The future's in your paws. Shape it well.Roleplay in a cat Clan of warriors. Based off the Warriors series by Erin Hunter. Takes place in an AU before the cats in the books existed.
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Under the soft glow of the moon, Echosong, the youngest medicine cat of Thunderclan, stood before the entrance to the apprentice den with a bundle of herbs at his paws. The stress of the war was getting to everyone and Echosong was glad to be able to have time to visit the Moonstone, and even more glad they didn't need to travel through Skyclan territory to do so.
“It’s time, Auburnpaw,” Echosong called into the den, he had warned him earlier in the day that he would come to get him when the moon was rising, “It’s time.”
His tail swished gently as he waited for the tom to emerge, “Eat these, they will keep you strong and focused on our journey.” He mewed, the taste of his own herb bundle lingering on his tongue.
It had been difficult to drift into the dreamless sleep that came. Many thoughts swirled through the tom's head, wandering from his birthplace, to traveled lands, and the current territory. So much had happened over the past few moons. At first, it had been a challenge to adjust to life around other cat, but quickly he'd slipped into Thunderclan life as if it were his birthright. Warriorhood called to him and the journey ahead was the next step. At Echosong's call, he blinked several times and stretched his limbs fully before trotting over.
Hubris got the best of Auburnpaw as he dipped his head to swallow back the herbs. A bitter taste clung to his tongue, coating his mouth and after choking back the mixture of plants, he spat, "I'd like to be focused on anything other than that flavor." As his tongue swiped over his maw in a futile attempt to dismiss the tang, blue eyes met the medicine cat's gaze and he tipped his head to the side slightly with narrowed eyes, " Hopefully you ate your share too and this wasn't just a trick on the new cat. Either way, I'm ready. Let's go."
Echosong let out a 'mrrow' of laughter at Auburnpaw's comment and he shook his head. He had had the herbs twice for his own Moonstone Journeys, as well as the countless times he had brought apprentices to the Moonstone before Auburnpaw. The taste of the bitter herbs were like an old friend to him. He had even began to associate the smell of the traveling herb bundle with Starclan itself. "We can talk while we travel, it might keep your mind off the taste, yes?" he meowed allowing himself another soft laugh. It had been a while since he had genuinely laughed. First when they were playing in the snow just a few days ago and now with Auburnpaw. It was strange how he found it easiest to find humor in everyday life when they were about to go to war.
With Auburnpaw letting him know he was ready, Echosong led them through the exit and into the territory heading towards Fourtrees. "Do you know much about the Moonstone?" he meowed, "Do you know?" the tom echoed, his voice slightly sing-songy.
Although he'd mostly been teasing the medicine cat, there was some relief over the fact it indeed hadn't been a prank. He hardly knew the clan's healers, so it was easy to be uncertain of their motives. Echosong's laughter caused his shoulders to relax and a flicker of a smile to briefly flicker across the sides of his maw, "Only if you have anything interesting to say."
The brown and white tom stuck close to Echosong, nearly matching his pawsteps, as they hurried their way through the forest and in the direction of Fourtrees. It was an oddly pleasant evening. A warm tinge to the breeze tickled Auburnpaw's pelt as he perked his ears at the other tom's question. He found the sing-songy echo to be curious and amusing all at once, twitching his whiskers.
"Stoatfur told me all about it as a kit. I always found it hard to believe you could talk to cats that aren't really there. Not that I think you're crazy, or anything. At least, not for that." Despite the nagging worries in the back of his mind, mixed with unresolved feeling, there was something about Echosong that put him more at ease. Maybe it was the fact that he found him to be less intimidating that Fawnshine, whose drawing mismatched gaze still burned in the back of his mind, "Have the stars ever told you anything wild? I imagine they have many secrets to keep, watching us all the time."
Fourtrees was within view and Echosong slowed his paw steps, finding Auburnpaw quite the intriguing travel partner and therefore didn't feel the need to make the journey any fast than it needed to be.
Auburnpaw told him how his father had educated him on the ways of Starclan as well as making a comedic jab at his crazyness , or lack thereof. Echosong huffed in amusement, his whiskers twitching as he listened quietly. He was about to ask more about Auburnpaw's upbringing when the apprentice asked him if he had ever heard anything wild from the stars. The image of the grey cat with colorless eyes appeared in his mind, every single one of its bones showing beneath its fur and skin, sharp and protruding like the craggy peaks of Highstones itself. Echosong blinked and the image was gone. Then another cat flashed in his memory, this time Echosong repeated the prophecy out loud, "Something familiar is found in the river, grasped by dark currents and swirling waters. What was there before is not so keen to let go." he meowed, shaking his pelt, "I haven't figured it out yet, but...I think it's about the medicine cat that was drowned in Riverclan. Maybe she's going to come back somehow?" he shrugged, "I- I haven't figured it out yet."
Although there was an obvious interest in reaching the Moonstone in time, Auburnpaw was grateful for the lack of a hastened pace. Echosong appeared to be a pleasant medicine cat on all account. Given everything he had known about them, the inexperienced tom had assumed they were all odd and stuffy cats whose pelts reeked with the scent of herbs. So far, in stark contrast, this had been like chatting with a friend. His tail whisked away the thought as he listened to the odd words.
So this was one of Starclan's riddles, huh? He mused to himself quietly. If not even a medicine cat could decipher what it meant, there was no way he would be able too. Regardless, Auburnpaw's vibrant blue gaze was obscured as he squinted in thought. After a brief pause, he shrugged his shoulders, "Not much use if you can't figured it out. I wonder why Starclan would want us to care about Riverclan? We've got better things to do. Let me know if you figure it out though, alright? I'd love to know the great mysteries of the stars."
His tail flicked Echosong's flank briefly, a rare show of companionship. Admittedly, the other tom had surprised him. Auburnpaw had never thought prophecies were something to share with just any cat, especially not apprentices. Maybe Echosong thought he was brilliant enough to have a clue. The apprentice stood straighter at the thought. Perhaps the medicine cats did need someone like him around more often.
The four big oaks that made up Fourtrees towered over them, there was a faint scent of recent Windclan and Thunderclan mingling together, Echosong tilted his head at the smell but didn't think much of it as it was a common place to hunt after all. After they crossed through Fourtrees they were now on Windclan territory, and the descent up the hill to the top of the moors began.
"Starclan rarely tells you the whole story. But..they wouldn't tell me if they thought I couldn't figure it out, yes?" he chirped, huffing slightly as they pushed up the hill, "Ya know, you'll be the first I'll tell if I figure it out." he promised smiling, "But don't go tellin' every ole' Joe about it. We must figure it out ourselves." He glanced around them, hoping they didn't come across any Windclan patrols, though as of late they hadn't, "Every ole'Joe.."
Echosong inhaled the scent of the heather and gorse and glanced up to the stars, "Y'know, they say Windclan is the most devout amongst all the clans, because they're the closest to the stars." he meowed, the sounds of the roaring Thunderpath coming closer and closer.
In only a few more pawsteps they had reached the boundary between Highstones and Windclan - The Thunderpath. They shared the same one that ran along Thunderclan's territory so he didn't doubt that Auburnpaw had been taught of the danger. "This is where we must cross. Stay close, listen for the monsters, and when they go quiet, run as fast as you can." he meowed, it didn't hurt to reiterate basic thunderpath safety, "Run as fast as you can." he echoed quietly before crouching close to the foul smelling tar.
The white furred tom waited for a monster to zip past them, its paws causing a wind to blow his fur back, then he shot across to the opposite side and stared wide eyed at Auburnpaw, his stomach churning with nerves. This was always the hardest part of the trip.
______________________________________
ECHOSONG
FAWNEYE
SLEEPYHOLLOW
STAGPAW
WEAVER
Thunderclan T3 Medicine Cat
Riverclan T3 Warrior
Windclan T5 Warrior
Shadowclan Apprentice
Loner Kitten
Guest Guest
Subject: Re: Auburnpaw's Moonstone Journey Sun 25 Feb 2024 - 16:02
Auburnpaw had never seen Fourtrees. Despite the amount of time he had to explore the clans had returned, his pads had stayed firmly rooted on the confines of Thunderclan territory in a hopeful longing for the clan to return. Thankfully, it had proven to be more than a kit-like longing as the camp had filled up properly upon their return. It was an intriguing sight to behold the magnificent oaks and open clearing. Had they paused for any length of time, the apprentice might have asked Echosong about it, but there were more important matters at paw.
His mind still picked apart the revealed prophecy, not because he gave it any merit, rather than he thought such odd mannerisms of speaking to be pointless. If the stars were so powerful in their means of guidance, why not share the whole picture? He did not want to undermine the medicine cat, though, whose presence he had quickly found to be thoroughly enjoyable. Auburnpaw's ear flicked as he meowed, "I'm sure you'll figure it out eventually. Maybe I should come visit the medicine cat den more, then, we can trade secrets? No Joes there."
As they broke away from the heart of the forest and headed towards what he had come to know as the Thunderpath, Echosong told him about Windclan. Auburnpaw hummed softly at the idea as he glanced over to the moors. He had yet to meet any cats from other clans, considering that Vipershade hardly counted. It had always been odd to him though to think that any cat would enjoy the open moors over the sanctuary of foliage. As his bright blue gaze raked the moorlands, he mused once more, "What do you think? Do they get better reception for prophecies out here?"
His eyes were dragged away to engage in the current task at paw. Crossing the Thunderpath. He wanted to pipe up and tell Echosong he had successfully done this exact same thing numerous times in an attempt to even make it here but there was no time. Ears flattened close to his skull as the thunderous sound of a monster roared. After watching the medicine cat dart forward, he paused, heartbeat thudding slowly as he listened. Once Echosong had stopped, he pelted forward and didn't stop till he was on the other side, next to his clanmate, "Easy. Nothing to it. Let's get doing then. Almost there, right?"
- The remainder of the journey was quite fast, they made it to Highstones just as the moon reached its highest, which was perfect. Echosong smiled at Auburnpaw and gestured to Mothermouth, "This is it. It'll be pretty dark, yes? Stay close." he meowed. The last thing he wanted was to lose an apprentice in the caves. The air grew colder and colder as they ventured down into the tunnels, winding around and around it would seem like a miracle that Echosong was able to navigate it so well. The only sound were their breath and a faint trickle of water coming from some where up ahead. Soon they saw a soft glow emitting from the tunnel in front of them. The light bounced off the walls and grew the strongest when they reached the entrance to the room. The moonstone stood in the center of the room, glowing from the moonlight that shined through an opening in the roof. "Lay down and touch your nose to the stone, when you sleep you will speak with Starclan." he meowed taking his own place next to the stone, "I'll be here when you wake up. If you see Pricklebush tell him I say hello." Echosong smiled and curled his tail around his paws.
Their chatting continued for most of the journey but as they reached Highstones, Auburnpaw went quiet. He followed Echosong's instructions, taking in the swallowing darkness as the unfamiliarity of it sent a chill down his spine. His tail flickered as they descended into the tunnel. After a while, a brilliant light swallowed the shadows. The apprentice blinked, surprised by how stunning it truly was.
"See you on the other side." He muttered to the medicine cat, settling down and drifting into an expectant sleep.
Why the stars still let him do Moonstones was beyond him, but he wasn't about to stop. The one semblance of control he could regain over life below, the one time he could try and help his poor Clan besides speaking to Echosong with the limited words he was allowed? They could pry it from his cold, dead paws. Which would be difficult, since he had already died once and did not plan to do so again. This Moonstone talk, however, would be an interesting one. He'd had his eyes on this tom from the start, ever since he'd entered into the jurisdiction of the stars' territories. A son of Appledapple and Stoatfur... now wasn't that a chaotic pairing. The two of them had abandoned ThunderClan in a mixture of cowardice and bravery, and he wasn't sure what to feel about them--and therefore, not sure what to feel about this Chad, this Auburnpaw. But... he'd been kind to Echosong, his little leaf. And that was as good a start as any. But it wouldn't hurt to put the fear of the stars into the guy.
So when Auburnpaw opened his eyes, not only would he see an area that looked almost exactly like ThunderClan territory, but he would also see the shadow of a cat stretching out in front of him... a cat behind him. A cat built like a ThunderClanner, with tall stature and broad shoulders, covered in spiky, messy, star-speckled tan fur. His tail lashed behind him as he looked down with narrow sage-green eyes. He just... stared, for a few moments. Then he huffed, ruffling Auburnpaw's fur with warm breath. "Hey there, kid. My name's Pricklebush. Former medicine cat of ThunderClan, all that stuff." It felt odd to go through formalities like this. Auburnpaw looked so much like his father... maybe with a pattern more reminiscent of his mother. Had he gotten the combination of cowardice and temper from both, or neither? "I was gonna say I knew your father, but I don't know if that would be strictly correct--but I have spoken to him, once. During his leader ceremony. If you know what that is. I'm not sure what he would've told you." His voice was low and rough, but not unkind, and his eyes piercing as they scrutinized the apprentice. What kind of cat would he be? Why run away from his parents just to join ThunderClan? "I didn't like your dad much--he had a tendency to run from his responsibilities. I wonder whether you've got that same tendency. But... if you get along with Echosong, then maybe you're all right." Pricklebush was tired of looming, so he sat down with a thump. "Anyway. Good to meet you. Do you have any... questions, I guess? About anything. Or do you just want some general advice? Because I'll be honest. Compared to Appledapple's anger and Stoatfur's frustrating inability to communicate, I'm not quite sure how to read you."
