I still believe the mountains are too dangerous for Spark's kits. They had a rough start in life. How many are we willing to sacrifice to ensure their safety? Anyone who must carry them will be burdened: they'll react slower, tire faster...." Quiet Night trailed off, shaking her head. There was no ideal option. Nothing they chose would make certain the Clan would be able to make it through the white-season. Not only that, but she was on her last life. They'd only just lost Cavern of White Quartz, the past Viridis matriarch, six moon ago. If she died, too, the Clan would be in further disarray. And Caelum would likely be in the paws of Light Cloud.

Quiet Night sighed and turned to the other two matriarchs, Smoke and Hidden Grove. "Your tribes have been monitoring Spark and her litter since their birth. Do you think they're fit for the journey?" Her gaze took on more weight when it settled on Hidden Grove. She trusted the healer to put her patients' health before anything. If they couldn't all come to a decision, they might have to cast stones in a vote -- Quiet Night hoped to avoid this, if only to have all of the matriarchs united under an ideal mindset. Great Ancestors, send me a sign. We have tried to seek our own path, you know this. Your Clan needs your guidance. Help us.

If Hidden Grove or any of the other matriarchs were speaking, Quiet Night couldn't hear them. Her vision blurred, her ears began to ring, and she could feel her body growing rigid. When her sight cleared up, she was standing beneath a roof of stars. She was in the middle of the grasslands, standing in a sea of whispering silver. Ghostly pelts brushed against her like fish tails, sending shivers down her spine. Suddenly, a blaze of white shot over her head. The Caelum molly gasped as dozens of stars shot across the sky an over the mountains, their white tails streaking the blue-black sea. Quiet Night understood at once -- but she didn't yet wake. As she stood, distant wails and cries rose up around her. Her fur spiked up and fear lit her gaze as coyotes began prowling out of the tall grasses, their pelts as white as snow and their eyes a vivid blue; where they walked, the grass shriveled and froze, and the air around her began to chill. Without hesitation she turned and ran, her tail streaming out behind her as she raced for the mountains. The pack gave chase, and she could feel their icy breath snapping at her heels. She had to outrun them.

Gasping, Quiet Night came to her senses -- or, rather, they all came to her. At once. As if slammed by a grizzly's paw, the black she-cat was dizzy and disoriented, her fur standing on end. She was in her place still, but felt as if she'd ran to the ocean and back. Groaning, she screwed her eyes shut and dug her claws into the earth to steady herself. "Stars, countless stars," she rasped, "Falling across the skies; over the mountains. Frost and death chasing us all the way." She opened her eyes and faced the matriarchs, her resolve returning to her. "The Ancestors have spoken. We mustn't waste time. We cross the mountain pass."

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𝚌𝚛𝚊𝚌𝚔𝚕𝚒𝚗𝚐 𝚏𝚕𝚊𝚖𝚎𝚜 ─ 35 moons ─ [ ˈkrakliNG - flāmz ] xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
𝖶𝖠𝖱𝖱𝖨𝖮𝖱 𝖮𝖥 𝖳𝖱𝖨𝖡𝖤 𝖨𝖦𝖭𝖨𝖲. a bobtailed calico molly with pale green eyes
location: driftclan camp ; tags: matriarchs mentioned; open
xxxx

The calico had her eyes trained on the trail the matriarchs had taken to go have their meeting. She desperately wanted to eavesdrop on the conversation, but they were all a prickly bunch of mollies who would have nothing but fury for her if she were to be caught. Crackling Flames had already been in trouble with Smoke lately, and she certainly didn't want to be put on apprentice duties for stirring up more trouble. She sighed and bent down in a stretch, her bobtail wriggling from side-to-side like an earthworm emerging from the grass. None of the apprentices were in sight, so she couldn't take them out for a training session. Maybe she could work on a new move to show Smoke later; if DriftClan decided to stay in these hunting grounds, they'd need to be able to defend themselves from the predators that lurked in the shadows. Part of her tribe's duties was to keep watch at night, and it was common to hear coyotes cackling out in the grasslands at night.

Their current camp was hardly more than a dusty clearing surrounded by gorse and some boulders, backed up against a cliff at the foot of the mountains. There were a few groves of trees to hunt in, but for the most part their prey came from the prairie. Crackling Flames couldn't say she was very good at hunting out in the open and figured it was best to leave that to Tribe Rivulus -- this meant that her best option was to patrol the area and make sure her Clan was safe. She sprang into an easy lope and shouldered her way out of the camp, her nose watering from the morning's chill. Another tribe cat might have been weary at the thought of heading out on patrol alone, but she was Tribe Ignis: one full-grown warrior could fight as well as two cats together.

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𝚘𝚛𝚌𝚊𝚙𝚊𝚠 ─ 11 moons ─ [ ˈôrkə - pô ] xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
𝖠𝖯𝖯𝖱𝖤𝖭𝖳𝖨𝖢𝖤 𝖮𝖥 𝖳𝖱𝖨𝖡𝖤 𝖱𝖨𝖵𝖴𝖫𝖴𝖲. a black and white tom with pale hazel eyes
location: camp ; tags: wavepaw
xxxx

Unfortunately for the apprentice, his beautiful Wing wasn't to be found when he returned to the camp. She as probably out doing her tribe duties, which was fine...totally fine. Orcapaw set his mouse on the fresh-kill pile and ruffled his fur, kneading his paws to keep the cold from claiming them. He spotted Wavepaw, a fellow tribemate, and trotted over, giving the tom a friendly butt on the shoulder. "Hey Wavepaw; you doing okay?" He fluffed his pelt out as he sat down, wrapping his tail neatly around him. Looking around, he realized the matriarchs hadn't yet returned from their meeting. "Guess there hasn't been a decision yet. Well, that's okay, that just means I have more time to hunt. Wanna come?" Orcapaw didn't interact much with his tribemate, but he looked as if he could use a distraction from his mental ailments.

It seemed most of the Clan had been living on edge ever since Spark had her kits, which was, of course, a reasonable state to be in;
the difference for Orcapaw was that he saw these problems as the matriarchs' to deal with. What could he, an apprentice, do, except hunt and care for his clanmates in the meantime? No matter what the leaders decided, DriftClan would need to be fed.

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𝚏𝚊𝚠𝚗 𝚋𝚎𝚗𝚎𝚊𝚝𝚑 𝚝𝚑𝚎 𝚑𝚊𝚠𝚝𝚑𝚘𝚛𝚗 ─ 42 moons ─ [ fôn ] xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
𝖰𝖴𝖤𝖤𝖭 𝖮𝖥 𝖳𝖱𝖨𝖡𝖤 𝖵𝖨𝖱𝖨𝖣𝖨𝖲. a silver-tan torbie feline with vivid blue eyes (they/them)
location: out of camp ; tags: adderkit
xxxx

Fawn chuckled and trailed after their kit, giving her an affectionate nudge on the rear when they caught up. "Do you remember the ones I told you about last time?" they mewed, blue eyes scanning the area around them. Despite this area being a place DriftClan visited each year before ascending the mountain pass, it felt more sinister than before. Perhaps it was because they were never here this late in the season, when the amber and gold that dotted the grasslands and mountainside had withered away to gray, crooked branches that reached for them like talons. It was cold here, beneath the range's shadow, and Fawn couldn't help but fear the thought of making that journey this late. And worse, they had a kit to look after now. It'd been over twelve moons since Fawn had last been in the hostile peaks, but they could still remember the biting cold and winds that could freeze a cat's ears off. At the highest points, the air was thin and there was no prey, while below them would lie a pine forest waiting to welcome them to a leafbare that was far easier to weather than in other places, but harsh nonetheless. The queen sighed and stayed close to their daughter. At least with a Clan to watch over them, they'd be safer.

[skywalker,]

☁（ ＮＩＭＢＵＳ ＳＷＥＰＴ ＩＮＬＡＮＤ ＦＲＯＭ ＳＥＡ！ ）
─────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────
[ male ] [ thirty-five moons ] [ poly. bixsexual ] [ no crush ] [ tribe caelum ] [ tagged with Crackling Flames ]

⇨ The day had just gotten started and the tribe had woken up on edge. It was understandable, though, Nimbus thought, of course they would be. They had stayed at their rest spot far longer than they ever had in all the moons he's personally made the trip over the mountains, and this notion made him uneasy, especially since there were so many queens and their young kits that needed to be taken into account. Nimbus would gladly volunteer to help any of the queens with their kits, carrying them or otherwise, but he knew that the ultimate decision to stay or go was up to the matriarchs. He trusted them with his life, those mollies had gotten everyone out of tough spots more than once.

Nimbus shook himself off, feeling a shudder go down his spin at the prickling cold in his paws. He had been sitting in camp grooming himself, and his paws had gone slightly numb from resting so long. He sprung to his paws and looked around for something to do; maybe he could take some of the apprentices out today? He didn't see many out, so he ruled that as a no. Besides, everyone seemed so on edge he believed that training the apprentices was the last thing on any of the warriors minds. His tail-tip twitched slightly, and turned his head a bit more, before seeing Crackling Flames heading out of their makeshift camp into the cold open. His whiskers twitched, and he started trotting in her direction. Maybe she wanted some company?

He slipped out of camp after her, his pelt standing a bit on end at the chilly nip of the air against his skin. He didn't have the thickest fur in the tribe, that's for sure. He watched the large molly bound off towards the prairie, and realized she was going on a patrol. Perfect! He beamed as he bounded after her, "Hey, Crackling Flames! Wait up!" He called, and when she noticed him, he reached her side in a few leaps, "I was wondering if you wanted company on your patrol? Four sets of claws are better than two!" he grinned, flexing his claws into the ground as his tail swayed from side to side. He didn't doubt Crackling Flames abilities at all, since she was from tribe Ignis after all. She could probably throw him across the camp if she wanted, but if she ran into danger, he wanted to be there to experience the thrill of a fight.

❀（ ＭＥＡＤＯＷＰＡＷ！ ）
─────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────
[ female ] [ ten moons ] [ poly. bisexual ] [ no crush ] [ tribe viridis ] [ tagged with nobody; mentions Hidden Grove ]

⇨ The young molly had been awake since the wee hours of dawn, her paws sifting through their dwindling herb stores. Her eyes shifted from herb to herb, counting the numbers of each plant they had. A look of worry crossed her features, and a soft sigh escaped her maw as she gently pushed all the herbs into neat piles and put them back where she had grabbed them. With the temperature quickly growing colder by the day, Meadowpaw was nervous about the upcoming decision the matriarchs will make. Maybe she was more invested in the whole 'going over the mountains or not' fiasco than she should've been, but she couldn't help it! She was part of Tribe Viridis, and it was her duty to make sure that everyone in all the tribes were happy and healthy. Spark of New Flame really gave her and her tribe a scare; premature kits was a dangerous occurrence, and although Meadowpaw was very happy that the queen and her two kits were now safe and healthy, she couldn't shake the nagging feeling that they might just lose one of them, should the matriarchs decide to cross the mountain.

"I trust Hidden Grove. She's so wise, and an exceptional healer." Meadowpaw mumbled to herself as she used her tail to sweep some debris away from the herb stores. She got to her paws, "Besides, you're worrying for nothing, Meadowpaw! Your tribe is strong, and all your tribe mates are good healers. We'll keep everyone healthy!" She nodded her head after her little monologue to herself, and although she had said it to make herself feel even the tintiest bit better about the situation, she couldn't help but feel maybe it didn't work as good as she was hoping. Her ears flattened slightly, before she shook of her dappled coat and moved towards the clearing of camp. Maybe some fresh air will help clear her mind.

֎（ ＳＰＡＲＫ ＯＦ ＮＥＷ ＦＬＡＭＥ！ ）
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[ female ] [ forty moons ] [ poly. pansexual ] [ no crush ] [ tribe ignis ] [ tagged with cats in nursery, Sparklekit and Dancing Embers ]

⇨ It was soft chatting that awoke Spark. She blinked her weary amber eyes open, and a soft, deep breath escaped her lungs as she lifted her head ever so slowly. When her eyesight adjusted, she saw Otter and her mate, Sky Walker, talking gently while eating some mice. Spark couldn't help but smile a little at their interaction, but then felt a pang of slight jealousy. The father of her kits had opted to stay behind, and she wouldn't see him again until the spring. She shook this from her thoughts the moment it invaded them; her kits would meet him eventually. Speaking of her kits, the warm smile donned her face again as she glanced down towards her stomach, a soft purr rumbling all throughout her large, fluffy frame, "Good morning, my darlings" She murmured, and rasped her tongue over Lightkit's head, wanting to wake him to start the day. When she moved to lick Sparklekit's little head, however, he was nowhere to be found. Her eyes widened in surprise, and she moved her tail out of the way to get a better look.

Yep, that sneaky little kitten had slipped out again. She felt a pang of worry and slight fear wash over her at the thought of her little son being lost and cold, but immediately tried to calm herself down again. The tribe was large, she was sure somebody would spot his mischievous little frame bounding away. By Starclan, she loved her kits, but they could be a real headache sometimes. Ever since they were born premature, she felt her motherly instincts kick into overdrive; she became incredibly overprotective, and while she felt a little guilty for hovering around them so much, she couldn't help it. They were her little starlights, and she couldn't bear the thought of losing them.

She gently sat up, and licked some fur flat on her chest, trying to show no panic or fear. She looked down at her other son and smiled, gently licking his back, "I'll be right back, darling" She purred, and stood softly, before looking towards Otter and her mate, "Good morning, Otter, Sky. I'm so sorry to bother, but could you please keep an eye on Lightkit for a couple seconds? I need to go and find my other.... bundle of joy" She said, her tail twitching in an annoyance only a mother could understand. When they agreed, she dipped her head in gratitude and slipped out of the warm nursery.

It was a bit chilly out of the nursery, and when she gazed around camp, she saw her fellow denmate Hawthorn and their kit, Adderkit. Spark waved her tail in greeting, although she wasn't sure if the queen noticed, before going about her search again for her troublesome son. Then, she spotted him. He was being confronted by Dancing Embers, and Spark felt a purr of amusement rise up in her throat. Spark began making her way over, and dipped her head in greeting to her fellow Ignis tribe member, "Good morning, Dancing Embers. I see you found my little escape artist" She chuckled, but gave her son a little glare. It was just filled with worry, she wasn't exactly mad at him for evading her watchfulness. She knew he longed for adventure, "what are you doing out here, my little warrior?" She said, sitting down softly as she glanced towards her clanmate again with a tired form of amusement still dancing in her amber eyes.

[Laetificat]

Frost That Shimmers In Light - Tags: Other Matriarchs
She was about to argue that she’d take a kit herself if need be, ignoring the fact that she was on her last life as well. She would need to decide a successor soon, though there truthfully wasn’t much to choose from. Her tribe and clan could be under serious threat... Her sister just wasn’t cut out to be matriarch. Still, she would have to start training her unless a more suitable candidate arose.

Frost paused as she realized Quiet Night seemed to be in a trance - likely receiving a vision from their ancestors. After Quiet Night and Hidden Grove had finished, she spoke up. “I’ll send my warriors out to hunt so that our bellies may be full on the start of the trip ahead of us once this meeting is over,” Frost announced.

Otter That Swims At Dusk - Tags: Sky Walker, Lightkit
“You were definitely right, I am super hungry,” Otter laughed. “I can’t wait to meet these kits. After what happened to Heartpaw...” She trailed off and looked at her paws with grief in her eyes, before looking up and throwing a smile onto her face. “The kits will be a pawful, that’s for sure!”

Heartpaw’s death was still fresh in her memory, though it had happened all those moons ago. A bat had bitten her and she had turned into a mindless, shambling creature that did nothing but try to attack others. Otter had lost a mate to her daughter as he had died of his wounds before whatever sickness could spread. He had been the Viridis cat trying to treat her. She looked over at Spark when she heard the other she-cat speak, then nodded. “I’d love to watch Lightkit for you. Come here, dear.”

[nightmyth]

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𝚚𝚞𝚒𝚎𝚝 𝚘𝚏 𝚝𝚑𝚎 𝚕𝚘𝚗𝚎𝚜𝚘𝚖𝚎 𝚗𝚒𝚐𝚑𝚝 ─ 53 moons ─ [ ˈkwīət - nīt ] xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
𝖬𝖠𝖳𝖱𝖨𝖠𝖱𝖢𝖧 𝖮𝖥 𝖳𝖱𝖨𝖡𝖤 𝖢𝖠𝖤𝖫𝖴𝖬. a glossy black molly with vivid, light green eyes
location: camp ; tags: other matriarchs ; light cloud, dark sky
xxxx

Quiet Night's ears twitched as Hidden Grove spoke fears that were probably shared by each of the matriarchs. Nothing about the decisions they had to make was easy, and even with the vision the ancestors had just shared with her, the black she-cat felt doubt nibbling at her stomach. Had she interpreted it correctly? What if they were warning her that crossing the mountains meant they would never outrun the frosts and cold? Nonsense! Am I the matriarch or not? The stars never lie: that's what I was taught. She sighed heavily, becoming acutely aware of the molly pressed to her side. Quiet Night clung to the Viridis matriarch's presence while she waited for the pounding in her head to subside, listening faintly to the other leaders as they reacted to her vision.

She blinked rapidly when the tone of Hidden Grove's voice grew more unsteady. A few heartbeat's later, the younger cat peeled away from Quiet Night's flank as she announced she needed some space. The black molly's ears flattened momentarily, more out of frustration that she couldn't be of any comfort to Hidden Grove. "Shorter isn't always safer," she pointed out to Smoke, deciding that worrying about her Clanmate could come after they finished discussing the tribes' fate. "It's something of a tradition for each of Tribe Caelum's matriarchs to seek out a better route but...I'm afraid our usual path is the best. We don't have the time to correct a wrong path, and I don't want to risk my scouts' lives sending them ahead." Sighing heavily, the matriarch hung her head, studying her paws for a moment.

When Frost spoke, she nodded slowly. "Yes...let's all take this day and the next to brief our tribes and prepare for the journey. We can meet again tomorrow to discuss our plan of travel. Smoke, perhaps you can assign a guard to the queens and kits." Quiet Night rose shakily to her paws, skipping on a pelt-shake in favor of not bringing back her headache. "May the ancestors grant us the clarity to lead our Clan to safety." With that, she gave the two matriarchs a brisk nod and turned back in the direction of the camp. For a moment she considered going after Hidden Grove, but reasoned that the molly could take care of herself, and perhaps truly needed to take the time to come to terms with the will of the ancestors. Quiet Night was firm in her belief that the new matriarch was the best choice to lead the Tribe after Cavern's death, and trusted that she would find her way to the best path for not just the whole of Viridis, but the Clan as well.

Nosing her way through the tall, dry grasses, Quiet Night followed the thin trail back to the camp clearing. She was pleased to see that it was, for the most part, empty, and was more delighted to find that the cat she wished to speak to was within sight. Prowling over to Light Cloud and Dark Sky, she cleared her throat to announce her arrival, but didn't stop walking as she passed them. Her tail flicked Dark Sky's shoulder in greeting, but her words were only for his sister as she spoke: "Light Cloud; walk with me."

She slid through the gorse at the edge of the camp, exiting out into the deadened grasslands. The wind flattened the thin stalks, while the sunlight rippled across them like flames. Quiet Night approached a jagged boulder jutting up from the prairie and sat beside it, out of the biting breeze. When Light Cloud had settled down as well, she blinked and gazed out across the skies. "I'm on my last life," she announced to the molly; "As my closest kin, it is likely the matriarchs would choose you as my successor if I should join the ancestors..." she trailed off, her sights following the distant speck of some unidentifiable bird. "I received a vision during my meeting with the other matriarchs: we're to ascend the mountains to our white-season hunting grounds. I want you as my right-paw on the way, to show the Clan you're worthy of my title if I can't make it."

A shiver coursed down her spine as she spoke of her own demise. She'd experienced death twice before, but she'd known each time she would wake again once her new life took hold. Quiet Night had everything and nothing to leave behind if she were to die. Her parents were tyrants and her sister was turned against her; she'd never found love, and her younger kin were grown enough to get by without her guidance now. She sighed and looked finally to Light Cloud, awaiting her response.

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𝚌𝚛𝚊𝚌𝚔𝚕𝚒𝚗𝚐 𝚏𝚕𝚊𝚖𝚎𝚜 ─ 35 moons ─ [ ˈkrakliNG - flāmz ] xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
𝖶𝖠𝖱𝖱𝖨𝖮𝖱 𝖮𝖥 𝖳𝖱𝖨𝖡𝖤 𝖨𝖦𝖭𝖨𝖲. a bobtailed calico molly with pale green eyes
location: patrolling the area ; tags: nimbus
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Crackling Flames halted when she heard someone calling her name. She turned to see Nimbus approaching her and lifted her tail in greeting. "Company eh? Sure! I've been needing to practice saving my Clanmates from danger anyway," she teased as she resumed her steady strides. As the camp grew further behind them, she grew more and more alert, scenting the air often and examining holes in the ground to make sure they weren't harboring foxes or weasels. "Say, you ever think about what life would be like if we settled down? The Clan, I mean -- instead of being nomads." The calico paused for a moment to take in her surroundings, eventually resting her sights on the towering mountains that loomed over them like vultures. "I'd miss seeing the world. Remember those kittypets we met a few moons ago? Who am I kidding; of course you do, you navigators remember everything....well. Anyway. Their whole world is a tiny little garden and a stuffy den, full of twolegs, no less." She snorted and kept going, kicking absentmindedly at stones that littered the dusty earth. "But at least we wouldn't have to face a death path every sun-cycle. If I were matriarch, I'd find a better place for us to go each white-season." Crackling Flames let out an exasperated sigh, glancing at Nimbus to coax out a swift response from the tom.

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𝚘𝚛𝚌𝚊𝚙𝚊𝚠 ─ 11 moons ─ [ ˈôrkə - pô ] xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
𝖠𝖯𝖯𝖱𝖤𝖭𝖳𝖨𝖢𝖤 𝖮𝖥 𝖳𝖱𝖨𝖡𝖤 𝖱𝖨𝖵𝖴𝖫𝖴𝖲. a black and white tom with pale hazel eyes
location: camp ; tags: wavepaw
xxxx

Unfortunately for the apprentice, his beautiful Wing wasn't to be found when he returned to the camp. She as probably out doing her tribe duties, which was fine...totally fine. Orcapaw set his mouse on the fresh-kill pile and ruffled his fur, kneading his paws to keep the cold from claiming them. He spotted Wavepaw, a fellow tribemate, and trotted over, giving the tom a friendly butt on the shoulder. "Hey Wavepaw; you doing okay?" He fluffed his pelt out as he sat down, wrapping his tail neatly around him. Looking around, he realized the matriarchs hadn't yet returned from their meeting. "Guess there hasn't been a decision yet. Well, that's okay, that just means I have more time to hunt. Wanna come?" Orcapaw didn't interact much with his tribemate, but he looked as if he could use a distraction from his mental ailments.

It seemed most of the Clan had been living on edge ever since Spark had her kits, which was, of course, a reasonable state to be in;
the difference for Orcapaw was that he saw these problems as the matriarchs' to deal with. What could he, an apprentice, do, except hunt and care for his clanmates in the meantime? No matter what the leaders decided, DriftClan would need to be fed.

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𝚏𝚊𝚠𝚗 𝚋𝚎𝚗𝚎𝚊𝚝𝚑 𝚝𝚑𝚎 𝚑𝚊𝚠𝚝𝚑𝚘𝚛𝚗 ─ 42 moons ─ [ fôn ] xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
𝖰𝖴𝖤𝖤𝖭 𝖮𝖥 𝖳𝖱𝖨𝖡𝖤 𝖵𝖨𝖱𝖨𝖣𝖨𝖲. a silver-tan torbie feline with vivid blue eyes (they/them)
location: out of camp ; tags: adderkit
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Fawn chuckled and trailed after their kit, giving her an affectionate nudge on the rear when they caught up. "Do you remember the ones I told you about last time?" they mewed, blue eyes scanning the area around them. Despite this area being a place DriftClan visited each year before ascending the mountain pass, it felt more sinister than before. Perhaps it was because they were never here this late in the season, when the amber and gold that dotted the grasslands and mountainside had withered away to gray, crooked branches that reached for them like talons. It was cold here, beneath the range's shadow, and Fawn couldn't help but fear the thought of making that journey this late. And worse, they had a kit to look after now. It'd been over twelve moons since Fawn had last been in the hostile peaks, but they could still remember the biting cold and winds that could freeze a cat's ears off. At the highest points, the air was thin and there was no prey, while below them would lie a pine forest waiting to welcome them to a leafbare that was far easier to weather than in other places, but harsh nonetheless. The queen sighed and stayed close to their daughter. At least with a Clan to watch over them, they'd be safer.

[eleutheromania]

█ 𝚂𝚔𝚢 𝚆𝚊𝚕𝚔𝚎𝚛 "𝚂𝚔𝚢"
──────── tribe caelum │ fifty-two moons │ male │tags: Otter, lightkit

he chuckled at her words and then tilted his head slightly as he trailed off. he knew that it still bothered her but sky wasn't one to ask. otter would have plenty of time to deal with that grief and hopefully, their kits may help with that. "i'm sure they'll be just as kind as you." he murmured before he turned his gaze to spark as she asked the two to watch lightkit as she went hunting down sparklekit. he gave her a nod in response as otter spoke for the both of them. he returned his attention back to their conversation prior. "they probably will but i'm sure you can handle it, you'll be a great mother, i'm sure of it." the tom stated, giving her ear a small affectionate lick before he pushed himself up to his paws. "i'll be back later, i'm going to see if the matriarchs are done with their meeting." he told otter as he turned to leave.

█ 𝙰𝚍𝚍𝚎𝚛 𝚝𝚑𝚊𝚝 𝚂𝚝𝚛𝚒𝚔𝚎𝚜 𝚏𝚛𝚘𝚖 𝙱𝚞𝚜𝚑 "𝙰𝚍𝚍𝚎𝚛𝚔𝚒𝚝"
──────── tribe viridis │four moons │ female │ tags: fawn

when she was questioned regarding the herbs that had gone over not too long ago, she stopped mid-stride, realizing she couldn't remember any of them. it didn't take her long to catch back up with her mother and then shaking her head shamefully. "it seems i have forgotten them, unfortunately. i apologize for my lack of knowledge, mother." adderkit stated to them unsure if they would approve of her not keeping up with her small lessons as she should. the older kit decided that she would make sure to go over everything today rather than spend some time playing with the others. she needed to learn these things to be of use to the tribe after all. she was grateful enough that her mother was teaching her these things before she became an apprentice. adderkit sighed, disappointed more with herself than anything else. "i promise i'll do better to listen and retain the information." the kit explained to her mother, hoping that she wouldn't be too upset with her.

█ 𝚂𝚙𝚊𝚛𝚔𝚕𝚎 𝚘𝚏 𝙺𝚒𝚗𝚍𝚕𝚎𝚍 𝙵𝚕𝚊𝚖𝚎𝚜 "𝚂𝚙𝚊𝚛𝚔𝚕𝚎𝚔𝚒𝚝"
──────── tribe ignis │ two moons │ male │ tags: dancing embers, spark

the young tom was not expecting his path to suddenly be blocked and thus nearly barreled right into dancing embers. kindle grumbled as he landed flat on his belly, chin in the dirt, having tumbled to keep from going straight into her legs. looking up, he recognized who it was just as she spoke. so much for him having an adventure now that the adults were on his case. the kit exhaled heavily before pushing himself up to his paws. "where i am going is a mystery. though needing company wasn't something i thought i needed to roa-" he stopped when he eyed his mother heading his way. crap, crap, crap. he was trying not to get into trouble with her and her prying gaze. the glare he received made him wince slightly, but failed at making him regret running off. "i'm getting fresh air mom. that nursery is cramped and i don't like waiting for everyone to wake up just to go outside." he said with a huff, clearly not realizing that he had caused her some worry.

sparklekit then turned his gaze back to dancing embers. "but if you must be concerned, dancing embers was just going to accompany me on my explorations." he said sly, glancing at the warrior and hoping she would play along with him, though he knew he would be stuck with her anyway. "i'm sure lightkit isn't going to want to do any exploring with me." he added, not really wanting his sibling to tag along.

[whispersome]

𝐃𝐀𝐍𝐂𝐈𝐍𝐆 𝐄𝐌𝐁𝐄𝐑𝐒
She/her • 42 moons • Warrior of Tribe Ignis
TAGGED: Sparklekit, Spark of New Flame • LOCATION: DriftClan camp

‎ ‎‏‏‎ ‎‏‏‎ ‎‏‏‎ Dancing Embers’s nose twitched at Sparklekit’s less-than-graceful tumble. Though she took a step back, it was a heartbeat too late to be of any particular help, and he hit the ground all the same. She shook her head to herself, peering down at him but braced to aid him back to his paws; that, too, proved unnecessary when he brought himself up, though Dancing Embers didn’t pause in looming over him.

‎ ‎‏‏‎ ‎‏‏‎ ‎‏‏‎ She’d have been glad to stand there all morning long—that was her preferred method of operation, after all—but Spark’s approach interrupted both that chance and Sparklekit’s reply. Dancing Embers inclined her head to return Spark’s greeting, settling back into a less threatening-looking stance. “Yes, good morning,” she responded steadily, shrewd gaze flickering back to the kit beneath her. “I have indeed. If nothing else, your son is certainly energetic—he’ll be quite the warrior someday, I daresay.”

‎ ‎‏‏‎ ‎‏‏‎ ‎‏‏‎ Amusement was clear in Spark’s face, but so too was weariness. Dancing Embers flicked her tail as Spark’s attention turned toward her son. There was tension all around, she supposed—it would have been more surprising had some not surrounded Spark as well, let alone under these circumstances. Out of the corners of her eyes, Dancing Embers glanced toward where the matriarchs had gone to meet; and, pausing, saw Quiet Night returning to the camp. Had they come to a decision, then?

‎ ‎‏‏‎ ‎‏‏‎ ‎‏‏‎ Sparklekit’s announcement drew Dancing Embers’s attention away, and quirked her brow besides, but she made no efforts to contradict him. Instead, she gave a soft huff and said, light, “I see no reason to cut his adventure short altogether. It’s your call, of course, but I’d be happy to supervise for a few moments.” Allowing Sparklekit an opportunity to wander—within reason—and taking him off of his mother’s paws for just a little while seemed the most practical option.

𝐖𝐀𝐕𝐄𝐏𝐀𝐖
He/him • 10 moons • Apprentice of Tribe Rivulus
TAGGED: Orcapaw • LOCATION: DriftClan camp → Outskirts

‎ ‎‏‏‎ ‎‏‏‎ ‎‏‏‎ The rest of the clan continued to shuffle about, and Wavepaw continued to hover where he was, looking for any sort of invitation. He had almost worked himself up to asking one of his older tribemates if they would be willing to hunt with him when an invitation of a different sort came straight to him. Orcapaw’s voice had his shoulders tensing; though they were close in age, Wavepaw had never taken any particular interest in interacting with other apprentices in general, and now wasn’t quite the best time to start. It was a distraction, though, even if Wavepaw’s present frown tightened at the casual inquiry into his wellbeing.

‎‏‏‎ ‎‏‏‎ ‎‏‏‎ “I’m fine,” he said stiffly. It may not have sounded believable, but Wavepaw stood firm in a way that (hopefully) invited no further questions, jaw and shoulders both set. “Just waiting to hear what’s happening.”

‎‏‏‎ ‎‏‏‎ ‎‏‏‎ Waiting. That was all they seemed to have been doing for the past two moons, all while leaf-bare crept closer, each rise and set of the sun making their circumstances more dire. Wavepaw didn’t like to think of himself as the impatient type, but in this situation, he was starting to grow weary of it.

‎‏‏‎ ‎‏‏‎ ‎‏‏‎ Wavepaw shook himself, focusing back in on the present in time to hear Orcapaw’s offer. His first reaction was to grimace at the thought of hunting together, but he forced his fur to settle—it was better than nothing. “Sure,” said Wavepaw, already taking a rigid step forward. He couldn’t recall the last time he’d moved from this spot, come to think of it, and the uncomfortable soreness creeping through his joints attested to that. He pushed through it, pressing toward the edge of the camp. “We shouldn’t go too far, though. The matriarchs might want to call a meeting when they’re done.”