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Post by Deleted on Sept 14, 2017 15:11:10 GMT -5
HONEYWHISKER 
Honeywhisker was practically trembling with excitement as she left the camp, glancing behind her to see if the newly named Snakepaw was following. Her first apprentice! Although she was trying to keep her pace calm and collected like the senior warrior she was, Honeywhisker couldn't contain the giddy glint in her eyes and the happy flicking of her tail.
She hadn't expected this at all, since she still acted like a kit herself. However, if Pinestar thought she could do a good job, then a good job she shall do! Starclan must've been pleased too, Honeywhisker thought as she looked up at the grey sky. The icy rains that had been harassing the valley seemed to have paused in their battle.
"I'll show you the territory first!" The tabby exclaimed, glancing back into Snakepaw's ruby-red eyes. She knew some of the warriors were unnerved by Snakepaw's eyes and pure coat, and she'd be lying if she said she wasn't a bit off-put too. Not for their reasons though, her apprentice's eyes were mesmerizing in her opinion. It's like he had trapped the colours of the sunset sky in those globes.
Pausing in her pawsteps, Honeywhisker grinned and turned to face the white tom. "Do you know what part of the territory you'd like to see first?" She asked, curious as to how much the new apprentice might already know. It might also boost his confidence, by giving him some freedom with the choice.
Honeywhisker could remember when she was an apprentice, the territory was daunting to her. She loved the new found freedom, of course, but everything had seemed so much larger outside of the camp.
NOTES: she's pumped @zen |
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Post by Deleted on Sept 14, 2017 22:21:41 GMT -5
What you see isn't all I am...
Dusk had fallen over the valley, which meant NightClan was beginning to stir. It had taken Snake-Snakepaw a while to get used to the nocturnal Clan's schedule. He liked NightClan's camp, it was always dark and sheltered from the sun, he never had to worry about it hurting his eyes or burning his skin. But he hadn't liked being confined to it. He wanted to explore! But every cat kept telling him that kits weren't allowed to go outside of camp and any time he tried they picked him up by the scruff and carried him back to the nursery. It was the most frustrating thing he'd ever encountered.
He'd complained to Applewhisker, his new mother, on more than one occasion. At first he had thought it was strange that a tom was his new mother, but she was really nice and seemed to love him quite a lot, so it didn't really matter in the end. And Scrap had come to join him too! He was so happy to have his sister back, even though she didn't really seem that happy to be here. Being a Clan was strange, for sure, though. There were just so many cats here. Snake hadn't even known this many cats existed in the world, and then he'd been told there were four other Clans in the valley too?
Now that he was an apprentice, those thoughts seemed silly to him. Of course there were other cats, lots of them. Just because his whole world had once been his mother and his two littermates, everything had seemed so much smaller then. He'd been quite excited to become an apprentice after finding out he'd be able to leave the camp again. However, his first day as an apprentice had been a bit... underwhelming. His mentor was busy and while his sister went out to explore the territory some other warrior had told him to go clean out dirty moss from the elders' den and replace it with new stuff. That hadn't been any fun at all.
But then he'd helped Shadowpaw check the elders for ticks and fleas and while the task hadn't been pleasant what-so-ever, he liked spending time with Shadowpaw. He liked to think of the medicine cat apprentice as his first friend, after Scrap of course. Oakblaze was nice too, but as he'd grown, he'd found the older tom to be a bit simple. He didn't mind spending time with him, but he could be a little annoying sometimes.
Today, however, was his turn to explore. His mentor Honeywhisker was leading him out of camp and into the dark pine forest he only vaguely remembered from 3 moons ago when NightClan had found him with an excited exclamation about showing him the territory. His tail waved happily and he scampered after her until she paused to ask him if he knew what he'd like to see first. He stopped beside her, looking around, “Uhhmmmmm. The other apprentices talked about the pineneedle clearing a lot, where is that? Oh and what way is TreeClan? The other apprentices were always talking about wanting to fight them. Does NightClan fight with TreeClan a lot? And what's the other Clan? The one that smells like fish? And what's a fish?” The questions fell out of his mouth before he could stop them as he shifted eagerly from one paw to the other.
I'm not sorry for who I am, take it or leave it. @medusa
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Post by Deleted on Sept 16, 2017 17:00:04 GMT -5
HONEYWHISKER
Honeywhisker purred at the tumble of questions that poured from Snakepaw's mouth, curiosity glinting in his ruby-red eyes. She loved his enthusiasm, certain that it would make him a great warrior, as long as he had wisdom to help curb it. That was her duty, to pass on her wisdom; even though she believed she was lacking in that particular area.
"Treeclan is this way." She mewed, turning her paws and heading towards the border of the two clans. The oak forest was very different to the pine woods her clan called home, and it would be best to show Snakepaw the dangers that could threaten him first - in her opinion. Besides, on the way she could show him the branch trail and muddy pools. The branch trail was best for birds and honey, Honeywhisker purred as she remembered rolling around in mud to help Shadowpaw get some honey after the Lightningclan fire. The muddy pools usually had loads of prey, due to the water, and frogs! Frogs were great for practicing hunting, since they were slower as it grew colder.
"And we do fight with Treeclan, though wise leaders try to avoid a conflict than be solved with words rather than claws." Honeywhisker began to answer his questions, her mind whirring as it brought up memories and lessons from her own mentor.
"The other clan is Rainclan, they're super skilled at swimming. And fish... fish is kind of like a really wet prey that live in water. They're all slimy and taste really strong." She wrinkled her nose as she remembered nibbling a dead fish that had been caught in one of the muddy pools. It had tasted very strong and she couldn't smell anything for ages afterwards. "I think the fish Rainclan eat give them magic powers, which is why they swim so well and water doesn't bother them. Just like how the night blessed us with cunning and stealth."
The grey tabby paused as they reached the deer path, which was the border of the two clans. Honeywhisker sat down softly, turning to check on her apprentice. Although she felt fine, she was aware that Snakepaw was smaller and didn't yet have the muscles of a warrior. "This is the Treeclan border, never cross it without permission! Not even if you're chasing prey! If you do, then Treeclan warriors will pounce on you and Pinestar will punish you for breaking the code!" She warned, trying to ward off the apprentice from crossing borders. No point in starting fights where there are none to be had.
"Now, what can you smell?" Honeywhisker asked, gesturing to a recent scent marker that had been left by a Treeclan patrol.
NOTES: heheehu smell this @zen |
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Post by Deleted on Sept 19, 2017 12:10:58 GMT -5
What you see isn't all I am...
As Honeywhisker turned toward the TreeClan border, Snakepaw bounced along after her, tail quivering behind him with barely contained excitement. He was just happy to be able to leave camp at long last, to be able explore again. After growing up as a loner that knew no boundaries, NightClan's camp had been an awfully cramped place to spend the next 3 moons of his life. He listened as Honeywhisker mentioned fighting with TreeClan and then moved on to RainClan, turning his crimson gaze upon the older she-cat for a moment.
His ears pricked when Honeywhisker suggested that fish gave RainClan magic powers. His tail waved rapidly behind him, “Will we meet any RainClan cats today? I wanna see their magic powers! Can we catch a fish? I wanna taste one. Will it give me magic powers too?” He didn't mind water, like many other cats did. It was cool and refreshing, much preferable to the unforgiving sun that liked to burn his skin.
His mentor came to a stop and new, strong scents assaulted his nose. She explained that they had reached the TreeClan border and gave him a firm warning about crossing it. It didn't make much sense to Snakepaw. More confinement? Why couldn't cats just go where they wanted? He was distracted from his confusion by the question aimed his way. He bent his head to sniff at the ground, taking a step forward, but wary of just where the border line was. He didn't want Honeywhisker to yell at him.
“There's NightClan scent... and that must be TreeClan? It smells kinda like NightClan...,” he wondered aloud, finding the two scents to be quite similar, though TreeClan's smelled leafier, lacking the sharp tang of pine. He tried to ignore the strong scents of the border and see if he could smell anything else, but it was hard to pick out anything past the scent markers. He stepped back, shaking his head as if to clear it, and gaze off into the woods that belonged to their neighbors.
The undergrowth was thicker across the border and the trees were different. The ground wasn't littered with pine needles, but leaf litter. He glanced both ways along the border, wondering if there were any TreeClan cats around, but there didn't seem to be. His ears pricked as a thought occurred, turning his attention back to his mentor, “Do TreeClan cats have magic powers too?”
I'm not sorry for who I am, take it or leave it. @medusa
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Post by Deleted on Sept 19, 2017 16:33:27 GMT -5
HONEYWHISKER
Honeywhisker flicked her tail as Snakepaw sniffed around, clearly being careful not to overstep the border. Enthusiasm and caution? She had the apprentice jackpot! Still, not every cat is perfect, and the tabby reminded herself to keep an eye out for any flaws in the young tom that she could work around or help him use to his advantage.
“There's NightClan scent... and that must be TreeClan? It smells kinda like NightClan...,”
The warrior nodded with a smile. "Well done! Sometimes it can be difficult to tell our neighbors scents from ours at the borders, because our scent markers mingle." Honeywhisker twitched her ears as she remembered gatherings. "When you go to your first gathering, you should try to remember each clan's scent."
She watched quietly as Snakepaw glanced up an down the scent-line before looking back at her, his burning gaze wide.
“Do TreeClan cats have magic powers too?”
"Hmm, I think they have similar powers to us. In my opinion, Nightclan and Treeclan are two sides of the same leaf." Honeywhisker turned, tilting her head south in a follow-me gesture, and began to trot towards the Muddy Pools. "We have similar territories, and therefore, similar strengths. We're blessed by the night and have superior stalking and ambushing abilities. They're blessed by the sun, and can be stronger and better at moving through thick undergrowth."
Pride for her clan seeped into her next words, a playful glint in her eyes. "Of course, Nightclan is still a hundred times better."
As they neared the pools, the ground became wetter and muddier under-paw - the familiar buzzing of insects and the occasional croak of a frog breaking through the muggy air. Honeywhisker inhaled on instinct, tasting for prey, before remembering that she wasn't here on a hunting trip. She shut her mouth and looked at Snakepaw.
"These are the Muddy Pools, they're great for prey because they come here to drink." Honeywhisker glanced upwards as a particularly loud croak interrupted her. "Further south is the Rainclan border, which is where we're headed. Now, do you think Rainclan or Treeclan are more likely to try take some of our territory and why?"
Honeywhisker fell silent after her question, urging the tom to answer with a gentle nod. It didn't matter if he didn't know, sometimes it's best to have a go anyway, and if he did get it right, it'll boost his confidence.
NOTES: its... moist @zen |
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Post by Deleted on Oct 1, 2017 20:33:09 GMT -5
What you see isn't all I am...
Snakepaw's fluffy white tail rose happily as Honeywhisker praised him. Briefly he wondered how Scrap-paw was getting along with her mentor, aware that his sister didn't get along with much of anyone for some reason. He hoped her mentor was as nice as Honeywhisker. Listening to her answer to his question about TreeClan, he tilted his head slightly. It occurred to him that maybe he wouldn't get a magic power because he wasn't really a NightClan cat, or any sort of Clan cat. His ears flicked back, “Do... do loners have magic powers, or only Clan cats?” He glanced down at his paws, “Do you think Pinestar will let me stay, even if I don't have NightClan powers?”
He wasn't deaf, he'd heard plenty of things said of him and his sister since their arrival to the Clan. There were plenty of cats who didn't think they should be allowed to stay, and some of them seemed to have a big problem with the color of his eyes. Despite the whispers and mutterings, he wanted to stay in NightClan. He loved Applewhisker and he really liked Shadowpaw and Oakblaze, and Honeywhisker seemed really nice so far too. He felt safe here, even with the uneasy glances other cats sometimes cast his way. He liked being around other cats and couldn't imagine going back to living on his own, even with Scrap-paw at his side.
Following after his mentor, he paused as she pointed out the Muddy Pools, wet earth squelching up between his toes. The strange sound of the occasional croak reached his ears and he looked around, wondering just what in the world was making that noise. He'd seen frogs on the freshkill pile of course, but he'd never actually seen a live one before, not that he could remember anyway. His ears flicked as Honeywhisker asked him another question and it took him a moment to register it, distracted as he was by trying to figure out the source of the croaking. “Huh? Oh, mmm... uhm.” He blinked a few times and shook his head. He'd try to answer her question and then ask about the weird noise.
He didn't know too much about TreeClan. He'd heard other NightClan cats call them 'squirrelchasers' on occasion. He knew what a squirrel was. RainClan were called 'fishbreaths', however. He tilted his head again, thoughtful, “I guess... probably TreeClan? We have squirrels here they can chase. But we don't have any fish for RainClan.” He nodded, satisfied with that answer. RainClan loved their water and their fish, and while NightClan had these pools, he had never seen any fish on the freshkill pile. Another croak directed his attention back to finding out jut what it was and he turned, ears twitching as he tried to pinpoint the source, “What's that noise?”
I'm not sorry for who I am, take it or leave it. @medusa
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Post by Deleted on Oct 3, 2017 18:10:25 GMT -5
HONEYWHISKER
"Do... do loners have magic powers, or only Clan cats? Do you think Pinestar will let me stay, even if I don't have NightClan powers?”
If you listened carefully at that moment, you could hear the sound of Honeywhisker's heart breaking. The silver she-cat sneaked a sorrowful look at her apprentice - to her, his loner past was no matter but of course it would matter to the young tom. An uncharacteristic anger flashed in her eyes as she planned to smack the life out the cats that dared sneak a bad word about Snakepaw.
"Powers aren't something you're born with, it is something your clan gives you if you obey the code and are loyal to the cats you love. Pinestar wouldn't ahve let you into Nightclan if she couldn't see a great potential, in you and Scrap-paw." Honeywhisker purred quietly and flicked her tail against Snakepaw's flank to show her support. "If anyone tells you different, then they're just stupid mousehearts that can't look beyond their own nose."
The silver tabby watched in silence as Snakepaw pondered the question, glancing about to find the source of his distraction. Croaking was a common noise to her and so it didn't register that it might not be familiar to Snakepaw.
“I guess... probably TreeClan? We have squirrels here they can chase. But we don't have any fish for RainClan.” Honeywhisker beamed at Snakepaw's response. If all new apprentices were this smart, then Nightclan would easily be the strongest clan of the five.
"Brilliant Snakepaw! Our territory is similar to Treeclan's but Rainclan rely on different prey, so we are more at risk with Treeclan." She paused, a worried frown pulling on the edge of her features. "With Lightningclan's fire during Greenleaf, I worry that Treeclan might feel even more pressed to take our territory. Not to worry though! Nightclan will beat them off!"
“What's that noise?”
"Huh?" Honeywhisker tilted her head, listening intently for a strange noise. All she could hear was the last birds singing their songs before night fell and the frogs croaking. Was it the frogs that were bothering him?
"Frogs? They'll be slowing down now, they always do when it gets colder." An idea blossomed in her head. This was a great chance to test Snakepaw's hunting skills and see what he already knew. "Why don't you try catch one? Keep your pawsteps light and try to corner it off from any ponds or it could escape."
NOTES: honey's gonna beat up treeclan all by herself @zen |
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