WindClan: Life Before 2023's Fire

[wren]

@Suspiciousmindz @Sage

There was the slightest stir of life from within the den, the small speckled tabby shifted in his fathers nest covering his muzzle with his tiny paws. He was thin, his small underdeveloped ribs poking through his thin fur in neat little rows, his eyes where sunken and he was just starting to get a hold of walking in a straight line. He hadn’t began walking until late into his first moon. You could tell he wasn’t eating as well as he was supposed to be. Especially for a young growing tom.

These two moons of his life had been full of chaos and loss of order, or at least that’s what he thought. He spent many nights worried over his father, he wouldn’t admit that to anybody. Even mottleheart. The flaming coloured tom seemed hard to reach, and mottleheart, She couldn’t provide the relief he needed, nor could anybody really. His only rock was gracekit and even now he was finding it harder and harder to talk to her. He wasn’t sure she’d get it, nor was he confident he could explain the way it felt. Amidst his deep thought he was suddenly called for from the entrance of his den, the voice so prominent and also somewhat foreign. The small kit sat up like lighting, his brilliant green eyes fixating on the entrance to the den, his paws tingling and small tail quivering. Had his father finally made time to see them? the small tom prodded his younger sisters side with a forepaw and straightened himself up, even quickly licking down a few tufts of uneven fur on his chest and shoulder.

[patches10106]

Originally Posted by Fuzzyfeline

@Zero to Hero

Buttercupbreeze lead the little tabby kitten, Quiverkit, to the nursery for the first time. The young molly had spent most of her time in the Medicine cat's den since she'd been found one early morning and honestly Buttercup was excited to introduce her adopted daughter to the nursery. This was somewhere she'd be able to play with other kits and not get disturbed when a sick or wounded cat came in to get checked by Oriolepaw. Glancing down at the pressure little kit the creamy molly was glade she'd convinced Blazingstar to let her keep and raise her. This would be her first time raising a kit and it wasn't like she had a mate to help her, though she wasn't ready to take on a mate. It would be her taking care of this kitten, teaching her what Clan life was about pretty much by herself. It couldn't be to hard, but Buttercup did wish her mother was still alive so she could ask for parenting advise. Lilacbreeze was a great mother and would have given her grate advise if she was still alive.
Taking a slight breath before pushing into the nursery, the bushy tailed feline took in the milky scents that flowed towards her. "This is the nursery, Quiverkit." The molly explained in a gentle voice after she'd given the young molly enough time to take in her sounding. She didn't want to overwhelm her will everything at once, it had to be hard adjusting to Clan life. Especially if you entered it while being starving and scratched up. Though this molly was sure she could help Quiverkit and give her what she needed.

Cloudkit, a black and white tom, tackled Quiverkit.

[Sum]

@Static
{ Sorry it's taken me so long! }

Dawnsong's tail flicked with annoyance at being shoved back like that, but she didn't let it show on her face. 'Busy and tired'.. She should be used to it by now.. It still hurt, though. He of all cats should know it hurt. Maybe that's why he did it, she realized with another pang of guilt. Huffing with the frustration of it all, Dawnsong picked up her pace to keep up with him. She would still try. Maybe one day, he'd forgive her. Even though it's not my fault!

She glanced at the catch in his mouth again. "Nice catch," she commented, attempting to make conversation. "I've been on patrol all morning, so I haven't gotten anything today. It was a rather boring trip. The cats I went with had no sense of humor whatsoever. All business, you know." She laughed, a bit nervously. The black she-cat glanced at his face before quickly looking down at her paws. What could she do to make him tolerate her, much less like her?

[Brilliance]

Originally Posted by Cosmo

Mothpaw loved all her friends equally- or so she liked to think. To be honest pretty much any cat could tell she liked Lynxpaw. Except for the toms. They were oblivious to everything. She was positive Larkhowl had figured it out, and Lemonpaw, one of Lynxpaw's flirts definitely had. She had practically walked right up to Mothpaw and said 'You like Lynxpaw'. She had been so embarrassed it was impossible. The cat she had a crush on did not know. That relieved her and frusturated her at the same time. "Of course I've been practicing Lynxy!" She answered as though it was a silly question. She had definitely been practicing, she wanted to be made a warrior, and what if she wasn't made a warrior because she didn't know how to hunt. "Lynx?" She asked, her tone changing to a more somber one, "If Blazingstar knew I didn't know how to fight, would he still make me a warrior?"

Lynxpaw always been one of those cats that someone needed to come up to and be straightforward with. If they weren't, then he was oblivious as a blank rock. Sometimes even when he was addressed, Lynxpaw sometimes didn't listen at all. Although, he could be pretty sweet most times. When he dedicated himself to something, he'd achieve it and fight the obstacles. He knew Mothpaw's lessons were a bit...off setting. He always felt good when he could help the she cat out. Not because she needed it, but because she was his best friend. His ears flattened a bit when her tone changed from her normal cheeriness to something more sullen. ''You don't know how to fight!?'' He exclaimed, then noticed his voice was a little too loud, and he immediately lowered it to not disturb other cats, smiling sheepishly. Surprise, surprise there. Lynxpaw had taught Mothpaw the basics of hunting, but he never knew she didn't know how to fight. What a shame. Then again, he wasn't surprised. Lemonspotted didn't know how to fight either. ''Oh shucks, Mothy, why didn't ya tell me before? I coulda helped you!'' He could try, not really being a mentor himself, but how bad could it be? Usually his mentor told him to not give his teachings to others, but this was his best friend. How would Mothpaw protect herself if she didn't know how to properly fight?

[North]

| @SilverNight |
Fawnsplash felt a deep sense of sympathy for Weaselpaw, watching with concern as his fur became fluffed up - a byproduct of embarrassment, the chestnut she-cat had come to learn. She had come to expect his odd excuses, a trait she found solely in Weaselpaw; no other apprentice reacted to mistakes as he did. It was one of the main curiosities she had about him, and a quirk of his she'd come to like. As he voiced out the corrections, she nodded and purred encouragingly; she felt guilty for making him feel as though she had laughed at him. She needed to ensure he felt comfortable making and correcting mistakes around her, as he was an apprentice after all and how else was he expected to learn? Fawnsplash watched patiently as he repeated the demonstration, trying her best to hide her confusion as to why his body was so tense? Some tension was required, yes, but nowhere near as much as Weaselpaw was exerting. Still, she watched. Maybe he'll realize and correct himself? She pondered, amber eyes hopelessly watching on as he struggled to hold his weight up in a convincingly 'good' defensive position. "Is something wr-" The young Bengal watched as Weaselpaw collapsed onto the ground, his legs unable to support his weight without an immense amount of tension. She let out an odd sound, one of both concern and surprise, as she trotted to his side to ensure he was alright. Worry clouded her mind as she began to consider something having been wrong with her own demonstration? No, there can't have been; it was what she had been taught, and what she'd used. Why was Weaselpaw having such a hard time, then?

She felt terrible watching Weaselpaw try and perfect the pose so frantically, another of his odd excuses rolling off his tongue as though it were second nature. His difficulties in training were perhaps not down to his own faults, but hers. Was she not doing a good job as his mentor? Anxiety swelled in her chest as Weaselpaw looked at her with desperation in his deep amber gaze. But the words that escaped him once more felt like a knife straight through Fawnsplash's heart; she was wrong. She had managed to fail her first apprentice already. "Wrong? It-it can't be...wrong." She muttered, looking down at her paws anxiously. "That stance was the first thing I ever learned, and I had it drilled into me over and over until I had perfected it. It can't be wrong," She argued, not with Weaselpaw but with herself. Pacing around for a few moments, muttering argument after argument as she frantically tried to justify her methods of training, Fawnsplash's fur had bristled and she looked absurd. Stopping suddenly, she went silent. Her amber gaze snapped back to Weaselpaw, a gloomy expression dwelling in those golden depths. "I'm sorry." It was a general apology for everything; her terrible training, her sudden outburst, her lack of confidence - everything. "How would you do it, Weaselpaw?" She inquired quietly, looking at the young apprentice with a slightly less anxious expression. "If you were in a battle and you needed to defend yourself, what position do you think you would use?" Her words were softer, as she took deep breaths and did her best to look slightly less foolish. Her anxiety made her feel near-sickly, but it wasn't worth taking it out on poor Weaselpaw. She needed to correct whatever problem there was within her methods of teaching, and that started with understanding what Weaselpaw's opinions were.

[Zero]

Originally Posted by Fuzzyfeline

@Zero to Hero

Buttercupbreeze lead the little tabby kitten, Quiverkit, to the nursery for the first time. The young molly had spent most of her time in the Medicine cat's den since she'd been found one early morning and honestly Buttercup was excited to introduce her adopted daughter to the nursery. This was somewhere she'd be able to play with other kits and not get disturbed when a sick or wounded cat came in to get checked by Oriolepaw. Glancing down at the pressure little kit the creamy molly was glade she'd convinced Blazingstar to let her keep and raise her. This would be her first time raising a kit and it wasn't like she had a mate to help her, though she wasn't ready to take on a mate. It would be her taking care of this kitten, teaching her what Clan life was about pretty much by herself. It couldn't be to hard, but Buttercup did wish her mother was still alive so she could ask for parenting advise. Lilacbreeze was a great mother and would have given her grate advise if she was still alive.
Taking a slight breath before pushing into the nursery, the bushy tailed feline took in the milky scents that flowed towards her. "This is the nursery, Quiverkit." The molly explained in a gentle voice after she'd given the young molly enough time to take in her sounding. She didn't want to overwhelm her will everything at once, it had to be hard adjusting to Clan life. Especially if you entered it while being starving and scratched up. Though this molly was sure she could help Quiverkit and give her what she needed.

Quiverkit carefully followed Buttercupbreeze through the main camp, practically under her paws the entire time. It was just recently decided today that she was ready to move out of the medicine cats den and into the nursery and Quiv wasn't really quite sure what she thought of that notion yet. She'd adapted well to the medicine cats den and now she had to move to a new area - she didn't really want to change anything up. Her tail tip twitched back and forth nervously as they made their way through the camp toward what she assumed was the nursery. She hadn't been there yet, but then again, she hadn't really had the time to explore at all quite yet.
The tiny tabby squeezed her way into the nursery besides Buttercupbreeze, flinching away at the brambles she just now realized lined the entire nursery walls and entrance. She eyed the thorns warily for a moment, heart beating as quickly as a rabbit's, realizing she'd have to face them every time she came and went. However, her attention was drawn away as her eyes adjusted to the slight darkness of her surroundings. She sniffed deeply, finding the milky scent slightly familiar from her own days as a newborn. However, other kits, as well as queens, bustled around here and there, and Quiverkit automatically pressed herself against Buttercupbreeze's leg for comfort. The warrior had been one of her main care-takers since she had been found and had quickly gained her trust, Quiv knew she could depend on her for some things - but, she also didn't want to be a bother to her either. She didn't know many cats of the clan yet, which was kind of nerve-wrecking, but at least she knew they weren't going to eat her anymore. "This place seems okay," she mewled softly, brown hues looking around cautiously, avoiding the gazes of any other curious lookers. "This is where I'll stay from now on?" Her gaze moved from the nursery in front of her to Buttercup's eyes. She wondered if Buttercupbreeze would join her here or if she would have an nest to herself like in the medicine cats den.

[Doom]

@~Northern_Lights~

Weaselpaw’s ears slowly deflated downward as he witnessed the anxiety growing within his mentor. The pacing she did always bothered Weaselpaw, and he wished she was better at handling tough situations. It kills him to ask a serious question sometimes because he never knows how she'll react to it. The young apprentice hesitated as he lowered his haunches to sit, unsure if he should relax now or wait standing. His amber orbs eyed her cautiously as Fawnsplash paced back and forth, frantically rambling on about how her teachings could be wrong. “Fawnsplash, I…” Weaselpaw murmured in a timid voice. An apology held onto the tip of his tongue, but Weaselpaw was afraid saying another word would worsen her state. Mousebrain. The somali apprentice sighed and waited until she somehow came to a conclusion; Fawnsplash always seemed to resituate herself in these situations, and Weaselpaw found it best to just wait it out. Impatience spiked in his veins, wagging his tail nervously. Maybe I shouldn't have said anything...I probably just suck at this. There’s nothing wrong with her method. I should just try harder. The negative thoughts clawed at his spirits, and he could have sworn he could feel the anxiety coming off of his mentor seep into his own throat. Just before it got bad, Weaselpaw was relieved to see her suddenly pause to calm herself. She apologized to him, but Weaselpaw felt as if he were the one that did something wrong, not her. The large apprentice dipped his head in dismissal, smiling slightly to show forgiveness. There was absolutely nothing wrong with her, he thought. In fact, Weaselpaw wished he could be more like Fawnsplash. That way he wouldn't mess up so often and his mentor wouldn't have to stress out so much during every single training session. Things would be better, he thought. “Hey, don't worry about-”

How would you do it?

“What?” Weaselpaw was shocked at her question. Was this a valid question to ask an apprentice? Fawnsplash insisted on the question further, reassuring her apprentice. “How would I do it?” The somali stared down at his own paws momentarily, then slowly rose. How would I do it? The question repeated in his head as he tried to think of a proper way to respond. Closing his eyes, Weaselpaw allowed himself to inhale and exhale. The familiar visions of his dreams flooded over him. There he was: in the midst of battle, ready to fight for his life and defend his Clan with everything he had. An unrecognizable warrior approached him, eyes glowing red and claws so long they were permanently unsheathed. This was it. Eyes still closed, the somali tom began to act out his vision in real life. He lowered his body to the correct height, just enough to protect his belly, and his paws naturally got into a comfortable position; one that was a lot wider than Fawnsplash’s original teachings, but to him the placement felt perfect and it balanced his much larger form nicely. He opened his slitted eyes, still clouded with that vision, yet vicious as if he were staring down an opponent. Weaselpaw’s tail lashed lowly behind him, his head also lowered just enough to shield his neck. A challenging smirk grew on his muzzle. He felt natural - the stance was way more relaxed than before, yet still tensed enough to prepare himself for a counter attack. The battlefield slowly faded away as his orbs cleared and the real world came back to him. Weaselpaw blinked. “This is how I'd do it.” The young tom looked up at Fawnsplash, that familiar look of hope returning to his expression.

[SuspiciousMindz]

@Cosmo

Being the dramatic furball he was, Blazingstar was next to crawl into the medicine cat den. "Oriolepaw!" He called into the den, his stomach sliding across the ground with his paws outstretched in front and behind him. "I'm bleeding!" he continued, stopping halfway in the den. The only real spot that was bleeding was a gash across his cheek and forehead. Otherwise, he had missing tufts of fur where he was scratched up, which was the giveaway of his joke.

[Cosmo]

@Suspiciousmindz
Oriolepaw had just finished up treating another cat and when Blazingstar crawled in, as soon as she heard his voice without looking at him she grabbed the necessary herbs. Some cobwebs and some poppy seeds just in case he was really really injured. She turned around to get to work and realized the tom was not actually dying. "You're not actually dying Blazingstar?" Her question was more of a statement but there was no mistaking the confusion in her voice. Oriolepaw began to study the wounds closely, "Never do that again, you scared me," The she-cat said in an annoyed tone.

[SuspiciousMindz]

@Cosmo

Blazingstar gave her a moment to realize what was happening before getting up to his paws and settling himself all the way into the den. "Someone has to keep you on your toes, Oriolepaw," he commented teasingly, his unusually long tail wrapping around his paws, hiding the claws that never seemed to retract. "So I can't promise anything," he spoke, giving her a playful smile now. Despite the battle that just occurred, Blazingstar tried his best to stay optimistic for his clanmates.