High Rank Announcement [#hrannouncement]

**Sorrow** · #**8191** January 31st, 2022, 04:50 PM

Creekfoot Of RiverClan
[ @implimm, @Singing Jay, @spade, @Carmela ]
_______

Creekfoot gasped, eyes widening. "No..w-wait...I just wanted to help..." The she-cat hadn't meant any harm, and she didn't get any time to explain before Kestrelstar continued the meeting. "I'm sorry...I'M SORRY!" she screeched, pelting away from the Streamstone in rage, embarrassment, and sadness. What could be done to fix what she had caused..?

[ CREEKFOOT HAS LEFT THE MEETING ]
(feel free to respond with your character's reaction)

**tye** · #**8192** January 31st, 2022, 08:03 PM

amongst the chanting cats a loud call of her name stood out to the young feline. ears perked, eyes widen as she scanned every cat surrounding her until a shadow cast from behind. turning neck, she stared up to the one and only weirdo fluffy cloud. or, ...er, blizzardsky. spicepaw reaction changed like seasons like a sunny day, golden eyes sparkled until a cloud of anger drift into her gaze. now glaring up at the warrior, from the depth of her chest she let out a loud snort. "oh nowwww, ya see me huh?" the chanting and screech seemed to drown out as she spoke forgetting that her mentor is right next to her. "how about you continue pretending that i don't exist!" spicepaw didn't know why she felt a bit hurt. it's not like they've known each other for a long time. she pulled away from his gaze and stared at her paws.
"just go away."
@Mango

**Pitou** · #**8193** January 31st, 2022, 08:58 PM

**Codwhisper**

The young spotted warrior had missed the interaction that had sparked Kestrelstar's attentions towards Creekfoot, Honeystream, and Plumstorm. He cocked his head at the punishment. Speaking back to a Shield was brazen but losing their apprentices over it, he figured it must've been harsh. What grabbed his attention more so was Creekfoot's reaction. Was every warrior in this clan's first reaction to run from their responsibilities? There wasn't much that put Codwhisper into a bitter mood, really he couldn't think of anything that got under his pelt, except disappearing warriors. He recognized that his distrust towards so many of the Riverclan warriors as a whole was likely a result of his endless rotation of mentors from his not long passed apprenticeship and that frustration he felt was only reinforced by every apprentice he talked to sharing a similar experience to his own. Then all of the warriors who never attended meetings or left part way through, and now Creekfoot storming out like a rebuked kit. Goldenpaw was likely better off with somebody else as mentor anyway, hopefully.

He put a smile on his face as Morningpaw and Featherpaw received their warrior name, knowing just how proud he'd felt not too long ago when he'd been in their same position. He called loudly, "Morninglily! Featherspirit! Morninglily! Featherspirit!"

**alaskaa** · #**8194** January 31st, 2022, 11:53 PM

Hazelstorm
Moving away from Quetpaw as quietly as possible, the tabby sat down at the sidelines, pricking her ears. She turned her head around to see Plumstorm, Creekfoot and Honeystream... huh. Looking closer as Honeystream spoke, Hazelstorm angled her ears towards her, catcing a few words. didn't involve you... sure they'll appreciate it. The brown cat assumed Honeystream was talking to Plumstorm and curled her lip. Either Honeystream had forgotten that Plumstorm was a Shield, or that that she-cat was just a bad cat.

Green hues flashed to Kestrelstar faster than the wind as he spoke again. Creekfoot had to cause trouble during a warrior ceremony. Seriously... an exasperated puff left her lips as Creekfoot screamed and stormed away, like a kit throwing a tantrum. Scorn expressed itself clearly in Hazelstorm's disgusted expression as she stared after his disappearing tail. She swung her head around as Honeystream spoke and the tabby turned her gaze back on Kestrelstar, wondering briefly what she was going to say to him. She flicked her slightly fluffy tail in annoyance, and then chanted out, "Morninglily, Featherspirit!" with the rest of her sensible Clanmates.

**plum** · #**8195** February 1st, 2022, 12:22 AM

[ @Carmela, @Singing Jay, @seeingstars, @puro. ]

The silver molly bites her tongue at the response she got for once- typically she'd have absolutely no reservations about snapping into another who truly and utterly deserved the bite. But this time, she had a funny feeling that Kestrelstar would back her. And when he does, she has to really really try hard not to flash a triumphant grin at the other she-cats.

Surprisingly reliable, aren't you, she thinks with wry amusement, glancing up at the tom on the streamstone and blinking slowly. Waving her tail then, Plumstorm nods Goldenpaw and Eveningpaw closer while Creekfoot legs it and Honeywhatever hisses up to their leader. "Oh, I wouldn't bother," she hears herself whispering to the warrior. "He's already agreed to head out this evening with me- Perhaps you can speak with him another time though? I wouldn't want to stand him up." The shield couldn't help it- She had to say it, even if it was a lie.

But the fun doesn't stick, and her attention is stolen momentarily by the glowering apprentice who was instructed to join her. Nose crinkling distastefully, her focus is not long on Goldenpaw before the names of the two new warriors are announced. Turning to them both again, Plumstorm shuts her eyes and inhales slowly. When nothing comes out of her mouth, blue eyes reappear under feathery lashes, fixed on Morninglily. Pale gray lips press together before spreading into a soft smile. "Featherspirit and Morninglily," the silver femme murmurs. A proud day for RiverClan.

**Madelaine** · #**8196** February 1st, 2022, 02:44 AM

-->Pondpaw<--

The newly named Apprentice dipped her head to her mentor with excitement. This was it. Now she could actually train. She already missed out as she was two moons late on becoming an apprentice. Riverclan was better than Thunderclan. Hearing the two new warrior getting made. She called out their names, wanting to feel more like home here. Pondpaw was swore to herself she would become a warrior on time. No more would she have to wait two moons after to become one.

// @seeingstars; \\

**~Fierce~** · #**8197** February 1st, 2022, 07:43 AM

~Streampelt~
Streampelt’s eyes were trained on the ceremony and he looked at the interrupters with a fierce green gaze. He looked back at Kestrelstar and his ears were perked, straining to catch every word. He smiled the biggest smile he ever conjured and lifted his head up high to chant the new warrior names. “Featherspirit! Featherspirit! MORNINGLILY! MORNINGLILY!” He was proud of his previous apprentice and he knew that she would make the best warrior ever.

@littlelove

~Fierceroar~
Fierceroar listened to Kestrelstar speak and every time directed her gaze to the cat he was talking about. So she saw the cats who were causing trouble, interrupting the meeting. They were ruining it for others, especially for the to-be warriors. This was the most exciting ceremony they would probably experience and it was just cruel to interrupt it. She settled her gaze back on Kestrelstar and her golden eyes glowed as new warriors were officially made. “Featherspirit! Featherspirit! Morninglily! Morninglily!” She chanted the new name with a bit of pride in her voice. She didn’t know them personally but she was proud just the same.

~Shypaw~
Shypaw scooted a little ways away from her father. She knew who Morningpaw was and she was going to become a warrior so she knew this was important to him. She watched the ceremony with not full concentration but she knew to be polite so she did listen. She heard Kestrelstar’s voice ring out the new names. Featherspirit and Morninglily. She chanted them silently in her head.

~Lavenderpaw~
Lavenderpaw hadn’t heard Snakeheart say anything and she hadn’t felt or seen him to anything so she settled in listening to the meeting, something that she didn’t do quite often. But it seemed that this was a more important meeting. Two apprentices were becoming warriors. That would be her up there someday. A smile popped up on her face as Kestrelstar said the new warrior names. “Featherspirit! Morninglily!” She said the names only, not very loud.

**marshy** · #**8198** February 1st, 2022, 08:06 AM

Sparrowskip
____________

Sparrowskip cheered the names of the new warriors! It was always an illustrious day when new warriors were announced, and he was glad for the new warriors for them to be moving to the next step in their lives. He made a note of creekfoot running away however in his excitement.

**littlelove** · #**8199** February 1st, 2022, 09:32 AM

As badly as Morningpaw wanted to squeeze her eyes shut under the leader's gaze, she stood steadfast and stared straight back at him. She knew it would be better to shy away from this ceremony, to hide in the corner of the medicine den like the coward she was, but something kept her rooted in place - an early bud all but begging to be killed by the frost. She managed to spare a small smile Featherpaw's - now Featherspirit's - way as she received her new name, and her gaze flickered up to meet Kestrelstar's.

Seeing the pride in his eyes felt like an ice cold spear was shot through her chest. She knew that he was pouring his heart out trying to cheer her up - and how unworthy of that help she was. How many facades had she put up for her clanmates to still think she was good?! An anger towards herself bubbled in her chest as she finally screwed her eyes shut. What she would give for her mind to finally blank, even if she knew she deserved this muddled mess of a consciousness. She was hardly paying attention as he uttered her brand new name; Morninglily.

Kestrelstar's next words, surprisingly enough, granted that wish. The new warrior just about short circuited as he uttered words about those she'd lost. The drip-dropping of warmth onto her paws and melting the snow below alerted her - In an instant, the pit in her stomach had dissolved and bubbled out of her in the form of hot tears. Morninglily desperately searched for something, anything to say in the midst of her breakdown in front of the clan, but nothing came out when she parted her jaws. For the first time, her heart laid bare in for the whole of her clan to see. Instead, all she could do was lean in and close the space the leader had left between them, his chin touching to the top of her head.

The moment was over just as quickly as it started. Kestrelstar had pulled away, leading the chant for the new warriors and leaving Morninglily dumbfounded by the resulting chorus of her and Featherspirit's names. She turned back towards the crowd, eyes wide in shock. So many more cats were cheering for her than expected; Streampelt's voice was the loudest. Despite the haze of guilt floating at the edges of her mind, she cracked a small, yet grateful smile. It was all she could do to not turn into a weepy mess.

**spade** · #**8200** February 2nd, 2022, 02:22 AM

High Rank Announcement [#hrannouncement]

His first focus was on the warriors before him. An ear flick was the only indication given that he had heard what Honeystream said - and, by relation, what Plumstorm had said. It took quite a bit of the will power he had to contain the smirk that developed on his face. If Honeystream didn't already realize the sharp tongue that his Shield had, she definitely would now. If anything else was said about the meeting or the take away of apprentices, Kestrelstar was certain that Plumstorm would be able to handle it.

Oh, great stars above. Why was it that warriors wanted to act like kits at meetings? The leader stifled a small growl as Creekfoot let out a screech that flattened his ears and darted out of camp. Pathetic. It only served to reinforce his decision of selecting different mentors for the two apprentices. Still, on top of a disappointed look he gave no other reaction to the warrior darting out of camp. He'd simply let her own actions speak loud and clear.

[ @x ghostie @Shade. @Wintermist @Howlpaw+ ]
It seemed that warriors weren't the only members of the Clan unwilling to pay attention, as two kits had taken it upon themselves to start up a snowball fight in the middle of the clearing. Kestrelstar normally despised kits, but could only offer a soft sigh as he nodded to both Morninglily and Featherspirit, turning his yellow gaze onto Wormbite and Lizardfrost who stepped in. "Make sure one of you keeps an eye on then." he advised before turning and bounding back atop the Streamstone.

With the chanting dying down, there were still a few things he needed to do. The results of the ice race that Snakeheart had hosted and... Talonkit. His heart clenched at the mere thought, eyes drifting into a small pool of grief. He wondered if it should even be announced - yes, yes absolutely. Any death deserved to be.

"While today is a blessed day for the Clan, and I am proud of the new warriors and apprentices, there was an incident that was reported to me earlier. Talonkit was found... outside of the camp walls. He was alone, and by the time he was found... it was too late." Constricting and cutting off anymore words, Kestrelstar's eyes found Whitepaw in the crowd. He wouldn't point her out as the one who had found him, for he didn't think she wanted that sort of attention, nor the questions that it would most certainly bring. "He has been buried in the thicket... But please, let this be a warning. Leaf-bare is harsh. It is unforgiving and it does not care of your rank. Especially kits - it is imperative that you remain inside the camp walls where it is safe."

The leader took a small, short inhale of air before continuing. "Furthermore," this would be the hard part, as he had not yet spoken to Snakeheart on the issue. Not that he would point him out by name, but it was an issue that had to be addressed. "Warriors, you must understand the weight your words have on those younger than you. Apprentices, kits even... they look up to you. It is the duty of our Clan warriors to protect the Clan and defend the Clan, yes, but it is also our duty to raise the future warriors of the Clan. I... have not been the best example of this in the past, as I know some of you look to me for answers. But it will not be tolerated any longer - not anymore, and not from any cat regardless of rank." He didn't let his gaze linger on any one cat in particular, because Kestrelstar didn't feel the need to make it into something bigger than it already was.

"For those that wish to hold vigil for Talonkit, I will be taking a small party to the Thicket for him at dusk." Not something he had normally done in the past, but stars above it was going to change. Any death was too much and Kestrelstar was done allowing deaths to seamlessly slip past RiverClan without a proper acknowledgement. Call it change, call it development - but he was done.

"This meeting is dismissed." With that, the gray tabby leapt down from the Streamstone and glanced at Featherspirit and Morninglily. "I'm sorry your warrior ceremony was overshadowed by those whos egos were too big for our camp to contain," he murmured softly to him, a genuine apology glimmering in his eyes. "You're both welcome to observe your vigil here guarding camp, or accompany me and others to the Thicket." Dipping his head, Kestrelstar moved past them and stood at the camp entrance and awaiting any cat that wished to join him for the vigil.

[ any cats that wish to join kestrelstar for the vigil, i will be creating a private thread for it - simply have your character approach kestrelstar stating they wish to come along. note that this is not mandatory, and not required; your character does not have to sit vigil if they do not wish to or if they did not know talonkit that well. as part of his character devleopment and riverclan's development as a whole, he is going to start holding vigils for clanmates who have passed away ^^ ]