pafp chemically calm .. breaking the news

[hazecloud]

Unfortunate that Smokestar's appearances in the nursery were not associated with the same warm greetings and gifts as the rest of her Clanmates. Hazecloud knew she had landed herself firmly in his list of cats he certainly wasn't happy with, she wouldn't have any doubt he would hold onto that feeling until she and her kits were out of the nursery and she was returning to patrols and hunts. She had reminded herself, though, if that were truly the case at least she only had a couple moons left before that were possible.

Since they hadn't crossed paths very often anymore, seeing a blazing orange sun meet her stare had sent Hazecloud to still for just a moment before forcing herself to relax.

"Coming in to say hi?" Spring bloom eyes looked for his kin, always within her sights as she asked. "I hope you've brought a mossball with you. They've been trying to play with these three now that they've started walking." Her gaze lowered to the still-wobbly legs of her own brood. Eveningkit and Twinklekit often tried working together pouncing atop Howlkit, roughhousing in a way safe for kittens their size but not yet strong enough to handle play with the others. Just one more moon, she had promised. Then soon after they would all share the same done once again.

// pls wait for @SMOKESTAR first! this is dated BEFORE the new code announcement. like literally right before it​

 

[SMOKESTAR]

—————————————————————⊰★⊱————————————————————

"Checking in and also sharing news." He glances to the kits, stern expression softening briefly at their antics and he couldn't help but feel his previous anger and unease at their existence fade ever so slightly in face of their wriggling little bodies; kittens were a blessing to the clan, poor timing or not, and he wouldn't begrudge his deputy and her mate their happiness even if he still felt somewhat bitter about it all.
He had intended, once Hazecloud was out of the nursery, to make sure she had a proper punishment for her foolishness in the same way Lichentail had been made to carry an additional burden this leafbare to ensure their safety and wellbeing but now with the new code he felt it was payment enough in a way and had decided to disregard his previous plans. This was far crueler than anything he might've dished out, all born of the weakness of another clan's apprentices.
"Blazestar approached us with a new law for the code and all the leaders agreed, myself included." He dips his head, calmly examining the newly named kittens with a smile that bordered on mischievous in a way that wasn't very common on his stoic maw, "Kits will be apprenticed at six moons instead of three. You'll have another several moons to enjoy the nursery. Do make sure they get plenty of swimming lessons once its warm enough."

✘ I've got a reputation and a name to uphold. ✘ Ruthlessness is mercy upon ourselves.

• OOC can go here.
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  Smokestar
  —⊰⋅ Leader of RiverClan
  —⊰⋅ He/Him
  "SPEECH", 'THOUGHTS', ATTACK
  —⊰⋅ Black tom w/vitiligo & one orange eye.
  

​

 

[shellpaw]

it’s a surprise, starting when the she-kit lifts her head and spots a single, glowing fire peeking through the sedge. she blinks, slow at first ; smokestar was the clan leader, and hazecloud and lichentail both had taught her well enough about respect for her paw to slowly, slowly stop its repetitive bat upside riverkit’s head. at the same time, though, smokestar was also her uncle — beepaw and cicadapaw’s dad, his strong shoulders and fiery eyes clear in them both. she wonders briefly if she looked like that, all short and broad and powerful looking. riverkit and pebblekit seemed to, their little bodies filling out with strength fed straight from the river itself. shellkit, herself, was.. still small. still winter - wracked, slivers of dove - toned limbs carrying her along to the next day so long as her rattling chest allowed it. an alabaster paw hangs limp in the air for a moment, face scrunching as she decides what to do yet still clinging half - atop her brother for prime assault position ( the babies had to learn somehow! ).

then, smokestar glances at them, and she lifts her entire body, flicking up her tail in greeting. she clambers off of riverkit to tumble towards hazecloud just in time to hear the tom’s smoky rumbling. velveteen ears flick forward and she understands, comprehends, slows her tottering steps just as it seems to sink in. there is something unfurling unpleasantly in her chest, suddenly. it sinks into her belly like a stone, then further into her paws, tightening the space in her throat. it squeezes and squeeze until.. something snaps in her chest, ” no, no wait, that’s not — that’s not fair! “ her voice warbles with desperation, trembling weepily despite the habitual stomp of her forepaw against the kitten - tread moss underfoot. ” why do we have to listen to what — what dumb old blazestar has to say! oh nooo, nooooo! “ a razors edge of bitterness rings in songbird vocals, emitting a drawn - out whine and keen of agony that one just passing the nursery could imagine to be of dire injury. it might as well be. her world was ending ; she would be stuck in here forever.

her gaze flicks wildly to hazecloud, amber eyes wide, imploring — begging. as if it would help, she lifts onto her hind legs and props her forelimbs on the molly’s shoulder, pawing at her fur to do something, ” don’t make me, pleeease don’t make me! i want to be an apprentice now! now! “ she was so close, he couldn’t do this, he couldn’t!

𝐈𝐍 𝐓𝐇𝐄 𝐀𝐑𝐌𝐒 𝐎𝐅 𝐓𝐇𝐄 𝐎𝐂𝐄𝐀𝐍 𓇼 𝙎𝙊 𝙎𝙒𝙀𝙀𝙏 𝘼𝙉𝘿 𝙎𝙊 𝘾𝙊𝙇𝘿

• i. small tag for beating up @RIVERKIT . she’s throwing a tantrum < 3
  
  
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  SHELLKIT 𓆉 SHE / HER, KITTEN OF RIVERCLAN. KINDLING xx UNKNOWN, NIECE TO SMOKESTAR. TWO MOONS OLD, SMELLS LIKE SALT & RIVER BLOOMS. PENNED BY ANTLERS.
  delicate lilac - striped molly with sugarplum eyes.
  
  she is pallid ; platinum splotched with ribbons of shell - touched cream, wisped ends like memories of a distant shore. feather breath and elderdown fur conceals a body worn fragile by tumultuous youth, too thin in some places and round with baby fat in others. her face is short - muzzled, framed half mast by eyes coined warm, sugared amber ---------- ° ❀ ⋆
  

  currently exhibiting symptoms of whitecough. this includes a running nose, wheezing, sluggishness, and labored breathing. please keep contagion in mind.

  
  

​

 

[PEBBLEPAW]

( ☼ ) "what!?" the shrill voice echoes his sister in panic, a bitterness edging on anger. pebblekit turns his attention from his small collection of rocks, which he had been carefully sorting, to stare at the leader - his uncle - in horror. eyes so similar to smokestar's own widen, broad body squaring as if defensive. "we've been waiting so long!" he adds his protests atop shellkit's, moving over to press against his sister comfortingly. "we can do it! we're strong, we can be apprentices! everyone else gets to be an apprentice!"

pebblekit's snakelike tail lashes against the moss, back paw stomping, even as he's careful to avoid the sleeping babies. smokestar has always been a reverent figure in his eyes, the only leader he's ever known. as far as peb is concerned, he's the best leader, and riverclan is lucky to have him, but right now his image has soured. golden flame eyes narrow, and suddenly the dark tom is a shadow of a creature, some phantom of ill news, with one glowing eye unfeeling to those under him.

the mottled blue kitten whines low in his throat, a desperate sound he feels embarassed to even have made. owl-like eyes raise to hazecloud, imploring, begging, but he knows she can't do anything. the wraith crouched by the nursery enterence has all the control. if we were still with mother, we'd be hunting by now, he thinks, lip curling in anger.

I DO NOT HAVE WINGS, LOVE ☼ I NEVER WILL

• // " speak "
  
  
  
  
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  PEBBLEKIT ☼ HE / HIM, KITTEN OF RIVERCLAN. KINDLING x UNKNOWN, NEPHEW TO SMOKESTAR. 2 MOONS OLD, PENNED BY LAVS
  
  
  a large blue tabby with low white. pale blue fur covers the length of pebblekit's stocky body, sliced through with darker tabby stripes and spots. baleful orange eyes peer out of heavy set sockets, and his muzzle, paws, and tail tip are dashed with white.
  
  
  
  

​

 

[hazecloud]

Suspicion has crept beneath her pelt as Smokestar revealed he wasn't here on leisure. Typically Lichentail was her informant for where her eyes could not see outside of camp (or Wavepaw, of course). For a moment her heart threatened to sink like a stone wondering if Kindling had returned for the three she had abandoned, if Smokestar would even consider it.

He wouldn't. They're not hers. She reassured herself, glancing toward the older kittens and wondering if they would even think the same. If Kindling appeared right before them, would they choose a mother they never knew? Or her and Lichentail?

Her gaze snapped back as the speckled tom continued on- a new code? Six moons? There is no shielding the confusion and surprise on her face. "You... You agreed?" She almost sounded hurt, betrayed he would to such a thing. What could have possibly stirred a change to the way they grew and adapted to training their young?

Smokestar's delivery has stirred Shellkit and Pebblekit into protest and the breath she had been holding exhaled into a deep sigh. They would have been apprentices this moon, too. She can hardly deny their feelings justified, knowing their journey into warriorhood was so close only to be snatched away. At the direction of kittypet paws no less. Yet still they look at her, expectant, as if she would ever argue against her leaders word. She hadn't with Cicadastar, she certainly wouldn't start with Smokestar.

"A warrior is supposed to follow and honor the code." Hazecloud knew it was not what they wanted to hear and to finally have to say no to them is like pulling thorns from her tongue. "If StarClan has recognized this new code then we must follow it. It's okay to feel upset, I'm sorry." A paw lifted to hold Shellkit against her for a few moments in attempt to soothe. She only hoped this wouldn't stir the younger ones into crying and shouting with them.

"Well, you've shared your news. Don't you think they're owed playtime with their favorite uncle?" Hazecloud questioned if they would even want to now, telling by Pebblekits growl.

Four more moons in here. I could shed my whole pelt! ​

 

[RIVERPAW]

༝ ˚ ｡⋆ 𓇼 ⋆｡ ˚ ༝   It's a shout, a much louder echo of his brother's: "WHAT!"

It's good that Shellkit had moved when she had; the young kit bolts upright and most certainly would have thrown his smaller littermate. As if he could match his uncle for more than a paw's strike, Riverkit is tense and down in a crouch, prepared to leap upon his so called family who was supposed to protect them, supposed to help, and he — no, he knows it's not about Smokestar, not really, but instead of confronting that fact his mind doubles down into a steep scowl. They were supposed to be warriors! They were going to learn, he'd been excited, and now– now they're kittens again. All the build up became nothing. He was going to be like this forever. The rest of his life, spent wasting away in the nursery.

A warrior is supposed to follow and honor the code, Hazecloud says. It feels like a test. Was Smokestar in on it too? Was this just a joke where he was making sure they would listen? He'll laugh about it in a minute and tell them it's time for their ceremonies? With his fur ruffled into the shape made by Shellkit's paws, he would certainly be a terrible mess in front of the clan. But even still, Riverkit can't help but hope. "We're not babies," comes his final protest. "We could do it, Smokestar." But that is the last of it. The battle is lost.

He immediately tries to snake his way through Smokestar's limbs, thick fur smoothing comically with the squeeze. "I wanna go see if the pool froze."

𝐈 𝐖𝐀𝐒 𝐍𝐄𝐕𝐄𝐑 𝐀 𝐂𝐇𝐈𝐋𝐃 𓇼 𝐈 𝐖𝐀𝐒 𝐏𝐔𝐋𝐋𝐄𝐃 𝐑𝐈𝐆𝐇𝐓 𝐎𝐔𝐓 𝐎𝐅 𝐓𝐇𝐄 𝐒𝐄𝐀

• ooc: —
• "speech"
• 𓆟. ° .• .𓆝 .• ° . 𓆟  𝐑𝐈𝐕𝐄𝐑𝐊𝐈𝐓. HE ╱ THEY. KITTEN OF RIVERCLAN. KINDLING x ﹖ NEPHEW TO SMOKESTAR. PENNED BY REVELATIONS.  ———
  
  
  ——  a messy blue tabby with low white. though small and slimmed down by the chill, riverkit's thick coat will bounce back with time and love. the fragility beneath his fur will dissipate with time. though currently stocky as most kittens are, he will gain some semblance of delicate stature with age. with a steady diet, riverkit may begin to fit into the clan he's so proudly named for.

​