ThunderClan: Life Before 2023's Sinkhole

[Madelaine]

-->Pondkit<--

Not becoming an apprentice? She had waited a long time for this moment. She looked at Sagekit who spoke up first. Maybe she should do. The molly got closer to the other kit and looked at Dogbark. "Yeah Sagekit's right. We've been waiting moons for this day. It's kind of not fair to us that we got to wait longer.", she complained. Pondkit wasn't nervous. She had a feeling and she was going to say it out loud. She knew life wasn't fair, but this was way not fair. She had asked a warrior what apprentices did and she was excited. Now she was crushed.

// @Willowfern; @sid; \\

[bubble[error].]

Originally Posted by Clock Dragonshifter

Wishkit looked shocked making her way closer to Sharpkit before nudging them with her paw. "Are you ok!" The she-kit asked worriedly.

Sharpkit then kicked Wishkit with his back legs by spinning around, knocking her back a few feet. He stood up, laughing, "Got you! Got you! Got you! Ha ha ha ha hahaha!!!"

[Brightlight]

Originally Posted by Cloud-

“Well, really if you think about it…it was equally both of us! Because of the domino effect!” Firkit mewed, deep in thought. Fiddlesticks, she tried but couldn’t remember well enough their chat in the nursery. Although she couldn’t remember, she does know that it was a back to back conversation, and they both participated in building up to the moment they were caught, so wasn’t it equally both their fault?

Firkit set her mind on this idea, and shoved the thing she would say to Dogbark when the time came to the back of her mind so she could remember it later, but now it was inferior to the present moment. “Yeah, we both participated in bulding up to the moment Sparrowflight caught us so…it’s not really just one of our faults, we share the fault!”

--Nightkit--

Nightkit didn't exactly feel happy that Firkit also had to take the blame, but this was a compromise and it was the best she was going to get. You couldn't always get what you wanted, right? So Nightkit nodded after Firkit finished speaking, her expression determined.

"Yeah, that's what we're going to tell Dogbark. That it was equally all of our faults! So if he has to punish us, it's gonna be us both, right?" Nightkit reverently hoped that Firkit wouldn't try to take the blame. Because Nightkit didn't know what she would do if Firkit did.

[WhitesilverQueen]

*Ivywish walked into camp carrying a squirrel and two mice.
(Open)

[Willowfern]

Of course, nothing was easy anymore.
Dogbark didn’t want to give Maplewhisker the reaction she was looking for, she was a rabble rouser, and one that had threatened an (albeit rather rude) apprentice at that, but what she said couldn’t go unaddressed.
“It isn’t just for your support of Aspenstar, Maplewhisker,” He said tiredly, “Threatening your clanmates is something that will not be tolerated here, it’s not like I gave you a lifetime, anyway. A moon to think about how you were acting won’t kill you.” [ @Berd ]
Now to address the come-and-go, here-again-gone-again cat, Dogbark narrowed his eyes,
“Oh, you are so funny, Spiderthroat! I get it, I’ve told you, I get it! I was doing a pretty bad job of my duties for the first few moons, I know! I’ve taken responsibility for it! Every time someone mentions it I cringe. To think, me, not doing my duty! I hate that I failed you all in the beginning and I’m really, really trying to fix that.
“If Ranks are or are not working, Spiderthroat, it doesn’t make sense for you to say it, as I said before, you have been missing for moons and your just popping up again! You and many among us! We sleep in our dens with rogues who claim to be our clanmates, we let our kits play alongside… who knows! You speak well, Spiderthroat, but I will not let a cat who goes out and does who knows what speak in our clan like he belongs. Spiderthroat, I’m going to have to ask you to leave, and if you want to stay for once, you’d better rejoin the correct way… and if you don’t leave…” He trailed off, with no intent to finish his sentence, “Lynxfuzz, would you please escort Spiderthroat onto the border?” [ @Papaya @Starfall ]
Hoping that Lynxfuzz did as he asked, he turned once more to the kits, who were now clearly upset.
…take matters into your own paws?
Well, Dogbark agreed that Aspenstar was doing nothing, but he wouldn’t waltz up there, he was not giving Aspenstar another chance, but he was going to respect her rank for now until she ultimately stepped down.
“Swiftkit [ @Binx ], Sagekit [ @sid ], Pondkit [ @Angelique ], the question is, do you three really want to remember today as the day you become apprentices?” His green eyes looked into theirs each on their own, before he sighed,
“If you really want to, I can unofficially give you three your names, though mentors will have to be something that will be assigned later, as I refuse to give them unofficially, though have no doubt that I’ll get someone to handle your training until then, does that sound alright to you three?”
Dogbark waited for their responses, he agreed, these kits had been in the nursery too long, it was time they received their names and mentors, and he so wished he could do more, but he was only Deputy.

[Toodle]

Leafecho looked up sadly at Aspenstar. It wasn't a blind faith, it was a kindred hope. She felt heat blush beneath her pelt at being called out by the deputy. She wanted to believe in Aspenstar and she wanted to see the leader succeed. Leafecho had thought she'd found an inspiration in Aspenstar, a strong molly to aspire to. She was overcome with worry and sadness that already Aspenstar seemed to be choking.

She turned her sad eyes towards Dogbark and pulled from what she'd so far learned from Aspenstar to find her strength to stand up for herself and her new leader. "It is not blind faith, it's fair and reasonable hope. For my entire life I've never met a cat who stuck around, that included myself. If any cat knows about unkept promises,, it's me. But Aspenstar is still here. None of us are perfect and we all have a lot of learning and growing to do. We all make mistakes, some of us learn faster than others. But I believe in second chances, I have to. But change doesn't happen overnight, it's a slow process and it's a difficult process. You're right, Dogbark," Her voice cracked as she spoke the deputy's name as though what she was doing suddenly crashed onto her nerves but she cleared her throat and continued, "There is no magical way to make someone keep their promises, but there's also no magical way to know that someone won't keep their promises. Aspenstar isn't living up to the promise right..." Her voice cracked again as the looming threat of losing Aspenstar as leader weighed into Leafecho, "Right this moment and that should be noted but we don't know what the next moon will hold and I think we owe it to Starclan to open our minds and hearts to Aspenstar's ability to change. Give her the chance and readdress in a moon."

@Willowfern

[taillow]

Cindersky
Things had settled in a more comfortable state as all three kits stepped forward. Pride glimmered in the depths of her blue gaze as it swept over the backs of the kits. Pondkit, Swiftkit, Sagekit. They would all make excellent additions to the Clan - she would be sure to offer to take them hunting if needed. Not that she was not confidant in her fighting abilities (recalling the various scars and marks she had left on her enemy in the name of defending her home came to mind) but that was not what these kits needed to learn first. A break from the violence, from the thought of bloodshed entering their minds. They deserved serenity to envelope them in their first few days of their apprenticeship.

Conversations continued on in hushed tones, though one in particular stood out to her. A pair of Clanmates - Cindersky recognized them as Birchheart and Clearpelt - seemed to have no regard for the current meeting. She turned her head and shot them both a sharp glare, followed by a shake of her spotted head. She offered no words and hoped that by looks alone the two would recognize hos disrespectful it was to blabber on as if there was not a ceremony occuring right now.

...Or, not occuring, as it would seem. Dogbark speaking returned her attention to the Thunderwillow and Cindersky felt her heart sink like a rock in her chest. Tightening and constricting, the senior warrior felt her throat go dry as muscles tensed and readied themselves. Between Spiderthroat and Dogbark and Maplewhisker, she was certain the young kits wanted to be anywhere but here - preferably with their names. It struck deep pain into her soul to know that most likely that would not be happening today.

Blue hues shifting to Spiderthroat, Cindersky felt her narrowed gaze land upon him. But it was void of any animosity, and instead pooling with the hurtful realization that what he spoke was true. ThunderClan... was crumbling. Her home, her beloved home was sinking further from her grasp and as much as she tried to scramble to save it, she was just one cat and could only do so much. While Dogbark was right - that Spiderthroat had not been in camp for quite some time - the words he spoke were exactly what ThunderClan and thier leadership needed to hear. And that is what perhaps stung most of all; it had come from one of their own warriors instead of the crown.

But having no system? No leader? No deputy? The thought of what sort of unknown that would bring sent a trill of fear down her paws. Cindersky was much more for tradition; the succession of the leader by the deputy, a new deputy picked to fill the now vacant space. But she could not help but recall how during the past moon, it had been warriors who had held the Clan together. Nectarflame, Shiningskies, herself, Sparrowflight. Cats like these who were working tirelessly on cracked and bleeding paw pads to provide for their Clan, to keep it from sinking further into the dark abyss it seemed destined to fall into.

Rising to her paws, Cindersky stepped forward, though kept one hind legs back so as to make sure Softpaw knew she had not forgotten about her. "What you speak of, Spiderthroat.... It has already been happening. Warriors have been the ones who have carried this Clan through. And... I fear that it will be warriors who continue to do so, not our crown..." Swallowing hard, Cindersky directed her gaze at Dogbark who was now speaking to the young kits. She still had admiration for him - at least he was putting his paws to the ground and getting active around camp, and it had to count for something. "If needed, Dogbark, I can assist with any hunting training the three need. Even if they... do not receive their names, we should welcome them as ThunderClan apprentices, as they have waited quite some time." A gentle smile rested on her features as she swept her gaze over the three kits, nodding to each of them.

Then, Leafecho spoke up, and Cindersky turned her head once more. She regarded the warrior with thoughtfulness, listening to how she viewed the current situation. There were things to take away from it, and things to let lie. "Yes, but Leafecho... ThunderClan is falling. Our home... it is being carried on the shoulders of warriors, not the shoulders of our leadership. It is... difficult to accept, but what Dogbark and Spiderthroat speak are the truth." Her voice remained even and calm, eyes light instead of dark with rage as she watched her Clanmate. She felt sympathy for her, for she had once this very same meeting had faith in Aspenstar. Now... Cindersky was not sure.

@Willowfern @Starfall @WinterMara @sid @Angelique @Binx @Toodle

[pxxylo]

Originally Posted by Brightlight

--Nightkit--

Nightkit didn't exactly feel happy that Firkit also had to take the blame, but this was a compromise and it was the best she was going to get. You couldn't always get what you wanted, right? So Nightkit nodded after Firkit finished speaking, her expression determined.

"Yeah, that's what we're going to tell Dogbark. That it was equally all of our faults! So if he has to punish us, it's gonna be us both, right?" Nightkit reverently hoped that Firkit wouldn't try to take the blame. Because Nightkit didn't know what she would do if Firkit did.

“Yeah! Now that that’s settled…oh man, Dogbark is gonna have our tails in there. Psychology’s got slim chances of helping out here, May as well just take the hit. It’ll be over though.” She said uneasily, though her voice did calmtowards the end of her statement.

“I wonder…maybe Dogbark will show some grace and not be too harsh on punishments? It’s pretty far fetched but it’s humanly possible.”;she gently raced her tiny kit claws across the ground below her, becoming slightly bored as Sparrowflight probed Loudbird for Dogbark’s location.

Her mind spiraled out into wonders of what could possibly happen. Would we have to clean up Elder Nests for a moon? Nursery Bound? Great Starclan, there was so many things that could possibly happen how could she prepare herself for just one?

[dino.]

// @Willowfern, @Starfall

>Lynxfuzz<

He'd missed a massive chunk, having heard shouting and complete chaos and opted for leaving camp instead to get some peace and quiet. He'd returned moments earlier, under the impression the meeting should have been done by now. So imagine his surprise when he pushed through the camp entrance and was met almost the same amount of chaos as before.

His face twisted into an expression of distaste as he surveyed the riled-up group of cats, irritated kits, a ruffled deputy shouting for someone who wasn't even present. His gaze flickered over Dogbark as he went off and then Cindersky as she spoke up, before turning it to Spiderthroat curiously. A huff of breath left his nose and he tipped his head back to comment off-handedly, "This meeting is a total joke."

Ohhh, and now that he was back, Dogbark wanted to shoulder responsibility onto him? He kind of wanted to snap at the deputy and tell him to do it himself, but settled for a disinterested shrug. "Fine. Come on, Spiderthroat, better follow orders."

[Binx]

She stared up at him and frowns” um..well..no it wouldn’t be..right or the same..but thanks I guess..for offering DogBark” she smiled a small bit yes she was upset but it wouldn’t be the same. She looked up to AspenStar but it seems that she hasn’t been doing anything and SwiftKits view of her is fading but she did like the idea of being thought hunting

@Papaya
@Willowfern

( how do yiu change that btw :0