RiverClan Clearing

[graves]

@Teza @Socks - Plot starter

With all the things that had been happening in Daypaws life, they honestly needed some friends right now. With ever growing patients flooding into their den, it had seemed they went without breaks for long periods of time. They felt over worked and exhausted, they felt over used and tired. They didnt feel like talking to Geckoleaf about everything, but they didnt trust that many cats in their clan either. Being one of the newest, besides Juniperpaw, of the medcats, everything seemed to be going in a blur and they were growing up fast. They needed someone ot talk to, anyone at this point. But they preferred their friends. There wasnt many that tolerated Daypaws grumpy exterior, and those that did meant a lot to Daypaw. They scanned for any cats that they knew.

[:blue:]

Originally Posted by Charmer

Nightpaw purred with pride at Goldeneye's comment, but there was something about the tom that seemed a little off. Was it fatigue? Perhaps he simply hadn't slept very well. Still, the deputy came across so confidently that Nightpaw was just about to dismiss he observation as merely her imagination before Ebonymist spoke up and asked how she could help. "I bet it's been a lot of work looking after the whole clan after the flood. Can I do anything to help?" Nightpaw offered, though realistically, she wasn't sure what she could offer the deputy in terms of help... she didn't know anything other than basic, instinctive hunting, she didn't know anything about plants or herbs, and she didn't know how to fight, not that there was anyone or anything to fight - physically at least. Once again, Nightpaw found her lack of efficacy staring her in the face.

Originally Posted by Rubinaito

Orange eyes focused calmly on Goldeneye's gold and green eyes, the molly's orange and black ears flicking with interest as she studied the tom in front of him, taking in the way his shoulders were full of tension, and the sparkle of concern in his eyes. However, she could also notice that he was trying to appear calm and collected, not stressed; being a high-rank like a deputy must be exceedingly stressful. Ebonymist stood up finally, kicking out her stiff legs; only twenty-four moons, and premature arthritis was settling into her joints. Flexing her paws a little to help ease the stiffness, she padded over to Goldeneye and nudged him with her paw. "I doubt you're doing fine." She blinked at him. "What can I do to take off some of the stress?"

Goldeneye blinked, before he shook his head. "No, everything's fine," he tried to reassure, smiling awkwardly. He was slowly getting better, he just needed to learn how to...breathe. He couldn't do that, not very often anyways. That didn't matter, "I'll be fine," he said, looking at Ebonymist. Pushing away from the subject, he looked at Nightpaw, "So, what are you looking forward to the most about being an apprentince?" He asked, smiling. If he could push past himself, he would be fine, just talking to other people was better, still smiling.

[Mango]

Originally Posted by Doodle

"Yes," Lilypaw agreed with a small laugh. "Perfect cats to be friends!" She reached her paws out in front of her, giving a small stretch, before settling back into her seated position besides Honeypaw. She kept her head slightly tilted towards her friend, and her big blue eyes trained on the golden apprentice as they spoke; it was always polite to look at another while they spoke. That showed you were listening, and in Lily's experience meeting their gaze showed that you weren't submissive. In everything the small she-cat did, she tried to be assertive and show she didn't think of herself being any less than any other cat here. It wasn't that she necessarily thought she had to show this to Honeypaw, rather that it was just a habit, so with her eyes focused attentively on the other feline she didn't give a second thought about the fact that it might be a tad unnerving to another.

Honeypaw gave a nod but then paused seeing that Lilypaw was staring at her..only one thought struck her Is Lilypaw a lesbian?she must be flirting with me.... Honeypaw spoke slowly," I, don't mind being friends, but I'm into toms, not She-cats..." The she added in hopes of not ruining the friendship,"Not like theres anything wrong with liking she-cats!"

[Splash]

Originally Posted by Lonestar23

"A beautiful name." Easy does it, Shadepaw... The tom had the art of speech down almost perfectly. He was fairly good at it. But, then there were those times when he wasn't as good at it - if he tried too hard, it always seemed fake. And Shadepaw needed others to believe he was a natural charmer. Now, the black tom was quite handsome - his eyes were somewhat eerie, standing out against his dark fur, but otherwise, he was almost perfect physically-wise. Scars were set in places that were either impossible to see or seemed to add to a roguish type of charm. He was muscular for an apprentice, although he was about to be a warrior, so that could have something to do with it. And he was pretty darn good at getting what he wanted. If that included Crescentpool? She would be on his side, no matter what he had to do. "That's perfectly natural. After all - I'm an apprentice, you're a warrior. You can't be expected to know everyone's names, Crescentpool." He paused for a moment before continuing on, knowing better then to just stop there without offering her his name. Because that would be rude. And at the moment, Shadepaw needed to be polite and charming... right?

"My name is Shadepaw."

His name sounded so dark, and that was just the way he liked it. However, it did seem off-putting to cats like Crescentpool who were more on the shy or anxious side, and they almost always questioned it. To those who seemed to want power? Shadepaw was the perfect name. A name that seemed to show he was going to do things differently. If he were in charge, Shadepaw knew there was so much he could change. But there was no way - no way he would ever end up in charge. Wasn't that what every ambitious cat wanted? To be in charge of something? However, Shadepaw had something they might not have - most likely didn't have, that was. He had the power of persuasion on his side, as well as something else - a beginning following.

Adderpaw, Wildpaw, and Ravenkit were all a part of his "group." Now the more cats on his side, the better... so why not go for some warriors? If Crescentpool was on his side, Shadepaw was more certain that he would be able to show other cats that there was at least one warrior joining them. She obviously must believe in their cause. Who knew, perhaps she had some friends he could trick into coming along? Yes... it was a great day to be Shadepaw.

Crescentpool blinked. She did not like her name, not in the least. It was unique, and Crescentpool was the type of cat who thrived in the background, away from attention. She was born to be a follower, and felt as if her name would draw attention to her. It never did, really, but she couldn't shake the fear that, one day, it would. However, if a cat- a handsome one, too- liked it, no way was she going to voice her opinion on her name to that cat. Just let them think what they want. "Thank you."

The black-furred feline nodded as the tom continued speaking. She hid her relief that he wasn't mad that she didn't know his name quite well. He was actually on the opposite side of the spectrum from mad: saying it wasn't her fault, that it was natural. A kind thing to do. Crescentpool was shocked as she felt her cheeks heat up. A blush?! No, no, this was Crescentpool, loner, that shy cat that others left alone. She had long since stopped hoping for romance. So maybe it was the tom's good looks, or his air of sophistication, or the feeling of mystery that surrounded him. It didn't really matter. Crescentpool was not one for feelings, and she wasn't planning on changing that. She nodded as Shadepaw revealed his name. "Shadepaw," she echoed, testing out the name. "I like shade. It's... relaxing." Way to play it cool, Crescentpool, she chastised herself internally. Not that there was any chance Shadepaw was interested in her.

Crescentpool looked away from Shadepaw, wanting to remove herself from the situation before she began brewing false hope. Better to leave Shadepaw before she liked him too much than to be rejected. Heartbreak came both ways, but it was much worse with one path. Hopefully the she-cat could advoid that one.

[red_inactive]

Originally Posted by Rubinaito

Orange eyes focused calmly on Goldeneye's gold and green eyes, the molly's orange and black ears flicking with interest as she studied the tom in front of him, taking in the way his shoulders were full of tension, and the sparkle of concern in his eyes. However, she could also notice that he was trying to appear calm and collected, not stressed; being a high-rank like a deputy must be exceedingly stressful. Ebonymist stood up finally, kicking out her stiff legs; only twenty-four moons, and premature arthritis was settling into her joints. Flexing her paws a little to help ease the stiffness, she padded over to Goldeneye and nudged him with her paw. "I doubt you're doing fine." She blinked at him. "What can I do to take off some of the stress?"

Originally Posted by Charmer

Nightpaw purred with pride at Goldeneye's comment, but there was something about the tom that seemed a little off. Was it fatigue? Perhaps he simply hadn't slept very well. Still, the deputy came across so confidently that Nightpaw was just about to dismiss he observation as merely her imagination before Ebonymist spoke up and asked how she could help. "I bet it's been a lot of work looking after the whole clan after the flood. Can I do anything to help?" Nightpaw offered, though realistically, she wasn't sure what she could offer the deputy in terms of help... she didn't know anything other than basic, instinctive hunting, she didn't know anything about plants or herbs, and she didn't know how to fight, not that there was anyone or anything to fight - physically at least. Once again, Nightpaw found her lack of efficacy staring her in the face.

Skip my turn.

[meraki]

Originally Posted by mompaws

The light tabby's face contorted to that of an irritated scowl. Brows dragged downwards, like there was some imaginary force that was pulling them down. His multifaceted optics were bright, with a glint of mischief lingering in the speckled pools. Gosh, if he were larger than the other, it would make such a difference. But, sometimes his smaller build gave him an advantage when the duo had their frequent play-fights. "Heyy~ You know what my name is, so why can't you just call me by it." He snorted, puffing his chest out in retaliation. It was true that he hated being called... carrot. Although, it wasn't as bad as his birth name. He really did hate his true name, and was glad that Alceapaw was understanding enough to not bring it up.
Snapping his head upwards to glare at the tall male, Fjordpaw gave a feigned scoff. A single fluctuation of his banner proceeded, before the beast gave a swift roll of his forest optics.
"Grin..? I have no idea what you're talking about..." The feline grumbled monotonously, now averting his gaze towards the clearing once more. He felt comfortable around the bobtail, and he always had; he was pretty sure the other apprentice knew that. But, he still enjoyed holding up his grumpy and blunt attitude.
"Are you feeling okay, Alceapaw? I know you like to imagine things, but I couldn't be jealous of the likes of you." The pale golden tom-cat mewed in a scornful tone, whisking his tongue around inside of his moist palette.
"Besides, we both know that your pelt is only clean because it isn't as thick as mine." Although Fjordpaw wasn't really known for being the cheeky one out of the two, he still couldn't help but smirk after speaking.

The lighter tom arched a brow, the smirk still resting on his upturned maw. "I'm sorry, is Carrot not your name?" Alceapaw said, his voice falsely apologetic, and expression looking mockingly shocked, before returning to normal. He knew of his friends hatred for his birth name, though was considerate enough to simply make up a nickname he knew Fjord would dislike, but not hate as much as his birth name. The taller tomcat watched the other tom's posture and expression change, and couldn't hold back a snort of amusement. The way that Fjord always pretended to act mad just cracked him up. And when he scoffed, seemingly appalled by the thought of a grin, it made Alcea grin even more.
"Of course not; the great Fjord is completely unable to experience the feeling of happiness, which doesn't allow him to crack a grin every once in a while. Don't worry, I'm familiar with your serious condition." Alcea said, pretending to keep a straight face, before giving up and laughing once more.
"Me? Imagine things?" Alcea gasped, mouth agape. "Why I never!" He said, looking shocked and offended that his friend would think such a thing of him, before returning to his broad grin. The white tomcat shrugged his shoulders. "At least it's clean," he pointed out sensibly. Alcea did notice Fjord's uncommon cheekiness but said nothing of it- mainly because he found it amusing.

[Charmer]

Originally Posted by ✨Blue Wishes✨

Goldeneye blinked, before he shook his head. "No, everything's fine," he tried to reassure, smiling awkwardly. He was slowly getting better, he just needed to learn how to...breathe. He couldn't do that, not very often anyways. That didn't matter, "I'll be fine," he said, looking at Ebonymist. Pushing away from the subject, he looked at Nightpaw, "So, what are you looking forward to the most about being an apprentince?" He asked, smiling. If he could push past himself, he would be fine, just talking to other people was better, still smiling.

Originally Posted by Rubinaito

Skip my turn.

Nightpaw's tail thumped the ground softly as she thought about it. "I think I'll like learning how to get better at hunting," she said, "but I look forward to learning how to fight the most." Nightpaw fidgeted a bit, memories of the fateful day she wandered too far from her garden beginning to stir. "There wasn't really much I could do when that dog attacked me other than flail and scratch at it..." Nightpaw felt a coldness beginning to creep under her pelt. She hadn't spoken about this memory since it happened, but occasionally visions of teeth and blood woke her up with a start in the dead of night. "So, I really hope that I can learn how to fight better," Nightpaw finished, the usual cheer in her voice ringing a little hollow as the weight of her memories pressed into her.

[lone]

Originally Posted by Splash

Crescentpool blinked. She did not like her name, not in the least. It was unique, and Crescentpool was the type of cat who thrived in the background, away from attention. She was born to be a follower, and felt as if her name would draw attention to her. It never did, really, but she couldn't shake the fear that, one day, it would. However, if a cat- a handsome one, too- liked it, no way was she going to voice her opinion on her name to that cat. Just let them think what they want. "Thank you."

The black-furred feline nodded as the tom continued speaking. She hid her relief that he wasn't mad that she didn't know his name quite well. He was actually on the opposite side of the spectrum from mad: saying it wasn't her fault, that it was natural. A kind thing to do. Crescentpool was shocked as she felt her cheeks heat up. A blush?! No, no, this was Crescentpool, loner, that shy cat that others left alone. She had long since stopped hoping for romance. So maybe it was the tom's good looks, or his air of sophistication, or the feeling of mystery that surrounded him. It didn't really matter. Crescentpool was not one for feelings, and she wasn't planning on changing that. She nodded as Shadepaw revealed his name. "Shadepaw," she echoed, testing out the name. "I like shade. It's... relaxing." Way to play it cool, Crescentpool, she chastised herself internally. Not that there was any chance Shadepaw was interested in her.

Crescentpool looked away from Shadepaw, wanting to remove herself from the situation before she began brewing false hope. Better to leave Shadepaw before she liked him too much than to be rejected. Heartbreak came both ways, but it was much worse with one path. Hopefully the she-cat could advoid that one.

The tom settled down beside the black feline, his green optics fixed on her. Good - it seemed that he had grasped her attention. Now to reel her in. Just some more polite words, a few more compliments, and he should have her undivided attention. Later would come loyalty and trust, but attention... attention was the firmest base to those things. [B]"I like shade as well. I find it to be... calming."[B] And unpredictable. Always changing throughout the day. As the sun grows higher, the shade begins to become smaller. Sometimes disappears completely or is in new places. Though he didn't want to sound creepy on this, their first meeting. Not to mention that most of his thoughts were kept to himself. He didn't like the idea of cats being in his mind, guessing what he was going to think. He might as well have been carved out of ice, or stone, for all the emotion that he showed - most of the time. That was excepting the glimmers of anger, or impatience, or excitement that would come through at times.

"So, Crescentpool... if you don't mind my asking, where did you get a name of beauty and uniqueness? That is to say, why did your parents decide to name you that?"

Shadepaw's green optics looked genuinely curious as he watched the black she cat. Crescentpool was indeed a unique name, and he couldn't remember ever meeting - or hearing of anyone - with the suffix "Crescent." And Shadepaw liked it. Perhaps, she could be a puppet for him - since her name seemed to practically guarantee that her personality was going to be lighter, in a sense... while his made it sound as though he were so dark. Shadepaw wanted to laugh at the though of him, a cat who just wanted to make things better, being dark... but oh well. To each his own, he supposed. And if Crescentpool was his puppet? Who knew what might happen next. Already she seemed to be showing interest. And, as everyone knew... as long as his hold on her attention was tight, when the trust and loyalty came, he might be getting another thing he hadn't bargained for - but it would only make her more obedient as his right-paw cat. And obedience wasa key ingredient to this, Shadepaw's master plan.

[Brunch]

Originally Posted by Ivy

Rainpaw flinched as Snowyfur claimed that Fogfur didn't want to be mates with her anymore. She's so full of guilt, it's making her think of negativity! He realized panicking a little. That couldn't be true, could it?! Whenever he and Fogfur would try to swim together, his father would tell him about how much he loved her and told him stories about the pair of cats. Now, Rainpaw guessed that Fogfur was purposefully avoiding his mate now. He didn't want to believe it at first, but now he realized he had been in denial. Starting to go into a state of shock he realized his happy family was crumbling; Fogfur was avoiding all contact with his family, Arcticpaw was missing in action, and his mother was nearly broken. Rainpaw sat down, his eyes wide as tears fell onto the ground as the problem hit him like a monster at full speed. As he was silently crying, he noticed out of the corner of his eye, a familiar shape come through RiverClan's entrance: Fogfur. The tom had three minnows in his maw, feeling pleased, but the feeling vanished as soon as he spotted his son and Snowyfur in a distraught manner. Depositing the fish to the fresh kill pile, he quickly trotted over to his family. He started to go to his mate, but hesitated. How would she react when she saw him? He looked down. It's my fault for even avoiding her in the first place. We could've gone over this together like real mates, but instead I was such a coward! He approached her slowly and nosed her cheek gently like he used to do. He had heard only the last bit of her rant, "consider me his mate anymore!". "Snowyfur...." He whispered shakily, not knowing what else to say.

Snowyfur bristled at her son, tears streaming down her cheeks. The tom that she had loved since she had been made a warrior. Snowyfur, who had been on the verge of a breakdown for moons, finally felt herself snap. She collapsed in a furry heap. Sobs racked her body, and Snowyfur shook with every breath. She couldn't handle it, the pressure of being a mother and mate that was wonderful; if queens had told their kits what it would be like to be a mother, Snowyfur would have decided to skip it all together. The she-cat, oblivious to everything except her own thoughts of dread and melancholy, had not heard the hard paw-steps of her mate approaching. With his soft whimper, Snowyfur whipped around, composing herself back to her brutish self. She let out a snarl, "What do you want?" Snowyfur was confused, just moments ago, Fogfur had left without a second look at her, and now he was suddenly worried about her. Snowyfur wiped a muddy paw across across her blue eyes.

[Barnabas]

Tallstep walked out of the warriors den, stretching his legs and letting out a yawn. The tom sat outside the den and began to groom his fur. His fur stuck up from all ends. He had just woken up, so his nest made his fur that way over night. I look like a hedgehog for crying out loud. The tom let out a small silent chuckle at the comment he made inside his head.

@Foggy22