Keeping the Clans Alive {An Advanced Warriors RP} discussion

{Roleplay}

"Softkit where are you?" She called out "Please come play with me! We are going to do everything together-side by side.Come on, lets play!" She turned to Softkit and said "oh no, ThunderClan is attacking!" As she pounced on the nearest elder.

Softkit shook her head. "No, thanks. I'm too tired." She slumped back into the nursery and looked out at the camp. Lightningkit was playing with the elders. Softkit was worried that she'd slip and break something. She'd heard of it happening before.

Followed Softkit and plopped down beside her. She sighed, you could tell she was a little disappointed. "I can't wait to be warriors together!" She mumbled she curled up in a little ball then fell asleep right by Softkit.

Softkit watched Lightningkit sleep, and wondered if Softkit'd ever be a warrior. After all, she did seem a little different from the other cats. Yawning, she laid down and closed her eyes.

Ashkit grinned, snickering as his sister's eyes closed. He wiggled his rump from where he hid in the reeds just outside the nursery. With a squeak, he pounced onto Softkit's back and pulled her over on top of him. "Boo!" he squealed.

Palefrost sat in the shadows at the edge of the clearing, licking his paw before dragging across his head. His eyes scanned the camp, waiting for Dawnpaw to appear. Palefrost was still nervous about being a mentor, but was extremely grateful he'd gotten Dawnpaw and not her sister, Duskpaw. Although Duskpaw was much more like Palefrost, Dawnpaw was much easier to control and deal with. She was also a quick learner, a quality he knew not every apprentice had.

Sandfeather watched the kits playing by the nursery, purring with amusement. She remembered when she'd been able to play like that, before Icekit had died. Stop thinking about that, she chided herself, shaking her pelt as she rose to her feet.

Softkit squealed, her brother surprised her. She batted at his tail, fending him off as best she could. "Ashkiiiiiit! You know I hate surprises! Get off!" She said it playfully, and bucked him off gently.

Dawnpaw pushed from the apprentice den, trotting out into the evening light. Her sun-kissed fur shone as if it were pure gold, her green eyes sparkling with curiosity and excitement. She and Palefrost had been put on the dusk patrol, and she could not wait. Though dusk was her least favorite time of day, as it symbolized the death of all thing that had happened that day, and the end of things to do, she knew that dawn was right around the corner. And she loved that so much, she didn't care how long she had to wait for it.

She made her way over to where Palefrost sat in the shadows and shoved her head into the dark corner. "Well?" she demanded brightly. "Are you ready?"

Ashkit purred. "Oh yes, but it couldn't have been a surprise, Softkit! You're such a great warrior, you knew I was coming, didn't you?" he declared. He knew it wasn't true, but didn't care. It was a time to make his sister feel good about herself, and he was going to take advantage of it.

Softkit shook her head. "No, I didn't. I was asleep! What you did was just mean!" Her angerr at her brother couldn't last long. She saw Frozenkit just outside, and called, "Frozenkit! Come in! It's too hot outside- you'll burn to death!"

((Oh, I thought they were just outside the nursery?))


Ashkit backed away for a moment, bewildered by his sister's fury. Though he could see the kindness quickly returning to her green eyes and he smiled. "Oh, I'm sorry. You know how I can be." he purred, curling up around her.

((Oh yeah move to nursery))

Palefrost saw Dawnpaw emerge from the apprentice's den, watching as she padded towards him. He rose to his paws just as she reached him, stretching his forelegs out in front of him to get rid of a few kinks. "I've been ready. Waiting for you," he mewed, sliding from the shadows and into the late afternoon sunlight. He'd always liked dusk, it wasn't filled with light, but wasn't overly dark.

Dawnpaw rolled her eyes teasingly. "Of course you have," she led him back out into the center of camp. "Is anyone else coming with us?" she was silently hoping to take her sister with her--she hated leaving Duskpaw alone in camp, worried that cats might bully her about her roots, but more worried about what Duskpaw would do in response.

Palefrost eyed the cats in the clearing, most of them were already beginning to settle down for the night with fresh-kill and bathing. "Nobody else was assigned. But if you want to bring someone else along feel free to go get them," he told his apprentice with a flick of his tail towards Duskpaw, knowing that was who Dawnpaw wanted to bring along.

Dawnpaw smiled. "Thanks, Palefrost." she purred to her mentor. She hurried over to her sister, pulling her to her paws and leading her back over. "It'll be great, Duskpaw. Together on the dusk patrol!" she mewed as they approached Palefrost once again. Duskpaw grumbled something, but didn't disagree. Dawnpaw smiled to her mentor to tell him they were ready.

((I just realized I was roleplaying Frozenkit in the wrong Clan. Hah! I fixed that!))

Palefrost watched his apprentice bound over to her sister, a small spark of sadness igniting when he saw the bound the two littermates shared. Part of him had always wanted to try to make things right between himself and Sandfeather, but he just never got the nerve up to do so. He gave Duskpaw a nod of greeting before trotting out of camp.

((Which border?))

((Hm. ShadowClan? They could meet up with Rainstar's dusk patrol))


Dawnpaw and Duskpaw followed Palefrost from camp, their pawsteps timed together. The two were the same size and walked at the same speed. It was obvious to any cat that they were sisters.

((Sure, I'll post there))

lightningkit raced out af the elders den with Softkit right behind her. When she saw that Palefrost and Dawnpaw had left she gave an irritated sigh "Well.. i am not tired, and the elders aren't there, and the warriors are on a patrol, so... what do you want to do"? She asked Softkit

((XD Ashley/Ashkit))

Softkit shrugged and looked at the sun going down. "We better just go to bed," she sighed, feigning regret. "It's getting late." She plodded to the nursery, sat down, and began to wash, starting with her tail, then going on to her paws, back, and belly, then finally her ears.

Lightningkit shrugged "ok" she said and followed Softkit's example washing her fur which was coated in dust, mud, dirt, etc. When she finished washing she layed down in her nest and said "Goodnight Softkit, goodnight Ashkit see you tomorrow." Then fell fast asleep.

Stretching in the new day's sun, Iceshade opened his jaws wide to yawn, rolling back his haunches and waking his tail with a flick to-and-fro, and then he stood up, gazing at the clear sky. A nice day for hunting - the dawn patrol must have finished and returned by now as well. "Nice catches, Stonefang," he called across the camp to the younger warrior - that was the right compliment to send, he was sure of it. The pale grey tabby slowly padded over to the two littermates, curiously looking over the queen's swollen belly. "I hope your kits will not be as troublesome as those in the nursery now," he mewed, trying his hardest to fit in smoothly. It was easier when the camp was still quiet.

"No matter what happens, Wrensong, the Clan is here for you," Iceshade mewed, sitting down in front of the two, his ears perked to listen out for other cats as they began to stir and awaken. "We have as many herbs and medicine stocked up as possible as well," he added, to try and reassure her, while not wanting to completely 'lie' and say that everything would be fine. "You also have your brother here - if any cat can help you, he can."

"I understand," mused Iceshade, and dipped his head. "If I have no apprentice by then, I'll be sure to snag one for myself," he mewed, trying to inject some humour, but felt he had failed, and pulled his paw over his head. "Stonefang, I need you on hunting patrol after sunhigh - catch up on some sleep. Your sister is safe in our paws," he added, slipping back into his responsibilities with a quiet but serious tone.

Blinking, confused, he flattened his ears and nodded, "I'm sorry, Wrensong," he apologised genuinely, and rose to his paws, feeling that perhaps he should leave before he upset her by accident with his words. "I should check in with the dawn patrol," Iceshade mewed, frustrated with himself, and needing that focus to distract himself.

"I appreciate your advice," Iceshade mewed, inwardly adding, Though every cat can say that they are not upset, even when they are. "I should check in with the dawn patrol though. Keep an eye on those mischievous kits in the nursery," he mewed, injecting some lightness into his tone. "Perhaps you can send them on a hunt for different things in the camp. Keeps them out of your way and mostly out of trouble. It might also tire them out. Stonefang, if you do not feel tired, try to stay in camp with Wrensong and perhaps keep an eye out in the meanwhile? In case."

Sweetpaw came out of the medicine cat den, laying out chervil and borage leaves to dry. She slipped back into the den, bringing out some juniper berries as well. She pushed them around with one claw, keeping them fairly organized in a sunny area near the medicine den. She looked around the camp clearing, seeing a few cats going about their daily duties and some kits playing near the nursery.

"Sweetpaw," mewed Iceshade, walking over to the young medicine cat apprentice, his striped tail flicking side to side. The deputy stopped before her, looming over her, though he was not the biggest of cats. "How are you getting on with your training?" he queried, knowing, like most of the Clan, very little about the intricacies and trials of becoming a medicine cat.

Sweetpaw looked up from her work, sitting down and wrapping her long tail around her paws. "Hello, Iceshade," Sweetpaw meowed happily. "It's going really well... I've learned so much already. It's so interesting, all the herbs and their uses..." She purrs, looking down at the three herbs spread in front of her. "Right now I'm drying some borage, chervil and juniper berries." She looked back up at the Riverclan deputy, blinking at him.

"Tell me what you can do with each of them," the tabby mewed, encouraging her to test out her knowledge, even though his was almost non-existent. He could not correct her, but saying it aloud would show how confident she was in her training. Iceshade simply wanted to help, and bonding with her through her training as a medicine cat would be good for when she took on her medicine cat name. After all, it was likely that she would be medicine cat when he was leader of RiverClan.

Sweetpaw paused to concentrate and remember what had taught her. "Borage can be used for nursing queens to give them more milk, and it can also bring down fevers." She answered promptly. She hesitated for a moment more. "Chervil can be used for infected wounds, belly ache and during kitting. Juniper berries..." Sweetpaw frowned at the small purple berries, and poked one with her paw. "Juniper berries give strength and help with troubled breathing! It can also be used for belly aches and to calm a cat." Sweetpaw remembered that lesson from early in her apprenticeship, and proudly recited the uses for all three herbs. She had multiple people tell her she shouldn't be a medicine cat, and moments like this confirmed that her dream is realistic and she really can do it. She looked up at the deputy with eyes glimmering in happiness.

Iceshade listened carefully, trying to commit that to memory, in case there was any need to remember, and dipped his head, touching his nose to between her ears. "You'll make a fine medicine cat, Sweetpaw," he mewed, flicking his tail.

"Thank you, Iceshade," Sweetpaw purred, basking in the praise. Even if her mother didn't believe in her being a medicine cat, the leader, deputy, her mentor and her siblings did. Well, the ones that counted anyway. She looked down at the leaves, tapping them with her paw to check them. "So how's being a deputy going?" Her eyes twinkled with a bit of mischief. "Anything particularly interesting going on?"

Letting out a meow of amusement, Iceshade shook his head left-to-right, "It's very busy, except for the quiet of the night, and then mornings like this. Nothing troubling on the horizon," he mewed, "If you need to collect more herbs later, I'll be leading a hunting patrol that you can accompany. For safety," he told her, looking about the camp for awakening cats.

Sweetpaw let out a mrow of amusement. "Well at least nothing worrying is coming." She flicked her ears in acknowledgement. "Sure! That's a good idea. I'll be sure to be ready when you are leaving. I need to go check what we're running low on." She looks down at the herbs laid out in front of her, then back up at the deputy. "Can you make sure the kits don't get into these? I'll be right back." She blinks pleadingly at Iceshade.

"Good - we'll leave after sunhigh. There should be enough until then, once some of your fellow apprentices have been out hunting too," Iceshade nodded to himself, and listened to her plea, lulling it over, curious, "Of course. Go, rush carefully. No one will touch these herbs, Sweetpaw."

"Thanks!" She pads into the den, quickly pawing through the stores of herbs. Dock, comfrey, blackberry leaves... Maybe some catmint to stock up if I can find any. She pads back out of the den. "Alright, I know what I need. Thank you, Iceshade. I'll be here if anyone needs me." She touches his shoulder with her tail tip gratefully, before laying down and stretching out in the sun next to the herbs.

Waiting patiently for the medicine cat apprentice to look through the secret - not really, but secret and mysterious to the RiverClan deputy - stocks, Iceshade sat, looking out onto the camp, and stood once he heard the mew of Sweetpaw's voice. "I will call on you when we leave," he told her. "Take some rest."

"Definitely." Sweetpaw mewed. She shifted comfortably and laid her head down, curling her tail up and waiting for sun high to come and the herbs to dry.

Sandfeather exited the warriors den, her pelt ruffled from the cleaning she'd just finished. She'd noticed a lack of good moss in the warriors den and had taken it upon herself to get the old stuff out and new stuff in. Currently, she was regretting her decision to take on the task alone, it would've been a task fit for the apprentices of the clan. She plopped down, and began straightening herself up, not wanting to appear as though she hadn't groomed for moons.

Iceshade dipped his head, watching young Sweetpaw curl up, his eyes failing to focus as he thought to the patrols he had planned out, but the sounds of the camp quickly snatched his attention. Flicking his tail in greeting to Rubblestar, he padded over to the warriors' den, and dipped his head to acknowledge Sandfeather's work, meowing, "You should get an apprentice to help you with that," to her. He greeted Goldenpelt, Blacksun and the kits, but otherwise left them be, unwilling to intervene with their time together out in the sun.

Sandfeather jumped at Iceshade's voice, she'd been so caught up in her bath that she hadn't heard him draw close. "That'd be a dream come true. I'm hoping that I'll get the chance to mentor Littlekit or Wheatkit," she confessed with an optimistic gleam in her eyes. Her brother had just received his first apprentice, she'd been a little disappointed that he'd been chosen over her but she didn't let that keep her down for long.

Iceshade sat beside her, and nodded, "Your time will come soon. I'm sure Rubblestar knows that you are the perfect potential mentor." He hesitated, unsure of whether he had said the right thing.

"You think so?" Sandfeather asked with a happy swish of her tail, "What was it like with your first apprentice? Were you nervous?" She was nervous just thinking about it, and she didn't even have an apprentice yet. Imagine when she was actually granted with one, what if she taught him or her the wrong way to do something?

"Of course." Iceshade paused, considering the question, thinking back to his first apprentice. Not only had he been nervous, but scared as well. After all, his problems with fighting had made it difficult for him to become a warrior, let alone a cat learning from him. "I was very nervous," he eventually mewed, "So I focused on showing my apprentice what I enjoyed about RiverClan, where I liked to go, what I wanted to do. It comforted me and ultimately, I suppose, brought us close as a mentor and apprentice."

Sweetpaw flicked her ears, listening to the warriors' conversation. She knew she would eventually have an apprentice of her own, but she would only have one and it wouldn't be for a long time. Her mind drifted from teaching Apprentices to teaching kits as she opened one eye to see the kits run by towards the elders' den. She knew she couldn't ever have kits... At least not following the warrior code. She thought that was a ridiculous rule, though: wouldn't that just enforce a maternal instinct to take care of the whole clan? She closed her eye. Maybe she would meet someone worth breaking the code for.

Sandfeather listened intently, wanting to absorb every word Iceshade said. Being that he was the deputy, she respected his opinions and thoughts more than most other cats. Hearing him admit to being nervous put Sandfeather more at ease, if Iceshade had been nervous she had nothing to worry about. "That seems pretty logical. Because then even if you begin the day nervous, you bring your apprentice to someplace that you feel at home. You're smarter than you look," she mewed, saying the last part with a purr of amusement.