WindClan: Life Before 2023's Fire

[lone]

Originally Posted by InfernoFlicker

Russel was enjoying the comforting heat of the sun on his back. While Jitterbug was tussling around in the den, Russel thought he might nearly doze off...but he knew better than to close his eyes, otherwise he might crash over on poor Obsidiansky. It wasn't until then that he realized how tired he was. After all, they had been traveling from dawn until dusk for at least two moons now. The more he thought about it, the more he realized how much of a miracle it was for the trio to find the place they were looking for from such a long way away. Infernosky must have an incredibly innate sense of direction, the chartreaux thought.

Originally Posted by InfernoFlicker

Jitterbug was purring loudly and lapping at her paws contentedly now.
"Good," She said between licks, "I'm gonna have the longest and deepest sleep I've ever had in my entire life tonight." Windclan camp was already growing on the young cat very quickly. The more time she spent here, the more she loved it. She hadn't been sure that she would really like it before they arrived, and the entire journey she had been thinking of her sisters and worrying whether it was the right decision to leave or not. Now that she was here, she knew she would never go back. Even though she hadn't even toured the entire camp yet, the sense of fellowship and family between the clan cats filled her and comforted her; she felt safe among these cats, physically and emotionally. The only problem was the trees...she kept thinking she heard them calling her name between the creaks in the wood and the wind through the leaves. It took a lot of effort to ignore them.

Russel responded to Obsidiansky, "She went over a little bit of it...some of the concepts were difficult to grasp just through words, but, she told me I would make a good warrior? And Jitterbug would be a good...warrior in training? She also mentioned something about our names..." He had been offered a lot of information from Infernosky over the past moons that he had forgotten some of it and didn't quite understand the rest.

"She said we go out and hunt all the time, and I'll get to learn some super epic battle moves," Jitterpaw piped in enthusiastically, "And my favorite part; we get to pick out of a HUGE pile of prey to eat for breakfast and dinner every day." She paused from cleaning her fur and looked up at Obsidiansky, "Are you a warrior?"

A purr of amusement escaped Obsidiansky's maw once more as he glanced over at Jitter. She seemed excited about the thought of getting to pick out of the fresh-kill pile. When he thought about everything a Clan had to offer, it seemed humorous... but knowing everything the two of them had been through, he couldn't blame her. The tom cleared his throat, and then glanced up at the two cats again with a smile on his features. They seemed to be decent cats. He would go as far as to say that they were quite nice, despite not really knowing them. Perhaps that would change, if Blazingstar was willing to allow them to call WindClan home.
　
The question was: would he?
　
The former Deputy had seemed to be a little hostile at first... and, if Blazingstar had anything in common with Shrikecall, he might choose to base that off of first impressions. Respect is always important, he thought, hoping that she would choose to show Blazingstar the respect that he deserved. After all... everyone deserved respect, didn't they? He believed so. Those who had earned it, at least. And, he wasn't quite sure that Shrikecall had earned the respect that he got... however, he was the Deputy and Obsidiansky would continue to respect him. He was older. That worried the younger cat, and he wondered what Blazingstar would do was the more fragile, older tom to die. Probably pick a new Deputy if he had to guess, at least.

　
"Hm?"

He asked, upon hearing her question before it had really registered in his brain. "Oh! Ohhh... yes, I'm a warrior." He thought about what Russel had said earlier. So, Infernosky had told him that he would make a good warrior... and Jitter would make a good apprentice? While she looked a little old to be an apprentice, he supposed there was probably something going on that he didn't know about. And, quite frankly, it was none of his business. While he was already fond of these cats, they weren't quite friends; and because of that, he knew that some things were just too personal. Especially to share with a cat who was more of a stranger.
　
Perhaps someday he would know. Turning his attention back to Russel, Obsidiansky's expression stayed the same, a beaming smile stretching across his features. After all... traveling for miles only to be treated so hostily was less then an ideal circumstance. So, the least he could do was make them feel just a little more welcome. Even if it was just a smile, or an apologetic glance, or something like that. "So... you guys want that tour?" He asked with another brief chuckle. To be honest, he was just running out of things to talk about. And, that being true... maybe a tour would do them all some good. Perhaps it would bring up some more subject material.

[lone]

Originally Posted by starfall

The moment he padded towards her he regretted his decision. The grey tabby could sense nothing but annoyance and anger directed his way with every step he took, he found it slightly intimidating. His blue hues flickered with uncertanty and held a hint of worry as she folded her ears back, he didn't want to be here anymore, he wanted to crawl back into his nest and wait for his apprentice ceremony. He twitched his whiskers, looked down at his paws and began to shuffle them, he practically fumed in emberassment "Oh, no. I'm a Tom, my mother named me rain because of my blue eyes....well...her blue eyes, that and it was raining outside." he stated softly, his voice quiet and velvety. Although he liked making new friends, he didn't believe this was the way to go, he had noticed his siblings greeting their friends with smiles and laughes, cinderkit didn't smile, or laugh when he introduced himself. Did he do something wrong? the voice kept itching in the back of his head, kept poking him, toying with him. When the young molly stated her name he gave her a soft smile "oh, it's nice to meet you Cinderkit." he purred, his tail tip twitched. After the deed had been done, he had nothing to talk about, he barely knew the molly and she barely knew him, what if she found something he liked stupid? He wouldnt like that. He let out a soft sigh and smiled "Hm....hey! Let's play a game." he stated as he sat himself down gently, neatly wrapping his tail around his paws "I get to ask you hm....6 questions. You have to answer with either a yes or no. Then you get to do the same to me! Wanna try?" he asked, cocking his head to the side. This was a brilliant idea to the Tom, he got to play a game and get to know the molly better, a win win.

The feline looked as though she were going to laugh when he mentioned a game. A game? Did he seriously think she would want to play a silly, messed up little game? It appeared so by the expression on his features. He looked as though he had just single-pawed rewritten the Warrior Code. Something that Cinderkit knew she would love to do, it could use a few tweaks. Maybe more then a few. That stupid 'six moon' rule was really beginning to bother her. After all, who cared how old a cat was as long as they could fight? Apparently the old, dead cats who had written the Warrior Code did. Otherwise they wouldn't have written it. Sweet that they were concerned, but frankly? Cinderkit was very, very glad that they were no longer alive.
Why should they have to do what a bunch of oldies had told them? Yes, some parts were important... such as no forbidden relationships and that sort of stuff. Loyalty was incredibly important. A sudden spark of interest entered her own hues. Maybe a game would be fun. After all... she could go first, couldn't she? Then she wouldn't be bored out of her mind. "Alright. We can play your little game. But I get to go first." It wasn't so much of a question as a command. She was telling him what she was going to do, just like a true leader.
Well-- something of a leader. That was what she thought, anyways. And, while Cinderkit was aware that it was a childish fantasy, she was also fond of it. Without even waiting for him to respond, she fired away at him. "Have you always been this stupid? Are you sure you're not a girl? Are you as weak as you look? Do you even have a Mom? Do you annoy everyone like this? Are all your game ideas as idiotic as this one?" She asked, asking question after question before she stopped and looked satisfied with herself. "There. Now, according to your "game", you answer my questions and then ask me some." Cinderkit stepped backwards and curled her tail around her paws before glancing at the tom and motioning to him to begin.

[lone]

@Empress Of Evil
{I think this makes... 5 RPs that we're doing now? xD}

If he were being honest, Shrikecall didn't know why he had taken on an apprentice. True; he couldn't very well just say no, but he knew that he was going to run out of time eventually. And, it had been quite a while. 16 moons, wasn't it? Whenever Galespring became a warrior. That's how long it had been. And, unfortunately, that amount of time had had some effect on Shrikecall. After all... he'd been 54 moons. So he wasn't as young as he was then, either. Not to mention that 55 moons wasn't exactly young. More like senior, and now he was... very, very senior. Older then he wished he was. Turning to face Caracalpaw, the tom's expression flashed for a moment. "Alright. Let's see what you remember so far. Attack me." The tom stood completely still, though if Caracalpaw was looking closely she would see how rigid he was, how tensed and eager his expression seemed, and how he looked as though he were going to lash out at any minute. This was Caracalpaw's chance to impress him; to show him what she knew, and what she remembered from previous training. Though Shrikecall didn't impress easily. His hues were watching her, scanning her posture as though looking to see if she were standing right. In reality, he was looking for a weak spot. Shrikecall wasn't one to do soft training. Of course he would keep his claws sheathed-- that was just normal, but he wasn't going to take it easy on the female just because she was younger... and smaller. He was a 70 moon old warrior! Experience didn't matter if he couldn't do the movements, and some of them were just too advanced for his older age. The tom narrowed his eyes and noted her posture once more, waiting for her to attack so that he could ready himself. And, he would make sure to give her pointers all the way. That was the right thing to do, correct? That was what he had done before with Galespring. And she had turned out alright... no, she'd turned out more then alright. She'd turned out perfectly. Shrikecall was quite proud of her... and, surprisingly, impressed. If everything went well, perhaps Caracalpaw would turn out the same way.

[lone]

Originally Posted by Duskflight

When she had spoken the playful insult, she hadn't even thought of their past, it hadn't crossed her mind in the slightest, but if it had, she would have immediately felt regret for saying it. Luckily enough though it went smoothly and the both of them were left laughing in a goodhearted nature, truly showing how their friendship had progressed. Earlier on, Pinepaw would have very likely taken offense to it, and Adderpaw might not have said it at all. To see that they were able to joke like this? It was truly a good visualization of how far they've come over the past moons. Not to mention what they've gone through together what with the Evil Era, Pinekit becoming Pinepaw, Adderkit becoming Adderpaw, Adderpaw going through several mentors.. So much has happened and it has truly developed them as friends, but the thing that has developed them most? Was Pinepaw admitting that he had put up a facade, he had been using her, and the fact that she was able to give him one last chance to make up for it. That is what has truly changed them.

"Oh is that so? Well what if I called you a skinny little kit then?" She retorted with a laugh, her eyes almost seeming to light up with her smile.

Despite her nature, Adderpaw hadn't really ever got into name-calling, she had never really gotten close enough to another cat to feel comfortable about teasing them like that. She felt like it would be bullying or mean if she happened to go around doing that, but if she knew the cat, like she knew Pinepaw, then it was all in good fun. She was actually able to be herself without worrying about hurting another cat's feelings and that's another reason why she liked Pinepaw so much. Adderpaw was a free spirit and sometimes, other cats tried to keep her down, but not Pinepaw. Being with him.. She could flourish into who she truly was.

The yellow tabby let the brown apprentice land on her, her stomach fluttering giddily as it appeared he had missed her grin and had no clue that this was all a trap. Sure she'd let him have his moment of triumph, let him feel like he had truly pinned her, but she wouldn't let it last too long, her eyes sparkling as she looked up at him, a grin placed widely on her muzzle as she waited for the right moment to do this.
"Yeah, you got me alright! I'm done for, finished!"
There was a small pause before she let out a short laugh.
"Or so you think! Hyah!" With that, she would carefully, but forcefully push her hind legs into his stomach to send him flying off of her, not too hard, but hard enough to where he likely wouldn't be able to prevent himself from being thrown off.

And, assuming that Pinepaw had, in fact, been thrown off by her 'expertly' timed kick, Adderpaw would roll back over onto her paws and come racing at him with a laugh.
"Never underestimate the great Adderstar! It's a grave mistake, for now I must teach you a lesson!" She yowled as she came barreling for him, tail raised in the air from her excitement.

Rookpatch didn't know what was going through his apprentices head and he wasn't sure that he wanted to know what was going through her head. It was likely something along the lines of, Wow he really talks funny, I wish I didn't have him as a mentor. I wish I could actually have some cat that could talk. And truthfully, the tom wasn't sure if he'd be able to handle hearing that if he could read minds, his self-confidence was already so fragile, and to hear something like that? He'd practically be sent back to his apprentice days. He'd be an inconsolable mess and it would likely take him a step backwards in getting better with his speech. Right now, the calico was so incredibly fragile it was like having a glass cat, both in his mind and his physique.

So after he had spoken, he had looked away, not even wanting to see a hint of what she was thinking about, too scared that she'd make that face again, or flinch at how horrid he truly did sound. He hated that he was scared of his apprentice, but he couldn't help it, so many cats had ridiculed him and left him because of his inability to speak normally and he.. He couldn't bring himself to see another one follow the same route.

His ears swiveled and his pale green gaze was brought to glance over at Heartpaw as she responded, at her smile.. He showed confusion, hesitance and maybe even a bit of disbelief, but regardless, he mirrored the smile a little and dipped his head in thanks, figuring that the head gesture was enough and that he didn't need to actually say it. He found himself searching her demeanor, the exact opposite of what he wanted to do seconds ago, but he found himself wishing to know if she had truth behind her words. It.. It seemed like she did. He wanted to believe that she did. So he nodded again and offered the same smile.

You need to stop thinking that every cat is out to be mean to you.

Then again.. Many of the cats that I've met don't want to have anything to do with me..

His mind felt like it was in constant turmoil of fear and doubt and everything in between, leaving him scared and confused with no one but perhaps two cats to help. But when he was able to talk to others, others that actually seemed to care a little bit about him, he was distracted from these fears, the paranoia, the internal turmoil, he could actually become a cat and not an empty husk of a terrified creature. And right now? His apprentice was able to distract him from these fears, simply by talking, forcing him to focus his attention on her. What she said, caused him to smile a little more, a quiet, strange sounding chuckle escaping him.
"Y-Y-Yuh-who- You th-th-think-hink s-so? Huh-H-Have you-ou-who ever-er s-s-suh-suh-heen-seen a ruh-r-r-ruh-rook? Y-You c-c-can s-s-see t-th-th-th-them-hem uh-out-out on the.. The m-m-uh-muh-moor s-s-s-some.. Suh-sometimes-times. {You think so? Have you ever seen a rook? You can see them out on the moor sometimes.}"

It appeared that the calico tom was trying to warm up to the young cat, but perhaps it would take a little more time to do so. He wanted to be able to warm up to her, to be able to feel a little more comfortable around her, but it was hard to do when he's only known her for a short while of time. But it was good that she was able to get him to smile, and it was even better that he was trying to speak to her, though he was clearly hesitant about doing so. But he did it. He had spoken to her and was continuing to speak to her. It was a good sign.
When he was done speaking, he looked to her expectantly, ears perked and ready to listen to what she had to say now.

The tom remained quiet as he heard her ramble on, the fact that she was rambling and seemed to go on forever caused him to smile a bit more, glad to see that she was eager to speak to him, few cats were. She would wait till she was done to respond to her, just as she had done for him.
"Y-You.. You really-really wuh-want t-t-to-to-to buh-b-buh-be b-beh-est-best frien-fr-friends?" Asked the tom with eyes that seemed to brighten a little, it wasn't often that a cat said they wanted to be his best friend, or really a friend at all, so the idea that his own apprentice wanted to be his best friend? It definitely made him brighten up a bit.
As for the second part of the conversation, he glanced at his paws before shaking his head slowly.

"I..I-I d-duh-duh-hon't don't l-luhl-l-l-luh-hike-like t-to buh-he-be uh-uh-around muh-muh-hean-mean cuh-cats... {I don't like to be around mean cats..." In a way it was an answer to her question, vague, but clear enough to show how he feels about it. He wouldn't want to be near a cat that was capable of being mean, unless it was in the defense of a friend, but even then he'd likely be weary of them. His gaze glanced back at her before looking back at the ground.

Having been thrown off by 'the great Adderstar', as she had called herself, Pinepaw leapt to his paws, a spark coming to his hues. He couldn't pin her down again, she was coming straight towards him. A plan formed in his mind as he examined his surroundings, weighing his options. He could just let her barrel into him. That wouldn't hurt too bad, at least he hoped not. He could try to jump out of the way, try and have her run into something else. Oh, but that might hurt her. What was he saying? She was about to pin him down! Quickly, Pinepaw jumped aside, his spindly legs flailing in the air for a moment, trying to find anything secure before he landed neatly away from Adderstar. His best friend would make a good leader. StarClan help me if I was Deputy and you wanted to be Deputy. Those painful words replayed in his head. Thank goodness she had forgiven him. Thank goodness she had decided to give him another chance, because this time, he wasn't going to mess up.
　
This time, he was going to fix everything and make sure that he was a good friend to Adderpaw. Make sure that he lived up to her expectations or standards or whatever she might have. He was going to be absolutely, positively sure that he didn't waste this, his second chance. Not to mention he was lucky to have even gotten such a chance. It was unusual, but not unheard of, and he was thanking his lucky stars that she had seen something in him. Whatever it was, he had managed to escape from something that he would have hated. A life without friends. Now that he had Adderpaw, things were definitely looking up. Now that he had a friend, things were looking up. "Ha! Looks like the great Adderstar wasn't expecting that! Now you know not to mess with the powerful and incredibly handsome Pinestar!" The brown tom yowled back defiantly. Given his past, he sincerely doubted that he would ever get to be leader; but a tom could dream, couldn't he?
　
Of course he had the right to dream. And, as long as he did, he might as well dream big. Like, leader big. So that was what Pinepaw did, he dreamed as big as he could. The brown tom's tail twitched back and forth, a smile on his maw, eager look on his features. It was easy for Pinepaw to smile nowadays. Easier then it had been a few moons ago, at least. That was good, considering he would have called this whole thing stupid just a few moons ago. But now? He thought it was the most fun he had had in a long time. And that was special. It was great that he was smiling again; he had missed most of his kit moons plotting and scheming up things to do, to trick other cats into being around him. Like he had done with Adderpaw. That rich, silky voice that he had used before still rung in his ears, making them burn with embarassment at times. Had he really sounded that much like a dork? Probably so. Then again, maybe not. There was always the possibility he had actually sounded cool, or more suave then he thought... but he sincerely doubted it.
　
He sounded like one of those 'young flirts' who had always been hanging around the nursery, and now the apprentices' den. While some were older then him, they still annoyed him immensely. Seriously, who cared about these types of things? He wondered what Adderpaw thought of them. Completely off guard, he knew he was probably vulnerable to another attack at the moment; and, if he were being honest, he was half-expecting one. After all, no cat in their right mind would give up this opportunity. No cat in Pinepaw's mind, at least. But then again, Pinepaw had been a dirty fighter. Perhaps cats who had more tact; more honor then that would fight better. He doubted it. After all, what was the use of honorable fighting if you were going to lose? There had to be one, or else cats wouldn't do it. He was just unable to see it, being his usual... surprisingly somewhat logical self. Looking at Pinepaw, he didn't look like the type of cat who would be using logic.
　
He looked more like the type that would pin you to the ground and bite your throat in half. And, sometimes, that was the expression on his face as well. No wonder the poor tom didn't have many friends. Well, again, other then Adderpaw. She had been like an angel coming down from StarClan these past few moons. A definite angel, a cat that Pinepaw was grateful to have. Lucky to have. No one else could so much as touch her, the feline was his. His selfish nature seemed to come through in an instant as a spark of anger lit up his colored hues. A flush of color spread to his ears, making them a darker pink then they should be... so pink they were almost red, but not quite. Thank goodness he wasn't that embarassed, that would be almost too embarassing for him to so much as think about. And, Pinepaw's expression changed when he realized that he was caught off guard. He was again, expecting an attack, only this time he felt more stuck. It appeared reminiscing about the past was not the best thing to do while fighting a friend. A spark lit up Pinepaw's hues and he awaited the blow that he knew was probably coming -- and that he probably deserved for being so careless.
　
　
Now, Heartpaw was still trying to get used to Rookpatch's odd speech. True, she found him to be an absolutely delightful cat, but his way of speaking was... different. And she needed to figure out how to decipher it in a quicker way so that he would feel like she understood him well. Besides, that wouldn't be a lie; if she was really able to decipher it quickly, then she would understand it well. No lies needed. The thought put a smile on the feline's features, but it quickly faded as she realized that it was going to take some practice. Thank goodness Rookpatch was being patient with her and answering all her questions. She knew she could be a little... challenging at times. Perhaps that was why her friend had left her as well. Her old best friend. Ex best friend. Whatever she wanted to call him, Rainpaw, she was certain, no longer wanted to be her friend at all. And, the question on the tip of her tongue was: even if he did, did she want to be friends with him?
　
True, Rainpaw wasn't that bad of a cat. He was actually quite fun to be around. But... he had also been such a bully, and Heartpaw was terrified of being around him if he did that again. What would Blazingstar and that younger cat... Ferretpaw? Ferretpaw, that had been her name. What would they think if she was a bad cat? A shudder prickled down Heartpaw's spine and she turned her head to look at Rookpatch again. His almost-mirrored smile put one on her own face, and she grinned broadly back at him. It was nice that he was trying. Some cats might just give up, thinking she was being too pushy or something... she wasn't! Was she? Not that she knew of, anyways. The feline's tail twitched once more and she glanced up at him with a broad smile on her maw. Heartpaw was normally smiling. If there was a time when the apprentice wasn't smiling, you could rest assured that something was wrong. Badly wrong. And yet she was almost always perfectly fine.
　
When that was true, what was she doing? Smiling. Constantly. It was somewhat scary, to be honest, but Heartpaw had never been one to care too much about what other cats thought. Except for... Rainpaw. Perhaps that was what was bothering her, plaguing her thoughts and her mind, making her feel as though she were lower then dirt. She knew she wasn't. He was! He was the one who had messed all this up! He was the one who was a complete and utter jerk! She wasn't. She was a good girl. At least, she thought so... wasn't she? Wasn't she a good girl for standing up for that other apprentice, albeit against her best friend and former constant companion? Remembering how they had spied together... snuck out together... done pretty much everything together hurt, but she would live. Besides! Rookpatch would be her new best friend, wouldn't he? Maybe he already had a best friend, and didn't want another one. In Heartpaw's opinion, you could never have too many best friends.
　
And, she would be back to one after this. More if Rainpaw came back and apologized, which she wasn't sure whether she would forgive him if he would. At his words, she turned her head and quickly began to decipher them in her head until she was able to figure it out pretty quickly. "Of course! It's such a cool name. No, I haven't ever seen a rook before... do they have the same coloring as you? Is that why your parents gave you the prefix rook?" She asked, examining his coloring. It was interesting. Pretty, even. Heartpaw hadn't seen too many cats that looked like him, and while it was somewhat foreign and alien to her... she liked it! It was cool at the same time, kind of like his name. It sounded different. Unique. Heartpaw would have loved to be unique, but sadly, she had the coloring of many other cats she had seen before. The same old brown and white patches. Blue eyes. Not too much that was unique there... except maybe her name. Because she had a heart-shaped patch on her head.
　
Therefore, the prefix 'Heart' was established. Her Mother had been a kittypet. Sometimes Heartpaw thought that's where she had gone, back to be a kittypet again. A slight giggle escaped Heartpaw's maw at his question, and she nodded eagerly. "Well, yeah! Why wouldn't I? You're a really cool cat!" She purred, nudging him lightly in the manner she had seen other cats doing with their friends. In the same way she would have done with Rainpaw. While the mere memory of the grey tom brought a pang of pain to her mind, she quickly shook it aside in favor of the more exciting conversation with her mentor. His words suddenly had her ears pinned flat to her head. "Neither do I." Her voice was quiet, soft, and worried. 'Mean cats' was a vague term. One that Heartpaw knew was likely to have several meanings to several different cats. 'He said this, he's a mean cat.' 'She did this, she's a mean cat.' Depending on what it was, anyone could be given the title 'mean cat.' Even one as shy as Rookpatch, or as friendly as Heartpaw.

[doghouse]

Originally Posted by NightWarrior4Life

ShinePaw shrugged and took the pigeon back, only to chow down on it moments later "Okay. More for me then!"

Once the two had finished their prey, the silver Molly yawn showing long teeth and a blood red tongue. "I'm going to head to the apprentices' den. Meet you there?" She asked, one ear twitching.

Phantompaw laughed, white teeth flashing in the ever dimming light of the setting sun. She smiled mischievously, knowing that tonight, her nest was going to be cold. She wanted to sneak out and wander. That was her secret: that she snuck out most night now, alone. Mainly to bother Rainpaw if he found out, since she knew very well that he disliked her being iin the territory alone. She saw no danger in it, and enjoyed the freedom. Flicking her tail, she nodded. “Sure. I'll be there in just a moment.” she replied, grabbing the half eateb vole and burying it in the clearing. In a few rises and falls of the sun, she would unbury it and stick it back in the fresh-kill pile.

[Empress Of Evil]

Originally Posted by Lonestar23

@Empress Of Evil
{I think this makes... 5 RPs that we're doing now? xD}

If he were being honest, Shrikecall didn't know why he had taken on an apprentice. True; he couldn't very well just say no, but he knew that he was going to run out of time eventually. And, it had been quite a while. 16 moons, wasn't it? Whenever Galespring became a warrior. That's how long it had been. And, unfortunately, that amount of time had had some effect on Shrikecall. After all... he'd been 54 moons. So he wasn't as young as he was then, either. Not to mention that 55 moons wasn't exactly young. More like senior, and now he was... very, very senior. Older then he wished he was. Turning to face Caracalpaw, the tom's expression flashed for a moment. "Alright. Let's see what you remember so far. Attack me." The tom stood completely still, though if Caracalpaw was looking closely she would see how rigid he was, how tensed and eager his expression seemed, and how he looked as though he were going to lash out at any minute. This was Caracalpaw's chance to impress him; to show him what she knew, and what she remembered from previous training. Though Shrikecall didn't impress easily. His hues were watching her, scanning her posture as though looking to see if she were standing right. In reality, he was looking for a weak spot. Shrikecall wasn't one to do soft training. Of course he would keep his claws sheathed-- that was just normal, but he wasn't going to take it easy on the female just because she was younger... and smaller. He was a 70 moon old warrior! Experience didn't matter if he couldn't do the movements, and some of them were just too advanced for his older age. The tom narrowed his eyes and noted her posture once more, waiting for her to attack so that he could ready himself. And, he would make sure to give her pointers all the way. That was the right thing to do, correct? That was what he had done before with Galespring. And she had turned out alright... no, she'd turned out more then alright. She'd turned out perfectly. Shrikecall was quite proud of her... and, surprisingly, impressed. If everything went well, perhaps Caracalpaw would turn out the same way.

A small abyssinian padded calmly after her mentor, a wide grin on her maw. It had been a while since they had had a training session and she couldn't wait to show her mentor her improved skill from last time. Being a new apprentice, the she-cat still had so much to learn and she was always eager to know more. Knowing that she was being taught by the deputy and one with many moons of experience, it boosted her confidence. Caracalpaw was an ambitious cat and she hoped deeply that she would one day grow to be WindClan's leader. Of course, there were many chances that she would change her mind in the future. After all, wasn't it every apprentices dream to become the leader?

The she-cat was quickly brought out of her thoughts as Shrikecall spoke his orders. Caracalpaw nodded in response and narrowed her eyes, getting into a crouched position, making sure that her claws were sheathed. They didn't want injuries now did they? Being as sudden as she could, the abyssinian suddenly leapt off the ground. The crouch she had had gave her a big spring, making her go further. Her yellow hues were focused on the back of her mentor, occasionally looking from side to side. Having watched others apprentice's train before, the she-cat was prepared for her mentor to suddenly move to the side. Her big leap had given her enough time to move to the side if needed. When it came to learning, Caracalpaw didn't necessarily have to do the move herself to do it. She obviously had to practise, but being a rather observant cat meant she could observe something and hopefully she would be able to catch on quickly, practising the move by herself. The bronze she-cat had been born with many talents, and catching on to something quickly was one of them. She could easily learn something, however she normally made others wait a long time whilst she practised. The she-cat aimed for perfection. Caracalpaw didn't go for average, that was never good enough for her. Her ambition and dedication lead to her never giving up until she was perfect. That was the kind of cat that Caracalpaw was. Don't underestimate her and guess that she's just average, because you will be proved wrong. No matter how long it takes her to get it right.

[BlindSunLight]

Originally Posted by snowdrop

He nodded "try and track a mouse. You should pick up a scent soon."

Risingpaw looked around with narrow eyes, she lifted her ears and opened her mouth to take in her surroundings. After a few moments her ears twitched, she heard dry grass crunch, and then she could smell freashly sturred dirt. Risingpaw looked wide-eyed at her mentor, "I found something... but I am not sure if it's a rabbit."

[Fallpotato]

Originally Posted by BlindSunLight

Risingpaw looked around with narrow eyes, she lifted her ears and opened her mouth to take in her surroundings. After a few moments her ears twitched, she heard dry grass crunch, and then she could smell freashly sturred dirt. Risingpaw looked wide-eyed at her mentor, "I found something... but I am not sure if it's a rabbit."

He yawned and followed her. He sniffed the ground "small rabbit." He shrugged and licked his paw. He sighed, waiting for the response.

[BlindSunLight]

Originally Posted by Ludicrous Lunacy

(OPEN!!)
Rainshade sat quietly atop a hill, whiskers barely quivering as they sat in the steadily dimming light of the sun. The she-cat faced the sun, eyes closed, and appearing to be entirely... Normal. Short fur soaking up the bleeding light, they were practically a statue, bleached pink by the dying sun and shadowed by the silently approaching night. The warrior's ears twitched suddenly, as if they had heard something, though no sound had been made. Their right ear flicked twice more before their eyes opened, instantly making them seem a different cat. The image of serenity was shattered by the intense, crossed blue eyes that darted around as they tried to spot something. Although it may have simply been a drip of water falling from the scrubby bush to their left, it may also have been a hare or a bird. Sniffing the air, the warrior searched for a hint of the scent of prey.

Risingpaw glared at her mentor, he wasn't taking this seriously. "just because it is small doesn't mean it isn't good fast prey." She lifted her head and without warning ran off to find it. Risingpaw felt warm in the face, she was upset. She followed the scent until she spotted an outline, she sniffed again, before approaching the she~cat.

[InfernoFlicker]

Originally Posted by Lonestar23

A purr of amusement escaped Obsidiansky's maw once more as he glanced over at Jitter. She seemed excited about the thought of getting to pick out of the fresh-kill pile. When he thought about everything a Clan had to offer, it seemed humorous... but knowing everything the two of them had been through, he couldn't blame her. The tom cleared his throat, and then glanced up at the two cats again with a smile on his features. They seemed to be decent cats. He would go as far as to say that they were quite nice, despite not really knowing them. Perhaps that would change, if Blazingstar was willing to allow them to call WindClan home.
　
The question was: would he?
　
The former Deputy had seemed to be a little hostile at first... and, if Blazingstar had anything in common with Shrikecall, he might choose to base that off of first impressions. Respect is always important, he thought, hoping that she would choose to show Blazingstar the respect that he deserved. After all... everyone deserved respect, didn't they? He believed so. Those who had earned it, at least. And, he wasn't quite sure that Shrikecall had earned the respect that he got... however, he was the Deputy and Obsidiansky would continue to respect him. He was older. That worried the younger cat, and he wondered what Blazingstar would do was the more fragile, older tom to die. Probably pick a new Deputy if he had to guess, at least.

　
"Hm?"

He asked, upon hearing her question before it had really registered in his brain. "Oh! Ohhh... yes, I'm a warrior." He thought about what Russel had said earlier. So, Infernosky had told him that he would make a good warrior... and Jitter would make a good apprentice? While she looked a little old to be an apprentice, he supposed there was probably something going on that he didn't know about. And, quite frankly, it was none of his business. While he was already fond of these cats, they weren't quite friends; and because of that, he knew that some things were just too personal. Especially to share with a cat who was more of a stranger.
　
Perhaps someday he would know. Turning his attention back to Russel, Obsidiansky's expression stayed the same, a beaming smile stretching across his features. After all... traveling for miles only to be treated so hostily was less then an ideal circumstance. So, the least he could do was make them feel just a little more welcome. Even if it was just a smile, or an apologetic glance, or something like that. "So... you guys want that tour?" He asked with another brief chuckle. To be honest, he was just running out of things to talk about. And, that being true... maybe a tour would do them all some good. Perhaps it would bring up some more subject material.

Russel examined his little friend express her delight in the possibility of taking on the living standards of a clan cat. Her smile always made him smile...because it wasn't something he got to see very often. Granted, Jitterbug's smile appeared much more often then Infernosky's, but still far too sparingly, as of late, for a charismatic she-cat at the peak of her youth. At least when she was happy, her...condition didn't seem to flare up as frequently.

Russel has long since become very keen on keeping a close eye on Jitter's eyes and her mouth since they first met. He could always tell when she might be hearing something no other cat could hear; if she looked in a direction where no cat was standing, or if she honed in on a single leaf on a tree, or if she seemed to be listening to something speak to her from an empty space between the trees, he knew she was, well, hallucinating. Though he has found ways to distract her from the nonexistent voices, he hasn't been able to find a cure for this...illness, if one may call it that. He wondered if the clan cats knew anything of it; perhaps they knew a cure. Or perhaps he should keep it a secret? No one but Jitterbug's blood family and Infernosky knew of her disease other than him. Would Windclan refuse to accept her if they knew of her condition? Was he willing to risk the possibility of loosing their only hope for a good home? These questions have troubled him over the past few weeks as they approached the ends of their journey, and he still couldn't decide what the right decision was.

Of course, it all depended on whether Infernosky could talk Windclan's leader into accepting them in the first place. Telling them about Jitterbug would only make situations more risky. The trio had been unprepared for the fact that Windclan would be so different from the one that Infernosky once knew. They assumed that at least one cat would know and remember Infernosky, and accept them all with open paws. Now, things were more tricky. Russel wasn't sure if he wanted to add Jitterbug's condition on top of it all. For now, unless the opportunity presented itself, he would keep quiet about it, and at least talk it over with Infernosky first.

He was jerked back to the present when Jitterbug mrrowed, "Yes, of course I want a tour!" In response to Obsidiansky's offer. The little she-cat warmly brushed her flank against Russel's chest, arching her tiny spine and purring loudly. She sure was happy. Probably happy to have taken a break from trodding on her paws for hours on end. Or perhaps she was just overtired and her mind was getting loopy from weariness. Either way, he didn't mind seeing her like this, at least for a little while. It brought him comfort, knowing she still had some of that bubbly joy the old Jitterbug had. Maybe living here would bring that version of her back.

"Come on!" Jitterbug was now pushing his shoulder with her cranium, obviously wanting to get the tour started. He looked apologetically at Obsidiansky before hauling himself back onto his paws and saying, "I would certainly love a tour, though it looks like we're getting one whether I want to or not." There was amusement in his tone.