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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Subject: Mallowpaw's Moonstone Journey Wed 28 Feb 2024 - 12:04
002
All Hail SkyClan's Resident Disney Princess
thymelight
No matter how your heart is grieving, if you keep on believing.
It was growing increasingly difficult for Thymelight to find comfort in the things that she used to enjoy, including taking apprentices to the Moonstone to speak with StarClan. She used to love watching how excited her Clanmates would get at the mention of the journey that marked the end of their apprenticeship, and Thymelight would look at them with pride knowing that they would soon be taking on the name of a warrior. Now she was only afraid. It was so cruel to her… the idea of cats spending their entire lives training to earn their name just to die in the claws of combat. Her Clanmates had lives, friends, hobbies, personalities, hopes and dreams, mates and kits, and all of that could be taken away from them in a matter of horrific heartbeats.
It was morbid, but Thymelight knew that she had been mercifully brought into Clan life and raised with their values, and it wasn’t her place to change such morals. That didn’t mean that she had to like them, though. It was Mallowpaw’s turn to speak with the ancestor’s today, and she didn’t intend to bog the apprentice down with the depressing whirlwind that was occupying her mind. She had called for the apprentice to meet her outside of the den where she was waiting with the appropriate traveling herbs. Perhaps the journey would offer the medicine cat a brief moment of respite in the midst of the storm.
MALLOWPAW ! Mallowpaw had been radiating excitement the moment he found out it was his turn to meet with his ancestors. It was the final step to becoming a warrior. He'd already passed his assessment, he'd honed his skills with Stoneheart and he'd grown as a cat in general. He spotted his reflection in some particularly clear ice the other day and has gotten a good look at himself. He was filling out his body properly and would be a proper warrior.
He hadn't lost his kit-like soft fur, but he had long, powerful legs and rippling muscles beneath his gray and black pelt. The makings of a proper SkyClan cat. His eyes shone when they found Thymelight and he purred sweetly to her. "Hi, Thymelight!" Mallowpaw dipped his head respectfully to her. "Are you holding up all right? I... I know things have been sorta scary for every cat lately."
While waiting for her response, his head dipped again; this time it was to lap up herbs from one of the bundles she'd placed for them.
No matter how your heart is grieving, if you keep on believing.
Thymelight smiled at Mallowpaw's kindness. "I'm holding up as well as I can, all things considered." Although he was still an apprentice, the tom was old enough to know the truth. She wouldn't hide the concept of war from him like she did from the kits in the nursery, but she wasn't about to trauma dump on him either. Once Mallowpaw was done eating his share of the traveling herbs, she turned and led the way out of camp. SkyClan's territory looked the same as it always did, but that wasn't necessarily a bad thing. Thymelight tried to allow her pelt to drink the rays of the morning sun to give herself some more energy.
She sighed quietly as the two of them started the hike to Highstones. "Things have been scary, you're right, but I think that everyone's doing a good job at moving forward. It can be hard to be strong at a time like this, but I'm very happy that SkyClan is resilient." The medicine cat commented as she glanced upward into the tall branches.
MALLOWPAW ! It took more effort than he'd like to admit to stop his face from scrunching up at the bitter taste of traveling herbs. How foul they were! But he knew that was for the best; this was Thymelight preparing him for the long journey ahead and these would stop him from getting too hungry while they were out. As he followed the medicine cat out, he rubbed his tongue against the roof of his mouth to try and clear the flavor before he spoke again.
"I think things will get better now that Honeydew is deputy and as long as you're our medicine cat. She's a good cat, and she's peaceful and sweet, and... And I think she'll bring a future brighter than our past." Mallowpaw purred, his tail curling at the fond thoughts of his friend. "I like to think we're past the worst now, and I think every cat is glad you were here with us." He ducked under a low hanging branch, making a quiet mental note to try to remove it when he returned.
No matter how your heart is grieving, if you keep on believing.
Thymelight nodded in agreement as Mallowpaw brought up Honeydew and her new position. She was so proud of her dear friend, and she knew that this new leadership lineup would bring positive change to SkyClan. Considering that she had been raised in SkyClan, Thymelight didn't see her entire Clan as a band of murderous code-breakers like the other Clans- well, like RiverClan and ThunderClan did. However, after the riverside battle, she realized that a few bad apples could poison and entire batch. That was the case with SkyClan. Still, despite how she felt about the state of the Clan and the state of the forest in general, she still loved her Clan dearly. The good apples that made up the majority of the tree, like Mallowpaw and Honeydew, made her want to push for a better future for them all.
"I agree. I'm very excited to see what Honeydew will do with her new position, and I just hope that SkyClan can find some sort of peace in the upcoming moons. Our current rivalry with ThunderClan and RiverClan will take some time to heal, understandably, but that's honestly not my top priority at the moment. I hope we can achieve serenity between ourselves as a Clan before focusing on our relationships with the other Clans, no matter how important diplomacy may be." Thymelight mused as she walked alongside Mallowpaw. It made her heart warm to hear the tom's well-wishes. "Thank you for that, Mallowpaw. I appreciate it. I want to continue to be a good medicine cat for SkyClan, and I know you'll be a great warrior for us as well."
Mallowpaw nodded his agreement with Thymelight, feeling comfortable enough to voice it. "I can't imagine we'll find much peace amongst the other Clans if we can barely find it amongst ourselves." He sighed, frowning. His own issues with fellow apprentices were one thing, though he had to admit if he was having issues with his Clanmates, surely others were too? He couldn't imagine how that must feel like - poor Wolfstar, going into SkyClan leadership over a Clan filled with cracks.
They could fix them though, he was confident. "We'll be great, together!" He purred, picking up his pace some. While he wasn't entirely sure where to go, he knew Thymelight would catch on to what he was trying to do.
Thymelight gave the apprentice a smile in response to his enthusiasm. Some sort of optimism was exactly what she wanted to hear from her Clanmates. The two of them continued to comfortably chat before Highstones eventually came into view, and the she-cat gave the tom a quick warning to stay close behind her once they went into the tunnel of Mothermouth.
Darkness lingered in her vision for a moment as she made her way through the passage before they both appeared before the light of the Moonstone. She flicked her tail toward the stone to allow Mallowpaw to settle in and take his time in his dream. Just as usual, she would be there when the apprentice woke up to lead him home.
discord: chuufacts | timezone: est | code (c) kieer
MALLOWPAW ! Mallowpaw stood before the Moonstone for several long heartbeats. This was the first time he had ever set paw here, and would likely be the last. Unless he for some reason became a medicine cat, or became the leader of SkyClan, well... There was no real reason for him to come back. This marked the turning point in his life.
After this, he'd become a full warrior of SkyClan. He stepped towards the stone, the brilliant light of the moon reflecting off of its surface. This would be a moment to remember. Everything he had done led up to this moment - all of his training, all of his friendships, everything. He sucked in a slow, steady breath. Would his mother be proud of him for what he had accomplished? Was he worthy of becoming a warrior of SkyClan, of sharing tongues with StarClan?
That would all be decided shortly. He lay down, casting a nervous glance at Thymelight as his forepaws were tucked under his chest. "Please..." He pleaded, touching his nose to the cold stone.
As Mallowpaw gave into sleep, the world shifted to a stunning, star-studded forest. Mirroring the rough earth of Skyclan's territory, tall slender trees stretched into an endless shimmering navy blanket. Near the base of silvered birch sat an average-sized tom. His pelt was an odd patchwork of black and white splotches, covering a frame reminiscent of a Windclan warrior. Across his face and maw was a myriad of clawmark scars. Despite the neutral expression, the Starclan cat's vibrant blue eyes were friendly and welcoming.
He regarded Mallowpaw with a dip of his head, followed by the warm timbre of his voice, "Welcome to Starclan, Mallowpaw. My name is Rippedstar. I was a former leader of Skyclan." Rippedstar's tail was wrapped around him, flickering slightly at the tip. It had been moons since he'd spoken with any living clan cat, at times fearing he'd fade away from the distance. The clan had changed over the seasons, something he watched with resignation, that was until Mallowpaw had caught his eye and drawn him from eternal wait.
MALLOWPAW ! Icy eyes took in the midnight blue skies and the stars that shone above him. They were similar to the ones back home, above the camp and the territories but something about them seemed far more ancient. Was this the same Silverpelt he looked up at every night, or did StarClan have their own version? Perhaps he was thinking too deeply about things. StarClan was mysterious though, and he couldn't shake off the excitement and mystery that shrouded the place he found himself in.
A voice sounded and he was torn from his thoughts. A tom - one who was opposite in appearance from him. Not to mention, a leader of all things! Rippedstar. To Mallowpaw, he seemed much more faded than what he imagined a StarClan Cat to be, though stars still shimmered brightly in his pelt. A wise cat through and through, but why was he so... Transparent? It made the leader seem so fragile! Mallowpaw dipped his head when he was finished staring, taking slow paw steps towards the birch tree. He'd never heard of this cat in his entire life. "I'm Mal-" wait, Rippedstar already knew his name, "-I'm honored to meet you..."
Did this mean there was something important in his future ahead? What would Rippedstar tell him? He sat across from the older tom, leaving about two tail-length between them. "How long ago were you leader of SkyClan?"
The slender tom dipped his head as Mallowpaw settled down not far off. His blue gaze glistened with moons of wisdom and a plethora of churning thoughts. At the question, Rippedstar's tail tip flickered, "Seasons ago, far beyond your time, and beyond the time of the eldest cats in the forest. Many have forgotten my name but my kin still resides in Skyclan." At the thought, his whiskers twitched. It was a wild thought, to consider the legacy his flight from Windclan had on the clan he'd lead. What once had been the uncertain thoughts of a young apprentice had become a journey lasting many lifetimes. But he wasn't here to contemplate his own life, really, even though part of it was a tale he was about to tell.
"I'd like to tell you a story, Mallowpaw, about the scars across my maw. Most good warriors protect their face and eyes. I'd be foolish to let a cat who can't defend themself lead a clan, right? Well, in this case, I was wounded because I let it happen." Rippedstar blinked slowly as the memory returned. How long had it been since he'd thought about that day? It wasn't often the tom looked at his own reflection or longed to remember the strife that had befallen him in his youth. After a brief pause, he breathed an admission that would set the tone for the rest of the story, "I was born in Windclan."
MALLOWPAW ! Mallowpaw screwed his eyes up at the words Rippedstar spoke. This old cat was going to tell him a story like the elders back home! He had to stop himself from laughing and firing a playful question at the past leader. It was in his best interest not to, as he worried that Rippedstar may feel mocked or disrespected. He nodded with a breathless "Okay!"
A slurry of questions soon followed. "Who's your kin now? Maybe I'm friends with them! And... How come you left WindClan? Who scarred you?" The apprentice leaned forward, prying eyes begging him to answer this instant. Seeming to catch himself almost immediately, however, Mallowpaw leaned back and chuckled at himself. "Sorry! I'm just... Ooh, Rippedstar, I'm ready to listen!"
