Do You Ponder The Manner Of Things | Discussing Code

[Mosspool]

𓆝 . ° ✦ With the impromptu meeting over, Mosspool had sat down to have a bite to eat before she headed out for patrol. Still, the new code was on her mind. It would not do to be distracted by it once she got to work, so perhaps it was best she indulge herself for the moment.

"I am glad that this code was not in place when I was a kit." She commented to the nearest clanmate nonchalantly, as though the thought had just occurred to her. "I can not imagine being trapped in the nursery for two more moons." That was as close to criticizing Smokestar as she was willing to get. Her and every Riverclan apprentice before her had been apprenticed at four moons had done just fine. Better than fine, even. Hunting and fighting felt like second nature to her with how long she had been trained to do them, and she could not help but wonder if it would be the same if she had been apprenticed at six moons instead of four.

Her eyes narrowed just slightly as she looked at the small fish between her paws as she considered the logistics of it all. There was much that an apprentice needed to learn before they could become a proper warrior, was it possible to teach it all in two less moons?

That was a question she might have to answer herself soon, so perhaps it was not so indulgent that she was considering this she thought. Whenever she had considered how she might train an apprentice, she had merely thought she would follow the example of her mentor Aspenhaze. After all, they were - in her mind - the best mentor anyone could ask for. Yet, however perfect they might be, their methods may not be as successful with two less moons to work with. Mosspool's ear flicked, she would not accept her apprentice becoming any less capable a warrior than she was.

After a careful consideration, she added; "I also would not have wanted to spend two less moons on my apprenticeship."

✧　°　.　✶　.　°　✧​

ooc Information

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  MOSSPOOL — SHE/HER･ 12 MOONS ･ WARRIOR & RIVERCLAN ･ PENNED BY @empyrean !

  Longhair black tabby with deep green eyes. Mosspaw is a very tall molly, standing a head above most cats her age. She has a slim, willowy physique with subtle musculature built up from a lifetime of constant training that lends itself well to swimming and running. Long, thick brown fur falls over her form with tabby patterning across it. Her eyes are a vibrant green, and shine with a bright intelligence and confidence.

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[SWIFTFIRE]

I'VE LEARNED LOVE IS LIKE A BRICK — Though she had initially been more than eager to get back to sleep after Smokestar's recent code-related meeting, Swiftfire had been frustrated when she had realized only a few minutes later that she couldn't. Her body had been roused enough out of pleasant slumber that it now refused to return to that state, leaving her grumbling softly as she chose to dedicate her time instead to grooming herself. She figured she would at least make herself look presentable before she tried to find a patrol that she would be able to accompany, knowing that getting the new energy out of her system would drive her back into her nest before long.

The former colonist had been vaguely aware of Mosspool's form settled nearby to eat, but it was still a bit of a start when the warrior spoke up, commenting her displeasure with the newest code addition. Swiftfire glanced around briefly - as if terrified Mosspool was talking to someone else and not her - before offering a shrug of her bicolored shoulders. "I don't know, I don't think it's so bad. I mean, this way the kits will be bigger once they start training and all... I think that's a positive." Although the more she thought about it, the more she realized that wasn't exactly true. There were certainly some apprentices out there that would likely either be runts or late bloomers, meaning the extra couple of moons weren't going to help much at the time. Still, the extra moons can at least help them adjust to that?

Part of her felt hilariously out of her depth discussing such a rule, considering she had never been a Riverclan apprentice or mentored one, but hopefully that wouldn't be true forever. I think I could be a pretty great mentor, as long as the clan trusts me. That would take time though, and kits being apprenticed at six moons coincidentally happened to give her even more of that. "Might be easier to keep mentors from being overwhelmed by kits, too. Even if the training period is shorter, they'll be more spaced out." There was no problem with seeing the positives in a rule that Smokestar himself had agreed to, right? Though part of her was terrified over lightly disagreeing with a full-blooded Riverclan warrior.

YOU CAN BUILD A HOUSE ✿ OR SINK A DEAD BODY

• 
  ✧ shorthaired blue and red tabby chimera molly with green eyes
  ✧ 38 moons old; ages the 1st every month
  ✧ bisexual; currently not looking
  ✧ daughter of lilou and germaine
  ✧ formerly of the ripple colony; loyal to riverclan
  ✧ easy to befriend; desperate to improve the former colonists' reputation
  ✧ "speech", thoughts, attacking
  ✧ peaceful powerplay allowed

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[RAVENSONG]

Overpopulation of apprentices had always been a burden for the Clan. There was less experienced warriors to take them on and Ravensong cannot imagine how easy it would be to manage two or three at once. He listened idly to Swiftfire, finding her insight to be particularly well-thought. From his further place, sitting half in the shadows as he ate by himself, he could not help but overhear.

Mosspool's reaction and thoughts were not surprising for the dark-furred tom. She had always been so serious with her training. Those two moons lost could be a detriment, he wondered. But that was no longer his area of concern. He was not in the business of training warriors.

"There are many signs that point to six moons being an optimal age for apprenticeship starting." He remarked. "For instance, some kits do not have all their adult teeth in before four months. It must be a sign from StarClan." His muzzle twisted at the name, but he coughed to shake it off.

☾₊ ⊹ темная ночь — dark is the night

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  RAVENSONG of RIVERCLAN — LH BLACK POLYDACTYL MALE (CARRYING CINNAMON, DILUTE) a tall, slender creature with pitch-black feathery fur, large ears, and a sharply angled skull held up in an aloof manner. smells of dried herb, speaks with a low and rumbly accent and walks with an elegant slinking gait.
  
  — born in twolegplace and orphaned at a young age, he joined riverclan at its inception and began training as a drypaw warrior known for a bitter temperment until beesong made him his medicine cat apprentice. after his mentor's untimely death, he had been named ravensong at the moonstone, young heart revitalized with anger and guilt. he is a somber and thorough medicine cat that guards every word spoken in the confines of his den.
  
  — secretly loves "the stars but not so much what inhabits them" — openly suffers from chronic migraines — single, but "it's complicated"

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[brookstorm]

Brookpaw feels similarly to Mosspool in reference to herself - she's nearly aged out of the apprentice's den now. She won't be sent back to the nursery unless she does something particularly nasty to upset Smokestar. She would not be able to handle it, being back there even if she were younger and more naive. But - though the reminder hurts - she thinks of her brother. He's safe in StarClan now, but she cannot help but wonder, if the Clans waited longer to train them at all... would he had been ready? Would he be alive?

"It sucks," she mutters, parting her jaws with a yawn, "But it's probably for the better. They'll be bigger come the time they get made into paws - and smarter, too." Brookpaw pauses only to swipe her tongue over her ruffled chest fur, "Maybe there'll be less squabbles between apprentices, if they're forced to be mature before leaving the nursery." Though, she could hardly call six moons 'mature.'​

 

[Aspenhaze]

Of course, Aspenhaze was there at the gathering where this new code was discussed, and their thoughts were clear at first. Blazestar would obviously be the one to suggest such a silly thing, their apprentices not up to par. Seemed like just a normal accident anyways. But thinking about it more after the fact, it sounds reasonable enough to them. Four moons might seem like a lot, but it’s really not. It’s not like kits have to be sitting ducks, either.

They truly appreciate Mosspool’s final comment, understanding fully where she’s coming from. But it’s not like she had a full apprenticeship anyways, getting good experience from the journey that no one else shall. “I’m happy you think so highly of me, truly,” Aspenhaze starts. “But I also think it is a good idea, actually. We’ve had enough tragedy, might as well minimize it some more.” They pause after saying that, frowning for a brief moment.​

 

[bubbleburst]

"GOT A LITTLE CASH NOW SO THAT SKIRT IS DIOR"​

Mosspool's comment draws Bubblepaw's attention. Not that it's hard to do. The new code had been surprising news when RiverClan's gathering attendees came home, but such a rule did not affect Bubblepaw and thus had gone as quickly as it had come into her mind. "Oh, the nursery isn't so bad," the silver tabby gives Mosspool a crooked smile "Their mothers will teach them all kinds of valuable things, like how to get along with others and all about RiverClan history and stuff."

She thinks fondly of her time in the nursery with Swanpaw and her mother. Though their father had been fairly absent, the nurturing and many stories and lessons from their mother had been more than enough. Others come forward to agree with the new rule, adding careful considerations and comments. Bubblepaw's eyes are wide with surprise at Ravensong's remark about adult teeth and signs from StarClan. She really has nothing of substance to add.

"I remember I was soooo little when I became an apprentice," Bubblepaw recalls, eyes cast overhead as if she is visualizing the actual time she had spent as a young four moon old apprentice once "Too little, maybe. I don't think it's such a bad idea." Though she agrees with her mentor, all nods and enthusiasm, Bubblepaw does not say what she is thinking: that perhaps there had been a chance she would have never learned to fight or fish or anything if she had not been given the ample time.​

✦ ★ ✦​

 

[RATWHISKER]

power belongs to those who take it .
︶꒦꒷♡꒷꒦︶

He didn’t have a say, coming from someone who was still relatively new to clan life, but Ratwhisker didn’t think he was awful, dutiful, and respectful even if he had to bite his tongue to hold back unfavorable words. “I have not been here for long, but I find the new rule … dare I say, odd.” He rumbled. “Of course, I will follow and have no qualms with it, but it is rather unfair, isn’t it?” He mused. “I began training Dawnstorm at two moons, with little difficulty and he has turned out decent.” He said his name with bitterness, tone shifting to pick up something more at ease—relaxed. “It will give them less time to prepare, but perhaps that is a good thing.” He finished, tail curling around enormous paws. ​

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thought speech​

 

[Feathergaze]

Feathergaze had never imagined a day like this. Privately she had struggled with the young apprenticing age, especially once she'd become a warrior herself. Youths like Nettlepaw, Bitepaw, and the rest, they'd just seemed so small. She'd rationalized it to herself, filling her head with reminders that the new apprentices weren't small, she was just oafishly large. Leaders knew best. Smokestar knew best. And just like that the rules had changed, and as Feathergaze listened to her clanmates in shy silence she felt the tightness in her shoulders lessen. I'm not the only one who thought this change might be good. Even the apprentices didn't seem to mind, although it was easy for them to say considering the rule had never applied to them.

"I-I'm not sure about unfair, exactly," she mewed, shifting toward Ratwhisker. "Apprentices are expected to enter battle if the need arises. I-It might be more unfair to expect our kits to fight fully grown warriors when they aren't even grown themselves. I think it will be a good thing, as you say. They will be stronger when the real hardships of clan life are asked of them."

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