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Post by Deleted on Aug 19, 2018 17:18:51 GMT -5
The newly named apprentice had just finished grooming herself after waking from a first night in the apprentices den. She had hoped that her mentor would have come by to collect her by then, but it seemed the warrior was no where to be seen. Yarrowpaw was confident she hadn't done anything wrong just yet, and so decided to assume the experienced feline was simply busy with duties elsewhere. Or maybe they had been out on a patrol over night and was getting some well needed rest that morning. Or possibly they had been assigned an early patrol and didn't want to tire the young she-cat out just yet because they had a full day of training ahead of them, and had resigned to let the silver female sleep a little longer. Or it could have even been- Yarrowpaw was interrupted in her exciting thoughts of 'what if' by a rumbling in her stomach. Of course her belly was demanding food, it made sense after all, but.. Wasn't there some rule about when apprentices could eat? Or was there an exception made if one's mentor hadn't told them what to do by a certain time. Surely they didn't want her to starve! Yet, then again... the frosted feline didn't want to get in trouble on her first day for making such a rookie mistake. She would wait and that was that. As if on cue of this personal declaration, another rumble came from the apprentice. "Great Starclan... I'm gonna starve..." She grumbled out loud while bringing a white paw to her underside. She then looked about, hoping to catch sight of some cat that may be of use in at least distracting herself from this terrible dilemma. Or, better yet, her mentor. Though she would accept even just a quick game of 'catch the bug' if all else failed. _____________________________________________________________ Greenleaf 26 || Morning || 309 Words Justice
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Post by Fawn on Aug 26, 2018 18:34:03 GMT -5
I can feel you on my lips all the time But I just wanna feel you in my heart and on my mind In the eyes of her peers, Lotuswhisker was long overdue for an apprentice. The Civil War had given her a young she-cat named Shadowpaw, but politics and shifting allegiances had seen Shadowpaw assigned to a loyalist at Stormstar's behest. It made sense; Swanfeather had no authority to be assigning apprentices in the first place, and her time as a mentor could have been considered void.
But that did not erase the sensation of failure or punishment when she was relieved of her mentoring duties.
That had been twenty-one moons ago. Enough time for Lotuswhisker to settle down, raise a family with the tom she loved, and let the harsh lessons of the past yield to brighter futures. Twenty-one moons ago... StarClan, where had the time gone?
Lotuswhisker returned with the others assigned to dawn patrol, and though she'd already been more active this morning than was to her usual liking, the queen that headed for the apprentices' den was cheerful. StarClan liked to give grief and gifts in equal measure; her daughter, Swanscreech, had been made a warrior this season - only a short time after her mate's older brother, Crowblaze, had drowned. Her family had felt their joys and sorrows together, and Lotuswhisker had done her best to provide comfort.
But the time for somberness had passed, and she allowed herself to relish this small joy of her own. Her own apprentice, at last.
"Morning Yarrowpaw," Lotuswhisker purred, breathing deeply that soft, kittenish scent that came off of the newly named 'paw. "Did you sleep well? We're exploring the river today, so make sure you eat." They had a lot of ground to cover, both literal and academic.
54 Moons | Senior Warrior | RainClan Lotuswhisker Tags:@fairyring Notes: Short, sorry about that! Word Count: 277 Words
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Post by Deleted on Sept 3, 2018 8:58:50 GMT -5
At first, the rather distracted apprentice hadn't noticed the return of an early patrol. Her eyes were searching for pelts that were more familiar, or for anything else of kittenish interest. Though it wasn't long before deep blue orbs met sea green as the beautiful pointed queen made her way over, and the lanky kit stood straight up in an excited greeting; tail slightly fluffed and all. "Good morning, Lotuswhisker!" Yarrowpaw squeaked in a much higher tone than desired. However, before she could calm herself and try again, the she-kit's mentor mentioned food, which just sent the silver tabby into a different kind of excitement. She had only been waiting all morning for a meal, after all! "Oh finally!" the apprentice exclaimed all too dramatically before dashing towards the fresh-kill pile, long and untrained limbs almost flailing about. Though, a few strides in and she forced herself to skid to a somewhat dusty stop. Don't be rude, mousebrain! The female scolded inwardly as she turned to face Lotuswhisker with a slightly embarrassed expression. "Uhm.. Would you like something?" Yarrowpaw asked in a much calmer, quieter tone. Yet, it would seem this calm wasn't to last more than a moment or two as the young she-cat spoke again, possibly even interrupting the queen if she had been about to respond. "Oh wait- unless there are rules about when warriors can eat, too. Are there? Or are you allowed to eat whenever you're hungry like in the nursery? Because you had kits, right?" _____________________________________________________________ Greenleaf 26 || Morning || 251 Words Fawn
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Post by Fawn on Sept 4, 2018 11:32:33 GMT -5
I can feel you on my lips all the time But I just wanna feel you in my heart and on my mind It was very tempting, and the sleek brown she-cat had to resist the urge to lick her jaws in anticipation. Instead, she smiled. "I'll always be a queen, but my kits can now hunt for themselves. It would be rude of me to eat whenever I pleased, now that I am back to warrior duties. But you needn't worry! You're still quite wet behind the ears, and you'll be wet around the paws today too."
A brown tail flicked graciously to the freshkill pile, where a few early risers had supplied it with a few dace, a minnow, and a young trout. The trout looked especially filling, but Lotuswhisker exercised self control. She wanted to make a solid first impression on her apprentice; Lotuswhisker wasn't a stickler for the rules, she did not live and breathe the Code, but there were some things she considered too important to neglect.
"As an apprentice, one of your duties will be to bring the queens and elders prey in the mornings and in the evenings." Lotuswhisker's namesake, long and white, twitched with fond memories. "Be careful with the elders, they can be grouchy if they haven't eaten in a while. And they tend to doze off well before sunset."
Riling a sleeping elder was like poking a swan's nest. You were likely to get hissed at if you weren't careful.
54 Moons | Senior Warrior | RainClan Lotuswhisker Tags: @fairyring Notes: xxx Word Count: 226 Words
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Post by Deleted on Sept 5, 2018 7:50:46 GMT -5
Yarrowpaw listened respectfully to the best of her young ability. However, if one could have read her thoughts, they would quickly realize she had been hoping the queen would have simply given a "Yes" or "No" in response to her offer. It was obvious, at least to the she-kit, that she was starving, and so a portion of the silver tabby's focus was on the fresh-kill pile behind her. This was quickly regretted when the words, "wet behind the ears" caught Yarrowpaw's attention, and she began to wonder if she had missed something entirely. The young female slowly lifted a small paw to rub behind an ear while rather confused features laced her face. Clearly Lotuswhisker's expression had been lost on the youth, but the apprentice didn't think about it for long, especially at the mention of getting their paws wet. Yarrowpaw might be young and ignorant, but she wasn't dense, and she understood with much excitement that meant they would be venturing not just to the water, but also in the water. The newly named 'paw did all she could not to give an outburst of joy at the thought, but it was likely obvious from her body language that Yarrowpaw was certainly eager for the day's coming events. As if she hadn't been already. Giving a couple nods of confirmation to understanding, the small she-cat once again focused hard on, well, focusing. Yet, just as before, she was distracted by thoughts of elsewhere. Though, instead of her mind being on that of her stomach or of getting food, Yarrowpaw was beginning to half daydream about all the fun possibilities that could come from their nearing adventure. And, with another nod at Lotuswhisker's finishing words, she dashed off to grab a quick bite while making the inward declaration that she would catch at least one minnow today, if not, then as many as the two could carry. A few strides in, and Yarrowpaw was at a pile of freshly caught fish. The trout looked enticing, but was clearly too big for the female to eat on her own. However, she was worried a single minnow would end up being too little. Giving a shrug, the apprentice settled for one of the larger minnows and gobbled it down before even leaving the fresh-kill pile, turning back to Lotuswhisker while still chewing the softer but crunchy bones. She then bounded back, obviously ready to get things started. "Alright, let's go!" _____________________________________________________________ Greenleaf 26 || Morning || 409 Words Fawn
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Post by Fawn on Sept 16, 2018 19:38:43 GMT -5
I can feel you on my lips all the time But I just wanna feel you in my heart and on my mind "Not so fast!" Lotuswhisker laughed, gently sweeping her tail in front of the apprentice to halt further progress. "You're no longer in the nursery, you'll have to bury your own bones from now on." Usually after a meal shared by the queens and kits, the apprentices would come by to collect the fish remains, and bury them somewhere outside of camp in a designated area. It was important to bury them away from camp so as not to attract predators.
Some even chose to throw the fish remains back into the river, where the rushing water would take care of the scents.
Lotuswhisker lowered her tail, flicking the tip to encourage Yarrowpaw to follow. They'd cross the stream and find a place to bury the fish remains; it was easy enough to tie it into the territory exploration today. Lotuswhisker was grateful her apprentice seemed so eager; enthusiasm was a joy to work with. She'd seen it in her own kits, and had seen it in the other 'paws being led to their training exercises by more experienced mentors than she.
Her own mentorship under the traitor Leopardyowl had been... dark. They were a collection of a grim memories and old ghosts she'd prefer to leave behind for good.
"You've gone swimming in the little stream with Troutfur, haven't you?" Lotuswhisker posed the question as she scraped back some loose sand and earth for Yarrowpaw to bury the bones beneath. It was common practice for parents to beginning early swimming lessons within the safety of the camp's stream. 54 Moons | Senior Warrior | RainClan Lotuswhisker Tags:@fairyring Notes: short, sorry! Word Count: 259 Words
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Post by Deleted on Sept 22, 2018 7:53:30 GMT -5
As directed, the young apprentice stopped, looking to her mentor as she spoke, and then back at the fish head that she had dropped not but a few steps before. Oh right, that would be something she'd have to think about from now on, wasn't it? Yarrowpaw glanced back at Lotuswhisker with a nod before taking a few quick paced steps and picking up the mangled piece of fish bones, hoping this mistake didn't make her look like a slob. She then turned back to the chocolate and caramel feline before following her at the flick of her tail. It wasn't long before the duo had exited the camp, and just as soon that Yarrowpaw was bubbling over with excitement. She could feel it in her paws, her ears, her chest- Everything! Every breath was like a promise of greatness; or at least just a fun day. Probably so fun a day that it would have to be the apprentice she-cat's best day ever. When they came to the stream to cross it, the silvered tabby simply paused for a moment before plodding through the shallow water, made even more shallow by the season, with a high and proud head. However, it wasn't long after that Lotuswhisker stopped and the smaller feline followed suit, paws wet and a little dirty. Yarrowpaw nodded at her mentor's question, then dropped the fish head to give a more detailed response. "Yeah, and I almost drowned. Well no- I didn't drown, but I did fall down and get mostly soaked with water up my nose. It hurt! And I bet that happens when you drown, just worse." She rambled in reply. _____________________________________________________________ Greenleaf 26 || Morning || 277 Words Fawn
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Post by Fawn on Oct 9, 2018 9:52:12 GMT -5
I can feel you on my lips all the time But I just wanna feel you in my heart and on my mind Yarrowpaw was still just a kit, and couldn't know the pain those kinds of words uncovered in others. Lotuswhisker smiled outwardly at the enthusiastic response, but on the inside, talking about drowning made her cringe. Her mate's older brother, Crowblaze, had succumbed to the water after a messy river-battle with a fox. Fighting the melancholy bubble trying to envelope her, Lotuswhisker forced a warm reply. "Don't worry, you won't be drowning on my watch or any time soon. We'll turn you into a fine swimmer."
They both had wet paws, currently, but it was Yarrowpaw was wet almost up to her belly owing to her smaller size. "Let's keep moving, shall we? Let me know if you start to feel chilly." Lotuswhisker scraped sand back over the fish head Yarrowpaw had dropped, then shook some of the biggest granules off her pads. Taking up the lead, the sleek feline began to head east from their present position. "We're going to the StoneClan border first, and from there, I'll show you the heart of our territory - the river."
It was going to be quite a surprise for the she-cat; the river was certainly not the camp stream (though the latter was a branch of the former), it was a powerful force of nature all by itself. Their unassuming stony stream shared with StoneClan was likewise unimpressive. Lotuswhisker thought it was a good lesson to start with; if Yarrowpaw was in awe of the river, she was more likely to respect it - even fear it.
And sometimes... fear kept your senses sharp.
"Did you know, Yarrowpaw, that our river flows through the entire valley? There isn't a single Clan that doesn't depend on it for fresh water." Lotuswhisker's bright eyes found Yarrowpaw's, and matched her smile. "We're lucky we get to live next to something so important. The river protects us, feeds us, and keeps the valley alive. No other Clan has something like that on their territory."
54 Moons | Senior Warrior | RainClan Lotuswhisker Tags: @fairyring Notes: xxx Word Count: 325 Words
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Post by Deleted on Oct 10, 2018 8:06:30 GMT -5
Yarrowpaw was completely unaware of the memory her words had just triggered. Though, that was probably for the best for the time being. If she had realized, the young female would have felt terrible and apologized, but would have followed up with questions that would likely make the situation worse. The silver tabby nodded with exited determination as Lotuswhisker continued. The thought of being a capable swimmer was one that probably all Rainclan kits held onto, as it was a large part of who they were. A cat from the clan known for it's great skill in fishing not able to swim? Well, that was just preposterous! Or at least to the apprentice it was. The she-cat mentally shrugged off the thought of getting chilly. It was Green-leaf, so who would get chilly? Yet, had that way of thinking been spoken out loud, it would display the tabby's obvious lack of knowledge on the way water could work, no matter what time of year. Despite this ignorance, the apprentice followed suit of her mentor, giving a couple scrapes of her own before also flicking her paws. It made no difference, but Yarrowpaw was bent on doing everything she could to be more like a Warrior. This "mature" way of thinking was quickly compromised as the young feline spiked with excitement. They were going to the Stoneclan border and the clan's river!? Today was certainly shaping up to meet the apprentices expectations, and left her to wonder if they would practice swimming once there. As Lotuswhisker continued, the 'paws grin and eyes got wider and more expressive, taking in every word spoken. She had no idea that the river was so large, and certainly never thought about it reaching into the other clans' territories. That was practically the youth's entire world, after all. Yet, Yarrowpaw's amazement couldn't keep her from speaking for long, as she opened her maw to ask, "But wait, if the river goes to all the other clans, then how come we're the only ones with, you know, something like that?" Her words were spoken with uncertainty, not even entirely sure of what it was she was asking. It wasn't until they were being spoken out loud that the she-cat realized she really didn't know what Lotuswhisker meant by "something like that". _____________________________________________________________ Greenleaf 26 || Late Morning/Noon || 384 Words Fawn
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Post by Fawn on Nov 14, 2018 7:09:02 GMT -5
I can feel you on my lips all the time But I just wanna feel you in my heart and on my mind The question made her pause, and Lotuswhisker mentaly backtracked, trying to assess where her words had confused Yarrowpaw. She hummed in thought, working her way slowly through the answer with that kind of maternal patience learned from her moons in the nursery. "I meant that RainClan is unique. You have yet to experience your first leafbare, but during this time, the whole land is blanketed in snow. Prey is very hard to catch - the Clans go to bed with empty bellies. But not RainClan."
Lotuswhisker smiled, feeling pride surge through her like an incoming tide. "The other Clans do not know how to fish, or their creeks or streams do not have enough fish to sustain a Clan. But RainClan rarely goes hungry in leafbare. The river gets cold, and ice can form along the banks, but we almost always have a source of food and water. The river also protects us from attacking Clans." Lotuswhisker started walking again, spurred on by the river-scent wreathing through the warm greenleaf breeze.
She could hear it now. With a flourish, Lotuswhisker pushed aside the reeds to allow Yarrowpaw full view of the wide, flowing waters of RainClan's river. "The other Clans aren't fond of swimming, either. So they think twice before crossing our river to attack us." That only applied to the Clans that were on the opposite side of the river, but that was a lesson for another time. "That is why RainClan is such a wonderful Clan to be born into. We have many blessings to count, don't you think?"
The deep brown queen drew parallel with the river, lowering her muzzle to the water to take a few welcomed drinks. She couldn't imagine living anywhere else in this valley; StoneClan looked abominably dry, and NightClan was more mud than forest. She was a RainClan cat, regardless of what anyone said. Regardless of her father's mixed parentage.
54 Moons | Senior Warrior | RainClan Lotuswhisker Tags: @fairyring Notes: RainClan Pride! Word Count: 319 Words
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