[Fate Admin]

The day was about as good a day as the Clans could hope for, the sun shining, fluffy white clouds scuttling across an otherwise clear blue sky, and the easy temperature of newleaf, nestled right between too hot and too cold. Clearly StarClan smiled upon this idea of Lionstar’s. Ravenstar nearly snorted at the thought. The day had begun with a buzz of excitement, especially from the apprentices. Last night had been No Moon, which meant today the first ever Apprentice Games would take place. It had been decided for the last moon of newleaf, to give the valley time enough to recover from leaf-bare but before the greenleaf heat set in.

Apprentices had awoken early, going about their chores with unusual gusto, not wanting to give their mentors any reason to leave them out of the Games. It made Ravenstar’s whiskers twitch in amusement as she watched them flitting about camp, cleaning bedding and fetching prey for the elders. They were to meet the other Clans at StarClan’s Claws at sunhigh for the start of the Games Gathering and there was plenty to get done before then. Finally Ravenstar had padded to the camp entrance, lifting her tail like a banner behind her as she had called the Clan together. A few volunteers had stepped forward to remain behind and guard camp and then the majority of the Clan was filing out of camp and toward StarClan’s Claws.

Ravenstar had wasted no time pacing around the Great Rock until she came to the little ledge she used to get to the top, leaping up immediately without to wait for the other Clans to arrive. It was slightly before sunhigh, but she couldn’t stand not arriving first and allowing the other Clans to see her unable to leap properly to the top of the rock like the other leaders. She sat and curled her tail around her paws, enjoying the warmth of the sun on her dark pelt, and the warmth rising from the rock beneath her. She had never actually stood atop the Great Rock in the day time. She gave her paws a few quick licks, removing any dirt from the short journey through NightClan territory to the Gathering place. She had spent most of the morning grooming her stupidly fluffy fur and cursing it all the while. She glanced down at her Clanmates, ears flicking at the sound of the second Clan to arrive, but not deigning to turn to see who it was.

OOC: Everyone is welcome to post with whatever of your cats you want! This will be the ‘main’ thread for the Apprentice Games where all non apprentices can post, mingling like at a Gathering and commenting on the apprentice battles and whatever~ The winners will be announce IC here as well, but until then you have free reign to do just about whatever you’d like. Be warned, any hostilities will have the cats involved immediately sent back to camp. After the competitions start, apprentices should not be posting in this thread until their competition is over. If you have any other questions feel free to ask me in the cbox or through PM.

[Fawn]

LIONSTAR

The sunlight warmed the dark golden fur along his back and wide shoulders, and his gait was smooth, unbroken by the rough terrain as he led his Clan into StarClan's Claws; pleased enough with the weather, Lionstar's spirits were lofty. Not even the knowledge that NightClan had arrived here first could disrupt his mood and the mood of TreeClan as they spilled into the gathering area.

It was always worth feeling proud of, to have an idea acknowledged by both the other Clans and their ancestors as being good enough to see it manifested as it was now, on a beautiful day in newleaf, with everyone sharing in the excitement that buzzed around them like a flock of bumblebees. His shadow flitted across the stones as he made the easy leap onto the Great Rock, feeling a stirring in his blood every time he came to this timeless, weathered place; the presence of Ravenstar had not gone unnoticed. Though she had a habit of stirring up childish feelings in him and a juvenile sort of rivalry, Lionstar acted his age and gave her a curt dip of the head for acknowledgement - no more or no less respect than she deserved.

For what it was worth, age was still something that still had value for the golden patriarch, even if the content of her character was questionable at times. Unaware of the events that had unfolded at the NightClan/RainClan border, he fully expected to see Sandstar striding into the clearing with Razorfang at his side and the water-dwelling Clan following close at his heels. The casual air about this gathering left Lionstar feeling less 'on ceremony' than he usually did when standing beneath those jutting stone spires, pointed towards the sky like teeth in the underjaw of some enormous beast; so he relaxed his posture, lowering onto the ground to let his overly large paws to hang over the edge of the rock. He observed the interactions between their Clans, enjoying the pleasant atmosphere as well as keeping an eye out for any 'disturbances'.

He trusted Thunderclaw to have his ears open on the ground as well.

[Insidious]

R A Z O R S T A R

This was the first time that he would be taking Sandstar's place at the Gathering of the Clans. He suspected that NightClan's frog-brained warriors would be expectant to see the alteration in leadership, but the others were in for a surprise. Although the skirmish that had taken place at their border with NightClan wasn't something he'd consider a loss, they certainly hadn't been victorious. It would be a long time before the tension between RainClan and NightClan fully evaporated, and even though he wanted nothing more than to rip Ravenstar's throat out right where she sat when he, followed closely by his Clan mates, entered the Gathering place so that NightClan could feel the complete weight of that particular kind of a loss, he had half a heart to keep himself focused on maintaining the peace behind this event.

It took nothing more than a single leap for him to reach his spot beside the other leaders, something that he'd surely flaunt had he known that Ravenstar had to come early to avoid anyone from the other Clans having to see her other method. He tipped his head respectfully in Lionstar's direction, cold eyes passing over the TreeClan leader's head to fixate upon Ravenstar. He made no move towards offering her the same gesture, a thoughtful expression crossing over his face, before looking back to the RainClan cats that had joined him today.

This was a day meant for the apprentices. They would participate in the games that had been organized for them, and all the while Razorstar would hold his tongue as to not spew unneeded insults into Ravenstar's ears. NightClan would not see all of the pain that they had caused RainClan. They would see strong, intelligent warriors that had overcome Sandstar's death.

They would see warriors that weren't afraid to lash out with teeth as ferocious as Mallowleaf's had been.

And, most importantly, they would see the wisdom and the composure of cats that could endure anything that was thrown in their path. Cats much like the new deputy of RainClan, to whom he offered as warm a smile as he could muster upon meeting her eyes in the crowd.

[BlooRey DVD]

[smear:996600]Hawkstar[/smear:663300]

~~~~~~~~~

Pale amber eyes gazed upon the cats gathered before him as he finished a brief Clan meeting, one reminding everyone that no hostility would be tolerated, no matter the circumstance. Today was a day to celebrate the apprentices. Not to be caught up in the rivalries that seemed to dominate their day to day lives. Pride reflected in those eyes of his as he took one more heartbeat, just to appreciate the entity that was StoneClan. They had survived, stayed together, even when driven out of their own home. He couldn't imagine being part of any other Clan.

With a wave of his tail, he stepped down from his perch, signalling to those that were attending the games that they should follow. They moved quickly, the idea of arriving last not exactly the most appealing of ideas. He could hear the pawsteps of many cats behind him, and the excited whispers of the apprentices who would be taking part. The air was alive as Hawkstar lead his Clan closer and closer to the area where it would take place. As the distance closed between them and their destination, the StoneClan leader managed to pinpoint three distinct Clan scents. If they hurried, they might make it before LightningClan arrived.

When Hawkstar finally broke through the undergrowth and took his first pawstep into the meeting place, he kept his head up high. He moved with obvious power, broad shoulders shifting with each step he took. He could feel the rest of the StoneClan cats spilling out around him, and he quickly glanced to his left, where his deputy, Wolfclaw was padding at his flank. Giving a nod and a grin to his faithful deputy, the large, sandy colored tom broke away from his Clan and headed straight for the Great Rock.

Having been born and raised amongst stones, the large tom had no issue scaling the rock. Muscles ripples as he took a single bound to climb to the top, before Hawkstar let his eyes fall upon the smallest of the leaders first. He dipped his head to Ravenstar, before moving to do the same to Lionstar. When his gaze moved on, he expected to come face to face with Sandstar. Instead, he was left with Razorfang. It took only a moment for the tom to correct himself. If the RainClan tom was standing up here with the rest of the leaders then he must be... Razorstar.

His fur pricked with unease, but he hid it well. Dropping his head to acknowledge the new RainClan leader, Hawkstar took his place and turned a thoughtful, wise gaze towards the gathered cats. His mind churned, trying to sort through how he was feeling in that moment. On one paw, Sandstar, one of the cats responsible for the battle that drove StoneClan from their home, was dead. On the other paw... Razorstar had taken one of Hawkstar's lives when he had still been RainClan's deputy. And there was a part of the sand-colored tom that expected he would never be forgiven for accidentally killing the white tom who'd been Razorstar's mentor during that very same battle.

Remembering his own words to his Clan, the tom straightened, scanning the crowd for any StoneClan cats, gauging their reactions. His eyes landed on Wolfclaw again, and he gave the slightest inclination of his head. He trusted Wolfclaw to ensure that the StoneClan cats remained well-behaved. They were strong. They would not succumb to petty hatred, not on a day as important as today. When he gazed upon cats such as his best friend and 'brother', Eagletalon, or his deputy, Wolfclaw, he saw strength in body, in personality. When his gaze fell upon cats like Fallenleaf, who'd done everything she could to keep up with the Clan so that she could attend, he saw strength of mind.

We are StoneClan.

[Deleted]

NIGHTPAW of NightClan
06 Moons. She-Cat. Apprentice

It was time. She waited patiently but impatiently for Ravenstar to make the move to head to the gathering. She was excited. This was the first time that the clans had decided to make a games for the apprentices from all the clans. Nightpaw was able to be apart of these games and she was prepared. She was not old enough to be apart of the battle competition, but she was old enough to be apart of the hunting competition, and she was ready for it.

When Ravenstar motioned for them to leave, she bound after her leader quickly. She stayed right behind her leader but there was a bounce in her step and she was ready. She had rested the whole day before and today just to be sure that she had the stamina that she needed to be able to make sure that she does Blackwolf proud by getting all the prey that she can.

Now NightClan was at StarClan's Claws and they were waiting for the rest of the clans to arrive to be able to start the games.

EMBERPAW of TreeClan
06 Moons. She-Cat. Apprentice

She was ready. So was so ready. She had told her siblings to just stay at the camp. She and they knew that they would not be able to surpass her in the hunting, and there was a reason for that. They were always doing her chores. The calico she-cat was walking after her leader confidently and she was proud to be where she was now. As they neared StarClan's Claws, she scented NightClan. So they were already there. She paid no mind and she walked with Lionstar and the clan into the Gathering area. There she saw what her nose confirmed, NightClan.

SNOWPAW of RainClan
06 Moons. She-Cat. Apprentice

White body moved with that of the body of her clan. She was nervous of this. She has never been in anything so big in her life, and she was scared of doing bad. She was the Deputy's apprentice, she did not want to make her mentor look bad. She was not sure of what was going to happen, but she followed the clan into StarClan's Claws. She sat down in a secluded area as she watched the rest of the clans arrive.

REDPAW of StoneClan
06 Moons. Tom. Apprentice

The ginger tom was walking and walking. He was not sure why he was here, just that he was. The tom stopped when they walked into the StarClan's Claws. He looked around and he sighed lightly. What was this day going to consist of?

[Fate Admin]

Blazepaw of LightningClan

Blazepaw couldn’t have been more excited for the apprentice games. It would be his first time at a gathering, even if it wasn’t a typical gathering. It would be his first time meeting all the other Clans and then he’d get to show them all up by whooping their tails in the hunting competition! Technically he wasn’t the best hunter, but he certainly wasn’t about to admit that. He wished he could participate in the battle competition but only the older apprentices could. His pelt fluffed out angrily at the thought. He was the twice the fighter any cat was, no matter how many moons they’d lived to see! Firebird had tried to tell him that it wouldn’t be at all fair for the younger, less experienced apprentices to go up against the older, larger, more experienced apprentices, but Blazepaw was having none of it. It was just dumb.

He paced, tail lashing impatiently as he waited for Redstar to call the Clan together to leave. Sunhigh was almost here! At long last the pale ginger she-cat appeared and led them away to StarClan’s Claws and Blazepaw raced along with his tail streaming out behind him, eager to arrive. He glanced around him to spot Gustpaw and Mudpaw, weaving closer to them both as he ran along with his Clanmates. He eased up beside Gustpaw and grinned, “I bet I catch I twice as many rabbits as you!” He noticed everyone slowing down and followed suit, looking around as strange scents assailed his nose. LightningClan had arrived last. He recognized TreeClan and StoneClan scent easily, and that wet, fishy smell HAD to be RainClan. The other scent, then, was NightClan. He nudged both his brothers with his shoulder and padded forward as Redstar made her way to the Great Rock. He kept an eye on both his brothers, he wasn’t about to let anything happen to them while they were among rival Clans. Not after losing Pigeonpaw to some foxhearted badger.

Pinkpaw of TreeClan

Pinkpaw’s whiskers quivered nervously as she followed Lionstar to StarClan’s Claws. It would be her first time meeting the other Clans… and today was sunny and bright. She kept within the shadows cast by her older, larger Clanmates as they streamed into the gathering place, but then everyone started breaking up and going different directions and Pinkpaw was left to panic for a moment. She managed to slink along in another cat’s shadow long enough to reach the shadow cast by the Great Rock and shakily sat there, unsure if as a simple apprentice she was even supposed to be this close to the stone the leaders made their announcements from. It was from there that she watched RainClan arrive, and then StoneClan, and finally LightningClan, squinting to keep the worst of the sun from her sensitive eyes. She wanted to go meet cats from the other Clans… but the sunlight was just too unpleasant. She settled onto her belly, tucking her paws beneath her small frame, plumed tail curled to one side.

Ravenstar of NightClan

Ravenstar gave Lionstar the slightest glance as he leapt up to join her. She nearly bristled at how easy it was for him, reaching the top in a single bound. Her tail lashed once behind her as she turned away, the stench of RainClan preceding their arrival. She wrinkled her nose, her tail flicking slightly as her gaze came to rest on Razorstar. It was oh so satisfying to already know that bit of RainClan news. Her ears flicked as he joined them on the Great Rock for the first time, his leap as easy as Lionstar’s had been. Her ears twitched in annoyance. She noticed the nod he gave to Lionstar before his gaze came to rest upon her and turned away, disinterested. She did not require the polite respect of lesser Clans. One did not require the respect of a frog before you killed it. Her tail flicked again as StoneClan appeared and Hawkstar leapt up to the Great Rock. It was rather annoying for a Clan that waan’t even worthy of the name to have the skill she so lacked. But then, she supposed she couldn’t begrudge StoneClan their singular ability to jump high and soon dismissed the thought, not even bothering to look at Hawkstar after he had joined the other leaders on the Great Rock.

She sought out the arrival of LightningClan. The sooner they arrived, the sooner this could begin. It was nearly passing sunhigh before the final Clan arrived. She grudgingly gave a slight nod to Redstar as the only other female leader joined them. Normally she had little to think of LightningClan at all, but as of Smokefur’s disappearance one of LightningClan’s medicine cats was helping Featherpaw. It did not sit well with Ravenstar to be in the debt of another Clan, but she supposed if she had to choose one, it would be LightningClan. She glanced briefly back at Lionstar. This whole thing had been his idea, and the other had agreed he should be the one to announce to start of things. She had grudgingly gone along with it, outnumbered and not really caring besides. However, it had also been agreed to allow for cats to chat and catch up before things started, just as cats would at a normal Gathering. So she sat near the edge of the Great Rock and passively watched the cats milling below her, trying mostly to ignore the other leaders she was forced to share her vantage point with, though if Redstar insisted upon interaction she would force something out for the sake of her Clan. Keeping up a good relationship with LightningClan was of utmost importance until Featherpaw was fully trained.

Rushwhisker of RainClan

Rushwhisker followed Razorstar out of camp and toward StarClan’s Claws, his thoughts immediately turning to his meeting with Bluepaw only a few days ago. They had met there, on the Great Rock. He paused on the limits of StarClan’s Claws as Razorstar leapt up, frowning briefly as he remembered Sandstar would never take that place ever again. He flicked his ears, trying to dismiss depressing thoughts, and remembered Bluepaw trying to get him to smile. A small tug at his lips had him smiling then, if only a little. His ears angled forward, suddenly curious, and he padded on to join his Clanmates amongst the others. TreeClan was already here, which meant Bluepaw should be as well. She was an apprentice, after all. He trotted on, weaving around cats from RainClan and rival Clan alike as he searched out the young blue-gray she-cat. He would have to get her to introduce him to her sister and wish them both luck in the games.

Cricketleap of StoneClan

Cricketleap was nearly out of her fur with excitement and she wasn’t even an apprentice. She nearly bounced all the way to StarClan’s Claws, passing Blacksmoke as she padded silently beside her apprentice Ospreypaw, her little brother. “Ospreypaw! I bet you’re excited huh? I bet you’ll do great! Blacksmoke’s probably a great mentor! Have you seen Skunkpaw? Do you think she’s excited? OH! What if you two have to fight each other!?” She bounced around the two happily. Blacksmoke all but ignored her, but Cricketleap wasn’t talking to her anyway. As they reached StarClan’s Claws Blacksmoke flicked her dark tail tip against Ospreypaw’s flank as silent encouragement and padded away from the siblings to find herself a good place to observe the proceedings.

“Who am I supposed to cheer for if you have to fight Skunkpaw? Should I not cheer at all… OH I’ll just cheer for both of you!” Cricketleap didn’t even notice Blacksmoke’s departure, falling into step beside her little brother briefly before looking around for Skunkpaw and finally spotting her. “SKUNKPAW!” She raced over, hardly giving her brother any chance to respond to any of her numerous questions, “Skunkpaw are you excited? I’m so excited! I decided if you and Ospreypaw have to fight each other then I’ll just cheer for both of you! I’m sure you’ll do great!” She butted her head against her little sister’s shoulder and bounced off, looking for familiar faces among the other Clans, “Russethawk!” Her tail lifted happily behind her as she bounced her way over to the tom, “How have you been? My little brother and sister are going to be in the battle competition today! Do you have anyone you’re gonna cheer for?” Not so long ago the two had faced each other in battle, but looking at Cricketleap now, greeting her old friend, no one would ever know.

[Fawn]

Mudpaw of LightningClan
7 Moons. Tom.

Blazepaw's usual passionate, obnoxious personality bounced off the mud-colored tom like water from the smooth, waxy surface of a leaf; he was not paying so much attention as he normally would have, his surly, rounded features betraying the general absence of contentment he'd been feeling lately. Inwardly, Mudpaw was relieved they had not been allowed to participate in the battle competition -- though both Blazepaw and Gustpaw had nearly spit steam out of their ears once this was announced -- battling had been best left to his siblings. He had preferred the quiet, methodical act of hunting and feeding his Clan.

With a murmured word of parting, Mudpaw separated from his siblings, not even able to use the excuse of spending time with his mentor to avoid coming in contact with members of the other Clans. He just wasn't interested. The stocky tom stepped carefully around an excitable StoneClan she-cat addressing a tall, dark-red tom with a fox-like tail and sought out the shade of the Great Rock. He breathed an audible sigh of relief, plopping his rum down onto the cool earth.

It was after several moments of grumpy staring at a clod of dirt directly in front of him that he realized he wasn't alone in the shade. Mudpaw's head turned a fraction, and his heart nearly leaped out of his chest. It wasn't as though he was unaccustomed to being around albinos -- LightningClan was home to Cherrypool and the always gentlemanly Whiteshade -- even if he had never seen one before with pink eyes, like blossoms, Mudpaw had never been around one so...

Beautiful. She was beautiful, like a flower you wouldn't notice growing in the shade if you'd happened to be simply walking by. Mudpaw at once felt warm under his pelt, uncertain of what to say to her, so he stared a bit rudely, struck by her soft appearance and how much she reminded him of Dovesong. After a few moments, Mudpaw finally choked out a mew. "I'm Mud. I mean I'm Paw. No-- I'm PawMud." The young tom's skin burned so hot it wouldn't have surprised him if his whiskers had been seared off.

Bashful, he finally blurted out who he was. "I'm Mudpaw." And an idiot. I am so sorry.

Russethawk of RainClan
24 Moons. Tom

For a couple of wingbeats, Russethawk had been frightened the bouncy young she-cat would attack him after all that had happened between their Clans, but the warmth and delight in her voice was enough to squish these feelings in a great big bear-hug. Grinning, the handsome ruddy warrior stepped forward to greet her, separating from the throng of RainClan cats to meet the bouncing feline. ”I'll be rooting for Snowpaw and Gullpaw, over there and over there.” He indicated each cat specifically with a flick and point of his tail, so relieved that there were no hard feelings between them after that.

Perhaps later, he could tell her how sorry he was that that battle had even existed and in such a way as to leave lasting, traumatizing scars upon the psyches of StoneClan's youth. He'd glimpsed the fires of war, and he hadn't liked what he saw. Turning his thoughts away from such dark subject matter, Russethawk gazed at his friend with an open smile, no traces of tension on his body as he stood proudly under the watchful eye of Timberwing, the new deputy, and Razorstar, his mentor, his leader and his friend.

”Your little brother and sister, huh? What are their names? I think I heard you say something to a Skunkpaw and an Ospreypaw?” He let his statement end with a questioning raise of tone, as if allowing her the opportunity to correct him if he was wrong. Russethawk had never had the privilege of meeting her siblings, and it wouldn't be a stretch at all to assume he was wondering if either Skunkpaw or Ospreypaw had the same energy that Cricketleap did. Was it a family trait or something all her own?

[Deleted]

Sunstride

The ginger and white tomcat followed his clanmates down into Starclan's Claws. Calm and detatched from the situation, the warrior made his way through the clearing, keeping an eye on Nightclan cats who had already occupied the area. Despite the fact that his brother, Adderstrike, would have aggressively attacked Nightclan, thus the reason the ginger tom was absent from this gathering, Sunstride would rather enjoy the peace that should ensue here tonight.

If there was one thing Sunstride would have wished, it would be that his former apprentice could have experenced such a thing like this. Despite Crimsonshadow's rather bad attitude towards anything and everyone, he had turned out to be a rather good hunter and fighter.

However, dispite that thought, the other thing occupying the handsome tom's mind was a beautiful silver and white tabby with the scent that belonged to Rainclan. And so, he set him near enough his clanmates to keep an eye should anything go sour between long rivals Treeclan and Nightclan, but far enough so that he may be able to have a small conversation should Rippletail show up.

---

Littletimber

The eerie tom cat made his way at the back of the Treeclan group, his small form disappearing as he blended in with the shadows as easily as a white cat to snow. He really hadn't wanted to show up to this pooling of cats, having each clan's apprentices showing off. It was illogical to do such a thing, when the apprentices could be spending their time actually working inside their own boundaries. He would have just let Honeypaw attended on her own as well, yet Lionstar had asked him to be there for... specific reasons.

Since the banishment of Grayowl among the Treeclan ranks, Lionstar had been keeping an eye on his offspring of Mockingbird and Sootpaw, and since the latter of the two would be competing today, Lionstar thought it best if Littletimber kept his pale teal eyes on the dark furred apprentice. Just in case, he supposed. The sandy tom doubted that Grayowl would show his mug in a place where so many cats had been warned about his horrendous deeds to off his sister from this world. But, none the less, Littletimber agreed to spy on the apprentices in the competition along with the other medicine cats.

As Lionstar led the clan into the gathering arena, Littletimber made his way down through the shadows, keeping well away from the other cats, as the emotionless little tom preferred to be alone, and being around so many cats such as this was not on his to-do list. He left Honeypaw to explore and converse with the other clans and apprentices as he kept his place on the borders of the clearing, keeping well away from any other cats.

---

Timberwing

The aging she-cat made her way after the new leader of Rainclan. It would be a number among hundreds if she counted how many times she had attended a gathering of any kind, but it would be the first gathering that she attended as Deputy. The title still felt odd on her tongue, especially since she always figured it'd be her long passed brother, Meltingice, who would hold such a title.

The fox colored she-cat kept her paws behind Razorstar and her flank near Snowpaw to give the small, shy she-cat some confidence. She had told the younger she-cat that no matter what happened today, she was proud of Snowpaw, for even asking if she could compete in the challenge.

Timberwing pulled away from Snowpaw when Rainclan filled in the clearing after Treeclan and Nightclan before them. She was easily aware of the hostility between Rainclan and Nightclan, and so she hoped that cats from both would keep the peace for today. Green eyes glanced up in time to see Razorstar give her a nod as she dipped her head and padded towards the Claws of Starclan, intending to sit near her leader, to be able to watch over Rainclan.

It felt odd, being in such a position, but a good odd, as if all her Nightclan impurities had been washed away by Rainclan. She sat proudly as the Rainclan deputy, because Rainclan was her home, her family and her life now.

[Insidious]

R A Z O R S T A R

[When StoneClan's scent wafted into his nose, his fur bristled. He didn't even need to look over his shoulder to know that Hawkstar had arrived, or that he just happened to be sitting so close. It took a lot of the newly named leader's willpower not to lose his composure in favour of taking one of the tom's lives again - if he were lucky, it'd be his last and he could be content knowing that, the next time he saw StoneClan, it'd be under Wolfstar's reign. Coldgaze wouldn't be fully avenged until his killer was sentenced to join him in StarClan; he had every intention of ensuring that his time to be properly avenged came, too.

But this was about the apprentices, as he continued to remind himself. For the sake of his younger Clan mates, he could disregard his personal rivalries and be proud of the RainClan apprentices' as they participated: win or lose.

Ravenstar could glare harshly enough to shoot thorns into the side of his neck, and he wouldn't let himself care. Hawkstar could try and pretend that nothing was brutally wrong here, and he'd... care quite a bit. Thankfully, he was capable of pretending sometimes, too. Glancing over to Lionstar, he felt himself releasing a calmed breath. TreeClan, and their last joiners of the Apprentice Games, LightningClan, were the only two he had no current issues with. Hopefully RainClan would be able to maintain their relationship with either Clan, though it meant little when they so happened to be surrounded on either side by the two Clans he had grown to despise.

B L U E P A W

The pretty blue apprentice had been sitting close to where the leaders were gathered, eyes sparkling with admiration. She loved training with Lionstar, and learning the ropes of becoming a skilled warrior from one of TreeClan's best. It had been his idea to organize the Apprentice Games and, of course, this meant that his apprentice would be among those to participate. She knew that he wouldn't be angry with her, should the other apprentices prove to best her this afternoon when hunting, but she certainly hoped that she could do good today and reflect well on TreeClan's leader.

She had originally been glancing over her shoulder to see if Pinkpaw was holding up okay. She had intended to travel to StarClan's Claws with her today, but lost sight of her amidst the large group of traveling cats. Who she saw, however, was Rushwhisker, skimming through the faces of TreeClan. She smiled brightly, standing up to walk over to him and take a seat at his flank. She nudged the RainClan warrior playfully, her smile wide and her eyes shimmering in contentment; was there an element of fondness, too? Perhaps, though she wouldn't admit it. "Looking for someone in particular?"

Finally spotting the familiar white fur and pink eyes of her sibling, a small frown danced fleetingly through her expression. A tom was sitting close to her, looking as though on the verge of violently choking on his own words - what had him so nervous? Her protective instincts flared to life, though she settled with turning to look back to Rushwhisker, his face almost enough to ease the tension such a sight had just placed in her chest, heavy as a bed of rocks.

Almost.

J U N I P E R P A W

The gray-and-orange apprentice would be partaking in the battle portion of the games. Although she was slightly overcome by her nerves - who would she be facing? - she had confidence in what she had learned from Whiteshade. Walking at the albino's flank, she found her confidence increasing as a few cats cast their eyes at the ground, reluctant to chance meeting the creepy warrior's blood-red eyes.

Having spent her last few moons under the tom's strict instruction, she had learned that there was good reason to fear him. He could be rather intimidating, though she had grown fond of him nonetheless. He was a very skilled warrior; she was learning at a rate she never deemed plausible. There was a sparkle of admiration planted deep inside of her pretty eyes as she looked up at him, setting nearby as they finally began to arrive at StarClan's Claws. She immediately began scanning the crowd, searching for apprentices that looked to be close to her age, and wondering the whole time who she would be pitted against. She didn't want to disappoint Whiteshade - she was almost certain that he'd be unimpressed with her efforts if she lost - so she tried her best to maintain focus, her posture straight and her eyes unwavering from any feline's stare that she met.

She was ready.

[BlooRey DVD]

[smear:000000]Nightstep[/smear:6f6f6f]

~~~~~~~~~

The black and white tom moved with ease along one of LightningClan's flanks. His ears were ever attentive, blood seeping through his veins. It almost felt as though it moved as slow as ice, as though he too should be slow. But it was a chilling determination that coursed through his body. He was a machine that had simply been put to rest for the time being. Should it be required that he pass from the somewhat cold, almost uncaring tom that he was into a merciless killing force, then he would be ready. He was always ready.

Black ears spun as the tom glanced over the throng of LightningClan cats, all moving as one. He could see the white, easy-moving form of his former mentor, Whiteshade, and an air of respect washed over him. The tuxedo tom was blind to the changes that Whiteshade had put unto him. Some might say that Whiteshade had corrupted Nightstep. If you were to ask the black and white tom, however, he would smoothly inform you that if it weren't for the albino warrior, he'd never have been able to become as powerful and as effective a warrior was he was today.

When LightningClan's ranks broke into StarClan's Claws, Nightstep's form was amongst the agile figures. His golden-yellow eyes looked almost... Bored as he gazed at the other gathered Clans. Had he still been an apprentice when these games had been created, there would be no question who the winner would have been. When you were Whiteshade's apprentice, you had no choice. You won, or you simply... Ceased to exist. Whiteshade wasn't one to waste precious time. Those uninterested golden eyes landed upon the coat of his former mentor. He was only partially aware of the warrior's new apprentice, who remained very close by.

As he moved in Whiteshade's direction, eyes alive with a strange light, not many dared stand in his way. He was not the broadest shouldered tom to have ever existed, not at all. But there was something about him.. Something in the way he moved, in the eerily graceful swaying of his shoulders, and his near-silent pawsteps...


He was a hunter. And when he set his sights on something, when he picked his prey... There was no escape. With a dip of his head to the older warrior, Nightstep slowed his approach, not really caring much to mingle with the other Clans. If he was approached by someone else, he would be polite, perhaps even engage in some banter. The other Clans would have no idea what he was capable of doing. He'd let them bathe in a false sense of security.

It made it all the more thrilling to crush them later. Wasn't he just the perfect warrior?

"Whiteshade. I look forward to Juniperpaw's performance. I have no doubt you've taught her extraordinarily well." There was a brief moment when his gaze slipped away from Whiteshade, to observe the apprentice in question. A brief moment. And then he met those red eyes again, awaiting a response.

[Phoenix]

WHITESHADE

The mingled scents on the breeze – of all but his own clan – told the senior warrior that they were the last to arrive, and it seemed as though only he among the entire party was left untouched by a sudden sense of urgency. As one, LightningClan entered the clearing in a unified front that was undoubtedly intended to display both their might and the magnitude, despite the greencough epidemic that had claimed so many victims. Had he been alone, he might have rolled his eyes at the posturing; he knew all too well that the shows of strength that every clan performed were just that – a show. His clan mates hardly recognized danger when it strolled around their camps and slept among them.

One would hardly believe that, of course, from the way the throng of bodies seemed to part before him as he strode forward, crimson resting rather imperiously upon any feline who did not move from his path. Conversations died prematurely, silenced by his presence, before rising again in whispers and pointed looks, but he paid them no mind. Where his sister might have shrunk back and dreamt only to be normal – to be boring, mediocre – he remained unbothered in the spotlight, composed as ever with the seemingly ever-present apprentice by his side. A glance back had shown him the she-cat with her head high and eyes glittering with a determination he had come to expect from her. Though a far cry from his former apprentice in temperament – and consequently, potential – she was, nonetheless, competent and teachable. With a flick of his tail, he gestured for her to mingle with those of her choosing and leave him to his own devices as he strolled among the clan cats until something caught his attention.

An ear twitched as he made his way past one of his own clan’s apprentices attempting to strike up a conversation with a ghostly she-cat from TreeClan. He might have passed them by had he not heard the young tom introduce himself as “Pawmud”. Crimson eyes glittering with amusement at the apprentice’s expense, he paused and turned to stare at him, torn between feeling thoroughly unimpressed and simply being entertained by the flustered tom’s pathetic attempt at introducing himself. It was the she-cat, however, who caught his attention a moment later, and the amusement faded as he studied the apprentice somewhat curiously. Interesting. The lighter shade of her eyes gave her a softer look than the one that met him whenever he faced Cherrypool. Interesting indeed.

He moved on, stopping only when a very familiar tuxedo tom approached him. Inclining his head slightly, he greeted Nightstep with the air of a predator in the company of another – perhaps lesser – hunter. ”Nightstep,” The devil of LightningClan spoke, voice smooth. ”Juniperpaw’s performance is eagerly anticipated by the both of us, I think.” With an unreadable expression in place, he seemed the epitome of eagerness. ”Regardless of the outcome, these games will, at the very least, give her much needed experience on the battlefield. As I am sure you are aware, there is quite a large difference between theory and practical application. I should hope your training--” He paused to remember the name "--with Blazepaw has been successful."

OSPREYPAW

It was with a racing heart and glittering eyes that he paced alongside Blacksmoke, determined to emerge the victor in the new apprentice games. Had he been unable to use his performance to mark how much he had improved and how far he needed to go, he might not have cared so much about petty games, but he knew that if he could not even defeat a handful of inexperienced apprentices, then he stood no chance against the infinitely more experienced LightningClan toms. He had to win.

The energetic approach of a very familiar she-cat interrupted his musings and her rapid fire questions shattered the silence that habitually fell between him and his reticent mentor. His ears rang with her exclamations, but the obvious excitement that had infected his older sister – and she wasn’t even participating in the games – brought a smile to his face. What he would give to see his other sister overcome with such pure, kit-like glee as well, though he knew not to hold his breath. That night had left scars on both of them, some more visible than others. ”No, I haven’t seen her yet, but she’s probably with Fallenleaf,” He tried to keep up with her questions. ”And I’m sure she’s excited, Cricketleap, and if we have to fight each other—“ He shrugged, but she had already bounced away, having caught sight of Skunkpaw among the crowd.

Although he was aware of Blacksmoke slipping away, he hardly took note of it, instead casting a yellow-eyed gaze around the clearing to catch sight of either his competition or one of them. It took only a moment to place the alabaster devil as he picked his way through the throng, and – was that an apprentice by his side? Eyes narrowed slightly as he studied the she-cat and the way she stuck by the red-eyed demon. Could he possibly be this lucky? White paws carried the tuxedo tom forward, toward the she-cat who appeared old enough to compete in the battle competition. Perhaps he would face off against her? He did not realize how much he hoped it would be so until a particular thought struck him: trained as they were by a single mentor, she would, presumably, fight in a similar fashion to the albino tom. Even if he would not end up fighting her, he made note to pay careful attention to her fighting style – just in case. But for now, he mused, a conversation would not be amiss. As Whiteshade’s apprentice, she undoubtedly knew more about the alabaster warrior than most, and he could use any information to his advantage.

”Hello!” Ospreypaw greeted the she-cat warmly as he approached her, a charming smile on his face. ”Aren’t you excited for this?” He gestured vaguely with his tail to everything around him. ”I am – I think it’ll be a lot of fun, and a good chance to meet cats from other clans. I don’t know very many others, you see.” Of course he wouldn’t – he was from StoneClan, and had spent a large part of his apprenticeship hiding in the mountains. He paused, then added quickly, "Oh! I'm Ospreypaw, by the way. What's your name?"

[Deleted]

Wrenpaw crept past the other gathered apprentices to a clear spot, feeling the fur on her back start to spike against her will. She settled down out of the way, trying to keep a scowl off her face and only internal.

The tip of her tail twitched, impatient, and she longed for the games to start, just so she could get it over with. Even two moons of training hadn't gotten rid of her negative disposition; she knew she wouldn't win, and that was fine with her. If she wouldn't win, she didn't even really want to participate, but it wasn't optional.

She tucked her front paws in closer to her belly and wrapped her tail around them, hoping she wasn't too conspicuous. She dreaded the coming events as much as she wished they would start; losing wasn't something she was looking forward to, at all, despite the constant "You only lose if you don't try" mantra she was constantly hearing told to her in one form or the other.

Her eyes narrowed at the other apprentices and dread began to creep up her spine. It wasn't just losing, she suddenly realized. All the other apprentices would see her. They'd know how bad she was. Her shoulders hunched. She wished she was back in her nest, surrounded by heather warmth. Her pelt began to prickle again.

[Deleted]

Dawnpaw of Stoneclan


Hopping from paw to paw the young apprentice could barely contain her excitement. While there was a chance that the she-cat would do very well due to her age, her natural nervous excitement could not her contained. A smile crept across her face as dreams of coming home to Stoneclan victorious foolishly filled the apprentices young mind. The approving look from her mother before leaving camp only bolstered the eagerness fighting to escape.

Dawnpaw looked down and realized she had made a small indent where she had been. Smiling she tried to stop moving around quite as much. Instead she twitched her tail around, and surveyed the gathering. There were so many apprentices from each clan, from large and intimidating to more like herself, small but agile. All of the clans mingled, talking to one another. Dawnpaw stared in wonder at all the leaders together, looking so authoritative.

Getting up, the always curious apprentice decided to look around. Moving through the other clans she kept a bright smile on her face. Soon all the scents started to get her confused, so she stumbled outside the main group of cats. There was an apprentice sitting by herself, so of course Dawnpaw wanted to say something. Since she was by herself, this made Dawnpaw more confident, as large groups could be frightening at times, especially with a group she didn’t know.

Prancing over Dawnpaw smiled at the apprentice. Sitting down she began, “Hello! I am Dawnpaw! I’m from Stoneclan! What about you?” Pausing only a moment she continued, “I am so excited! I haven’t seen so many apprentices before! Aren’t you excited?” The apprentices excitement bubbled through her words and her smile. Hoping this was her first step to making a new friend, Dawnpaw’s tail twitched with excitement.

[Deleted]

Wrenpaw saw Dawnpaw coming from tail-lengths away. Oh no, oh no, she thought, the fur on her shoulders beginning to rise again. Quickly, she smoothed down her fur, putting on every appearance of being fine and dandy and not nervous at all.
As her fur fell flat again, she thought that maybe this would be a good distraction from the dread currently rising in her throat.

The other apprentice was yammering away the moment she sat down,-- Without invitation, Wrenpaw thought-- and she smelled thickly of StoneClan. Wrenpaw preferred LightningClan scents, and not the dusty smell of rock. Again she yearned for her nest, but she didn't let it show. She kept her ears pricked in feigned interest and tried not to lean away from the other, very excited, apprentice.


"Oh, yes," she mewed when Dawnpaw had finally stopped talking. "I am very excited." Well, if nervousness was a form of excitement, then sure. Wrenpaw was the most excited cat around. If her and Dawnpaw became, StarClan forbid, friends, that would just be another pair of eyes on her, watching. And she would lose, Wrenpaw realized despairingly, and this StoneClan apprentice would see. Her shoulders hunching just slightly, she mewed, "I'm Wrenpaw. I'm from LightningClan."

[Phoenix]

GORSETAIL

Quietly excited on his apprentice’s behalf, the young warrior strolled somewhat casually into StarClan’s Claws, occasionally casting a glance back at Pinkpaw. Ever since that first mistake, he had become far more conscientious of the sun’s position and the location of any nearby shade – including that of his own shadow. His own positioning relative to the pink-eyed she-cat beside him was deliberate; although many might see a shy apprentice unwilling to leave her mentor’s side, only a few knew that it was quite the opposite. Gorsetail slowed and spend up according to the pace of his apprentice, pausing to shield her whenever the sunlight became too bright.

TreeClan was among the first to arrive, second only to NightClan. He watched as his former mentor joined Ravenstar on Great Rock with a terse nod and as his clan mates all around him dispersed to mingle with their neighbors and the newest arrivals: RainClan and StoneClan. Even as the air around him became filled with greetings of varying energy – a lively StoneClan she-cat in particular caught his attention as she bounced over to a RainClan tom – he felt little desire to leave his post by Pinkpaw’s side and join in. In a trait they shared, his apprentice was hardly the type to approach a stranger and instigate a conversation, and he doubted that anything good could come from leaving the albino apprentice all by herself. Cats, particularly young apprentices, could be mean, and they tended to target anyone who stood out. Even though she was beautiful in her own way, Pinkpaw hardly appeared normal by anyone’s standards.

Perhaps that was why he had uncharacteristically tensed at first when he noticed the LightningClan apprentice’s approach. However, it did not take him long to notice that the other tom seemed to have no intentions of antagonizing the she-cat; in fact, they seemed to be the exact opposite. Having listened through the brown LightningClanner blunder through what was undoubtedly a thoroughly embarrassing introduction, he allowed a small smile to cross his features, both sympathetic and faintly amused. While he had yet to feel such pulling of his own heart strings, he had seen many a cat – toms and she-cats alike – make fools of themselves when in the embrace of that particular emotion. Gorsetail knew that he did not have to worry about young Mudpaw hurting Pinkpaw at the present, so he made the decision to leave the two alone. A brief nod to both, should they glance in his direction, and he padded away.

He drifted around, and for all the attention anyone paid him, he could have been invisible. The fact did not bother him; it had been that way his entire life, and he had learned quite a bit from simply watching. Once again, the StoneClan she-cat and RainClan tom caught his attention with their sheer joy at being reunited, and the lack of a grudge between them over what their clans had done to each other warmed his heart. Hardly one to interrupt, the TreeClan warrior simply lingered at a polite distance away, his gaze traveling from group to group as he watched cats of all ages and from all clans mingle together.