WindClan: Life Before 2023's Fire

[SpiritWolf_yt]

Ashclaw nodded again" correct" he meowed" stand up and walk over me now i'm gonna teach you how to push someone off when pinned" he said laying down onto his back
@Octavia!

[TheNyanCatMinecart]

~ WOLFFANG OF WINDCLAN ~

Large, muscular, dappled gray tom with light cream-gray fluff on the front of his neck and chest; has amber eyes.

Full bio can be viewed in the link above.

Wolffang's gaze slid to Lightningkit as the young calico stepped forward. She had a brash grin on her face that exuded a potentially cocky, goofy personality, but before Wolffang could make any judgments, it changed to a morose frown despite the way she held herself. He wondered what had caused the shift from someone who made him think of Rosebriar and Featherwhisker - he shoved the encroaching thoughts of his beauty-obsessed kin away, not wanting to compare anyone in the Clan to them unless there was a firmer connection - to someone who appeared so sullen. It must be because Twilightstar talked about the deaths, he decided, feeling another pang of grief at the horrible losses. Someone as old as Lightningkit would understand their impact, no matter how silly or confident they were. She might've known one of them, he realized with an uncomfortable... not a jolt, but it was a sudden feeling that appeared in his stomach. That would make it far worse. Wolffang had lost many of those he loved, whether it be from death or vanishing into the unknown, and he'd died himself. He understood the effect grief could have on cats. But we must move forward and put our all into serving the Clan.

These thoughts were put to the back of his mind as Lightningpaw got her apprentice name... and they vanished from his head entirely when Twilightstar named Leechscar as her mentor. Wolffang didn't react visibly besides a stiffening of the muscles he doubted his Clanmates noticed, and his amber gaze shot to the massive dark gray tom on the Breezerock. He already lost two apprentices, and he hardly cares about the Clan, he thought. The end of his tip-less tail twitched, and a slight frown creased his brow. He didn't want his former apprentice to poison the minds of WindClan's young with his less-than-savory ideals. Why does Twilightstar keep giving him cats to train? Twilightstar was wise, and she didn't miss things easily. However, Wolffang briefly worried if her views as a mother were getting in the way of her decisions.

But... No. His leader had a reason for everything she did. He'd been there since the beginning of her leadership, and he'd worked alongside her as deputy. She cared for those she loved despite her burdens. She knows how to deal with the pressure of her position and how to have close connections. Wolffang felt a slight trickle of guilt. He hadn't been the same. When he'd been deputy, he'd drowned in a pit of paranoia and self-doubt. Now he was better, building relationships with those he would do anything for, but... There was still much he had to understand. He took a breath. Twilightstar has a reason for trusting Leechscar to take on another apprentice. If she believes him to be a worthy mentor, I should wait before I decide he's hurting our young. Besides... As difficult as it was to admit, Leechscar wasn't all bad. He was smart, strict, and intuitive. He just didn't care enough for his Clan, which was a big flaw in Wolffang's opinion.

Twilightstar and Leopardsong were willing to give him a chance, though. And he'd helped the she-cat he loved. So, Wolffang would do the same. But he wanted to keep an eye on Lightningpaw and her training. WindClan's future warriors needed to be loyal to their whole Clan, not just a select few.

"Lightningpaw! Lightningpaw!" he yowled, focusing on the chants rising into the sky to commemorate the new apprentice. He fell silent after a moment and was about to wait for the meeting to continue when he saw someone looking at him.

Not just any "someone."

Bravebird.

Wolffang didn't tense, but something in his stomach and chest tightened. Instinctively, he wanted to open his jaws and say I'm sorry, apologize for not coming to her sooner. What if she was upset with him? Or did she understand that he'd been busy? Still, he felt a sudden, fresh wave of guilt for not speaking to her sooner... until he saw the soft smile etching her maw. He blinked in surprise, his amber eyes flashing against his medium-gray face, then offered a tentative smile back. He knew how to smile, but smiling when he wasn't feeling strong positive emotions was difficult since he wasn't used to the motion.

Wolffang would've been feeling strong positive emotions had the questions encircling his mind not tampered with the flood of relief that coated his bones. He had expected stronger emotions churning in her expression, at the very least her eyes, emotions that hinted at the horrible death and wonderful rebirth and the history between the two of them. But the smile was soft and the gaze vacant, as if she were interacting with a Clanmate she hardly knew. The moment barely lasted; Bravebird's lilac-pointed face and blue eyes vanished as she turned away, back toward the rest of the crowd. I'm probably just being paranoid. It was difficult to look away from Bravebird, but Wolffang forced himself to gaze back up at Twilightstar and pay attention to the rest of the meeting. There was much he had to do, but he couldn't act now.

The dappled gray warrior listened as the leader went through mentor reassignments. The sheer number of them always made his claws want to curl, but he kept them in their large sheaths. He hoped these mentors would be better than the previous ones. Additionally, he heard Moorpaw's name among the mix. Moorpaw. His and Lilyantler's kin who had died and come back to life. He'd been meaning to meet with her, and he made a mental note to talk with the revived apprentice as soon as possible. She's my kin, and perhaps there are experiences we can share. Dapplebreeze ended up becoming her mentor, and Wolffang nodded approvingly. Dapplebreeze, he knew, was Bravebird's mother. She'll be a good mentor. Wolffang hoped the others would, too.

After the usual names were announced, another reassignment was announced. Barleybite. The prefix Barley- gave him a memory he didn't want to have, but assuming based on the first part of a cat's name was foolish. Unless... This cat had recently returned to WindClan after being away for a long time. Feeling an odd sinking feeling in his stomach, accompanied by a war of emotions, Wolffang scanned the crowd.

And there he was.

Among the gathered cats was an all-too-familiar white tom with ginger tabby stripes. He was full-grown now, and heavily scarred, but Wolffang recognized him. Barleykit. Though he clearly wasn't a kit anymore, the familiar name replayed in Wolffang's mind. He remembered, all those seasons ago, confronting the apprenticed-aged tom-kit as he announced he was leaving for ThunderClan, attacking him for a reason he now deemed absolutely featherbrained and despicable, and dropping him off by the ThunderClan border. It made Wolffang cringe inwardly, and he almost felt sick. Why did I do that? What was going through my head? He'd been young, hot-headed, and running by horrible views, but those weren't excuses. He'd still attacked a kit, no matter his age, who had no means of defending himself. A kit who had technically been a Clanmate despite his desire to leave.

He was alive and back in the Clan. Thank StarClan. But those scars... How had he gotten them? Wolffang felt a brief bit of panic, then remembered that he hadn't injured Barleyk- no, Barleybite that badly. Still, he'd gotten them while he was out on his own. Had he been hurt by a ThunderClan patrol? Or something else? Guilt gnawed at the warrior's insides. I'm glad he's alive and well, but he must've been through a lot. And what must he think of me? Barleybite probably hated Wolffang, and for good reason. His tail twitched again. He thought he'd confronted every shadow of his past, but there were always more, rising from the vanishing mists to reassert themselves in his life. That's okay. I can deal with them, no matter how difficult they are. Wolffang didn't know if the white-and-orange tabby wanted anything to do with him, but he had to at least try.

The large, muscular tom's gaze drifted over to Leechscar and his meeting with Lightningpaw. At first, he tensed at his former apprentice's harsh, blunt tone; then, once Leechscar got into some of his "ground rules," he felt himself relax. Wolffang didn't agree with everything Leechscar did, but at least he seemed to be taking his new apprentice's safety seriously and issued sensible warnings. His teaching style was different than Wolffang's, but it wasn't bad, as long as it was done right. Wolffang turned away from the mentor-apprentice bunch and was about to check on Moorpaw when Twilightstar began speaking again.

The Guardians. Wolffang's posture immediately straightened. He remembered the mentions of the rank from the previous meeting. The rank had been utilized in the past, but if memory served him right, they hadn't been more than camp guards. Now they had bigger roles, serving WindClan with the utmost strength and taking many responsibilities into their paws. Wolffang had considered becoming one. He wanted to serve his Clan in the best way possible, supporting them with everything he had. However... despite how long he'd been returned, Wolffang wasn't sure if he was the best candidate for the position. He would've jumped at the opportunity in the past, but now... There are too many loose ends I'm tying up, too many things I have to amend. I will never let myself get distracted from my duties, but there are other things I must get done. Wolffang was still getting back into the swing of things, and he didn't know if he could bear such an important title with where he was now. He was certain that everyone Twilightstar chose was a good fit for the rank. However, even if he wasn't a Guardian, he would never stop giving his all to WindClan - and the cats within it he loved - and whenever his Clan needed support, he would be there.

Wolffang's attention was brought back to the meeting at paw when Twilightstar said that... Dawnstar had brought up a good idea. At the last Gathering. Instinctively, his thick, medium-length pelt prickled, and he couldn't stop his claws from exiting their sheaths. He was, however, able to force back the growl that threatened to rise in his throat, and his remaining ear pricked instead of flattened. Why would Twilightstar say such a thing about her? No matter what period of self-obsession or self-loathing Wolffang had experienced at the time, he remembered vividly what Dawnstar had done to ShadowClan. After WindClan drove them out of their home when Icestar was leader - and rightfully so - her successor had taken it upon herself to make WindClan suffer. She'd taken over the Clan, kidnapping and torturing Twilightstar, then killed WindClan cats and taken their pelts and territory when they'd been repaying ShadowClan for their help.

Wolffang still wanted to sink his claws into her pelt - and the pelts of any ShadowClan cats who followed her. But he forced his anger down and listened to what Twilightstar had to say. His leader said that she loathed to admit it, which he could understand. If she agreed with Dawnstar on something, then it had to be decent, though Wolffang would not let such a thing change his opinion on the tyrant. Gathering guards. He hadn't gone to Gatherings much lately, but the idea sounded good. It was a sure way to stop unwanted trespassers. He also appreciated the order to not kill unless absolutely necessary - he had no doubt in his mind that Dawnstar had wanted to kill the Outsiders with no questions asked. Twilightstar was applying honor to Dawnstar's idea, which was to be expected.

He listened to the closing point about potential conflicts with the other Clans over Outsiders. Wolffang would've liked to act as a guard, but he wasn't a Guardian, so it wasn't his place. He already hadn't applied to the position of Guardian, and he knew now not to stick his nose where it didn't belong, as much as he wanted to help out. The meeting ended with a warning about ShadowClan, and Wolffang's pelt prickled once more. Negative interactions with Dawnstar were the last thing WindClan needed, but if worst came to worst, he would be there, ready to protect his Clan in whatever way was necessary. Dawnstar, that tyrant, he thought as he watched Twilightstar leap off of the Breezerock as a means of dismissing the meeting. She's been leader for far too long. I hope she's down to her last lives. All she does is cause chaos, carnage, and bloodshed - and enjoys it. Wolffang had loved to fight as a young warrior, but not even his wildest dreams had led to him being that vicious. Even then, he had some semblance of honor - and now, honor was what mattered most. He wouldn't kill, not like he'd yearned to do as deputy out of fury. He would only kill if absolutely necessary - and he had to grudgingly admit that if it came to a battle and he fought Dawnstar, he wouldn't take a life unless he had no choice. Fury wouldn't cloud his thoughts. Righteousness would fuel him.

Wolffang turned and padded away from the Breezerock. He would've liked to call out the names of the Guardians, but no one else save for one did, and it was only the name of someone he assumed was close to him in some way. The meeting was over, anyway. But Wolffang kept the names of Twilightstar's chosen in his mind as he headed toward the fresh-kill pile. They were the future of WindClan, rising up to fill this important role, and he wished them all the best.

@Alchemist Kitsune @Moonraven @Undertaker @daenerys @Larissa @Abyssopelagic (Wolffang has left the meeting, but I mentioned you in case you wanted to read his thoughts and how he reacted to Bravebird!)

[TheNyanCatMinecart]

Wolffang grabbed a rabbit from the fresh-kill pile.

12 - 1 = 11

[zozelen]

Originally Posted by Rosepaaw

Rosestep helped put the flower behind her ear just like the feather in hers currently

She heard what the kit had to say and blushed thinking of her crush when she paused over friend

"Hmmmm a friend you say.........matters" she looked like she was thinking

"What kind of friend?" she said while smiling

She waited for the kit to respond

"You know, just the regular kind," Magnoliakit mumbled. "It's not like I wanna be their mate or something... Do you have any ideas or not?"

[SpiritWolf_yt]

Lilyheart padded up to the preypile with scalepaw hoping to get some memories and words out of his friend, lilyheart grabbed a crow and went off to a spot and wait for scalepaw

Scalepaw followed lilyheart with his head low the tom grabbed a vole and followed lilyheart to a spot to talk with her

[ prey pile contains: 3 rabbits | 1 mice] 11-2 = 9

[SpiritWolf_yt]

Lilyheart and scalepaw talked to each-other while eating then lilyheart sighed" Your memory is sorta coming back. I hope you and i can have a chance to go out into the territory and hunt together" she said putting a crow feather in scalepaws fur then walking away leaving scalepaw speechless as the moment lilyheart gave him a crow feather he began to remember more of lilyheart

[ open if you want to interact with one of them

Ashclaw is still watching camp

[nykyrian]

♛|Elkhowl|♛

He/Him | @FireSandwich

As he turned to leave he noticed something. He was completely alone.

He wasn't exactly sure when that had happened, he had thought he was being followed by the warrior the entire time. "Creepercall?" Elkhowl called. He waited a minute for a reply, but none came. I might as well finish the patrol, I can always find her later. He decided. He searched the area he had mapped out for himself, finding two plants that he was almost sure were burnet (as much as he could be without actually having a clear image of it in his mind), before deciding to head back. Though his amber eyes stayed attentive as he walked looking for anything else. Which was for the better because by the time he neared camp, he had collected three plants total.

#06

[Abyssopelagic]

Moorpaw's eyes scanned the crowd, still looking for her mentor.
Ugh, she really needed to jump on top of learning what her Clanmates looked like.
She'd barely been back two moons and had admittedly been more concerned about trying to remember how to function than most other things.

She was extremely grateful that Dapplebreeze had sought her out, and gave a sigh of relief as the snow and cloud patched molly approaches her. She gave her new mentor her best smile as she greeted her and introduced herself.
"HI, Dapplebreeze. Yeah, that'd..... be nice, thank you."
When she'd been assigned..... was it Frozenmarigold? As her mentor, they hadn't even come to greet her, and never came to her to discuss anything about her training, so having a mentor that was pro-active in getting around to training felt like a blessing.

[ @TheNyanCatMinecart ]
Before she could manage to reply to her question now that the meeting was dismissed, she felt eyes on her, like someone was staring at her.
She turned back and caught sight of one of the few faces that were familiar to her, from her life when she'd been alive the first time.
Her nephew, Wolffang.
She blinked at him.
He was so big now. Not just grown up, he was a well muscled cat and seemed to have gotten Dimtail's sheer height as well. He got his height from Lilyantler, her father, his grandfather, but where the dark and star splotched tom was built for running the moors, Wolffang seemed more built for battle.
A thought that was backed up by the scars that patterned his body.
She paused, giving him a nod, a whispered hope in her mind that he hadn't seen too much horror in his life, wishes that her former den and playmate had lived a blessed life in her time away.
She half wondered if he'd come over and speak to her, but he turned away to his business after awhile.
She fought back the invasive, prickling feeling of disappointment.
She really shouldn't have expected he'd want to talk to her at that moment. He had other things to do, probably.
Moorpaw would have to seek him out when he wasn't busy, she realized, instead of expecting him to speak to her.


[ @AlchemistKitsune ]
But, for now.....
The coal swirled apprentice turned back to her new mentor, intending to address her now that she wasn't distracted.
"I haven't really received any..... training. The only think I've learned is..... well, Fallownose took me to familiarize me with the territory after a border patrol..... left me on my own after we'd marked..... the border."
She still felt the echoes of rage when she thought about the warriors that had felt it was okay to leave an apprentice on her own. She didn't feel the same resentment towards Ryepaw, as he was just an apprentice like her. He shouldn't have been left alone either.

"I also recently.... got my tail kicked in a — a spar. Yeah. But no one taught me anything. We just.... went at eachother."
Was she framing her experience in the territory where she'd technically been in danger when she was attacked by the cat she'd been trying to help as something more friendly and something Dapplebreeze wouldn't worry about?
Absolutely, if she could count it as some sort of training, she would. She hated admitting how little she'd taken initiative in her own training. It was hard to when she couldn't even remember to eat when her body told her to, but she doubted anyone would really understand.
"But other than that..... no real training. I do think I would like to len.... to learn how to hunt first."
She really wanted to give back to the Clan that was practically babying her currently.
Hunting seemed like a very good first step. They always needed prey, right?

[TheNyanCatMinecart]

~ TULIPPAW OF WINDCLAN ~

Dainty calico she-cat with extremely sleek fur and rich, vivid green eyes.

Official ref sheet can be found here.

As Tulippaw glanced at Twilightstar, the warmth of excitement and determination briefly blotting out the unpleasant sensations around and within her, she wondered what the lilac-gray leader was thinking. Twilightstar had slipped into a hunting crouch beside her. Their pelts barely brushed; only the finest tips of each hair met as young and experienced surveyed the situation. Tulippaw's breath rasped in her throat - though she covered this up by making her breathing slow, low, and even - and her heart rapidly pumped warm blood through her freezing body. Surely I've done a good job of hiding my sickness. Okay, she could've made the "sticking her face in the snow" incident more subtle by tripping or something, but who could blame her for not thinking straight? She was sick, for StarClan's sake! And she hadn't eaten anything besides the rabbit leg from yesterday...

Tulippaw almost sighed in relief when Twilightstar told her that she could catch the rabbit. Good. Once I've got it, we'll take it to Burrpelt, and I can get out of this dreadful weather - and away from that dreadful tom. She'd never forgive him for his threat and the humiliation he'd initiated. I told him about my family and everything, and he showed sympathy, but he didn't think twice before reporting me to Twilightstar over something ridiculous. How rude and horrible.

But now wasn't the time to think about Badgerfoot. Now was the time to catch that rabbit.

The dainty calico apprentice nodded, forcing an extra spark of brightness into her eyes and an eager smile onto her face. A sick cat wouldn't be so cheerful, surely! Then she turned toward the rabbit. The creature was still there, nibbling on that hardy piece of grass that refused to be buried under the snow. Tulippaw went over everything Fallownose had taught her in her head, gathering her strength. Her lungs burned, her throat was coated with phlegm, the cold was enough to turn a cat to ice, and the prey-scent wafting toward her on the wind made her feel simultaneously hungry and sick, but she shoved all those sensations behind the wall. "The wall" was the barrier that allowed her to keep going without succumbing to these horrible symptoms, the barrier that reminded her that enduring pain was a value these crazy cats cared for that she couldn't comprehend, but which she had to endure. And they aren't crazy, she thought. Not like that. I just don't understand them. But I'm figuring it out, aren't I? They'll love me.

Even if it was tough... and even if Tulippaw desperately wished she could make a scene and show them how sick she was getting...

Enough of that. Tulippaw honed in on her determination and the strength she'd reeled in, and her rich, vivid green eyes narrowed as she studied the rabbit. It was still distracted, and despite her stuffy nose, she could tell its scent was blowing toward her because the wind was blowing into her face, pressing her ears back and flattening her pristine pelt. Concentrate. If she hesitated, Twilightstar would suspect something. So, the small she-cat lowered herself to the ground, flinching as the icy cold snow brushed against her belly fur, and drew herself forward. She would get close enough so that she'd have a chance of catching it from a run. Despite the surrounding cold, her muscles burned with the effort, and she thanked StarClan that her face was turned away from Twilightstar - the leader didn't have to see how tightly she'd gritted her teeth together.

It was tough, but Tulippaw was doing a splendid job, if she did say so herself. Her body moved with surprising surety and grace over the snow-covered ground, and her delicate paws were placed so lightly that they didn't make a sound. The rabbit came closer, and closer, and the breath in her chest began to rattle. Almost there... Then she was close enough not to pounce, but to burst into a run. The thought of running was dreadful, and it made her heart sink, but Tulippaw pushed any concerns out of her mind and bolted.

Every ounce of her will was put into the run. Her paws flew over the ground, digging and pushing in just the right ways, propelling her forward like a tri-colored monster. The snow hardly crunched; however, the rabbit sensed the oncoming danger and lifted its head. Upon seeing the approaching apprentice, it squealed and began to run away. However, it was too late. Tulippaw aimed ahead of the brown-splotched creature, and while she ran, put weight into her hindquarters; then she leaped. The rabbit hardly had time to look up before her skinny figure fell onto it. It tried to buck her off, but Tulippaw sank her teeth into the back of its neck and bit down as hard as she could. There was a sickening crunch, and the creature went still.

Tulippaw felt a flood of triumph. Yes! I got the rabbit! Twilightstar must be in awe of that display. Surely no sick apprentice had caught a rabbit with such grace. She let go of the rabbit and straightened... then immediately regretted it. A wave of dizziness hit her like a solid stone wall, and she became acutely aware of the prey-blood in her mouth. Her stomach rumbled with longing hunger and roiling nausea. As the warmth that had propelled her died away, the cold set in, its icy claws seemingly stronger than before. Her breaths rattled; her lungs burned worse; she could hardly breathe. Tulippaw bent her head, hoping it looked like she was inspecting the rabbit, but some of her symptoms were leaking through that wall and getting to her. it was horrible.

Suddenly, she could've sworn a scent drifted her way. It smelled of heavy, oppressive fog, rotting wood, mud, and... blood. With an underlying cat scent.

Tulippaw's blood ran cold.

Slowly, her vivid green gaze lifted from the ground, her breath rattling in her throat.

Standing in the distance was a wide, brawny tom. His dark brown pelt, adorned with broken mackerel tabby markings, contrasted the snow and created an imposing figure. The white throat and chest stood out more, and his white paws blended into the ground, making him look like he was floating. Smoke wreathed him. Copper eyes glinted.

It was Dusktalon.

Tulippaw's heartbeat picked up, and for a moment, the world around her vanished. All she could hear was the blood roaring in her ears and the rapid, pawsteps-on-stone-sounding drum that filled her body. Why... why was he here? He'd said he could only appear in other cats' dreams, right? And... and I want nothing to do with him. Not now. She'd promised to meet him again, but she now realized how foolish that was. She was never going to have a lesson with the devious tom. In fact, she wanted nothing to do with him or Hawkblaze ever again.

But he was here, looking at her with a knowing smile. He inclined his head to a spot behind Tulippaw.

Tulippaw was terrified, but her shock inhibited any ability for her to show it. Her pelt was already fluffed out, so the effect of its ruffle was mild; her ears were already flat against the bitingly cold wind. She was already shaking due to cold and sickness. Shock kept her paws rooted to the ground and her mouth shut, and before the fear-scent could begin rolling off of her pelt, she began wondering about his gesture, as much as she didn't want to.

Twilightstar, she realized almost instantly. I can't let her see me acting like this. She'll know something is wrong. Her illness being brought to light was something she couldn't allow. As much as she hated listening to him... he was right.

Tulippaw snapped out of it. She'd been standing there for a few moments at most, but hopefully not for long enough to concern the lilac-gray leader. Shaking out her short, thick pelt, she cleared her throat of phlegm as quietly as she could; then she grabbed the rabbit and hauled it up. It was heavy, which didn't help her weak limbs or shaking body, but she turned and trotted over to Twilightstar, wherever she was now.

Tulippaw deposited the rabbit, and when she looked up, her eyes were bright, and there was an eager smile on her face. There was absolutely nothing wrong with her that Twilightstar could see. Nope. Wasn't she just so perfect at everything she did? At least Dusktalon's brief appearance had helped distract her a little from her sickness. Though it still left a worm of worry in her belly...

No matter. The calico apprentice beamed and purred, her voice a little strained but mostly smoothed by the extra sweetness she poured into it, "I caught it! Oh, wasn't that just fantastic?!" Her elegantly long tail flicked eagerly. The movement was smooth despite how heavy it felt. "This will be the perfect rabbit for Badgerfoot, don't you think? Now, all we have to do is deliver it to him, and then I can get some rest. This cold is absolutely dreadful!" She shivered dramatically, putting a signature disgusted look on her face before it returned to one of eagerness and pride. If Twilightstar needed more explanation for Tulippaw's unsavory behavior, then she'd give it. She was not going to be found out. And all she wanted to do was get inside. As soon as I drop this off to that unclean furball, I can go to my nest and get some rest. StarClan knew where Hawkblaze had been, so it wasn't likely that she'd be dragged out for a training session.

@Moonraven (The appearance of Dusktalon and his scent was a hallucination, so Twilightstar wouldn't see/smell anything related to him.)

[Alchemist Kitsune]

Mind focused purely on happier, more optimistic thoughts than the ones that kept threatening to overtake her once more - she refused, however, she would not mourn the same kit twice - blue eyes shifted almost imperceptibly at a blur of motion close by. Once a queen, always a queen, she supposed. There were certain... qualities one bound to the nursery for a prolonged period of time was sure to gain. One of which was constant alertness. If things seemed too calm, one could be certain a little storm of fuzz, teeth, and claws was sure to come around sooner rather than later. It was as inherent to kits as the code was to warriors. A Kit Code, so to speak.

Purring in mild amusement as her eye finally caught up with the culprit, she kept a casual look on the light furred tabby. It was clear from just a glance just how much confidence seemed to ooze from this young bundle of rather chaotic joy. Taking her paw to her mouth, she proceeded to lick her toes, bringing them up to her ears every so often in the pretext of grooming. She saw no need to send this little one off to the nursery once more. It was clear from his play that Cricketkit had no intention of sneaking away to the medicine cat's den like some of the others were so intent on doing. Noble intentions for cats so young, no doubt, but she agreed with Cowtuft. The youngest were far too precious and vulnerable to be exposed to not only the illness but the potential tragedy that might come of it if left untreated for too long. After all, the illness had already taken someone, had it not?

Noticing a glint of mischief on Cricketkit's eye as he took notice of her, the former queen steeled her face, refusing to smile and give herself away. The poor darling was no doubt thinking of pouncing her, or surprising her, or hunting down her tail... there were really many an excuse kits enjoyed using for the end goal of claws and teeth being somehow included in their playtime routines. That said, most of the time, she was used to kits... sneaking towards her. Rarely - if ever, really - had she been on the receiving end of a little one running towards her at full speed. Oh my... he really was going quite fast, wasn't he? Unsure of what exactly was the young tom's endgame, the patched warrior decided to stay put, readying herself for the inevitable collision that... never quite seemed to come?

Surprised and not quite able to fully hide it, Dapplebreeze coughed as she tried to cover the the small laughter threatening to burst through. Concern would have been quick to raise on the cream furred molly if not for the fact that after raising Whisperbreeze, Bravebird, and Ryepaw, the WindClan warrior was quite frankly used to seeing more than her fair share of kits eating dirt or taking falls that seemed disproportionately catastrophic for how easily they simply got up and shook off the debris left in the wake of their chaotic destruction. True to form, Cricketkit seemed to be quite alright, taking a few moments but eventually getting up and shaking off the dust from his rather comical tumble across the clearing's floor.

Angry little eyes soon found their way to her, and despite herself, Dapplebreeze could feel her whiskers twitching as she felt her lips tugging threateningly at an inevitable smile. That would not do, however. The poor tabby tom was already displaying the signs of a wounded pride, embarrassment clear on his slowly growing and seemingly inevitable tantrum. Why, if she were to laugh at the young dear now, what would that do for his precocious self esteem? So necessary to foster and nurture at this young age. True, not allowing to let it get to their heads and lead to inevitable deaths was essential, but an important trait for a grounded warrior all the same as far as she was concerned. It did not take long, in any case, for the pale kit to come to her with accusing words. It was not his fault, of course, it was hers. Hmmm, a bit immature to be certain, but then... what kit was not at that age? He would learn in time that learning from one's mistakes made for a better warrior, one that became stronger and more refined as time went on. For now, however, she supposed there was little harm in playing along with his funny game.

"You must forgive me, my dear. With all the happenings around WindClan of late, I'm afraid guarding the camp falls to those of us who are done with our chores for the day," the former queen responded in a polite tone, although a realization made a frown cross her brow in concern.

It was true... was it not? The plague was not the only thing the clan had to worry about. Nor the deaths. Why... how Twilightstar had not mentioned the horrendous kitnapper that had apparently had the gall to show his ShadowClan hide within WindClan's domain and attempt to take one of their own precious young ones with him was beyond her. Now more than ever WindClan needed to keep an eye out on their young! No ShadowClan fiend should ever lay a claw on any of their kits. No... scratch that. No ShadowClan fiend would ever lay a claw on any of their kits, not while she was around. Catching her stern face as she looked down upon Cricketkit, she quickly softened her glare, not wishing the poor tabby troublemaker to think such repugnant feelings were directed at him.

"Well..." she continued, deciding to indulge the kit with some conversation instead. Perhaps even soothe if only a bit his no doubt wounded pride. "I suppose I should be grateful to have been blessed with encountering such a hard working kit like yourself today, shouldn't I? Why, battle practice at your young age? That shows diligence, it does! The other kits will have to make sure to work hard if they wish to keep up with the likes of you."

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@Flaming Ice - Cricketkit