Lionsbeach

[occultation]

Slatestripe smiled widely as his apprentice gained about ten levels of excitement. This was exactly the reaction he was hoping for. He’d purposefully saved Lionsbeach for last so she could spend extra time enjoying it, if she wished.

He laughed as she raced to the waves, batting at the foamy water with her paws. At least he didn’t have to worry about her being afraid of the water! He padded down the beach to join her, wading a little into the waves. A big part of him wanted to join her in playing in the waves, but that would not be professional of him.

“Once I’ve taught you how to swim, we can come down here and have a lesson on swimming in the ocean,” he told her. “Sometimes, cats come here to find food, too. Sea birds hang around these parts, and sometimes fish or crustaceans come close to shore. Other times, dead prey washes up on the beach. If it’s fresh enough, we bring it back to camp for food.”

( @Peril I loved Autumnpaw’s reaction ^.^ )

[Peril]

Autumnpaw | @Cherry~

The calico sat on the cool beach and watched the waves near her paws and retreat just before touching them. She studied the water for a moment longer before registering that her mentor had spoken. She looked up and cocked her head. Oh. He would take her to swim?

Oh. Oh! Wait a minute! She could swim here?! She suddenly realized that her mentor was, in fact, in the water currently. She wished she could swim so bad right now. She smiled and nodded furiously as he began to talk about prey here. Birds and fish and crustaceans.

Oh! What were those? Crustaceans. What a weird word. She didn't want to be rude, but it was her mentor's job to teach her. Right? Slatestripe, what is a crustacean? she asked, looking back up at him. She shook some foam that got stuck to her paw off and focused back on him.

[thanks! I love writing her so much]

[occultation]

Slatestripe nodded at her question. As one of RiverClan’s biggest fans of water, he knew a lot about that particular part of the world’s residents. He’d made it a goal of his as an apprentice to learn as much about marine creatures as possible, even if it annoyed the warriors from time to time.

“A crustacean is a sea animal that doesn’t have a spine. So, they usually have hard bodies to make up for it. Like a shell around its whole body,” he explained. “Crabs, lobsters, and starfish are examples of crustaceans. There’s a special way we have to eat them, since we have to break into their hard exteriors first. They’re delicious, in my opinion, but we don’t hunt them often because of the work it takes to kill and consume them. If you want, down the line I can teach you how to hunt crustaceans. It’s optional, though, since Pikestar doesn’t require apprentices to learn.”

( @Peril )

[poppy]

// @elucky

Why did he seem so surprised that she was talking to him? The tom in front of her seemed to doubt her intentions for a bit, making Birdpaw falter slightly. She had forgotten.... what had caused those scars on his face. And she definitely wasn't gonna ask, because something told her that it wasn't something he would want to share with some apprentice. The old apprentice instead scooted closer, with the occasional glance at him to let him know she was still engaged.

"if you don't mind... what are you thinking about?" Her voice was tentative. was she being too nosy? Hopefully he wouldn't snap at her. She didn't want to lose her chance to make friends with this young tom. Maybe he was someone who she could relate to. Maybe they could understand each other. He seemed to have been suffering internally.... and while she didn't show it, she was too.

Maybe they could help each other.

[elucky]

Birdpaw seemed to have her heart set on sharing feelings and stories, which Beastflame realized with increased anxiety for the rest of the conversation. She then scooted closer, and in response he turned to face her more comfortably.

Just.... My parents. He said gently, but in a tone that wasn't welcoming to any follow up questions. He was falling into memories, and it was hard to scramble back up to the surface. He didn't wanted Birdpaw to witness him drowning in the darkness that symbolized his past.

A single glance at Birdpaw solidified the belief that she really wanted to say something. Maybe unload a burden of her own. Maybe just to confess her struggles with the stress of apprenticeship. Or maybe it was something deeper, which he was hoping it wasn't. RiverClan's apprentices were maturing far too quickly for the dark tabby gent's comfort. @spooky jupi

[poppy]

// @elucky

Something about Beastflame seemed so... sad. It made the small apprentice's heart cry out, forcing her to bite on her tongue to prevent her from spilling everything that had ever happened to her, all her trauma, all her pain, just so this tom would feel safe around her. But honestly? She knew that that would cause more harm than good. Then he would treat her differently, and she didn't want to be treated any different.

"Oh." The voice that came out of her mouth didn't sound very much like her voice. It sounded strangled, nervous. It was similar to the tone of voice that her head used, always worried. "I like to come out here... it's really pretty." Watching the sun as it fell slowly, the sky turning orange and blue as the sunset was preparing to show, she felt a sharp pang in her chest.

"Me and my dad used to watch the sunset together all the time." The pain that flooded Birdpaw's chest when she reminisced over those good memories or nicer, more relaxed times. "He's really busy now. I-i think..." Suddenly, she was word vomiting to this poor guy. "sometimes I think that he was only my dad when he was Snowleap, and when he became Pike, it meant that he couldn't be my dad anymore." This confession weighed deep on her heart, and she wondered if she overshared.

[Peril]

Autumnpaw | @Cherry~
post 14/100

She waited for him to explain the strange word. When he began, she nodded along as her paws started to get splashed by the small waves. She smiled down at her paws, listening to him until he finished and then batting at the water one more time. It was pretty cold, and some of the salty foam hit her in the nose.

She squeaked when she accidentally breathed it in and sneezed. She shook her head and laughed. Oh wow! That stung my nose a little. she said, her nose scrunching. But crustaceans seem really cool! Should we go back to camp? The sun is setting. she had honestly lost track of time and the sun was making its way steadily down to the horizon.

[occultation]

Slatestripe nodded. The territory tour had taken a long time, but that was expected. After all, RiverClan had a lot of territory, as did the other Clans. If he’d included the borders in their tour, they probably wouldn’t have finished until the following morning.

He rose and started to head away from the ocean. “Yes, let’s head back to camp. Once we get there, I can tell you a story by the prey pile. Unless, of course, you’re too old for stories.” There was a slightly mischievous glint in his eyes as he said his final line.

( @Peril Territory tour complete! )

[Captain]

CLOUDPAW
⸻⸻⸻⸻⸻⸻
➣ Emerging from the forest, Cloudpaw stepped onto the cold sand and made her way down the beach towards the water’s edge. It was late at night and the stars sparkled across the sky as it was laid out over her head. The black-and-white apprentice sucked in a deep breath that felt like ice and salt mixed together. What a strange sensation. She knew she wasn’t supposed to be out here, especially not out this far, but at this point, there was very little the RiverClan molly seemed to care about anymore. Cloudpaw turned her head back towards the dense span of trees behind her, staring for a moment or two, lost in thought, before continuing on closer to the sea. Reaching out a paw, the fluffy she-cat dipped her paw into the water, being immediately met with a very ice-cold feeling that made her jump back in surprise. Stars above, it seemed like leaf-bare had already gotten it’s hold on the ocean. A few seconds passed where she stared at the water as it continued to quietly lap against the beach, before Cloudpaw stuck her paw into the shallow seawater once more. Then another paw, and another and another, until all four of her limbs were submerged in the ocean. The cold salt water tickled her belly fur and the sensation was numbing, but she didn’t move. Cloudpaw chuckled ever so softly to herself and gazed up at the shimmering stars for a moment, lost in thought and smiling slightly. How lovely.
⸻⸻⸻⸻⸻⸻
{ OPEN TO ANYONE }

[perseus.]

☄. *. ⋆ Fogcloud

The silver tabby needed some air from the camp in general. The recent events had been a lot, Fogcloud hasn't really felt a moment of peace lately. They had gone on a walk through the territory. Truly she had hoped they wouldn't find more dead clanmates as they had done this walk. His hazel eyes looked around at Lionsbeach, truly the loved this place. It was so peaceful and they loved how the stars looked like in the sky here.

Though their eyes landed on a familiar apprentice, Cloudpaw. They narrowed their eyes slightly, apprentices couldn't be out without at least two warriors after all the deaths. The silver tabby walked over the sands, standing near the edge of the beach, the water gently lapping at their paws.

"Cloudpaw, what are you doing out here alone?" Their tail flicked slightly as they studied the apprentice that was standing in the cold water.

@canineantics