This was fun and Crowtooth couldnt stop himself from chuckling fondly as Mistlewhisker even joined in and called herself a frog. Honestly if he was a shadowclan cat with the choice of a derogatory creature name (them being the one clan without a common nomenclature) he'dve gone for rat or bat instead of the amphibian. Rabbit was cooler regardless, rabbits could be lethal even if others underestimated them.
He did have an interest in how the molly ran her patrols, given that he was the tom who was currently doing windclans and idly asked "Im curious actually, how do ya handle patrol punishments, specifically for apprentices who's non completion is linked ta their warrior leads not goin' out at all. Been strugglin' ta find a balance between 'not yer fault, no punishment' an' 'shouldve tried an' come ta me regardless before it became too late' personally." That wasnt secret knowledge and wouldnt be frowned upon for the two to share right? Every clan had idiots who didnt patrol when ordered and apprentices who got caught up in it. Maybe shadowclan had an established method to this issue windclan had lost with Fallownose it wouldnt be horrible to share.
But on the topic of battle Crowtooth was a little smug, smirking up at Mistlewhisker with the full knowledge that her words meant she didnt get as much as she migthve wished. "Frankly wanted ta give them the chance ta learn from this lesson, figured loss of their territory an' the exile would be vengeance enough so didnt go in ta kill but the fish were dumb as rocks.
Killed one that refused ta run, near maimed another that also didnt run (she was a warrior an' just froze like a kitten after I told her ta bolt, dunno what riverclan is teachin' their members it was shameful), an' drove off a third who decided ta interfere in my apprentices battle 'cuz he was winnin'."
Coward. One was a fox heart to be a warrior and interfere in two apprentices battle unless it was dire and one was going to die, winning and loosing was important to learning to be a good warrior so if you couldnt handle your apprentice loosing to one of their same level (something that spoke more of you as a mentor then them) you shouldnt be a mentor. Harsh as it was loss was life and taking a loss gracefully and well was important.
"My apprentice still won though, both o' them did Im really proud."
Stars shadowclan had a bunch of rank ups though and the the windclan tom huffed, commenting on that fact. "Seems the battle did yer clan well though, good on ya'll." Dawnstar of all cats knew how to benefit from battles, he knew well.
Mistlewhisker
ShadowClan Deputy
she/her | 42 moons
[Large black cat with a half white muzzle and a pale green eye] Purrks: Beefed Up T3, Shadow Fiend
⋆˖⁺‧₊☽ The Chariot ☾₊‧⁺˖⋆
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Asking about patrols? Hm... Mistlewhisker considered his conundrum. She definitely had that problem. "First offense, set the expectation of them coming to you. Second, extra patrol duty, usually served with me. It could be the next day, as long as the apprentice eventually gets the patrol experience they missed, as well as a reminder. Third offense, demotion for a moon. If they cannot be bothered to learn, then they should spend time being a kit again." The ShadowClan deputy canted her head. "My goal is to ensure patrols are completed, even if they have to happen later. The incompetence of warriors should not be an excuse to neglect training." Hell, it shouldn't even happen in the first place. Warriors who couldn't be bothered to complete their duties made her claws itch. She wouldn't mention the more serious punishments warriors got now. Ever since exile or execution was threatened, the clan seemed to clean up their act. She was not looking forward to the next time she would have to exile someone for missing a patrol.
She smirked as Crowtooth walked her through his fights. "That little apprentice Lionheart, Springburst? She tried to get between me and a RiverClan warrior." Honorable, but foolish. "Did not end well for either of them. Though she did give me this." Mistlewhisker licked at a scarred-over gash on her shoulder. The molly had fought fiercely, and if she wasn't dead in whatever bush her body had landed in, Mistlewhisker would consider a rematch. "Congratulations to your apprentice." She meowed. Learning through battle made the best warriors.
Dawnstar stepped up, beginning the Gathering in full. Mistlewhisker twisted her long neck up so she could watch her leader, taking a moment to marvel at the figure she cut in the moonlight. Then she felt a little stupid, so she looked away. As she finished her updates, Crowtooth's smug chuckle caught the deputy's ear.
Mistlewhisker glanced around before letting a broad smile bloom on her maw for a brief heartbeat before fading again. "Squirrelrise was my apprentice."And my daughter."That group of warriors is very promising. Two of them became Enforcers immediately." Even though Squirrelrise hadn't made the cut this time, she could sense that the new warrior was shooting for the stars. She knew she was bragging, but pride was one of the emotions Mistlewhisker showed best.
Ah, more cats being idiots. Bumblestar tipped her head to the side, wracking her brain for anyone notable who matched that description. Nothing quite came to mind, so she sniffed and shrugged. "I can't think of anyone, so I don't think it was one of mine." No one that mattered, anyway. "Appreciate you checkin', though."
Once Dawnstar apparently thought it was a good time to start, Bumblestar turned away from the WindClan leader to idly watch the larger ShadowClanner as she spoke. Just the basics, it sounded like: apprentices, warriors, battle news, kits. She was more interested in the Twoleg trouble and how it connected with ThunderClan.
Her whiskers twitched. "I'll have my cats keep an eye out for Mirepaw, 'n I'll make sure to let you know if we happen to find her. Thanks for the heads-up about the Twoleg problem." She had enough to worry about already without that, so hopefully it was a one time issue that wouldn't pass on to her Clan.
She figured that now it was her turn, so with a flick of an ear she rose, stretched, and made her way to the front of the stone.
"ThunderClan's been doing just fine. Rosepaw 'n Ivypaw have started their training, 'n the raid on RiverClan led to two new warriors. Fallingpaw and Treepaw have both earned their warrior names: Risingstorm and Treetiger.
"Unfortunately, we've still had our fair share of idiots. Had to execute a couple of fools trying to instigate things in my clearing, and Bravestripe 'n Rubblecrash have both been exiled for their involvement. If you happen to come across a tom with red fur, or a gray one with golden eyes, feel free to run 'em off or kill 'em. Bravestripe was trying to start a mutiny for no damn reason while Rubblecrash stood around 'n didn't do a thing about it, neither of 'em are cats you want in your Clan. We've lost an apprentice, Mushroompaw, to a rogue attack as well. Can't be sure if it was one or two, but be on the lookout for strangers wandering near your borders.
"Following the raid, Drizzlecloud decided to step down from her role as our medicine cat. Springlight's taken over as our sole healer.
"We've also taken a chunk of RiverClan's land for our own territory." She tossed both leaders a glance as she stepped back to make space for Twilightstar. "Whatever's left, you're free to take for yourselves. Won't trouble you for any of it."
The little rat was looking far too smug for Brindlepaw's liking, but as they had been taking it in turns to pontificate on their superiority he felt it would be quite rude to speak out of turn. As irritating as the small Shadowclanner was, sniping at him was far more entertaining than listening to the reheated hash of clan announcements (if you'd heard it once as Brindlepaw had you'd heard it a million times). If nothing else what little brain he had was engaged in trying out moderately creative insults, and planning ways to improve his skills so that if he ever DID happen to meet the little stranger he'd know exactly how to deal with him. The laughing did try his paw, almost tempting him into an angry outburst. But if Brindlepaw was only one thing it was confident despite evidence to the contrary, and he just managed to wait for his little adversary to start babbling so he could more effectively shut him up later.
One Marshypaw had finished speaking (and Brindlepaw had spent a moment formulating his response), he was more than happy to launch into a torrent of verbal abuse. It was not so cleverly crafted as that of Marshypaw, but it was imbibed with the blunt force of one who thought they were supremely correct. I'll take being a man-child over an actual child, thanks. he huffed, blissfully unaware of how embarrassing his statement likely sounded. At least I have some sort of training even though this was a blatant lie rather than being a kit fresh out of the nursery. A horribly standard and mundane insult, but this was Brindlepaw we're dealing with. He is the height of stupidity, if not all the time then at least in this particular conversation.
What he couldn't stand for was being told that the Shadowclanner's confidence was warranted, whereas his was all ego. That was such a double standard! A massive one at that! I think you'll find he mewed, tail lashing that my confidence is also vested in my real abilities. I've no proof you've any training nor strengths to speak of, and yet I'm expected to believe you when you say your confidence is warranted? I know MINE is again, a bald faced lie but his own inflated ego allowed him to say it with no hint of shame which might allow it to be detected as such but there's nothing to assure me you aren't the one puffing yourself up on empty promises of skills.
And then the Shadowclanner tried to spin some victory for himself out of the size situation. There was no victory to be had for him. If things came to blows at that moment, it was highly unlikely that Marshypaw would emerge victorious, though Brindlepaw didn't know that. He was, in fact, slightly nervous that Marshypaw did possess the battle training to kick his butt, not that he would admit such a thing. The Gathering was just as much a protection as a restriction. What, are you planning to grow to the size of Dawnstar? he chuckled, glancing up at the imposing Shadowclan leader. Now SHE was big. And battle trainied. And all around terrifying. At an equal level of skill, a big, strong cat will always beat a little shrimp like you.
Was he placing his hope in future training? Yes. Was Marshypaw likely to shred this defense into ribbons? Also yes. Was this going to stop Brindlepaw from doing so? Absolutely not! As I've said, you're speaking a lot of nonsense for a kit who can't prove he's all he is either. Brindlepaw mewed, puffing up his chest a bit. Your hypocrisy is truly astounding. You say my confidence is false and all ego, but then spout off about how great you are without any way to prove it either. As sure as you are that you would emerge victorious in our hypothetical battle, I'd think it would be to your detriment that we aren't capable of settling it here and now.
Of course, the little rat had to circle back around to size. Now it was Brindlepaw's turn to laugh. It seems I've struck a nerve there, eh? he chuckled, reaching out with a paw in an attempt to pat Marshypaw on the head. You're awfully defensive about something that you claim doesn't matter to you at all. So no, I wouldn't say you're clear, little Stranger. All you've done is accuse me of being egotistical and overconfident and then acted exactly the same. See, Brindlepaw was RIGHT in this situation. He might not have been able to employ the same dastardly tricks as the Shadowclanner with his eyes and voice that made him squirm under his fur, but he wasn't wildly wrong in his poorly worded assertions. @Weekend-Wondering
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All hail the Rat Queen's!!
Shrewstep has Silver Tongue and Mind Reader purrks
Pit has Just a Scratch and Beefed Up Tier 2
Cinderpaw
~<>~
40/100
9 moons || she/her || ShadowClan Apprentice small black tabby with minimal white markings and 3 legs; amber eyes
Ah... Cinderpaw had half expected to come across as unintelligable - most cats either didn't know sign, or they did, but they weren't aware of some of the signs Cinder used (the curse of having no one to teach you the proper way, she supposes).
Pursing her lips, Cinderpaw nods in response to the question of her being mute. It's not that it's physically impossible to talk, she'd done so for the first... four moons of her life? But she just hadn't been able to get any words out since events that have happened after that. And it all came back to her missing leg. That was the start of it, she remembers, and then there was that 'family meeting' that swiftly turned into a screaming match.
"Sorry," she signs with what she thinks is the universal motion, lips pursed and embarrassed.
[ so the way cinder signs, because she didn't have anyone to really teach her, is she uses a combination of signs she made up herself and some universal signs as well that she's picked up here and there !! ]
Mallowpaw
87/100
The apprentice nodded, confirming Mallowpaw's assumption, before signing an apology. "It's not your fault," she told her, shifting uncomfortably. She didn't know what to say. How was she supposed to communicate with her if she could barely understand what the she-cat was saying?
Silence stretched between them as Mallowpaw tried to think of something that would stop the conversation from drying up. "How's your training going?" she asked eventually. Hopefully the question was closed-ended enough for her to understand the black tabby even if she didn't use the signs Mallowpaw knew; she should be able to recognise 'going well' from 'going horribly'.
Marshypaw
Male / 7 Moons / ShadowClan / Pansexual
Russet tabby tom with cream-brown fur around the torso, blue and yellow heterochromatic eyes, and a naturally sinister expression
“Well there’s no point to misery without joy, now is there? Just like there’s no point to beauty without brains! That last part is something that you, my friend, need to work on!”
~Marshypaw
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Marshypaw finished speaking, and with a soft smile, he stared at Brindlepaw kindly to wait out a response. The large tawny and brown apprentice spent a moment formulating his response, and Marshypaw’s expression did not falter as he did. So far this interaction has proved itself to be… not slow going, of course, but certainly… average! Somebody snaps at me, I politely offend the, in return, they get angry with me and start ranting at me, I rant back, all of that… lovely nonsense… but this is no different than the usual, is it? Oh, what a shame. I suppose I will just have to pull through, move on- it’s only one encounter. And who am I to say, he might pop out with some sudden backfire of his own… that’ll be… interesting, for a change! Marshypaw definitely did not like Brindlepaw, but at least at the moment, he appreciated him. Marshypaw appreciated anybody who was willing to have a timely, decently dramatic conversation with him, and arguments were a big part of that. Brindlepaw had personality, even if this said-personality was not exactly a happy personality, and the newly made ShadowClan apprentice was overjoyed to have the opportunity to bicker with him. This was a truly amazing start to this gathering, was it not? When Brindlepaw appeared to be ready to speak, Marshypaw readied himself to listen- and, of course, to backfire whatever comments and/or tried to knock him down.
The tawny and brown apprentice’s response came bluntly and forcefully, and tilting his head, Marshypaw lifted his eyebrows, whiskers twitching. He was really trying to prove to the apprentice that he was plain amused with everything he was being told. As annoying as he could be, it was nearly impossible to put his mood down. When it came to emotional triggers, there was really only one, and in the end, rarely was the russet and cream tabby tom-cat not smiling. Brindlepaw told him that he would actually prefer being a man-child over an actual child, and Marshypaw’s first response came quickly after. Laughing lightly again, he sighed, “Ah, that’s unfortunate, seeing as only actual children can grow, yes?” Brindlepaw then told him that at least he had actual training, rather than just being a kitten fresh out of the nursery. Marshypaw clicked his teeth, forcing an acted out gleam of doubt into his eyes. He had absolutely no idea how well-trained Brindlepaw was, but the russet and cream tabby was nearly certain that he was safe to say whatever he wanted in an environment as protective as a gathering such as this. So the ShadowClan apprentice gave Brindlepaw a lightning-quick scan, and the moment it was finished, he raised his head, the acted out doubt that filled his gaze growing more vivid, now mixing with some sympathy again. Quietly, he lied to the older apprentice, “That’s… quite a shame, it doesn’t… show. I may just be a small child who’s just left the nursery, but poor you, poor you.” His smile brightened. “I’ve seen decently trained apprentices, and… your training wasn’t exactly… enough… well, anyway, I’m always here to speak with if your confidence falls under, of course… always.” He managed to lower his voice and put an emphasis on the word ‘always’ simultaneously, before doing Brindlepaw a favor and shutting up again. Truth be told, Marshypaw had absolutely no idea what a well-trained apprentice was supposed to look liked and he just wanted to make Brindlepaw doubt himself and his physical abilities at the moment. So what better to do than lie? It was only a small lie, anyway, was it not?
Next topic, Brindlepaw told him that his confidence was also invested in his real abilities. Marshypaw raised an eyebrow. The tawny and brown ThunderClan tom-cat began to explain how Marshypaw technically had no proof to back up his claims that he was trained in combat and other forms of battle. The ShadowClan tilted his head, and his gaze flickered to Brindlepaw’s lashing tail. Well, at least they had gotten this far… he had successfully angered this stranger. Did they even know one another’s names yet? Goodness, Brindlepaw was even too angry to introduce himself? Marshypaw wanted to slip his own introduction into somewhere, but he was too busy listening to Brindlepaw snap at him. Once that section of Brindlepaw’s response was complete, Marshypaw dipped his head in a nice and polite nod, happily giving the tom, “Fair!” before looking up again, still smiling away. He just wanted to prove to Brindlepaw that he would not be effected much by a singular loss. But he wouldn’t just brush it off either, so he continued, “Yes, you speak the truth, I’ll give you that. But in the end, when I speak of confidence and weaknesses, I am mainly focusing on the emotional value of it all. You are… rather unkind, I’d say, and yet you still view yourself… very fondly, yes? I, however, am kind to whoever treats me with the same respect… and let’s see, hm… I am currently speaking to the apprentice who ran into me and accused me of being in his way. Now, everybody makes a mistake every once and a while, but Stranger… you simply don’t accept these mistakes of yours! Does that not automatically make me more deserving of the confidence I possess?”
Eventually, Brindlepaw asked him whether or not he was hoping to grow up to the size of Dawnstar, and at the sound of that, Marshypaw simply shook his head. His response was not drenched in confidence this time- or shame, for that matter. It was just average. Casually, he replied, “Of course not. I am actually quite small, even for my age. But let’s take a look at your own ruler for a moment, Stranger, shall we?” Marshypaw tilted his head in Bumblestar’s direction, a smug smirk fluttering up and onto his face. “She’s… a bit shorter than average… small, if you ask me. And yet she’s made it to a position of leadership? Oh, Stranger, don’t tell me that size has a single thing to do with one’s strength and success… well, other than you. Your size might just make up for your lack of intelligence, or at least, I would hope so.” He blinked up at the ThunderClan apprentice innocently for another moment or two, before turning back to face him fully. Then after hearing his own size get compared to a shrimp, a creature that Marshypaw barely knew anything about, Marshypaw’s response was quick and simple. “Once again, size means nothing. In fact, the smaller ones of us are stealthiest, oftentimes.” See, all Marshypaw had to do was face his perfectionist-fears and soak his entire body in mud, and then boom, he was one with the shadows! Ghost-like abilities seemed to run in the ShadowClan bloodline.
When Brindlepaw explained to him that he found his hypocrisy truly astounding, Marshypaw only flashed a smile and bowed. “Why, thank you.” The tawny and brown apprentice, with a puffed chest, started to tell Marshypaw all about how he was accusing him of his own faults, and the ShadowClan apprentice listened patiently and quietly. Brindlepaw seemed to have him at what was almost a dead end here, so Marshypaw started plotting up his response as he listened to Brindlepaw speak to him. Brindlepaw, once again, brought up his possible lack of proper battle training, and Marshypaw felt the uncharacteristic urge to roll his eyes a little bit. Instead, he just stared and thought to himself. I’ll just have to blame him for constantly repeating himself, I suppose. It cannot hurt to prove to this apprentice that he is unable to hurt me emotionally… it just isn’t how I function. Maybe I have a big ego, but at least I’m respecting of those who deserve it, yes…? So when Brindlepaw left some open room for speech, Marshypaw yawned, and once he was finished, explained, “Oh, we’re going back to my hypocrisy, are we? Well, let me just say this: Now we’re fair. Fun, right? If I’m overconfident, well, you’re simply no different, are you now? See, stranger? How does it feel to struggle alongside me?” His smile stayed bright, and his expression stayed sinister as he brought up size again, just for ‘funzies’, but on the inside, Marshypaw was actually beginning to bet a bit bored of this constant, back and forth retorting. Arguments were fun until they weren’t, and this was getting quite slow if you asked him. They needed something more interesting to happen, but before Marshypaw could put any more consideration into that last thought, the sound of Brindlepaw’s voice met his earshot again. The ShadowClan tabby tom looked up, curiously.
Marshypaw’s smile even lifted a little bit when Brindlepaw chuckled that he seemed to strike a nerve about the topic of size, but Marshypaw didn’t stay quiet for too long. The young russet and cream tom began to say, “I can assure you that my nerves are just fine, as I am perfectly i-” He was interrupted by a paw. Uh oh. Brindlepaw had made the decision to reach out a paw in his direction, and Marshypaw’s words ended in a small stammer at the sight of it. What’s he try- hey, HEY- It seemed Brindlepaw had accidentally found Marshypaw’s actual nerve. The ShadowClan apprentice tried to shrink back before the incoming paw made contact with the top of his head, but he managed a pat before the newly made apprentice got the chance. Marshypaw’s gaze flashed, smile dropping completely, and with a new discomfort, he swatted at the paw, jerking his head back. As Brindlepaw continued to speak, he had some trouble bringing the smile back onto his face. What was that? A singular pat on the head, and Marshypaw had experienced a literal bomb of unease? It was an unusual feeling for him, that was for certain, and Marshypaw wasn’t too keen on experiencing it again, so he hung an extra step back and away from Brindlepaw as he listened. With a mildly faltering smile, he heard the apprentice out as he explained how he was awfully defensive about something he claimed did not matter to him. He told Marshypaw that no, he was not exactly clear, once again mentioning that he was a hypocrite. Marshypaw’s response was uncharacteristically stiff, but he was still forcing a smile, with some visible struggle. It wasn’t even the truth to Brindlepaw’s words that had finally struck a nerve in him, it was the stupid emphasis on paw in Brindlepaw. So tense, he came back with, “Y…up. All of this is true, I won’t lie. But again, goodness, Stranger, how many times must I repeat myself to be clear? We’re experiencing the same struggle. Now, if you want to keep arguing with me, suit yourself, but…” Marshypaw had given up on the whole make something interesting happen idea. Brindlepaw had unintentionally figured out how to truly strike a nerve, and Marshypaw? He hated it. He wanted to be finished with this interaction, it was making him far too uncomfortable by this point. “…otherwise, I will leave. Yes? You’re choice… Stranger?”
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// Hey, cats are slowly but surely finding Marshypaw’s greatest weakness. ;-; The poor drama king. \\
Twilightstar felt some guilt fall off her shoulders as Bumblestar assured her that the cat wasn't hers, and although Dawnstar didn't seem to care much for the conversation. She hadn't stated the dead cat was a part of ShadowClan either so Twilightstar was going to assume that the cat had just been an outsider.
Dawnstar started the gathering with the usual news. The bit about the twolegs was troubling, ShadowClan seemed to be the victims of twolegs often more so than the other clans. She hadn't the faintest clue why, though. ThunderClan went next and Bumblestar's news was more or less the same, however, she had a few exiles. Rumblecrash and Bravestripe.
Outside of not wanting to deal with an irate Bumblestar, Twilightstar would have to inform her clan to keep an eye out for either cat. They could be killed on sight, she didn't need their trouble anywhere near WindClan.
"Prey is running well in the moorlands and WindClan has two new apprentices. Leopardpaw and Vixenpaw."
"We lost three warriors during the battle with RiverClan. Stormcatcher, Hailnose, and Silversky. Two more have fallen during the confrontation. At ShadowClan's border, Kestrelsoar was killed by Lionflop." Twilightstar glanced at Dawnstar. Even though she was glad to hear that Dawnstar had kept her word, she was still bitter about losing a warrior.
"We lost Wolffang to a coyote he fought to protect one of our apprentices, Twistedpaw." She rushed through the deaths with a heavy sigh.
"StarClan blessed our queen, Firestorm, with a litter, Brightkit, Laurelkit, Blazingkit, and Littlekit. And Snowybreeze was gifted five new kits, Jaggedkit, Frostkit, Seedkit, Cardinalkit, and Strawberrykit." Twilightstar still didn't understanding how both cats had miracle babies. So she just told herself not to think about it too hard. They were gifts from StarClan and that's it. The WindClan she-cat glanced over at Lightningstorm who appeared to be faring well despite the whole memory issue.
If she had a mouse for all the grief and insanity she's had to deal with since her leadership, WindClan would never go hungry again. She bet WindClan had the high case of amnesiacs, lost six deputies, and six medicine cats, but miracle kittens were a new craziness. Her head was throbbed the more she thought about it the more drained she felt. It was time to go home she was done for the night.
"WindClan time to go home." She called to her clan and leaped off the stones. "See you next moon." She called to the other two leaders before retreating with her clan. Maybe next moon they'd be at each other's throats again, who knows. She liked this little civil thing that was going on right now. If only all gatherings were as nice as this one. #gathering
@dino. @Undertaker
Small, skinny, black she-cat with a light gray belly and tail-tip, a mangled tail, a crooked jaw, and one blind eye.
Twistedpaw watched as the tension in Squirrelrise's muscles melted away like ice under a warm newleaf sun. Satisfaction - and happiness - blossomed in her chest. I've made a friend. She's happy to be around me, and I'm happy to be around her. We're comfortable together. She wanted to curl up close to the other she-cat and bury herself in her fluffy pelt - it looked so warm! - but she knew that would be encroaching on multiple boundaries. We're from different Clans, even if we're peaceful tonight and have been allies in recent moons. And she could tell Squirrelrise was still a bit nervous from the hesitance in her voice and the furrowing of her brow.
This was a cat she didn't want to meet in battle. But, one day, we could.
However, that didn't mean they couldn't be friends now. They could be happy together.
Upon being questioned about the name, Squirrelrise looked away. Twistedpaw felt a pang of concern - had she done something wrong? - until she noticed how Squirrelrise's moonlit ears were still pointed at her. She also recognized the thoughtful look that clouded her starry yellow eyes. She was just thinking.
Usually, silence between conversation felt like an eternity. But tonight, it passed in the blink of an eye, regardless of how long Squirrelrise had spent pondering. Twistedpaw's single tiny ear pricked when the young ShadowClan warrior's voice rose into the thick air. She had to strain to pick it up among the myriad of voices.
Vast... open... endless... Twistedpaw turned these words over in her mind, thinking. It didn't make sense to her at first. But, when Squirrelrise elaborated, it all fell into place. Her mismatched eyes widened. Endless possibilities. Hopeful.
That... was perfect.
Before Twistedpaw could voice her thoughts, Squirrelrise began speaking again, her speech less anxious than it had been during her explanation. Twistedpaw smiled at her encouragingly - as best as she could, anyway, with her crooked jaw. The praise only made her smile grow wider and her eyes shine with joy.
Then the conversation took a more serious turn. She can relate to me. Twistedpaw was thrown back to her conversation with Vinepaw, another anxious cat, when she'd wondered what might make him anxious. So much of her life had been caught up in worrying about her deformities. But other cats faced so many other problems, too. So much judgment. I was always told that ShadowClan warriors were fierce and evil, but Squirrelrise isn't like that at all. Do they judge her for her kindness? The thought was despicable.
But, even though Twistedpaw didn't know Squirrelrise's circumstances, she knew it was true. There were many cats who would only judge you for what you looked like or your flaws. They looked past all of your hard work and based everything on superficial matters. Twistedpaw glanced at her round black paws. That was something she'd worried about her whole life. Being judged, hated. Not being valued or recognized for her work. It was still a scary spot. Especially without Brightpaw... A fresh wave of grief swamped her, and in spite of herself, her eyes filled with tears.
But all that matters are the cats who see you for who you really are.
Twistedpaw lifted her head, aware that her eyes must be shining brightly in the moonlight. She did her best to blink away the tears before they spilled over. She worried that someone else might see, but she wasn't embarrassed around Squirrelrise. She was right. The cats who saw her for who she really was - Batglare, Leechscar, Twilightstar, Vinepaw, and of course, Brightpaw and Fireflame before they'd disappered - they mattered far more than Willowsky or Flutteringkit ever had.
She couldn't let herself be caught up in those who refused to see her for something she couldn't control, no matter how much it hurt.
"You're right," she whispered, her already distorted voice choked. She sniffled and cleared her throat. "We are more than what those cats say we are. We're trying hard, and we're strong. Even if it's painful and difficult." She raised her voice to a normal volume. "You're going to be a great warrior, Squirrelrise. We both are. No matter what your Clanmates say, remember that you're strong, you matter, and you will get through whatever you're dealing with." Because Twistedpaw saw a lot of herself in Squirrelrise, as different as they were. She remembered how lost and alone and scared she'd been. If she could help another cat with that, she would. She didn't care that she was from a different Clan.
"And that name you suggested... Twistedsky? It's perfect. I thought my life would never be good. That everyone would always hate me. That I was confined to what others thought of me. But that's not true. There are endless possibilities. And there is a lot of hope. I... I wouldn't be where I am now without a lot of hope and determination. Squirrelrise is a great name. You'll rise above others' expectations. You won't let their mean words define you. I believe in you."
For the first time in a long while, Willowsky's face flashed in Twistedpaw's mind. She remembered the harsh nip of her teeth in her scruff, the furious flash of her blue eyes, the feeling of her claws digging into her sides, her harsh voice screeching in her ears. Then there was Cedarfrost's taunting drawl, his vicious claws, his sick laughter. But Twistedpaw didn't cringe away from it.
"My... my mother, Willowsky, tried to hurt me. She called me a monster. Said I was a horrible curse. Attacked me on the day of my apprentice ceremony and tried to kill me. For so long, I thought it was true. I listened to her. I thought everyone hated me. But now I know that that's not true. She was insane. She was wrong. I refuse to worship her or feel guilty about what she did to me. And, with the RiverClan patrol... they tortured me for it. Sometimes, I'm still scared about being targeted because I don't look normal. But I won't let that fear control me. I refuse to. Instead, I'm going to focus on learning how to fight better so I can be a stronger warrior for my Clan. Someone who can defend them... and myself."
That was one problem that had been resolved. Twistedpaw was still scared and confused on many things. But right now, she felt strong. Empowered. Unashamed.
Dawnstar's voice cut through the air, giving ShadowClan's announcements. Twistedpaw focused on listening to what she had to say. There were a lot of new apprentices - and some warriors, too. So, some RiverClan cats decided to join ShadowClan. A queen had died while kitting - that was sad, but her kits had survived, which was good. And someone - Lionflop - was executed? Twistedpaw's eyes stretched wide, and she couldn't help but glance at Squirrelrise. There's a lot going on in ShadowClan! And he'd been going after an apprentice from her Clan? That was disturbing.
Twolegs, too. Wow, ShadowClan couldn't catch a break! It just went to show how scary... and unpredictable... life could be. Twistedpaw shuffled her paws uncomfortably. Wolffang... Brightpaw... Fireflame... Rosebriar... The dark thoughts that had dispelled while speaking to Squirrelrise came back, filling her with discomfort and foreboding.
The news of a new medicine cat apprentice distracted her. Grousepaw. Twistedpaw squinted through the crowd, trying to see what she could with only one working eye and a ton of cats blocking her view. There was a young, multi-colored cat whose white parts glowed in the moonlight... he looked unfamiliar. Maybe that was him?
As soon as Dawnstar fell silent, Bumblestar took her place. The two leaders couldn't be more different. Dawnstar was massive and dark; Bumblestar was small and pale. Both had their fair share of scars, however, and their eyes gleamed with sheer force of will.
Bumblestar promised to keep an eye out for Mirepaw, the apprentice who was snatched. New apprentices and new warriors, though not as many as ShadowClan. More executions... Twistedpaw shuddered, though the air wasn't very cold. The bulging light gray tip of her mangled tail twitched. What's going on in the other Clans? At least WindClan hadn't had anything like that! And a mutiny... Why? They must've been upset with Bumblestar. Over RiverClan, maybe? Or was it something else?
ShadowClan had gained a medicine cat apprentice, but ThunderClan had lost a medicine cat, as Drizzlecloud had stepped down. Bumblestar had also claimed part of RiverClan territory for her and her Clan and was inviting the other leaders to do the same. I wonder if we'll take some. Twistedpaw glanced at Twilightstar.
Her leader was speaking now. She didn't acknowledge Mirepaw, but Twistedpaw assumed she'd keep an eye out. Two new apprentices; Twistedpaw remembered them making new nests. She bowed her head at the memory of the three lost warriors. Lionflop, that horrible cat, had killed another. Twistedpaw shuffled her paws. All this talk of killing, she knew, was natural among the Clans... but it still made her feel nervous.
And, of course, there was Wolffang. Twistedpaw flinched at the reminder. The memory descended upon her: Rosebriar's starry figure, the coyote's hulking mass, Wolffang's last words to her...
The listing of all the new kits pulled her back into the present. Miracle babies. Firestorm was mates with Lightningstorm, yet she'd gotten pregnant, and Snowybreeze was a tom. StarClan must have blessed us. The thought offered her some comfort.
Now she was being called to go home. Twistedpaw glanced at Squirrelrise. The fluffy russet, brown, and white she-cat hadn't had time to respond yet due to the announcements cutting her off, so she waited patiently. She didn't want to leave without giving her a chance to speak.
Mistlewhisker
ShadowClan Deputy
she/her | 42 moons
[Large black cat with a half white muzzle and a pale green eye] Purrks: Beefed Up T3, Shadow Fiend
⋆˖⁺‧₊☽ The Chariot ☾₊‧⁺˖⋆
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Asking about patrols? Hm... Mistlewhisker considered his conundrum. She definitely had that problem. "First offense, set the expectation of them coming to you. Second, extra patrol duty, usually served with me. It could be the next day, as long as the apprentice eventually gets the patrol experience they missed, as well as a reminder. Third offense, demotion for a moon. If they cannot be bothered to learn, then they should spend time being a kit again." The ShadowClan deputy canted her head. "My goal is to ensure patrols are completed, even if they have to happen later. The incompetence of warriors should not be an excuse to neglect training." Hell, it shouldn't even happen in the first place. Warriors who couldn't be bothered to complete their duties made her claws itch. She wouldn't mention the more serious punishments warriors got now. Ever since exile or execution was threatened, the clan seemed to clean up their act. She was not looking forward to the next time she would have to exile someone for missing a patrol.
She smirked as Crowtooth walked her through his fights. "That little apprentice Lionheart, Springburst? She tried to get between me and a RiverClan warrior." Honorable, but foolish. "Did not end well for either of them. Though she did give me this." Mistlewhisker licked at a scarred-over gash on her shoulder. The molly had fought fiercely, and if she wasn't dead in whatever bush her body had landed in, Mistlewhisker would consider a rematch. "Congratulations to your apprentice." She meowed. Learning through battle made the best warriors.
Dawnstar stepped up, beginning the Gathering in full. Mistlewhisker twisted her long neck up so she could watch her leader, taking a moment to marvel at the figure she cut in the moonlight. Then she felt a little stupid, so she looked away. As she finished her updates, Crowtooth's smug chuckle caught the deputy's ear.
Mistlewhisker glanced around before letting a broad smile bloom on her maw for a brief heartbeat before fading again. "Squirrelrise was my apprentice."And my daughter."That group of warriors is very promising. Two of them became Enforcers immediately." Even though Squirrelrise hadn't made the cut this time, she could sense that the new warrior was shooting for the stars. She knew she was bragging, but pride was one of the emotions Mistlewhisker showed best.
Hmmmm..... Decent system but one that seemed easier to do if you were deputy though Crowtooth found that to be the case with a lot of the things he'd been doing to keep windclan stable of late. Cats just respected the Furies less, or perhaps it was knew that they'd have to run the harsh stuff by the leaders first before it came into effect. Still on the patrol topic... "Sounds like it works fer ya. Ive not found myself repeatin' apprentice yet though, so far Im tryin' ta take make sure they all get a chance ta go before I send cats again."
It was very interesting to hear of Mistlewhiskers battle though, she'd fought one of riverclans elites it seems, though not one of their high ranks, and the young one to boot. "Hmmm... Im curious on yer judgement on this baby lionhearts capabilities. I aint gonna doubt shadowclans new enforcers, I know yall dont tolerate weakness so they gotta be up ta snuff, but I wonder if riverclans able ta make that call as well or if they're scrapin' the bottom o' the prey pile fer their 'lionhearts'." Scanning Mistlewhiskers gash would suggest that Springburst was worth something despite her age but then again even experienced cats made mistakes. Crowtooths new leg scar from a dead man was evidence of that.
"Congrats ta yer ex apprentice as well, is Squirrelrise here, I think I recall 'er (the flighty one right?), Id be curious ta see how shes grown. Shes the-" Ah but time was short and Twilightstar was leaving already, drawing Crowtooth to follow and the tom gave a theatric sigh of sorrow as he hauled himself to his paws.
"Ah, suppose we'll 'ave ta pick this up next time. Until then darlin~" With that and one last tail pull to be a snot the tom was off, kicking up sand in his wake and letting out a raspy cackle, wondering what'd come if they'd gotten to fight instead of them both fighting some lame fish. Mistlewhisker was his friend sure, but Crowtooth like to spar with his friends anyways and he was curious if he or the frog would come out on top.
__________________
Crowtooth is Deputy of Windclan, If he's needed mention me at any time~
Have a kittypet/outsider who needs healing? Vm me!
The apprentice nodded, confirming Mallowpaw's assumption, before signing an apology. "It's not your fault," she told her, shifting uncomfortably. She didn't know what to say. How was she supposed to communicate with her if she could barely understand what the she-cat was saying?
Silence stretched between them as Mallowpaw tried to think of something that would stop the conversation from drying up. "How's your training going?" she asked eventually. Hopefully the question was closed-ended enough for her to understand the black tabby even if she didn't use the signs Mallowpaw knew; she should be able to recognise 'going well' from 'going horribly'.
Cinderpaw
~<>~
48/100
9 moons || she/her || ShadowClan Apprentice small black tabby with minimal white markings and 3 legs; amber eyes
Her training? Uh... well, it was okay? Sort of? She'd recently gotten some basic battle training, but that was it. All other attempts to get any sort of training going had either come up short of the warrior she wanted lessons from fell through in some way. And that's not even to mention the moon she spent recovering when she first gained her name, and then the next moon where she was always on the precipice of retreating farther back into her shell. Recently, she'd taken more initiative, struggling against the feeling that she was falling so far behind her littermates (or those who still remained) who all seemed ready to get their warrior names the second they turn 10 moons old just as Sleepysunrise did.
"It's going fine," she answers, but before she can return the question, Dawnstar begins adressing the gathering, telling news, and after she's finished, Bumblestar steps to the plate. The older medicine cat, Drizzlecloud, had apparently stepped down. Hm. Nothing else really caught her attention, but when WindClan's leader started speaking, Cinderpaw still listened. StarClan blessed windclan with two litters it seemed... hopefully their parents would love them. WindClan took their leave, and soon ThunderClan and ShadowClan would as well.
Cinderpaw wanted to get back home, the sand felt strange under her paws, but she couldn't just get up and leave without being dismissed, and she couldn't walk away from this other apprentice without excusing herself.
"Joining, Clan," she signs, using the universal motions a little choppily - they don't flow as well as her own method, but she's trying to make an effort. "See you around," she waves goodbye and wanders off in the direction of her clan, hoping to join them all before Dawnstar dismissed them.
SQUIRRELRISE she/her. 12 moons. small, scarred russet molly with brown markings and yellow eyes.
[ chill of death ]
squirrelrise's ear twitches at the whisper twistedpaw utters, eyes sliding from the sandy beach floor to the bi-color molly once more. her heart stutters in alarm at the sight of unshed tears gleaming in the windclanners eyes, but it melts away at the realization that twistedpaw isn't..upset. she blinks, eyes widening the slightest bit at the other feline's words. 'we're strong' – not just twistedpaw, not just her, but both of them. her heart warms at the sense of connection. twistedpaw was unbelievably kind. so much so, that she sends a quick prayer to starclan that no more misfortune comes twistedpaw's way.
her maw parts to speak, but words get caught in her throat. twistedpaw thinks the name she suggested is perfect, and thinks squirrelrise is a great name, too. even going so far as to say that she believes in the russet molly, something that she'd never thought she'd hear from someone other than mistlewhisker. a lump forms in her throat, unshed tears stinging at her eyes. she wears a soft expression, unspoken appreciation and the warmth of a thousand suns in her gaze as she peers at twistedpaw. she wants to weep from joy. instead of actually doing that, she dips her head briefly to blink away the tears that threaten to spill.
lump still in her throat, squirrelrise doesn't speak up and lets twistedpaw continue talking. her stomach churns as the molly explains about her mother. a mother berating her own kit..and going as far as attacking her..how could someone be so cruel?, she wonders, brows pinched. it's sickening to think someone could be so evil to their own flesh and blood. if she was the type to do so, she'd have given twistedpaw a hug already.and riverclan..., she shudders. despite going through so much hardship, twistedpaw makes it clear that she's not going to let fear overpower her. it's...one of the most admirable things she's heard. I...should do the same, not let my fear control me, she thinks.
she opens her mouth once more to speak up, but dawnstar's voice rings through the air and she quickly shuts it. her leader announces most of everything that's worth noting, eyes narrowing in discomfort and disturbance at lionflops execution. a twoleg kit kidnaping mirepaw... they'd already had to move camps due to twoleg disturbance, and now clanmates were being taken. she suddenly feels unsafe, just like she felt when they first moved camps. not good.
thunderclan seems to have their own problems. cats trying to start a mutiny for seemingly no reason - rogue attacks. she can't help but frown. there's a mention of taking some of riverclan's territory before windclans leader, twilightstar, starts her announcements. they had two new apprentices, at the cost multiple lives. wolffang.., her eyes widen as she sends a sad glance to twistedpaw. a silent 'i'm sorry' written on her features at the mention of the toms death. apparently, windclan had been blessed with plenty of kits. maybe that was starclan's apology for all the lives lost.
and just like that, the gathering is over. squirrelrises attention swiftly shifts back to twistedpaw, silently reasoning that she shouldn't take up too much of the molly's time since she was being called to leave. "you..are unbelievably..s-strong, twistedpaw." she says, voice soft like always but a hint of rare firmness lingered. "it - it...is very..a-admirable," she admits with a pause, "..windclan..is..lucky to have a..cat s-such as..yourself. I have..no doubt..that you'll b-be..a wonderful warrior.." she shifts, preparing to stand.
"I'm..very glad we h-had the conversation..we did." squirrelrise meows, gratitude clear in her tone as she grins at the older feline. indeed, talking to twistedpaw had given her sense of connection and friendship, putting her worries at ease - at least for the duration of the gathering. ".. hopefully, we can..s-speak again s-sometime," she finally stands, glancing at the already forming crowd that was her clan, awaiting dawnstars call to go home. she waits a few moments in case twistedpaw wants to give any words or goodbyes, before dipping her head with a flick of her tail in her own sort of 'goodbye', turning to head towards the group of her clanmates.
Re: July Gathering
