High Rank Announcement [#hrannouncement]

Katiethewolfchild · #**1861** April 3rd, 2024, 06:14 PM

Sunleap listened.

Dogpaw listened.

Sheeppaw groomed herself.

Beetlepaw listened.

Mantispaw listened. She didn't know why Lavendersong well it was Lavenderpaw now would mate with a cat in a different clan. Maybe they were in love, though she didn't understand why any cat would let love overpower reason. She didn't think she would, but it was utterly impossible to know what you would do in a situation you had never been in. She hoped that she never found herself in that kind of situation, as she didn't want to have to choose between two things that would likely be very difficult. At the very least why couldn't she wait to see him until a gathering, as she was much less likely to be caught at a gathering than at the borders. Most likely, like other cats were apt to do for some mysterious reason Lavenderpaw had acted without figuring out what would be the best course of action first. To Mantispaw considering what would be the best course of action always came first THEN you could act. Not the other way around, or even worse completely skip the considering part, which was the most important part. Not considering the best course of action to Mantispaw was as obviously foolhardy, idiotic and dangerous as purposely attacking a badger alone. She had heard stories of some cats being able to kill badgers alone, so if you knew that you were one of them purposely attacking a badger alone would no longer be foolhardy, dangerous and idiotic but otherwise... yeah... As with the badger scenario, there was a exception to the rule of never acting before considering the best course of action and that was if you or somebody else was in immediate peril and you had no time to think, just in time to act. In that case acting immediately would be more intelligent than considering the best course of action first, but finding yourself in that type of situation was very rare, and it was possible you wouldn't find yourself in that type of situation even once in your life. Otherwise thinking first was the sensible approach. This was one of the reasons that she didn't understand other cats and never would, but it was nowhere near the only one. She didn't care that RiverClan and ThunderClan hated each other at the moment, as the seven-moon-old didn't understand why everyone couldn't just get along. Why was she so different from everyone else? She didn't understand other cats and they didn't understand her. She was simply too different and not fitting in often made being different feel like a curse. If StarClan existed, were they really the omnipotent, omniscient, loving, and merciful cats they were said to be? If they were what they would said to be why would they have cursed her to be too intelligent for her own good? Yes, she was perfectly aware that most cats would think that her intelligence was a blessing, not a curse but it sure didn't feel like a blessing. She didn't fit in anywhere and she struggled to understand other cats. She knew things that she didn't want to know, like that her existence was unimportant. If she was never born, she was stillborn or she had died some other way before now the world would have continued on without her, not really aware of her absence, especially if she had simply never been born. There was of course a chance, however minuscule that she would become somebody important one day, but that was a ridiculously minuscule chance. Most likely she would become a warrior five or so moons from now, but perhaps she would die as an apprentice or go missing because of something outside of her control. Perhaps she would one day have a mate and kits, just a mate, or just kits. Perhaps she would live to become an elder and die peacefully. Perhaps she would die in a battle or from a sickness as a warrior. Yes, her memory was nearly unparalleled. Yes, she had a great eye for detail. Yes, she could tell when other cats were lying to her by reading their body expressions unless they were especially skilled at lying. But it wasn't worth it. Not really. She just wanted to live a normal life. To have a family and friends, like everyone else. But that was never to be. Pinekit and Ivykit had gone missing when they were all kits. Her mother and father had died when she was barely a moon old. She felt sorry for Lavenderpaw's kits. They would likely be hated and outcast from birth because of something out of their control. It wasn't their fault that they were half-clan, yet they would likely never fit in because of that. The reason she didn't fit in was also out of her control, but it was out of her parent's control as well. They hadn't chosen for her to be born so intelligent. Her curse was simply chance, and of course Lavenderpaw had never meant for her kits to be outcast from birth because of who her father was, but it had been because of her actions. Life in a clan was often nonsensical, at least to somebody like Mantispaw. She often wondered why she had even been born in ThunderClan instead of one of the other clans or as a loner, rouge, or kittypet. Had it just been chance or was it somebody idea of a joke or something like that? Oh, and Fallingpaw, or Fallingkit for the next moon who if she remembered correctly, and even Mantispaw had to admit that she almost certainly did he had been an apprentice back when her parents were alive, which meant that he was likely warrior aged and quite close to earning his warrior name had been demoted for a moon and wasn't to train or leave camp until the punishment was over. Yes, in the grand scheme of things a moon wasn't at all long, in fact a cat's full lifespan wasn't long if you considered the grand scheme of things, but it would still be quite embarrassing for him to be ranked as a kit for a moon despite his age and forbidden from training even in camp. Why didn't Bumblestar just confide him to camp for a moon or so as punishment for not finishing his punishment in time? It would have been a very similar punishment, and it wouldn't have been nearly as embarrassing for him. Other cats often seemed nonsensical to Mantispaw, though she was sure that they made perfect sense to themselves and most other cats. Why had Fallingkit and Copperpaw left camp without a warrior in the first place, especially with two kits. After all, breaking the rules wasn't usually worth the potential punishment if you were caught. She had no idea, and she was pretty sure that why you would risk breaking rules unless you had a really good reason would remain a mystery to her for her whole life. (Why is this so long?)

Porcupinekit listened. Boo! Stupid Lavenderpaw mating with a cat not in ThunderClan, getting caught and getting herself into BIG trouble. Stupid Fallingkit getting caught and getting himself into big trouble. Why did he even leave camp without a warrior? If you were an apprentice why would you not obey the rules so you didn't risk getting caught, risking getting yourself into big trouble? Now he would have to spend a WHOLE MOON stuck in camp. Wait... that reminded them that they were stuck in camp too... And for like THREE WHOLE moons. Why did they have to wait until they were SIX whole moons to be apprenticed? That was WAY too long. They were so far still somehow completely silent.

Slugkit listened from her quiet, lonely, comfortable, and safe hiding space in the nursery. Just the way she liked it. So Lavendersong was going to be Lavenderpaw again till she had the RiverClan's warrior's kits and Fallingpaw was going to be Fallingkit again for a moon? She didn't know which ones they were cause she didn't talk to any of the cats in this clan but Mommy, her siblings, Yarrowkit, Greenkit, and Bumblekit, and her friends, including Mantispaw and Porcupinekit. Not that she could if she wanted to. She had tried to talk to a stranger once and nothing had come out of her mouth. She could talk to Mommy, Yarrowkit, Greenkit, Bumblekit, Mantispaw, and Porcupinekit all she wanted to though. (All of them are open)

**gs29513** · #**1862** April 3rd, 2024, 06:30 PM

Well, that was certainly something. Tansyjaw had to nod in grudging approval of Bumblestar's demotion of Lavenderpaw, though if it were up to her it would be more along the lines of exile. Death wasn't an option given that she was carrying innocent kits, but if she wasn't even that wouldn't be too crazy. Though given her foolishness, exile might result in that. Tansyjaw highly doubted Riverclan would take her in if she was foolish enough to run to them. It was nice to see a few other cats, younger ones too if she remembered correctly, of a similar mindset as her. She had been concerned that cats with any care about clan loyalty were a dying breed, but no one was speaking up in defense of Lavenderpaw, and Lightningeagle was equally disgusted as her. She nodded approvingly in his direction. (IC not OOC)

**Goopysharkboi** · #**1863** April 4th, 2024, 07:01 AM

Ashenheart listened carefully, her only functioning eye peering round.

**MaplestrikeWCUE** · #**1864** April 4th, 2024, 07:06 AM

They looked up at their leader

***Alchemist Kitsune*** · #**1865** April 4th, 2024, 08:18 AM

| Sprucepaw |
Kitty Softpaws - Active | Ultimate Predator - Inactive | Agatha Kitty - Inactive

Fudge was mentally checked out. Anything else the leader said was lost to the chocolate point, his mind still reeling from the mere thought of a cat eating another of its kind. Wasn't dealing with predators bad enough?! They now had to deal with cannibals? Oh heavens... Cattibal! He still remembered that kit he used to know. Back when he had only just arrived to this place. The kit had been kind to him for some reason. Gifting him the moss figures he still had to this day... albeit refreshed enough times that they were far from the originals. Semantics. The tom had also gifted him a few other things. Tokens he had adorned the moss figures with. He'd liked those presents enough that he had completely forgotten... but... but that kit... Hadn't he been trying to eat himself?! Was that just a clan cat thing?! These felines were doomed to be less comprehensible to the former kittypet the more he learned about them, it seemed.

The chaos around the tom went unheard. It was all unimportant, anyways. These meetings always went the same. Angry lived up to her name, killed someone, everyone made fun of those who dared to be sad that one of their own died, and then Angry yelled some more until she was satisfied. It was one of the main reasons the paw had refused to build those friendships his mentor had asked of him moons back. Because... what was the point? These cats would either die at the claws of their enemies or die at the claws of their leader. He was already terrified enough... knowing that at any moment it could be The Boulder's turn. Somehow, the idea of losing them scared him even more than incurring Angry's wrath for himself.

And speaking of his mentor... So lost in thought was the Havana Brown mix that he almost jumped out of his skin at the giant's approach. Almost. Being nabbed out of nowhere to be given a proper bath, however, was nothing new to Fudge. He had grown accustomed to the brown furred feline's brand of affection to the point of appreciating it... not that he actively showed it beyond the small, welcoming purr that lasted only just enough to be heard.

The after effect of the surprise grooming session was quite the spectacle. A perfectly groomed, brown coated apprentice besides a magnificently disheveled hornet. Not that the paw seemed to pay his mentor's appearance much mind as he stared down at the red feather now latched on to his chest, emerald hues twinkling with a level of surprise rarely shown there. Curiously, he stared back at the giant, head tilted slightly as they spoke. This was obviously a big moment for them. They had gone out of their way to hunt down one of the very birds that had ensured his assessment had been a success, wanting him to parade his victory even as Angry yelled down a new name for him. Because he understood as much now. Today his name changed. A ceremony that held no real relevance to the young tom, but was obviously the world to his mentor.

The long furred cat had always considered himself The Boulder's best apprentice. He was studious. Dedicated to survival. You see, he actually did appreciate living. None of this dying to go to the stars thing the others had going on. Quite literally for some of them. He could earnestly admit that he hadn't a clue how anyone had mass convinced a bunch of cats that when they died they went to the stars and that these same stars somehow chose cats to lead them... but he had stopped questioning much of it for the most part anyways. Stopped paying attention to most things that didn't have to do directly with him. As such... it caught him off guard. His mentor's admittance that he was the first of his pupils to attain the warrior status.

He hadn't been the only apprentice. He knew that much. Fudge hadn't cared enough to know their names - whatever for, they would change it time, wouldn't they - but he had hated them all the same. Cats that vied for the same attention as he from the colossal cat. He had been scared at first, even, that The Boulder would set him to the side like the first mentor he had been saddled with. Stripefacesomethingorotherdefinitelyhadaname. They hadn't, of course... however... it surprised the tom to learn that he was the first to reach that apparently coveted warrior rank. Even at his eight moons of age. A fact that puffed his chest with pride, in his mind this clearly cementing that he had been right. He truly had been their greatest student in the bunch.

Gingerly, even as Angry continued her incessant rambling, the young tom extended one socked paw, attempting to place it over his mentor's. It was a silent gratitude. One he extended with an appreciative blink of his eyes. It was strange to hear them hope that they had been a good mentor. Like if there was any doubt! But then... He had always enjoyed it when The Boulder let him know just how well he had done. How awesome he had been. Excellence he would have never accomplished if the feline had not taken their time to help him. But he had never really voiced any of this, had he? Not before now.

"Unparalleled," he mewed, his voice stern as his brow creased with the severity of his intention. The Boulder should know they were the best mentor ever. Bar none.

@Rani [Mudhound]

**dino.** · #**1866** April 5th, 2024, 02:21 PM

High Rank Announcement [#hrannouncement]

No objections, at least. Fallingkit looked less than pleased, but if he didn't want to deal with this, then he should have gotten things done on time.

The next couple of things were at least positive. Reassignments and apprentices, then one other thing that would hopefully boost morale a little bit.

"Reassignments next. Sheeppaw, you're with Sparrowpelt. Basilpaw, Skunkstrike. Wildpaw, Carrioncaller. Dogpaw, Lightningeagle. Oatpaw, Dragonflycliff. Silverpaw, Vultureeye. Echopaw, Mintwhisker. Mallowpaw, Beetail.

"Now for apprentice ceremonies. I'm doing something a little different this time around, so to some of you, hearin' your name might be a little surprising, but that doesn't mean you have to come up here if you're not feelin' it. It's just an opportunity to get a start on things a bit earlier.

"Grovekit, Brindlekit, Berrykit, Puddlekit, Pondkit, Mosskit, Beekit, Alpinekit, Nectarkit, Mountainkit, Morningkit, Maplekit, Wolfkit, Porcupinekit, Wisteriakit, Toadkit, Leafkit, Frogkit, Firekit, Whitekit, Minnowkit! If you lot wanna get a start on your training, come up here."

#tcmeeting

To find your apprentice/mentor, go to ThunderClan's allegiances and use ctrl/command+F.

If you want your kit to be apprenticed this round, they need to be posted approaching the Stormcrest by April 7th or they won't be included.

Tiabirb · #**1867** April 5th, 2024, 02:34 PM

Skunkstrike
-------------

She looked up from where she had been listening, though her mind had wandered a few times throughout to the shape of the clouds to the reason why the moon came and went. Deep stuff. Her eye widening as Bumblestar called her name. "Yeah? Nice." Skunkstrike purred. Basilpaw, eh? That was an interesting name.

Skunkstrike found this Basilpaw, and she strolled over with a wide, warm grin. "Nice to meetcha. After the meeting, we can chitchat about training," She chuckled, motioning with her paw for him to come sit with her.

@CrimsonOaks

**Omari** · #**1868** April 5th, 2024, 02:44 PM

Drizzlecloud
Thunderclan
She/her

Drizzlecloud's attention was caught for a moment by movement before her, although she only gave them a brief glance before she returned her attention to Bumblestar again… Until, that source of movement had given her a gentle tap.

Her green eyes shifted to look at the young tom, a quiet purr rumbling in her chest at the sight of the young apprentice. When he began to speak, her eyes trained on his mouth, noting the way that he spoke in such a careful manner. How kind of him.

“Maybe a little bit of help would be appreciated–if you're willing to be my meeting buddy for today, that is.” Of course, she knew that he wouldn't have offered if he hadn't wanted to. She was only playing around, and that much was made clear by the way she smiled and nodded her head to the space next to her. “I think I roughly understood what she said before, though.. Dangers on the territory, Shadowclan, taking back land, yes?”

Drizzlecloud peered up at Bumblestar as she continued–looking less than pleased, and somehow more peeved than before. The news about Fallingpaw–kit now, kind of flew over her head. She caught Lavendersong's name being mouthed by the leader, however–and her brows were knit together with concern. That molly had been in the medicine den not long ago, and she ran off after Drizzlecloud suggested the possibility of pregnancy. Surely nothing bad had happened to her, right? By now Bumblestar looked about ready to perform reassignments and ceremonies, so, she shifted her gaze to Warblerpaw, head tilted to the side ever so slightly, curious and concerned about the previous topic.

[ @finley.exe ]

**Shrew** · #**1869** April 5th, 2024, 02:46 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Tiabirb

Skunkstrike
-------------

She looked up from where she had been listening, though her mind had wandered a few times throughout to the shape of the clouds to the reason why the moon came and went. Deep stuff. Her eye widening as Bumblestar called her name. "Yeah? Nice." Skunkstrike purred. Basilpaw, eh? That was an interesting name.

Skunkstrike found this Basilpaw, and she strolled over with a wide, warm grin. "Nice to meetcha. After the meeting, we can chitchat about training," She chuckled, motioning with her paw for him to come sit with her.

@CrimsonOaks

>>BasilPaw<<

"Mk," he nodded, and sat by her.

>>WisteriaKit<<

He padded up.

**Ladiebugg** · #**1870** April 5th, 2024, 02:58 PM

PondKit and PuddleKit ran over, bumping into eachother the whole way.