AMBITION // thinking


"LITTLE HELLIONS, KIDS FEELIN' REBELLIOUS"

Night had rolled in, shrouding the forest in a blanket of darkness. The bustle within the clan began to simmer down as kits retired to the safety of the nursery and the warriors and their apprentices wrapped up the last of their final duties for the day. Most longed with the comfort of their nests, and who could blame them when the bitter chill in the air sent shivers even through the thickest pelts.

Wildpaw normally would be seeking the comfort of slumber by now, but he remained sat below the highrock with his gaze fixed on the entrance to the leader's den. The young apprentice wouldn't deny that he held ambitious ideals and a goal of becoming a leader in the future, but he couldn't help that tickle of fear about failing himself. What if he didn't achieve his dream? What if he never got the chance to see the inside of that prized den?

What if he wasn't good enough to become even a warrior?

A scowl creased his facial features as he grew increasingly more irritated with himself, especially for even allowing such a ridiculous thought to cross his mind in the first place. "Idiot..." He huffed bitterly to himself as he swiped his tail back and forth across the ground.​
 

Night often seemed a haven in which for him to retreat, when the spirits that had guided him to ThunderClan's walls shone their sacred vision upon him. Beneath skies like these he truly felt himself the pupil he was destined to be, the receiver of prophecies that they continued to send him in his drams. Within the one the night before, he had laid pursuit to a squirrel of ashen fur- and what lay now upon the fresh kill pile, clasped by his very own fangs? Nothing less!

There was a whisper of miasma in the air, a word slung out careless. Rheumy from age and fatigue, Trufflepelt's gaze found where the young man sat, gazing somewhere beyond sight near the leader's den. Curious, he embarked upon his approach- and it was not long before his whispered voice danced upon the air, brimming with chiming crypticness. "To whom do you speak your curse?" Who had earned his ire at such a late hour?
( PENNED BY PIN )
 

"LITTLE HELLIONS, KIDS FEELIN' REBELLIOUS"

Wildpaw turned his head slowly so he could bring Trufflepelt into the periphery of his vision, not yet willing to stare at the other feline directly but also not keen to let him entirely out of his sight. The temptation to fall back into the old habit of spitting venomous words was strong, but in the end he managed to subdue the urge. "At myself." He kept his reply blunt and to the point. "I had the stupid thought that I might fail to become a warrior."

The apprentice's expression darkened into a scowl and he narrowed his eyes at the leader's den. "I'm going to be leader one day and I'll crush anyone who stands in my way." Call it a promise made to himself because that would be his final goal from now on. One way or another he'd claw his way towards it even if it meant fighting for it.​
 

Ah- so often did self-blame fall, though it was a terrible thing. All such words did were perpetuate suffering, the cruellest thing... should cats who had known of StarClan all their lives speak these words in good faith? Did they know not the blessing they possessed, sat beneath sacred skies. Humming acknowledgement, he lent an ear to the rest of a tale- one of great ambition. What would one do without it? Trufflepelt had no desire to be leader, but he had arrived to the forest with a goal in mind- to find his purpose. In receiving his prophetic communication with StarClan, he had finally found it, and simply awaited further instruction.

"Hopefully no crushing shall be necessary," Trufflepelt laughed, tail-tip twitching slightly. Gilded eyes, StarClan's windows, would stay trained upon this one... should he cause true suffering in his ambition, quelling him would be wise. For now he was simply young, brash... there was time. "The Stars shall lead your paws to your destiny, as they did I."
( PENNED BY PIN )
 

Jaypaw is just scoping out a nice play to dispose of some expired prey (the cold at least cut down on how much it was) when he overhears Trufflepelt and Wildpaw's contrasting voices. The elder of the two sounds so calm and carefree while Wildpaw makes Jay a little cautious to go over there, given how angry he sounds. Or, maybe that's the wrong way to think of it. Determined? Though crushing seems a bit much... Or a lot much actually. At least for how Thunderclan has been for him so far. Yet it's nice to know he's not the only one that worries about being warrior material. The apprentice's lips pull into a small frown as he trots along the cool evening soil to stop nearer Trufflepelt than the laser eyed cat around his age. It takes him a second to realize what he's even looking at. "Uh, what do you wanna be leader so bad for?" Sure there's prestige and power and all that but there's always danger and responsibility. He can't imagine himself in a situation where others would depend on him so feverently. That sounds like a nightmare rather than a dream to aspire toward. Emberstar might have a carefree air to her but that he's seen cracks in that enough by now to know.
[ I'M THE HERO THAT SAVES ME ]
 

"LITTLE HELLIONS, KIDS FEELIN' REBELLIOUS"

"Depends if anyone dares to stand in my way." Wildpaw huffed with a wrinkle of his nose as he mulled over whether or not he'd actually raise his claws against a rival clanmate. As it stood he wasn't entirely sure how it would go. His morality was still in development and all too easily he could be swayed either way.

Before Wildpaw could humour the idea of finally retiring to the comfort of his nest he was confronted by Jaypaw's question. "To unite the forest and marsh, that's why. It's not just leader of ThunderClan, I intend to become leader of all the clans. I'll make them into a single clan, ruling over all the territories. That way we can rotate the hunting grounds, not do stupid patrols all the time that involve hissing at the neighbours like dumb kits, and so we can do away with useless gatherings."
 

nightbird was passing by when she heard conversation near the high rock. her ears tilted curiously. usually everyone was winding down at this point, giving her freedom to move as she pleased underneath the starry sky. usually it went uninterrupted, but now she was interested in who, and what, was changing that.

she listened to wildpaw's words about crushing those who got in his way to be a leader, only to follow it up with hopes and dreams about uniting the clans. maybe it sounded ideal. they had enough to worry about without the constant fear of another clan attacking. but yet, old rivalries never die easily. even if he had somehow brought every cat in the forest together, it would likely fall apart due to things even an all powerful king couldn't control.

the warrior could speak her thoughts to the apprentice, but it wasn't necessary. it's not like he would actually achieve it. instead she just let amusement huff quietly out of her nose, followed by a sarcastic "how ambitious of you."
[ RETURN FIRE WITH SUPERIOR FIRE ]
 

This one talked big while talking down to other cats. Shallowpaw had heard them before, it was rather hard not to with how loud this one always was being. Bad talking others while holding himself highly, like he was better than everybody else around him. A cat like that who didn't even respect anyone beside themselves could never become a good leader. Shallowpaw had meet cats like him out there and they where called for rogues. Selfish and power-hungry who would do anything to get their paws on what they wanted. He was not even worthy to become a warrior. It was a disgraceful thought that this one might one day share the same rank as Sunnyday who was the ideal warrior in his mind. Sunnyday was everything this apprentice lacked. It was putting him on a foul mood.

" What will you do to the other leaders?" He asked what should be importand here, his eyes narrowed as he coldly stared at the older apprentice. It irritated him how someone like this could have it so easy when thier personality was absolutely rotten. He really despised cats like them who could have it all without even deserving it.




 

"LITTLE HELLIONS, KIDS FEELIN' REBELLIOUS"

Yes, he was ambitious, and he held no shame in that fact. But he needed something to drive towards in order to keep himself on track, it was how he developed best. If he had no goal to chase then what was even the point in living? The young tom smirked for a moment as he imagined how being leader of a single massive clan would feel, but then came along Shallowpaw with a inquiry that roused him from his thoughts. "Depends. If they submit to me then they'll get to live their merry little lives as my warriors, but if they stand in my way... I'll get rid of them."

His expression seemed to grow grim as he looked the three-legged tom up and down with a deepening scowl. "Not that you'll ever need to worry yourself, rogue. You're only here because of that stupid soft-hearted warrior." The subject of Sunnyday did somewhat irritate him, especially since he knew how the frail warrior had used to be. A powerful warrior who wouldn't hesitate to throw paws with challengers, but now just a pathetic old fool.​
 

wildpaw's response to shallowpaw's inquiry made the warrior let out a quiet scoff. arrogance. that's what it was. how could he truly believe that he would be capable of all of that. nobody was going to submit to his crazy ideas, especially if this was his pitch. all the apprentice would get is a laugh in the face.

nightbird began to walk away, not wanting to bear witness to his imagination any longer. but then, venomous words left wildpaw's mouth. not only directed at another apprentice, but a warrior as well. dark ears tilted back. dissing two members of thunderclan in the same breath was a brave choice. that didn't mean it wasn't a stupid one. "check yourself," she warned, turning back around to face the group again. "that attitude is a great way to earn yourself a permanent spot in the apprentice den" the molly added, tail flicking slowly behind her.
[ RETURN FIRE WITH SUPERIOR FIRE ]
 

It was rare for Shallowpaw to dislike someone as strongly as he did right now with this apprentice. He was not one who easily held grudges, to cause unecessery arguments. Every word he spoke was always well thought out beforehand. Often he didn't say anything keeping his opinions to himself but for the first time in his life he couldn't stay quiet. " You speak like a rogue." he pointed out bluntly, his eyes left unblinking as he with bemusement glared at them. This apprentice was young similar to his own age and he was already showing traits of no respect for anybody else life than his own. Treating other cats lives like compensable pawns. He had seen it before, the reason why he disliked his own 'kind'. " Your selfish thirst for power will do nothing but cause suffering to those who follows you. " He knew because he had seen it with his own eyes.

Shallowpaw's gaze darkened when Wildpaw insulted Sunnyday. It was one thing to insult him, to look down on him which this one clearly did just by the way he had looked at him just now. Calling him for a rogue was old news for him already. He had heard that all of his life, it had become something he had grown used to. But the way he talked about Sunnyday was unforgivable. " You're never gonna become even half the warrior Sunnyday is." He defended his caretaker with an icy tone in his monotone voice. It might be true he was only here thanks to Sunnyday but he had no intention to leave now when he had got accepted.

Nightbird spoke up to call Wildpaw out for his behavior but it meant very little to him. Shallowpaw was not done. " You won't make it, i'll make sure of that. I will become a greater warrior than you ever will be, and i will prove your way of thinking is wrong." It was the longest speech anyone had ever heard him say. Usually he saved his words as much as possibly but that was because he had very little to say most of the times. But that was not the case now. Shallowpaw was serious. This was a declare of war between two apprentices with different beliefs, and he refused to lose. Another reason for him to just work even harder now.




 
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"LITTLE HELLIONS, KIDS FEELIN' REBELLIOUS"

Wildpaw rolled his eyes when Nightbird attempted to reign him back in line, but he wasn't interested in the least. He'd become a warrior regardless, the clan wouldn't be able to afford holding him back. They needed warriors. Badly. His attention on her was only brief, only because Shallowpaw dared to speak up, flapping his tongue and spouting nonsense. His features twisted into that of a snarl. "I am clanborn! Something you'll never be!"

So the pitiful runt was daring to declare war? How fucking ridiculous! "Tch! A warrior? You? Keep dreaming. I would say go be a medicine cat, but I know you'll make a miserable one at that. So go on, try to be a warrior, your struggle will be my amusement. Wretch!" He held his head high as he spoke, attempting to stare his newly founded rival down. Hissing, he then turned to storm off, now too riled up to sleep after all of that.​