[Amplify]

Username: Amplify
Clan: Here

Quest Number: 1
Response:

Words: *random cat that insulted him*| Featuring Bright and Blaze

Word Count: 5

Quest Number: 2
Response:

Featuring Bright and Blaze

Word Count: N/A

Quest Number: 3
Response:

Bramble was very surprised to see an oddly folded leaf and three wrapped objects appear at the opening of her den one day, with no one having a clue as to who put them there let alone who crafted them. She was inclined to believe they were delivered with good intentions, as it was certainly no stranger who left them. Tentatively she tried to sniff them out, but they seemed to have cleverly left the gifts during the night in a spot where they collected enough dew by morning to muddle their scent.

Hmmm, how curious. Perhaps that was accidental, perhaps not.

Moving them further back into her den for privacy, Bramble stared at them intensely, hoping to ascertain some clue as to the reason behind their appearance if nothing else. The folded leaf was the odd one out, so she decided to open that first. All she could make of it was that it was clearly meant to indicate the gifts were for her. At least, if the rough depiction of a bramble bush with mud and berry juice meant anything else, she was clueless.

She had never received such a thing before. Was this a tradition from distant lands, or something they conjured up on their own? With no way of knowing, it did not help with narrowing down the potential senders.

Moving to the gifts, she had smelled enough to know that none were food which was reassuring, although one smelled strongly of herbs. Opening the first gift, she found an oddly large, round, and smooth stone. Dark in color, it seemed like just the thing to warm well in the sun, potentially useful for relieving the tension stress in her paws during the summer. That’s very thoughtful.

Considering the next gift, she opened it to find a bundle of blackberry leaves. If there was any doubt this gift was for her, it would have been alleviated here; they must’ve collected them at the same time as they got the berries for the message. Certainly useful, she wasn’t quite sure what to do with them as they were best in the paws of a medicine cat. That being said, they were a gift for her, and she had been feeling a bit bloated lately.

Setting the herbs aside, Bramble finally set her sights on the final gift, opening it with little to no hesitation.

Oh, what is this?

Before her was a curiously shaped and colorful stone, made of crystals. Grabbing it carefully in her maw after sniffing it out thoroughly to make sure it wasn’t covered in something, she moved towards her den’s entrance and placed it in the light. It didn’t quite light up as she’d thought it might, but it sparkled wondrously. She stared at it for a few moments longer than she probably should’ve before grabbing it and placing it further back in her den.

She had no idea who sent such thoughtful gifts or why, but she was determined to figure it out and thank them properly.

Word Count: 505

[kyeza]

Username: kyeza
Clan: jadeclan & the chasm

Quest Number: 1
Response:


insufferable. she was insufferable.

it wasn't like she was rude or self-centered—or had any negative traits, really, when she thought about it—but that was exactly it. she never did anything wrong. there was nothing at all to dislike, and that in itself was infuriating.

she was perfect in every way. beautiful, charismatic, compassionate and kind, a capable leader, a wonderful older sister—the spitting image of everything a spiritseeker should be. so why was it that her name made resentment run cold through quartz's veins? why couldn't she get that stupid, perfect face out of her head?

what was wrong with her?

she wasn't even sure how someone could be so perfect. how could she ever dream of comparing? not that lostlight would ever let her say that aloud. her ridiculously large heart meant that she never stood for any self-deprecating words, joking or not. for as long as they'd known each other, she'd always make light of it, find a compliment to give or some passing comment to distract from the negatives.

and they'd known each other for a very long time. they'd been friends for ages, before everything changed, becoming ever-so-close when they were little. but as the years passed and they grew older, quartzkiss found herself feeling spiteful. why was it that lostlight got everything she'd ever wanted, while her best friend was left behind to suffer?

didn't she deserve something too? didn't she deserve to have the power that came with her leadership, the friends she made so effortlessly, the bond she shared with her little sister? didn't she?

it wasn't like she was asking much. she just wanted something. anything. anything to prove that she was worth something more, that she was someone worth spending time on.

and so her longing for what her dearest friend had for herself poisoned their relationship from one side. it was only ever one-sided, really. lostlight didn't do hate—inside and out, it wasn't her. quartz had seen the way she would trail after her bouncy little sister, eyes softened with a special kind of fondness (which she almost wished she was on the receiving end of, though she couldn't place why); the way she'd always rush to help her fellow clanmates without a hint of hesitation; the way she'd always fought for her beliefs in spite of what others may think.

the bitterness thrown her way was never met with any ill will, just the same patient benevolence she showed everyone else. how could you bring yourself to hate someone who doesn't even acknowledge your distaste for them? who treats you with the same kindness and respect they show everyone else, as if you still deserve it after all you've said and done?

she couldn't.

she really couldn't, no matter how hard she tried.

and believe her, she's tried.


━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━


21 years ago...

rainbow-scrawled paper rustles under snowy paws, colored pens scratching at the parchment in a rhythmic dance.

"hiya!" quartz glances up, startled from her daze, a darker feline leaning over her, head tilted in open curiosity. "whatcha drawing?"

her face flushes. "n-nothing!" she scrambles to cover up her work, her papers scraping across the stone floor and tearing a little from the movement. she winces.

"uh huh.. well, my name's lostlight, what's yours?"

"wow, a grown up name?" she says, forgetting herself for a moment. "but you don't look like a grown up..?"

the other lets out a breathy, cheerful laugh. "oh," she manages between giggles, "no, no. i was born with it! mama says i'm special, meant to be the next leader or something like that." quartz's eyes widen, mouth forming a silent 'oh' as she takes that in.

"well i'm quartz. just plain ol' quartz," she mumbles. "i like your name, it's pretty."


━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━


13 years later...

"quartz? quartz, are you in there?" a soft voice calls out from the other side of the curtain, laced with concern.

a beat of silence. "... go away."

"i know you don't wanna talk," the other begins, "but i'm coming in anyway." the curtain is pushed aside gently, ruffled into billowing waves of fabric. a hint of ebony fur flashes as she pokes her head through the gap. her eyes immediately settle on the trembling figure curled up in the corner of the room.

pawsteps pad closer. "quartz, love, this isn't healthy. it's been three days now, you have to take care of yourself."

"leave me alone," quartzkiss mumbles half-heartedly, muffled, head buried beneath her paws. lostlight sighs softly. "you know i can't do that." she reaches out to put a paw on the other's shoulder, and although quartz has half a mind to shrug her off, she can't seem to muster the energy to do so.

she's offered a small piece of bread and accepts without much thought, hunger overpowering any lingering resentment. she takes a small bite, her stomach growling for more, but she can't bring herself to eat and pushes the rest away. lostlight frowns. "you need food, quartz," she urges, nudging it back towards her.

she lifts her up tenderly, sitting her up straight before letting her fall to the side slightly to lean against her. somehow, every last trace of bitterness is overcome by the comforting gesture. she doesn't think much of it in the moment, clouded by grief, but she would later come to realize the significance of this very moment.





━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━


present day...

it wasn't unusual for quartzkiss to wake up with a frown already painted across her face. a new day, new annoyances to deal with and new problems to fix. today was different. she could feel it in her bones from the moment she opened her eyes: something was wrong. very wrong. she jolts upright, stumbling over herself in the process, before peeking out of the already empty den.

where was everybody?

she pads out into the ravine, glancing around warily. it's then that she hears it. a sharp wail, then a pause, then a shout. she dashes toward the sound, ears flattened to her head and heart racing. she slides to a stop behind a crowd of cats, height not doing her any favors, and darts through between figures until she nears the front.

"—can't be dead! that's my SISTER!"

she freezes in her tracks. that was everglow's voice. ... lostlight is..?

no, it can't be.

it hits her like a boulder as kestrel ushers everglow away. it was real, it had to be. why else would her little sister be tear-streaked and hysterical? why else would everyone be shouting and screaming and crying and—

she's dead. lostlight is dead.

she's dead, she's gone, and she's never coming back. but she'd hated her, so why was she so stricken, distress drowning out every other thought? she'd despised her and everything she stood for, hadn't she? hadn't she been riddled with jealousy and bitterness and—?

oh.

oh no.


Word Count: 1,147 words





Quest Number: 3
Response:


the winter wind brought with it a taste of flurries and crisp, crystal clear air. it blanketed the world in white, thick boughs overhead weighed down with a snowy burden and greenery underfoot engulfed in the aftermath of the blizzard that had just passed through. it was nice to be on the road at a time like this, though. it was peaceful, with the quietude as your only companion and the world to yourself. nobody else was out and about. no other travelers on the road, no pawsteps heading your way or new faces to greet.

or at least that was how it usually was. but alas, today was not in his favor.

the soft crunch of snow brings alderhaze's attention back from where it wanders, several strides ahead, admiring the winter wonderland as he passes through. his gaze drifts toward the sound. from the leafless bracken emerges a familiar figure, tawny-spotted fur and ceaseless buzz of energy contrasting sharply with the calm, snow-laden scenery.

he tilts his head as the other approaches, humming in acknowledgement. "cricket."

they come to a stop before him, paw extended with gusto. "for you," their melodious voice sounds, graced with a hint of a smile, as they hand him a letter.

its weight surprises him. his outstretched paw sinks down ever so slightly as it's passed off to him, as if enclosed within was more than just paper. the faint bulge in its outline seemed to suggest the same. "from—?"

"your darling sage, of course," they cut him off before the question can even leave his mouth.

he nods. "thank you again, old friend," alder offers, a softness lingering in his gaze for a moment before the chilled breeze all but blows it away. the other's grin widens.

"anytime, alder. anytime."


━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━


incandescent flames dance in the crisp winter night, shades of copper and amber flickering amongst the trees across the clearing, casting lengthy, lively shadows in the snow. a perfect night for reading, if you asked him. bundled up in his favorite woolly blankets, the cold reached no more than the tip of his tail, the fire presenting an inviting warmth and warding off the chilly air for a brief respite.

next to him lies a worn novel, the cover of which is faded with age and the pages within yellowed by firelight. atop the book is the envelope he'd received earlier in the day, unopened and awaiting his attention. he sighs, content, and gingerly picks it up to examine it. his name, written in a lovely cursive script, embellishes the front. inside, tucked within and folded up neatly, is a letter from his dearest friend.

out tumble a few small trinkets, as well, when he opens it. he shifts beneath his blankets to reach out a paw, sliding it over the items in succession. first is a small but weighted leather pouch, which he opens to find full of several shimmering gemstone fragments. he recognizes a few at a glance, but tucked inside is a little hand-drawn guide to each stone. then he picks up the few loose, folded sketchbook papers, worn at the edges, all adorned with sketches of various flowers. each is labeled with a flowing calligraphy name and a little description. and last but not least, he lifts a small, heart-shaped turquoise pendant from the snow. he finds that it opens like a locket and pressed within is a singular dried sage leaf.

he tears up a little. placing the items back on the ground gently, he wipes a stray teardrop from his watering eyes, then reaches for the letter once more. it reads:



dear alder,

i hope this letter finds you well, though i've certainly placed it in capable hands with your friend cricket. i've been wrapped up in healer business, here, and the flower shop has been a wild ride! i still can't believe you convinced me to finally open one... forever in awe of your persuasiveness.

i won't say i regret it though—it's been a whirlwind, but an exciting one. i've got so many customers lining up on my doorstep that it's making me consider stepping down as a healer to focus on this and my family. satin supports it wholeheartedly, of course, with that lovely, warm smile of hers. she thinks it's a great idea to spend more time with her and the kids, and honestly i agree. what do you think?

i hope your travels have been going well—when are you heading home? silk has a gift she wants to give you and i'm not sure how much longer she can wait! speaking of gifts, i hope you liked the little trinkets i included for you. i couldn't help but throw them in, i figured you could use a little something to get you through the day. the pendant matches the amber one i got for myself, with a little piece of alder bark inside. the sketches and gems were a last minute addition, just a few things i'd had lying around i thought you might enjoy.

i've got plenty more to say and so little time to write it all down, so i hope to see you soon!

lots of love,
sage ♡




alder rereads the letter once, twice, three times, before placing it next to the gifts and smiling to himself. this was exactly what he had needed today, without a doubt.



Word Count: 900 words

[crexmii]

Username: crexmii
Clan: both here

Quest Number: one
Response:

ft pixiedust and dahliashine !!

the scent of petrichor was strong in the woods.
the scent of petrichor was strong in the woods.
raindrops pattered down through the shaded canopy of pines, whilst fog slowly crept into the woods like a predator stalking its prey.

and a little figure was slipping through the cracks of the camp entrance into the mist. she felt wet soil under paw and glimpsed the outlines of tree trunks flickering by.

still the rain poured down incessantly, and kelpshine only felt herself going deeper and deeper into the unknown. she felt around blindly and her white paws stumbled across a sturdy tree stump.

she was here, in her favourite spot.
she really needed to get away from it all, after a draining day of side eyes, glares and whispered comments about her.

what the fawn tabby didn't know was that someone had caught wind of her disappearance. a second set of paws trailed behind, swiftly and silently.

the ferns rustled. kelpshine jumped and her gaze locked with a pair of orange eyes.
"who-"

"kelpshine! there you are! don't be so scared, i'm not going to hurt you!"

"pixiedust...? what are you doing in the petrichoric woods, looking for me of all cats? also, what's that in your mouth?"

the blue molly was carrying a beautiful iridescent cape in her jaws, shaped like a fish's tail. blue and gold threads of satin shimmered, a light in the mist. assorted pearls of various shades of blue, white and yellow were strung together like a necklace, topped with strands of kelp weaved into the cape.

pixiedust's azure eyes glimmered. "that's a new costume i made. and it's for you, silly!"
kelpshine was taken aback. "for me?"

"yep!"

staring at the cape in awe, she couldn't help but blurt, "why?"

"because i think you're a cool cat!

you know, you shouldn't dwell on everything they say. i think you're really strong, for leaving your home, the place that caused you so much pain and sorrow."

as pixiedust reached out a paw to give the cape to kelpshine, she hesitated. that was when something unraveled inside her. her heartbeat quickened. and perhaps it was the way pixiedust smiled, or the way her warm eyes glowed, or the melodious sound of her voice.

for whenever she spoke, kelpshine heard a symphony.
for so long, she'd thought of pixiedust as merely another clanmate, a sunny presence amidst the mundanity of the camp.
but now, her perception had changed.

oh.
is this what falling in love feels like?


Word Count: # 412 words

[SushiFoxx]

Username: SushiFoxx
Clan: Fallen Rose Kingdom

Quest Number: 1
Response:

Atlas had believed that they were all exaggerating. Nobody would truly feel that way, as if something in their world had suddenly clicked and everything made sense. Yet, here they were, experiencing it for themself in the moment. The sight of her within those flowers was almost ethereal. She seems so entranced with the nature dancing at her paws, the nature that would bend to her will with just a quiet “please”.

It is as if their world was tilted on its axis just for her. Her.. She was the one Atlas suddenly felt an overwhelming sense of pride to know. The unthought gestures, the traded glances, all to this moment, the pause in the world where everything suddenly made sense one more time, just like they had said would happen. Atlas had not trusted them, had said that it was all nonsense, but here they stood watching the she-cat frolic without a second worry in the world.

A breath caught in their lungs. The breath that would not emerge without a sign of force. Suddenly, however, Atlas did not mind as the oxygen did not seem to want to reach their lungs. Everything felt like it was just how it was meant to be, like this was everything and nothing could go wrong. The whole world seemed like it wanted to bend to her will, like even the dragons would comply with her soothing voice.

Sure. The feelings had been developing for ages, but it had finally hit them just how hard they had fallen for the kind hearted she-cat. This was the moment they finally seemed to realize their heart was pounding harder, faster, the moment they finally realized that maybe these feelings were real and not something to just be ignored. The feelings were real.

Atlas gazed over at the she-cat they had fallen for. The whimsical expression that covered her face. Peace. They softened at the sight, there was not a single worry tainting her gaze, it was sweet. Before Atlas could stop the wandering thoughts, they had taken over their brain. The way their expression looked so unbothered, the way she looked as though there was nobody else in her world.

Perhaps they had been right, perhaps love was like when your world crashed to a stop as you stared at the person you loved. Perhaps love was like when your heart sped up just looking at them. Perhaps, Atlas had fallen head over paws for the she-cat wandering within the flowers.

—-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

There was not a doubt in her mind as she froliced within the flowers. There was a purity, an innocence, nothing was there to bother her at the moment. Everything seemed to land just perfectly. Althea could feel Atlas’s eyes on her, staring, even as they tried to glance away before she noticed. She couldn't help but giggle to herself at their stare. For some reason, she didn’t mind how Atlas’s gaze seemed stuck to her like there was nothing else around them. For some reason, her heart seemed to pound harder at the gaze.

Althea didn’t mind how Atlas was watching her dance through the flowers, didn’t mind how even in the quiet peace of the flowers, they were supervising. It could’ve sounded silly, but to her, it was true. To her, she felt as though there was never a better feeling in the world. She was safe in the moment, nothing could harm her right now.

Everything had landed just how it was supposed to be, nothing could break the barrier of the moment. She grinned to herself at how the tortie seemed to stare against their will. Althea couldn’t help but return Atlas’s gaze, their eyes were softer than usual, a feeling hidden within them that she had seen before but never this strong. Suddenly, she felt a sensation in her stomach, like thousands of tiny pixies had taken flight in her gut.

They buzzed in her stomach, fluttering rapidly. Faster and faster her heart seemed to pound as she met their gaze. Finally she turned away again, trying to figure out what the feeling in her stomach was. She knew what love felt like, she had felt love with Everbound, with Orev, with all of the younglings she had come across. Yet, this was different, this couldn’t have been love, she was unfamiliar with what this feeling would be, something she had never felt before.

Thoughts were racing in her head faster than she could even process them, all because of a silly feeling in her stomach. Althea shook the thoughts out of her head, she had to be overthinking this sensation within her. It was probably nothing, probably something akin to happiness or glee as she jumped in the flowers. With a shake of her head she continued her adventure within the patch of flowers.

Yet, for some reason she found herself looking back over at Atlas against her will. The sight of that soft gaze, the sight of the way their ears appeared to be relaxed, as though there was nothing straining going through their head. Althea couldn’t help but soften in return to the sight, she couldn’t help but finally let go of any stress that was clinging to her bones. She didn’t feel weary, she didn’t feel tired after a long day, she felt safe, like there was an enclosure within their eyes that she wanted to reach towards. A patch of oxygen within an ocean that she was drowning in.

Suddenly, something in her head made her walk over, made her pause her steps and approach slowly. Atlas seemed to snap out of whatever haze they were in the moment she began to walk over. Althea giggled to herself at the sight and swayed her tail gleefully at the sight of them so caught off guard. The other cat seemed to chuckle at her mischievous giggling, catching onto the fact that she was up to something that she wasn't saying, at least not yet.

“Cmere!” Althea called excitedly, gesturing Atlas over with a grin. “Come join me, it gets lonely with you sitting over there like I’m poisonous!” She chirped with a giggling. Her actions make Atlas roll their eyes before walking over, brushing their tail over her back affectionately.

“Cmon, don’t be a chicken,” Atlas purred warmly.

It felt perfect, like this was how it was always supposed to be. Althea grinned and bounded forward with them. The affection and teasing felt like it was exactly how it was always supposed to be.

She was in love.

Everbound watched from a distance and grinned at their realization. When they came back, they were a new couple.

Word Count: 1,113 words

[ToraOkami303]

Username: ToraOkami303
Clan: Eagle Camp

Quest Number: 1
Response:
“I would follow you across the world.”

Hau was walking along the fences between yards the first time saw the winged-hairless cat, he wasn't sure why he stopped but when he heard the kitty pet had never seen a Scarlet Rosemallow he decided this was a tragedy and immediately found one to bring to show the kitty pet. Apparently his owner always talked about traveling someday, Hau hoped they got to travel.


The second time he saw the kitty pet was on accident again, he had heard about a flower market in London and decided to go see it. He wasn't expecting when flying over the yards in London to see the kitty pet. He stopped to chat and found out the kitty pet’s owner was ill, so they were traveling together to see the world before the end. He aches for their impending separation and brought the kitty pet a Bluebell from the market.


He followed them from there, wanting to make sure nothing separated the pair prematurely. He wasn't sure why but it felt important to be there for the kitty pet. He brought the kitty pet a Tsubaki when they arrived in Tokyo, and in return received a request to see if any temples would give him an Omamori for health. The kitty pet had heard his human talking with their friend about the charms so as much as Hau felt it might be too late he still convinced a temple to give him one with his cutest meow and brought it to the kitty pet.


Hau finally thought to ask his new friend his name when they traveled to Cairo, Mālie. It meant Serene and Hau had to agree with the name, the other certainly was taking the impending life change with an air of serenity. When asked how he could manage that Mālie simply replied right now he was celebrating life with his owner, grief could come later. Hau felt that was very profound and brought Mālie multiple batches of Jasmine while they were in Cairo.


Hau wasn't sure how but he could almost feel how their journey was nearing its end. The sounds of Ravens following them at first distantly had gotten much closer. He found a Mexican Marigold to bring Mālie this time, something he'd heard the humans talking about having a connection to the afterlife. He felt having the symbolic connection might help when grief hit.


Hau found himself flying through his namesake when they traveled to Munich, he didn't mind since he had long thick fur but he worried for Mālie until he found the kitty pet had been smartly bundled in a sweater, he also had been inside when Hau arrived with an Edelweiss flower for him. His owner only tethering him up to retrieve the flower and talk for a short time due to the snow picking up again.

He finally realized while flying alongside the taxi taking Mālie and his owner to the owner’s Aunt’s house on Flora Isle why it felt so important to follow them… he loves the kitty pet. He had followed him all around the world, from friend to family on this journey to celebrate life because he loved the kitty pet more than anything else in the world… he brought the pair a set of Naupaka, one from each location they grew in, and layed with the kitty pet at his owner’s side as their journey came to its close. Two ravens cooing soothing non-sense in the window.


Word Count: 578

[elliott.]

[ Start of Feburary Round ]

"Thank you all for your replies!! I'll have your prizes figured out soon!"

The current round has ended.

Feburary Quests

Quest #1
cecro → 60XP
Anpu → 30XP
I Like Bees → 35XP
Polluux. → 50XP
Infinitygalixy → 75XP
WinglessSeraph → 30XP
Amplify → 50XP
kyeza → 205XP
crexmii → 75XP
SushiFoxx → 65XP
ToraOkami303 → 385XP

Quest #2
cecro → 60XP
Anpu → 40XP
I Like Bees → 115XP
Polluux. → 65XP
dimi. → 55XP
Infinitygalixy → 60XP
Amplify → 50XP

Quest #3
Anpu → 40XP
WinglessSeraph → 50XP
Amplify → 35XP
kyeza → 50XP

Please remember to link to this post in your next explore post to use your exp!

"And here are some special prizes for those who put extra effort into their entries!
You can use this to buy some cool stuff from StarClan's shop!"

all doubled due to feburary love bonus <3

cecro → 240 stardust
Anpu → 440 stardust
I Like Bees → 600 stardust
Polluux. → 460 stardust
Infinitygalixy → 540 stardust
WinglessSeraph → 320 stardust
Amplify → 540 stardust
kyeza → 1020 stardust
crexmii → 300 stardust
SushiFoxx → 260 stardust
ToraOkami303 → 1540 stardust
dimi. → 220 stardust

"Thank you all for participating! I loved hearing about each of your Clans!"

"While I loved all of your entries, these ones were my favorites! Here's something extra for your hard work!"

Quest #1 - cecro & polluux.
+1 R MYO each

Quest #2 - i like bees & dimi.
+1 UR MYO each

Quest #3 - anpu & kyeza
+1 UN MYO each

"Wait wait wait, I have more questions, don't leave yet!"

A new round has begun!

QUEST #1
Draw or write about how your clan mourns deaths. Are there any particular ceremonies?
You may write and/or draw your response to this prompt.

QUEST #2
Draw about a ‘perfect day’ in the eyes of one of your cats.
You may only draw your response to this prompt.

QUEST #3
Write about how your clan celebrates the arrival of new kits.
You may only write your response to this prompt.

[Swishy & Broken]

Username: Swishy & Broken
Clan: [link]
Quest Number: 2
Response: [link]

[Polluux.]

Username: Polluux.
Clan: HOO

Quest Number: 1
Response:
Word Count: -

[ivyy.]

Username: ivyy.
Clan: OceanClan

Quest Number: 3
Response: In OceanClan, kitting "ceremonies" or celebrations are often held several weeks before a litter is expected. Normally, the main contributors to the planning of the events are the Caretakers who'll be caring for the future kittens while their parents recover and eventually continue their roles in the clan. Alternatively, the Gatherers participate greatly in collecting flowers, seashells, berries for paint poultices, and other items within the forest that may be used within the ceremony although it's usually up to the one managing the event and the parents on what exactly they want or are looking for. The most recent welcoming ceremony was held for Fawnspring, even though she wasn't too sure what she wanted, she was pleasantly surprised by what the current Caretakers, Rusteddawn and Peachcrown.

For Fawnspring's welcoming ceremony, Peachcrown knew how stressful the pregnancy, at least leading up to the event, had been for the sweet she-cat. Having been silent on the father to the kits, Peachcrown assisted Fawnspring greatly in managing her pregnancy and finding good ways to relax when stress levels were high. She knew something had happened to Fawnspring before she announced her expecting, she was shaken and seemed much more distant from her clanmates than usual. Not even the goofy, light-hearted Minklily could get anything out of her. So, Rusteddawn let the gentle-natured, golden she-cat take the lead for the event and primary assistance for the Queen. With all this information in mind, although OceanClan's ceremonies usually involve large amounts of sea-themed decor, Peachcrown determinedly decided on requesting several different varieties of flower species, most of which could be found in the forest part of their territory.

The Gatherers, of course, complied and returned with several different kinds of flowers- bundles of lavender, pink and purple anemone, poppies, and fireweed were brought to Peachcrown. Carefully ensuring that Fawnspring didn't have any reactions to the pollen or flowers, they were littered throughout the cave tunnel leading to the nursery and were bunched along the edges of each nest- even the nest of those of others like little briarkit who wasn't all that far from moving to the apprentices den. Of course, the main focus was Fawnspring's nest, hopefully with enough calming flowers to have their aroma ease her to sleep. Aside from pretty flowers, Fawnspring did mention her favorite colors being a light shade of pink and sage green. Peachcrown never forgot and implemented the colors along the corner of the nursery where Fawnspring would have her litter. Shades of green were made from burdock and oak leaf pulp and smeared in beautiful swirls along the wall (courtesy to OceanClan's resident artists Marigoldmaw and Tilhi, another nursery resident).

The pink was taken from some of the anemone flowers that were gathered, a pulp made from the pink petals of a selected few of the gorgeous flowers. The last part to any welcoming ceremony, according to Rusteddawn, would be the gifting that would take place for any close friends or family. Caretakers, having managed the entire ceremony, would be naturally dormant (unless very close family/friends with the Queen) for this role. In Fawnspring's case, the first to approach her baring a gift of a moss-covered trinket was surprisingly Canarykit. She claimed that when her new friends were brought into OceanClan, she wanted to be able to offer them something to play with. Next, Cowpaw had bashfully approached the pregnant Queen and offered her a small basket woven of dried kelp and reeds, explaining it was supposed to be a spot where Fawnspring could actually store all the gifts she would receive or craft for her littles ones. The last notable presenter was Anemonewhirl, a recent father to a daughter residing in the nursery, with an offering of a shiny, golden twoleg necklace. Gold-plated and glimmering in the sunlight, it reminded her of the beautiful, yellow beach OceanClan was blessed to call their own. She accepted all her offerings greatly and retired to the nursery den, her anxiety no where near gone but reassured that no matter what, she had the full support of her clanmates, Caretakers, friends, and family.
Word Count: 717 words

[néktar]

username néktar
clan marbleclan

quest one..

his ears were still ringing with the sound of moonblink's voice, "grimstorm, i- cherrysprout is.." his hearing cut out as the ringing echoed through his head. "we also found lochstar-" the bicolored tomcat leaned against the molly, she took his weight in stride. lionpaw pressed against his other side supporting him as they took him into the holy den. lionpaw quickly instructed him to chew on a few herbs, the depute snapped back to his senses but grief still threatened to overwhelm him. he pushed himself to his paws, though he wished nothing more then to lay down and curl up like a frightened kit.

moonblink explained the horrific discovery of his beloved mate and leader, both found just outside the sanctuary. poor firepoppy had found cherrysprout and moonblink had found lochstar. the rest of the day went by like a blurr for grimstorm, things in his world had just suddenly shifted and cracked.


they laid their deceased side by side on the beach as the sun dipped below the horizon line, the clan slowly gathering to pay their respects and building a delicate pyre for each of the two cats.

grimstar sat close to cherrysprout, their kits drawing close to their father. their smaller bodies shivering as they wailed with grief. frostpaw burring his face deep into the mollies curled fur, his tail curled tightly with grim's. the tom's heart ached for his kits they had nearly finished twining flowers in her fur; he lifted his head to look over to lochstar's body. a new grief washing over him as well as the chill of something far off, it was brief but caused him to pause. there was no sound coming from the leader's remaining kin, both pearlblush and doeface were pressed against the tom's cooling body, their tears running down the tom's regal face. firkiss had finished his last twine and licked at the two molly's ears and head, trying to soothe them and soothe himself as well.

grimstorm licked each of his kit's heads, their wails growing quiet as they all could do was cling to their mother for the time remaining. he too nuzzled at the molly, rubbing his cheek against hers- she was cold now. "oh my cherry i shall miss you. until we meet again, mia cara."



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quest two..
a passing storm for wolfbite




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quest three.. 1,005

the sanctuary was serenely quiet, not even the sound of the lit braziers echoed across the moss cover rock walls. suddenly the sharp pain filled yowl of a queen shot through the sleep filled camp. suddenly paws were heard scrambling across the crumbled marble floors, the voice of moonblink was heard first, she was instructing lionpaw to fetch freshwater. between her teeth she clutched a long piece of driftwood, the scraping only lasted a brief moment as she disappeared into the vine shrouded nursery.

cats began to stir and eagerly crowd outside the nursery, grimstar hung in the back of the growing group of cats. his thoughts were disturbed by the deep meow of firkiss in his ear, the tom had been a recent light in his life. "kits! after so many long moons, this is a sign from the celestials, newleaf will arrive soon." that large cat was pushed in close by lionpaw squeezing past him. giving the artisan a sideways glance, firkiss gave him an apologetic shrug of his heavy shoulders. "i'm going to tell pearlblush and start collecting flowers for the arrival." a purr rumbled deeply in his throat. grimstar stopped the tom with a touch of his nose to his shoulder, "take dawncatcher too, she needs to get up already." firkiss dipped his head in agreement and bounded towards the warrior's cave.

the sun was just peaking above the waves, the sunlight trickled through the swaying hanging moss the covered the entrance to the sanctuary, blacktoe had been pacing just outside of the nursery as the beams shown behind the group chattering near him. trying to peak his head in every so often to check on his mate. around him the clan prepared to see the kits, pearlblush and firkiss were making a floral crown for sunfur, the large orange lilies were entwined by white convolvulus and blooming purple thyme. the fragrant flowers danced around him, calming his nerves but he couldn't help his moving paws, continuing to pace. near pearl and fir sat laurelscar and foxglove excitedly creating tiny flower crowns for each of the kits, their tails flicking in synchronicity as their meow's added to the chorus of his clanmate's voices. laurel expertly waving the crowns while looking and helping fox as they got their claw cut every two seconds, their heavy ears bobbing in frustration then relief.

dawncatcher was flying down the narrow walkway against the wall that led up to the large hole in the cave's ceiling, the she-cat gripped a large hare in her jaws. close behind her came mossthorn who was carrying two blackbird's, sweetbreeze who had three harvest mice, shatteredwish and silvertongue carried a marmot each, all of the of the hunter's followed with various other small ctaches. the cat's enthusiasm grew as the hunter's poured into the crowd. laying their prey down in a small pile next to where blacktoe paced, one after the other, each dipping their head in turn to him.

the whole of marbleclan would share tongues after visiting the queen and kits. Overwhelmed by the sentiment shown by his clan mates- he ducked into the nursery, tired of waiting for the healers to call him in..

lionpaw was just pushing his way out of the den when he was pushed backed in by blacktoe. he immediately moved to the side as the tom had perfect timing, blacktoe quickly curled himself around sunfur, a deep purr rumbling in his chest. the two cat's went right to admiring their healthy litter for kits. lionpaw watched the two for a heartbeat feeling himself relax after his fur had been standing on end well before the sun rose.

moonblink finished licking sunfur's head and placed a few herbs in front of them before joining her apprentice near the den entrance. "let's go, we will let them all get settled for a little and tell the clan so they can begin preparations!" she purred with delight. they were greeted by a mound of prey, which moonblink almost tripped over, and most of the clan sitting among the broken marble steps before the nursery. as soon as they emerged into the brightening sanctuary cats crowed about them with all of the preparations already prepped. laruelscar was pushing their way to the front, escorted by foxglove. moonblink scented the tom and nodded for him to go inside with the flower crown for their sibling, his ears twitching with anticipation. lionpaw grabbed two pieces of prey, catching up with his mentor as she made her way to the small water flow on the west wall of the cavern. washing her fur in the icy cold water, she could feel the stardust settle on her fur, the deities rewarding her after a long morning.

soon the cats trickled in two by two to visit the new family, pouring blessing and presenting gifts. flowers and found treasures- shells, jewels, moss balls, feathers, herbs. all stuffed behind blacktoe until, after a time, the tom had to get up and stretch himself. the sun rose high in the sky by the time all of the clan was done greeting their newest members, they all began to share tongues in the surprisingly warm afternoon. they ate and laughed, sharing stories of times past and of hopes of the future. moonblink was surrounded by a few older cats chatting with the molly about prophecies and predictions, if any of the kits showed signs of anything. she eased their worries but had no real answers for them.

the clan lazed well into the evening, sunfur and her kits dozed off with their hoard of gifts and full bellies, long after the sun disappeared over head of the sanctuary. blacktoe curled himself around them, scooting his family closer with his long tail. he too fell asleep.

dusk fell across the island as the clan split off to do their duties or head to their nests to relieve the night watch. the night air was warm and comforting, bringing with it the sweet smell of newleaf.