[Kijumi]

Username: Kijumi
Storage: The Firepit
Last Patrol Post: n/a
Patrol:
Ashpelt was born into a clan during spring and named Greykit by her parents. Her two siblings preferred to stick together, which left her singled out and eventually bullied. When their eyes changed colours, and hers were different, it just got worse. Even when she tried to ask her parents or other clan members for help, she was told to “just toughen up” so she did her best to ignore it and keep her distance.
When she was old enough to get a mentor, Brightleaf, she finally got to get away from them more often and have someone to talk to. Brightleaf wasn’t the best fighter, so she figured out a million different ways to get out of tricky situations and what she lacked in skills she made up with intelligence. Greypaw, as she was called then, soon surpassed her in terms of hunting abilities. She always thought, that at least part of it had to do with her mentors choice of hunting grounds. They often went to the darker parts of the territory which caused her grey-ish fur to blend in and Brightleafs beige one to stand out.

When the days got shorter her Mentor brought her to a house a good bit away from the Territory of the Clan. “I know, the Clan Members don’t want us to go anywhere near these guys, but this one is not so bad. She gives us food and if you’re ever looking for a warm place to sleep, she has these little boxes outside and you can just walk trough this weird wall to get inside.” She rambled on whilst showing Greypaw around. After eating a few bites, they made their way back, made sure to clean themselves thoroughly and caught a couple critters, which was getting harder, as the winter came.

One day, when Brightleaf had left on her own to run an errand, she didn’t come back. The sun was already going down when Greypaw decided to go looking for her. No one else was concerned at all, so she had to search on her own.
It was already night when she finally found her only friend, her mangled body lying on the black path on the edge of the Territory. Greypaw screamed as she ran to her, quieting abruptly when she felt the lack of warmth. She tried desperately to drag her of the black path, but she wasn’t strong enough. “I will be back, I promise.” she whispered before running back to the Clan, tears clouding her eyes. When she told her Clan “mates” they didn’t care, some even seemed relieved, muttering about her being a bad hunter and a mouth to feed. Greypaw ran back to where she had found Brightleaf, sobbing and with her muscles burning she got back. A black and white tomcat was making his way towards the body. “Stay away from my friend!” She hissed, running towards him unable to think clearly and ready to attack. He skillfully evaded her “I am sorry, I heard screaming, that’s why I came.” even in her current state Greypaw could hear the sadness in his voice. “I tried to… but I wasn’t… strong enough.” she tried to explain and he nodded understandingly. “Do you want me to carry her back to your Clan for you?” he offered. She could feel her voice failing her again. “They don’t… care. I told them but… no one came.” “We can bury her, if you want.” She nodded. He gently picked her body up “Do you have a spot in mind?” This time she shook her head. “Don’t worry, I know a place.” He laid his tail over her shoulders and guided her away.
He placed Brightleafs body on the grass “We’re here.” The place felt familiar, but it didn’t matter. Greypaw began to clean her body, she could taste the blood and something burnt, but she didn’t stop. After a little while the Tomcat joined her and they quietly cleaned her together before he broke the silence. “Maria is currently sleeping, but I can wake her to bury the body, if you want” She shook her head and he nodded before laying down next to them.
Even though Greypaw tried to stay awake, she ended up falling asleep after a while and was awoken by gentle nudges from the tomcat. The sun had come up and she started to recognize where she was - at the house Brightleaf had shown her. The owner of the house, Maria, as he explained, slowly came towards them with a shovel in her hand. “She will help us bury her.” He explained and signalled her to step back, which Greypaw did reluctantly. The human pulled a cloth with what looked like flowers on it out of her pocket and slowly wrapped Brightleafs body inside, carried her over to a hole in the ground and placed her inside. Maria waited until Greypaw had started to close up the hole before joining along with the tomcat.
“I’m Gary, by the way” he finally introduced himself after they were done, “I live here with Maria, if you want you can stay here, at least for a while.” She was still staring at the dirt covering her mentors body “I… don’t… know…” after a little while he picked her up by the scruff and brought her inside. He made sure to give her enough space and laid his tail on top of hers.

Word Count: 907 words

[Moonblaze-Angel]

Username: Moonblaze-Angel
Storage: MooseClan
Last Patrol Post: Minnowspark joins the clan
Patrol:

It's too much. Just as the thought crosses their mind, Minnowspark starts to scoot backwards towards the entrance to the camp. Maplefall turns an ear towards them, giving them a weird look. A look that says they shouldn't be leaving right now.

If I stay, I'm gonna melt. They can already feel their breathing picking up, their heart pounding. Even with their ears pinned down, Minnowspark can hear everything. Everything. The sounds of the other cats looking at them, the sounds of the leaves falling, the sound of the river and the breeze and the birds and the air. Too much. Too much.

They stumble towards the dirt place tunnel, having just enough of a train of thought to try and save face. They'd just joined the Clan, after all. The others couldn't know about this. About these. The overwhelming and the feeling and the anxiety and the panic. One cat is fine, two is okay. More than that is just so many cats. There are five of them!

Five cats. Five cats breathing and eating and meowing and purring and, and, and-

The edges of the clearing start to blacken and blur. Minnowspark turns and flees to the tunnel, picking up speed through it. They rush fast enough to tear some fur out, leaving little orange and white tufts behind. They need to escape. They need to run.

They simply sprint away. Away from the noise of the camp, away from the noise of the cats, away from the noise. Minnowspark runs through the forest, avoiding brambles and bushes and branches. Their pace slows with their breathing, bringing them to a panting halt.

They look around, observing their surroundings. The trees here are different, with needles instead of falling leaves, and the air is crisper. Minnowspark scents the damp evening air, opening their mouth for a better scent profile.

Nothing. Just like me. They hang their head down, shuffling their paws in the cold dirt. Leave it to me to get lost! They had barely been in the territory for a few days; it had taken that long for all of the Clan to gather in one place. Moose and Mintstar had their paws full looking after Mudkit, a quirky little kitten known for getting in trouble. It had just been them and Maplefall.

Maplefall. The one cat they hadn't wanted to see them like this, the one cat who had been paying attention. She'll never like me like this. Minnowspark sighs and starts trotting the way they had come from. Eventually, they would run into the borders, right?

They pad along, sniffing the air and plants nearby. This area of the mountain valley is cooler and harsher, but has a softer sound. The needles dampen noises and make a soft swish, as opposed to the crunch and whoosh of the trees around the camp. There are less birds and prey creatures skittering around up here, too.

Minnowspark sniffes their way southeast again, back down towards the valley. Part way there, they run into a small brooklet. Did I jump over this? Or follow it? They look around for clues, trying to determine their previous path. None of the trees make any sense to them. The scent of the Clan is nowhere to be found, just the smells of the brooklet.

They sigh. Maybe they should have just stayed put and waited for help, but that would make it harder on everyone else. They just want to get home and take a nap.

Minnowspark remembers the edges of the border being near Twoleg place, near the edge of the mountains. They had traveled that way before, briefly. Maybe I can find help there? They decide to head along the brook, towards the end of the valley. They'll stumble across a scent marker at some point, right?

The tiny stream twists and turns a bit, still leading further into the valley. Minnowspark follows the edge of the bank, just above where the water rises in heavy rainfall. They pad along, content with their travels. They had gotten into the habit of wandering aimlessly moons ago, ever since they'd set off on their own. Their mother had always warned them to watch their step and their tail, afraid they'd get into trouble.

She was right, of course. Minnowspark had gotten into many scrapes over the moons. In fact, they'd been running from some angry cats when they first met Maplefall and Mintstar. Something about eagles and boundaries, or something.

They pause at the stream, flicking their tail in annoyance. The brooklet had ended in a pool, shaded by rocks and pine trees. Several rocks and stones built a small, tumbling waterfall from the stream into the pool, disturbing Minnowspark's reflection. Little flashed of orange rippled here or there.

Wait! Those are fish, not my fur! They'd gotten so used to having unkempt, spiky fur that the fish had seemed like bits of fluff in the wind. They creep closer, careful not to disturb the water, but their shadow lands on the fish, spooking them. A thought dawns on them.

What if I... They remaneuver around to the other side of the pond, setting sun now in front of them. The color of the sky starts to match their fur, in places. They hop up onto some of the rocks in the water, neatly landing on top. They'd seen many a pool and stream in their travels, learning how to catch fish from fellow loners and rogues. Maybe they could catch one now!

After several attempts and several wet paws later, Minnowspark gave up on the idea. They'd obviously been out of practice, having preferred mice and birds to fish anyways. They settle down on one of the rocks, listening to the calming waves lap at the stones. Their tail dangles in the water, eyes closing as they drift off to sleep.

Hey! Minnowspark jolts awake, annoyed by the nibbling at their tail. Something had bitten them! Flicking their tail up and out of the water, they see a much larger fish be thrown up and onto some of the rocks near the bank. It flops for just a moment before they pounce, cleanly killing the fish. Clearly, it had thought Minnowspark's tail was edible!

Jokes on him, they think. They're too busy gloating over their fish to notice the shadow creeping up nearby.

"Minnowspark? Where did you learn to catch a fish?"

Word Count: 1090

[Berryy]

Username: Berryy
Storage: LushClan
Last Patrol Post: Here
Patrol:


The life of an apprentice in LushClan


Mentorship

Being an apprentice is one of the toughest time period a LushClan warrior has to go through. In a territory full of dangerous animals and vegetation, being young and inexperienced can be especially deadly. This is why the clan’s views on apprenticeship is a little bit different from other clans.

Like in other clans, kits are promoted into apprenticeship at the age of 6 moons. However, because of these dangerous circumstances, there is a higher emphasis on mentors, who also serve as protective figures to the young cats.

Mentorship comes with a high level of trust between the apprentice, their family and the mentor themselves. While the leader has the final say in mentorship, they usually recognize that the parents know what’s best for their kit and lets them pick. Because of this, there is a phenomenon called ‘mentor hunting’ where they try to find the best match for their kit. Sometimes they can be so enthusiastic about their children’s future, that they begin to look even before they are born! The more apprentices you had, the higher the clan trusts you and your skills. If a warrior has trained several apprentices and is still relatively young, it might indicate that they are a good candidate for becoming deputy in the future.

However, because of this custom, mentor hunting can also become a question of prestige and younger, less experienced warriors might get overlooked despite their skills. Usually, siblings/kin train each other’s kits as a way circumvent this issue and prove their worth.

During the apprentice ceremony, the mentor also takes a special ‘mentor’s oath’ as a promise to protect their trainee from all dangers, further reinforcing the trust. Mentor-apprentice bonds are exceptionally strong, almost to the same level of closeness as kin, and often survives into warriorhood. Even clan leaders put great weight into the word of their mentor in difficult situations!

Warrior trials

Instead of the usual warrior assessments, LushClan organizes clan-wide events, called warrior trials, in which all apprentices above the age of 8 moons participates, once every three moons. The youths compete in several categories, such as hunting, sparring, fishing, tracking and knowledge. While you might think that it is extremely unfair that all the apprentices regardless of age compete together, it is in fact intended to work this way. There will come many times in these young cat’s lives where they will have to face unfavorable odds. Learning humility and recognizing your own shortcomings is something that will aid their journey later on.

Also, while a certain apprentice might perform excellently in all rounds, victory isn’t what secures you your warrior ceremony. The elders are spectating the entire event, watching not only the technical skills of the participants, but also their maturity. This is why, a boastful and rude winner might still not get promoted, while the one who came second or third and showed great sportsmanship would still earn their warrior’s name. But usually everyone earns their name around 14-17 moons of age, so there really is no rush, even if they often feel like 3 more moons is eternity.

Word Count: 524 words

(note: it's pretty late here, so there might be some gramatical/spelling errors, sorry qwq)

[KelpieMomma]

Username: KelpieMomma
Storage: GorgeClan
Last Patrol Post: Patrol 2
Patrol: If there was one thing Spice missed from her days as Sunstrike, it was the warmth and comfort of knowing that she wasn't alone. She missed the near-constant sound of voices, of breathing. The missed the way over-excited kits would tumble free of the nursery and go barreling into the legs of anyone nearby. She missed watching apprentices come in from their training sessions, chatting and running to their friends to share a move they had learned or talk about a theory. She missed sharing meals and knowing that someone would always have her back, even if they didn't exactly get along. She missed her mother and sister so fiercely that sometimes she wanted to do nothing but lay down and cry.

She may not have a clan anymore, but she was still a warrior even if she'd given up her name. She would still do what she could that was right, follow the code she'd grown up under, even if that code no longer existed for her. Therefore, when she heard the frightened yowl of a cat in distress she didn't hesitate. The dark female raced forward, streaking towards the sound and hoping that there wasn't something she couldn't handle at the end of it. What she found was a black-spotted cat yelling profanities at a coyote from their perch on a tree limb. Though she was alone, Spice knew that she had a slim opportunity where the coyote wasn't expecting her. She didn't hesitate in her movements- she charged the coyote's side at full speed, slamming into it. When she went tumbling she allowed herself to roll into the momentum back to her feet, jumping onto a tree as well. The coyote had gone sprawling with her momentum but was quickly back on its feet, shaking its head and clearly confused. The other cat's eyes had followed Spice, and the pair made eye contact.

"That was pretty slick," The spotted cat said, "got any other bright ideas?"

"What, you don't want to fight it?" Spice replied. The other cat snorted.

"I'm not much of a fighter. I'm a- YIKES!" They pulled back, yanking their tail up, as the coyote tried to jump into the tree. Its jaws snapped shut not far from where their tail had been and it snarled in irritation. If she'd been with a cohort of warriors Spice might have laughed; they'd have had a plan, though, an idea of what to do about the coyote. There would have been knowledge shared on what the next course of action would be, who would be attacking and who would be distracting and what to do if someone got hurt. It was something they would have trained for and practiced before, so that when the time came to put it into action there wouldn't have been any faults or hesitation.

"Well you're not a fighter, and I am, but I am one cat and that thing's like twice my size. I'd say our best options are to wait it out or try to run." Spice called over. The other cat turned a bitter gaze to them that quickly turned thoughtful.

"How's your climbing ability?" They asked. Spice stared at them in confusion, following their gaze to the branch they were on with a bit of apprehension creeping in.

"Could be worse," she replied, "...could be better."

"Looks like it's time to get better if you don't wanna become coyote chow! I'll make my way to you, and then you can follow me." The spotted cat took their time choosing the appropriate branch before creeping their way across and leaping from the tree they were on to the one Spice was on. They looked a bit like a squirrel, but Spice found no time for humor- the cat's landing onto her tree had made the branch she was on shake, and she dug her claws into the wood to steady herself.

The spotted cat watched with a slight grin. "The name's Koi. Thanks for the life-line, stranger."

"You can call me Spice, provided we get out of here."

"Yeah, I think I know a way to go now. Follow me." The spotted cat - Koi, Spice reminded herself - turned and began inching their way across the branch. Spice swallowed, and followed.

----

The coyote trailed them for some time. It watched as they traversed from branch to branch, occasionally trying to climb trees they had made their way into. On particularly low branches it would leap, jumping either straight up or bouncing off the trunk of the tree and snapping its jaws at their tails. Spice once again missed being a part of a clan, a part of a group that might have had better odds at getting out of here safely. Koi seemed fairly knowledgeable, at least, but more than once they'd had to backtrack.

"What exactly are we looking for?" Spice had demanded at one point, after the tip of her tail had lost several strands of fur thanks to the coyote's teeth and a particularly weak tree limb.

"There's a river nearby, it might be big enough for us to cross and get away from this thing." Koi answered.

"If it's that big, isn't it too big for us to cross on tree branches?" Spice asked. Koi paused, flicking one ear at her.

"...we'll cross that river when we get to it." She replied, sounding a bit amused. Spice was not, but she knew that it was either continue following the spotted cat or hunker down and hope the coyote gave up. She decided to follow.

They did, finally, reach the river. The coyote still trailed below them, frustratingly close at this point, and as Spice had worried there were no branches reaching across.

"Can you swim?" She asked.

"Like the fish I was named after." Koi responded brightly.

"Oh, wonderful." Spice paused. "I can't."

"You can't swim?" Koi repeated, turning to look at Spice in surprise.

"There wasn't any water deep enough to where I came from. I never had to learn!" She replied, defensive. There was a clear conflict in Koi's eyes, concern.

"This isn't how I prefer to teach others to swim... I'll jump in first, you come after me. I'll get you across."

"Why don't we find another w-"

"See you in the water!"

Without waiting, Koi crouched and then pounced, leaping forward powerfully. Spice yelped, digging her claws into the branch once more as the limb swung almost violently. The coyote jumped, narrowly missing her tail, and in fear she also leapt forward- awkward and without near as much power as Koi. She landed in the water with a hearty splash and immediately began to flail, paws swinging wildly as she struggled to keep her head above the surface. When she felt teeth in her scruff she yowled, fearful that the dive into the water had been for naught and she'd been caught by the coyote anyway.

"Shey! Dash enoff! Ish me!" Koi snapped, "Shtop shtrugglin an jus' hang out!"

It was much easier to say than for Spice to do. Every instinct in her body told her to fight, to struggle, to keep moving. She could feel, though, that Koi knew what she was doing. She forced herself to remain limp, shivering in the cold water. When her feet finally touched ground she surged forward, coughing and sputtering onto solid dirt. Koi followed after her, shaking out her fur.

"Well, that wasn't the worst I've seen. We'll get you there." Koi said.

"I am never doing that again." Spice spat back. Koi laughed, only until she turned to the river. Then she gasped.

The coyote had decided to follow them across.

"Oh, that's not good."

"It really isn't." A new voice appeared from nowhere, causing the two cats to jump and spin in surprise. A dark cat with a bird's skull seated upon their back had appeared from the shadows and was staring at the coyote pensively. They turned their gaze to the pair and something wriggled in Spice's heart; there was something in her that recognized this cat. The expression in the other cat's eyes said the same thing- that, in some way, though they'd never met, Spice was also familiar to them.

"My name is Jagged. I have a safe spot we can go to." Jagged eyed them. "...and some food, if you want it."

Koi and Spice only glanced at each other, and then back at the coyote, before nodding.

"Lead the way."
Word Count: 1450

[dimi.]

Patrols for the week of October 11th are now closed.
To claim this XP, head over to Leveling and fill out the Patrol form! This experience will not be applied until you do so.

ghostcatts: 97 xp
Kijumi: 90 xp
Moonblaze-Angel: [Your word count was slightly off - it was 1071 vs 1090] 107 xp
Berryy: 52 xp
KelpieMomma: [Your word count was slightly off - it was 1416 vs 1450] 141 xp


[b]Posts for the week of October 18th are now open!

[ivyy.]

Username: ivyy.
Storage: the abandoned order
Last Patrol Post: the start [patrol #1]
Patrol: Beetle huffed, her legs ached from running and her mind swirled as she attempted to fully process the fact that her boy... sweet little Ezran... he would never tuck her in again. He would never whisper her name and giggle as she turned to look at him. He would never, ever see his companion again. What was wrong with him? How did he get like this? The tuxedo she-cat had no idea. Sitting slumped against a lone oak tree, a valley of moonlit grass and dandelions stretched as far as she could see, her eyes reflecting the shine of the dim light and her tears glittering like the stars that littered the murky sky. Beyond her aching muscles, a pit formed in her stomach. How would she care for herself? How could she survive with her person to care for her?

Crumbling into a mess of dirty black and white fur, she collapsed against the oak, muffled sobs of grief escaping her muzzle. Eventually, sleep and exhaustion worked together to take her to sleep. Even in her rest, she was haunted by the sickly, blistered face of her favorite creature in the whole world. Ezran hadn't deserved such a horrific fate, no matter what sickness he had. Luckily, her mind soon quieted and left her to rest.

---

"Hey!" A rough paw shoved her shoulder, jolting her awake and to her paws. She unsheathed her claws and lashed out at the shape of a cat in front of her, "Get away from me!" She hissed, her eyes flashing fearfully as she arched her spine and spat at the stranger. The other cat looked at her curiously, a bit of foreign amusement sparking in her gaze. "Listen, kid, I ain't got time to brawl. I need you to listen to me." Fur still spiking along her spine, she stayed where she was a few paw steps in front of the older she-cat. Scars covered the cat, it seemed she had an exciting life, each scar etching a permanent story into her skin. Despite not trusting the cat, she had nothing to lose anymore, relaxing her fur but remaining with her claws unsheathed as she faced the newcomer.

"What?" The other cat looked side to side, nervousness showing in her gaze. "We gotta go. There's a group of humans heading this way, the normal ones but they're looking for animals like us." She mewed, her voice sounding tired as if she had been running for a while. "My group was almost completely killed by them." Urgency shone in her voice as she spoke, eyeing Beetle and noticing her delicate features. "You... don't know what's going on, do you?" Perhaps it was the way her fur was incredibly matted or the way she seemed utterly and fully confused by her hurried tone. Shaking her head and gesturing with her tail behind her, the she-cat continued, "My name is Esper. I'm one of the last surviving cats from the city, I think." Last surviving? Her head swirled with confusion and uncertantity. Taking a tentative step forward, the older she-cat stared into Beetle's eyes. "I know you're not sure if you should trust me or not kid, I wish I could convince you but we don't have time." Heavy footsteps and human yells echoed from behind Beetle, the young she-cat bushing her tail as she recognized their tense and agressive voices to be angry.

Turning back to Esper, Beetle spoke at last, "Are they still dangerous? Are they sick too?" Beetle asked, sickened to remind herself once more of the face of Ezran once more. "Yes but I can give you a fighting chance of survival. If you stay here, they will kill you with their loud sticks. The booming sounds? That's them, ending their own kind. The sick and the healthy, they don't care. We have to go." Esper came closer to her and rested her tail on her shoulder. "Will you follow me? I can help you as much as possible as long as you can listen to instructions and do as I say. Deal, kid?" Beetle's distant gaze swerved to look into Esper's eyes. She seemed genuine. There was no need to weigh her options, die now or risk her life later- that's how it would be from now on, without Ezran.

The heavy vibrations of the human's shoes thrummed the ground sharply, their voice growing louder and closer as she nodded to Esper. "Let's go." Determination filled her voice. If Ezran was gone, she would find a way to survive on her own. He would've wanted her to live. Nodding in response, the other she-cat led her away from the lone oak and down the light, rolling hills of the valley. "Keep up, kid. Don't go near any humans anymore, alright?" Esper's gruff voice barely reached her ears, leaping over patches of grass she managed to mutter a response. "Okay." Flicking her anxious gaze over to the she-cat, she added quietly. "By the way, my name is Beetle."
Word Count: [836 words]

[ArithMedic]

Username: ArithMedic
Storage: Hallowed
Last Patrol Post: None *le gasp*
Patrol:
Blackflame huddled protectively over the small, wriggling creature that Wrenclaw had tried to kill. Her clanmate snarled at her, "What are you doing? Prey is scarce right now, we have no room for soft hearts when we have empty stomachs." He sniped, teeth bared and claws out to snag the poor thing from underneath her fluffy fur.

"It's just a baby! Leave it alone, it won't hardly feed anyone!" Blackflame protested, refusing to relinquish the baby rabbit that she was protecting. She'd found it a few days prior, separate from it's mother and starving, and she'd been working on nursing it to proper health when Wrenclaw had decided to follow her out of the camp. She'd been unaware, leading him right to her helpless charge.

Wrenclaw tussled with Blackflame, not actually harming her since that was against the clan code but doing his best to wrest the rabbit from her. After he realized he could not win, he backed off. "I'm going to tell the leader. You won't get away with this!" Wrenclaw snapped, panting between his words. He then turned and left.

Blackflame shook her head. "I don't care." She replied back sharply. Once he was out of sight and earshot, she pulled the terrified baby out from her protective hold. "Hey, sweetie. It's just me now. You're safe." Blackflame took the rabbit by the scruff and began to look for a new hiding spot to keep Buttercup, the name she'd given the baby, safe.

Wrenclaw had been true to his word and Blackflame returned to the camp only to run directly into Grandstar.

"Is it true, did you withhold prey from Wrenclaw while he was hunting?" Grandstar asked immediately, he'd been waiting for her.

Blackflame hesitated then responded, "Yes, technically, but-"

"You're to be confined to the warrior's den without food for two days. Hopefully when that's complete, you will have a greater appreciation for the hunger of the clan."

"But-" Blackflame tried again, but there was no room for argument. Grandstar left without listening and only gestured to the warrior's den so she could begin her punishment.

Those two days in the den were the longest of her life. Not because of her hunger, although she was certainly glad to eat once she was out again, but because she worried over Buttercup. Had Wrenclaw found her again? Had someone else? Did the poor creature get hungry and try to wander off, only to get caught by the claws or talons of a predator? She hardly got any sleep even though she lay in her nest for the whole duration of her confinement, worries clouding her mind.

The first thing Blackflame wanted to do once the two days were up was run to check on Buttercup. She didn't, however, because she knew that it would attract attention and could risk the safety of her little friend. She was also very hungry, and eagerly headed to the prey pile instead. Unfortunately for her aching stomach, she was intercepted by Wrenclaw.

"Here, I grabbed some prey for you." Wrenclaw told her with a smirk and her stomach twisted. He must have been very hacked off, he normally wasn't this vindictive. The prey he dropped in front of her was none other than a rabbit. A full-grown one, so it wasn't Buttercup, but Blackflame couldn't bring herself to consider eating it. It felt wrong now that she'd bonded with one of its kind.

Blackflame attempted politeness and shook her head with a forced smile. "No, thank you. I have more of a taste for bird today." She walked around him and grabbed a sparrow from the pile to eat. She sat alone for this meal rather than sharing tongues with the others. She felt like there was a barrier there now, like every glance in her direction was full of judgement.

Two tense weeks passed by before Blackflame was once again forced into an impossible situation.

She was hunting, as was her primary job for the clan, when a rare plump rabbit stumbled into her hunting area. She could smell it, smell how juicy it would be to eat. She knew she couldn't eat it herself but she could contribute it to the prey pile. She began to stalk the fat critter, stepping lightly to avoid announcing her presence to its sensitive ears, and was in range to make the killing blow. She should have killed and taken it back, laid it at the paws of an elder perhaps, but she found that she couldn't. Instead, she froze and let the rabbit hop away, back into the underbrush.

Blackflame's misfortune was only capitalized when she sniffed the air for new prey and realized that Grandstar was nearby, and close enough to have seen her let the prey go. She swiveled and, sure enough, there the silver tabby stood frowning at her.

Grandstar silently walked Blackflame back to camp, where he called for a meeting of all the cats in the clan old enough or healthy enough to attend. "Today, I must banish Blackflame from Aspenclan for knowingly denying the clan food." He declared with no opening, leaving thier clanmates shocked and scandalized. The other cats looked at Blackflame and whispered to each other, but Blacflame could only stare in disbelief at her leader, who she'd followed and trusted in since she was a kitten.

"From this day forth, Blackflame is no long of Aspenclan. You have until sunrise tomorrow morning to leave our territory or you will be chased out."

Blackflame stayed stunned for a moment longer before turning away, tearing clogging her eyes but able to find her way to the camp entrance by memory alone. There she paused, silently begging for someone to call her back, to plead her case before the leader, to even just ask for her side of the story, but even her own family members didn't come to say so much as a goodbye. Blackflame walked out of the camp with a heart heavy with grief.

When she was sure that no one was following her, Blackflame made a detour to collect Buttercup. "I guess it's just you and me now, sweetie." She crooned sadly, hoping to comfort the child that could sense her distress. "It'll be alright, we'll figure this out. I won't let anyone hurt you."

Blackflame made it to the territory's edge well before sunrise, and stepped over the scent boundary without looking back. She would find her own way, she'd find a home that would accept her and Buttercup.
Word Count: 1,089!!

[ruethefangirl]

Username: ruethefangirl
Storage: Sunclan
Last Patrol Post: N/A
Patrol:
Sunflower was born inside with the rest of her litter. Her siblings were rehomed. Sunflower was often kept in one bedroom because her humans had dogs that were unpredictable around cats. She didn’t mind the dogs, but the dogs had to be supervised when they were around her. Her owners would occasionally alternate between having Sunflower in the living room or in the bedroom. She liked birdwatching, as it was often her only form of entertainment. She enjoyed the company of her humans but she craved new friends and experiences. When the window was left open, she ran. She found a new home and began to form Sunclan.
-
Sunflower batted at a blade of grass. Wow! She had spent so much time looking out at this world through the window. Now she was free! There was so much to take in. Birds! She raced up a tree but the birds took flight before she could catch them. That was okay. She would have plenty of time for hunting birds later! She needed to find somewhere to stay to build her clan. She climbed down the tree and ran off to explore. She walked along the edge of the forest for a while, pondering. Should she travel further into the wild? Or take use of the abandoned human structures? Too soon, the sun began to sink. The broken human monster seemed like a good compromise for now. Sunflower curled up on the seat. It was almost like sleeping on the couch at home. Only dirtier. She would miss her humans. They were kind to her. Would they look for her? They left her alone a lot to spend time with the dogs…. so maybe not. But when they were giving her attention they seemed to enjoy petting her and dressing her up. She loved her yellow ribbon. It would be a good reminder of where she came from. Maybe she could visit again? She’d have to find other cats to join her. She would have to be on the watch for cats like her looking to leave their human homes. Maybe there were also loners out here secretly hoping for company? As she tried to fall asleep, her senses were filled with the sounds of crickets and other noises she could hear so clearly without the windows to muffle them. Despite being excited about her newfound freedom, it was still nerve wracking. Eventually she drifted off.
“HEY!”
Sunflower jolted awake at the sound of a loud human. “Mrrrow?”
The human shouted again, waving their hands.
Sunflower scrambled to her feet. What was that about? She ran, stopping a few feet away. Her tail flicked in annoyance. Why did the human do that? The human was still looking at her. It yelled again and stomped at her. Okay!! Sunflower walked off into the trees. She explored the forest for a while. It was what she assumed to be a normal forest. It didn’t call to her, though. She managed to catch some prey. It was surprising how easy it came to her. It was like she was meant to be out here. She slept up in a tree that night. The next morning, she traveled even deeper into the forest. She found a den, but quickly decided against it when she caught scent of another animal. She considered going back to the human place and crossing the thunder path to see what lay over there. Soon after she had that thought, she saw something. A cave with an odd light emitting from it. Sunflower felt drawn to it. She crept inside. There was a tunnel with an odd shimmer in the air at the end. She could hear water rushing on the other side? Sunflower felt an odd pricking sensation as she stepped beyond the shimmering aura… and found herself in a rocky cave like area behind a waterfall. Sunflower stood still, gazing at the waterfall in awe. There was a large pool that the water flowed down into. Sunflower walked along the dry path around side of the pool. This place was unreal. She padded forward, ready to see more. She knew in her heart it was home.
Sunflower stood atop the stone she had dubbed the Speaking Rock, picturing a future where cats filled the camp with conversation. One day, she would be naming apprentices and announcing kits. She purred at those thoughts. For now, she curled up to fall asleep to the sound of the waterfall. Tomorrow, she would explore the jungle.
…
When morning came, Sunflower walked the incline to the top of the cliff. Her gaze swept over camp taking it all in from the new angle. It was gorgeous. Hopefully she wouldn’t get lost! She picked her way through the foliage. Dappled light filtered in through the trees. Birds that she had never seen outside her human nest before flitted above her head. There was one that was white with blue around its eye. Movement in front of her drew her eyes back to the ground. A lizard! Sunflower darted after it. Breakfast! She continued on her way after her meal. The trees started to shake. Sunflower paused. What in the world was that creature? It was furry, brown, long limbed. Like a human, almost? Shaped funny. There were a few of them. She didn’t know if they would harm her or not. She slunk away, keeping on alert. Sunflower noted a bright snake curled around a branch. Another potential foe. She came across a stream with a small waterfall. That reminded her… she had never fished before. That was something she’d have to figure out. A new creature ambled up to the water as she was getting caught up in her thoughts. A pig! It looked a little different than the ones back at the humanplace but she was confident. It suddenly looked up, grunted, and charged at her. Sunflower scrambled away. That was enough exploring. Sunflower headed back to camp.
-
Sunclan camp is located in a thick jungle. After traveling deep into the trees, one will come across an opening where they will see a waterfall flanked by high greenery covered walls. To enter camp, one must descend down the side of the cliff to the bottom. There is a wide open sandy area that serves as the main part of camp where cats will gather. The fresh kill is kept on top of a flat rock near the front of this area. Sunclan cats eat fish, birds, squirrels, lizards. Not every cat in the clan likes fish or is good at fishing due to them being from all walks of life. There is another taller rock, called the Speaking Rock, a few feet away. This is where the leader stands to address the clan.
There are two caves on the right which are the nursery and the area where the adult cats sleep. The dens for the apprentices and elders are found on the left. Beyond that, there is an outcrop that separates the main part of camp from the pool and shore of the waterfall. There is a gap in the rocks where cats can pass through to get to the pool. On the other side of this gap there is a cave where the healers and sick cats stay. The outcrop skirts around above the pool on the left side. Up on top of the outcrop are caves where the herbs are kept. Behind the waterfall is a secret tunnel that teleports cats to a different forest.
-
“I still haven’t came up with a name yet,” Sunflower mused. MouseSqueak was sitting next to her listening politely. Sunflower figured it was only a matter of time before she convinced her to join her colony. “I could do something like… The Waterfall Cats? Water… clan? Glistening…? Cove? Cove sounds nice but I’m not sure. There’s sand? Sandclan? Cliffclan?”
MouseSqueak made a face.
“No? Hm.”
“The Sunflowers?” MouseSqueak suggested.
“Maybe?” Sunflower thought about it. “I’m not sure about that one… but thank you for the suggestion!”
They sat quietly for a moment.
“What about Sunclan?” MouseSqueak asked.
“Ooooh… I like it!” Sunflower meowed. It was a play on her name, but it wasn’t her full name. It made her think of happy days. Warmth. Togetherness. A group of cats living contently. That was exactly what she envisioned for the future.
“Will you be my first member of Sunclan?” She asked.
MouseSqueak was quiet for a moment. “Okay,” she finally agreed.
-
MouseSqueak’s role in the clan is to keep inventory of the herbs for the healers. Although she does have some healing knowledge, her role is not one of a central healer but as more of a pharmacist. She keeps track of what herbs they have, how much they have of it, where to find it, and how much to use. MouseSqueak doesn’t like the stress of being in the middle of the action when an emergency is occurring. She likes organizing, planning, and tracking. She enjoys the mostly solitary aspect of her duty. Although she often brings company with her if she has to leave camp just to be safe.
Word Count: 1,530

[Aktori]

Username: Syn_cat
Storage: Moonclan
Last Patrol Post: n/a
Patrol: It was a lovely new-leaf day, the birds chirped in the sky above Moonclan's camp as the sun rose in the horizon. Moonclan's camp was located in a small cave where the moon illuminates the cave when the moon is out at night. The cave isn't so much as a cave, you are able to view the skies in all the glory of Starclan. The cave has different clefts where the dens are located in the rocks. Comfy nests are gathered from feathers, moss and grass. The entrance to the cave is protected by thickets of thorns.

It was a beautiful day to go out on patrol, and Cinderstar decided to take Rabbitstrike on a one on one patrol. Afterall, clan life functioned on patrols.
"Let's get a move on, Rabbitstrike." She mewed with impatience.
"Okay, okay- let me wake up first." He responded not knowing what he had just said to the leader.
She growled at him and swatted him with her paw, claws sheathed, prompting him to leap from his nest in a hurry. He licked his chest fur in embarrassment.
"Sorry Cinderstar! I didn't realise it was you!" He mewed apologetically. "What's with the rush anyway?" He meowed.
"You'll see." She meowed as she raced out of the cave tunnel, and through the gorse thickets. Rabbitstrike was struggling to follow as he had just woken up from a night patrol.

They reached the first landmark of Moonclan's territory, a great tall tree that can oversee the forest and the camp. "We're at Tall tree!' Rabbitstrike exclaimed in reminisce. "This is where I found you as a kit! You stank of twolegs!" He paused for a moment before looking at her, "You still do!" He jokingly said to her.
She didn't even bat an eye before she took a swipe at him, leaving her claws sheathed. "Next time, I'll have my claws out." She growled with a hint of mischief in her eyes.

"It was what- 24 moons ago! And you've been a leader for 12 moons already!" Rabbitstrike happily mewed with glee. "I can't believe you escaped from that twoleg den as a 6 moon old kit. I'm really proud of how far you've come, Cinderstar. I've watched you grow as a kit, to an apprentice, to a warrior, deputy and now leader. Ravenstar made a fantastic choice as leaving you as his successor." He babbled with pride.

"There's a reason why I wanted to take you out on a patrol...." Cinderstar started off saying before having a moment to gather her thoughts. "I think you should consider moving to the elders den soon. You've been a great senior warrior all throughout Ravenstar's leadership." She looked at him in the eyes, daring not to look away.

"I certainly will not move to the elders den! I may have adopted you as my daughter, but you certainly aren't telling me what to do!" He angrily spat at her, his eyes sparked with rage. "I can still hunt, I can still fight. I can still...." He was cut off as a loud rustling of leaves and undergrowth was heard. A stick had broke with a loud crunch.

Cinderstar quickly sniffed the air, her hackles on edge as a lumbering old badger emerged from the bush. "Run! Get the other warriors while I distract it." She leapt at it with yowling, trying to make herself look bigger to scare the opposing threat. Rabbitstrike, instead of listening to her, leapt on the other side of the badger and the two warriors fought together against the foe.

Claws slashed at the thick pelt of the badger from either side, however Cinderstar was struck by the paws of the badger. "Cinderstar!" Rabbitstrike yowled in fear. Cinderstar had a wound on her shoulder, blood trickling down onto the forest floor.

Rabbitstrike growled menacingly at the badger, "No one hurts my daughter!" He yowled and leapt at the badger, aiming for its eyes. He managed to scratch the left eye of the badger and it hollard in pain. The badger staggered and ran back into the undergrowth.

"Cinderstar! Are you okay?" He mewed in desperation.
"It's deep but I'll be fine." She staggered up from the forest floor, however she collapsed back down onto the ground once more. "I'll get the medicine cat quickly!" He rushed back to the camp but before he could dash away, Cinderstar stopped him. "You are right, you are a fit to stay out of the elders den. I'm sorry." She coughed, her voice hoarse. Then suddenly her body seized, and then it became lifeless.

"Cinderstar?" He cried out, waiting for a response. "Cinderstar?!" He called out again. He was about to call out again, but she opened her eyes, her wound healed from the magic of Starclan however it left a massive scar on her shoulder.
"I told you, I'll be okay." She mewed at him, life sparkling in her eyes.
"How many lives do you have left?" He asked curiously, making sure that she'll still be okay.
"It was my first, and I wouldn't change a thing that happened. I'd rather lose all my lives and save you." She mewed with fierce love for her adoptive father. He gave her a lick on her forehead, "Let's get back to camp." He mewed, purring that his daughter was going to be okay.
"Sounds like a good idea!" She mewed happily.


Word Count: 901

[Moonblaze-Angel]

Username: Moonblaze-Angel
Storage: MooseClan
Last Patrol Post: Minnowspark has a panic attack
Patrol:

"Are you the new clan I keep hearing about? MooseClan, or something or other?" The stranger asks.

It had been a pretty average day so far for Mousepaw, cleaning the herb store, tending to the elder's sore joints, checking in on the newest litter of kittens. She had gotten extremely comfortable taking care of the Clan as a medicine cat these past few moons. She hadn't seen too many unusual cases, but give her a common ailment or injury and they'd be able to tend it right away.

Her mentor is fairly impressed with her ability to memorize skills and herbs. Fernflower may think it's because she's just naturally good at it, but Mousepaw had been quizzing herself with Leafpaw almost every night. Her sibling is about a mouse whisker away from biting her tail off, actually. Saying things like "I shouldn't know all the herbs for stomach ache!" and "I'm a warrior apprentice, not a medicine cat!" and even going so far as "Every berry you get correct, I get to try out a new move".

Mousepaw doesn't mean to be insufferable for their sibling, but she needs to be the best at learning. How else will she earn her name? Warrior apprentices get theirs after fighting, or taking down an eagle, or rescuing someone. She just gets to sort herbs and dress wounds. Mousepaw loves to do these things, but it leaves for a very weird learning schedule. Until something happens that she hasn't learned, she doesn't even know she hasn't learned it!

"This is a Clan. EagleClan, actually. Why are you looking for MooseClan?" Her leader, Smokestar, responds. He pops fully out of the nursery, where he'd been checking on his mate and kittens. Silverkit, Grasskit, and Hollowkit are almost old enough to be apprentices!

The newcomer sits down, licking one paw. Mousepaw thinks she does it to look cool, but she can sense her uneasiness underneath the facade.

"That would be for MooseClan, don't you think?" Mousepaw gasps at how rude she is to the clan leader. Imagine if she had tried that! Smokestar would have her one mouse bile duty for moons. Thankfully, he seems to take it well.

"Well, if our neighboring clan is in some sort of trouble, we should help out, don't you think? We could escort you to the border, even, to make sure the issue doesn't come further into our territory." He flicks the tip of his tail, keeping a very even tone. Smokestar could debate with the best of them.

At this, the newcomer reevaluates him. She sizes him up, almost as if she wants to fight. Seeing as Smokestar is twice her size, she backs down from the challenge. The queen sniffs.

"If you must, I'll take two cats with me. They can show me where to go and then come back here to this ... hideout? What do you call this mess of cats?"

"A camp." Smokestar narrows his eyes at her just a touch, then seems to make a decision. He glances around the clearing, appearing to search for something. His eyes land on Mousepaw and Leafpaw. "Will you two apprentices escort our visitor here safely to Mintstar? He'll be excited someone wants to join his Clan."

Me? Mousepaw thinks, startled at the conclusion. Why would I want to go with some mangy old she-cat? Her apprehension must have shown on her face, because Fernflower prods her with a paw.

"This will be good for you. Try to make a friend in the new clan, alright? Both of you." He states, directing his last comment to both her and Leafpaw. "You know Mintstar, at least a bit. He doesn't bite." Fernflower noses her to her feet, towards the stranger. Leafpaw confidently strides up to her.

"What's your name, stranger? I'm Leafpaw! I'm a warrior apprentice and I'm gonna be the best hunter in the forest! Do you wanna see my pounce?" Without waiting for answers, he leaps on a nearby leaf, true to his name. Mousewhisker used to say they were named Leafpaw because he could only catch leaves.

She rushes up, making sure to keep pace as they head out of the hollow and into the pine forest. The loner replies as they leave the camp.

"My name is Alpine, although I suspect that will change here quickly. How long are you an apprentice?" Mousepaw is intrigued Alpine wants to know more, before realizing she's about to join a Clan, too. Leafpaw answers before she can.

"About six to twelve moons! As long as I need to learn everything, though. Right now I know everything but they're keeping me an apprentice so I can take care of old bedding while the kits are too young." He crinkled his nose at the thought of mouse bile. "That'll be over soon! Silverkit and Grasskit and Hollowkit are almost ready to be apprentices. Grasskit wants to be a stinky medicine cat though, so she's no fun."

The trio hops over a small tributary to the waterfall river, trotting closer to the border. Alpine seems to be a little confused at first, then asks a question.

"What's a medicine cat? Why are they different?" Mousepaw speaks up, excited to talk about her job.

"It's a cat who takes care of others. I became a medicine cat apprentice because I wanted to help and not hurt other cats. I have to swear off a mate and kittens, but that's not so bad. It means I get to focus on learning." She ducks under a low branch, noticing the change in trees. The air is warmer down here, and the ground softer.

"There's only one medicine cat at a time, though, so I wouldn't worry about being one. Unless you want to." Mousepaw pauses, suddenly realizing something. "I'm not sure if Minthop - I mean, Mintstar - has found a medicine cat. They're very important."

Mousepaw frets the rest of the way to the border, hardly hearing a thing Leafpaw says or Alpine asks about. She seems to be having a great time talking with them. She'd make a great mentor someday. Mousepaw sniffs the air, checking for herbs, and finds she can smell a fourth cat nearby.

"There's a-" Her warning is interrupted by a large tortoiseshell cat barreling into her.

Word Count: 1052(?)