ThunderClan: Life Before 2020's Fire

[Nomad]

Originally Posted by Megan

Frostfeather let out a purr, hearing his voice. "I'm getting used to being around Thunderclan cats. I've even made a friend." replied Frostfeather with another purr.

"Oh who?" He mewed exited to see she was settling so well.

[Rockstar]

Originally Posted by Drago Victinius Bloodward

"Ok then lets go" he said leading the way out of camp iceclaw and cherryblossom following (to the territory)

Greyshade padded after his younger siblings, with Lightningstrike bounding up to the front.

(Just mention me there )

[lone]

Originally Posted by tinyalienkid

his mind was a jumble of things. the battle, the tension, everything was making him really think. powdernose believed all he could in starclan, although it was difficult to know of the ways clans thought of what happened in the afterlife. he had come from an unknown family, out in the forest somewhere. ever since he was five moons, the tom had been looking for his real family, just to see them one single time. to show them how he has grown.
powdernose frowned as he heard the other's words. "you could be right, however peace will never last for too long. it's nearly impossible to live in a clan and not find yourself in the center of a battlefield." he sighed and looked around camp for a moment, then perked up as he listened closely to the silver tom.
"i'm honestly surprised. the stoic-face stonegazer is actually making a joke?" he pretended to search around, eyes sparkling with a glimmer of mischief. "have the squirrels begun to fly? has riverclan grown scales?" powdernose smiled as he teased the elder tom, tail curling around to nudge his flank playfully.
that was the most powdernose had ever seen stonegazer laugh. now it was his silently-decided job to make him lighten up a bit. no job can be done efficiently without a sliver of laughter.
"you have point, though. a very inarguable one. yes, indeed, you, my fine feline with the most serious of expressions i have ever seen in my twenty-seven moons of life, are absolutely, completely, utterly correct about that little statement right there. thanks for noticing," powdernose shook out his pelt as he purred lightheartedly, crouching in front of the larger tom now.
"you need to loosen up a little. how about you take a 'lazy day?' in easier terms, you would just relax for a full day, no worrying about anything. i can teach you how to do so, if you'd like to try." his tail gently swayed, ears pivoting back and forth. powdernose really hoped stonegazer would accept his idea, just so he could finally allow himself to relieve some stress.
it definitely wasn't because he wanted to spend an entire day with the tom.

The longer the younger warrior spoke, the more the elder had to struggle to keep his stony expression up. The tom had some walls up, but there were also cracks in these walls; for example, the way that he was almost smiling at Powdernose's words. They were funny to him, making him want to be open and laugh and joke around, but at the same time... his reputation was what was keeping them up. Stonegazer had a reputation in the Clan for taking no-nonsense, for being a stern-faced tom, and he liked that reputation. He was always on guard. He wasn't distrusting, on the contrary, he would trust his clanmates with his life. But he was introverted, and that meant sometimes staying away from his clanmates when he had the chance. Stonegazer's stoic armor, like all things, had weaknesses and cracks and chips.

It was just a matter of finding the right cat to take those things and pull them apart. "That's ridiculous. I don't make jokes, just as none of those things will ever happen." Clearing his throat, and feeling a slight flush rising, his heartbeat quickening just the slightest bit (he was quite embarrassed, but too stubborn to admit it) Stonegazer avoided eye contact and instead looked down at the ground like he could drill a hole in it through the power of eyesight alone. But, his ears pricked back up and he fixed Powdernose with that icy gaze once again at the mention of a "lazy day." What was this? He couldn't remember the last tie he had just relaxed, without worrying... even now, talking with Powdernose, part of his mind was on the inevitable battle that would come.

He should be talking with the younger warriors, making sure they were ready, patrolling the borders, doing something useful instead. Not sitting here and talking with another cat. "Perhaps after the battle." Stonegazer was about to get to his paws, that familiar coldness returning and basically sweeping him up with it's icy power, before he stopped and looked once more at the tom he already considered a... nice cat. An acquaintance. Not a friend, not yet. "Actually, maybe I will take you up on your offer. You do understand, however, at the first sign of trouble that I will be up and gone in an instant?" He asked, his tail twitching lightly as he stayed in the half-raised position. He wasn't quite sitting, wasn't quite standing - it was that awkward in-between position that made things so uncomfortable normally.

Originally Posted by SpiralWhirl

Snowpaw nodded, "I guess you always know yourself best!" He said. Pawing at the clump of leaves, disturbing a small insect. It darted out of it and Snowpaw put his paw on it before trying to shake it off the dead insect off his pad. His expression twisted in a mix of annoyance and disgust. However his left ear twitched, giving a hint he was still listening to her. He looked up, hearing her laughter. He blinked in confusion, Snowpaw tilt his head. Is there something on my face? Did I say something to loud? Wait, no. Caliapaw would have told me to be quiet if I did. He didn't catch on yet let out a nervous laugh. Following her gaze up to the sky; Leaf-fall was here. "That's better than nothin! I'll take what I can get." Snowpaw said, then realized how uncomfortable she must be. He got the hint she didn't really like being the center of attention but sometimes Snowpaw did it anyway. No, not to be rude or make or uncomfortable but because he had to have his answers. Which when he couldn't find out how Caliapaw or any one his family members were doing; he found out the answer. He could be called nosy but he did know where not to push his limits.

The apprentice had been busy at training. He always had some dislike for battle training but that was the thing he was doing the most. Kind of no choice for him. Snowpaw believed that family will usually come before the clan. Truefully his friends had to deal with everything he thought. Unluckily for him, he screamed it. Well not exactly scream or on purpose but it was loud enough for a lot of cats to hear. Snowpaw hadn't told anyone but some of his family and friends about his hearing. Actually he didn't tell Caliapaw yet, either. He had a feeling his mentor and Snowstar had some hint but he was worried of not becoming a warrior. That they would make him become a elder or stay a apprentice forever.

Snowpaw chuckled and followed her in the sun, laying down. His head rested on his paws, closing his eyes briefly. Laughing at her comment, " Oh I know I can be. It my specialty!" However it was a second he thought she was actually saying it seriously. He was still unsure but decided to go with the more positive choice. Snowpaw rolled around on the grass, careful not to roll into Caliapaw. "Leaves. Leaves. Leaves everywhheree!" He sang horribly, shaking a leaf off his head before containing to roll around.

"I can't wait for Leaf-bare and no, not for us to have no prey. Prey is wonderfully delicious. However the snow! I can finally blend in." Snowpaw was right, his white pelt and blue eyes made him stuck out like a sore-thumb. Leaf-Bare was the best season for him and he actually didn't mind the coldness. "Though I hope it doesn't bring any sickness. With all the things happening, if I get sick I can't train. Caliapaw, I need training if I can't do tricks."

The medicine cat raised an eyebrow at her brother's antics, giggling softly at first and then sighing and shaking her head just the slightest bit. "Snowpaw..." It was partly a warning, telling him to "chill out" because he was going to draw attention, and she had come out here to avoid that - out here, sometimes she felt like herself again. Invisible, and unnoticed. Just as she had been before. She had never been set above everything else, and in the spotlight, which was part of the reason this was even more uncomfortable. Before now, she had just been another apprentice. Sure, she had her family and her friends, but as far as being the cat in someone else's life, that had never happened. She had never been someone who someone else was willing to give up their whole world for, or change it. And she never would be; Caliapaw just wasn't that special. In her eyes, she might have been the medicine cat, but that didn't make her any more special or unique then anyone else.

All she could do was try and save as many lives as possible. She couldn't fight, and when she did try to fight, she would lose, because she was a lot weaker then she appeared. She hated having walls up. But she couldn't bring them down on her own. She wanted to open up to other cats so desperately, except she would never be able to, because trust was something that took her a very long time. Even when she completely trusted someone, she still couldn't tell them everything. And she was deathly afraid of losing someone she cared about. Ever since she had lost Ivypaw from messing up, she had been terrified that she would one day have someone she truly cared about come in and she would end up losing them all because she wasn't good enough. To be honest, Caliapaw didn't know what she was doing here. She had to fake it when she didn't know what to do, or worry about freezing up and letting something bad happen. That was the problem of the job.

Another cat's fate could rest entirely on her being able to save them. There was no such thing as "an off day" for her, even if nothing was happening, she still had to be ready. Tensed, ready to save. Like someone else's angel. But if she was their angel, then where was hers? Her brother's words had been playing somewhat in the back of her head, but she had heard every one, albeit muted. "Take care of yourself and you should be able to keep from getting sick. But Snowpaw... I swear, if you mess with me, since you can blend into the snow... I will see to it that you personally are brought to my den and I will keep you there for half a moon." Even though she was kidding, her words sounded serious. The only thing that gave her joke away was the lightest twinkling of her eyes. But, at the same time, she was partly serious - if Snowpaw dared to knock her into a snowdrift, or scare her, she would definitely get back at him by doing something like that.

No way she was going to let her brother have the last word! Growing up with two brothers and two sisters, Caliapaw had always felt like she was sort of the odd one out. Her sisters had each other, and her brothers had each other, and she was always tagging along with one group or the other. Switching back and forth. But she didn't really have a "bonded" sibling that stuck to her like glue. The closest to that would be Doepaw. Now that they were apprentices, she was the odd one out once again. Every one of her siblings would be warriors someday, except for her. Until she died or chose to step down, she would forever be a medicine cat. And as much as Caliapaw would have loved to just GO, she knew the Clan needed her. She was needed. She felt like she was trying to move around in a new home all of a sudden, and she was doing her best to adjust to the differences, stumbling around blindly.

Originally Posted by starfall

The tom licked his sister's cheek and took a step back, his smile melted away as he saw his sister's expression. He knew something was up. The caramel brown tom would never brag about it, but he was fairly detail oriented, he noticed every little thing, and never on purpous, he just noticed. And he knew his sister best of all, out of every cat in Thunderclan, out of every cat in his family, he knew his sisters body movements, his sister's expressions to a T. He gave her a small smile and nuzzled her " C'mon sis...Name 1 leader who hasn't messed up, and name 1 Medicine cat who hasn't lost a paitent...Calia...I'm not gonna lie, you're gonna mess up, no going around that." he began, his blue hues danced with honesty, and a serious gaze was plastered on his face. He never sugarcoated anything, he believed that felines should know the truth, no matter how much it may hurt, because to him, it seemed like it would hurt worse to be lied to. " But the reality is, everyone messes up, but the thing that makes amazing medicine cats and amazing leaders is the fact that they either learn from their mistakes and keep moving, or they use that mess up to create something beautiful." he added, a smile spread across his dainty mouth. " Just make sure you're not standing still....and you'll do great." he purred, his bob of a tail jiggled.

Doepaw sat himself down and began to lick his chestfur, cleaning and de-fluffying the cotton white fluff. He liked it when he didn't look like a walking fluff ball, it annoyed him, the tugging of the twigs when he made his way through the camp entrance, the tingles and tickles he got whenever the wind blew or whenever a leaf brushed his sides, it drove him insane. He shot his sister a grin and gave his chest one last lick before turning his clear, blue gaze back to his sister, blue met amber " I don't have a mentor at the moment....so I've got all the time in the world to be with my sister! So...don't think you're the only one who feels lost okay? We'll both lean on each other." he hummed. He had lost his mentor in the battle against the Dusk Syndicate, same as his sister, so he knew what she was going through, the aching heart, the lost feeling, he knew it perfectly. "Now of course you're gonna have to point out which herbs I gotta pick, because I don't know a single thing about being a medicine cat other than the fact that you get to save other's lives!" he yipped. But, his smile quickly went away as she began to speak once again, his ears folded, his lips curved down, and his eyes narrowed, making the tom look at his sister through his lashes "If you weren't meant to be a medicine cat, than why would an old, experienced warrior who then became a medicine cat choose you? If you weren't meant to be a medicine cat than why is Starclan staying silent about your ceremony? Caliapaw, everything happens for a reason, you just have to take advantage of it." he stated. He believed his sister had everything she needed, she was more that capable of being a great medicine cat, she was smart and sympathetic, the only thing she lacked was self confidence, and he planned on helping her with that.

Messing up was a part of life; the she cat knew that. But the problem was, most cats her age weren't messing up so severely. They would miss a piece of prey and maybe some cat in the Clan would go hungry that day, or they would slip up during a battle and end up in the medicine cat's den for a little while. But they normally didn't make fatal mistakes. Caliapaw hadn't expected to lose a patient so soon. She was the odd one out here... and no one else in the Clan could understand that. She had a family, friends, cats that she cared for and who cared for her, but they had their own lives. There was no one in her life that could put her above their own needs. That was what Caliapaw wanted... as strange as it seemed, that was a secret hope of hers. That one day she would have someone like that. Doepaw was the closest to a true best-friend sibling bond she had ever had, but she'd always had her two brothers and her two sisters. Two toms - two she cats. And Caliapaw was the odd one one there, being the third she cat in the litter, and with toms... well, they had each other. So she was tagging along with one group or another growing up. Even now she was different, but it was in another way.

She would never be like her siblings now. She wouldn't be able to fully understand their struggles being warriors, just as they would never be able to fully understand her struggles as a medicine cat. And it hurt that this responsibility was hers and hers alone to bear. It was hard that this responsibility was hers. Eventually she would have a different kind of responsibility, but not for a long while. "I know, but Doepaw... if I make a mistake, someone ends up more hurt then they would have been, or they die. I don't have room to go back and try again, I don't get a do-over... if I make a mistake, that's it." She wanted to cry. Except Caliapaw didn't cry. She had put enough walls up recently to keep her from showing that type of raw emotion, but it seemed her brother had found some chips in these walls. Chips that she was desperately trying to repair even as they spoke, but it would never work. She couldn't be as strong as she wanted as long as there were cracks in her armor; as long as there were breaks in her walls. Her brother's comment made her smile just the slightest bit. She liked that; leaning on each other.

"Okay..." Caliapaw was still uncertain that this was the right thing, but she had to believe that it would be okay eventually. Someday, somehow, she would fix things. His next comment made her laugh a little, a slight sob sneaking out through her laugh, and stopping just as abruptly. No. She wasn't going to cry, not now. Maybe when she could be alone again she would be able to have her own thoughts. She would figure out how to deal with this on her own, or she would open up eventually, just as soon as she thought she could get herself under control. She needed to take care of her patients and deal with it herself first before she could tell someone else. Had Wheatfur still been alive, perhaps she would have spoken to him. "I don't know. All I know is I didn't think before I chose this... and I didn't think I'd be alone again so soon." She didn't even have her old mentor to go to, because she didn't trust him as much.

Bearstrike was nice, and great, and all that... but it just wasn't the same. Wheatfur had probably been the first cat that had chosen her first. Above training, above a friend, above everything else, he had chosen her first. And now he was gone. That type of thing just wasn't forgotten. And with Wheatfur gone, it was harder to think about moving on, more so then ever. Not that she was saying her family hadn't been there for her - they had. But it was different, somehow, because he'd seen something in her - something new. Something that she hadn't seen in herself. And whatever it was, he had acted on it. Which made her feel wanted, and special, or it had for just that brief instant before he was gone from her life.

[Mango]

Originally Posted by Fuzzyfeline

@Megan

The normally loving and quiet Emeraldkit still stared at her father. She had his white fur and an emerald eye like him but was he really her father? She was also untrusting of things she wanted to believe. Why? Well she didn't want to believe something was true and be heart broken to find out it wasn't. Mum wouldn't lie would she? She wouldn't want to hurt us would she? She wondered. "I want you to prove you my father." She declared. She was going to some how make sure Lightningflash was really her father. She didn't want picked on anymore about not knowing who her father is but she'd be picked on more if Lightningflash wasn't her real father. Her sisters seam to believe he was but then that's what they all wanted to believe it. How could he prove it? She suddenly wondered. She didn't know much about how this stuff worked but that was understandable since she was only thee moons old. She didn't know how kits were made or why they needed a father. She had gotten on pretty well so far, though she wanted her father sometime even when she didn't know him. Though she hadn't known, or believed she had, her father till this point she often wanted him, just to stay with him away from the other kits, not her littermates. But the other ThunderClan kits that picked on her and her siblings about not knowing him.

Rosefern smiled,” His eyes are just like yours, Emeraldkit.” She meowed I thought this would be more joyful them seeing their father. Poor Witheredkit hardly even sees her father...

[Queenie]

Originally Posted by Role

Rosebelly's ears flattened at her condescending tone. Her eyes sparked with anger, but she quickly recovered and forced a chuckle and a smile. "You sure act like one," she retorted quietly. Rosebelly took note of Ivorythorn's expression. She was definitely up to something. Rosebelly shifted her white paws nervously, and pricked her ears forward to listen to what she had to say. Rosebelly frowned. So that was what she wanted! A stroll. But why? It was unlike Ivorythorn to ask her to go anywhere with her. A spark of fear pierced her heart. Had Darkrose broken her promise? No, she wouldn't do that. She wouldn't tell her, Rosebelly told herself, but her mind spoke differently. Traitor! Traitor! it seemed to screech. Rosebelly shrugged it off, and reluctantly stood up. "Sure. Let's go," she said stiffly. Rosebelly padded towards the camp entrance with a slight limp. Her eyes were dark with worry, but her expression was light. A walk sounded nice, especially during this time of year, but the fear of what happened the day before still lingered in her mind.

(Bump @Queenie )

(Apologies it was a busy show week for me!)
Ivorythorn followed Rosebelly slowly noting the limp that made her drag behind. The pace was much too slow for Ivorythorn, and she almost said something. But she figured if Rosebelly couldn't keep up she would just turn around and Ivorythorn would be at square one again. Discouraged the duo trudged on. Ivorythorn watched for something that might spook Rosebelly. The she-cat was starting to itch for some excitement and a good laugh. There was a leaf shaking in the leaf-bare wind. Maybe she could say she'd seen something move in that direction? No. Too obvious. Definitely not interesting enough. A patch of brown fur was stuck on a bramble, maybe Ivorythorn could say it was badger fur. The warrior sighed. No it was very obviously from a previous cat leaving during the patrol. She sighed, "Rosebelly - do you ever just get scared for the heck of it?" She knew it was an odd question, but Ivorythorn figured it was philosophical enough just to wonder about and spark ideas to get Rosebelly scared.

[SuspiciousMindz]

Originally Posted by Lonestar23

"Don't get revenge on me! I'm the perfect friend, you wouldn't WANT to mess up THAT relationship!" Ottertail mewed, his voice squeaking just the smallest bit. It was moments like these, he thought, that made friendships all the more worth having. His eyes twinkled with a playful roguishness, even as she spoke, and he scooted away a little further from her as she took another two steps towards him. "Ha! What'd I tell you, I am perfection!" He laughed, before realizing she probably wouldn't take too kindly to that comment. Assuming a more flirtatious expression (keeping that teasing light in his eyes, of course) the tom straightened up and summoned up some fake courage to take two steps back towards her. "Next to you of course, Minty-boo." The words sounded a little more slick and well-rehearsed, rather then rough around the edges from laughing, but the meaning behind them remained the same. Ottertail would never want to ruin the perfect friendship the two of them had.

Mintberry rolled her eyes before pricking her ears up. "Was that flirting I sense, fluff-butt?" she inquired referring to his perfection statement. Her whiskers twitched at that, showing she as still simply teasing him. "Cause from what I know, best friends don't flirt with each other," she winked before laughing a little, bouncing on her paws a little as she watched his reaction. "Flirting is how you ruin relationships, so if anyone is threatening to ruin ours, it's you and your flirting," she teased once more. Mintberry couldn't help but start to trot around the larger feline, going in a rather large circle around him. She just simply couldn't hold still and if she tried to any longer she would've grown bored and would've forgotten what she was attempting to hold a conversation with someone. Ottertail didn't bore her often though, so it was easy to keep a conversation going with him. It was another reason the two of them got along so well most times too.

[wolfie]

Originally Posted by Lonestar23

The longer the younger warrior spoke, the more the elder had to struggle to keep his stony expression up. The tom had some walls up, but there were also cracks in these walls; for example, the way that he was almost smiling at Powdernose's words. They were funny to him, making him want to be open and laugh and joke around, but at the same time... his reputation was what was keeping them up. Stonegazer had a reputation in the Clan for taking no-nonsense, for being a stern-faced tom, and he liked that reputation. He was always on guard. He wasn't distrusting, on the contrary, he would trust his clanmates with his life. But he was introverted, and that meant sometimes staying away from his clanmates when he had the chance. Stonegazer's stoic armor, like all things, had weaknesses and cracks and chips.

It was just a matter of finding the right cat to take those things and pull them apart. "That's ridiculous. I don't make jokes, just as none of those things will ever happen." Clearing his throat, and feeling a slight flush rising, his heartbeat quickening just the slightest bit (he was quite embarrassed, but too stubborn to admit it) Stonegazer avoided eye contact and instead looked down at the ground like he could drill a hole in it through the power of eyesight alone. But, his ears pricked back up and he fixed Powdernose with that icy gaze once again at the mention of a "lazy day." What was this? He couldn't remember the last tie he had just relaxed, without worrying... even now, talking with Powdernose, part of his mind was on the inevitable battle that would come.

He should be talking with the younger warriors, making sure they were ready, patrolling the borders, doing something useful instead. Not sitting here and talking with another cat. "Perhaps after the battle." Stonegazer was about to get to his paws, that familiar coldness returning and basically sweeping him up with it's icy power, before he stopped and looked once more at the tom he already considered a... nice cat. An acquaintance. Not a friend, not yet. "Actually, maybe I will take you up on your offer. You do understand, however, at the first sign of trouble that I will be up and gone in an instant?" He asked, his tail twitching lightly as he stayed in the half-raised position. He wasn't quite sitting, wasn't quite standing - it was that awkward in-between position that made things so uncomfortable normally.


The medicine cat raised an eyebrow at her brother's antics, giggling softly at first and then sighing and shaking her head just the slightest bit. "Snowpaw..." It was partly a warning, telling him to "chill out" because he was going to draw attention, and she had come out here to avoid that - out here, sometimes she felt like herself again. Invisible, and unnoticed. Just as she had been before. She had never been set above everything else, and in the spotlight, which was part of the reason this was even more uncomfortable. Before now, she had just been another apprentice. Sure, she had her family and her friends, but as far as being the cat in someone else's life, that had never happened. She had never been someone who someone else was willing to give up their whole world for, or change it. And she never would be; Caliapaw just wasn't that special. In her eyes, she might have been the medicine cat, but that didn't make her any more special or unique then anyone else.

All she could do was try and save as many lives as possible. She couldn't fight, and when she did try to fight, she would lose, because she was a lot weaker then she appeared. She hated having walls up. But she couldn't bring them down on her own. She wanted to open up to other cats so desperately, except she would never be able to, because trust was something that took her a very long time. Even when she completely trusted someone, she still couldn't tell them everything. And she was deathly afraid of losing someone she cared about. Ever since she had lost Ivypaw from messing up, she had been terrified that she would one day have someone she truly cared about come in and she would end up losing them all because she wasn't good enough. To be honest, Caliapaw didn't know what she was doing here. She had to fake it when she didn't know what to do, or worry about freezing up and letting something bad happen. That was the problem of the job.

Another cat's fate could rest entirely on her being able to save them. There was no such thing as "an off day" for her, even if nothing was happening, she still had to be ready. Tensed, ready to save. Like someone else's angel. But if she was their angel, then where was hers? Her brother's words had been playing somewhat in the back of her head, but she had heard every one, albeit muted. "Take care of yourself and you should be able to keep from getting sick. But Snowpaw... I swear, if you mess with me, since you can blend into the snow... I will see to it that you personally are brought to my den and I will keep you there for half a moon." Even though she was kidding, her words sounded serious. The only thing that gave her joke away was the lightest twinkling of her eyes. But, at the same time, she was partly serious - if Snowpaw dared to knock her into a snowdrift, or scare her, she would definitely get back at him by doing something like that.

No way she was going to let her brother have the last word! Growing up with two brothers and two sisters, Caliapaw had always felt like she was sort of the odd one out. Her sisters had each other, and her brothers had each other, and she was always tagging along with one group or the other. Switching back and forth. But she didn't really have a "bonded" sibling that stuck to her like glue. The closest to that would be Doepaw. Now that they were apprentices, she was the odd one out once again. Every one of her siblings would be warriors someday, except for her. Until she died or chose to step down, she would forever be a medicine cat. And as much as Caliapaw would have loved to just GO, she knew the Clan needed her. She was needed. She felt like she was trying to move around in a new home all of a sudden, and she was doing her best to adjust to the differences, stumbling around blindly.


Messing up was a part of life; the she cat knew that. But the problem was, most cats her age weren't messing up so severely. They would miss a piece of prey and maybe some cat in the Clan would go hungry that day, or they would slip up during a battle and end up in the medicine cat's den for a little while. But they normally didn't make fatal mistakes. Caliapaw hadn't expected to lose a patient so soon. She was the odd one out here... and no one else in the Clan could understand that. She had a family, friends, cats that she cared for and who cared for her, but they had their own lives. There was no one in her life that could put her above their own needs. That was what Caliapaw wanted... as strange as it seemed, that was a secret hope of hers. That one day she would have someone like that. Doepaw was the closest to a true best-friend sibling bond she had ever had, but she'd always had her two brothers and her two sisters. Two toms - two she cats. And Caliapaw was the odd one one there, being the third she cat in the litter, and with toms... well, they had each other. So she was tagging along with one group or another growing up. Even now she was different, but it was in another way.

She would never be like her siblings now. She wouldn't be able to fully understand their struggles being warriors, just as they would never be able to fully understand her struggles as a medicine cat. And it hurt that this responsibility was hers and hers alone to bear. It was hard that this responsibility was hers. Eventually she would have a different kind of responsibility, but not for a long while. "I know, but Doepaw... if I make a mistake, someone ends up more hurt then they would have been, or they die. I don't have room to go back and try again, I don't get a do-over... if I make a mistake, that's it." She wanted to cry. Except Caliapaw didn't cry. She had put enough walls up recently to keep her from showing that type of raw emotion, but it seemed her brother had found some chips in these walls. Chips that she was desperately trying to repair even as they spoke, but it would never work. She couldn't be as strong as she wanted as long as there were cracks in her armor; as long as there were breaks in her walls. Her brother's comment made her smile just the slightest bit. She liked that; leaning on each other.

"Okay..." Caliapaw was still uncertain that this was the right thing, but she had to believe that it would be okay eventually. Someday, somehow, she would fix things. His next comment made her laugh a little, a slight sob sneaking out through her laugh, and stopping just as abruptly. No. She wasn't going to cry, not now. Maybe when she could be alone again she would be able to have her own thoughts. She would figure out how to deal with this on her own, or she would open up eventually, just as soon as she thought she could get herself under control. She needed to take care of her patients and deal with it herself first before she could tell someone else. Had Wheatfur still been alive, perhaps she would have spoken to him. "I don't know. All I know is I didn't think before I chose this... and I didn't think I'd be alone again so soon." She didn't even have her old mentor to go to, because she didn't trust him as much.

Bearstrike was nice, and great, and all that... but it just wasn't the same. Wheatfur had probably been the first cat that had chosen her first. Above training, above a friend, above everything else, he had chosen her first. And now he was gone. That type of thing just wasn't forgotten. And with Wheatfur gone, it was harder to think about moving on, more so then ever. Not that she was saying her family hadn't been there for her - they had. But it was different, somehow, because he'd seen something in her - something new. Something that she hadn't seen in herself. And whatever it was, he had acted on it. Which made her feel wanted, and special, or it had for just that brief instant before he was gone from her life.

Snowpaw stopped, his ear lowering a little. Leaves covered him, one on his head, a few on his back, and that was about it. "Sorry." He mumbled, feeling a bit embarrassed. However instead of rolling still or stopping fully, he just flipped a leaf over and over. Little things could keep him busy or be fun to him, like Caliapaw's talking. She didn't really talk much or to Snowpaw's experience but he found it interesting. Snowpaw could hear the lecture he had just a week ago for.. well doing something he shouldn't have. Their would be times when he would rebel against the rules rather than following it but he did his best to protect his clan. He wouldn't tell Caliapaw or any of his siblings about what he did. Which meant he actually visited outside the clan once a moon. No, he wasn't in love. Snowpaw wanted to see what it was like outside the clans but he didn't cross, ever at least.

He remembered that Caliapaw was just a apprentice like him but she had to act mature. Snowpaw rolled his eyes a little at the word, `mature`. He was what you would call immature and he enjoyed it. He furrowed his eyebrows, glaring at the leaf in his paws. He just found a new word to hate, `mature`. "Welp, added a new word I hate to the list." Snowpaw mumbled out loud but it sounded like he was just speaking normally, not mumbles. However he didn't know that, smiling at Caliapaw.

Hearing her reply, he obviously thought she was serious. "Yeep! Okay, I'll take care of myself.. But can I do that to someone else?" He asked, blinking in surprise. Snowpaw didn't think he could stay in the Medince cat den for more than a day, it made him.. uncomfortable. His eyes lit up, "Caliapaw. I met a cat who looked just like a wolf! I mean.. I think. Never seen one but he looked just like I heard! Black fur with yellow eyes and was huge. He was a bit rude though but he didn't seem to mind me asking questions. Actually I just avoided the wolf questions because the first one I asked, he just gave me a look. Scary!" Snowpaw shivered, remembering the encounter with the apprentice. "I think his name was Wolfpaw. " He added but it made sense. His gaze wandered the clearing, searching for him. Frowning a little when he didn't see him, "I think we are friends. I dunno but... I hope so! He must have stories to tell." Snowpaw chirped, happily. He actually saw the apprentice before, he had almost died in the gathering but he didn't mention it.

Snowpaw chuckled, he didn't want to sound rude. However he didn't intended it to, hearing his own words. "Gah, did I sound rude?" He fretted, looking at the leaves in his paws again. He didn't like when he did but he never intended it to. I sound like them, don't I? Snowpaw frowned, luckily he didn't shout the words out. If he did, he was scared the apprentice would hear him. Wanting to keep his own pelt, he would make it up secretly to him.

[meraki]

A jet black she-cat sat by her lonesome in the cozy den, with her long tail curled around her body. She stared in silence out the entrance of the den, looking out into the clearing with a calm look of content across her thin face. She blinked her bright golden eyes as she thought back longingly to her kithood. Her only friend had been Caribouheart, who was now her loving mate. Perhaps longingly wouldn't be the correct word though; Lightningstrike missed her innocence of course, but that innocence made her heart ache sadly as she thought of the unspeakable events that had occurred in her broken family. The she-cat shook her head to clear away the thoughts as her eyes rested once more upon the eccentric kits that romped and played in the chilly clearing. The clan had received snow quite early in the season, and patches of it lay still around the clearing, and patches of dying grass appeared beside it. Lightningstrike sighed once more shifting a bit in her cozy nest as a gust of wind ruffled her dark pelt.

@Megan

[lone]

Hearing that he was to be Mintpaw's mentor was one of the greatest experiences of Marshjump's life. Not to mention that he was so glad she was an apprentice now, now they could go on all sorts of new adventures! Things were going to be different, but it would be a good different. "Lil' Minty!" He mewed, staying still as she approached him, his tail twitching eagerly and a smile on his maw. This was definitely the start of some new adventures, and new exciting things. Marshjump was already thinking of ways to train his new apprentice, and thinking of the time they could spend together. Laughing, talking as they explored the borders... continuing their play-fights, although this time there would be more training involved... and hunting together. Yes, Marshjump was absolutely thrilled. "This is gonna be great," He purred after a minute, his tail twitching back and forth happily, a smile on his maw as he did so.

@Random Melody

[Brilliance]

The pulsating of a heart. The rhythm of heavy paws stomping against the moist, soft grounds, the feel of a slight wind ruffling the fur. It was a delicate race. A thoughtful process. When one knew they entwined with the wind. It was like Passionblaze could run with his eyes closed without bumping into anything. The key word being could. However, hisbeyes were widen. Those golden orbs moving in every direction as he flashed a grin toward any clan mates he passed. As he skidded to a halt, using his hind legs to feel back; he stopped. It kicked up enough dust, some getting into his eyes, making him gag up a moment. "That's not," Cough."What I," Another cough. "Was planning." Last cough. The flamed tom got up to his paws and shook his pelt. "Talk about a grand entrance," he rolled his eyes. One thing he needed to work on was his hinderance. He could never stop without causing an erupt of dust bunnies floating around.
Since he didn't feel like grooming his fur, he walked around the perimeter, nodding in acknowledgement to the other felines around the area. He definitely wasn't thinking about leaving camp again. Nor, was he hungry. While on that little run, he filled up on garden foods. The pleasant of blueberries wafted into his nose, overwhelming him with pleasure that he followed the scent to stuff them down. When he returned to Thunderclan, that little snack lingered onto his pelt, mixing in with his strawberry scent.
In the distance, Passionblaze strolled to a flower bush. He wasn't an expert on the floral beauties, but he did know that when his eye caught a pretty sight, it was hard for him to look away. So, he sat in front of these unknown flowers, and he took a sniff at them. Who knew it could be such a perfect day...even when war was approaching soon. Taking a run, eating fruit, and now being enthralled by these multi floral beings? What could make a day more perfect? Passionblaze sighed blissfully.

@RedHead