[williams]

The weather was getting colder, said the older cats in Nightclan, murmuring quietly as they worked, but Brindlepaw couldn't tell. He knew at some point, according to his parents, the ground was going to be covered in white stuff and the frogs wouldn't come out to be eaten because their homes would be frozen over. The fluffy tom now alone scoffed at the idea, but when he had been told, the apprentice had nodded in agreement as if their words were law.

Now though, his stocky legs and wide paws led him through the forest with a nervous energy willing to be spent. He was tired of sitting around waiting for his mentor to take him out, and decided he needed to take charge of his world. The tabby apprentice hadn't memorized the territory yet, which would come into fault eventually. But for now, his nose sniffed eagarly at the air, taking in all the different scents that floating around on a gentle breeze. Said breeze fluffed his fur as it moved, giving it a waving motion similar to the grasses found on Lightningclan's land- or so his mother said. It was regal, she would say with pride, causing the young tom to shuffle his paws. Shaking his head, Brindlepaw dismissed the thoughts. He wanted to explore Nightclan's territory, not think about his parents.

A new smell crossed his path, causing his ears to prick in excitement. Was this another clan? He thought back, but couldn't remember what his mentor had said. They share a border with.... He huffed, pushing his nose down into the scent to see if it would tell him who it belonged to. As he did, a shuffle appeared in the bushes nearby. He stood tall, fur fluffing up along his shoulders out of panic. Was it prey, was it another clan cat? "Hello?" He called, voice high from panic, paws franticly making sure he was on the correct side of the scent line.

330 || @calico || here we go c:

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[Deleted]

Flamepaw had left the confines of the TreeClan camp for a little while, without his mentor or his brother. He had times where he just wanted to be alone. Alone with his feet and alone with his thoughts. 

Luckily, his winter coat had finally settled, so he wasn't overly cold - just hungry. But he'd never dream of feeding himself before the clan. The clan came first. 

Not paying any mind to where he was walking, he went where his feet took him, lost in his thoughts for a few moments. Then he smelt the NightClan border and stopped. 

He had no reason to be afraid, so fear was not the reason he stopped. He stopped to take his mind out of his thoughts for a moment and get his bearings, to see where he was (and whether he'd accidentally crossed the border. A quick scout around him told him he hadn't done that. He was just inside it. A couple of foxtail lengths inside it. Disappearing through a bush for a second bought him directly onto the border. A cat was already there. He looked terrified. 

"It's ok. I'm not going to hurt you... I'm off duty!" Flamepaw tried to break the ice with a joke. Smiling at the cat out of polite curiosity, he took a big sniff of him, trying to gauge whether he was a loner, or did in fact belong to NightClan. From the smell of his pelt, he was indeed NightClan - his clan and NightClan were having turbulent times as of late, but this cat seemed fine. He was alone... Looking at him, he was all fluff and fur. Flamepaw may be not fully trained yet, but he was fairly confident that he could take this cat on and win if he needed to.

"I'm Flamepaw of TreeClan. Who are you?"

He sat along the border, not quite off his scent line, so not even Lionstar himself could accuse him of doing anything wrong other than talking to this strange cat. Maybe he was lost?

williams Fawn (lionstar mention) / 340 words / Let the Brindleflame commence!

[williams]

"It's ok. I'm not going to hurt you... I'm off duty!" Confusion flooded Brindlepaw's system- off-duty? will I have to pace border too? Stuck watching for trouble?- but his panicked fluff-up had calmed down, which was half noticable with how long it was already. The tom that came through the bush was his age, young in face and voice. Kitten fluff still covered his frame, but unlike Brindlepaw, underneath was strength from already beginning his training. He was bright in coloring, which was surprising compared the the muted tones of Nightclan's forests. This fact made Brindlepaw laugh once, a short happy sound, at hearing his name.

"I'm Flamepaw of TreeClan. Who are you?" Treeclan? Ohh, that's this border. "I'm Brindlepaw, of Nightclan. He replied, giving his tail a wag of greeting. The tabby apprentice knew he should be enemies with all other clans, but Flamepaw hadn't responded with agression. The question of his name was short, but it wasn't an angry question. There ws curiosity there too. Feeling his chest puff with pride, Brindlepaw continued. "Have you met a Nightclan cat before?"

185 || @calico || notes

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[Deleted]

"Have you met a NightClan cat before?"

No, but he had heard the stories. That they lived in a perpetual state of night. That they preferred frogs and toads over real food like mice. That they sharpened their claws on the bones of their enemies. 

Flamepaw suppressed a shiver. TreeClan were their enemies, currently, thanks to their need for border expansion. 

But Brindlepaw seemed... okay. He hadn't immediately come out fighting. Maybe he was too young to understand what had been going on recently. Or maybe he'd only just begun his training, so his mentor hadn't had time to poison his mind yet? Or, well.. if not poison, then at least indoctrinate him into the ways of NightClan.

"Not 'til now. I haven't been to a gathering yet. Do you normally patrol this border alone?" if the words had come from an older cat, they may have meant hostility and opportunism. From Flamepaw, there was nothing but friendliness. Sure, he had some friends in TreeClan - his brother, his mentor Appleshade, Magpiewing... but he was only young, enjoyed making new friends. He'd only just met this other cat, but already the way his chest was proudly puffed was making a happy 'mrrr' of laughter escape from Flamepaw's chest. 

He hoped necessity didn't pit the two against one another. 

"You don't look old. Only just started your training? My mentor is called Appleshade and she's awesome! She doesn't seem to mind the fact that I don't like it in TreeClan at all..."

Flamepaw trailed off. Maybe he'd said too much?

264 / williams / play it like flame is anti-tree for now, but he'll mellow out eventually as the two cats spend more time together and it'll make him like TC because he has Brindle to rant to if everything gets bad ok?

[williams]

Brindlepaw watched Flamepaw react to him being a Nightclan cat, a sudden worry stirring in his belly. What did other clans say about his clan? He knew his own clan wasn't the nicest towards the other clans either, but they were all still cats!

"Not 'til now. I haven't been to a gathering yet. Do you normally patrol this border alone?" The worry continued to sit there through Flamepaw's response, the tabby apprentice hoping he could get rid of some negativity surrounding his clan. They weren't all bad right? He cleared his throat, looking back to his territory with a sheepish expression. "No, I was hunting sorta and kept on wandering. My mentor's distracted and I haven't seen that much!" Brindlepaw let out a little huff, stamping one wide paw. Anxiety forgotten, he continued. "The territory is so big right now! My mom says I'll grow to be as big as dad and it'll feel more like home, but I don't know what that means. So I went off to explore it myself and make it feel like I fit in it before I grew."

Then his eyes widened and he snapped his jaws shut. His tail wound in front, a large and bushy border. "I probably shouldn't be telling this to another clan's cat."

"You don't look old. Only just started your training? My mentor is called Appleshade and she's awesome! She doesn't seem to mind the fact that I don't like it in TreeClan at all..."

"I'm, I'm not. I've been an apprentice for only a moon...." Brindlepaw sighed at his own foolishness. This is what his parents meant. Don't wander off and get caught conversing with a Treeclan cat! But his ears pricked as he caught the last bit of information. Why didn't Flamepaw like Treeclan? Brindlepaw tilted his head to the side, "What's wrong with Treeclan? Did they force you to patrol alone?"] Shock bubbled up. Was that why the ginger tom had asked if he was alone? Was he being punished for doing something wrong?

348 || @calico || my dumb son

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[Deleted]

FLAMEPAW

9 Moons TreeClan Apprentice Tom

Flamepaw had to choose his words carefully, lest he reveal potentially devastating clan secrets to a cat of another clan... however... clueless? was that the right word? Brindlepaw seemed to be. 

He was so fluffy... yeah, it was leaf-bare now and leaf-bare winter coats had finally set in (thank StarClan) but Brindlepaw... he just seemed to be all fluff. He must at least be warm in this weather. 

Flamepaw rolled his muscles, so they didn't stiffen up from where he'd been sat for a little while. They were lean, leaf-bare had seen to that. What little food there was was probably hiding by now. But he'd survive. He was a fighter. 

"Well... I was bought up in a different Clan, then bought back here to find that my entire life as I'd known it was a lie. That leads to a deep-seated resentment. I suppose I'll eventually come to like TreeClan, but for now? All I can see is that they took me and my brother away from our mother and our sisters."

Flamepaw looked down at the ground, sadness crossing his features as he contemplated just how much he missed Fernpaw and Dewpaw.

When darkness comes, I'll light the night with stars

williams 217 Notes

[williams]

"Well... I was bought up in a different Clan, then brought back here to find that my entire life as I'd known it was a lie. That leads to a deep-seated resentment. I suppose I'll eventually come to like TreeClan, but for now? All I can see is that they took me and my brother away from our mother and our sisters."
Brindlepaw tilted his head as he listened, one ear twisted to catch any noises of the forest. He enjoyed talking to this odd Treeclan tom. He didn't want their meeting rudely interrupted by an older cat thinking an attack was imminent. As Flamepaw finished, Brindlepaw's shoulders scrunched up in sadness. Here this tom was, alone in a clan whose blood swam through his body, but with no family in sight. Although he hadn't said where his parents had gone, the younger apprentice could guess. Why else would another clan raise an enemy?

"I think you're very strong, Flamepaw. Brindlepaw said with a polite cough, drawing his tail around his paws like a fluffy cloud. It closed him off from the other tom in appearance, but it kept him grounded with the anxiety that bubbled up. To live in a clan that didn't know him, didn't give him the building blocks required to face the world sounded horrible. Each clan lived differently, right? That's what his parents said, what his older siblings said. Their skills couldn't easily cross over. "It must be hard when you grew up with different teachings. Maybe you can adapt what you know!" He stood with excitement. Tail fanned above his head with a wild wave while Brindlepaw's eyes flickered with the possibilities. You could absolutely adapt, right? Make the clan glad to have you for your mixed ways, rather than resent you for taking you back in.

words || @calico || so sorry for the delay!! depression's a bad monster for muse

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