WindClan: Life Before 2023's Fire

[plum]

When Echopaw enters the den, a set of eyes near the outer edge of the pool of collected nests blink open. Elderpaw had retired early on, relishing the sweet warmth of her nest in the dark, away from the frost. She watches as the other apprentice lies down and shuts her eyes again, tucking her nose under her tail and curling into herself a little bit tighter.
@amber'light

[duckie]

Yewpaw
__________

Having been preoccupied with how the sunlight glittered on the undisturbed snow, Yewpaw gave a start when Echopaw dashed back into camp. Otherwise, she didn’t pay much attention to the other apprentice, quickly returning to her very important work. The snow was very fascinating. Shiny. She could just about sit here all day if it weren’t for the fact that surely someone would come along and interrupt. Such a shame.

[ @implimm ]

[kittygirl]

echopaw lifted her head to see elderpaw and dashed over to her denmate, she looked down at elderpaw and shifted her paws, "c-can I sleep with you tonight..." her deep blue eyes full of sadness as she looked at her with guilt in her eyes as her panicked thoughts caused her to start crying a little. @implimm

[Moonraven]

Huh? This actually worked, Twilightstar was astonished when Racconcloud turned around and began making his way back over to her. She's never been one to cause much mischief, too much work, she'd put the effort in if it got out of doing something she found even more bothersome but normally she kept herself slothful and sleepy. So actually being mischievious in order to gain the upper hand in something as foolish as playing, well, it was different for her, a good different. The leader bunched up her leg muscles and as soon as Racconcloud was within pouncing distances, she sprang aiming to the bowl the warrior over. "You're really gullible, I'm not sure that would work on anyone else." She explained as she shifted the weight of her paws so she could keep him pinned on the icy moor.
Racconcloud seemed like one of those toms who made a lot of friends without even trying. It was good, she supposed, that he was so nice and caring, but she felt like it would be rather easy to beat him in a fight if she used her head well enough. Did he even give a second thought that she might have been deceiving him at all? Would he be like this if she had been an enemy? Granted, she highly doubted he'd be frolicking with the enemy in his own territory, but still... Twilightstar felt like she was overthinking this so pushed her worrisome thoughts to the back of her mind. "Anyway, since I managed to catch you and pin you I win right?" The tone of her voice made it sound like she was expecting a positive answer.
@Deranged Llama
---
Batglare picked up his paws nonchalantly as followed behind his apprentice. The tom was so reluctant to train her that his long legs moved sluggishly. He couldn't actually place the reason why he did not want an apprentice. There were several of them. This apprentice seemed pretty forceful with being trained though, he wasn't going to be the one to complain to the leader about getting rid of the burr so he'd have to get Elderpaw to break first. One way or another he was certain she'd tire of him eventually and request a replacement. As the pipsqueak suddenly began talking about Foxpudge and Hogpaw, he rolled his eyes, why couldn't Foxpudge be her mentor then?! He'd probably tolerate this chatterbox better then Batglare could. He hoped she didn't ask a bunch of questions like the one she had just now. If she hadn't noticed, Batglare did all of his broodings in silence. "A merlin falcon." He answered he didn't bother adding that he had caught it before he had come to WindClan. It was hard adjusting to hunting in the moors with a build like his own. He should have joined ShadowClan, he'd probably fit in there better. "You said you've worked on hunting. Show me a crouch."
@implimm

[plum]

If this were anything like a bad dream, then surely all she needed to do was keep her eyes shut and it would eventually go away, right? Elderpaw's brow twitches as she tries to continue her farce of sleeping. But then, she catches a small sniff and feels herself already regretting the choice she was about to make. Lifting her head, the she-cat looks up at Echopaw.

"There's not enough room in my nest," she murmurs sleepily, her mew soft. After a couple of blinks, she sits up a little straighter and stretches out her limbs. "Echopaw, you should know that this is for the best. We're the Clan's future, warriors are our teachers."

The molly then stands, slipping past her denmate close enough that their pelts touch. She offers Echopaw a little smile in the shade of the den. "Let's talk about this some other time, when you've gotten some sleep, okay?" And with that, Elderpaw makes her way out of the den, leaving the former kittypet inside.

@amber'light

[plum]

It... It was a day! That was for sure! As Elderpaw scoots awkwardly out of the apprentice's den, she casts a wary glance over her shoulder to ensure Echopaw wasn't going to follow. Once she is sure she's in the clear, she lets out a little breath of relief before skipping on the rest of the way. A smile danced over her lips as she imagines what she'd possibly do... Go bother Batglare again? As much as she yearned to, she knew better... See the elders? No, she had too much energy for them today.

The molly slows to a halt in the clearing and inhales deeply as her eyes scan the camp. They land on another apprentice somewhere not too far, and she tilts her cheek curiously. Echopaw wasn't working out, but she had yet to dive into this one! With another light-hearted smile, the light gray tabby trots up to Yewpaw and circles around her to catch her eye. "Hello!" Her cheery mew lilts through the crisp air.

@shortstack

[duckie]

Yewpaw
__________

Echopaw running by was one thing - not too terribly distracting. Easy to ignore. However, the molly was not prepared for the sudden appearance of Elderpaw, traipsing all around in her perfectly good, glittery snow. She frowned briefly at the ground but quickly met the gaze of the other apprentice, smiling brightly.

“Hi there!” she replied, bouncing to her paws. The prospect of talking to someone was much more exciting than snow and she quickly forgot about he previous source of entertainment,”I’ve seen you around before, I’m sure, but I can’t remember your name. I’m sorry. That’s a terribly dreadful thing of me to do, isn’t it? Forget your name? Oh well, nothing to be done about it now. You’ll just have to tell me again!”

She paused, both to take a deep breath but also to think about what else she had to say,”Oh! Right! I’m Yewpaw!”

She remembered to introduce herself this time! That was certainly an accomplishment to be proud of.

[ @implimm ]

[Fawn]

Fawnsqueak could've sworn he was going to have to be thawed by the time they arrived in WindClan camp. Since when had the walk been that long and cold? Leaf-bare's night temperatures were nothing to scoff at, and he couldn't imagine trekking back to RiverClan too. He'd.. just have to stay here tonight with the patrol, then depart in the morning. Stealing a peek at them, Fawnsqueak noted the general tiredness and presumed they wouldn't protest much.

As usual, he directed them to drop their catches into the fresh-kill pile that was gradually growing with the added assistance around the Clan. "I think that'll last them a while?" Fawnsqueak estimated. Their purpose had been to bring them up to speed on prey so they'd have energy to complete patrols and once again be self-sustaining. To the patrol, his expression was soft as he said, "Thank you for.. well, helping out with all of this. It's been nice, sort of. The cold isn't, but it's honestly been a treat to hunt with you guys." Fawnsqueak knew he wasn't the best with words and ducked his head as his cheeks warmed slightly, but the smile remained. "I should probably go let Twilightstar know we're done here." Although he started to walk toward the leader's den, he hesitated mid-step and looked over his shoulder. "If you all want to go back to RiverClan tonight, like.. if you felt energetic enough, don't let me stop you from going. I should probably stay here," a little, wavering chuckle, "because my legs are... possibly still there? I don't know, I haven't felt them since sundown."

@shortstack @Shimm @x ghostie

[plum]

A falcon...! Elderpaw's eyes grow round and glitter with wonder as she imagines what that hunt must have been like. Before she has the opportunity to ask, however, Batglare sways them back on topic. She wriggles excitedly as he tells her what to do. "Yes!"

Almost as soon as the male had given the command, the gray tabby drops low. Her legs loosen, but still hold her weight enough so that her belly would not be touching the ground underpaw. And though the very tip of her tail twitched about excitedly, for the most part that too was where it probably should be. She skitters over the ground in a wide arc around Batglare, keeping the position (although hardly!). Her legs still weren't too used to this new movement, and honestly she did look to be just a little too strained in concentration. But she needed to show her mentor what she could do!

It was sloppy, but not without merit. And sure, when Elderpaw stopped moving like a half-dead mouse, she did sit up with a lofty sigh. But her eyes glimmered with an inexhaustible hope as she looks at the dark tom. "So?" She asks him. "Was it good? Was it good? Did it look okay?"

@Moonraven

[plum]

The dazzling brightness that she gave off did not falter once, not even at the other she-cat's apparent accidental forgetfulness. Elderpaw lets a laugh puff out of her downy chest and shakes her head. "No, nothing to be done about that," she agrees quite warmly. Twilightstar just announced me with a new mentor days ago! "My name is Elderpaw." Lifting a brow, she nods towards Yewpaw. "Yewpaw, hmm? Hmm..." Pausing, the molly taps a little white-tipped paw to her chin before giving her Clanmate another funny little smile. "We're both trees, then, aren't we? Well, trees'ed to make your re-acquaintance, Yewpaw."

After a short giggle, Elderpaw's ears flick at the sound of somebody else's chatter and she turns to briefly consider Fawnsqueak leading his patrol of shivering fishes into the clearing. "They brought a lot back with them today," she notes brightly to herself. Then, casting a sidelong glance at her denmate, she sniffs. "So what are you doing out here?" Her green eyes, try hard as they might to focus on Yewpaw and her everything, dance back over to the RiverClan patrol. And a whole big curse upon Echopaw in the apprentice's den right this very second, because the little gray tabby couldn't help but look for Sootflare. She couldn't place her paw on it exactly, but something in the guy made her think of someone else she knew... "So! Have you seen Echopaw around lately? The new apprentice Twilightstar let into WindClan." She snaps her attention back to Yewpaw, anticipating the question to come.

@shortstack