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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Hemlockfox wasn't thrilled to lead another journey to the Moonstone, but he wasn't terribly put off by the task either. It was odd, not to feel some sort of loathing for the menial, repetitive work. Especially when that work included cats he wasn't particularly fond of. Not to say he disliked many of the WindClanners - he just didn't enjoy going out of his way for them. Usually. But tonight, it would be a bit of a relief to get away from the camp and the seemingly endless amounts of work that always shadowed him. This, at least, was a peaceful alternative.
With a surprising lack of his usual venom, Hemlockfox shouldered his way through the camp, towards a particular apprentice. "Cricketpaw." He meowed gruffly, "Get up, we're going to the Moonstone tonight." Briefly, the fluffy medicine cat glanced down at the empty space where Cricketpaw's other hind leg was supposed to be and his ear twitched. "I hope you don't expect me to walk at a snail's pace." Then, as if realizing that was a touch rude, added, "You're a warrior apprentice, I trust you don't let that slow you down, anyway."
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[Nectarflower] T5 WC Permaqueen
[Hemlockfox] T4 WC Hybrid Medicine Cat
[Wiggleworm] T3 TC Warrior
[Firetreader] T1 SkC Warrior
[Lykaios] T1 Rogue
[Moonpaw] WC Apprentice
Aspen Site Moderator
Number of posts : 1623 Gender : cryptid (they/he) Age : 25
this is just a journey, drop your worries; you are gonna turn out fine;
Cricketpaw looked up as Hemlockfox approached, soon breaking into a wide grin. "Oh, okay! I'm ready whenever you are, jus' need to eat those traveling herbs right?" The medicine cat said something about walking slowly, eyes wandering down to that empty space, and Cricketpaw's smile faltered ever so slightly. "It'd take a lot more than this t' slow me down, Hemlockfox. I've made it this far, haven't I?" He hadn't let his disability slow him down yet, and he wasn't about to start any time soon.
Hemlockfox's expression shifted ever so slightly, and he hummed thoughtfully. It made a certain amount of sense, he supposed, to give Cricketpaw some travelling herbs. It had to be a bit tougher to get around which, honestly, wasn't really something he'd considered. He usually didn't bother wasting the herbs for such a short (in comparison) journey. "Sure. Don't usually use 'em, but I'll go get some." Cricketpaw kept talking though, making the medicine cat pause. "I suppose so. I like that in a cat - determination." It reminded him of Sunfire.
That was probably the closest thing the young apprentice would get to a compliment, too. So, with that, Hemlockfox turned towards his den to gather a few herbs. Once he'd procured the right assortment of leaves and petals, he returned to Cricketpaw's side and set them down. When he lapped up the last bit, the seal point tom nodded. "Alright. Let's get going. I don't want to waste any more time than I have to." This trip would probably be long enough as is.
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[Nectarflower] T5 WC Permaqueen
[Hemlockfox] T4 WC Hybrid Medicine Cat
[Wiggleworm] T3 TC Warrior
[Firetreader] T1 SkC Warrior
[Lykaios] T1 Rogue
[Moonpaw] WC Apprentice
Aspen Site Moderator
Number of posts : 1623 Gender : cryptid (they/he) Age : 25
this is just a journey, drop your worries; you are gonna turn out fine;
He lapped up the herbs quickly, his nose wrinkling at the taste. The faster he swallowed them, the faster the taste would go away, so he did just that and nodded to Hemlockfox to show he was ready to go. It hadn't occurred to him that most WindClan cats didn't ask for the herbs; from what he knew talking to apprentices from other Clans, they always used the herbs. Either way, they would keep him strong for the journey whether he needed the extra stamina or not.
The journey to Highstones was along a path Cricketpaw wasn't familiar with. Normally up for chatting, he got the sense that Hemlockfox didn't want to make small talk, so he kept his thoughts to himself and admired the scenery of the territory on his own.
Once Cricketpaw finished swallowing the herbs he'd been given, Hemlockfox nodded and led the way out of the camp, setting a pace that was a fast, but not so much so that the young tom couldn't keep up. The walk was certainly longer than any Cricketpaw had been before and, the closer they drew to highstones, the rougher the terrain became. Still, Hemlockfox reminded himself to be patient with the apprentice and, before long, they were standing before Mothermouth - the pitch black tunnel that led to the Moonstone. Cricketpaw seemed to be doing alright, but the seal point medicine cat was still glad he'd decided to leave a little earlier than usual.
"This," He began with a sweep of his tail, "Is Mothermouth. This tunnel will take us directly to the Moonstone. It's dark inside, but tread carefully and follow my lead and you'll be just fine." With that, Hemlockfox turned and padded into the tunnel. Almost instantly, he vanished into the inky darkness. Uneven pawsteps and the sound of Cricketpaw's breath assured Hemlockfox that the apprentice was following, so he moved down the tunnel swiftly, eager for the night to be over so they could return home - to the camp. Stars. It wasn't his home.
"When we get there, I want you to lie down in front of the Moonstone, touch your nose to its surface, and let sleep come to you. That is when StarClan will enter your dreams." His voice echoed off the stone walls as he talked. "With any luck, they might have some advice to share." Hah. Luck indeed. It seemed as though StarClan only ever spoke to him when they wanted him to do something. He imagined they only shared the truth of his heritage to force his paw, but he wouldn't give them the satisfaction of watching whatever drama that might bring.
Lost in his thoughts, Hemlockfox almost didn't notice when the tunnel began to slope upwards and take on a blueish hue. But, once the glow became brighter, he blinked and turned to look over his shoulder. "Almost there." Moments later, he and Cricketpaw filed out of the tunnel and into a much more spacious cavern. Hemlockfox allowed a few moments of silence before, with a flick of his ear, he nodded towards the glittering rock. "Go on then. I'll be here when you wake."
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[Nectarflower] T5 WC Permaqueen
[Hemlockfox] T4 WC Hybrid Medicine Cat
[Wiggleworm] T3 TC Warrior
[Firetreader] T1 SkC Warrior
[Lykaios] T1 Rogue
[Moonpaw] WC Apprentice
Aspen Site Moderator
Number of posts : 1623 Gender : cryptid (they/he) Age : 25
Cricketpaw was grateful for the relatively easy journey. He made it up the rocks to Mothermouth with little trouble and soon followed Hemlockfox into the darkness of the cavern. He listened to the medicine cat's instructions carefully, nodding before catching himself and murmuring instead, "Got it." The further the pair went into the tunnel, the more Cricketpaw's nervous energy and excitement built up in his stomach as it twisted in knots. Finally a glow began to appear along the path until they entered the main cavern of the Moonstone. The brilliance of it took Cricketpaw's breath away, and he stood there to admire the stone reverently until Hemlockfox's quiet voice shook him from his thoughts.
He didn't dare speak in front of the Moonstone, he felt as if it would ruin the moment, but he nodded and limped closer. Paws trembling, he settled down in front of the stone and slowly, gingerly touched his nose to it. It was cold, but he held it there and closed his eyes. Now that he was able to get a brief rest, he realized how tired he was. He peeked one eye open to see where Hemlockfox had gone, but when he opened his eyes he was no longer in the cavern. Instead, he was on WindClan's moors at sunrise, dew sparkling on the long grasses surrounding the clearing he was sitting in. There was a rustling, and another cat came to join him. He was a male tortoiseshell with dull green eyes, a familiar WindClan frame, and--much to Cricketpaw's surprise--missing a hind leg. His pelt glittered with starlight like the sun reflecting off the dew, and he took a quiet moment to sit down facing Cricketpaw before he raised his gaze, offering the apprentice a gentle smile. "Welcome to StarClan, Cricketpaw," he mewed. "My name is Elmskip. I was a WindClan warrior many moons ago. It's been a long time since I ran the moors myself, but I've had my eye on you." Elmskip huffed through his nose, a sort of chuckle, and he uncurled his tail from around the spot where his hind leg would have been. "As you can see, we have a lot in common."
Cricketpaw beamed. "Wow...I've never met another cat like me, and you're a warrior!" His smile faltered, however, and he looked down at his own haunches, where a leg should be. "You understand, then...what it's like. No one else really does. They're all real nice about it, mostly, but...I know what they're thinking. I try not to let it get to me, y'know, but..." His nose scrunched as tears suddenly threatened to spill down his cheeks. "I-I'm sorry, I'm getting emotional-- I don't mean to cry--" Sniffling, he swiped at his face with a paw, embarrassed. He never cried, not in front of anyone at least. Cricketpaw flinched as a tail brushed against his shoulder, and when he looked up Elmskip was there next to him, his long tail curling around Cricketpaw's flank. "I do understand," Elmskip mewed solemnly. "It's okay to let your emotions out, I won't tell a soul. And, I'd like to say, I'm very proud of you, Cricketpaw. You have done more for yourself at your age than I ever did. Not that it's a contest, of course, but it was something I regretted in my life." Elmskip raised his head, staring off into the distance. "You are so strong, and that's very admirable. But being vulnerable doesn't equal weakness. You can't be expected to be strong all the time. Not even the greatest of leaders can do that. Let yourself feel, it's okay."
Cricketpaw looked down at his paws, shuffling them in the dirt as tears dripped from his face. "Thanks," he murmured as he hunched his shoulders. "I just feel like I'm not allowed to be vulnerable, y'know? Like, I'm already a, a burden...so I can't be emotionally weak too, 'cuz then what am I even good for? I have to do more than every cat else to prove I belong there... I see the way some of them look at me. Tigerstar, Sootstorm when he was alive, even Hemlockfox..."
"It hurts. I understand." Cricketpaw nodded as his shoulders began to shake, his body wracked with sobs. "I wish Cloudypetal were here, she was the only one that never looked at me like that...I miss her so much..." Elmskip closed his eyes, letting Cricketpaw cry as long as he needed to. When the apprentice's sobs were nothing more than little sniffles, he spoke again. "Cricketpaw, I need you to listen closely. Do not ever let someone else's opinion of you affect how you view yourself. You are a good cat. You devote yourself to others, you're kind and gentle, and you are strong both inside and out. That is what matters. Your disability does not define you." Blinking away the last of his tears, Cricketpaw looked up at Elmskip, a tiny smile returning to his face. "I'll try to remember that...Thank you. Really."
Elmskip gave him a soft smile in return and dipped his head. "Of course." He stood and limped back to his place in front of Cricketpaw, then touched his nose to the apprentice's forehead. "I think it is time for you to return. I look forward to watching you become a great warrior, Cricketpaw. Good luck." As his form began to fade along with the StarClan moors, Elmskip's eyes narrowed playfully. "And, one last thing: I don't want to see you here again for a long, long time. Go, Cricketpaw. Live." Cricketpaw grinned as the last of StarClan faded into blackness.
When he awoke, he was still smiling, even as his face was wet with tears.
this is just a journey, drop your worries; you are gonna turn out fine;
