He stood rooted outside the tree, gaze trailing from burnt bark to the above, the blotch of a camp in the distance. So close, yet far. He wondered if they could see them down here, if they broke down the camp walls and looked. Maybe he would do that later, and then fix it before some idiot fell off the side. If it was anything like the elder's den, it would be professional work.
The rain continued to pound upon him. He hardly noticed, drenched to the bone and beyond. His gaze wandered across the plains, lingering on some of the trees that dotted the edge. Perhaps that could be their next stop, if Frozentoes was so inclined. Drier, there, perhaps. Warmer.. he did not register that he was shivering.
"Well, you have one now." It seemed practical, to him. but what did he know? "no more frozenblank, you can be Frozentoes." somehow, the more he said it the more fitting it was. He cocked his head. "Unless you hate it. it is your name."
"I guess Frozenberry is the official one, if there is anything official about it at all. I don't remember why I chose it… probably no reason." He'd abandoned reason during that time in his life because it'd abandoned him first. Reason was if-then, which didn't account for how he'd gotten the disastrously short end of the stick in what he'd endured as an apprentice and the ghosts he continued living with. After dragging seconds of contemplation, he nodded and affirmed, "I do. Like it, I mean." Already, it held more backstory and depth than his "real" name did.
Maybe he'd just start using it. Seemed to work well for him last time, and the religious custom of a change didn't appeal to him. If the stars were as all knowing as the believers thought, why would they have to announce it?
The name itself… Even if he did hate it, he lived with a lot of things he hated. Just so happened this wasn't one of them.
Ocean eyes flicking to Falcon, he scrutinized him. "Are you heading back? To camp?" It didn't appear he wished to join (though it was rather cramped and the notion of sharing the same space unturned a new stone of worms), but Frozenberry couldn't imagine he'd want to stand there either. The pelting rain didn't make for a sublime night under the stars.
Official, ofishal. the word did not mean much to him, but what did really? "you Clan cats are an odd bunch." Kit, paw, official. It was puzzling to him - these extra steps to something that was merely an identifier. A way to communicate, to call someone out but their name was malleable, like the dirt under his paws when the rain hit it too hard.
mushy, mushy. soft like the side of a queen, creamy and warm and safe. His eyes darted to the tree, blackened and dead. Not safe, maybe for toes, not for his. "who edict that did not know you." Berry, what a cop-out. Toes remained superior.
As for where he wanted to go... He paused. "No." Camp did not seem appealing, not when it was sodden and gross. The den was a nightmare. "I want.. i want to go to the woods. are you staying?"
That struck him as unusual. Falcon… was also a Clan cat. Maybe his memories had a defined date and time in which they started from, because it seemed he didn't realize he was one of them – not an actual outsider who'd managed to learn their ways exceedingly fast. Something to explore later. He didn't know how to grapple with that yet. But it did sit better than the belief Falcon had merely forgotten his existence, in fact seemed that he'd misplaced much of his identity. Frozenberry found the bitterest of similarity in that, having often no idea who he was either. (Dissociation. Anxiety. PTSD. Panic. Coward.) For perhaps different reasons, but no tie to an identity was… troubling.
The critique of something that should have been so personal rolled off him like the rain. "Yeah," he mumbled, shoulders rising only to fall again, "me. I didn't know me that well. I still don't." So, an astute statement from Falcon nonetheless.
Frozenberry shifted his gaze beyond Falcon to the woods he apparently deemed suitable for an overnight stay, or at least to wait out the rain. He couldn't say he was as fond of the idea. Out here, he had miles to see danger coming. The woods weren't as forgiving. Shivers crawled his spine at the enclosed nature, trapped in there with possible predators. Falcon's presence might have soothed him, but he just didn't know anymore; didn't know if Falcon would be there to help fend off anything, if he would care to save Frozenberry's miserable hide in a high pressure moment.
Tongue tied, he swallowed. Debating. "I'll see you in camp at dawn? Or I'll send a search party." It was intended to be lighthearted and yet he would undoubtedly go through with the threat.
@Moonraven [Dreamlight] @Woodlow [Owlpaw] @Leafie [Littlepaw]
Vivid green orbs glanced over at the short, lilac-gray she-cat from where she sat. He didn't hear any immediate complaints but from the looks he was receiving he assumed that she didn't approve of something or other. If she wasn't speaking up, which was something his littermate excelled at, that it must not be that important.
So, Leechscar gave his attention to Owlpaw as the smaller tom began pawing at his shoulder with grubby paws. He turned his attention in the direction Owlpaw was pointing at and then parted his maw to taste the air. Inhaling, he found the scent Owlpaw had picked up at once. "Good job, Babybird, you know how to use your nose." Leechscar grinned teasingly. "So now we gotta go find it."
The warrior looked over to his own apprentice who seemed a bit conflicted about something, but Dreamlight seemed to already be on that. Still... "Runt, if you have something to say spit it out. I'll hear you." Leechscar wasn't used to having quiet apprentices or patient ones for that matter either. They were going to have to work on speaking up, he didn't want to overlook Littlepaw because she was polite.
"Oh... yeah... do you two know how to do a hunting crouch, stalking, or pouncing." He quired, looking at his sister with a frown. "You can take lessons on that as kits, but if you didn't take the lesson I guess we can cover the basics," Leechscar told them. When one was on their own and it came to chasing rabbits down, the basics were really needed, but when it came to joint hunting or prey outside of rabbits, the apprentices were going to have to learn how to stalk, crouch, and pounce.
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Littlepaw
Kitty softpaws: active, Ultimate predator: inactivel Semi long furred grey and white tabby - 6 moons - She/Her - 7/100
A part of her had forgotten that Dreamlight was joining them for a small measly moment, shame on her for that. Littlepaw was about to answer her but it seemed Leechscar had noticed she had wanted to speak so now she had both of them talking to her at once. "Uh, yeah, I found another, um, scent trail in the same direction...but a little ways off though" she answered. The tabby gave a nod in understanding as she looked up to both warriors, and waited to see what would happen next. It seemed she didn't have to wait that long since her own mentor started to speak again with a question this time. "uh, not me... I took clan etiquette and history" she answered, she didn't think to take those lessons before hand, hopefully he wouldn't be mad or something about that.
The woods loomed in the distance. In the rain, some might find it dark and forboding, but an odd sense of peace swept over Fellcone. It was.. familiar. Not The Darkness familiar, but a dark familiar that he longed for. a comfort. He could not place why, it was beyond his rationality. The fragments he knew were of no help right now.
"Good thing I know you." Was not right, but he felt confident in that. He could read this cat like ---
he could not read him, what was he doing (I can, i can, i know)
For a moment, he just stared at the burnt tree. Words were nothing and everything, meaningless. He knew and did not know, and that was the problem. "... yeah, something like that."
awkwardly, he made his escape. Fellcone wasted no time in heading for the woods. the trees would take him.
@ameko (Sorry for the lateness! If you want me to start a battle training or something elsewhere I'd be up for that!)
Ok, so at least Goldenpaw knew something, if not a lot. He said he'd done some hunting, which probably meant rabbits, since those were the first thing apprentices needed to learn. Welp, Deadmoon was pretty good at going after rodents and the like, so they might as well try that. I'm going to assume you tried rabbits already, and even if you haven't, the only thing you really need to know is to approach with the wind blowing towards you, and then to run really fast. she mewed. Rodents and such are a bit more complicated, you have to sneak up a bit closer. You want to put most of your weight on your hind legs, so you're quieter, and stay pretty low to the ground. Just make sure your tail isn't dragging, it'll knock into things and make noise.
Realizing a bit belatedly that was probably a lot of words without any actual demonstration, she dropped into a crouch herself. Her center of gravity was low and her tail was almost straight backwards, a mouselenght or so above the grasses. It probably wasn't as big of a deal here as in the forest, but it wouldn't hurt to teach him to keep it up just in case he was ever in a leafy area. Pop down into a crouch, if you would, and try and move around. It should be relatively easy, if not as easy as standard walking. If he couldn't move then there was a distinct problem, so starting with that they could correct any big flaws in his form before actually trying it out.
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Leafpelt was laying close to camp, her deep wounds bleeding. The queen was still conscious but was really weak, too weak to walk, too weak to move. A hawk was laying dead just a tail-lenght
Owlpaw gave a small smile at Leechscar's praise, slowly growing used to his new nickname. Maybe one day he'd get a cooler one; like Bigbird... never mind that sounded so much worse. Babybird it is!
He was a little taken aback by how harshly Littlepaw's mentor was treating her. Though he didn't like it, he guessed the older tom would be more experienced in this matter. Littlepaw couldn't stay shy forever, after all.
Still, it was impressive that she managed to find a different scent trail from his. He hadn't even considered there would be more than one rabbit in the area. He tilted his head and smiled warmly at her, his round eyes now curved like a crescent moon.
He looked back up at Leechscar as he continued speaking, asking if they knew the basics of hunting. Owlpaw certainly didn't, so he shook his head in answer. He still didn't like the idea of hunting rabbits. He worried he wouldn't be able to keep up. Hunting mice and birds sounded much easier. Oh well, this was what they were being taught so he just had to suck it up.
He turned to smile at his own mentor, Dreamlight, hoping she'd be proud of him too for scenting out the rabbit.