[Deleted]

Am I coming out of left field?

---

At long last Minkpaw was an apprentice, which was a mixed blessing in her eyes. More freedom to explore and have adventures but also more responsibility. Her rules as a kit were not terribly restrictive, past being forbidden from leaving camp, and so long as she wasn't getting in the way (which she loved to do) she was allowed, mostly, free reign of the camp. She didn't have chores or patrols or training to attend, just endless days of play and games. However, after 6 moons, exploring the camp was way past exciting. Minkpaw was sure she'd found every last nook and cranny in the entire camp a moon before her ceremony.

But now she was an apprentice! Yay? She had mixed feelings. Her days were not her own anymore. There were expectations placed on apprentices. Do this, do that, be here at this time, train, clean out old bedding, hunt for the elders, see to the stinky old cats' each and every need, and then maybe, MAYBE she would have some time to do what SHE wanted to do. And even then, she still wasn't supposed to leave camp on her own, without a warrior to accompany her. And that was stupid. So, finding herself with a rare free moment to herself, she escaped camp, heading for dirtplace in case any cat tried to stop her, and when no one followed or challenged her, she broke into a run.

She ran for quite a while, enjoying the feel of the cool breeze tousling her plush fur, and freedom of not having anyone around telling what to do. Finally she got tired, she was only a couple days into her training and wasn't used to so much exertion just yet, and slowed to a leisurely walk. Glancing around, she tried to figure out where she was from her tour with Eagletalon and their ventures out into the territory thus far. Picking up speed, she jumped up and scrabbled to the top of a nearby boulder to get a better look around and saw the stretch of dark stones she knew to be the LightningClan border stretched out ahead of her.

Ears pricked with interest, she leaped nimbly back down and padded toward it, pausing at the scent line and wrinkling her nose at LightningClan's strange scent. Rabbit and wind and the sharp tang of grass. StoneClan's own scent was much more subtle than either of their neighbors. Cleaner, in Minkpaw's opinion, though their neighbors would hardly agree since 'dusty' was often used to describe her own Clan's scent. But what LightningClan and RainClan thought about StoneClan's scent was hardly any concern of Minkpaw's. All that mattered right now was that THEY smelled terrible.

She paced over the stones, the heat seeping through her roughened pads, and recalled the elders' stories about the many battles fought over these rocks. They belonged to StoneClan now, but it wasn't that long ago that they apparently belonged to LightningClan. Ownership of the sun stones changed paws often. Bounding up to the highest point she could find, she stood with her fluffy tail raised like a banner of victory, swaying in the breeze behind her, and surveyed the stretch of the LightningClan's territory before her. The temptation to cross the border was strong, just to say she had. So without another thought for the consequences, she did.

With a quick, confident stride, she bounded down the rocks, back to the scent marker, and over it, pausing only when she was fully on LightningClan's side of the border. A thrill went through her as she glanced back at her own territory briefly. In front of her, stone gave way to sand, and sand gave way to scrubby grass, which gave way to the taller grass that pervaded LightningClan's territory. Enemies could be lurking in that grass, beyond her sight, and she gazed out over it with a challenge in her pale blue gaze: I crossed your border. I'm not afraid of you.

---

I'm a rebel just for kicks now.

Taxx

[Taxx]

L Y N X P A W

I've got the eye of a fighter
Dancing through the fire

She wasn’t going to let Redscar think he could push her around. She might be the apprentice, but she wasn’t mindless, and she wasn’t going to blindly follow orders when they were stupid. Lynxpaw had escaped the camp at the first opportunity, diving into the long grass that surrounded LightningClan’s camp and happily setting off on her way. She practiced her pouncing at the waving stalks of grass, chased butterflies that fluttered lazily above her, and blundered clumsily after a rabbit she startled, losing it all too quickly down a tunnel and then losing her nerve at the thought of following it into the darkness.

Eventually she found herself at the sun stones, the heap of rocks that marked the border between LightningClan and StoneClan. Boring! She’d just started to turn away when she caught a pale flash of fur and glanced back, eyes picking out the form of a small cat as they picked their way down from the stones and boldly crossed the border. Instantly Lynxpaw’s fur bristled. She didn’t recognize that cat, and that meant there was no good reason for them to be in LightningClan territory.

Since there were no other cats around, Lynxpaw took it upon herself to challenge the intruder. If she were closer, a pounce would have been enough to hopefully knock over the stranger; as it was, the young she-cat settled on a more dignified approach, stalking from the cover of the grass, pausing only a couple tail-lengths from the other. A she-cat, she could smell now, her cream fur darkened on her face and along her tail. Her blue eyes were unafraid and unrepentant. Lynxpaw bristled even more, laying her ears back as she growled.

“You’re on LightningClan’s territory! Go back to your own before I shred you!” A valiant, if rather empty threat, considering she had had no battle training yet. Still, her claws were sharp, and she had no trouble springing in with them unsheathed to teach this other cat a lesson, if she had to.

And you're gonna hear me roar

@zen

[Deleted]

Am I coming out of left field?

---

Minkpaw was surprised when a potential enemy did appear from the tall grass. She had rather expected this venture to end rather uneventfully, as most adventures did, she'd found. She'd crossed another Clan's border and figured she would have to settle for that and get back to camp, hopefully before any cat really started wondering where she'd got off to so she could avoid some dumb lecture. The fluffy she-cat that stalked toward her, looking and sounding, when she spoke, no older than Minkpaw herself, had the cream she-cat's whiskers twitching in amusement at her threat. She blinked at the LightningClan apprentice, completely unintimidated, her fluffy pelt not even ruffled with the slightest hint of uncertainty.

A derisive laugh burst from her muzzle and she flicked her tail as if flicking away an annoying fly, taking a few steps forward to show this bird brained she-cat just how little her threat meant to her, “You're gonna shred me? I bet your apprentice ceremony was this morning.” She snorted, then her gaze caught on the other she-cat's tail. Or rather, her lack thereof. Her eyes widened briefly. Minkpaw couldn't remember ever seeing a cat without a proper tail before. If there were any warriors in StoneClan without one, she'd yet to meet them properly and they'd done a decent job evading her for 6 moons.

Then she burst out laughing at the fluffy excuse for a tail this apprentice sported, “StarClan, what is that!?” She pawed the air in the general direction of the she-cat's tail, still laughing, “Is that really your tail or did you get a mossball stuck to your butt?” Her laughter was growing to uncontainable levels, “You... I know... LightningClan eats rabbits but... I think... I think you've had one too many.... You're turning into one! Oh, wait... wait! Was your father a rabbit?” Howling with laughter, Minkpaw completely forgot she was in enemy territory, too absorbed in trying to come up with the next joke about this cat's ridiculous tail. But her laughter had overtaken her now and she could no longer form words through it.

---

I'm a rebel just for kicks now.

Taxx

[Taxx]

L Y N X P A W

I've got the eye of a fighter
Dancing through the fire

To Lynxpaw’s disappointment, the mere sight of her didn’t send the other apprentice scurrying back to her own territory- let alone her fearsome threat. No, just the opposite: the she-cat padded closer, a laugh breaking from her, and Lynxpaw’s stub tail did its best at lashing at the impudence of the stranger. “It was not! I’ve been an apprentice for days!”

The sudden question, however, sent Lynxpaw spinning around, momentarily confused at to what that was, but the territory was empty except for them; the following statement, barely understandable through the peals of laughter, had the fluffy young she-cat’s gaze craning back to her own tail. And her whiskers quivered, confused and embarassed as to why she was making such a fuss of it- none of the cats in her own Clan commented on her short tail, especially since her mother had a short tail too- longer than Lynxpaw’s own, more like Tigerpaw’s, but still shorter than most.

Anger flickered and then doubled when this intruder went and mocked Russetfall. How dare she? She didn’t know anything about Russetfall- or Lynxpaw herself. “My father is not a rabbit!” she snapped, incensed by the taunt. “And that is my tail, not a mossball, stupid!” Quivering, Lynxpaw lunged, spurred to action in an effort to make this stranger take back what she’d said about Lynxpaw’s father- and her tail. Voice rising in a screech, she crashed into Minkpaw and scrabbled for a hold, fully intending to use claws and teeth on the she-cat who had the temerity to insult cats she didn’t even know. Lynxpaw would teach her!

And you're gonna hear me roar

@zen

[Deleted]

Am I coming out of left field?

---

She snorted at the other cat's response about being an apprentice for days. Big difference. She'd probably had as much battle training as Minkpaw herself had, which was to say about none just yet. Eagletalon seemed more concerned about teaching her the territory and basic hunting techniques right now. But, as the LightningClanner had said, it had only been days. Battle training would start soon enough. Minkpaw was only interested in it so she could defend herself when she was out exploring, like now.

Still laughing at just how clever she was, she only laughed more at the angry response from the other apprentice, and was about to tell her to calm down and stop taking everything so seriously when the LightningClan she-cat screeched and crashed into her all of a sudden. Her laughter ended abruptly as the weight of her opponent took her to the ground, her breath whooshing from her lungs and leaving her gasping for a moment. She felt claws through her pelt and bristled as she regained her breath, managing to wriggle around to both batter at the other she-cat's belly with her hind legs and at her face with wild strikes from her forepaws, which she hadn't the sense in the moment to unsheathe her claws. She'd never been in a real fight before, and it showed.

“Get off me, you smelly rabbit!” she growled, surrounded by LightningClan scent and hating every moment, not taking this fight seriously at all.

---

I'm a rebel just for kicks now.

Taxx

[Taxx]

Smokestorm

This gal right here's gonna rule the world
No, I won't sit still and look pretty

Smokestorm had met with Eagletalon as the older tom had left camp, and she couldn’t help a ripple of amusement- as well as a flicker of concern- when she learned that his apprentice had snuck off on her own. It was easy enough to track the young she-cat’s trail to the border they shared with LightningClan, but it was the sudden shriek that lent speed to the tabby’s paws.

Leaping the Sun Stones, Smokestorm spared a heartbeat to take in the scene, and then she leaped into action. The unknown cat was not fully grown- unless she was remarkably tiny- but the scuffle was not some playful spar. Springing toward the two, Smokestorm deftly drove her shoulder into the soft body of the LightningClan apprentice, knocking her off her paws and sending her rolling away; reaching her head down, she grabbed Minkpaw’s scruff and hauled the apprentice up, batting her none-too-gently toward Eagletalon. “Minkpaw!” she began, tail lashing angrily. “What in StarClan’s name…”

Breaking off, she flashed an apologetic look to the older tom, curbing the scolding she’d been intending to give and leaving it to the young she-cat’s mentor. Instead she started to turn back to the other young cat, but before she’d got halfway, teeth were pricking into her hind leg and she jumped.

A paw flashed out, claws only partly sheathed, to give the apprentice a solid clout to the head. “Ouch!” Lynxpaw cried out, stumbling and shaking herself, but the look she threw at them was still furious. “Intruders! Get off my territory!” she demanded, puffing herself up and pulling back her lips to hiss at them.

Bold- or foolish. Likely the latter, considering the way she was acting, as though she stood a chance of fending off two warriors. “Keep your fur on, kit,” Smokestorm sniffed.

“I’m not a kit!” Shrill enough to reach StarClan, and Lynxpaw half tensed to lunge at the gray tabby again, only breaking off when she saw the glint of claws unsheathing. “I’m an apprentice, and you’re all trespassing!”

Deputy of StoneClan

Tags: @zen Fawn Notes:

[Fawn]

89 Moons // Tom // Senior Warrior // StoneClan

I'm getting too old for this, he'd grunted upon reaching the apprentices' den to find Minkpaw missing. It didn't take long for the senior warrior to figure out that Hawkstar's daughter, impatient and willful as a young fox, had taken off on her own.

He'd gotten complacent with Hawkstar's oldest daughter, Herondive. Eagletalon had foolishly thought she'd sleep the morning away while he took the time to go for a walk with Duskflower. It was as much to stretch out his tired old muscles as it was to spend time with the she-cat who had his heart. He should have heeded Hawkstar's warning; that kit was a pawful of trouble and then some!

"Minkpaw!" The scarred tom put on a small burst of speed, reaching the tussling apprentices only a pawful of heartbeats after Smokestorm. That little LightningClanner almost looks like a rabbit. With such a short fluffy tail, it was easy to see how Minkpaw might have mistaken her for prey and pounced.

It was far more likely, however, that Minkpaw had antagonized the other apprentice. The was a fire burning in Minkpaw's veins that needed a healthy outlet - or else the kitten would simply find her own.

Amusement grappled with sternness, watching the moorland kitten try to take on Smokestorm all by herself. This humor was put aside, however, as he fixed Minkpaw with a look reserved for disobedient kits. "You're trespassing on another Clan's territory! Get your rump back over here." He wasn't going to start in on a lecture. He'd let Hawkstar or Frozenrain do the honors.

Eagletalon glanced at the puffed up kitten trying her best to scare them off.

"I'd run on home if I were you," said Eagletalon, holding back a chuckle. "Unless Firestar's suddenly allowing apprentices to wander off on their own." With the faint brush of pelts with Smokestorm as he passed, Eagletalon made a show of stepping back onto StoneClan soil (while pushing Minkpaw across).

No reason to kick the hornet's nest further -- even if they were faced with a pint-sized one.

---
Word Count: 342 Words
Tags: @zen Taxx Silver (Duskflower mention!)
Notes: I hope this is okay!

[Deleted]

Am I coming out of left field?

---

Suddenly the LightningClan cat's weight was gone and a familiar scent had a triumphant look flashing in her icy gaze, until she felt teeth in her fur, dragging her up, and hissed in protest as she was batted back toward the border where.... She stared over at her mentor as she remembered she'd crossed the border. They weren't supposed to find her. Foxdung. She turned back as Smokestorm hissed her name, clearly angry with her, but the deputy trailed off and Eagletalon picked up the scolding, demanding she return to their territory. Minkpaw knew she had only a few moments to figure out her story. Luckily the LightningClan apprentice bought her more time, attacking Smokestorm and creating a decent distraction.

The StoneClan deputy shook her off easily enough, and Minkpaw tried hard not to laugh. What was with this LightningClanner? She was so serious! Her whiskers twitched with plain amusement as Lynxpaw ordered them all off her territory. She bit back a number of retorts, because as funny as it would be to make this cat even angrier, it wouldn't help her right now. Even Eagletalon seemed amused by the front this near-kit was putting up. But then her mentor was pushing her forward and she grudgingly padded back over the border, casting a look back at Lynxpaw. This was the first time she'd ever met a cat from another Clan, and it had been fun, even if it had been cut short.

And she couldn't help herself, grinning as she waved her tail in farewell, “Bye, Mossball!” She didn't know the cat's real name, but Mossball seemed appropriate. Her time was about up for figuring out her story as well. She wasn't stupid, she'd left camp and wandered off on her own without permission. She might be able to come up with something to make her crossing the border seem less of a crime, but there was nothing she could say that would make leaving camp sound better. Not when she'd been found across a border instead of collecting moss at the Moss Meadow or attempting to catch prey on StoneClan territory or even finding her way to the Sky Springs to bring water back for the elders and queens.

---

I'm a rebel just for kicks now.

Taxx
Fawn

[Taxx]

Arisu

Arisu had caught the scents just moments before- more than one cat, which was never ideal, but maybe if she moved quickly enough she could kill one before driving off the others. Too bad she was on her own, but she could make this work. Hunger gnawed at her belly, driving her on through the grass toward the cats.

It was better than she’d expected, she saw as she crouched and peered through the blades of grass: back to her, a small one faced three farther away. The little one would do nicely to fill her belly, and Arisu lunged to the attack. Straight for the little one she sprang, but before she could sink her teeth into its body, a gray blur knocked it out of the way. Spinning around, she snapped for them again, only to screech as sharp claws ripped at her nose, spilling her own blood.

Fury gleamed in her eyes as she switched targets in a heartbeat, charging for the gray cat and pushing it hard as it backed rapidly, ears pinned and hissing. Arisu had forgotten about the other two, and the impact of a heavy body into her own once more distracted her from the kill, and again she whirled on the cat- slightly phased by the size of this one, but still not willing to give up just yet- one of these would fall to her.

Fawn @zen || Notes || Words

[Fawn]

89 Moons // Tom // Senior Warrior // StoneClan

Panic flashed through the old veteran's eyes as the fox rounded on Smokestorm. With a bodily heave, Eagletalon threw himself into the fox, knocking it heavily to one side to forcibly yank its attention onto him instead. "That's it, mangeface," Eagletalon taunted, the gleam of battle in his eyes and his claws unsheathed to defend. "Focus on me!"

He'd been a relentless fighter in apprenticeship. A flashy fighter in his early warrior moons - always after the next biggest target - but now, after a lifetime spent honing his skills, he fought like his namesake. Precise. Unrelenting. There was still that same old exhileration, that same old rush of power and defiance against those that tested their strength against his, but maturity had tempered that into protective instincts. He would die for this Clan.

And for the kits - both grown and fresh from the nursery - he had been given guardianship of.

The fox lunged, jaws snapping for his shoulder. Eagletalon squared up, hammering claw strikes against the cub's muzzle to fend off the crushing teeth. He knew, and Hawkstar knew, that to allow a fox to clamp their jaws around you was the quickest way to lose the upperhand. And your life.

"Keep back!" Eagletalon ordered the apprentices. "Stand your ground - but don't run!" Even if they saw a patrol, it was crucial that the youngsters stayed here. Foxes were opportunistic. If Lynxpaw or Minkpaw separated from this small group, the fox would simply chase down the closest one - and then their fates would be in StarClan's paws.
---
Word Count: 256 Words
Tags: @zen Taxx
Notes:

[Deleted]

Don't wanna live as an untold story,
rather go out in a blaze of glory...

---

The sudden appearance of a strange red creature Minkpaw had never seen before had the apprentice stopping in her tracks to get a better look. But then Smokestorm was flying at it, raking her claws over the creature's nose, and Eagletalon followed shortly after, ramming into it to take its attention off the deputy. Minkpaw was left standing at the border, wide eyed, and suddenly recalling the stories of the fox attack on the nursery that had taken Beetlepaw's foot shortly before she'd been born. This thing was what everyone described in those stories. Red fur, long muzzle, vicious looking teeth. Teeth that could tear a kit's foot off, for sure.

Eagletalon ordered her and the LightningClanner to stay back, but not to run, and Minkpaw puffed up indignantly. She wasn't going to run anywhere and leave her Clanmates to face this thing with a dumb little LightningClan apprentice. She wasn't a fool, she could see the fox was dangerous, she knew from the stories it was dangerous. Sootpaw and Beetlepaw were living proof. But with four of them here – even if one WAS some mangy LightningClanner – surely the fox would see sense and know it was outnumbered and outmatched. It's not like the fox would know she hadn't had any battle training yet.

Instead of staying back like Eagletalon had ordered her, she bounded up beside him, fur bushed and spitting in attempt to make herself look as threatening as possible. She wasn't anywhere near Eagletalon's size, but she still had teeth and claws! “Ya gonna fight us all? You must be some kinda stupid!” She snarled at it, feeling perhaps just a little over confident with Eagletalon and Smokestorm here with her. She didn't know if foxes understood cats or not, but did it really matter? Her tail lashed behind her and she stood tall, trying to make herself look larger than she really was.

---

I'll live now 'cause the bad die last.
I can't hear you, I don't fear you.

Taxx Fawn

[Taxx]

Smokestorm

This gal right here's gonna rule the world
No, I won't sit still and look pretty

“My name’s NOT MOSSBALL!” Lynxpaw shrilled the words, eyes sparking with rage and fur fluffed in her anger at the continued taunt.

“Stop antagonizing her, Minkpaw!” Smokestorm snapped at the cream-white apprentice. None of this would have happened if Hawkstar’s daughter had stayed in camp like she was supposed to, and her deliberately poking fun at the LightningClan apprentice wasn’t helping. “You do whatever you want, apprentice,” she told the other she-cat, and started to turn away. They weren’t doing any good here, so there was no point in sticking around.

The stench of fox, however, drew her attention back around, and it was only instinct that guided her actions then: the danger, which the kit was completely unaware of, and knowing she couldn’t just sit by and watch as it was mauled. She careened into the young she-cat, the clip of jaws incredibly loud, the stink of the fox nearly choking her. Whirling around, she slashed at the fox’s nose, knowing that the kit had been its initial target and that she’d be more of a match. The fox, though, spun on her with a wicked gleam in its eyes and Smokestorm found herself on the defensive, backing away in an effort to put space between her and the fox so she could attack again; her paws slipped on the unfamiliar grass underpaw and fear crawled up her spine as she realized she was all too likely to feel its teeth.

Eagletalon’s leap gave Smokestorm a chance to find her footing again, but she held back from attacking straight away, waiting until Eagletalon had engaged the fox before darting in to rake her claws over its muzzle again and springing back out of range, well used to the dual fighting technique that left the fox unable to focus solely on one target. Minkpaw stood at Eagletalon's side, looking quite ready to enter the fray herself, but it was up to her mentor to allow or refuse her.

“What are we gonna do?” came the unexpected voice in her ear, and Smokestorm recoiled with a snarl at the LightningClan apprentice.

“You’re going to listen and get out of the way,” she spat, watching as Eagletalon did the move she did, distracting the fox’s attention from Smokestorm and giving her the chance to leap in again, landing a solid blow from both front paws before darting away again- or she would have, if she hadn’t collided with a small, furry body that clearly had not listened to her order, and then lost her balance, sprawling on her side as Lynxpaw squeaked and backed away. Finally.

The fox sprang at her, seeing easy prey in a cat not on its paws, but Smokestorm was already rolling to her feet; the moment they were under her, she hurled herself away from the oncoming jaws. She felt the front teeth scrape her shoulder, pinching a fold of skin between them that tore away from Smokestorm’s shoulder as she leaped for safety. It hurt, but there was no time to dwell on it. Rearing up on her hind legs with a hiss, Smokestorm aimed strike after strike at the fox’s nose and eyes, and certainty of victory increased as Eagletalon joined her, adding his strength to driving off this fox.

Deputy of StoneClan

Tags: @zen Fawn Notes:

[Fawn]

89 Moons // Tom // Senior Warrior // StoneClan

It was a chaotic sight; two warriors battling for their lives and those of the apprentices, and two smaller forms managing to stay out of the fox's way - while simultaneously getting in the way of the warriors. "Don't even think about it," Eagletalon growled to Minkpaw, exercising an unusual gruffness with the she-cat he was in charge of raising. Though the fox took up his attention in full, Eagletalon was briefly aware of something soft under foot when he sprang back - along with a faint squeal of pain - to avoid the fox's snapping jaws.

He didn't have time to dwell on it, however.

A cut on his muzzle oozed blood where the fox's paw had connected, the claws catching the thin fur and skin. Thank StarClan that wasn't my eye. Fox claws were sharp enough to do serious damage; many cats in the forest could attest to that.

Eagletalon, flanks collapsing and expanding in quick succession, followed the fox, yowling on its heels until it burst into a retreating, fleet-footed limp. He slowed, trying to catch his breath as he circled around to face Smokestorm, Minkpaw and Lynxpaw.
"I think that's enough adventure for one day. You alright, Smokestorm? Minkpaw? Apprentice?" He addressed each cat in turn, walking forward to examine the tuft of fur hanging off of his daughter's shoulder. She was bleeding, but not profusely. The wound looked shallow.

"Let's get these two home," he mewed, flicking a thin sand-colored tail for Minkpaw to come closer. "And as for you, Minkpaw. When we get back to camp, and when you've been properly punished, ask Hawkstar to tell you the story of how he got that scar on his belly." Eagletalon didn't say anything further, going to allow the kitten's natural curiosity - and the seriousness of his tone - ensure that she questioned her father later.

Minkpaw hadn't just broken the rules. She had put herself in danger; he and Smokestorm were proof enough that there was so much she still needed to learn.
---
Word Count: 334 Words
Tags: @zen Taxx BlooRey DVD (Hawkstar mention!)
Notes: