RiverClan Clearing

[spinachsprite]

Originally Posted by Dipper

[[skipping BILL. since he said Lion's participation in this was over]]

When Troutrunner asked if he'd like to begin, Fawnpaw was floored by the offer and stole a quick glance around himself as if wondering if he'd slipped from the grasps of reality, if this was a dream because it had to be, there was simply no other way. What a responsible and healthy mentor-apprentice relationship looked like was warped in his mind after his previous experience of neglect. "Wait, what?" he finally sputtered out, tripping over his words. "We... can do that? Start now?" It came out in quick, stupefied bursts as he gawked at Troutrunner in disbelief, then exhilaration washed over his features and betrayed how ecstatic he was at the mere idea. Logically, he knew there was nothing stopping them, but it seemed to cross the barrier of impossibility - a mentor wanting to do things with him was a foreign adjustment.

Upon realizing he hadn't exactly given a clear answer and irrationally afraid she wouldn't interpret his emotion as positive, Fawnpaw was quick to amend that, unwilling to let this opportunity slip through his fingers. "I don't have anything I wanted to do today," he said, rushed. "I mean, I want to do some training-- if you were serious about that." But nothing indicated it was an offer about to be rescinded in a flash of a second, so his hopes were high.

((sorry for the massive wait, i've been away on holiday then had to sort a few things out on my return! apologies c: ))

Troutrunner felt herself melting at the apprentice's lovely optimism, his youthful joy far overriding the slightly stiff but mature appearance he had hoisted in Lionstorm's often blinding limelight.
"Of course," The molly smiled, eyes reflecting her happiness; she was positively smitten with the young apprentice. He almost reminded her of her own kittens when they had reached his age- of course, here in Riverclan, his training would be rewarded with a prideful ceremony and the nostalgic excitement of a successful journey into the position of a fully fledged warrior, in comparison to the harsh rejection faced by her own kits when they had reached such an age; turned out by their own mother into a competitive and often unforgiving world.

She couldn't deny it - she was ecstatic herself to be given the opportunity to train again, and couldn't thank Lionstorm enough for giving her such an enthusiastic and positive apprentice. She was certain only good things could come from their sudden but appreciated engagement. She was about to respond when she heard their names called, once again quite loudly (all eyes on me!) by the large ginger tomcat they knew as their deputy. She listened briefly to what he had to say, then turned back to the little brown tom before her and offered another warm smile;
"I was about to suggest we started by having a look around the territory - you've seen it before? - but it looks like Lionstorm had that all planned out for us instead. Are you ready to set off?"

( @RedHead feel free to jump in here when you're ready, again apologies for the wait!!)) @Dipper

[TawnyNeedsACoffee]

Originally Posted by Rosemew

The warrior nodded softly, bushy tail flicking. "Well, you aren't the only one. It feels..odd sleeping in a den with so many felines." he said, rolling his eyes after. "Though..., some people are clearly getting used to it." as he said that, an image of Larkstorm appeared in his mind, shaking his head.
"Anyway, since we're Riverclan now, we should learn how to swim right?" Timberspark told in a somewhat joking away. But it was true wasn't it? He didn't want to drown anytime soon.

DawnPaw sighed somewhat at the mention of being a RiverClan cat now, but the Tom was right that they'll have to learn how to swim if they were going to survive there."I suppose so...as long as I'm not forced to eat a fish I won't mind...".she grumbled slightly her nose turning up at the mention of fish.

[Dust]

Originally Posted by Pigeonpaw

@Dust

Pigeonpaw trotted into the clearing and dropped a fish on the fresh-kill pile, her chest puffed out proudly. She looked around the camp and spotted her brother resting outside the apprentice's den.
"Hey, Pebblepaw!" She called out, making her way over to him. "I just got back from my first outing with Rainwhisper. I caught a huge fish!" She exaggerated the size, of course, and hoped Pebblepaw wouldn't notice her still-damp and ruffled pelt, a tell-tale sign that she had definitely fallen into the river. She wondered what kind of things her brother had done with his mentor so far. They'd only just become apprentices, but Pigeonpaw desperately wanted to impress the clan, and more importantly, impress her brother.

With a grimace, Pebblepaw pulled his paw from the puddle of mud it had been submerged in. "Blegh.." He grumbled to himself, giving a good hardy shake, splattering drops of the thick liquid around him. Of all the things he disliked, mud was one of them. Not the 'just rained mud' but the thick, warm puddles baking in the sun after a heavy rainfall... and to his dismay that's what was waiting for him as he made his way from the Apprentice's den - his pre-dinner naptime now ruined. At least until he heard his sister, Pigeonpaw, call out from across the clearing. Immediately he perked up, a large smile stretching across his face. "No way!" He yowled with equally exaggerated enthusiasm, meeting his sister with a rumbling purr. "Do I get to see it? I need to know how big the next fish I catch should be!"

[pidgeon]

Originally Posted by Dust

With a grimace, Pebblepaw pulled his paw from the puddle of mud it had been submerged in. "Blegh.." He grumbled to himself, giving a good hardy shake, splattering drops of the thick liquid around him. Of all the things he disliked, mud was one of them. Not the 'just rained mud' but the thick, warm puddles baking in the sun after a heavy rainfall... and to his dismay that's what was waiting for him as he made his way from the Apprentice's den - his pre-dinner naptime now ruined. At least until he heard his sister, Pigeonpaw, call out from across the clearing. Immediately he perked up, a large smile stretching across his face. "No way!" He yowled with equally exaggerated enthusiasm, meeting his sister with a rumbling purr. "Do I get to see it? I need to know how big the next fish I catch should be!"

"Of Course," Pigeonpaw chuffed proudly, It's right at the very top of the fresh-kill pile." She shook out her pelt and sat down with a flop, beginning to groom her tangled mess of fur. Rainwhisper is great!" She continued, beaming as she talked about her mentor. He taught me how to catch fish, and he even took me to the ShadowClan border. They smell just as awful as the elders said they would." She licked her paw and swiped it over her ear a few times. She nearly felt like she could still smell them, as if she'd never get that rancid stench out of her fur. She would soon forget it, however, when her nose was filled with the scent of fresh fish. She retrieved her own catch from the pile and brought it over to her brother. "Do you want to share? I can't eat this whole thing by myself," She offered.

[wren]

Crouched between the apprentices and elders den was a small black apprentice, looking smaller then usual, crouched and cowering like she was afraid of being seen. Well she was. Her yellow eyes flickering cautiously to detect any signs of the grumpy elder bubblingbee. The crazy feline had kept her cooped up for so long, she could barely even feel her legs anymore. She hadn’t had much time to herself, and she was way to loud to ever leave spiderpaw to her own thoughts. The elder had taken over every aspect of her life. She heard a shout briefly interrupting the silence and popped back down into the shadows like a mouse into its hole. What felt like days worth of ticks awaited her just behind the weaved entrance, accompanied by a few slaps to the face and unneeded commentary. She was tired of this punishment- ready to give up despite her my way or the highway attitude. The old cranky abomination had broken her.

She bit the inside of her cheek in frustration, lionstorm had finally found a way to crush her. Not that she cared if he knew anyways, the next time she saw him she would beg him to let her go. She was absolutely tired of this- no matter how foolish she looked giving up.

@BILL.

[BEAR.]

Another day, another set of patrols to send out. Lionstorm was trying to be optimistic, he really was-- but he was beginning to feel like there weren't many reliable cats in RiverClan. It was a shame, too. He'd given the Clan many opportunities to prove themselves as productive members of their society.

Ah, well. At least he had Troutrunner and the Oaks-. They'd never let him down.

Looking around the clearing, his mind was buzzing with the possibilities of what needed to be done. WindClan and ShadowClan had border patrols out, but ThunderClan's border and their hunting parties had been a flop. A disappointment, really, considering the Clan needed to be fed.

Eyes narrowed, his gaze fell on the familiar pelts of Rosewater and Willowwings. The last patrol Willowwings had been on didn't go well, but he was hoping she'd do better. He didn't plan on making them do anything extensive-- Rosewater always looked like a mere gust of wind would knock her over.

[OPTIONAL PROMPT: as your hunting, you hear a hiss! a rogue has been taking shelter under a rocky overhang, and is ready to attack!]

"Willowwings [ @CloverFlame], Rosewater [ @lacumaru]," he called them over to him. "I'm sending you both on a hunting patrol near the rocky patch south of the river. Willowwings, you'll be in charge this time-- don't come back without at least two pieces of prey each, okay? If our patrols keep being short-pawed we're going to have issues feeding the Clan.

But he wasn't done. He was far from it. He had his next set of cats already in sight: Sweetwhisper and Jasperpelt. It'd been a while since he saw either of them on patrol, and he was ready to put them to work.

[OPTIONAL PROMPT: while patrolling, you see strange tracks in nearby mud. it's a scent you don't recognize, and it's leading into riverclan territory. will you investigate further?]

"Sweetwhisper [ @Tempest's Song], Jasperpelt [ @Lonestar23], both of you come here!" His voice was raised from before, to ensure both of them heard him. "You both will be patrolling along the ThunderClan border. It's been quiet so far, but if anything happens, I want to be informed. Sweetwhisper, you'll be in charge of this one." It was kind of funny, now that he was thinking about it. He was putting Sweetwhisper in charge of her father.

Shaking his head of his thoughts, he moved on to the last patrol of the day. He already knew who he wanted for this one.

[OPTIONAL PROMPT: while hunting, you hear the barking of dogs getting closer, and several canines break out from the undergrowth and charge toward you!]

"Oakbranch [ @Cave], Eagleflight [ @Pigeonpaw], and Risingsun [ @RedHead]" his voice rang out, louder now as he couldn't spot any of the cats immediately in the crowd. "You will all be on a hunting patrol along the dried creek bed. Oakbranch— you know what to do." As one of the most determined cats in the Clan, he knew putting her in charge of a patrol would only end in its success.

[pidgeon]

Originally Posted by BILL.

[OPTIONAL PROMPT: while hunting, you hear the barking of dogs getting closer, and several canines break out from the undergrowth and charge toward you!]

"Oakbranch [ @Cave], Eagleflight [ @Pigeonpaw], and Risingsun [ @RedHead]" his voice rang out, louder now as he couldn't spot any of the cats immediately in the crowd. "You will all be on a hunting patrol along the dried creek bed. Oakbranch— you know what to do." As one of the most determined cats in the Clan, he knew putting her in charge of a patrol would only end in its success.

@Cave @RedHead @Bill

Eagleflight had woken up moments before he heard his name called. His ears perked up and he leapt to his paws. He stretched his powerful legs out for a moment, feeling the sleepy stiffness leave his muscles. He poked his head out of the warriors den and surveyed the clearing, and once he spotted Lionstorm in the center of the clearing, he trotted over.
"Lovely weather for hunting today," the red-brown tom acknowledged. "Warm water brings bigger fish." He had a great respect for Lionstorm; the cat never seemed to falter even when he had to order around so many cats. One day I'll be there, he thought to himself. Empty prayer, but a cat could dream. He sat on the soft earth, wrapping his tail neatly around his paws as he waited for the rest of his patrol.

[RedHead]

Originally Posted by Pigeonpaw

@Cave @RedHead @Bill

Eagleflight had woken up moments before he heard his name called. His ears perked up and he leapt to his paws. He stretched his powerful legs out for a moment, feeling the sleepy stiffness leave his muscles. He poked his head out of the warriors den and surveyed the clearing, and once he spotted Lionstorm in the center of the clearing, he trotted over.
"Lovely weather for hunting today," the red-brown tom acknowledged. "Warm water brings bigger fish." He had a great respect for Lionstorm; the cat never seemed to falter even when he had to order around so many cats. One day I'll be there, he thought to himself. Empty prayer, but a cat could dream. He sat on the soft earth, wrapping his tail neatly around his paws as he waited for the rest of his patrol.

Risingsun was quietly grooming himself in the clearing when he heard his name called for patrol. His ears immediately perked up, and he cast his yellow gaze around the clearing until it landed on where the golden-furred deputy was standing. Abandoning the rest of his grooming, he was pretty much done anyways, Risingsun made his way over to the center of the clearing.
He spotted Eagleflight already there, recognizing the tom by his red-brown pelt. Risingsun thought he was handsome, but not compared to some of the cats he’d seen. Probably more of a middle range... He flicked his tail as he sat, before wrapping it around his paws. His fluffy white pelt shone in the sunlight, and he gave a smile to Eagleflight. “Though the deeper fish like to reside in the deeper water.” He added, bouncing off of what Eagleflight has said as he was walking up.

@Cave

[CloverFlame]

Originally Posted by BILL.

Another day, another set of patrols to send out. Lionstorm was trying to be optimistic, he really was-- but he was beginning to feel like there weren't many reliable cats in RiverClan. It was a shame, too. He'd given the Clan many opportunities to prove themselves as productive members of their society.

Ah, well. At least he had Troutrunner and the Oaks-. They'd never let him down.

Looking around the clearing, his mind was buzzing with the possibilities of what needed to be done. WindClan and ShadowClan had border patrols out, but ThunderClan's border and their hunting parties had been a flop. A disappointment, really, considering the Clan needed to be fed.

Eyes narrowed, his gaze fell on the familiar pelts of Rosewater and Willowwings. The last patrol Willowwings had been on didn't go well, but he was hoping she'd do better. He didn't plan on making them do anything extensive-- Rosewater always looked like a mere gust of wind would knock her over.

[OPTIONAL PROMPT: as your hunting, you hear a hiss! a rogue has been taking shelter under a rocky overhang, and is ready to attack!]

"Willowwings [ @CloverFlame], Rosewater [ @lacumaru]," he called them over to him. "I'm sending you both on a hunting patrol near the rocky patch south of the river. Willowwings, you'll be in charge this time-- don't come back without at least two pieces of prey each, okay? If our patrols keep being short-pawed we're going to have issues feeding the Clan.

Willowwings eyes narrowed slightly, her last patrol had gone rather sour, though in her eyes it was hardly her fault. She couldn’t force fish to appear in the river could she?
With a shake of her pelt, she nodded in understanding to her deputy before turning to her clanmate, Rosewater, “Are you ready to go?” She inquired, forcing her fur to stay flat as she tried to clear her mind.
Without waiting for an answer the molly trotted out of camp and into the territory, her tail lashing once in frustration, she may not have brought back much last patrol, but she had done extremely well in her hunting with Torrentfeather. She had even done well with the new Skyclan cat who had asked her to teach her to fish, despite the other molly constantly scaring the fish.
@lacumaru

[Cave]

| @RedHead | @Pigeonpaw |

Oakbranch had sat near Lionstorm as he organized patrols. She watched as the patrols he called out grouped together to go out. She found it mildly odd that there were no border patrols but she soon shrugged it off when she heard her name being called. She was the leader of another patrols, I guess this means he trusts me, that's a good thing I suppose. She thought as she looked around for the two cats that are supposed to join her. Spotting the pair and barely overhearing what they were saying she decided to join in, "Fish big or small should end up here, we have many mouths to feed-" she paused to look at the fresh kill pile, "and by the looks of it we should probably get to it soon." She moved towards the entrance of camp to lead.