& DEATH AN AFTERTHOUGHT 🤎 ghosts | intro

[Muddypaw]

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"I'm tellin' ya! It was right in the tree, it was just wooshin' around and everything! Come look! Come look!" Frostbite was a Lead Warrior of ShadowClan, noble and loyal and his offspring fell into several different categories of dutiful and polite with perhaps a touch of something morbidly unsettling - with the exception of Muddypaw. Muddypaw was loud, but not obnoxiously so, he just had a big voice and wanted to be heard and his enthusiasm for everything from a bug on a leaf to the odd ghost he had witnessed in the marshes could not be stifled by ShadowClan's morose and oppressive environment. No, he was a cheerful child, optimistic in his world views and impulsive in his decision making - taking the foolhardy traits of both fathers and mixing them into a disasterous display. He'd not be ignored on this, someone had to come and see what he had found.
"Where's Deerpaw, they'll believe me!"
He sits back, white paws raised up to wave in comical exaggeration, "It was waving around like this and solid white! It was definitely a spirit!" Whose spirit? He didn't know, but a spirit all the same. Maybe it was Ghostpaw? That would be fitting. Or maybe Pitchstar who he never met but heard stories of being just a few bees short of a full hive. Poppypaw's namesake was their dad's first apprentice - maybe she was saying hello! Someone else had to come with him to see the spirit, not because he was afraid - definitely not that - but to make sure uh-you know, to be polite. Form a proper greeting patrol. It was a hundren percent not because he was scared.

🤎 —— Children of the land, do you hear 🤎 ——— Echoes of truths that once rang clear?

• PROMPT - Several apprentices have claimed to have seen a strange billowing thing drifting through the trees and howling like the wind, who is brave enough to venture out and see what this creature truly is?
• 
  
  
  Muddypaw
  —⊰⋅ Apprentice of ShadowClan
  —⊰⋅ He/Him
  "SPEECH", 'THOUGHTS', ATTACK
  —⊰⋅ LH Chocolate w/low White & Blue eyes
  

​

 

[Ptarmiganpaw]

Ptarmiganpaw believed in ghosts. They HAD to be real, Starclan was real, and they were ghosts!! But what about the spirits of cats who weren't clan cats? Did they just wander the land? What if they were LOST and looking for help....Or just coming to say hi? What if they were coming to play tricks on them? He does not know much about dead cats.... Maybe he should ask Poppypaw.

Muddypaw claims to have seen a ghost... With all the uh... All the death and violence recently, he believes it. Surely all the rogues that were killed didn't just disappear when they died....Because if that's true, then Starclan wouldn't have formed because the spirits would have disappeared!!! He is overthinking this.

but Muddypaw says to come look, and so he will. Because he has sibling bias. "Do you think it... Um.... Got stuck in the tree?" He asks his brother. "Can spirits get stuck in trees....?"

An excellent question. One that will haunt his mind for the rest of the day until a new topic is found to obsess over. But for now, he and Muddypaw were GHOST ENTHUSIASTS. They were gonna get to the bottom of this wayward spirit sighting!​

 

[DEERPAW -]

"Potentially. I've never met a spirit before." Deerpaw's meow comes significantly quieter than their littermates' as they appear, an answer to Ptarmiganpaw's question etching itself into the soft soil of their mind with ease. It's true enough. Only exceptionally special and lucky cats got to meet spirits, and Deerpaw has proven to be neither so far. They don't mind.

Their muzzle is screwed up in a familiar expression of thought, whiskers lopsided and eyes narrow as they consider the possibility of a spirit getting stuck in a tree. Plausible, at best. Deerpaw had never met a StarClanner personally, doesn't know if they're beholden to the same basic facts of life as the living, but they must admit that the concept of a starry, all-knowing ghost forced to admit defeat to a tree's uncomfortable height is somewhat amusing. Maybe Starlingheart would have a better answer, or Poppypaw.

"I believe you, Muddypaw." The dappled apprentice decides, setting their shoulders straight in a show of bravery. There's a glimmer of excitement in piercing eyes as they nod. "Show me?"​

 

[lilacfur]

The excited trills coming from Muddypaw were hard to ignore, but it was quite obvious that was the young boys point. He needed everyone to see just what he had, sharing the discovery that there were lingering ghosts roaming ShadowClans lands. Lilacfur turned to @GHOSTPAW. with a small tilt of her head, as if to ask 'do we bother?'

Muddypaw's littermates were quick to join in and now Lilacfur felt obligated to be their chaperone. At least if there truly was something to see, ghost or not, she would be helping Muddypaw's cries for witnesses.

"Alright Muddypaw, show us where it's at!" ​

[ sad hello's and mad high low's ]​

 

[✧ Siltcloud.]

" I'M AN ANGEL " ?
TELL ME WHAT YOU MEAN BY THAT​

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siltcloud ♕ 17 moons ♖ female ♘ she/her ♙ shadowclan warrior ​

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Siltcloud doesn't believe in ghosts - or at least, not those who lay beyond starclans starry skies. The dead are long gone, buried beneath the earth, their souls turned star-speckled. Only the dead (or half dead it seems) will see them, outside of the moonstone or medicine cats with their prophecies. And certainly, it'll stay that way. The dust hued molly watches through dull green eyes, tail flicking out to tough @CATERPILLARPAW. on the shoulder lightly. " We'll go too... though I doubt we'll find any ghosts, " she murmurs gently, trailing after lilacfur like the love-sick fool she is, only a glance spared towards ghostpaw's presence.

━ actions & " speech, " & 'thoughts/quotes' ━

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I ' M - A - N I G H T M A R E ?━ I - K N O W - W H A T - Y O U - M E A N - B Y - T H A T

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[SCREECHSTORM]

He's stuck listening to Muddypaw again. This time, instead of being scared by Frostbite's son, Screechpaw is left listening to boisterous claims of ghosts in the trees - a claim to show whoever will listen to the brown and white cat.

"Maybe it never learned how to climb, when it was alive," he offers to Ptarmiganpaw, though the dark-furred tom isn't sure if he believes what he says as he pads over to the group.

Ghosts, in the dark-furred apprentice's eyes, didn't seem likely; didn't seem real, in the way that StarClan does. They couldn't possibly be the same, could they? He thought StarClan stayed within the night sky, and ghosts... well, ghosts didn't belong to the stars, did they? The topic confuses him. Maybe StarClan does too.

But, if this mini-adventure meant time away from training, meant time wandering around the territory, he's all for it, even if it means following after one of Frostbite's kits. And, well, if they do meet a ghost... Maybe Screechpaw will have something to share with everyone who didn't see it.

"Where is it, then?" he asks of Muddypaw, urging the younger apprentice to go forward - quickly, before Chilledstar comes looking for him. "Are you going to show us, or what?"

✦ ABOUT

• 
  
  SCREECHKIT ‣ SCREECHPAW, Apprentice of ShadowClan
  — Forestshade x Vulturemask
  — AMAB; He/Him
  — A black/red tabby chimera tom with mismatched green eyes.
  — Mentored by Chilledstar
  — "Speech"; Attack
  
  ✦･ﾟ: * — His loud entrance into the world bestows upon him a name apt for the path the tom forges. As the troublemaker of his unknowingly half-clan litter, Screechpaw is bound to be known for his curiosity-led escapes and poor attendance as he steps foot into his apprenticeship.
  

​

 

[POPPYGLOW]

ᶻ 𝗓 𐰁 "The spirit will appreciate our help," Poppypaw appeared alongside the merry band of do-gooders, ready to free the poor soul from its predicament, "I fear they would smite you if you elected to leave it to its own devices." Muddypaw had dodged the wrath in his efforts, Poppypaw took heart in this. It would have been so sad to see their brother crushed beneath the psychic weight of a curse.

PRESENT DAY... ⭑☾༺♰༻☽⭒ ...PRESENT TIME! ᶻ 𝗓 𐰁

• OOC: mobile !!
• 
• 
  — poppykit - poppypaw
  — agender they/she. 6mo apprentice of shadowclan
  — aroace
  — a tiny, fluffy white and dark red tabby cat with pale, wraithlike blue eyes
  — smells like mushrooms, dust, and foggy night air
  — deaf in left ear
  — sounds like lain iwakura, with a flat yet childlike high-pitched tone
  — “speech”, thoughts, attack, 'poppypaw'
  — icon by mercurial, fullbody and pixel headshot by dejavu
  — penned by eezy
• disclaimer: poppypaw is not always operating completely within reality! they are affected by some delusions and may see, hear, react to, and interact with things that are not actually there. most notably, she will believe herself to have interactions with starclan as a whole and specifically, the deceased shadowclan apprentice Poppypaw. these are not reflective of ic reality and are not real interactions with starclan or deceased characters! this is not an attempt at powerplaying, godmodding, or metagaming.

​

 

[Swansong]

( ☁︎ )　 Muddypaw's voice is loud, so loud, announcing his discovery of "A spirit...?" Swanpaw's voice echoes the younger apprentice in far gentler tones, pallid eyes glinting with interest. The pale-furred tom looks as much a ghost as any, near-white fur curling into wisps in the wind.

The stars' spirits look far more catlike than what Muddypaw describes, a shimmering reflection of the living. He's never heard of one stuck in a tree, all white and billowy... Calls of curiousity go largely ignored, but Poppypaw's comment has his ears perking. Always so wise, that one. "Ah, yes..." he agrees softly, mouth curving into a small smile. It makes sense, when he thinks of it that way. "Poor thing, to be trapped like that..." Lost among the living... It must have died in that tree, and now it can't leave. "I will come too," Swanpaw adds, in case it wasn't clear. He'll give his paws to help.

I WANNA BE HAUNTED ☁︎ I WANNA BE LOVED ! 【 11.22.23 】

• //
  ​

• "SPEECH"

• ☾ 　⁺　₊ 　⋆　SWANPAW.　APPRENTICE OF SHADOWCLAN.　HE / HIM / HIS.
  8 MOONS & AGES ON THE 17TH.　PENNED BY SATURNID.
  
  

  

  ☾ — A PALE, ELEGANT CREAM TABBY WITH PERIWINKLE BLUE EYES.

  
  HALFSHADE xx SMOGMAW. LITTERMATE TO APPLEPAW GARLICPAW & ASHENPAW. OLDER SIBLING TO THORNKIT HALFKIT TANGLEKIT & DREAMKIT.​

​

 

[Muddypaw]

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He had gathered quite the audience, including his own siblings, and the chocolate and white apprentice flashed a smile so bright and wide his whiskers quivered from the strain, "Maybe it did get stuck and if we save it then we'll surely be given a reward or some good luck!" Or maybe even being allowed into StarClan without having to put all that extra effort into being the best warrior; sometimes he got tired just thinking about doing all his duties and one day having his own apprentice - it was so tedious.
The longhaired tom stumbles as he stands, great chocolate-dipped tail raised high behind him and head lifted up, "Follow me then! I'll lead us there!"
And lead he did, strutting back out of the camp to the edge of it, through the foliage that surrounded them protectively from the rest of the territory, his trek forward took a bit of an awkward turn as he sheepishly redirected them multiple times; absentmindedly forgetting the direction he had come from initially, but in time Muddypaw finally noted the familiar path and still lingering soft pawprints of his own earlier adventure. Creeping forward he raises a paw to wave for silence before motioning with his head to the bent branch of a nearby willow. It hung low, the tree old and bowed and from it swung a fluttering white thing that tattered at the end; the wind whipped it about in a spinning twirl, swung it from side to side mercilessly. The poor spirit was probably having a rough time with the cold breeze that kept picking up throughout the day.
"What is the plan?"

🤎 —— Children of the land, do you hear 🤎 ——— Echoes of truths that once rang clear?

•  
• 
  
  
  Muddypaw
  —⊰⋅ Apprentice of ShadowClan
  —⊰⋅ He/Him
  "SPEECH", 'THOUGHTS', ATTACK
  —⊰⋅ LH Chocolate w/low White & Blue eyes
  

​

 

[lilacfur]

Several sets of paws in tow and Lilacfur realized that if Siltcloud hadn't joined in on the fun she would have been responsible for nearly a whole den of apprentices alone! The lilac tabby couldn't help but giggle as she watched them all march along behind Muddypaw, looking to her friend with a smirk.

"Look at us. Being responsible." She said it as though it were taboo, but she had never even managed a patrol by herself let alone wrangled the rowdy youth. She was glad that the majority of them were rather easy to handle, no unholy spitfires or any wanderers, and the chocolate tom leading them had truly gathered enough anticipation to keep their attention on their adventure.

The willow came into view and she looked up at the twisted branches curiously. "Huh. Sure does look odd." Lilacfur didn't see anything cat-like about it like she was expecting. Maybe spirits did not have feline forms? Perhaps they were simply shapes. "Alright. I'll try to climb up and free it. Why don't you guys make a bed of mud and nettles for it to land on?"

She looked around to see if there were any other material to help soften the 'creatures' landing from its current height before nearing the trunk of the willow, stretching her claws over the bark to find a sturdy hold.​

[ sad hello's and mad high low's ]​