WindClan: Life Before 2023's Fire

[Beaan]

@NinjaBloss

The molly nodded. It was only hunting. "ok!" She mewed happily {Where do I post?}

[Quasar]

Hickorykit | he/him | @BILL. @tulle

The small kittens ears perked up as he recognized the voice of his uncle, eyes glimmering as his head turned to face the older tom. Raindrops tickled his nose and occasionally plinked onto his eyes, but he didnt mind! The toms lips tilted down into a pout as Fernpaw chided him, his paws working the ground below them, "But Fernpawwww!" he whined, "Im big 'n strong! I wont get a cold I promise!"

Okay, maybe it was possible that he could get a cold, but then he could spend time in the medicine cats den with Momma! She needed someone to keep her company, didnt she? But but... being sick didnt look like fun. He scrunched up his nose in thought, water dripping off of his short whiskers, "Whats it like to have a cold? Do you get all sniffly?" Hickorykit inquired, tilting his head up at the larger tom.

Oh, there was Laurelkit! Bouncing over to his sister, the pudgy kitten went to playfully butt heads with her, "Like you werent gonna watch the meeting too!" he teased, sticking out his tongue. "Fernpaw likes honesty I think, be honest!"

Aw man, was the meeting already over? He looked up with wide eyes and his cheeks puffed out, trying to recall whatever Twilightstar said. Something about a patrol? For warriors? Phew, at least it wasnt something important that he should have been listening to! Turning to Fernpaw once again, he finally nodded, "Okay, but you gotta tell me what Twilightstar said, I need to know all the warrior things that are happening! I need to prepare!"

[Quasar]

Hickorykit | he/him | open!

The small kitten rolled around on his back in the middle of the nursery, tussling with a stray ball of bedding. If he wanted to be a good warrior he had to learn how to fight! Plus, being the bestest kit wouldnt be that bad either. Once he was able to leave camp he was already gonna know a lot! Then he could do even more super difficult training with his mentor!

[duckie]

SOOTFLARE
__________

All in all the day so far had been uneventful and fruitless. Sootflare had resigned himself to unproductivity and was prepared to let the lethargy consume him when a bit of motion caught his eye - a body approaching from across the way smelling strongly of herbs and faintly of sickness. Familiar despite the clogging of scents and congestion in her voice.

"Eldersky, hello!" he returned the stunted greeting. The warrior had been meaning to seek out Eldersky since his joining of WindClan but judging by the smell his attempts wouldn't have been worth it anyway - she'd been tucked away in the medicine den, out of his reach. "I'm sorry for not speaking to you sooner, bud. I'm not sure what kind of impolite monster got into me that this is our first encounter."

He offered a smile and small laugh, climbing to his paws to meet her, "How are you? And would you care to join me?" Gesturing to the ground beside him, in case Eldersky was interested in staying and chatting for a while. A single familiar and friendly face was enough to revitalize the tom after spending over a moon feeling lonely and isolated - Sootflare was practically glowing.

[ @implimm ]

[plum]

[ @wnder ]

Any prior inhibitions forgotten, Eldersky thrusts her head towards the tom, hoping that he would accept an affectionate head-butt in the chest. A rattly purr curls out from the back of her throat. They had never even gotten very close at all, truth be told, but that sort of thing rarely stopped an Eldersky.

"It's fine, it's fine," she brushes his apology off with a wave of her tail. "I got here around the same time you did, two kits and a brother in tow, and came down with whitecough pretty quickly. I've been stuck to one den and then another- No way to have talked any sooner." She seemed cheery enough.

"I'm okay," she goes on warmly, the rattling in her throat quelling just a little with a warm-hearted smile. Gratefully, she settles into place at Sootflare's side and lets out a hefty breath. "How about you, Sootflare? How's it been to be... In WindClan? I was surprised to hear about it, and to see you... It still feels like yesterday, when you'd come here with Fawnsqueak..." Trailing off, the queen gazes at him thoughtfully. "I gossiped about you while you were fox-lengths away you know."

[dino.]

// @tulle @Atticus

>Wispypaw<

Wispypaw seemed to be just as bright as the sun itself was today, with a beaming smile on their face and pep in their step as they slipped inside the nursery. Man, they wished they had more time to visit more often. Kits were an absolute joy and Wispypaw just wanted to bundle all of them together and poke their squishy cheeks and play silly games and tell them all happy bed-time stories.

They paused, eyes wide and tail gently swaying, just inside the entrance. A bunch of multicolored flowers were clamed in their jaws, gathered from just outside camp where they knew no one would miss them, along with a few stray feathers that they had found. "Hey there, kids!" they called as they glanced around the nursery. "I've brought some gifts, if anyone wants some!"

[Poprock]

@BILL.
---
Once again, Peachfrost witnessed Fernpaw weigh her words in his mind before acting. It was interesting to see how he took her words with a grain of salt, compared to how she was at his age. When Owlglide took her out training his advice was usually the opposite.

"Don't get cocky, Peachpaw. You don't know what your enemies are planning to do until they do it." She remembers brushing him off... she was in her "I know more than you phase" after all. Perhaps her former mentor would know how to inspire Fernpaw better than she was.

She blinked in surprise as Fernpaw leapt onto her back. She had expected a blow or two to the snout... maybe an attempt to dash between her legs... but her back? That wasn't what she expected. Especially due to the leap he had to take to even get up there. Even weirder, he seemed to just be sitting up there. No claws tangling in her fur for grip or teeth lodging into her neck. He's still holding back. Well that just wouldn't do!

With the apprentice still on top of her, Peachfrost began bucking like a bull. She wildly flailed around the clearing with front and back legs shooting out; no doubt creating a very wild ride for Fernpaw. Now he had two choices: use his claws or teeth to hang on, or fly off. "That the best you got? Forget you're in a battle kiddo?"

[Quasar]

Originally Posted by Slushie

// @tulle @Atticus

>Wispypaw<

Wispypaw seemed to be just as bright as the sun itself was today, with a beaming smile on their face and pep in their step as they slipped inside the nursery. Man, they wished they had more time to visit more often. Kits were an absolute joy and Wispypaw just wanted to bundle all of them together and poke their squishy cheeks and play silly games and tell them all happy bed-time stories.

They paused, eyes wide and tail gently swaying, just inside the entrance. A bunch of multicolored flowers were clamped in their jaws, gathered from just outside camp where they knew no one would miss them, along with a few stray feathers that they had found. "Hey there, kids!" they called as they glanced around the nursery. "I've brought some gifts, if anyone wants some!"

Hickorykit | he/him | @tulle

Was that... it was!!! Flowers!!! The small kitten immediately perked up, nose twitching at the wonderful scent. Scrabbling to his paws, the kit quickly darted over to Wispypaw with a large smile on his face. He was gonna decorate his nest with them, and make a bundle of them for Momma when she was all better! Or, maybe he could get someone to bring them to her in the medicine cats den? Hmm, maybe. Either way, he was gonna smell so good now.

Hickorykit was about to dive eagerly for the presents that the apprentice had brought, but right at the last second he remembered his big kit manners. He needed to say please and thank you! "Psst! Hey, hey! Over here!" he excitedly whisper-yelled, bouncing on his toe beans, "Can I please have some flowers?" he spoke, enunciating his words slowly to make sure they heard his top notch manners.

[duckie]

SOOTFLARE
__________

Although unexpected, Sootflare welcomed the sudden affection. This was the closest he felt to being home that he had experienced in a very long time and he would take as much of it as he could get.

He raised a quizzical brow at the mention of kits and a brother. Something pinged in the back of his head - the apprentice he had seen around camp and leaving the gathering, and something about a kit and a ceremony ages ago (the night he became a leader was so clouded by pain he barely remembered much of it at all), but the pieces didn't quite fit together just yet.

"I don't know if I've heard about them before - not the brother at least. I have to imagine the kits are a bit of a new development." The idea of Eldersky having kits - a mate - was a hard concept to wrap his head around. Knowing her as an apprentice seemed only moons ago and a lifetime away all at the same time.

"That's good to hear. It's good that you're good." He replied. The mention of Fawnsqueak caused him to retreat slightly - a thought spared to how the tom was doing, especially since Lion was gone, "It's been... I'm here. Let's put it that way, bud. There's a lot of adjusting to do."

A small pause at the words registered, "What exactly was there to gossip about?"

[ @implimm ]

[plum]

[ @wnder ]

The she-cat seems quite content to sit, tail idly curling up and then tapping the ground repeatedly as she tilts her head, listening to the older tom. A smile again appears upon her maw- Lately, the queen had more to smile for. It came naturally, the way it used to when she was young.

"Mmn," Eldersky nods. "Fernpaw's my littermate, and... Yeah, there would be a lot to unpack there. We were born together but he took some time away... If you think about it, my family's kinda... Anyway! I've had the absolute pleasure in meeting Laurelkit, Hickorykit, and Pinekit in the outskirts." The soft gray molly becomes quiet, her smile changing somehow- a note of sadness entering her voice, and her expression. "My mother watches over Pinekit now in StarClan. But I'm sure it won't be long until one or both of the other rascals bother you over something." Looking at him, she blinks.

It's been... I'm here. Something about his wording rubbed her fur the wrong way, and her expression changes again. For a moment, the weariness and emptiness she carried with her during her time in the outside world returns, a haunting memory. "Sometimes it's like that, isn't it."

But thankfully there were other things to think about, and other feelings replace those tiresome ones from the past. Eldersky chuckles. "Mmm~ You were a looker, y'know. I say were, but..." Trailing off, the molly flashes him a lopsided smile, her eyes glittering mischievously. "Perhaps you still are."

After another moment, she dares to prompt: "What about me?"