WindClan: Life Before 2023's Fire

[Captain]

@CandyFlossCat | @Fenris

Ferretpaw flicked his head up to the sky with a frown on his maw. “Well, it better not rain too much!” He hissed towards the sky, “Darned weather keepin’ me from becoming a warrior..” He then returned his gaze to his mentor and nodded to her. “Sounds good. See you tomorrow, Tealeaf. Make sure to keep dry.” The apprentice said as she walked away, his tone showing actually kindness towards the female for once in their session. The dark brown-furred male was hoping that they would be able to hunt and fight tomorrow - there was no use in holding off his training. He would train and become the best warrior there was - rain or not. He’d show his brother that he wasn’t some troublesome kitten that needs looking after. A low-toned sigh escaped Ferretpaw as he padded across the clearing with his head low.

A crackle of thunder made the apprentice stiffen and Ferretpaw soon felt a few cold drops of rain fall onto his shoulders. He lifted his head and watched as cats of various ranks rushed to the safety of the dens as a rainstorm started to pour down on the camp. “Foxdung!” Ferretpaw grumbled, starting to get soaked in the rain as he quickened his pace until he got to the entrance of the apprentice, though he did not go inside. The apprentice sat down on his haunches and shook his head, spots of rain water going in several directions before his dull green-hued eyes opened and he watched as the rain poured outside, the clearing now completely empty.

[Panic]

Originally Posted by Robin-chan

@CandyFlossCat | @Fenris

Ferretpaw flicked his head up to the sky with a frown on his maw. “Well, it better not rain too much!” He hissed towards the sky, “Darned weather keepin’ me from becoming a warrior..” He then returned his gaze to his mentor and nodded to her. “Sounds good. See you tomorrow, Tealeaf. Make sure to keep dry.” The apprentice said as she walked away, his tone showing actually kindness towards the female for once in their session. The dark brown-furred male was hoping that they would be able to hunt and fight tomorrow - there was no use in holding off his training. He would train and become the best warrior there was - rain or not. He’d show his brother that he wasn’t some troublesome kitten that needs looking after. A low-toned sigh escaped Ferretpaw as he padded across the clearing with his head low.

A crackle of thunder made the apprentice stiffen and Ferretpaw soon felt a few cold drops of rain fall onto his shoulders. He lifted his head and watched as cats of various ranks rushed to the safety of the dens as a rainstorm started to pour down on the camp. “Foxdung!” Ferretpaw grumbled, starting to get soaked in the rain as he quickened his pace until he got to the entrance of the apprentice, though he did not go inside. The apprentice sat down on his haunches and shook his head, spots of rain water going in several directions before his dull green-hued eyes opened and he watched as the rain poured outside, the clearing now completely empty.

Brr... Shiverpaw padded into the clearing padding towards the apprentice den to escape the chill. Near the entrance was Ferretpaw. "Ferretpaw!" he mewed, padding just inside the den and next to the apprentice. "Hello!"
[ah, i have to go- sorry! i swear, every time i start something...]

[Captain]

Originally Posted by Fenris

Brr... Shiverpaw padded into the clearing padding towards the apprentice den to escape the chill. Near the entrance was Ferretpaw. "Ferretpaw!" he mewed, padding just inside the den and next to the apprentice. "Hello!"
[ah, i have to go- sorry! i swear, every time i start something...]

[ Ah, it's fine! I understand, we can continue later whenever you're free! ]

Just as the small apprentice was about to head inside the den where it was warmer, Ferretpaw noticed a grey-furred figure padding towards the apprentice den, obviously heading to somewhere dry to escape the cold of the rainstorm that now poured down onto the camp. He was surprised to hear his own name escape the figures mouth, but once the fellow clan member escaped the storm and settled beside him, he noticed that it was another apprentice he knew was known as Shiverpaw. “Oh, hello there, Shiverpaw.” He greeted the other apprentice, dipping his head to them, “I see that you escaped the storm before you got swept away.” And it was lucky that all of Windclan had escaped the harshness of the weather and into the comforts of the dens, the wind was surely picking up and it was beginning to get quite nasty out in the open. “Were you out training with your mentor when the storm came around?” Ferretpaw asked, tilting his head.

[Dust]

Originally Posted by Zero to Hero

(Oop, he wasn't supposed to eat them but I can roll with this XD)

Surgestorm watched the kitten with calculating eyes, but still wasn't expecting it when the kitten leaned down and lapped the marigold right up. All he could do was watch as Owlkit swallowed the harmless petals without giving Surgestorm enough time to stop to tell him otherwise. It was Surge's own fault though, for not telling the kitten what exactly he was going to do with the marigold.

The older tom's giggles came without warning, and it took only a second for the larger cat to be bent over laughing, tears in the corners of his yellow eyes. I know that definitely didn't taste good. He had to chew it up all the time to make poultices to put onto wounds. However, he knew ingesting the herb wouldn't do the kitten any harm. After a moment, the tom took a deep breath, knowing the kitten would think weird of him for laughing at such a thing. "Sorry, sorry," He meowed, offering an apologetic smile. "You definitely deserve a reward now." He relented, changing his plans a bit as he unwrapped the sticky bundle and offered the kitten a few licks.

Of course, the tom used the distraction to his advantage, acting as if he was just studying Owlkit's paw once again while the kitten was lapping hungrily at the honey. However, this time his quickly bent and grabbed at the source of pain to the kit; a quite large thorn imbedded in the soft flesh of his pad. Of course, this would cause one last pinch of pain but then there would be overwhelming relief as Surge pulled the thorn out without difficulty. Once "the plug" was gone, he cleaned the wound with a few laps of his tongue, rubbing away any bit of blood so the kitten wouldn't be spooked. "I'm sorry if I scared you," He mewed softly between gentle licks. "But that should definitely feel better, hm?" His yellow gaze moved up from the tiny paw pad to the kitten's face, and he braced himself for tears or anger.

( *laughs* I was hoping to give it a goofy/fun twist)

"So, do I get the magic herb?" The disappointment on his face was palpable as he watched the medicine cat burst into a fit of laughter. Did I do something wrong? I ate the leaf? Embarrassment burned underneath his pelt as he cast his gaze downwards, staring intently at his paws -as if they would give him the answer he was searching for- which were shuffling uncomfortably as another wave of pain pulsed from his pad. What was so funny? Usually Owlkit was the one always finding humour in something, but he hadn't even been trying this time! Maybe some other cat had slithered past him and whispered a hilarious joke to the older tom while he wasn't looking? Letting his eyes scan the den, he shook his head slightly and averted his gaze back to his injured paw. Nope. Noone. It was awfully nerve-wracking for the kit to sit silently, but there was something about Surgestorm's uncontrollable giggling that made him feel... better? Maybe I didn't do anything wrong? Lifting his head and leveling his amber gaze to stare at Surgestorm, the kit couldn't help but feel his heart rising in his small chest, a lopsided grin settling on his maw as the other continued with their giggle fit. He had always loved to hear laughter, no matter who it was coming from; it was very welcoming to him, even if he wasn't directly involved. Although this time he was and it didn't take long for the kit to be caught up in Surgestorm's laughter, Owlkit stifling his own short, chirpy giggles. Taking a large breath, a few giggles slipping by, he attentively listened as Surgestorm apologized.

"It's ok! Was I supposed to eat the leaves though?" It was an honest question, but Owlkit ducked his head in playful embarrassment, ruffling out his slick, short fur. Even if the medicine cat didn't answer him, he still felt better than he did before, even with the pain still throbbing from his paw. Owlkit dipped his head politely as Surgestorm offered a smile only to return an even bigger and brighter one when a "reward" was mentioned. As he watched the older cat drop the small bundle of honey in front of him, the kit vibrated excitedly back and forth in anticipation. I knew I was supposed to eat them! Like predicted, Owlkit relished the fact that he was being offered something "special" and very quickly took advantage of it. He didn't eat all of it -that would be rude of him and Surgestorm would certainly make sure he didn't-, but he did steal more than a few licks of the succulent, golden liquid. Warm, sweet, a bit of a mouthful. It wasn't quite as runny like he had thought it would be and it stuck to the roof of his mouth, but it was delicious! Whatever this magic herb was, he needed to find out where to get more of it, although Owlkit found the taste of rabbit a lot more filling. Really, if he had been given the chance, the kit would have downed the entire bundle, but almost on cue as the thorn was pulled from his paw pad, Owlkit bolted upright from his bent over position and let out a strained mewl. It was pointless to try and pull his paw away from Surge as he ran his tongue gently over the wound, but he couldn't help but let the tears roll down his cheeks as he forced a smile and answered.

"You didn't scare me, I promise, but a warning would have been nice. It does feel better, yeah." Voice wavering, he nodded slowly in sync with his words. His eyes were trained on the other as he sniffled and blinked away the last few tears. It did feel a lot better than before, in fact he couldn't feel anything at all other than his paw. No pulsing pain, no hotness. It was a miracle! Well, actually it was Surgestorm, but it was still a miracle. Owlkit slowly continued to speak,

"Is that it? Should I go?" Honestly, he was longing to go scurry back into his warm nest along with his siblings and mother, even if he was much older than them.

[Lilac]

Crimsonkit woke up with the sun in her eyes. Quickly she got to her paws. She looked around for someone to talk to. Then, she spotted a familiar pelt. Flamekit!

@SpringtrapFNAF

[Stario&Co.]

Originally Posted by Random Winchester

Hunterpaw gave a confused look, but shrugged. "Alright." He turned and headed off, frowning.

Originally Posted by Stario

Curlypaw sighed, relieved that their conversation was over. He turned and headed off in the other direction. In truth, Curlypaw didn't see his father as a father. He never liked how Ratheart was always chasing other she-cats, and was hardly ever around. He only saw his father as a flirt and irresponsible, and never intentionally talked to him when he was present.
Curlypaw shook his head, clearing away the thought. He had to focus on hunting, or he could miss a possible target. His ears twitched, detecting a sound to the left of him. He turned, and spotted a white hare. It wasn't the biggest, but it would do. deciding to target the small creature, Curlypaw broke into a run. The hare looked up and spotted him, then dashed the other way. Curlypaw turned and ran to the right, dashing in a full circle to meet the hare head on.
The hare let out a squeak and attempted to turn, but Curlypaw pounced, shoving the prey down with this paws and sinking his teeth into his neck. The hare struggled for a few second before going limp. Curlypaw released and backed away, licking his jaws. He then bowed his head and murmured "Thank you StarClan for allowing me to take the life of this hare for the sake of my clan." He reached down and latched his jaws around the hares neck, lifting it up.

@Random Melody; Frieeeeeend x3

[Zero]

Originally Posted by Duststorm

( *laughs* I was hoping to give it a goofy/fun twist)

"So, do I get the magic herb?" The disappointment on his face was palpable as he watched the medicine cat burst into a fit of laughter. Did I do something wrong? I ate the leaf? Embarrassment burned underneath his pelt as he cast his gaze downwards, staring intently at his paws -as if they would give him the answer he was searching for- which were shuffling uncomfortably as another wave of pain pulsed from his pad. What was so funny? Usually Owlkit was the one always finding humour in something, but he hadn't even been trying this time! Maybe some other cat had slithered past him and whispered a hilarious joke to the older tom while he wasn't looking? Letting his eyes scan the den, he shook his head slightly and averted his gaze back to his injured paw. Nope. Noone. It was awfully nerve-wracking for the kit to sit silently, but there was something about Surgestorm's uncontrollable giggling that made him feel... better? Maybe I didn't do anything wrong? Lifting his head and leveling his amber gaze to stare at Surgestorm, the kit couldn't help but feel his heart rising in his small chest, a lopsided grin settling on his maw as the other continued with their giggle fit. He had always loved to hear laughter, no matter who it was coming from; it was very welcoming to him, even if he wasn't directly involved. Although this time he was and it didn't take long for the kit to be caught up in Surgestorm's laughter, Owlkit stifling his own short, chirpy giggles. Taking a large breath, a few giggles slipping by, he attentively listened as Surgestorm apologized.

"It's ok! Was I supposed to eat the leaves though?" It was an honest question, but Owlkit ducked his head in playful embarrassment, ruffling out his slick, short fur. Even if the medicine cat didn't answer him, he still felt better than he did before, even with the pain still throbbing from his paw. Owlkit dipped his head politely as Surgestorm offered a smile only to return an even bigger and brighter one when a "reward" was mentioned. As he watched the older cat drop the small bundle of honey in front of him, the kit vibrated excitedly back and forth in anticipation. I knew I was supposed to eat them! Like predicted, Owlkit relished the fact that he was being offered something "special" and very quickly took advantage of it. He didn't eat all of it -that would be rude of him and Surgestorm would certainly make sure he didn't-, but he did steal more than a few licks of the succulent, golden liquid. Warm, sweet, a bit of a mouthful. It wasn't quite as runny like he had thought it would be and it stuck to the roof of his mouth, but it was delicious! Whatever this magic herb was, he needed to find out where to get more of it, although Owlkit found the taste of rabbit a lot more filling. Really, if he had been given the chance, the kit would have downed the entire bundle, but almost on cue as the thorn was pulled from his paw pad, Owlkit bolted upright from his bent over position and let out a strained mewl. It was pointless to try and pull his paw away from Surge as he ran his tongue gently over the wound, but he couldn't help but let the tears roll down his cheeks as he forced a smile and answered.

"You didn't scare me, I promise, but a warning would have been nice. It does feel better, yeah." Voice wavering, he nodded slowly in sync with his words. His eyes were trained on the other as he sniffled and blinked away the last few tears. It did feel a lot better than before, in fact he couldn't feel anything at all other than his paw. No pulsing pain, no hotness. It was a miracle! Well, actually it was Surgestorm, but it was still a miracle. Owlkit slowly continued to speak,

"Is that it? Should I go?" Honestly, he was longing to go scurry back into his warm nest along with his siblings and mother, even if he was much older than them.

Surgestorm blinked in surpise at the kitten's reaction to his actions, having not expected such a mature answer. Maybe I should have given notice? Or would he had felt more pain that way? He considered it for a few more seconds, but decided that he wouldn't regret or feel guilt for his actions. The medicine cat had done what he'd thought was right, and he'd done his job in getting rid of the cause of Owlkit's pain - there was nothing wrong with that. He just knew now that he shouldn't underestimate this smaller tom in front of him. "I'm glad I didn't scare you," He meowed honestly, watching as the kitten shed the last of his silent tears. The tom smiled at the young kit warmly, giving the small wound one last lick.

"Just a few more seconds, I promise." He meowed soothingly. "And then you can go back to whatever fun thing you were doing." The tom seemed to be taking the kit a bit more seriously now that he had seen how mature and strong he really was; but it certainly didn't stop the medicine cat from smiling and being just as goofy as before. In fact, he was still plopped down in the same laying position as before - this just seemed to prove just how laid back he was.

The tom pulled more marigold from his storage, smiling at the kitten. "To be honest with you..." He looked at the pile and then to the kitten sheepishly. "You actually weren't supposed to eat the marigold.." The medicine cat continued hurriedly. "Of course, the fact that you did doesn't mean anything bad, it's just that I know for a fact just how disgusting they taste." As if to prove his point, he scooped some into his mouth and began to chew, his whole face scrunching naturally into a disgusted look. However, instead of swallowing as Owlkit had done, he spat the pulp back out and applied the poultice to the kitten's injured paw. "Marigold, this herb, is actually to be applied to wounds like so to stop infection." Wait, does he know what infection is...? "Basically, to help the wound heal without problems." The tom decoded his words naturally in a way kits could understand. As one last safety measure, he wrapped a thin layer of cobwebs around it to keep the marigold applied and the dirt out.

"But! The good news is that I'm done and you're free to go! Of course, I will need you to pop back in the den tomorrow so I can take a look as how it's healing, but that's about it." He smiled brightly at him once more.

[Panic]

Originally Posted by Robin-chan

[ Ah, it's fine! I understand, we can continue later whenever you're free! ]

Just as the small apprentice was about to head inside the den where it was warmer, Ferretpaw noticed a grey-furred figure padding towards the apprentice den, obviously heading to somewhere dry to escape the cold of the rainstorm that now poured down onto the camp. He was surprised to hear his own name escape the figures mouth, but once the fellow clan member escaped the storm and settled beside him, he noticed that it was another apprentice he knew was known as Shiverpaw. “Oh, hello there, Shiverpaw.” He greeted the other apprentice, dipping his head to them, “I see that you escaped the storm before you got swept away.” And it was lucky that all of Windclan had escaped the harshness of the weather and into the comforts of the dens, the wind was surely picking up and it was beginning to get quite nasty out in the open. “Were you out training with your mentor when the storm came around?” Ferretpaw asked, tilting his head.

"Not really. I was just practicing a bit on my own before the storm started." They looked at Ferretpaw. "Were you?" he asked.

[Barnabas]

Originally Posted by LelliNicole.zob

Crimsonkit woke up with the sun in her eyes. Quickly she got to her paws. She looked around for someone to talk to. Then, she spotted a familiar pelt. Flamekit!

@SpringtrapFNAF

Flamekit looked at Crimsonkit, flashing a smile, getting up out of his nest. "Hello Crimsonkit. It seems like a nice day don't you think?"meowed the flame colored tom kit with his friendly smile. The kit stood up, giving his chest fur a few passionate licks with a purr.

[AbsurdJinx]

Originally Posted by Nighty

Forestpaw, not used to the loving gesture, moved to pull away. But what was the point if this cat seemed to want everything for her? She stopped herself in a second, and leaned into his nuzzle, a soft grin crossing her maw. She then began to give him a small huzzle back just as he pulled away. Slightly saddened that she no longer felt the touch of his presence, she looked u at him, eyes wide.

As he spoke the things about her, her green orbs clouded up. Surely he was just bluffing this right? Just telling her things so she would feel better. No. This was sincere. There was a strange wrenching feeling inside her gut. One that pulled at her heartstrings. This was real. This was how he saw her. This was how everyone who loved her saw her. A silent tear dripped down her face. Never had she thought about herself that way, and boy how was it on point. Her only question was: how could she not see that in herself? How did she see herself so differently than how everyone else saw her? True, what Mumblenose had started with was a factor in this, but was it really so hard to think positively about yourself?

Lifting her paw, she wiped her face clean. Eyes still watery she gave !umblenose a smile, a smile that said thank you a thousand times over. It was a smile to say that you touched my heart and I will never forget this. She then oushed forwards and nuzzled into her grandfathers fur. She closed her eyes and rested again him.

It was only when she felt the rumbling of his voice inside his chest did she realize he was talking again. She looked up at him curiously. "No, Singe never spoke anything about his mother, nothing at all. In fact..I think he spoke more about you than he did her. And he rarely spoke about you." She confessed to him, a bit awkwardly. "But please, tell me about her..."

Mumblenose had always assumed Singe would avoid mentioning him. And this was proven several times over. Forestpaw hadn't known who he was at first, and he didn't believe that his other grandchildren would know who he was at first glance either. Yes, this bothered him greatly, but he couldn't say that it wasn't expected. He didn't think he'd be a big part of his grandchildren's lives, due to the strained relationship with his kits. And when Singe had told Mumblenose he was forbidden to see his family, and threatened him, he knew there was no way he'd form a bond with his grandchildren. But now that Singe wasn't around... Mumblenose did respect his son's wishes, even if he did not like them, but this was family, and he needed his kin.

He felt warmth surge through him at the sight of Forestpaw's thankful smile. He had been feeling concerned at the sight of tears, but he swiftly discovered that they were not sad tears, but happy tears. Mumblenose smiled softly, unable to hide his own happiness. He couldn't believe he was positively interacting with his kin! He's never shared a happy interaction with blood kin, and he's never actually been genuinely happy with a feline outside his family. Isn't he just a bundle of joy? He was walking on unfamiliar grounds now, but instead of treading carefully, he walked with confidence. It was as if though Mumblenose's fatherly nature came, well, naturally. He needn't worry about saying or doing the wrong thing, because he felt whatever he was saying or doing was right. Already, he felt a strong bond forming between him and Forestpaw, which means he must be doing something right!

Inhaling heavily, Mumblenose sighed gently. He glanced down at Forestpaw briefly, before raising his head to the wind. He gazed ahead, remembering the good times he shared with Bliss before she left him with their kits. He was sad that she left, but happy that she was able to do what she wanted. He wasn't angry, no, that she actually had left. If she were to return, he would quickly embrace her and shower her in love. There would be nothing to forgive. ``Her name was Bliss.`` He spoke as if she were deceased, because he assumed that she had not survived the harsh reality of the world. There was still the hope that his former mate lived, but wouldn't she of returned to him by now? Mumblenose didn't expect her to. ``I met her as an apprentice. I had been on a hunting patrol, but slipped away from the other members of the group to hunt on my own. I was alone now, hunting and thinking. But then I heard a growl, and after looking around, I hadn't seen anything. Finally, a burst of pain erupted in my shoulder, and I was knocked to the ground! After a brief tussle, I discovered myself facing the most gorgeous she-cat I've ever seen. We shot rude comments back and forth at one another for the next few moments. And then we burst out laughing.``

Mumblenose was smiling now, his heart aching to return to his young moons, to those sleepless nights where he fell further in love with Bliss. He was purring. He felt a mixture of happiness and sadness flood him. Happiness that he was reliving those joyful times, and sadness because he would never actually return to those moons. ``She was bossy, actually. Very sarcastic and funny, but the kindest feline ever. I admired her. Y'know, after our first meeting she demanded I meet her again. So I did. We met multiple times after, throughout my apprenticeship. When I became a warrior, right after my vigil, I left for the place where I met with Bliss, which is actually where she made her home. I asked her to be my mate, but she kindly turned me down. She said she still wanted to see me, but she wasn't ready for that kind of commitment. Not long after, Bliss invited me to be her mate. I naively accepted.`` Unbeknownst to him at that time, Bliss had only asked him to be her mate because she was expecting his kits. She wasn't ready to settle down yet, and Mumblenose had failed to see that. Perhaps if he had recognized her uneasiness, she would be here with him right now? ``The night after, she told me she was expecting kits. Moons later, I was introduced to my own offspring. A couple nights after their arrival, though, Bliss told me to take them to WindClan. I was confused. Why couldn't Bliss care for them? Why couldn't she join WindClan to be with me, and raise our kits? Maybe if Bliss had stayed, I would've been a better father. I begged her to come with me to WindClan, but she broke down.``

Sadness filled his gaze, and his soft and happy smile turned into a sad frown. He lowered his head slightly, until he was staring at the ground before him. ``She had doubts. She asked me to be her mate, but she wasn't ready for that. She bore our kits, but she hadn't been ready for that, either. She was overwhelmed. She had only asked me to be her mate because of the kits, she felt obliged to be with me. Bliss wanted to live her life, not be tied down by a family. We were both very young, I was barely a warrior. I told her I would not force her to be my mate, and that I'd bring our kits to WindClan. I let her go that night. She left to travel, to live her life like the young feline she was. Before she walked away, we had stared at each other for ages, until the kits started mewling. I had to bring our kits to WindClan before the cold killed them, so we exchanged our goodbyes. That was the last time I saw her.`` Mumblenose displayed a sad smile now, his heart weighing heavily in his chest. He glanced down at Forestpaw, affectionately pressing his damp nose to her forehead for a brief moment. He was oh-so-very thankful for what he had now.