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Post by Fawn on Dec 3, 2017 9:34:30 GMT -5
Frozenrain73 Moons // Warrior-Queen // StoneClanMaternal instinct had gone to war with her responsibilities as a mentor. When Sorrelpaw's battle training had soured, Vipertail falling on her triggering panic born from the Sun Stones fight, Frozenrain had forced herself not to intervene. She wanted to hurry to the she-cat's side and gently wrap herself around her, becoming a shield for the dark memories that threatened to overwhelm.
Battle training never promised to be easy, even if Sorrelpaw was naturally adept at it. She had more scars to heal than just the physical. Frozenrain's whole body had lurched, a physical manifestation of longing to pursue Sorrelpaw as the apprentice fled into the forest. The cool voice of reason instructed her to let Sorrelpaw have this retreat; to preserve her dignity. A cat chasing her would only exacerbate the symptoms.
With a quiet thank you to Vipertail for his assistance (and reassurance that this was NOT his fault), Frozenrain had left the situation to cool. Fear was like a wound; it swelled up, and needed time to recede. The worse the injury, the longer it took. She would give Sorrelpaw that time.
On the morning after the battle training, Frozenrain woke her apprentice just as the dawn patrol began to leave. It was early, yes, but Frozenrain was not the kind of mentor to put things off; punctual, especially where it counted most. "Follow me, we're going for a little walk." Frozenrain stroked her tail over Sorrelpaw's flank, an indication that she was not upset with her for yesterday's panic attack, and left the den to give her the chance to wake up.
Once Sorrelpaw appeared, Frozenrain directed her toward the entrance to camp, their paws wearing down the familiar path to the sky springs. She caught her mate's scent on the wind blowing through them from StoneClan's encampment, and had to resist the urge to turn around. To spend her mornings with Hawkstar, where her heart was happiest. But she had her duties, and Sorrelpaw needed guidance. The reflecting pools glimmered with the gray light of leaf-fall, full after the night's storm. 347 Words // williams // Notes: Leaf-fall Day 23 Had to maneuver them to a place to talk! Let me know if I overstepped or if you want me to change anything.
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thanks for the two years <3 |
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INVENTORY
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Post by williams on Dec 6, 2017 15:26:34 GMT -5
It was not long after her and Viperpaw went back to their nests that another call, familiar and gentle, woke Sorrelpaw from her light rest. In the haze of the early morning, she could see Frozenrain. Guilt flooded her system over yesterday's training session, but a gentle brush of her mentor's tail showed her this would be a calm day, whatever it would be. She blinked sleep from her eyes, murmuring a response. The tabby apprentice stretched long, savouring the crispness of the air along her spine and across her scars. She did not waste time though, doing just one full stretch before padding after her mentor.
"Follow me, we're going for a little walk." Letting Frozenrain lead the way, Sorrelpaw thought back to yesterday. She didn't want to, but knew this was why her mentor had woken her up so early. Talking during the night had helped, but she still felt tremors of fear whenever she was too close to other cats, or if cats fall on her... Sorrelpaw glanced over to her mentor, tail flicking with anxiety but not wanting to break the silence as they traveled to Sky Springs. The morning air was nice, and she wanted to enjoy it before her nightmares invaded. 220 | Fawn @medusa (viper mention) | i imagine our nightmare thread came before
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Post by Fawn on Dec 7, 2017 8:40:33 GMT -5
Frozenrain77 Moons // Warrior-Queen // StoneClanSorrelpaw was silent. Frozenrain let that silence stretch on to greet the dawn, simply breathing. In. Out. "Your battle training went well," she began, turning signature blue eyes upon the apprentice. "I would never lie to you, Sorrelpaw. And you do not need to feel ashamed for how the battle ended." Sometimes there were scars that took much longer to heal than anticipated. And not every scar was worn on the outside.
"Sometimes fear can save us. It can warn us that we need to react or risk injury, even death. And sometimes fear can overwhelm us, growing into panic. Panic isn't a warning system," Frozenrain looked at the sky springs, the rippling waters reflected back at her. "Panic is like a fox. Something to be kept at bay. If that fox is given any ground, it will continue to advance. And the further it advances, the harder it can be to defeat." A slender cream-furred tail laid gently over Sorrelpaw's back, sitting beside her as if she were her own daughter. "Now I know this may not sound wise, but I want you to tell me what goes through your head when you're up against that fox. What you feel. What frightens you the most, when that happens."
If they did not uncover the root of it, and counter each of the fox's strikes with one of their own, Sorrelpaw's recovery process would be longer than either of them wanted. 239 Words // williams // Notes: Healing time with Frozenrain <3
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thanks for the two years <3 |
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INVENTORY
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Post by williams on Dec 10, 2017 15:02:29 GMT -5
The silence was calming, breath in, breath out. Sorrelpaw found the knot in her chest loosening, comforted by her mentor’s patience. It was something that had always been comforting she realized.
"Your battle training went well," The young apprentice met her mentor’s eyes after a pause, a frown appearing due to her own doubts before Frozenrain continued. "I would never lie to you, Sorrelpaw. And you do not need to feel ashamed for how the battle ended." That’s true, she thought. Frozenrain was always honest, and it led to her training being thorough, with each aspect being addressing to its full potential. She didn’t feel the joy of a good fight, but reflecting, Sorrelpaw knew her skills were still there. She had fought well till the pair of them has slipped and Vipertail fell on top of her. A shudder crept down her spine, and as if the older she-cat knew where her thoughts had strayed, her next words followed the train of thought.
"Sometimes fear can save us. It can warn us that we need to react or risk injury, even death. And sometimes fear can overwhelm us, growing into panic. Panic isn't a warning system. Panic is like a fox. Something to be kept at bay. If that fox is given any ground, it will continue to advance. And the further it advances, the harder it can be to defeat." Fear? Fox? The tabby apprentice had followed her mentor’s gaze out into the waters, pulling calm from the gentle repeating motions of the ripples. Confusion and slight dread sat in her belly. What was her fox? "Now I know this may not sound wise, but I want you to tell me what goes through your head when you're up against that fox. What you feel. What frightens you the most, when that happens." “My fox,” Sorrelpaw started, enjoying the closeness of Frozenrain on her side. She felt safe, protected. The fox would not find her here with her mentor ready to fight it alongside her. “It’s not large, but it shifts in space, like if I claw out at it, half my strikes won’t connect. Like when you fall down the side of a boulder. Rock’s smooth right? We can’t get a grip there, and the fox knows that and becomes stone. I’m afraid of getting trapped there again, a gap as wide as my shoulders pushing in with no paw holds to get out. No Cricketspring to rescue me.” She lashed her tail as she remembered, refusing to let the fear take hold this time. The sensation traveled across her back in a ripple of fear. Her voice dipped down into a whisper. “It’s hungry too. Desperate to prove itself and it’ll crush everything out of me to win. It’s, I think it’s the mother in my dream speaking. I-I don’t recognize her but she’s so sad. I think it’s, it’s the queen whose kit died in the battle.” Sorrelpaw didn’t know exactly who had died, she had been sitting in the medicine cat’s den so long without news that the name has slipped away. But something in her conscious knew the end of battle was because a cat died. It didn’t matter that they were a full-grown warrior, some queen lost her kit. She sighed with a breath of sadness. Sorrelpaw truly enjoyed fighting, she knew that was where her skills were. But death wasn’t supposed to happen during a border feud.
600 | Fawn | your response still makes me cry. frozen is such a good mom
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Post by Fawn on Dec 11, 2017 8:50:31 GMT -5
Frozenrain77 Moons // Warrior-Queen // StoneClanHer fox was smooth, impenetrable stone, just out of reach yet close enough to hurt Sorrelpaw deeply. Frozenrain's heart hummed with sympathy, understanding the deep-grown unease that came with such intense fears. More than fear of getting trapped again, however, was something else Frozenrain regretted to say she was well acquainted with; sorrow.
That Sorrelpaw should mourn for the LightningClan cat's death spoke volumes to Frozenrain. She was proud to call this young, empathetic cat her apprentice. Proud to know that they belonged to the same Clan; when the valley seemed short of mercy and compassion, Frozenrain could raise her head proudly, knowing that they would find no such shortage here. Their compassion made them strong. Stronger than all the trials fate could throw at them.
"Her name was Mapleheart," Frozenrain said gently. "Firestar's daughter. A cat's death should always be faced with mourning and respect, no matter what side of the border they came from." Her tail curled gently around the she-cat's patterned flank, her thoughts on the stars above, hidden by the daytime sky. "Accidents happen. No one was at fault, least of all you. It pains me to tell you that it may happen again, too. That does not mean we can allow that fox to stop us from protecting our Clanmates, or ourselves. Whether it's sorrow that drives it," Frozenrain brushed her muzzle between Sorrelpaw's ears, tempted to groom her fur as she would one of her kits'. "Or panic, I want you to remember that you have the strength to defeat those foxes."
"In your claws," Frozenrain gently tapped her apprentice's paws. "And in your heart and mind. Panic does not define you. And that you have a fox at all does not diminish your skills as a warrior. We all have our nightmares, our predators." StarClan knew this Clan faced more than most. 306 Words // williams // Notes: I love this thread!
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thanks for the two years <3 |
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INVENTORY
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Post by williams on Dec 19, 2017 17:07:25 GMT -5
The young apprentice felt the air shift, and a quick bolt of fear flashed inside. Did she share the wrong things? But a comforting tail across her shoulders said otherwise. This is what Frozenrain had wanted, for her fox to be shared and laid out. "Her name was Mapleheart, Firestar's daughter." Oh, Sorrelpaw's heart ached more than it had when she first woke up from her shock. A leader's child had died in their fight? " A cat's death should always be faced with mourning and respect, no matter what side of the border they came from." The tabby apprentice nodded, mind going back to how mournful the screams were in her dream. It was a painful sound, though she herself had no kits nor the urge to have any. But a mother's sadness hit everyone surely, even their own leaders. A sour thought appeared. Did they win because of Mapleheart's death? Swept back to the present by a gentle muzzle laid on top of her head, Sorrelpaw leaned into it, enjoying her mentor's presence and confident reply.
"Accidents happen. No one was at fault, least of all you. It pains me to tell you that it may happen again, too. That does not mean we can allow that fox to stop us from protecting our Clanmates, or ourselves. Whether it's sorrow that drives it, or panic, I want you to remember that you have the strength to defeat those foxes. In your claws and in your heart and mind. Panic does not define you. And that you have a fox at all does not diminish your skills as a warrior. We all have our nightmares, our predators."
She let out a breath, low and long and with it, the nervous energy that coiled across her shoulders was released. "Thank you Frozenrain," Sorrelpaw said, a purr in her words. She felt better, stronger, like she was the apprentice again that had entered the fight against Lightningclan. The apprentice that was going to become a warrior after a successful fight. "What's your fox?" She asked suddenly, voice breaking the content silence that they found themselves in. It was a question fueled by curiosity, spawning from her mentor's final words. What plagued their clan to cause their warriors to seek out new land to hunt in, to fight their neighbors and allowing one of them to die for victory? Did they need the land? Had it vanished before? A conversation with Sootpaw came to her mind, a long forgotten clan that sunk deep like a thorn. It was bad news, which is probably why Sorrelpaw had been spared hearing about it, but they were talking about nightmares now. The worst that could happen is getting repremanded, Sorrelpaw thought. "Does it relate to Stormclan?" Her voice was quiet and curious, but level. She wanted to know, but respected Frozenrain too much to push it if her question went too far.
490 | Fawn | more foxes!!
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Post by Fawn on Jan 28, 2018 19:23:17 GMT -5
Frozenrain77 Moons // Warrior-Queen // StoneClanThat her words seemed to have a positive effect on her pupil was all Frozenrain had asked for. The matron smiled, soft and warm, though the expression grew contemplative as Sorrelpaw asked a question of her own. Of course, StormClan had been well before Sorrelpaw's time; it made sense that she would have questions. Having gone over this topic with her own children - and it had been difficult to find a balance between truth and censor, not wanting to instill the same anger and resentment in their hearts that dwelled in those who were old enough to remember - Frozenrain found the words.
"Yes," said the warrior-queen. "StormClan is like a scar on StoneClan's history, and it has spawned many foxes for many cats. My fox is covered in the blood of the Clanmates I have lost, and it makes a sound like the scared cries of orphaned kits." Baby blue eyes deepened, a profound sadness sweeping through the she-cat like a winter gale. "It reeks of fear scent."
This was no ordinary 'fox'. No ordinary terror that plagued her; it was a struggle not to let this kind of beast consume her. Not to view their neighbors on the other side of the Sun Stones as the epitome of the Dark Forest, for their actions. RainClan, at least, had apologized - even if it took many many moons for any one Clan cat to speak up.
"If you have questions," said Frozenrain as she braced herself to answer. "I will provide you answers, if I have them. The past is painful to speak of, but that is no reason to avoid it." There was another part of her fox that Frozenrain did not dare to mention. It was her kits. Her fox was pregnant, and the stress of all that had transpired would cause the kits to be lost.
This fox would howl with sorrow and rage, howl of failure and a broken heart. This was Frozenrain's private grief, shared only with Hawkstar. Though she believed Sorrelpaw to be mature beyond her moons, there were some things that Frozenrain did not feel comfortable sharing. Not when this was a fox she sometimes lost against.
363 Words // williams // Notes
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thanks for the two years <3 |
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INVENTORY
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Post by williams on Jan 30, 2018 14:50:54 GMT -5
The apprentice listened with an open mind, knowing her question was going to hurt, like raking claws down the side of a rocky surface rather than the pliable earth. She could feel Frozenrain tense with a sadness Sorrelpaw hoped her mentor would never feel again, sending the prayer up to Starclan with a soft plea. A quick flash of many foxes roaming the camp sent a shiver down her spine. But we're strong, she thought defiantly against the crowd of red. We're home and we are not going to let the foxes win.
"If you have questions. I will provide you answers, if I have them. The past is painful to speak of, but that is no reason to avoid it."
Ever the mentor, Frozenrain gave the option back to Sorrelpaw. She wanted to respect her privacy, and her questions were returned with the chance to protect the painful parts with gentle paws. The young cat wanted to know, it felt important to her history. It hadn't been taught before, and perhaps it was something she missed by being unable to talk at length with the clan's elders. Sootpaw had been successful at getting this history from Fallenleaf after all.
Who is Stormclan exactly? She started, safe ground. "Sootpaw said Fallenleaf said we were forced to leave, how did we come back?" Second question was not as safe, and the third dipped into deeper thought. "Why are we burying the history? Isn't it helpful to know the past, t avoid repeating it?"
256 | Fawn @calico (soot mention) | deep questions, but lemme know if you'd rather wrap it up <3
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Post by Fawn on Feb 10, 2018 20:57:41 GMT -5
Frozenrain77 Moons // Warrior-Queen // StoneClan"StormClan is the combined might of LightningClan and RainClan." Frozenrain began, unable to keep the grim note from entering her voice when she spoke of this. Her normal speech patterns tended to be elegant, and mentorly. This, however, was a very, very serious topic. Teaching moment or not, Frozenrain did not have it in her to be entirely neutral when talking about such a painful subject. "They craved more hunting land; rather than negotiate like warriors, they chose to take it like rogues. They attacked our camp; many cats were killed trying to defend themselves or simply trying to escape."
It had been one of the worst days of her life.
"We were chased into the mountains," Frozenrain continued. "And found shelter in a place called the Oasis, with a group of cats calling themselves MountainClan. They were not a true Clan, but they took care of one another, and allowed us to stay." She looked at Sorrelpaw. "It is because of them, their bravery, that we were able to return home before a full turn of the seasons. A search party from TreeClan also found us, and TreeClan bolstered our numbers further. We drove StormClan out of our territory, and have vowed never to allow something like this to happen again."
"It's hard to fathom, but the StormClan attack was roughly fifty moons ago. Long enough for kits who had been orphaned at that time to have grown up, started families of their own. Long enough for the warriors who remember it to have become elders, or senior warriors in their own right. You are correct, Sorrelpaw. The past shouldn't be buried. However, if we keep opening old wounds, then StoneClan may never fully heal."
And that, in it's own way, was a fate worse than being chased into the mountains. 302 Words // williams // Notes
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thanks for the two years <3 |
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INVENTORY
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Post by williams on Feb 16, 2018 13:37:19 GMT -5
Sorrelpaw listened intensly, feeling a sadness well in her heart as Frozenrain told the story. She couldn't believe someone could be that desperate, that two entire clans would forgo their training because hunger took over. They must've been incredibly desperate, She thought, looking over at her mentor. There was a hardness there, matched with her words as Frozenrain spoke. It hurt to see, but her last thoughts gave Sorrelpaw some hope. They did need to know the history, it was important to not repeat it and her mentor's confirmation of that solidified her stance on the matter.
With a light shake of her shoulders, Sorrelpaw shifted her paws. "They must have been really desperate, like the warrior was when we fought." Her voice was quiet, just above the level of the forest sounds. "When, when we fell in that gap in the rocks, we both panicked. But I was on top, so her panic was worse. She didn't stop to consider what she was grasping to get out of the whole, and now I'll always have those scars." It was the most anyone had heard of the matter from Sorrelpaw's perspectives, and the scars felt like they glowed with acknowledging them. The ones on her shoulders, the four scars along her hip and back leg, two of them deep into the muscle from the claw itself being left behind. All because desperate panic had set in.
Sorrelpaw frowned in thought, unsure how to voice her next thoughts but trying nonetheless. "It wasn't right for the other clans to chase you away. And it frankly sucks, that your fox has to be from that bit of history. But you're here, right?" She turns her gaze back to Frozenrain, determination there. "You survived, and can let the younger cats know that it was unacceptable, and that you won't let it happen again. History doesn't need to repeat.
391 | Fawn | deep thoughts
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Post by Fawn on Mar 17, 2018 7:30:54 GMT -5
Frozenrain80 Moons // Warrior-Queen // StoneClan'They must have been really desperate,' said Sorrelpaw, and the tufted end of Frozenrain's tail flicked and quivered in quiet disagreement. "Perhaps. RainClan's territory flooded that season, though I know of no troubles LightningClan faced at the time." And in that moment, it had not mattered. After the cruel decision to form StormClan and chase them from their home had been made, Frozenrain's sympathies had shrank.
She was guilty of regarding each of the two parties as having a black mark on their respective histories - though the Clan leaders responsible, Frozenrain realized, had already died or retired from the position. It would be better, then, to leave talk of justice or judgment to StarClan.
Sorrelpaw's determination shone like a beam of sunlight cutting through fog. The senior queen acknowledged that look in Sorrelpaw's eyes with a wane smile, watching Sorrelpaw's spirits - and her own - rise to the occasion. "Quite right, Sorrelpaw. Those of us that survived, and any Clanmate of StoneClan, will make sure nothing like that ever happens again. StoneClan will not suffer that fate a second time, even if it costs me my last breath."
The air was getting clearer, the fog of the past beginning to recede. Frozenrain made a mental note to speak to Hawkstar; perhaps a formal history lesson with the younger cats of StoneClan was in order. For bad or for worse, this was a part of their makeup, now. They did not need to sweep it under the nearest stone to be forgotten, but address it.
It should not be allowed to fester like an open sore.
Frozenrain laid her tail upon her apprentice's shoulder. "I'm glad that we've spoken honestly to one another, Sorrelpaw. If you have further questions or troubles, I will always have an ear to listen." Baby blue eyes softened, like warm moss. "Feel free to share your triumphs with me as well. You have my support always, during the darkest hours and the brightest dawns." 327 Words // williams // Notes: End it on your post?
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thanks for the two years <3 |
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INVENTORY
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Post by williams on Mar 21, 2018 15:45:41 GMT -5
"Quite right, Sorrelpaw. Those of us that survived, and any Clanmate of StoneClan, will make sure nothing like that ever happens again. StoneClan will not suffer that fate a second time, even if it costs me my last breath."
Sorrelpaw nodded her agreement, feeling the determination to keep Stoneclan safe in the future fill the air. She knew they were only two cats, but as she saw in the battle, sometimes it only took one cat to change the tide. They would be strong, and grow from what happened rather than let it hinder. At the tail on her shoulder, Sorrelpaw broke out of her thoughts, turning her amber eyes to Frozenrain.
"I'm glad that we've spoken honestly to one another, Sorrelpaw. If you have further questions or troubles, I will always have an ear to listen." Her apprentice smiled, feeling proud and comfortable in her mentor's presence. This had been a good talk, and she came out of it feeling confident. "Feel free to share your triumphs with me as well. You have my support always, during the darkest hours and the brightest dawns." Ducking her head with appreciation, Sorrelpaw said, "Thank you Frozenrain, I will keep that in mind. Would you like to hunt with me? We need to keep our strength up if we're going to ensure Stoneclan remains great." She finished with a genuine smile, ready to serve her clan to her fullest. Shaking off the last of her fox's claws, Sorrelpaw led the duo further to the woods. Her paws felt the lightest they had been, and she was determined to keep it that way.
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