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: Smokeypaw's Moonstone Journey Sat 22 Jun 2024 - 23:36
nightpaw
Nightpaw hesitated by the entrance to the apprentices' den with a sigh. He still found himself coming here each night, purely by habit, though he slept in the medicine den now. It was odd; it hadn't been long since he'd stepped into his new role and left the life of a warrior apprentice behind, but it felt like an eternity anyway. He supposed, if all had gone as planned, that he would've left the apprentice's den by now anyway - and he couldn't say he missed it. He didn't get along with cats his own age. Soon enough, he wouldn't be an apprentice any more, and he'd be happy when the time came. Spending his days funneling adolescents back and forth was definitely not his favorite aspect of being a medicine cat.
But he had a job to do, and he'd vowed to do it well. It wasn't all bad. He got to see the Moonstone often, rather than once in his whole lifetime. Last time he'd made this journey, when Cloudpaw was asleep, he'd sat and watching the moon glimmering off the quartz monument for most of the night.
It was early morning now. It'd take most of the day to make the journey to Highstones, and Nightpaw wasn't looking forward to making small talk along the way. Maybe Smokeypaw would be okay with silence. He'd... never met the tom before, though they'd spent much of their lives in the same den. He was Leopardstar's son, he knew that much. Hopefully I don't lose him like I lost Heatherberry. He slipped into the den and found the tall apprentice quickly - he slept by the entrance to the den, it seemed. Aw. He's like a little guard dog.
"Smokeypaw, wake up," The smaller apprentice meowed, prodding him with a paw. He was still anxious about all this, but it was a little bit easier now that he'd done it once before. "Come on. I-it's time for your Moonstone journey." Hopefully he wouldn't be mad that he'd woke him up. His fern green gaze swam with anxiety.
Subject: Re: Smokeypaw's Moonstone Journey Sat 22 Jun 2024 - 23:55
SMOKEYPAWi'll hum the song the soldiers sing he/him - shadowclan apprentice
Smokeypaw was typically an early riser. He kept a soldier's schedule, ever the warrior. But last night he'd tossed and turned until the moon began her descent in the sky. Cardinalpaw still wasn't back, and he was beginning to let himself worry now. In the wake of Heatherberry's disappearance, too, the tom was beginning to think that some creature was picking ShadowClan cats off, one by one. Like those nasty dogs.
So when an unfamiliar voice called his name, he snapped out of his light sleep and startled. Had the dogs come for him? Twolegs? An enemy Clan? Smokeypaw was thrown into the waking world without much grace. He jumped out of his nest and whirled on the intruder, claws unsheathed and teeth bared. His fluffy pelt was even bushed out, making him twice his size, until - oh. It was just that runt medicine cat. "Sorry, Nightpaw, you scared me." The tom grunted, then brought one paw to his face and began to smooth his fur down. When he was satisfied with his appearance, he stood and met the medicine cat apprentice's gaze. "Let's go, then. I don't need traveling herbs, I'm strong enough for the journey."
The two toms walked in silence. Smokeypaw was in no mood to talk, and his companion didn't seem to be much for conversation, either. It was an easy silence, one they shared with ease. When they got to the Moonstone, Smokeypaw glanced at Nightpaw with doubt dancing in his eyes. Did they have to go down there? The tunnel seemed so narrow, and...and dark. But the tuxedo tom slipped into the tunnels with ease and led the way. Smokeypaw had no choice but to follow. With the sun beginning to set (had their journey really been that long?), there was no real light to guide the way in the winding caverns, and the large grey apprentice followed closely behind his guide. He could move only by the sound of the medic's footsteps. It seemed an exercise of trust, and Smokeypaw was beginning to question where the cat was guiding him when light finally seemed to glimmer in the dark of the cave.
The Moonstone. It was beautiful. As their cramped tunnel emptied out into a wide cave, he cast a glance at Nightpaw. The tom nodded at him, as though telling him to walk closer, and he did.
He laid down. As he pressed his nose to the stone, his bones became heavy with a new exhaustion, and he sank into a deep, merciful sleep.
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Oatfluff - T4 WindClan Warrior - #7f513e
Nightowl - T1 ShadowClan Med. Cat - #669966
Smokeytimber - T3 ShadowClan Warrior. -#626b7d
Foxpaw - WindClan App. -#f4ab6a
Sunpaw - WindClan App. -#cea716
Tortoise - T1 Loner - #6e6e33
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Characters : [L]Lilyvalley, [E]Elmstorm, [R]Robinmist, [A]Adderpaw, [T]Thistlepaw Clan/Rank : [L]ShadowClan T4 Warrior, [E]RiverClan T1 Warrior, [R]SkyClan Elder, [A]ThunderClan Apprentice, [T]WindClan Apprentice Number of posts : 2414 Gender : Any Pronouns Age : 21
A calico she-cat appeared in front of Smokeypaw, a smile on her flattened face. "Hello! My name's Rosethorn. I was a warrior seasons ago. You probably don't know me, and that's alright! I think Rookfire is the only cat left who might remember my name. But that's alright! I'm here to help you on your path to being a warrior!"
She approached the apprentice, taking a seat beside him. "You know, I was born during a really scary time. I wasn't even born a ShadowClan cat. I was actually born to a group that.... they had caused a lot of pain. But the Clan still took me in. They looked out for me. I found a home in ShadowClan when my own family had not even wanted me. If they were willing to give me that much care, they will definitely protect you, too. Trust your Clanmates. You don't have to be so scared."
She rested her tail on Smokeypaw's shoulder before pulling back. "You probably have questions for me, so go ahead and ask them. That's what I'm really here for. I just figured that was something you needed to hear. We're pretty good at watching things, being stuck in the stars and all. I just couldn't help but notice you've been jumpy. Thought that might help a bit."
SMOKEYPAWi'll hum the song the soldiers sing he/him - shadowclan apprentice
A marsh materialized in front of him - one eerily similar to ShadowClan's marsh. How was he back home already? Or... no. He wasn't. Was this StarClan? The apprentice blinked. One minute, he'd had the sensation of falling asleep, and now he was in a different world. Stars speckled the long, thick grasses, and each leaf on each tree seemed to shimmer. Even the normally murky water seemed to shine. When he got his bearings, he turned back to the molly who'd appeared in front of him. Rosethorn. No, he hadn't known her name. She was right.
Smokeypaw curled his tail around his paws and sat neatly while he listened to the calico regale him her life story. StarClan was... odd. It was empty here. Speaking to dead cats, too, seemed wrong. But at least Cardinalpaw hadn't appeared before him. Surely, if she was dead, she would've been here.
He tried not to grimace at Rosethorn's words. She was an outsider? She was born to a rogue group? He was not sympathetic to the stories of cats outside of the Clans, or even cats from other Clans, but... if ShadowClan's leader had taken her in, and if she'd been young at the time, could she really be bad? It was something he'd never had to ask before. For a lot of his life, he'd been of the thought that outsiders were all inherently bad, and there were no circumstances that begged them sympathy. Smokeypaw frowned, deep in thought.
Trust your Clanmates. You don't have to be so scared. Without thinking, he began to speak. "Thank you... you're right. But I - I do trust them, I just..." Smokeypaw sighed. Of course he trusted ShadowClan. He hunted alongside some of the most talented warriors in the forest. He just - well, what nagged at him so much, then? "I am glad you found your way to ShadowClan, ma'am. And I'm glad for your words. It's just - my whole life, I guess, I've always had to protect everyone. My littermates, my denmates, my Clan. I trust them with my life... but I don't think I trust them with theirs. And I can't lose anyone."Well, anyone else. He thought of Echomist, the father he'd never met. Why hadn't he appeared here today? Part of him had been hoping to see him.
Rosethorn had been watching, apparently. It made him feel odd to think that she'd been observing so closely. Was it so obvious, though? Was he jumpy? "I think I did need to hear that, miss. Thank you." Smokeypaw dipped his head gratefully, his usual sign of respect, and sat up a little straighter. "It just feels like everything is out to get us. My - our Clan, hasn't been able to catch a break. Or that's what it feels like." He frowned and stared at his paws. Had his gaze been more intense, he might've bore holes into them. "I don't know how to protect them all."
