There's always an exception, you just happen to be one! [p!]

**Marigoldwhisper** · #1 January 27th, 2024, 04:26 PM

Magpiepaw
She\Apprentice\SC
"Why pick them when I can do it so much better?"
· · ─────── ·· ─────── ·

Magpiepaw sat loafed in the middle of Shadowclan territory, half of herself nearly invisible in the dark shade due to her unusual pelt color. But that only proved that she was awesome, awesomely different!

She was probably the only cat in the whole world who looked like this. That was a sign from the Stars themselves, she was sure of it.

As she quietly groomed herself she thought about grabbing a frog or two.

Partly for the joy of providing for her clan but mostly for her own gain. Because who doesn't like tearing up annoying frogs. Magpiepaw certainly did!

Those stupid slimy things could get eaten by as many cats as possible and Magpiepaw wouldn't even feel an ounce of pity. That's what those glob-faced-noise-machines deserved!

HAHAHA!

Tags; @chickadee

**chickadee** · #2 January 28th, 2024, 02:39 PM

The newly made apprentice Gracklepaw padded through the ShadowClan territory. These past few days seemed like a dream to him. He'd finally decided to ask to join a Clan and just so happened to meet Dawnstar, who let him into ShadowClan! How lucky could he have gotten! He couldn't wipe the dorky smile off his face as he thought about it.

He'd dreamed of the Clans since he was a kit, and now he was a part of one! He wasn't too sure of all the rules and whatnot yet, but he was making an effort to learn. He was no longer a loner, wandering from place to place. He had a purpose and goals now.

The territory was so different from anywhere else he'd been. The marshy wetland felt so squishy and weird under his pads. It almost tickled a little, and the feeling of mud within his toes made him squirm a bit. This would definitely take some time to get used to. Not to mention the maze of pine trees that he had no clue how to navigate yet.

Maybe it wasn't such a great idea to try to explore the territory without a warrior. What if he broke a rule?! Were apprentices allowed to leave the camp alone?! His heart started pounding rapidly in fear as his anxieties grew. What if Dawnstar kicked him out?! He just joined the Clan and he'd already screwed up!

In his panic, Gracklepaw tromped quickly though the marsh, head whipping back and forth as he tried to find the scent or some sort of trail to the camp. It was quite obvious from his frantic behaviour that he wasn't used to Clan life.

Just then he spotted Magpiepaw. The apprentice was loafing around, alone, seemingly just lazing and enjoying herself. He stopped as he watched her kill some frogs boredly. Woah. She just killed two frogs without even trying.

Did she kill them just for the sake of it? Or perhaps would she put them on the- what was it called? Prey pile? Wait. Did Clan cats eat free frogs??? The thought of devouring something so slimy and gross, irked Gracklepaw. He immediately felt sick at the thought.

None the less Gracklepaw bounded over with a friendly smile, still slightly nervous, but feeling a little better now that he'd found a fellow apprentice. "Hello! Uhm, I'm a little lost, I'm new here- sorry. My name's Grackle! Oh- I mean, it's Gracklepaw now."

. . .
[ hi im a silly goose and realize i didn't mention you - @Marigoldwhisper ]

**Marigoldwhisper** · #3 January 29th, 2024, 07:03 PM

Tags; @chickadee

Magpiepaw
She\Apprentice\SC
"Why pick them when I can do it so much better?"
· · ─────── ·· ─────── ·

Magpiepaw swiftly flicked her ears up at the upcoming noise, her muscles tensing.

She was ready. She was so ready to claw this snot faced---

Oh.

The apprentice immediately relaxed herself when she saw the Graklepaw staring back at her. She was just about to claw an apprentice! How embarrassing! If she kept that up she'd probably have to stay in her den for a whole moon.

But I did do something right, Magpiepaw countered, her narrowed gaze softening as she looked at Graklepaw. I was ready to fight to the death, just like a true warrior. Because I'm awesome, and I'll never be anything but that.

Magpiepaw let silence linger between the two of them as she shook some slimy bits of frog off of her paws.

So what if she was making this awkward? Never ment too!

"Lost? Well, lucky for you, I know this place like the back of my paw!" Magpiepaw grinned toothily, the tip of her tail rising proudly. "I can take you anywhere. Aren't I just so cool like that?"

She straightened up into a sit, her frame noticably smaller than the newer apprentice.

**chickadee** · #4 February 11th, 2024, 09:07 PM

Gracklepaw's eyes flickered from Magpiepaw's face to the frog guts she was playing with. That was kind of disgusting, yet he found it cool how casually she played with the frogs she'd killed. She must be a super skilled apprentice!! Gracklepaw thought to himself.

"You know this whole territory like the back of your paw? That's awesome! How'd you memorize it? This place is maze of trees!" The black tom rambled with a grin. "And you do seem pretty cool." He agreed. He had to make himself look cool too, instead of some dorky loser! So he puffed his chest out and straightened up to make himself look taller and bigger, holding his head up high like a real, proud, warrior.

. . .

@Marigoldwhisper - I AM SOSOSO SORRY FOR THE LATE REPLY MY LIFE HAS BEEN SO CRAZY IVE BEEN BUSY AND SICK AND HORRIBLE

**Marigoldwhisper** · #5 February 12th, 2024, 05:53 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by chickadee

Magpiepaw
She\Apprentice\SC
"Why pick them when I can do it so much better?"
· · ─────── ·· ─────── ·

(Nooo! It's fine! Life comes before some silly little forest cats^^)

Pretty cool? Magpiepaw's maw split into a smile, her oddly sharp bottom teeth poking out. Finally! Oh my goodness, it took someone MOONS to figure it out, but Graklepaw got it in a few conversations! I AM VERY cool.

Her pelt burned with pride as the newer apprentice complemented her. Perhaps she'd like him around.

"Well, I'd argue the trees are the easy part," Magpiepaw explained, padding over to a nearby tree. She gave it a quick sniff and paused for a few heartbeats as she tried to decipher it.

Yep, that was a Shadowclan scent alright.

"They mark these living logs with their pee. Gross right? Yeah, I totally get it because I think so too. But, it'll help you all around the territory. A Shadowclan cat's scent always reekes of pines and morning dew."

Her twinkling eyes flicked back to Graklepaw before she began swiping her paws across the snow littered dirt, trying to get rid of those cursed frog intestines. Ewwww...

Despite of the flash of disgust that rippled across her face, she managed to continue on. "Knowing the scent of your clan will lead you right back to it."

She opened her mouth to say that's she's gotten lost in these woods as well, but she quickly closed it. She didn't wanna loose her VERY MUCH NEEDED "cool" title.

That was something she needed to cling onto.

**chickadee** · #6 February 17th, 2024, 03:34 PM

“Really?! The trees are easy for you?! But they’re so tall, and they all look the exact same!” He remarked, looking starstruck at her ability to navigate the forest. Stupid Grackle! Of course she can navigate the forest - she’s a Clan cat! She’s lived in ShadowClan all her life! He thought to himself. She probably learned super quickly too.

He tilted his head as she began to speak of how they marked their territory. “Oh! I’ve heard of that before!” There were a few loners and kittypets who did it. Plus tons of dogs. “I guess it makes sense that you guys smell like pines and marsh, since that’s where you live. It’s so different here from anywhere else I’ve been! All the cities and forests I’ve wandered through have never had ground this squishy and wet.” He commented, flexing his claws in the mix of marsh and snow.

It wasn’t really a pleasant feeling. In fact, he found it kind of gross to feel the slushy snow and mud mixed together. Being a ShadowClan cat would definitely take some getting used to.

“So, have you ever been in a battle before?” He asked eagerly. He knew it was childish and immature, but he couldn’t help but ask. Dawnstar had mentioned how important loyalty and fighting was, and the question had been gnawing at him. He’d heard all the legends and tales of the glorious life of Clan cats, and he was dying to know if Magpiepaw had gotten into a fight. He still wasn’t a hundred percent sure how the ranks and Clans worked, but in his mind someone as cool as Magpiepaw had surely been in a battle before.

. . .
@Marigoldwhisper

**Marigoldwhisper** · #7 February 17th, 2024, 04:12 PM

Magpiepaw
She\Apprentice\SC
"Why pick them when I can do it so much better?"
· · ─────── ·· ─────── ·

Magpiepaw paused for a moment to chew on Gracklepaw's remarks, their words flowing out of their maw faster than dirty river water.

She watched quietly as she noticed the young apprentice shifting their paws uncomfortably in the icy wet ground. She could relate to that ALL too well, marshes absolutely sucked.

After fully digesting his words, she finally responded, her tail twitching excitedly. Battle was exactly what her claws longed for. Though, she knew she wouldn't stand two seconds in the heat of a one on one battle. She hadn't even finished her training!

So much for that slog Willowwest. Magpiepaw thought bitterly. But it was okay, because she'd picked up a few techniques on her own.

"Well, no..." Magpiepaw said truthfully. "But I should've! Really should've! I bet all the whiskers on your muzzle that I could kick the snot out of any cat who dares cross Shadowclan! Ha ha!"

Magpiepaw said that with her whole chest, attempting to raise her height proudly, but to no avail, as she had no height.

Though, her curiosity was enhanced by Gracklepaw's description of life as a rouge. What in the name of Starclan was a city? And life without water sloshing around their paws? Okay, the sloshing she wouldn't miss, but the question still stood. What the HECK is a CITY???

Magpiepaw tilted her head curiously. "A... City??" The word felt horribly wrong on her tongue, like it was some ancient language that most cats on Earth had completed forgotten about.

**chickadee** · #8 February 17th, 2024, 04:24 PM

“City? Well, I guess not all cats call it that.” He said, giving her a sheepish grin. He’d experienced similar things when he’d met Dawnstar. Clan cats seemed to have a different language with different words for things, just like loners and kittypets did. “Basically, it’s where the No-Furs live! Er, I’ve heard lots of names for No-Furs too. Some call ‘em Twolegs, Upwalkers, Housefolk, it all depends on the cat I guess.”

“There are tons of monsters and everything’s gloomy and gray and made of stone. But it’s not stone - it’s cold, and unnatural. They have tons of dens there. From what I understand they have some dens for sleeping, and some for prey, and then some for other stuff. I used to know a cat who was an expert on No-Furs! He taught me all about the city, while I was there, I mean. It’s super different from the forest, but some of them have trees and plants and stuff though!”

Gracklepaw rambled on and on about the city. It was one of the many placed he’d “lived” in. Although lived was a strong word. He’d sorta just passed through and hung out there till he got bored. Just like with everywhere else.

“There are also so many smells! And so many No-Furs! It’s so strange!”

. . .
@Marigoldwhisper

**Marigoldwhisper** · #9 February 17th, 2024, 04:48 PM

Magpiepaw
She\Apprentice\SC
"Why pick them when I can do it so much better?"
· · ─────── ·· ─────── ·

Ah, Magpiepaw thought. Two-legs

She'd never seen one before, but she knew to stay away from them and their furless bodies. Despite how harmless their stature was described to be, many cats still feared them and what they could do.

She wasn't sure why though. She would claw the face out of a two-leg any day! No hesitation!

Magpiepaw listened intently as Gracklepaw continued to speak about this mysterious "city". It sounded horrible, but it got her invested regardless.

The place Gracklepaw described felt like it belonged in another planet, heck another UNIVERSE. But was probably only a weeks walk.

"Smells of what?" Magpiepaw pushed on. This was probably the stillest she ever stayed for any cat, especially in a long conversation like this. She hated elders for running their mouths so much, so how come she actually listened when Gracklepaw rambled on.

She flicked a nat away from her ear. She'd figure it out eventually. Maybe she just liked the way he described things. Ha! Take that, elders!

"Everything was stone you said?" Magpiepaw shuttered at the thought. Stone heated up rather quickly in the summer, and got all cold and slippery in leaf-bare. She couldn't fathom how painful it must've been to live there and walk on grassless ground.

**chickadee** · #10 February 18th, 2024, 09:21 PM

"Smells of call kinds of things! Cats, dogs, No-Furs, crowfood, some prey, and weird smells too." He meowed. His amber eyes twinkled as he described the city as best as he could. He still had a limited understanding of No-Furs and their complex cities, but he loved being able to talk about his travels and adventures outside of the Clans.

"There were so many smells it was overwhelming! There were things that smelled good and things that smelled rotten and horrible! There were also many different animals too. Racoons. They're kinda like cats, but they're tails are fluffier and they got these little masks and rings and like to eat crowfood. They were mean. And so many No-Furs that would walk dogs. The dogs didn't even do anything. They just walked." He described enthusiastically.

He loved being able to share his stories with another cat who was actually interested too. "And yeah. Like I said. Everything's made of stone. There are a few patches of grass and trees, but there's so much stone. They have little stone dens, and tons of them! And tons of lights too. I call them starsticks. Because they look like stars on sticks. They use stars everywhere!" He exclaimed.

The bright eyed cat continued rambling excited, telling his stories with great enthusiasm and expressions. He was very animated and lively, getting lost in the details. "Once, a very old kittypet told me a story. He told me that No-furs learned how to fly. So they flew up to the sky, and began stealing stars. When they steal stars they bring them back down to the ground, and use them to like up their dens. That's how they get starsticks and hanging stars." He explained.

. . .
@Marigoldwhisper