𝐈 𝐖𝐎𝐍'𝐓 𝐋𝐄𝐓 𝐘𝐎𝐔 𝐃𝐎𝐖𝐍 ╱ 𝐌𝐄𝐄𝐓𝐈𝐍𝐆 02.11

They had set forgiveness before him and named him Sunstar. WindClan had stood before StarClan, in wait of their wrath, their punishment, the way that Sootstar's wrath had razed them since the very beginning — and they had survived the ordeal. The thought of dissolving this clan had haunted him since first he killed her. Standing before the cats that were leaderless and bloodied, worn by moons of trial, weakness had reared its terrible head. He did not want to save them in that moment. He wanted it to be over. The clans had looked upon him with distrust as he came to share his news. He could not expect anything else. Yet how were they to carry the burden of what had been done through leafbare, into the never-ending dark?

Hare Whiskers offered forgiveness, and he is a coward no longer.

A quiet snowfall heralds the pair's return. He parts the heather tunnel's end at dawn, dusted in white. The soft pink of moorland mornings dulls the colors of his pelt and changes his eyes, though there can be no mistaking the determination within them. StarClan could not heal what had been done to him before. Though they had spared his predecessor many times over, he bears his wounds the way that Sootstar had carried her last. The long journey had been difficult on knitting skin. Even still his gaze is bold, joyous, as he parts through his waiting clanmates. He nudges some of them, leaves a passing lick upon the head of his kits, and bounds to the top of the Tall Rock in several short strides.

From here, one can see the entirely of the moors. The once-golden field of their home now dusted pale white, beautiful even still. He can see the way that the winds ruffle the few free strands of glass. He can see the face of each clanmate as they already begin to gather around him. With a roar like a lion, Sunstar calls out: "Let all cats old enough to run the moor gather around the Tall Rock for a clan meeting!" There is little to wait for, so he does not. "Know that I have stood before StarClan and returned with their wisdom, their blessing of this clan, and those that remain. Like the changing of seasons, WindClan will be reborn! StarClan has given us another chance," he yowls, "and we will not forsake it."

Here, he allows his voice to die. His chest heaves with the intake of breath, repairing the booming exhale he had allowed to carry through camp. It is not like Sootstar had been, elegance and control. Sunstar is loud, unabashed. He will not compare himself to her again.

"We will move forward," the tom eventually continues, calmer, "without the past to weigh us down. What I say now, I say before StarClan, and all of you, my clanmates." His gaze seeks those among the crowd that he has relied upon through these many moons. "Scorchstreak, Bluepool. You bear the scars of Sootstar's guidance, yet stood at my side in battle, so that we may stand where we are today. StarClan and I honor your courage. Will you stand by me again, as my council?" And then, to those he has begun to see in new light. "Rattleheart, Periwinklebreeze. You have stood beside me throughout all of this, pillars of strength and security to those around you. You have served this clan well for many moons, and your judgment would be treasured among my lead warriors. Will you accept this?"
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  • OOC. no ooc shoutouts this month because of all these shenanigans, but those will pick up next meeting! this meeting is far from over so please stay tuned, but for now! a massive thank you and congratulations to @SCORCHSTREAK, @Bluepool, @RATTLEHEART, and @Periwinklebreeze. ! you guys have been absolutely amazing. please give them your congratulations.
  • sun_icon_new2.png
    SUNSTAR. LEADER OF WINDCLAN.
    ——– HE – HIM – HIS ╱╱ 48+ MOONS OLD, ADULT.
    NPC x NPC, MOUNTAIN CATS. MATE TO WOLFSONG; FATHER TO BEARPAW, SINGEDPAW, RIVEPAW, SUNLITPAW AND FEATHERPAW. MENTORING RIVEPAW.

    TH ╱╱ A LARGE, FRESHLY SCARRED CHOCOLATE AND WHITE ROSETTE TABBY TOM WITH SEAGLASS BLUE EYES
 
༄༄ Star-appointed, another WindClan leader has been. Just as Sootstar had long ago, Sunstar stands with nine lives before the clan. This time, though, the clan shines in a new light beneath their leader's form, having at last shed the shadowed cloak of their former tyrant. Scorchstreak is proud to call herself a WindClanner once more, though they surely have a long way to go before they will be whole again. As Sunstar says, they have been given another chance, and they cannot forsake it. The tom's first announcement, after that of his newfound extra lives, is of herself and Bluepool's positions. He is inviting them both to join his council, to reclaim their places as lead warriors under a newer, better leader.

She is unsure whether she is deserving—no, she knows that she does not deserve the second chance that is being granted to her. She still bears the mark of Sootstar's rule across her chest, and yet she is being asked to serve as a member of Sunstar's council. Still, he asks her, and so the tunneler responds. "I would be proud to serve you," she states, dipping her head to the newly made leader. She glances to Bluepool, a smile crossing her muzzle. They are both lead warriors once more, equals in their standing again.

The calico reluctantly turns away from Bluepool and slinks over to her sibling's side, a smile already on her face. "Congratulations, Rattleheart." Her tail touches gently against her black and white sibling's, even before they respond to Sunstar's question. They will not deny his request, she is certain. Periwinklebreeze, the warrior she once believed weak-willed and traitorous, also receives a brief sweep of her gaze. He is young, but he was trained by her tabby-striped friend. He fought against Sootstar's warriors alongside the rest of them. He struck the moorland queen before anyone else did. He is deserving of the position, if he accepts it.



// CONGRATS TO EO & KITTY & JAY!!
 
OH, WHAT IT MEANS TO BE SOMEONE
THAT EVERYBODY HAS TO TALK TO
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periwinklebreeze 19 moons demi-boy windclan lead warrior
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When the golden-furred tom arrives, it is no longer as sunstride, deputy and their defacto leader in sootstars death. No, he's sunstar now - starblessed with nine lives and the proper rights to back up his claims of leadership. Perwinklebreeze thinks he might've followed him anyways, even if starclan truly had turned their backs upon windclan as a whole, not just sootstar. The boy waits - stock still, face blank as he stares up at Sunstar with mismatched blue eyes from his place near the nursery. Unwilling to stray too far from his sister, from the kits and queens who had been put through so much.

The tom speaks of starclans blessing, and it soothes something in his chest - his paws are still on their path after all. The visions - his second chance at life after his near-death at the jaws of the dogs... it hadn't all been for naught. Scorchstreak and Bluepool are offered their places on the council, and its not wholly unexpected... but he feels relief anyways. Scorchstreak may be quite terrifying sometimes, but he respected her Had watched her raise her kits well - he tries not to think of rumblerain, following granitepelt and running from the true windclan - and he'd seen her strength upon the journey they'd shared. And bluepool... gaze is warm when it lands upon her familiar frame. He hadn't ever expected to truly care about his former mentor - to trust in her as much as he did. But what she'd taught him had saved his life time and time again, and despite her sisters poisonous words she'd never turned her back upon him simply for who his parents were.

So caught up in what is obvious is he, that he almost misses the last bit of news. Tail tip twitches, and body freezes - that.... that was his name, wasn't it? His shock does not show upon his features as he turns to look at sunstride - and for a moment, the tom is not bathed the pale pink morning light, but the blinding red and gold of the sun itself. Perhaps... perhaps, it shouldn't be a surprise. Time and again now, he's seen it - visions of blackened paws and periwinkle eyes, a figure bathed in blood and starlight. His travels had taught him that starclan was cruel, but that they surely had a plan - perhaps this had always been it?

Joints creak and snap as he stands, shoulders drawn back and head turned to face the newly named leader. " I will, " he says simply, words slowly and carefully enunciated.

actions & " speech, " & 'thoughts/quotes'
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H EH ADN OO N ET H A TH EC O U L DT A L KT O
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She has been quiet, dedicated to living in dreams where the smell of blood rings her body, wets her fur. In her dreams, cats are shadows, but their eyes are stars, silver fire that sear her, judge her. You left your mother to die, they accuse her. You let your mother chase her Clan away, the others whisper. When she wakes, she feels empty, she feels lost. She is not imprisoned in Wolfsong's den as much as she is held for consideration—and when Sunstride returns from the Moonstone, she drifts outside like a she-cat who has lost all determination. Her pelt prickles uncomfortably at any pairs of eyes that might light upon her—their gazes burn holes into her fur.

She reminds herself, as the great golden tabby ascends the Tallrock where her mother had given her her apprentice name, her warrior name, that he is Sunstar now. He had stolen her mother's life, and he had stolen her Clan, and he had stolen her name…

But there's no anger in her anymore. There's only a sense of loss like a vacuum.

Sunstar speaks of forgiveness. She wonders what that means—who is meant to forgive who? Bluefrost's gaze sharpens. Does it mean she and Snakehiss will be allowed to join his Clan—does it mean they should want to? She says nothing, only tucks her tail around her paws and bows her head. Sunstar names Scorchstreak and Bluepool to positions they'd held beneath Sootstar, then invites two new warriors onto his council. Rattleheart and Periwinklebreeze. Bluefrost does not lift her head, but her tattered ear twitches as she listens to them accept their new positions under Sunstar.


  • ooc:
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  • Bluekit . Bluepaw . Bluefrost, she/her w/ feminine terms.
    — "speech", thoughts, attack
    — 13 moons old, ages realistically on the 14th.
    — mentored by Sootstar ; mentoring n/a ; previously mentored n/a.
    — windclan warrior. sootstar x weaselclaw, gen 2.
    — penned by Marquette.

    lh blue and white she-cat with emerald eyes. aloof, dignified, poised, haughty, composed, distant.

 
➴➴ Gravelsnap has expected this. Sootstar is no more, and Sunstar has risen to take her place atop the Tallrock. He first speaks of a new era for the clan, one of forgiveness. Hazel eyes flit to Bluefrost, and Gravelsnap wants to move to her side—but their paws remain in place as Sunstar continues on with his announcements. The fates of Bluefrost and Snakehiss are unknown, and they don't want to be near their friend if she is to be chased out of the clan when Sunstar speaks next. If they ever had to strike Bluefrost with the same claws that had taken Gooseberry's life, they would never be able to forgive themself.

Sunstar's next words do not condemn the former Sootstar loyalists in their midst; instead, the tom reintroduces Scorchstreak and Bluepool as lead warriors in the clan, and invites two new lead warriors onto his council. Rattleheart's addition is understandable, but… Periwinklebreeze? Their friend is being chosen as a part of the leader's council? It is an honor, and one that Peri does not refuse; the black-pointed warrior accepts the invitation, and Gravelsnap's paws move at last. "A lead warrior," he says, voice nearly a purr as he steps up beside his friend. Pride fills their gaze—Peri has had every reason to abandon WindClan, to leave and never return, but he has stuck it out through sickness and death and rebellion. If anyone deserves this, it is him. "You deserve it."
 
Azaleafrost has been happier since Sootstar's trial. She watched with satisfaction as those close to her still were made to watch, and knowing that Sootstar's kits have been knocked down every single peg possible has done wonders for her mood. Not so special now, are they? It brings joy to her heart. She looks up at Sunstar without her usual emotionless look. Instead, it's a content and satisfied smile. The feeling of freedom she feels after everything is euphoric. She's achieved her lifelong goal, to crush her enemies. Nothing feels better than revenge, she has learned.

We will move forward without the past to weigh us down,
Sunstar says. It resonates with her, and she sits just a little taller. She can look to the future with no chains holding her back. She is free.

Sunstar announces Scorchstreak and Bluepool as lead warriors, to which she has no initial reaction. Obvious picks, she thinks. Neither of them liked her, but she understands why he chose them. Scorchstreak and Bluepool proved their worth a hundred times over and their dislike of her no longer bothers her. It's who Sunstar says next that catches her by surprise. Rattleheart, another good choice, and...Periwinklebreeze!

They have both come so far... From rejects of the clan to strong warriors who fought to end its corruption, who both stand here now in triumph. For Periwinklebreeze to be chosen as a lead warrior after all he's been through, Azaleafrost can only smile the widest she ever has. She rises from her seat and pads over to him, giving him a friendly, affectionate headbump on the shoulder and ignoring Gravelsnap.

"Congratulations!" She says. She's proud of him. No one can bully him now. And if they do, well. She knows what to do.​
 
Pinkpaw wasn't so good with name changes.. Which was probably not a very good thing when names seemed to change, like, all the time. Halfkit had been Lark-kit (or something?) and Pinkpaw hadn't known what to do... She's not sure what to call her anymore, in her thoughts or outloud, when she thinks about what she will call her. What if ShadowClan gave her a new third name, and she'd come find her some day and tell her the completely wrong thing? It was hard not being Pink-kit, but Pinkpaw, calling her sister Downypaw instead of Downykit...

Maybe the weirdest one, was that they had Sunstar now. Pink-kit had thought Sootstar would live and be leader forever and ever and ever, and Now Pinkpaw would have to tell her that she was super duper wrong. That she was gonna drive all her family and friends away, and one day she'd be here, and then next day she... wouldn't be. And that she'd be enemies with and friends again with Bluepaw who would be Bluefrost... everything was weird.

But it's not... bad weird, she guesses. She had thought it would be, but it wasn't bad weird anymore, or even good weird, it was just... weird. And it's weirder still, when on Tall rock there wasn't a little kind of scary looking grey she - cat, but a tall not - scary - at - all tom and he was Sunstar, and Pinkpaw liked him lots. Were they WindClan anymore still? Pinkpaw wasn't sure, but she likes everyone that was here, WindClan or not...

She perks when her mentors name is called. She was Sootstar's lead warrior, and now she'd be Sunstar's. Pinkpaw's not really sure what makes it more important, but she knows that it's good, and so she cheers. And for Rattleheart and Periwinklebreeze too. Perwinklebreeze isn't a tunneler, so they must be pretty fine, and... Rattleheart is Rattleheart! Yay! " Scorchstreak and Rattleheart and Bluepool and – and Per - rrey - win - kle - breeze! " It's like, the longest name ev er! " Yay yay! "
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  • NOTE: SHE IS A FEVER COAT BABY!!
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  • ( IT'S TIME TO START A FUCKING RIOT, RIOT! ) PINKPAW APPRENTICE OF WINDCLAN. DAUGHTER TO BRIGHTSHINE & HEAVY SNOW. SISTER TO HEATHPAW, DOWNYPAW, & FINCHPAW.
    —— SHE / HER; UNOPPOSED TO THE USE OF OTHERS
    —— CURRENTLY 6 MOONS OLD. AGES EVERY 16TH

    A tiny, longhaired calico she - kit with sunburst eyes ringed blue around her pupils (central heterochromia). While you can clearly see her flame markings on her face, the rest of her body is currently covered by a grey fever - coating. Though the whites of her are still very much visible. Pinkpaw bounces around WindClan without a care in the world! Her emotions are big, and she makes little effort to regulate them, resulting in both her usually cheerful disposition, as well as making her prone to sudden bouts of extreme anger or sadness. Rarely seen without a smile!
    HEAVY IC OPINIONS! Pinkpaw is a very irrational and childish character!​
 
AS HE RAISED HIS FIST BEFORE HE SPOKE — Finally, their new era was being ushered in properly. With the newly named Sunstar at the helm, and the glimmering cats of Starclan behind them - offering them a second chance, and a new future. It was enough to fill Rattleheart with hope for the future, a determined warmth blazing in their chest as they looked up at their new leader. So much time had passed since the last time they had stared up at the Tallrock with pride, glad to see their leader up before them all rather than filled with dread. They even found themself actually purring at it all, grinning over in Scorchstreak's direction. There was no doubt in their mind that their sister would be similarly pleased, after all that had transpired in the last few weeks - in the last few moons, for that matter.

It wasn't long until their sister's name was once again ringing out through the clan alongside Bluepool's, filling them with the same intense pride they had felt after her initial promotion. Only this time it wasn't mixed with trepidation, or anxiety over where their leader would end up dragging her. Rattleheart trusted Sunstar, and they had no doubt that both Scorchstreak and Bluepool would continue to serve as incredible lead warriors. They had practically still been filling the roles already, even if such things hadn't been official during their rebellion. "Congratulations, you two. You still deserve it." They'd have to ask if Scorchstreak wanted to celebrate later, maybe with a dash down into the tunnels to find something to eat. The two of them were still most comfortable down there, and intense relief still filled them even now at being able to navigate the network freely once more.

The call of their own name was far more surprising than the call of Scorchstreak's had been, pale gaze flicking up in worry as Sunstar addressed both them and Periwinklebreeze. Had they done something wrong? Had they not been doing enough around camp? They had thought Scorchstreak's advice to take a rest was invaluable, but maybe their former worries about not doing enough truly did have some kind of weight. But then Sunstar kept speaking, and that particular anxiety drained out of them. Replaced by a different kind of anxiety, though one far less intense and likely to strangle them. They were being asked to be a lead warrior? To take up a position alongside their sister? Alongside Bluepool, and now Periwinklebreeze? It almost felt like a dream, though they found none of the world melting around as they glanced around them.

No matter how stunned Rattleheart felt, they refused to leave Sunstar without an answer. So, they forced air back into their lungs and met Sunstar's gaze with their own wary yet resolute one. "Yes... yes I will, Sunstar." Simply no other answer seemed right in their mind, no matter how the future presented before them made their head spin. Soft chuckles left them at the eruption of congratulations around them, though the sound of their sister's voice alongside them stood out from all the rest. They looked towards her, smiling through their nerves. "Thank you. You really think I'm ready?" They weren't doubting Sunstar's judgement, or trying to imply that he had made a bad decision. It all just felt so stunning, after so long spent intentionally slinking in the shadows.


  • // thank you sm and congratulations to everybody else too !!
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    longhaired black and white tom with pale green eyes
    48 moons old; ages the 1st every month
    afab; uses he/she/they pronouns
    homosexual homoromantic; mated to venomstrike
    sibling to scorchstreak, lizardbounce, and rabbitclaw
    currently mentoring downypaw
    somewhat difficult to befriend; wary but kind
    "speech", thoughts, attacking
    peaceful powerplay allowed
    all opinions are ic
 
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Even though she knows in her heart that this was right, it still feels strange. When she tilts her head upwards she is still expecting it to be her sisters face calling down to them, her sisters voice making the announcements. The rebellion, Sootstar's death, it all feels so far away, like there was seasons between then and now rather than just a couple of sunrises. Still, she is ever the dutiful warrior isn't she? She comes when she is called, taking a seat close to Scorchstreak, aware of every spare inch that spans between them and loathing it. If she could she would close the gap but there is a strange fear that keeps her rooted in place. Unmoving and unchanging.

Sunstride declares himself as Sunstar now. He has spoken to the stars and they have granted him this privilege (no doubt kicking themselves for the mistake of giving nine lives to her sister while they were at it). His words are loud, inspirational, and in this moment it is easy to understand why he is their leader. He has hope and passion two things that Bluepool finds incredibly admirable.

This is only a formality, the question that comes next. Will she continue to serve as a lead warrior under him? The look she shoots him suggests that he barely even had to ask. "It would be an honor" she says, bowing her head to the new king of the moors.

When Scorchstreak moves off to join her siblings, her golden eyes follow her but her paws do not. She goes back to her spot alone and with everyone else her voice raises to a cheer, but it feels so far away. Everything feels so far away.


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    BLUEPOOL WINDCLAN LEAD WARRIOR ; SHE / HER ; SISTER TO SOOTSTAR & MINTSHADE
    A small framed moor runner with a blue toned pelt and black stripes. Her tail is cropped and her eyes are golden in color. On her chest, she sports a large 'X' shaped scar.
    Difficult in battle. A skilled fighter + isn't above using dirty tricks in order to win
 
He grins, blustered by wind and snow where he stands (not sits, he cannot sit with the energy that courses through him), and his, "Yes!" is joyous, booming. "We will speak again once I have said all that I must. For now–" A breath, and he begins again, louder and firmer where his voice had slowly quieted. "For now, there is still much to repair. The marks that have been left upon this clan will be slow to lift, but today I will do all that I can to allow its beginning."

Glacial eyes drift slowly through the crowd. Bluefrost does not sit among them; Snakehiss is likewise as difficult to find. He is adamant in his search even still, and speaks their names with weight. "@BLUEFROST. @SNAKEHISS . Though you served Sootstar in the days since we left, so too have you remained here, as the others fled. Snakehiss. The world around you has changed. I ask now that you accept this change as well. Should you wish, you may remain within WindClan. In time, you may be the warriors you were always intended to be. For now you are not to leave camp without another to watch you. Like apprentices, you will prove yourselves once more." It is not complete forgiveness. Though he looks upon Bluefrost's tattered form and wishes he could erase her pain entirely, wounds do not knit so easily. But he can offer cobwebs to stem its flow, at the very least.

There is a beat of nothingness, wherein he allows his ruling to settle upon each of his clanmates' shoulders.

Then: "@Yewberry, @slatetooth ." So too do those names linger as he calls them forward. "You are tied to your past no longer. StarClan, you know every cat by name. I ask you now to take away the name from the cat before you, for it no longer stands for what they are. By my authority as Clan leader, and with the approval of our warrior ancestors, I give these cats new names. From this moment on they will be known as Irispath and Slateheart, to honor the journey of change you have undertaken," his gaze rests upon Irispath, "and the courage you have shown in doing so," he finishes with a nod to Slateheart.

"Scorchpaw, Redpaw, Heatherpaw, Whitepaw. . . step forward." He waits for each, his heart thrumming quickly within his chest. "I, Sunstar, leader of WindClan, call upon my warrior ancestors to look down on these apprentices. They have trained hard to understand the ways of your noble code, and I commend them to you as a warrior in their turn. @SCORCHPAW, @redpaw, @heatherpaw !!, and @whitepaw, do you promise to uphold the warrior code and to protect and defend your Clan, even at the cost of your life?"
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  • OOC. STILL NOT DONE YET I'M SO SORRY I HAVE TO BREAK THIS UP FOR MY OWN SANITY, STAY TUNED... and three cheers for irispath, slateheart, and our to-be-named warriors :D
  • sun_icon_new2.png
    SUNSTAR. LEADER OF WINDCLAN.
    ——– HE – HIM – HIS ╱╱ 48+ MOONS OLD, ADULT.
    NPC x NPC, MOUNTAIN CATS. MATE TO WOLFSONG; FATHER TO BEARPAW, SINGEDPAW, RIVEPAW, SUNLITPAW AND FEATHERPAW. MENTORING RIVEPAW.

    TH ╱╱ A LARGE, FRESHLY SCARRED CHOCOLATE AND WHITE ROSETTE TABBY TOM WITH SEAGLASS BLUE EYES
 
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Reactions: ixora
Downypaw sits at Pinkpaw's side, back straight and tail curled over their paws. Some part of them still prays Sunstar had been mistaken. That it had only been an accident, a slip of the tongue, when he had told them they would be reassigned to Rattleheart. A string of mistakes in succession, how contrived a coincidence, but one nonetheless. She tries to tamp down the anxiety budding in her belly by joining the cheers: "Bluepool! Scorchstreak! Rattleheart! Periwinklebreeze!" If it really hadn't all been some confusion on Sunstar's part, they could only hope Rattleheart's new position would protect him from Sootspot's inevitable wrath. Visibility was strength, but so seemed to be secrecy.

Bluefrost and Snakehiss are pardoned. Their mentor's name is not publically forgiven along with theirs, something that both strikes them as odd and does not surprise them. He had fled Sootstar's WindClan before Sunstar had cut of the hydra's head, but he had done enough to warrant his apprentice being taken from him. Sootspot might have nothing wrong than be his mother's son, they wonder.

Downypaw spares a glance at Bluefrost too. She seems thoroughly diminished, as though whoever had given her the wounds had also cut the puppet strings holding her ever-ramrod straight, leaving her to sag like a discarded doll. Maybe it was that Sootspot had not so visibly had the pride cut out him, as Bluefrost and Snakehiss seem to have suffered. Maybe Sunstar's forgiveness was just humiliation instead.

Names are changed. "Irispath! Slateheart!" she calls, voice blending down in with the rest. Downypaw wonders, if it had been her Sootstar had given one final gift to, one she had to carry around and hear every sunrise, if she would feel so tainted by her long after her death too. If Sootspot, and Bluefrost and Snakehiss, changed their names, would they be able to start off with a cleaner, fresher slate? She doubts it.

Sunstar moves to his graduating apprentices, only another list of names to be changed. To stave off the fear and boredom, they try to guess at these new names. Scorchstride. Would they want to be named after one of their mentors? Downyspot or Downyheart? Redfur. Whitepelt. Somehow, she imagines Sunstar would be more poetic than that, that he would notice someone for more than the colors they wear. Downypaw doesn't know if she would want that sort of scrutiny from him though. She think she's had enough of it already.​
 
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──ᨒ↟↟ᨒ↟ᨒ↟↟ᨒ── He is proud. Proud of Sunnvar, of Sunstride, of Sunstar— all the names and forces of will that stand above them to claim a birthright. They were not born in WindClan, and they both know a longing for snow-tipped mountains, but Sunstar was certainly born to lead. What his father denied him he has now earned through faith and loyalty; WindClan —and all the other clans— now see what Wolfsong has seen since he had two eyes: someone worth following. A leader, a presence to respect, and they could have no better cat in Sootstar's place.

He can fill the scars her paws left, though Wolfsong knows it will not be easy, and that the other clans are likely to hold tight to Sootstar's legacy. But WindClan can heal, and grow, and when newleaf blooms, they will too. Sunstar's new council of warriors is a good start, and Rattleheart and Periwinklebreeze are wise additions, and he is glad to join the chorus of voices raising their names.

Irispath and Slateheart as well, despite his lingering doubt over the former.

Sole eye shining, he waits for the apprentices to step forward, an odd weight behind his ribs. It is not an unpleasant presence— merely heavy. He can still recall Scorchpaw as a kit, when her father was still Sootstar's deputy. How strange it will be, just as it was with Snakehiss, to count them all as warriors.
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WOLFSONG of WINDCLAN FORMER ROGUE TURNED MEDICINE CAT. 41 MOONS, HE/HIM, NPC X NPC. MATES WITH SUNSTRIDE (07/05/2023). BIOGRAPHY, PINTEREST, & PLAYLIST.
  • ★★★☆☆ WOUNDS: You're (mostly) in safe paws. You'll know if he's less experienced if he asks for your permission to try a treatment. No wound can scare him away from knowledge.
    ★★★☆☆ INFECTION: He can prevent most infections. If you feel feverish, let him know; he'll hum thoughtfully over herbs and sniff your wound before saying, "With your blessing..."
  • ★☆☆☆☆ ACHES & PAINS: If you complain to him of pain, he'll ask where. If it's a headache, you'll likely feel a bit better. For anything else, "Try this, if you'd like, and tell me how you feel."
    ★☆☆☆☆ BROKEN BONES: At best. he can ask you to remain lying down in the den. He may try to distract you with conversation while he considers what herb to feed you.
  • ★★★★★ TRAVELING HERBS: Going somewhere? No worries; Wolfsong knows just what you need to stay hale and healthy during your journey. The rest is up to you.
    ★★★☆☆ KITTING: Thanks to Starlingheart and his own pregnancy, he's better prepared for the arrival of kits, but any complications will need a little faith and a lot of luck.
  • ★☆☆☆☆ POISONS: It's best if you avoid eating anything unfamiliar to you— it's probably just as unfamiliar to Wolfsong. The best he can do is offer you yarrow and sit with you.
    ★★☆☆☆ ILLNESS: If it's white or greencough, you'll likely recover. Otherwise, prepare for odd concoctions and the usual request that you consent to a little trial-and-error.
 
Yewberry never thought he'd see anyone up on the Tall Rock other than Sootstar. When he looks up to see Sunstar, it's with a soft sigh of relief and a soft expression. For once, his eyes do not look hollow and dead, because it really is over. Sootstar is gone, and Sunstar has taken her place. He has complete faith in him, just as everyone here does. He has no opinion of his choices for lead warriors, he does not really know them well, other than Periwinklebreeze. He smiles at him, knowing Hyacinthbreath must be proud. He cheers for all of them, they have all earned it.

Its when he hears his own name called alongside Slatetooth that he falters, freezing up as if about to be punished. The short pause in words almost kills him, he swears, as he looks up at Sunstar. When Sunstar speaks again, his eyes widen, and he sits up straight.

"You are tied to your past no longer. StarClan, you know every cat by name. I ask you now to take away the name from the cat before you, for it no longer stands for what they are."

He feels as though he is being set free. Free from everything he has done to himself and his family, being given the chance to make things right. To fix himself. To start anew. A second chance to be someone worth something. He fought hard to reclaim the moors from Sootstar and her loyalists. Before that, he stumbled upon a path of grief and self hatred, his mind a horrible mess going back and forth between regret for standing up for Dandelionwish, and confidence that it was the right thing to do. He'll never know if it was, it doesn't matter anymore. All the sleepless night and the nightmares, all the murderous thoughts and thoughts of taking revenge into his own paws, The entire storm of vile, negative emotions that he has stewed in until Sunstar arrived at the barn with his rebels... It will haunt him no longer.

He can be someone new, now. No longer will his name be poison on his tongue. His family may or may not accept him, but he's come to accept it now. They aren't obligated to forgive him, and for once, the thought doesn't make him want to throw himself into the gorge. He is being given a second chance, one that he will not squander.

Irispath.

Tears well up in his eyes and he blinks them away. He's been given a beautiful name... He will not sully it as he did his last. Hearing voices cheer his name shakes him to the core. He catches his breath and forces his tears back.

"Thank you.... I won't make the same mistakes I did before." He says.

He's not going anywhere this time.​
 
It is hard to accept that this is his new reality. Snakehiss often wonders if he is still only Snakepaw, curled up in his nest and having a long, twisted nightmare. However, as the days drag on, the wounds he's received feel more real. The consequences of his actions feel more real. The disapproving glares sent his way from onlookers feel more real. Everything that Snakehiss had done was real.

His relationship with guilt is muddled — one would think that Snakehiss should feel guilty for his crimes! And why shouldn't he? He had turned his back on the cats who had raised him. He had followed that mad queen down a path of darkness and destruction, nearly destroying the true WindClan for good in pursuit of his own selfish dreams.

However, the word of one's family and expectations placed upon one's shoulders from birth was a heavy weight to carry. None of them could truly understand what he had to do, Snakehiss thought to himself. They could never understand the reasoning behind his choices; they would only mock him and sneer if given the chance. Why would they trust a cat who once served Sootstar as her deputy? Why would they listen to a tom who had only ever scoffed at and bullied others who he deemed "beneath" him?

Now, Snakehiss felt beneath all of them. A worm in the dirt. He watches with sullen features as the lead warriors accept their old positions, with newcomers Periwinklebreeze and Rattlehart joining the team. Cats he had once quipped at and teased now outranked him. Even the weakest, mewling kit was regarded with more importance than him at this moment. The dark-pelted tom wondered why Sunstride even bothered keeping him around for this long. He wondered if he, too, would get his day where he was thrown to the hounds and ripped apart. He and Bluefrost both. However, they never did. They lived to witness their first meeting under Sunstar.

A brief glance flicks in Bluefrost's direction as they stand before Sunstar's judgment. They had both betrayed Sootstar, both with their own complicated relationships toward the late leader, and now they were both being given the opportunity to begin anew.

"...You may be the warriors you were always intended to be." Snakehiss may no longer be a deputy ( and would never again see the chance ), but... was this the path that StarClan intended for him? To live upon the moors of his ancestral home, leading the life of an honorable warrior? Conflict wells within his gut, knowing that he had always been expected to be a leader by his family. They were here no longer, yet the pressure of bringing glory and prestige to his bloodline still prevailed. What if he never fulfilled his destiny? Have faith, and They will guide me to wherever I need to be. That had been the promise he had made that day — no leader would stand between him and StarClan.

The former deputy cannot find the words. There are too many eyes on him, pressuring him, judging him. The last time a leader had singled him out from the crowd, he had been bestowed with a rank. Now, he was being expected to prove himself to the clan who raised him. Snakehiss thinks of Sootstar's final moments against his will, and his breath catches in his throat. Feeling too sick to verbalize his agreement to these terms, the long-limbed tom only manages a dip of his head in acknowledgment.

The realization that many younger cats Snakehiss had trained alongside, including his cousin, were now receiving their warrior names was overshadowed by his lingering shame and embarrassment. Heat radiated from his paws, his chest, the new scars he bore. Nothing would ever be the same again.

  •  
  • 77053620_v7IN9LxSdUc41lI.png
    *
    snakehiss
    he/him; moor runner of windclan
    long-limbed black tom with green eyes, a small white chest patch, and multiple scars
    "speech", thoughts, attack
    link to full tags; @ on discord or dm @beaaats for plots!​
 
It was an unusual feeling, to be attending a meeting under a new leader. And yet, it wasn't an unwelcome sight either. Settled between Addervenom and Moorblossom, the quiet albino took a moment to analyze her clanmates, focusing on Bluefrost from where the molly hid in Cottonfang's den before shifting on to Snakehiss briefly before turning away. She watched, half-lost to her thoughts as clanmates were given new names, and some promoted to lead warriors. It felt surreal, almost. A significant moment of change, and yet faces she had hoped to see in a time like this were distinctly absent. It was bittersweet, in a way, truthfully.

Her ears twitched as her name left Sunstar's lips, and giving a glance to her friends, the ivory feline moved forward, emotion buzzing underneath her fur. "I do." She spoke up, pushing herself to be louder than her usual quiet pitch for this moment. It was a funny thing really, she never thought this day would come, not so soon. It hadn't been something she was desperate for, given the drastic changes the clan went through in the last moons. But now that the moment was here, she almost felt.. unprepared after everything that happened. But Sunstar saw her as ready, and really, that was the best she could handle when she thought of it.
[I'M BREATHING]
 
Cherrytuft and Spotkit sit further back, with Spotkit barely paying attention to what newly named Sunstar has to say. He doesn't mean to, truthfully! But the sky is so pretty these days as leafbare begins to leave, a parting gift of snowfall. He misses Sunstars initial announcements and its so obvious to Cherrytuft that she leans down to nudge at his long ears to get him to snap back to reality. He mewls a protest but grumpily locks his gaze on the cat upon highrock.

Some cats are on uh... Probation... Then some cats got renamed (one of them is completely unfamiliar to the kitten), and then- Whitepaws name is called alongside Scorchpaw, Redpaw and Heatherpaw. Spotpaw would be such a cool name... is his fleeting thought until he looks up to Cherrytuft, where her eyes shine with pride, where a smile sits gracefully upon her lips.

He watches Whitepaw move forwards and he smiles just like his mama, he smiles big for her, excitement igniting within his chest. You should be called Whitefang, cause its cool, he remembers saying to her, but now he thinks it wont fit her. Shes too soft-looking for a cool name like that, guess he just has to take the suffix for himself; Spotfang the Great... How about Whitepetal, or something like that? He knows she likes flowers. Or maybe Whitecloud. Hehe. He waits with wide eyes, staring Sunstar down and waiting. Cause once shes a warrior, that means she can be my mentor. And wouldn't that be so fun, having someone he knows as his mentor? He giggles to himself and waits once more, resisting the urge to bound forth and weave around her legs, totally not trying to trip her, like he normally does.

  • 76245576_FCJi2DzeAxPuyT4.png
    -> spotkit
    -> amab ,, he/him ,, 2 months
    -> kitten of windclan
    -> small & oddly proportioned cinnamon tom with high white
    -> "speech, afd9f2" ,, thoughts
    -> unknown sexuality ,, single
    -> smells like windblown heather
    -> art by meg
 
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To hear StarClan's name woven into ceremonies once again was odd. To know the stars had met with her father and approved him- approved of WindClan beneath his rule- that was more comforting. Sunstride was now Sunstar- the blazing daylight emerging from WindClan's eternal night. Featherpaw had seen the way that she had been looked at by the other Clans- the names that fled from their maws. All of his kithood had been spent preparing for the world beyond camp, learning about it; thud, he knew WindClan's reputation was one that would not be easy to mend.

But Sunstar said it; WindClan would be reborn. A flare of enthusiasm, as ever measured beneath his poise, prickled along Featherpaw's spine. Along his scar. Scorchstreak, Bluepool, Rattleheart and Periwinklebreeze would help his father forge this future. And he, Featherpaw, swore in that moment he would follow after his mentor's footsteps. She would give every part of herself for WindClan, if it was necessary. Anything to protect her leader, her father. Anything to protect her family.

She cheered along the rest, voice sharp and clear, a tone that takes after Sunstar. Irispath and Slateheart's names, too, were flung into the chorus. With patient yellow eyes, devoid for once of a deep scowl but rather bearing something more subtle, Featherpaw looked at the apprentices, called forth to receive their full names. Whitepaw, Scorchpaw, Redpaw, Heatherpaw. He hoped they would not disappoint.
✦ penned by pin
 
They answer their affirmatives, each in their own way, and with his own glow of pride, Sunstar leaps down off the rock to stand before them. "Then by the powers of StarClan, I give you your warrior names."

He first approaches Scorchpaw, his eyes glimmering warmly. She now meets him nearly squarely in the eye. Her form was not one of a cat suited for the moors, powerful and broad, but she is a warrior worthy of pride. As the one that had finished her training, even if he had not been the one to begin it, will remain a source of pride with the ginger tom. "Scorchpaw, from this moment on you will be known as Scorchstorm. StarClan honors your strength and your ferocity, and we welcome you as a full warrior of WindClan. You have proven yourself time and again to be worthy of this name– a blaze of courage, carrying the moors with you on the great journey, and returning to help drive the darkness from this clan." In a gentler voice as he rests his head upon hers, he murmurs, "We are all proud of the cat you have become." He does not name the cat in his thoughts, yet is sure she can hear it nonetheless as he parts ways.

Next, he comes to Redpaw. A cat whose foolishness quite nearly matched that of his own daughter, yet he meets the tom with the same quiet pride that he held for Rivepaw. "Redpaw, from this moment on you will be known as Redheart. StarClan honors your kindness and resilience, and we welcome you as a full warrior of WindClan. You bore the weight of injury without complaint, and sought to protect those around you in a time where we needed to rely upon one another. Your steadfast care is known by StarClan, and those that surround you." Once more his muzzle brushes between the new warrior's ears, parting with the lick against his shoulder. Though he had not thought much of the tom before recent moons, he supposes this could apply to much of his clan. They were all ordinary cats until the time came to be extraordinary.

It is much the same for all of them, he thinks. "Heatherpaw, from this moment on you will be known as Heathermoon. StarClan honors your devotion and will, and we welcome you as a full warrior of WindClan. Despite the trials we have faced, you remain resolute. Your perseverance, and the trust you have placed in your clanmates, will serve this clan well for moons to come." He places his head atop the young warrior's, newly named, and steps back with a gentle nudge when it is done.

"And Whitepaw. From this moment on you will be known as Whitedawn. StarClan honors your kindness and optimism, and we welcome you as a full warrior of WindClan." He had not thought well of her for some time. Unlike Redheart, who had proven himself in battle, Whitepaw was shy. Beneath notice. Yet she had faced up against him in a spar, and had not backed down even as he pressed. And even if kindness is not what he teaches, violence will not remain the answer at all times. He sets his head on hers, a final acceptance and blessing.

The first true ceremonies of his time as Sunstar. It seems surreal. Lofty. And even still, he is not done. As he returns to his post upon the rock, his voice is the first to call out: "Scorchstorm! Redheart! Heathermoon! Whitedawn!" There is a power to this that he likens to Sootstar, and his confidence falters for but a moment. WindClan's warriors are strong and capable. They have outlasted their trials, which not even warriors of other clans could understand. They are powerful. But that is not the source of his pride. Sunstar soothes himself in a reminder that love comes in strength; that self-sufficiency was not his own power, but theirs. He exhales.

"And with this change in warriors, I must acknowledge the way that things have changed. Many of those we had once trusted had left us. Many more have been faced with change we must overcome alone." The seaglass gaze that sweeps the crowd does not settle on any one cat, however much he may be drawn to it.

"Sunlitpaw." One of his own kittens, timid and quiet within the crowd. "Your mentor followed Sootstar, and in doing so, abandoned both you and your training. Your new mentor will be Foxglare. He will pass down all that he knows to you." His gaze turns to the other young warrior. There is weight to this look, severe yet not unkind. "Foxglare, you have proven yourself a capable warrior. You have shown yourself to be resilient and steadfast. You will be Sunlitpaw's new mentor, and it is my hope you will pass on all that you know."

"Downypaw." They chant the names of the newly-named warriors, and he has no trouble finding the small cloud amidst the warriors. Of all that he is changing upon this rock, Downypaw is the only one that may have seen it coming. Is there hesitance upon their face? Worry? The nagging feeling within his chest– had that been his own fabrication? They had seemed worried, but for what, Sunstar could not have understood. He does not hesitate, nonetheless. "Your new mentor will be Rattleheart." The way that he glosses over reasoning is intentional. "I know that their empathy, kindness, and dedication will serve you well. She will pass on all that she knows to you."

And the last of his reassignments, the one worth even more trepidation than the one before: "Rivepaw." She had healed well within the barn, and was ready to see the territory once more. But not without a steady paw to guide her, should she feel the need to go so far astray once more. "Your training has been halted by your injury, and the time in the barn. Seeing as there is much to recover from — I will be your mentor." It seems pointless to speak on what he offers, so he does not. A severe kindness is given in a quiet nod of his head, and he moves crisply forward.

"And as the last among our apprentices," he seeks out the new joiner within the crowd. "One of the cats that allowed us sanctuary in the barn has come to our border, seeking a home within WindClan. Puff– though you near the age of our warriors, there is much to this life that you must learn. From this day on, until you earn your warrior name, you shall be known as Lavenderpaw. Your mentor will be Owlface. He has proven himself to be thoughtful and thorough, and will pass his knowledge on to you."

With a beat of breath, he cries once more, "Lavenderpaw!"
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  • OOC. WOOOOO CEREMONIES ARE ALL DONE there'll be at least one more post from me but the major part is done!
  • sun_icon_new2.png
    SUNSTAR. LEADER OF WINDCLAN.
    ——– HE – HIM – HIS ╱╱ 48+ MOONS OLD, ADULT.
    NPC x NPC, MOUNTAIN CATS. MATE TO WOLFSONG; FATHER TO BEARPAW, SINGEDPAW, RIVEPAW, SUNLITPAW AND FEATHERPAW. MENTORING RIVEPAW.

    TH ╱╱ A LARGE, FRESHLY SCARRED CHOCOLATE AND WHITE ROSETTE TABBY TOM WITH SEAGLASS BLUE EYES
 
It doesn't feel real, the sight of the chocolate tom upon the stone gifted with StarClan's grace. All of his life Heatherpaw had only known Sootstar and StarClan. From the moment he was brought into the moors beneath the sight of the stars, his heart had been made for the stars and following them for as long as he had whiskers and claws. Despite the tragedies that led him to where he sat now; losing a father and a mother, a mentor and a home, he would do it all over again if it meant being within StarClans sight again.

He doesn't know where to sit exactly. He and Snakehiss weren't friends anymore (not until he could trust him again), Cottonfang was not in sight for him to linger by and he felt out of place being around the other apprentices now. His warrior ceremony had been horribly delayed and not by any shortcoming of being a tunneler. But he would rather have been gifted his name by a leader worthy by his ancestors than a heretic.

"I do, yes." The tabby looked at Sunstar with mismatched eyes and a crooked smile. By the powers of StarClan he would earn his name.

StarClan honors your devotion and will, and we welcome you as a full warrior of WindClan

Heathermoon.

His gaze turned up toward the sky and he exhaled a breath of relief. He made it, he earned his warrior name.​
WINDCLAN APPRENTICE ✦ RED MACKEREL TABBY ✦ 16 MOONS ✦ TAGS
 
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──ᨒ↟↟ᨒ↟ᨒ↟↟ᨒ── Scorchstorm, Redheart, Heathermoon, and Whitedawn. He is proud that these are the first warriors Sunstar names; they will represent a new beginning, and they are just the cats for it, though he is again reminded of how much time has passed so quickly. To think that his kits are apprentices, that Sunstar has been his mate for all these moons already— Wolfsong feels quite suddenly outpaced.

Sunstar reassigns mentors, including Rivepaw, whose training he will personally oversee. That should prove...interesting, to say the least; perhaps Sunstar's firm paw will teach their daughter greater foresight and patience. Her injuries do not seem to have tempered her lack of restraint, and for Wolfsong's peace of mind, he can only hope that he does not see her with new injuries in the near future.

He welcomes one of the barn cats to their ranks as Lavenderpaw, and after Wolfsong joins the others in shouting, he seeks silent permission from his mate's eyes. Once given, Wolfsong shifts closer to the Tall Rock. "There is another name to relearn," he announces, finding his apprentice's gaze. "Under Sootstar, she was named Cottonfang, but she has recently spoken with StarClan. She will be Cottonpaw once again, until the day comes that she is ready to step free from my tutelage."

//@cottonpaw

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WOLFSONG of WINDCLAN FORMER ROGUE TURNED MEDICINE CAT. 41 MOONS, HE/HIM, NPC X NPC. MATES WITH SUNSTRIDE (07/05/2023). BIOGRAPHY, PINTEREST, & PLAYLIST.
  • ★★★☆☆ WOUNDS: You're (mostly) in safe paws. You'll know if he's less experienced if he asks for your permission to try a treatment. No wound can scare him away from knowledge.
    ★★★☆☆ INFECTION: He can prevent most infections. If you feel feverish, let him know; he'll hum thoughtfully over herbs and sniff your wound before saying, "With your blessing..."
  • ★☆☆☆☆ ACHES & PAINS: If you complain to him of pain, he'll ask where. If it's a headache, you'll likely feel a bit better. For anything else, "Try this, if you'd like, and tell me how you feel."
    ★☆☆☆☆ BROKEN BONES: At best. he can ask you to remain lying down in the den. He may try to distract you with conversation while he considers what herb to feed you.
  • ★★★★★ TRAVELING HERBS: Going somewhere? No worries; Wolfsong knows just what you need to stay hale and healthy during your journey. The rest is up to you.
    ★★★☆☆ KITTING: Thanks to Starlingheart and his own pregnancy, he's better prepared for the arrival of kits, but any complications will need a little faith and a lot of luck.
  • ★☆☆☆☆ POISONS: It's best if you avoid eating anything unfamiliar to you— it's probably just as unfamiliar to Wolfsong. The best he can do is offer you yarrow and sit with you.
    ★★☆☆☆ ILLNESS: If it's white or greencough, you'll likely recover. Otherwise, prepare for odd concoctions and the usual request that you consent to a little trial-and-error.