Moonlit Grove

[perseus.]

Foxcall nodded his head, "Good job Moonpaw and Darkfall." they looked for some more of the burdock and once they did they quickly trotted over to the two burdock plants together and quickly got the roots, carefully holding them in their maw, "Lets head back to the camp you two." their voice muffled as they started to head back.


[ don't forget to report your herbs that you have! ]

@Wingnettle @Darkclaws

[Wingnettle]

╔═════════*.·:·.☽✧ ✦ ✧☾.·:·.*═════════╗
Moonpaw (she/her)
Shadowclan
Black calico with half face ginger and amber eyes
╚═════════*.·:·.☽✧ ✦ ✧☾.·:·.*═════════╝



Moonpaw's amber eyes shined in pride as she received her first compliments as an apprentice. With Darkfall she really felt like her efforts were worthy, and not just ordinary duties carried out for loyalty and sense of duty. She was sure that many other warriors in Shadowclan wouldn't have praised her at all, but that wasn't what she would have hated so much. It was the horrible cold attitude that some cats were so obsessed with.

Moonpaw didn't reply out loud but grinned in satisfaction, realizing how much fun she was having right now. And I'm just digging out some stinky roots from the dirt! Imagine when I'm really fighting! Finally, the heaviness of her kithood was washing away. She felt more free, and she loved exploring the territory outside the small, suffocating camp where she'd been tucked in for 8 full moons.

She observed curiously as his mentor trotted away toward some ordinary-looking plants, then hooking out some weird green bags from their stems. He looked so focused that she didn't speak until he'd finished. "Uh, what's that?" She couldn't remember the name of the other plant they were supposed to find, but she guessed it was right there.

Foxcall seemed particularly keen on leaving and returning back, so she followed Darkfall - whose mouth was full enough to prevent him from speaking and replying to her previous question - and padded after them with a prick of regret, holding in her jaw a single burdock root. Ew, tastes awful.
She would've gladly remained out a bit more.

•─────⋅☾ ☽⋅─────•

[ @perseus. @Darkclaws ]

[Dark]

Darkfall
___________

Darkfall pulled off one more stinging nettle seed pod before grabbing both of them in his mouth. He had to make sure not to swallow the herbs, despite his intrusive thoughts whispering in his ear and telling him to do it. ’Don’t wanna throw up… Don’t wanna throw up… Don’t wanna throw up…’ He repeated to himself over and over again. If not for that, the intrusive thoughts might have won, but he wouldn’t allow them to. Not now.

When he walked back over to the two cats that had accompanied him, he grunted when Moonpaw asked him what it was. To be honest, he hadn’t the slightest clue what it was used for but just grabbed it assuming that it was the stuff Elmshadow had asked for. At Foxcall’s behest, the black tabby followed along and flicked his tail to signal to Moonpaw to join him. They did have to get back and drop this stuff off. Perhaps he’d take Moonpaw out for a tour and some training tomorrow…

[ @Wingnettle @perseus. ]

[Kaybug.]

OPEN TO ANYONE
❦.♱ʚ♡ɞ♱❦.
Wolfpeak [He/him]
♱꧁༺ ༻꧂♱

Wolfpeak trotted stiffly into the Moonlit Grove. His yellow eyes glowered over the burial spots of many of his deceased clanmates. Barely any light at all showed through the trees as he walked. The shadowclan warrior’s grey pelt dragged. He was massive, with pretty shaggy fur.
There was no grave in particular that he was looking for. For it was just the silence he longed for. Wolfpeak’s cold, yellow gaze moved across the grove. He ached, and currently wished he didn’t leave the camp for if he was caught out alone, he might get punished.

[xavier.]

| Smokekit |
| He/Him |
| A dark medium grey tabby tom with a white chest & muzzle; Blue & green heterochromic eyes |

~ Smokekit pushed past Vulturekit as the kit followed after Larkpaw along with the other cats who were helping the enforcer. Once they got to Moonlit grove the kit looked around. Woooow, He's never been out of the camp at night. Dappledstinky would ALWAYS try and stop him from even exiting the nursery when the moon would start to rise. The kits attention was pulled back to Larkfire. A game of hide and seek? Just stay out of sight? That should be easy! The kit looked around for a good hiding spot, he didn't need a buddy. The kit saw a bush before glancing at Larkpaw for a second and started to slowly walk to the bush trying not to make a sound. Once Smokekit got to the bush he isntantly hid behind it giggling to himself. This was the best hiding spot. ~

| @Rose - Larkfire; @Alchemist Kitsune - Mousekit; @Clyde - Hazelkit; @DelM33 - Rosekit; @perseus. - Vulturekit; @Cherry~ - Shadowfur; @daenerys - Mirehound; @Faith. - Branchfire |

[Clyde]

Hazel’kit

Hazel’kit had been sleeping in a corner as far away from mouse’kit as he possibly could, that was expected of every cat who wanted some peace and quiet. His dreams lately had been plagued with bad thoughts and scenes from that one night. Opening a eye he peeked at the sky filled with stars and shivered at the thought of being watched. Slinking from his nest he moved over to mouse’kits nest to find his little brother gone. After fretting for a hot minute he remembered night classes and scurried out after the other kittens. His eyes scanning the darkness but most of all they kept flicking to the sky, ever waiting for those eyes to come back. Shaking his head and fluffing out his fur and turned to his brother. hey mouse-bro..I um…never mind and good luck! he didn’t like the idea of talking to his brother about these nightmare’s instead he’d keep them quiet as not to scare his brother. After all mouse-bro was all he had in his life. It was mouse-bro and hazely against the world right? Right..?

After a while of walking he noticed they were outside of camp and his eyes brightened slightly. Looking around him all he could see where..trees..trees..and ugh more trees. A tang of slight disappointment rose up in him but he snuffed it out with a quiet sneeze. His paws were beginning to hurt when they came to a stop. Apparently they were going to play some sort of game? Hide and go seek in the dark? Oh ok. His face deadpanned as he scurried away into the darkness. Hazelkit was used to being alone but when he saw his brother take somebody else as a hiding partner he couldn’t help a hiss of jealousy. After thinking it over for a bit he realized he couldn’t keep mouse from making friends and he should lay off being so protective. Still feeling hurt he padded deeper into the forest. Eventually finding a tree with a crook he tumbled inside the small hole, scooting back as far as possible. Sure it was a bit cramped but he would win right. Maybe?

| @Rose - Larkfire; @Alchemist Kitsune - Mousekit; @Clyde - Hazelkit; @DelM33 - Rosekit; @perseus. - Vulturekit; @Cherry~ - Shadowfur; @daenerys - Mirehound; @Faith. - Branchfire |

[TheNyanCatMinecart]

~ IVYSNAKE OF SHADOWCLAN ~

Tall, angular, dark brown she-cat with distinctive black stripes and piercing amber eyes.

Ivysnake's paws crunched through the freshly-fallen snow as she roamed in search of celandine. A cold breeze blew through the trees, carrying no traces of the season of newleaf as it seeped into her short yet dense pelt. She fluffed it out to combat the chill, then continued to make her way through the territory. The herb wouldn't be flourishing in these conditions; however, with how on-and-off the leaf-bare weather had been, fluctuating between seasonal coldness and unusual warmth, she was sure she'd be able to find some blooms. I'll go to Moonlit Grove first. After the loss of Pinewatch Patch, the burial ground was the best place to find herbs. It had something to do with the dead and how their bodies nourished the earth. Still, as she padded along, white flakes softly landing on her dark tabby pelt, she swept her surroundings with her piercing amber gaze. She didn't want to miss any celandine that might pop up on the way there. A small yellow flower with pointy petals. Grows low over the ground, usually in sunny areas. She had memorized Elmshadow's description of it.

As Ivysnake turned into the dense part of the pine forest that led to Moonlit Grove, having not seen any blooms yet, she was sure she wouldn't find any until she reached the clearing. Hardly any sunlight seeped through the heavily-needled pine branches. I'll still keep an eye out, just in case. But there was nothing, just as Ivysnake expected. So, she flitted between the trees, nothing more than a shadow among shadows on a mission to serve ShadowClan. Then she reached the clearing. The medicine cat apprentice stepped into the grass, her numb paws touching the light - though the sun was covered by gray clouds like thistledown, the shade of the trees didn't touch here. She walked into the clearing, inhaling the scents of the rich soil and frosty, struggling herbs. She would've liked to stop and gather as much as she could, but she had to return quickly. So, Ivysnake bent low and began to search for celandine.

She didn't know what the flowers smelled like, but she knew enough about their appearance to seek them out. It took a while of scouring the snow, scooping out drifts with her paws, but eventually, she spotted something. Struggling against the cold, speckled with white, were a couple of small blooms growing close together. They looked young; no doubt they had sprung up in the warm days that had breached leaf-bare. Ivysnake leaned down and inspected them carefully. Unfurling yellow flowers, so small and fragile that it looked like the gentlest breeze could blow them over, with little pointy petals poking out. I'm sure this is it. If it wasn't, she was sure Elmshadow would notice. Ivysnake inhaled deeply, getting a good read on its scent, then carefully nipped it at the stems. She slowly straightened her legs, then exited the clearing, walking through the thick forest as fast as she could while making sure not to lose her precious flowers.

+2 celandine

[Undertaker]

[Closed]
The snow was polar-white. The flogging squalls of winter blew loudly. Screeching winds occasionally rose up. When they died, a tomb-like silence haunted the land. Snowflakes trickled from the night sky settling on a variety of scars often worn with pride, victories written into flesh. A bulky, well-muscled she-cat sat in front of a grave long since forgotten by members of the last several generations. Smokey breath left the molly's maw as she huffed and shuffled her front paws around in the freshly fallen snow.

"These past moons I've lost more warriors than I'd like due to stupid reasonings. I don't recall you having to deal with this much idiocy as I have, but then again, I surpassed you moons ago didn't I." Which was true, Dawnstar had been leading far longer than her mother had. "Perhaps if you had led longer you'd potentially be dealing with the same problems? Or not, the clan seemed to like you more than they've ever liked me." Dawnstar muttered softly to herself, muscles twitching every so often as snowflakes kissed her pelt.

"I don't really mind that they don't like me, but I wished they'd stop looking at me like I'm going to murder them at any given second. You know, I've found that I don't mind when the other clans make up tales about my viciousness, how cruel and heartless I am. I line my nest with the pelts of my enemies and have taken over two of the Clans, among other things, every rumor and story told by the other three clans should invoke hatred, disgust, fear, and every other negative emotion. I've worked hard to become a monster in the form of a cat to them. The Clans need someone to keep them on their toes lest they become soft."

"I've built up a fearful reputation without needing to rely on raiding over every little thing, like you. Still, the reputation I've built among the clans... I don't ---" The Queen of Shadows fell silent for a moment trying to figure out how to word this concern of hers. "The other clans have every right to turn me into whatever evil entity they want, I don't live with them. I don't hunt for them, I don't patrol their borders, I don't sleep in their camp, I don't fight for them, I don't train with them. I've lived here my whole entire life, from kithood till now. I'd understand if it was just fear, I'm the most powerful warrior within ShadowClan, no one can defy me. All Clans should have a healthy dose of fear regarding their leaders, but so many of the cats in ShadowClan are downright terrified of me. I can't fully comprehend why nor have I fully wrapped my head around why it bothers me in the first place."

She stood, paws moving back and forth as she paced painting the unblemished snowfall in giant paw prints. "I've never killed anyone who hasn't tried to kill me first and I've never hurt anyone without a good reason for it. Yet the way they act is like I've murdered and hurt anyone who looks at me wrong. It's not everyone in the clan, some seem to have picked up how I do things, but most don't even if I explain it to them. I don't have any interest in hurting or killing for the hell of it." She supposed the kits might be the only ones who had some right to be downright terrified of her, but even then they should be well aware of the kind of leader she was by their apprenticeship.

"They liked to blame me, the ones that get into trouble, acting like haven't grown up in the clan, as if I've suddenly turned ShadowClan into some monstrosity. It is not like I pretend to be someone I'm not, I don't hide who I am or what I've done. I certainly am not going to change myself or how I run ShadowClan to curry favor. So why is it they act like ShadowClan is suddenly a terrible place full of bloodthirsty, violent, savages? They're the ones who decided to remain here for so long, they could have left any time they wanted to, I don't like disloyal traitors anyway. I'm not going to stop them if they want to leave." She stopped pacing and took a seat in front of her mother's grave as she fished for the next thing to speak about.

"I can't sleep for more than a pawful of moments these past moons. I keep having nightmares back to when you died, it's the same nightmare but sometimes the cats in it change. It's always you dying and it's always her murdering you, but sometimes it's Roanpaw or Vixensnarl they want to replace me with, and Frigidpaw and Ivysnake trying to kill me. Other nights it might be Cougarivy, Rumblewolf, Mirehound, Shadefrost, Shadowfur, Elmshadow, Larkfire, Grimhound, Redshrike, and so on, it's the entire clan and then some. I don't know why I am plagued by this dream, but I like to think it's my conscious reminding me to watch my back since I don't have anyone else who will. I'll admit, I've grown lax around some. I've earned their loyalty and respect, but I remember I can't trust anyone not truly. I refused to be betrayed again." To trust another is to give them power over her and she won't do that again, she's been manipulated and used practically her whole life and was just too blind to see it.

It is lonely though, isn't it? "Maybe, but isn't supposed to be lonely at the top? Besides, I've always been alone no point in crying about it now." She answered her own thoughts with a tilt of her head and the flattening of her ears. "You know, I've seen clanmates look so lonely, no kin, no mate, no kits to lean on. It makes me want to ask if they know what real loneliness is. When they see their littermate kill their mother, learn their former apprentice is trying to usurper them, and have their clan turn their claws and fangs on them, while the rest watch them trying to kill you, then they have a real reason to look lonely. Until then, I can't help but laugh at them. Is that mean?" She questioned with a yawn, a swish of her tail, and a sorrowful scowl.

"You taught me to rise above such weakness and vulnerability did you not, mother? You taught me strength and leadership, and ShadowClan taught me to distrust and betrayal. Granted, not everything you taught me was useful or good and not everything ShadowClan has taught me has been bad. I've taken these lessons and they've helped shape me into who I am today... even so I do sometimes wish you or someone would help me figure out things like emotions a bit more. Like why I'm so bothered by why my clan is worried about me killing them or why it feels like claws shredding my insides when my chosen kin disappears, gets taken, or abandons me? They're confusing. Anger and rage, I'm used to but these days, I've found myself so upset that I've actually gotten exhausted, it's draining. Then there's the frustration, which sometimes brings tears... which makes no sense since I'm not sad." Just thinking about this was giving her a headache.

"Anyway, that's what I wanted to say. It's been a while since I last visited, but I've been busy. I'm not a kit anymore, and I'll probably just get upset but if you have any advice I'll promise I'll at least try to listen to you. You're not in StarClan and you're not in the Dark Forest, so I can't visit you, you have to come to me, mother. I know that we might never see eye to eye, and I am aware that whatever feelings you have for me it's far from the maternal love mothers have for their kits. Even if I was only a means to an end for you, or someone to fill your paw steps after you passed, you're still biologically my mother and it'd be nice to hear from you."

"I know you'll have your criticism of how I lead, but the sun has set on your time and risen on mine. I will walk my own path of my own choice, I won't allow anyone even you to tell me otherwise. It might not seem like it, but I did take your words to heart, I do care and will care for ShadowClan in my own way, even though so many believe I'm heartless........ Farewell for now, Icestar." Rolling her broad shoulders, Dawnstar rose on huge, silent paws, and melted into the shadows, trekking her way back home.
(I typed this days ago and forgot to post)

[occultation]

【 S H A D O W F U R 】

[ @Rose - Larkfire; @Alchemist Kitsune - Mousekit; @Clyde - Hazelkit; @DelM33 - Rosekit; @perseus. - Vulturekit; @xavier. - Smokekit; @daenerys - Mirehound; @Faith. - Branchfire ]

Shadowfur chuckled at Larkfire's comment. "Ah, but what better way to teach these kits the importance of learning to master hiding in the shadows? If even an Enforcer took a moment to notice me, then this truly must be a skill for a real warrior."

He followed the group out of camp, heading with them to Moonlit Grove. As he walked, he kept a close eye on each of the kits. None of them seemed too eager to interact with one another, which he found to be a bit odd.

Suddenly, a burst of fur in the corner of his vision caught his attention. Turning his head, he saw Hazelkit racing up to join the group. The dark Enforcer let out a quiet growl. "You ought to learn to be on time. You're quite lucky we were close enough for you to catch up."

Once the group arrived at the Moonlit Grove, Larkfire explained what the kits would be doing. Hide-and-seek, similar to Mirehound's event. Fair enough; it was a good way to teach kits about hiding while also letting them have their fun.

The black tom hovered near the edge of the grove as the kits dispersed, keeping an eye on everyone. The last thing they needed was some dumb kit wandering off and getting themselves killed. Larkfire was lucky that Dawnstar even let her bring all these kits out of camp.

[taillow]

Soon enough the group departed from the camp, and Mirehound stuck close with the group though near the rear. She kept her ears perked for any suspicious signs of threats, half listening to any conversations that may be going on. Seeing a little kitten scamper after them the shadow quietly chuckled to herself, though it was cut short as she picked up on Shadowfur's growl. A scowl deepened her face and she shot him a look. "There's no need to growl at them." Disappointment etched itself into her tone as she spoke to her former mentor, not at all impressed by his need to be so assertive to a kit who didn't know any better.

Upon reaching the Moonlit Grove, Mirehound glanced around briefly, scenting the air to make sure there were no apparent threats (again), before taking a seat beside Larkfire. She looked out at all of the kittens who had joined, smiling softly at the sight. It was good to see that some of ShadowClan's youth still had their innocence, their excitement for life. She hoped that the darkness that infiltrated the Clan would not snuff it out.

After explaining the game (and glancing towards both herself, Shadowfur, and Branchfire) Mirehound gave a nod in acknowledgement and rose to her paws, her black fur allowing her easy passage into the shadows. She kept a watchful eye out for the kits, making sure that none of them wandered off.

[ @Rose @Cherry~ @Faith. @Alchemist Kitsune @perseus. @DelM33 @xavier. @Clyde ]