camp A MILLION TRICK PONY ✧ kit tasks

[Orangestar]

𝐵𝑈𝑇 𝑇𝑂 𝐴 𝑊𝑂𝑀𝐴𝑁, 𝐵𝑌 𝑇𝐻𝐸 𝐸𝑁𝐷 ✧ 𝐘𝐎𝐔'𝐋𝐋 𝐊𝐍𝐄𝐄𝐋 𝐀𝐍𝐃 𝐏𝐋𝐄𝐀

• 
  
  — orangeblossom | tags
  — she/her ; deputy of skyclan. mentoring springpaw.
  — scarred white-and-ginger she-cat with brown eyes.
  — "speech" ; thoughts
  — chibi by waluigipinball
  — penned by mercibun. @ me in any official tabbytales discord for plots.
  
  

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"Okay, alright, settle down." Orangeblossom meows regardless of whether the chattering around her legs has ceased, a note of amused resignation to her voice. "I have some very important tasks for you all."

A kit's only jobs are to learn and to play. She glances at Butterflytuft's kits and resists the urge to wince, thinking of Howlfire's trio laid up in the nursery. Never again. Now they would be able to learn, to practise, for two more moons before being exposed to an attack like that. But they aren't mouse-brained, as much as there's fluff between their ears due to their age, and it's likely they can sense the tension around camp.

"Weedkit, I would like you to ask an older warrior very nicely for a story about a time they were strong. The others can come with you if they want. Report back to me with what you learn." It would be important for Weedkit to hear the perspective of an ordinary cat, as well as the cats of legend. For him to learn that those stories were experienced by real cats too. Telling a story might also be a good experience for the warrior.

"Fluffykit, I want you to find three Clanmates who are working on the camp and tell them that they're doing a good job. When you're done, find me and tell me about it." Morale was at an all time low, but maybe encouragement from the little calico would change that.

It occurs to Orangeblossom right here that she might want to consider prizes for the kits. Maybe a small stone, like the one Sparrowsong had gifted her moons ago? It still sits in her nest, bitingly cold when she first curls up to sleep each night. But with her, too, are two apprentices whose lives have been shifted from underneath young paws for the second time in a moon. Her eyes shift first to her own apprentice.

"Springpaw, once we are finished here, I want you to identify places in the camp walls that need to be repaired. You have a keen eye. Tell myself or one of the lead warriors about all of them. If they complain, tell them I told you to." She can imagine the rolling eyes of Slate or Silversmoke at being approached by an apprentice, though the others among Blazestar's council are likely to be appreciative of the information.

"Now ... hmm." Her expression morphs into something briefly uncertain as she looks at Pumpkinpaw. She's never really spoken to them before, passing attempts at conversation going ignored (or unnoticed, she supposes, in light of his diagnosis) by the mottled apprentice. With no Roseblaze to help her out, she finds herself briefly at a loss.

"I want you-" she gestures with a paw towards them as an idea comes to mind and she gingerly scoops at a stray bramble, "... to ... make sure there's no burrs on the floor of the dens." She brushes the spike towards the edge of camp, tucking it back among its kin in the bramble scrub that lines the walls of SkyClan's home. She then looks at Pumpkinpaw, hoping to StarClan that recognition or at least interest would light up those mismatched eyes.

// little minds need to stay busy too—give the kits some important jobs so they can help SkyClan out, too!
-- no need to wait for @weedkit @FLUFFYKIT @Springpaw @PUMPKINPAW ; & ora will give more tasks if more of the clan kits ask!

​

 

[COFFEEPAW]

❝ SO GIVE ME COFFEE AND TV ————————————

It seemed their visits had grown more and more frequent with Figfeather coming to collect them for the day to experience clan life. So far the ball of energy that was Coffeekit adored coming to camp. With much time explore and many exciting things to learn he felt there was endless fun to be had. Rolling about on his back tiny paws flailed wildly to the skies as he watched each of his paw tips bat at the clouds. The little tom rarely struggled to keep himself preoccupied but even he couldn't deny the impressive presence of Orangeblossom.

Rolling onto his belly the chocolate tabby looked up to the scarred she-cat with glimmering greens. Whoa! Being in the presence of the famed deputy left him speechless as she sounded off tasks for his denmates. Once she concluded the little scrap slumped with dismay. What about my task? He brushed off the twinge of jealousy after a heartbeat and bounded over to the gathering cats. Coffeekit decided in that moment he would make an impression.

Sucking in air til his lungs felt ready to pop he hollered aloud over the rowdy crew. "CAN I GET A TASK TOO, PLEASE!?" Once his voice had carried across the tabby held his chin high with naivety. Polite with a please! Just like mama says I oughta! That should do the trick. Their bushy tail waved proudly in hopes the molly had heard his mighty shout.

[penned by tasmagoric]

———————————— TIL THE WORDS START SLURRIN ❞ ​

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[SANGRIAPAW]

*✧･ﾟ The orange-patched deputy’s presence is enough to make Sangriakit go sparkly-eyed, a shining grin pulled across her multicolored muzzle. She’s heard a lot about Orangeblossom, both from her mom and Figfeather and from some of the other SkyClan warriors and apprentices; the older she-cat is strong and serious, and her presence helps to ease Sangriakit’s anxieties about the clan’s rogue problem. As long as warriors like Figfeather and Orangeblossom are around, then they’ll all be safe, right? She thinks Orangeblossom could probably take on two rogues—or even three—all by herself. Maybe Sangriakit can do the same, someday, even though she’d rather just wrestle around the floor of their twoleg home with Coffeekit instead.

The girl is ripped from her daydreaming by the deputy’s announcement that she’s got important tasks to do. She wants a task, they sound fun—and besides, she and Coffeekit can’t just get left out! "Wait, wait, wait!" She cries out, tiny paws carrying her in a full sprint to her brother’s side. She nearly crashes right into Coffeekit, who has already shouted for his own task, but she plants her paws and instead has to catch herself before her face meets the dirt. Despite the embarrassing stumble, the cinnamon-striped kit shakes any dirt off of her pelt. Then she stands up straight, on the tips of her toes, to puff out her little white-furred chest at the deputy. "Me too, me too!"​

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[Springshine]

Springpaw had just been made an apprentice alongside Howlfire’s kits and her own sibling. And just like that, the title was all but stripped from her. It’s kind of a relief, really, to know that she still had two more moons before she would be expected to train, to hunt, to fight. Every time she lays eyes on Hawkpaw or Wolfpaw or even Blazingpaw it is a reminder of how dangerous the real world truly was. What if something like that happened to her? What if it happened to Pumpkinpaw? The thought of it nearly makes her cry again so instead of focusing on that, she instead focuses on the task at hand. Her mentor was handing out tasks to the kits and the young apprentices who were now no longer considered old enough to leave the camp.

She squared her shoulders when Orangeblossom calls her name, tries to look taller, cooler, a front for the kits of Butterflytuft and Fantastream. "Okay! I’m on it miss Orangeblossom!" she chirps, feeling anything but the confidence her voice falsely portrays. Some of the older cats could be really scary! She wasn’t sure if she wanted to boss them around, even if she had the permission of her mentor slash deputy.

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[pricklykit]

"What about me?" The feathery-furred Pricklykit chimed in, desperate for something to keep her paws busy for a little while and take her mind off of the fact that she wasn't an apprentice yet. The warriors had insisted she would one day long for the mundane days as a kit coiled up in the nursery, but she didn't believe them. Maybe they felt like that. But not Pricklykit.

She felt a pang of envy toward Springpaw. She wished they would tack the -paw suffix onto her name then and there. But no, at five moons she was still a few sunrises short of apprenticeship. Oh well, at least maybe Orangeblossom would provide her with a task to pass the time.​

pricklykit // black smoke tortoiseshell with yellow-green eyes // she/her // kit // 5 moons // skyclan​

 

[Orangestar]

As if summoned by her brief pause to take a breath, Fantastream's pair of rambunctious kittens nearly collide directly in front of her. Orangeblossom tenses as if she would need to separate the two littermates, expecting a kitten-wail to meet her ears just as it had nine moons ago, but Sangriakit pulls herself up just short of her brother. Orangeblossom manages to stifle her sigh, though it's far more amused than exasperated just this once. But what other jobs were there for tiny kits ...

"Use your den voice, Coffeekit." She instructs him sternly, though she is mollified somewhat by his manners. "I want you to ask at least three cats in camp about their favourite parts of their jobs are. Once you've spoken to them about it, tell me what you've learned." It's a straightforward task, she thinks, but while he would be wandering the camp he wouldn't be out in the snow for too long.

"Sangriakit, you'll be checking on the cats in the medicine den. I'm sure they'd love some company, but don't get under Dawnglare's paws. Alright?" Honeysplash, and Howlfire's kits, might appreciate a bright little presence. Orangeblossom also knows that Dawnglare would shoo the kitten from his den should he get annoyed by her antics, so she doesn't think there will be much of a problem here.

"Pricklykit." Orangeblossom does feel bad for the little mottled she-kit, caught out just on the far side of the six-moon apprentice rule. At least she only needs to wait a few more sunrises until she reaches the threshold of apprenticeship; though, with Howlfire's kittens' injuries so fresh in her mind, the deputy does wonder if six moons is still too soon. "You'll be an apprentice soon. I want you to find a warrior and ask them to share some defensive moves with you, so that you can get out of a fight safely if you find yourself in one."

// mobile​

 

[FLUFFYPAW]

She isn’t sure why she has to do tasks, but Orangeblossom is the deputy, and the scarred molly who sits authoritatively uses a tone that brooks no argument. Fluffykit has heard the ginger-splashed she-cat sit near the Highbranch in much the same manner, calling to the warriors as she assigns the day’s patrols. Though her paws tremble, Fluffykit detaches herself from @butterflytuft ‘s side and comes to sit with her littermates and unrulier cousins. Coffeekit’s voice causes her to flinch—he’s so loud, she thinks miserably—but she otherwise obediently nods her head at her task.

Find three Clanmates who are working on the camp and tell them they’re doing a good job. She repeats it multiple times in her head, tripping over the instructions. Oh, she has to approach three different cats? Fluffykit’s mouth trembles as she nods her head. “Oh… o-okay, Orangeblossom,” she whisper-mumbles as the other kits and apprentices receive their tasks.

, ”​

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[SANGRIAPAW]

*✧･ﾟ When Orangeblossom turns to her, the cinnamon-striped kit holds her head up just a little higher, her bright smile splitting her face. Her assigned task is to check on the cats in the medicine den—she’s been shooed out of there before because she was being too dis-rup-tive, but now she has an excuse to go back in there! Snowcapped paws tap excitedly against the ground, and she flicks her little tail at the deputy. "Okay, Orangeblossom! I’ll make sure they have sooo much fun!" She’s really good at finding stuff to do in the nursery, so surely it’ll be the same in the medicine den! Without another word, the kit turns to dart off toward the medicine den—she can get started on finishing her task right away. "I’ll come tell you when I’m done!" She calls back over her shoulder, a cheerful grin already on her pale muzzle.​

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[PUMPKINPAW]

―|―――――――――――――――――|⤙‹ (( ☽ )) ›⤚|―――――――――――――――――|―

Things had changed since Blazingpaw, Hawkpaw, and Wolfpaw had come back to camp hurt. It didn't know why they had been hurt, only that they had been hurt bad, that everyone had been afraid and upset.

Pumpkinpaw hadn't been taken out of camp since. They had asked Twitchbolt, once, since he seemed the most willing to take them anywhere, but he had declined. They hadn't tried since, caught in the air of uncertainty and upset. If they had been hurt that bad, what had caused it? Would it get them, too? The more they thought about it, the more restless their nights became.

Today Springpaw had ushered her sibling out of the apprentices' den with her, over to the pale waiting paws of Orangeblossom. The kits had gathered with them, and one by one, she began to mouth at them. Eventually it seemed to be their turn, and the way her expression became uncertain wasn't lost on them. Soon, it was mirrored, unsure of what to make of it.

A paw was motioned toward it, and Pumpkinpaw looked down at it before returning to looking at her face. Then she scooped up a bramble and, after making sure it was watching, flicked it aside to the edge of camp and tucked it in place. Rather than recognize the request for what it was intended to be, it instead looked doubtful. Brambles were prickly... it had discovered that long ago. It didn't want to touch those. Did she want it to touch them? Why?

The chimera kitten looked up at Orangeblossom, nose crinkling as it shook its head. Pumpkinpaw didn't want pricked pawpads. Those weren't fun to play with. It shuffled a bit closer to Springpaw.

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―|――――――――――――――|⤙‹ (( ☽ )).....

☾⤙‹ (( ooc -☽- info )) ›⤚☽

• // OOC​

• 

• ― (( pumpkinpaw )) of skyclan, sibling to springpaw ; npc x npc
  ↳ its/they/any pronouns, doesn't care about gendered terms
  ↳ AGAB undefined ; intersex ; gender unlabeled, it does not yet understand the concept
  ― currently 5 moons old, ages every 1st
  ― completely deaf. unlikely to understand anything said with words alone.
  ↳ this is a known fact among skyclanners, but unlikely to be known by strangers
  ― likely to respond to situations based on the expressions of others.
  
  a scruffy, shorthair chimera kitten that is a distinct and striking combination of glossy black fur and bold red stripes. it has bright, mismatched yellow and copper eyes. for its age, pumpkinpaw is of average height. it smells of dry leaves and springpaw.​

 

[HUSHPAW]

tags! ₊˚✧ ﾟ. hushpaw is uncertain whether she should make her approach. at five moons old, but with a 'paw suffix, she doesn't look unlike most of the kits who prance around orangeblossom's paws now awaiting her delegation. she still had fuzzy kitten hair that was yet to be shed, but a more permanent layer of adult fur with a mottling of softer hues was burrowied underneath, impatiently pushing at the remainder of her baby hair. she thought that by spring, she would look more like an apprentice, instead of someone who got caught between the awkward transition from kitten to apprentice.

she watched pumpkinpaw and springpaw, both denmates she was unfamiliar with, recieve instructions from orangeblossom. hushpaw smiled privately, knowing now that she would not be shooed away for being too old for the tasks that orangeblossom was doling out. hushpaw approached on quiet steps, like her name sake, but cleared her throat as she reached orangeblossoms vicinity so as to not to startle the orange and white deputy. "may i have a task?" she managed the squeak out, dull brown eyes cast to orangeblossom. it was good to keep her mind busy, lest she spiral and let the thoughts of fear fester. with everything going on, the camp had been on lock down in no uncertain terms. unseasoned apprentices such as herself were not allowed to go out unsupervised, for fear the unskilled would meet the rogues known the boldly roam their territory. hushpaw shivered, thinking how she would defend herself in that situation. she couldn't. tense claws dug into the earth, trying to bring herself out of the thought of it. meeting her end in a flurry of claws, alone, away from family... dead. it seemed so final, so quiet.
​