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Post by Fawn on Jan 15, 2017 18:36:58 GMT -5
LIONSTAR leader of treeclan Blinded by the light of a new sun This winter had felt mild in comparison to the others he had faced. Yet it was far from over, and though all he had to worry about presently was getting the rest of the mud out from between his claws, Lionstar knew better than to think the worst was over. The mild weather had actually been a boon, though several of his Clanmates hadn't felt that way - grumbling as they slipped out of their nests to go hunt in a wet, snowy, muddy forest - the apprentices, at least, were enjoying it. For many, this would be the first winter they got to experience in entirety.
Lionstar held on to the (slightly muddy) cardinal clamped in his jaws, and waved his tail to dismiss the rest of the returning hunting party. Some gratefully went back to their nests to warm up, while others reintegrated with the Clan, happy to socialize now that their days had begun.
His whiskers twitched in amusement as Fawnkit and Amberkit came tumbling out of the nursery, the kits excited by the snow, no doubt, and he stepped carefully around the kits to reach Moonfeather. It kept him warm this winter, seeing his Clan flourishing; Bluejay had been kept busy, but only with training Falconstorm, not with greencough or whitecough or something else that could harm their Clanmates. Instead, the nursery was bursting through the roots, with soon-to-be apprentices and warrior-queens about to return to their normal duties.
Speaking of queens. He wasn't just here to bring Moonfeather a cardinal. Setting the red-feathered bird down, Lionstar greeted her with an almost paternal smile. "This is for you, sorry about the mud." His pelt was in a less-than-pristine state, but Lionstar would leave his vanity behind him; there were far more important things to focus on right now. Fawnkit & Amberkit's joyful squeals made one ear swivel, listening to be sure those were sounds of happiness and not pain. "May we talk, Moonfeather? They're getting big...Nearly apprentice-aged. Now would be a good time to talk about their future, and yours of course."
Lionstar's haunches folded, and he sat just outside the nursery, not wanting to make an already crowded den feel even more packed. "And don't worry, I'm not asking you and your family to leave. Quite the opposite." Golden eyes were luminous in the warm dark of the fallen tree that served as their camp. His offer that they could stay, as permanent members of TreeClan, still stood. Now that Moonfeather had tasted so much of Clan life, and even gone on to adopt a Clan kit that needed her, she might be less inclined to leave in new-leaf.
Take it to the world, gonna sing it like an anthem
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Post by Justice on Jan 15, 2017 19:36:36 GMT -5
 Loner - Queen - 20 Moons It had been an interesting time, living in TreeClan. The cats had alternatively annoyed her and amused her, and she felt she'd begun making friends at least with some of the other queens. But she was still unsure of her place, unsure of what fate would befall she and her kits once the snow retreated and newleaf settled on the forest. Would they need to leave? Would she be chased out while the clan kept her kits, including the little tom that had healed her heart as she'd fed and cared for him after his mother had passed. She still didn't like his father, but she didn't have to.
She'd been coming out every day now that Aspenkit was strong enough to leave the nest, watching over her litter of three attentively and indulging their every little whim. And all the while they grew and became stronger, better. There was a content smile on her face when Lionstar approached her, as she was sitting right at the entrance of the nursery so that her kits could come back to her if they needed to.
Moonfeather regarded the dirty tom with a flat stare for a moment before starting to laugh, the sound soft in the cold morning air. "Thank you for the bird. Sorry, you just look so put out." She pawed at a place where the mud was starting to drip off his pelt, clearing it away before wiping her paw on the nearest patch of moss. That he wanted to speak only earned him a slight nod. "Alright."
She heard Amberkit squeal and her ears perked into alert mode, gaze sweeping over to check the kit before shaking her head. "I remember being that clumsy when I was her size." The kit had tripped, spilling nose over tail until she'd run into the rump of one of the fluffier TreeClan toms. "They still think your den is better than ours." She told him, remembering having to come retrieve the girls when they'd somehow wandered into the leader's den.
He was right, they were bigger now, and soon she'd have no purpose for being there. "What lies in store for my kits and I?" She looked up at him, green eyes trusting. Lionstar was still the only tom-cat she fully trusted, her kit aside. She felt that he was the only one that would tell it to her straight, that would never lie to her about the situation.
"If I were to stay, would they be apprenticed? Would we stay in the nursery still or move to our own den? I will be honest, Lionstar, I don't want to share a den with a bunch of stranger cats. I'm happy in the nursery with them, but I know my time there is limited. The nursery is for queens and their kits, as it should be. They need that safe, warm place."
She sighed. They had been her so long now, but what really did she have to offer? She was a good fisher-cat, but TreeClan hunted mostly in the forest where her skills were weak. She failed at tree climbing, would actually get stuck.
She could fish but not hunt, could fight but didn't like to, and really just wanted to help. She did not want to change her name if they made her apprentice, since all cats that went through that way had their names changed. "Would I be forced to forget where I came from? To pretend as though I've always lived here? I am not a Clancat, and while I want to belong there are certain things I don't agree with about this life. And, mostly, what would my purpose be, if I'm no longer a queen?"
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Post by Fawn on Jan 20, 2017 11:05:05 GMT -5
LIONSTAR leader of treeclan Blinded by the light of a new sun Once that dam of uncertainty had been unblocked, the questions came rushing through like river water. Lionstar, still chuckling over Fawnkit's and Amberkit's preference for his den over the others, listened first and answered each question piece by piece. "Yes, they would be apprenticed. If you desire to stay with the Clan, then we would also have you trained to be a warrior; your name would stay the same." Lionstar's ear twitched, already sensing her indignation at having to be called 'Moonpaw'; it was enough to make him smile. "We've had a few older apprentices before. You'd be allowed to stay in the elders' den until you earned your warrior name - I know that's not ideal, but we can't have you in the apprentices' den or the warriors' den yet." Or let her stay in the nursery when she didn't have kits to nurse.
Now he addressed the matter of loyalty, and kinship. "You wouldn't have to forget where you came from - or Bramblebrush, or anyone else you left behind. If you want to be a part of TreeClan, Moonfeather, then you'll have to give us your loyalty. Would you be willing to fight for the Clan? To protect your Clanmates? You don't have to answer me right now, after a few moons of training I'll ask that question again."
If Clan life truly wasn't a good fit for her, then Moonfeather would be asked to leave. It was unfortunate, and he really didn't want to separate this little family - but Aspenkit belonged here, and Fawnkit and Amberkit would be old enough to make that choice for themselves. Lionstar was taking a serious risk, investing so much time and effort into a she-cat who may give nothing back to the Clan - aside from care and love for Aspenkit, a Clanborn cat - and her kits who may not want to stay, but he couldn't, in good conscience, do anything else.
If he had to train her himself, then he would. Though if Gorsetail thought he could handle it, he'd be sure to enlist his deputy's help from time to time. Lionstar tilted his head in thought, though he was briefly distracted by the unpleasant sensation that the mud on his pelt was starting to dry. "You could consider becoming a permanent queen; we wouldn't ask you to birth any litters from TreeClan toms -" He coughed, hurrying past that awkward subject "-but if you helped the other she-cats raise their litters, and protect them, then no one can argue against you staying."
That would be the simplest solution. Yet Lionstar had a feeling that Moonfeather wouldn't be... absolutely comfortable staying in the nursery all the time, especially when she wasn't bringing in any food for the Clan. She was an independent, hard-working cat, not used to 'taking it easy' as she no doubt saw the role of queen to be. If she was willing to work hard, if TreeClan seemed worth it, then Lionstar would bet his claws that Moonfeather could be a valuable warrior in time. Take it to the world, gonna sing it like an anthem
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Post by Justice on Jan 21, 2017 11:58:01 GMT -5
Loner - Queen - 21 Moons
The grey she-cat absently groomed a paw, picking something from inbetween her claws for a moment before putting the appendage down. "Will I be sent away if it turns out I am simply a terrible hunter, despite training?" Not that she wouldn't try her best like she had every time someone had tried to teach her, but so far she wasn't a very good hunter. Once newleaf came she could catch fish from the brooke and didn't have a problem going further afield to fish in the river waters closer to Starclan's Claws.
Moonfeather wondered if some questioned her place here because she was better suited to fishing than land hunting. She could hunt slightly larger prey like rabbits but the smaller ones tended to evade her, and birds...well she still couldn't climb the trees, and leafbare wasn't exactly a good time for someone to be trying to teach her. She was also small and not exactly keen on hurting others, so she'd call herself a huntress but not a warrior.
She'd fight if she had to, but would rather not. Lionstar had asked some good questions, and she'd think on them and have an answer by the time the snows melted. She would likely say yes. She'd fight if she had to, would be loyal to the clan as long as they were loyal to her. And training didn't sound too bad, but it depended.
The other option made her open her mouth at Lionstar then hiss softly before he hurriedly added on that she wouldn't have to have litters of her own. "That may be something I consider when I get older. For now I want be able to provide if I can. I will do my best, I promise you that, just...whoever wants to teach me, please tell them to be patient. Hunting in the trees is different than fishing from a large lake or scavenging on the path with two kits in tow. Its an adjustment, and I'm only just now capable of even trying to make that adjustment."
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Post by Fawn on Jan 27, 2017 14:30:15 GMT -5
LIONSTAR leader of treeclan Blinded by the light of a new sun "No," Lionstar reassured. "It may be hard to believe, but not every Clan cat turns out to be an excellent hunter. They do not lose their place in the Clan because of this, and they often work hard or work with others to improve what strengths they do have. TreeClan is like a very large family, a family that does not favor only the strong or the most talented."
It was a relief to finally have this conversation. Though Moonfeather wasn't being made to make up her mind right this moment, Lionstar had given this some considerable thought. He could easily picture her integrating into Clan life, though after quite a few moons had passed. TreeClan had accepted Zephyrfang, they could accept Moonfeather and her two kits with enough time. The golden tom nodded with gentle agreement. "Of course. No one's expecting you to become a Clan cat over night. I will assign you a mentor that's experienced and fair, and patient. As long as you're willing to try, there will be someone willing to teach you. Myself included."
She likely wouldn't have a traditional apprenticeship. Lionstar intended to give her a mentor, an 'overseer' to keep an eye on her progress, if he had a few moments to spare, he wasn't at all opposed to helping teach her how to hunt. Mentoring apprentice was a favored past time of his, and something he took great pride in. They had a positive relationship thus far, and he felt confident that Moonfeather would respond well to his teachings.
Of course, it was precisely for that reason that he shouldn't be the one to mentor her. It was hard to be a part of a family when you only liked one or two members of it. The Clan needed to get to know her better, and she needed to get to know them better. Hopefully Moonfeather could see these cats from Lionstar's perspective, some day; these were strong, noble, loyal cats with plenty of exemplary qualities between them. Cats worth getting to know. Take it to the world, gonna sing it like an anthem
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Post by Justice on Jan 27, 2017 15:07:40 GMT -5
Loner - Queen - 21 Moons "That is how my family worked. But we were few and everyone pulled their own weight. My siblings were good at catching birds and mice, but I was good at fishing. They always thought it was silly, a cat that liked to swim." She ducked her head, feeling deeply homesick all over again. She missed her family, and mourned for their loss, but the pain wasn't as constant now, and she would never go back. This place, rather within TreeClan or out of it, was her home now. She'd have to get used to it.
Moonfeather almost wished she'd been introduced to this clan as a younger cat, when it would have been socially acceptable to snuggle up to the fluffy tom because she wanted to. Now though, it would be awkward. She was grown, and a grown she-cat did not cuddle an unrelated tom that she wasn't romantically interested in. Which she wasn't. That would be odd on several levels. But he reminded her of her father, whom she'd loved very much. "I do better around other she-cats. Aside from you and the tom-kits, the grown toms make me very nervous. Or irritated." Her tail flicked.
She tipped her head, ears flicking a little to listen in to her kits for a moment before returning to their conversation. "My kits will have no trouble fitting in. They don't remember a life before the Clan, and if Amberkit and Fawnkit do remember, it isn't of anything more than traveling. Its me that has to learn to fit in." And that was a small grace. If their StarClan existed, then maybe it or they had helped her find a good place for her kits to be.
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Post by Fawn on Jan 28, 2017 0:14:23 GMT -5
LIONSTAR leader of treeclan Blinded by the light of a new sun "I do better around other she-cats. Aside from you and the tom-kits, the grown toms make me very nervous. Or irritated."
Lionstar chuckled. Yes, he could quickly recall her immense dislike for Thornstrike during her first few days here. It was a shame they had started off on the wrong foot; Thornstrike was one of his most senior warriors, and notably calm and collected (especially with such a passionate, fiery mate in Emberstorm). He would have made a good mentor for Moonfeather. "You will fit in, with time and effort. There are a few cats around your age that you may enjoy talking to. Skyshadow, Stormfeather, Mottledwing, and Redblaze." A few of them were hot tempered, but better that she get to know everyone now than be surprised by their... loud personalities later.
Redblaze and Skyshadow both were decent enough toms, though the latter had been a thorn in his side on several occasions.
Noticing that the squealing of kits at play had lessened, Lionstar's ear swiveled, and his head followed, noticing three bright sets of kitten eyes gazing at them with obvious curiosity. Fawnkit's tail was raised in greeting, and he could practically see the questions dancing in her deep blue-green eyes. Lionstar grinned. "It seems we have an audience." Take it to the world, gonna sing it like an anthem
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Post by Justice on Feb 3, 2017 15:52:24 GMT -5
Loner - Queen - 21 Moons The gray she-cat shook her head, head tipping at the one grown tom she was truly comfortable with. "One step at a time, Lionstar. I imagine as I get to know the other she-cats I will meet the toms in their lives. That would probably be easier for me to learn to tolerate them, if they are with their she-cats rather than just one on one with me." Because the toms, as she said, made her nervous.
Her tail flicked and a slow, gentle smile spread across her features as Lionstar mentioned their tiny audience. Her head tipped and she rose to pad over and give each kit a grooming lick. Amberkit immediately wormed her way in against her mother's body, seeking attention. "They aren't used to sharing my attention with another cat." She affectionately nuzzled each one. "I should start getting them used to it, since we'll all soon be leaving the nursery, but..." She looked back to the large tom. "Until newleaf I can humor them a little longer. Even if they are apprentices, even if I'm not considered a queen, I'm still their mother and they know I will always hold what they need from me ahead of everything else."
She was happiest with her kits, and in the future, if she found a tom that made her heart truly joyous again, she'd maybe have more of her own.
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