[Fae Magic]

His nose twitches at the scent of the morning dew in the air. A big grin plastered on the young tom's face showed just how awake and excited he was. His last training session with his mentor had been great and he loved the fact that he could make Whitehawk at ease and happy to be with the young tom. Tigerpaw was always an eager and honest little man who loved to learn and have fun. Today though he had a day off from training so he decided he's go out into the forest into the territory to the Moss Meadows. Not just because it was a pretty place to be in the early mornings when the sun wasn't fully shining high in the sky and the fog of the morning made dew cling to the foliage around him. 
With the recent rain and the mist that made the dew cling to the grass and leaves of plants it made his paws sink into the dampness of the ground and his fur slowly getting wet from the cool air filled with the mist and fog of morning cling to his ginger and white fur. His dark amber eyes flickered around camp seeing a few older warriors out and about; some leaving camp to go on patrols it seemed like. The small tom stretched his limbs out and shook the sleep from his body before looking back into the dens of the Stoneclan apprentice area. He had noticed that his nest was getting kind of dry and crackly to sleep on making him have a harder time to get sleep so he had decided it was about time to get some fresh moss to line his nest with. 

On top of that the ginger and white tabby had noticed that other's nests were getting kind of old too so he wouldn't mind going out and getting them some as well. He knew though he was probably going to be doing this all day as he was the only one awake right now but he didn't care about that. As long as his clan mates and den mates had something to keep them comfortable. He should probably also get something for the queens and elders too. Maybe he'd be able to hunt something and pluck it's fur or feathers to help line the nests for them so they would be more comfortable. All sorts of ideas filtered through his head as he made his way towards the camp entrance.

The outside of camp was filled with all sorts of noises. From the gentle drip drip of raindrops falling from one leaf to another to the bright and cheery chirps of the early birds.  He was alert and taking in all the sounds around him as well as the heady scent of fresh damp earth, the growing plans around him, and the faint smells of his fellow clan mates having passed by moments before mixed together to make a rather interesting combination for the young apprentice. 
He grinned and made his way towards the meadows; mud sinking between his toes making him squirm in childish delight making him want to lay down and roll in the mud like a goof ball that he was but instead he pressed on and headed towards the popular spot where moss grew in thick abundant patches so that he could start on his morning mission. 
He was in the middle of gently clawing up some patches of moss when he heard the unmistakable sound of paw steps heading his way and he perked up wondering if he would be having some company this morning or maybe they would be able to help him out with his task? With a clump of green wet moss in his jaws he turned around with big eager eyes to meet the eyes of another making their way towards him. His grin was half hidden behind the moss he held as he bounded over towards them.

"Hey there! What are you doing out here this early in the morning?" his words and voice was muffled by the green moss in his mouth but that didn't stop him from obviously being rather happy to see his clan mate. 
"I'm gathering moss for the apprentices's nests. Wanna help?" he asked wanting nothing more then to chat with someone while he or they worked.

Notes: Open for Anyone to Join!

[Hellion]

[googlefont=Satisfy][googlefont=Lato][googlefont=Nanum Myeongjo][googlefont=Montserrat]

Oh all the money that e'er I spent

I spent it in good company

Nestled close to his mate, their fur perfectly blended together where they touched. He had very little intention of rising up from their nest and greeting the day. The fresh new morning light had only just started to peek through into the warrior's den. If he shut his eyes tightly and buried his face into the comfort of his mate's shoulder, he'd block out the rays with ease. He could pretend that the new day hadn't started, the night still lulled him to sleep.

However, the duties put upon him by Smokestar and Birdstar required his attendance. He'd sleep-in once his nest was made in the elder's. He had work to do.

A few swipes of his paw to rid himself of the markings of sleep. Valiantstride rose up fully to leave the warrior's den, but not without pausing long enough to whisper his love to Skunkspots as she slept.

Per usual, he gathered up a few seniors warriors. They would be responsible for leading patrols for the day. He reminded his chosen patrol leaders of the dangers near the mudslide. A few muttered their own concern, Valaintstride attempted in his usual charming way to sway their fears. If they followed his direction and trusted their gut, they would return home without harm.

A more hot-tempered senior warrior muttered a phrase about LightningClan. Valiantstride's emerald gaze narrowed, they would be no pointless fighting. His glare did not relax until the senior warrior bowed his head and apologized. Valiantstride had no patience for such behavior, he may have refused leadership of StoneClan and had only some authority over them. It did not stop him from holding senior warriors to higher standards.

Dismissing them to their tasks and to prepare their patrols. Valiantstride sighed, his morning already starting off to unneeded stress.

After a quick walk around the camp, checking in on a few of his clanmates, he returned to the warrior's den. Skunkspots still slept, he realized how little time had passed. The day stretching out before his eyes, Greenleaf would be both blessing and curse. Daylight kept the valley alive and for any cat to keep up they needed a well-made nest.

Over the several seasons of their relationship, he and Skunkspots took turns creating the nest. A sort of ritual, a reminder to them both how deep their love went. How important it was they both shared in all their triumphs and failures.

His morning tasks done, Valiantstride knew it would be the best time to gain materials for a new nest. For a split moment, he considered asking her to join him, but another glance to the relaxing features of her sleeping face, he told himself no. He could manage on his own.

Stating where he'd be going to the guard, in case something happened, Valiantstride set out for the moss meadow.

Nearing 90 moons with 81 of them spent actively roaming the territory. Valiantstride trusted his paws to guide him. Falling into the routine of travel to an almost trance-like state. Yet, as he neared the meadow he slowed. The scent of StoneClan caught his attention. StoneClan's numbers had grown and while he tried his hardest to know everyone's personal scent, it sometimes proved impossible with his aging nose.

The scent was young, an apprentice for sure. The lingering scent of milk. Luckily for them, both Tigerpaw called out, quickly putting scent to name in Valiantstride's head. Thankful for that, he chuckled to himself.

Impressed by the boldness of Tigerpaw, Valiantstride's smile grew. "I don't mind helping, but it will make your life easier if you flatten the moss ball a bit before you try to carry it," He suggested and with greying paws, claws at a bit of moss to mold into a ball and make an example. His forepaw pushing it down to be more manageable to grip without strain.

"How many nests to plan on making?" His question did not come out as a joke or chide remark, but instead an honest inquiry. Pride had been of no concern for Valiantstride for many moons. He did not consider collecting moss for the entire clan a task unfitting to a deputy, he would help Tigerpaw and follow the apprentice's lead if Tigerpaw was willing to take the opportunity.

[smear:DAA520]VALIANT[/smear:f8eed3]STRIDE
DEPUTY OF STONECLAN

tags Fae Magic/:/ words

[Fae Magic]

Bright eyed and excited Tigerpaw didn't seem to mind or have it cross his mind that is was the deputy who'd come across him. It didn't matter to him; he was just happy to have company. Of course he knew he'd have to show some respect to the older tom which of course he would but Tigerpaw was always an eager little thing and it was kind of bold of him to ask the deputy of his clan to help him gather moss for bedding of all things as if he was a mere warrior or apprentice that would help him. He'd probably kick himself for it later on when his brain caught up with his day's events but for right now he was living in the moment. A boyish glint of delight in his gaze that he got to spend some time with the deputy. Curiously the ginger tabby watched as the older male began clawing up some of the moss and began packing it down. He looked at his own pile of a messy ball that looked like it'd fall apart at any second and blinked.

"Huh, never thought about it that way. That does make it a bit easier. It always takes me so long just to do my own nest because I keep dropping the moss and other bedding I'd gather and i'd have to go back to getting the left overs and all that I dropped. Sometimes I don't even get it done in one day cause I get distracted with other stuff." he confessed before he plopped his butt down and with a pink tongue sticking out between his teeth he began concentrating on getting the pile of moss that he gathered moments before into a better form to be able to grab it. 

He looked like such a silly little kit sitting there on his butt poking and patting at his bundle of moss to try and get it flattened like a kit playing with a mud pile. His ears perked up a he realized Valiantstride asked him a question and his bright amber eyes flicked to him quickly and looked confused a moment as he processed his question before it dawned on his face. 

"Oh! Well, I was just going to do my nest first; I was planning on gathering some flowers and see if I can't find something soft like falling out feathers from some birds to be able to give them to the elders and Nursery for the queens to decorate their bedding with! But I honestly didn't know if I'd get to it today because like I said I didn't know if I'd be able to get mine done without getting more distractions or being told to do something else before hand." he shrugged with a smile. 

"I figured I'd try helping out with as many nests as possible in my free time! I know how irritating it can be to have to sleep in a crusty or pokey nest. I want others to be comfortable too!" he beamed before going to work on his ball of moss again before looking proud when he decided it was flat enough. 

"What brings you out here mister Valiantstride? I wouldn't have expected you to be out here by yourself." he asked looking over at him curiously as he idly plucked at some yellow flowers growing at the base of a rock that was covered in more moss. 

"I mean I'm glad your out here! I don't get time from a lot of older cats besides my mentor. They always seem so out of reach; especially you and Birdstar. So, I guess i'm saying i'm glad you're out here with me and giving me a little of your time." he smiled a bit more shyly this time as he ducked his head to examine the flowers to hide his embarrassment 

Hellion

[Hellion]

[googlefont=Satisfy][googlefont=Lato][googlefont=Nanum Myeongjo][googlefont=Montserrat]

Oh all the money that e'er I spent

I spent it in good company

Valiantstride chuckled, it always amused him to teach young cats new things. Especially tricks like these, anything to work smarter and not harder. While there were dozen of moons separating the two of them, Valiantstride remained able to fondly remember his time as an apprentice. What distracted him in his youth now barely got moment of his time.

How he missed being youthful and naive.

Watching over Tigerpaw as a grandfather would watch over their grandkits, he reflected upon that somber reality. Neither of his kits showed signs of wanting to have a family of their own. He respected their choice, he did often wonder what it would have been like to see a bit of himself in the next generation. He considered that his new distraction, wishful thinking of a future he would never get to see.

The whirlwind of words that tumbled out of Tigerpaw threatened to slip past Valiantstride. Tigerpaw seemed to have a lot of plans for the day, while admirable, it would be difficult to get them all done in a single day.

He embraced Tigerpaw's chattering with a quiet smile, allowing the young apprentice to go on. He continued to watch him as he carefully worked his own bundle of moss. Being fully grown he could carry more moss in his jaw with ease and did not bother with collecting flowers. It wasn't that he didn't care to make nest comfortable or pretty, he had become more practical in his age. Now if Tigerpaw was to ask about how his nest looked when he and his mate were young, the tom would be forced to confess all the hours spent hunting for that perfect flower for Skunkspots.

Tigerpaw directed a question toward him but before he could answer, the apprentice chatters on a bit longer. His mention of Valiantstride's age he barked out a laugh.

"What a polite way of calling me old, I'll be sure to mention to Birdstar you think he and I are similar. Birdstar could easily be my grandson," Valintstride teased, allowing the moment to stew to see if he caught Tigerpaw off guard.

Striding over to where Tigerpaw had been collecting moss, Valiantstride added his moss ball to the other. "To answer your question I came to take a walk and my paws always bring me here. On days there isn't a young apprentice trampling about to get moss it is decent hunting, you should have your mentor bring you out here at dawn. It's very beautiful," He purred at the thought of the moss meadow at dawn, how much he loved the sight. How deep down he knew he'd miss it once he retired to the elder's den and grew too tired to walk even the short distance to the meadow.

[smear:DAA520]VALIANT[/smear:f8eed3]STRIDE
DEPUTY OF STONECLAN

tags Fae Magic /:/ words

[Deleted]

Having had, awoken before Sunup, Blackclaw had taken it upon herself to start on the vast clan activities while the rest of the clan slept. It had started with a small patrol towards the Little Woods area, before she moved on towards Moss Meadows. She was half way through the patrol in itself, her ears twitching side to side, taking and drinking in the noises of the forest around her, when she paused in step. The grass beneath her large paws snapped in response to the weight being pressed over it, before falling silent. The molly parted her jaws, then taking in the scents all around her, and immediately noted the familiar surge of her own clan's scents perfuming through her nostrils. Hiding her disappointment with the fact that she had been more than willing to take on intruders who dared enter the territory, she knew the chances of that was slim. StoneClan territory was certainly not for the weak of heart and the idea of rogues, or even other cats from another clan, trying to come here to attack her home. Was laughable, even still the territory held its dangers in itself.

Something she was more than accustomed to understanding with her thirty-five moons of living in StoneClan. Dangers were all around her, so it was best to be prepared for anything. So with that in mind, the large warrior turned and began her track towards the two familiar scents. It took but a few minutes to come upon the scene that greeted her, and she thanked her large strides and powerful leg muscles for that. The scents of her clanmates had been a vague detail in itself, but upon closer notice, she immediately knew who the two toms were. Valiantstride, of course was an easily recognizable and honorable figure, throughout the clan and one she held in high regard. The younger tom, however, was not so easily placed at first, but a quick refresh of memory helped solve the problem. Tigerpaw, was not as well known to Blackclaw as Valiantstride but his reputation and rumors of him being hyperactive and cheerful and an overall hard worker, was enough for Blackclaw. She valued those young apprentices who showed promise at such young ages. Memories of her former apprentice turned warrior, Whiteblaze, and his antics of his younger days, had a grin pulling at the molly's lips.

His wild ways had been, of course, easily snuffed out and he was molded into a warrior that StarClan, could be proud of. Much like her mentor had done to her. Still she could only ponder, how the young tom's fate would have been different if placed in her paws, but she quickly dispersed that thought. Unless it was in StarClan's will, she would not mentor another apprentice, she would instead put more effort in dedicating her time to her clan-mates and their well-being. Shifting her large body forward, the molly choose to stop a fox length away from the two toms, not wanting to interrupt their conversation at hand. It seemed to be a very deep and meaningful talk that the molly had been about to turn to go off to leave the two be. Instead of doing this, however, she merely sat down, and angled her ears forward. It was only after a few more minutes would she finally part her maw to speak, with intention of getting the two's attention.

"My apologizes for interrupting, your conversation," She paused brieftly before continuing, "But I couldn't help but overhear that you're collecting moss for some more nests,"She looked to Tigerpaw then before angling her eyes towards Valiantstride before looking back to Tigerpaw, "If you need help carrying some moss back to camp, I'll be happy to help you" She smiled.

Blackclaw talking

TAG: Hellion / Fae Magic | WC: 635| OOC: Sorry, couldn't resist joining this lol

[Fae Magic]

He definitely enjoyed talking with others; Tigerpaw was most certainly one who is keen on interacting and making friends of all sorts of characters; he'd make one heck of a great warrior at this rate, or at least he'd like to think so. He looked up from where he was getting his moss ball sorted and payed more attention to the conversation; big amber eyes wide in a bit of alarm as he looked at the deputy as he quickly backtracked on his statement. 

"Oh no! I didn't mean to call you and Birdstar old! Far from it! You guys are just...seasoned? I mean you've gone through so much, I'd love to one day be as great as you and him; having the respect of the clan and all!" he stated although he quickly realized that he was not offended at all by the apprentices statement and the tabby relaxed with a puff of air as he went back to playing with his ball of moss; well more like keeping it together and see how big he could get away with making it before all the moss decided to fall apart on him.

His ears perked up at the mention of hunting and he grinned over at the deputy nodding vigoriously. "I'd like to go out here sometime! Whitehawk has some stuff that he needs to get done so I hadn't been able to go out training or hunting very often with him lately and that makes me kinda upset but I understand! I'd never plain him for taking care of his clan like he is." he nodded firmly and turned to scrap up some more moss as his face grew comically serious as he added. 

"I had a talk with Birdstar about not trying to build myself up to meeting someone else's standards so I can't say I want to be like Whitehawk. But I can say that I want to be led by his example to become a better warrior when I'm old enough and have the experience." he nodded firmly to himself as he rounded up another mossball.

Footsteps drawing near perked his interest and he looked up to the sound of a voice and looked over to find another cat sitting and watching them. At first he was not sure who it was as he had not made his rounds with making friends with the warriors yet so there was an obvious look of confusion on the small tabby's face as he studied the newcomer. Obviously, it was a she-cat from the clan but he had a hard time putting a name to the face. He'd studied a lot of warriors within the clan and sometimes some of them slipped away out of his mind the more he studied others. His face scrunched up a minute as it was obvious him thinking hard on who this clan mate could be before his face lit up with a 'light bulb' moment as the name came to his mind. 

"Blackclaw!" he nearly yelled it as he jumped to his feet excited he actually managed to remember her name before he coughed and looked sheepish as he sat his butt back down and looked away shyly.

"Oops, sorry I didn't mean to yell like that! Yeah, if you'd like to help I'd appreciate the help!" he said in a softer tone as he looked back between Valiantstride and Blackclaw in interest. 

Hellion, @jen
Note: Sorry for the late reply but I'm back now!