camp don't threaten me with a good time ࿐࿔ hunting tourney

[lichenstar]

✦˚.✦˚✦˚✦˚ ✧ ˚✦˚✦˚✦.˚✦

CLAIM THE BURIAL I SEEK IN DREAMS FLOWING RIVER CEMETARY ✧

• Prey practically tumbles into the paws of any that look at it- the river is teeming with life and the sound of splashing remains in constant ambiance. It's the sound of summer's peak, of it's nearing end... With the hardships of moons past behind them and clinging to hope that this year's leaf-bare won't leave them ravaged by hunger as it had before, the time for celebration and bonding feels more important than ever. Traitors had been unearthed in their midst, had reared kits like ticks that fed on star-blood. There would be no more chances for loyalty to be questioned- not when the horizon gleamed black with months of shivering cold. It spoke of a river frozen solid and shivering against one another after the sun set with its feeble warmth.
  
  "RiverClan!" She does not bother to ascend the river rock, to stand above them like their overlord. Instead, she opts to weave herself amongst them, making eye contact as she passed. A bid for intimacy with her clan-mates that she'd once felt close to... maybe sleeping in the willow den ruined that tie. Or maybe it was just the burden of a throne made of aster-dust. "The fish... beg to join us," she crows, voice bright and inviting. "And the sun.... pleads to be... basked in!"
  
  She pauses beside Iciclefang, giving the tortoiseshell lead warrior a stubborn smile, "And it's time... for a bit of... friendly competition." She bows her head, quickly, an acknowledgement of a worthy foe before turning to wander further between the warriors and apprentices that trickle in to listen. "I propose... a hunting challenge," the blue lynx declares, whiskers twitching excitedly. Had it been Pikesplash that had nagged at her once, that the clan ought to have more fun every once in awhile? Before he'd cross borders to share tongues with swamp-slick fur.
  
  "Before the next Gathering... we'll share.... our bounty... and celebrate... the setting of green-leaf's sun. But... it isn't just... about rekindling... our bonds.... The winner... of this event... will be attending... the Gathering... and may bring with them... a cat of... their choosing. A reward... spent under StarClan's.... full-moon glow." A broken tail curls itself over her back, pleased with herself and her speech. That should fire them up, shouldn't it?
  
  There is an added benefit, in honing their skills before the weather gets worse. It may encourage those greedy enough to win to hunt land-prey when the riverside is full of bodies in wait for fish. It may be the kick that an apprentice needs to truly shine. It would be.. bragging rights, she supposed as well, to whatever spry paws were deemed the best hunter of the season.
  
  

  ---

  
  OOC NOTE HERE FOR ACCESSIBILITY:
  welcome to the green-leaf hunting tourney! This thread will operate as the hub of IC operations and will get a weekly checkpoint for flavor... describing the weather, taking bets on who might win, general chatter and bonding related to hunting and ultimately, where the winner will be announced. Please see the discord for more information about the actual mechanics of the game, as we have a #hunting-tourney channel specifically for this. Feel free to ask questions! and have fun, may the dice be on your side!

  ---

• about
  
  speech hex code ✧ #6368A5
  
  ooc notes ✦
  tagging ✶
  penned by tieirlys
• ˚　　★⋆. ࿐࿔　　✦　　　.　　. 　 ˚　.　　　　　 . ✦　　　 　˚　　　　 .
  
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[PIKESPLASH]

Pikesplash has become accustomed to Lichentail making announcements to them, but what he is not prepared for her is not sitting atop the river rock. Instead, she opts to weave herself among them as if they were equals. Her opening statement confounds him. The fish... What? Like stand and walk on paws or join us for the meeting? She doesn't answer any internal questions he has, moving on to the sun. That bit is more understandable to him. Though, he doesn't want to be baked alive from the sun. The river does wonders helping cool off, but the harsh heat of the sun could be unbearable. Naturally, he keeps his mouth shut. It would do no good to interrupt their leader from her speech by asking what she means.

Friendly competition? Green eyes trail over to the more competitive cats within their clan, wincing. I'm no good at competing... He wasn't atrocious at hunting by no means, but he didn't have the same fire in his belly like Iciclefang when it came to competitions. Now that he thought about it... The last time I had a competition was with Petaln-. A wave of anguish crashes over him. She was dead. With her mate Aspenhaze. The pair were in Starclan together. He was happy that neither would be alone, but he remembers what he had lost that day. The cat he had come to view as his own sister, once she had found out what he'd done... Disowned him. Poison laced her words when addressing him. She had died hating his guts.

His heart aches. However, there is nothing he could say or do anymore. I don't want to start crying in the middle of Lichenstar's speech. And so, the silver tom tried his best to focus on his friend's (he's not sure if they are anymore) words. Despite his somber mood, he can still manage a smile towards Lichenstar. Although, he is unsure and unaware of the sadness in his eyes. In truth he thinks it's a splendid idea. It's been awhile since the clan let loose and had fun! Perhaps everyone will feel a little better and smile more? Rekindling bonds. Is it possible for me? I'm not too sure I'll win but I'll try my best. A silver paw is raised in the air, "C-can we get started now? I'd like to get a head start before Iciclefang gets to the river." Sue him for poking a little fun towards Iciclefang, but it was in good nature. Everyone knew how serious she would get at the prospect of competitions and besides, what fish would they be hunting here in the middle of camp?​

 

[Graypaw]

The idea of a competition is not something unfamiliar to his young mind. He remembers kit-hood well, after all, it had not even been a full moon since he moved out from the nursery (and yet it simultaneously felt as if a lifetime had passed). He remembers how, as kits, he and his den-mates would play at being warriors, remembers the games they would play in an attempt to appear more grown than they actually were. What was this other than another game to be played? One where the stakes were higher, yes, but a game no less.

Even in kithood though he had been uninspired by such things. For him, life would continue as it always had, one day at a time. Besides, surely he was not experienced enough to have a shot at contending? He still had yet to catch anything at all... He does not miss the way Lichenstar smiles at Iciclefang, the teasing infliction in Pikesplash's voice as he calls out. His own gaze finds his aunt's tortoiseshell pelt in the crowd as he considers all the things he does not know about her. Iciclefang is known to him as a queen of RiverClan, it would be nice, he thinks, to see the warrior side of her that elicited this kind of reaction from their clanmates.

( ˏˋ°•*⁀➷ ) I can feel you leaving

• 
  
  
• 
  GRAYPAW RIVERCLAN APPRENTICE ; HE / HIM
  LILYBLOOM X LAKEMOON BROTHER TO TBD ; MENTORED BY LAKEMOON
  

  A plush coated apprentice with a pelt marbled in varying shades of gray and white. He has dull green eyes and a tall stature. Most of his personality can be described as carefree though some also say that unmotivated is a more than apt term. His trust and love is easily won through praise but he will do little work to receive it.

  ✶ easy in battle + no formal training
  

​

 

[lichenstar]

✦˚.✦˚✦˚✦˚ ✧ ˚✦˚✦˚✦.˚✦

CLAIM THE BURIAL I SEEK IN DREAMS FLOWING RIVER CEMETARY ✧

• WEEK 2 CHECKPOINT
  
  A week flies by with blinding speed and with it, their successes begin ramping. Cats of all ages filter in and out of camp with fish firmly grasped between their teeth and pride glimmering in their eyes. They're the best fishers this forest has ever seen... and there's no time like green-leaf to make a show of it. Their bounty has been fruitful... evident in the sleek, shimmering pelts of their ranks as their oily menu offers nourishment to summer-thin pelts.
  
  It warms the iciness in her veins and serves as a reminder that things can be simple... they can just be joyous. Not everything has to end in tragedy and misery. Abstaining from the competition herself hasn't stopped her from being involved, peering over shoulders and sitting in on hunting patrols just to listen for the familiar sound of camaraderie. It seems only fitting to give everyone a pep talk and remind them of their shared goal.
  
  "Great hunting... everyone," the molly greets as warriors and apprentices alike filter from their dens in the morning, waiting with baited breath for Hazecloud to assign patrols more than likely. "A great start... to our competition... and I see many skilled... paws hungry for the prize!" Her gaze lingers on Eveningpaw with a glimmer of pride, before flitting to Sandpelt, Gladefrost, and Foxtail in turn. They've been outstanding most especially and look to be the current neck-and-neck leaders.
  
  "Please be on... the look-out.... we've encountered a fox... on the territory. No doubt... hungry for what we've caught.... Who knows what else... might be lurking out there." Her head bows in dismissal, offering a last flagging call as they disperse, "Keep each other... safe!"
• about
  
  speech hex code ✧ #6368A5
  
  ooc notes ✦
  tagging ✶
  penned by tieirlys
• ˚　　★⋆. ࿐࿔　　✦　　　.　　. 　 ˚　.　　　　　 . ✦　　　 　˚　　　　 .
  
  　　　.   　　˚　　 　　*　　 　　✦　　　.　　.　　　✦　˚ 　　　　 ˚　.˚　　　　✦　　　.　　. 　 ˚　.　　　✦　　　.　　. 　 ˚　 　　　　 ੈ✧˳·˖✶ ✦　　˚　　　　✦　　　.　　. 　 ˚ ★⋆. ࿐࿔
  
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[Snakeblink]

MAYBE I'D BE A SAINT IF I WEREN'T ————————————​

Snakeblink isn’t one to care overmuch about the Gathering. If anything, he would prefer never to go at all, so the thought of bringing someone along hardly appeals: Turtlepaw already gets to come along whenever he makes himself attend, and anyone else he enjoys spending time with (his thoughts stray, briefly, to a large, spiky-furred tom--) he would rather do so in the safety of their own territory than among strangers. It is a younger cat’s prize.

That is not to say he is entirely unmoved by this competition. He has his pride, trodden-on as it is, and he stakes most of it on his skill at fishing. Wouldn’t it be nice to be congratulated for it…?

The warning of potential fox sightings has his whiskers tilting down somewhat, but he endeavors to affix a lighthearted expression on his ill-adapted face. ”And you will relax while we work our pelts off, hm?” He murmurs to their leader, eyes narrowing in mocking slits. ”Clever.”

He slithers away with a brush of his tail to their side, slipping past Pikesplash, to whom he says: ”Do you think it would be unsportsmanlike of me to splash around her to scare away fish? Give the rest of us a fighting chance…” Like the other tom, it’s meant in jest: firstly because he admires Iciclefang’s competitive spirit more than he fears it, and secondly because he likes to believe himself her equal in this, at least. ​

——————————————————————————————————— so god damn lonely​

ooc. information.

• 
  
• 
  
  
  — Snakeblink • he / him. 56 ☾, riverclan warrior
  — a sleek, skinny tabby with long ears and a scar over his right eye.
  — gay, not actually evil, penned by @Kangoo
  
  
  

​

​

 

[lichenstar]

✦　˚ 　✧ ˚　.˚　✦ 　✦

CLAIM THE BURIAL I SEEK IN DREAMS FLOWING RIVER CEMETARY ✧

• WEEK 3 CHECKPOINT
  
  At least they needn't suffer the horrendous worries of green-leaf's beginning... Twolegs do not roam their rivers, bears do not wander their territory greedily. It is relatively simple... easy... a time to relish and enjoy. StarClan has a funny bone, she thinks, finding the irony in the worsening weather being better than the seasons at their best.
  
  "Try not to.... sabotage... your clan-mates," the leader hums in amusement, pale gaze glancing towards Snakeblink as the memory of his previous inquiry comes to mind. "A competition... yes.... but for the benefit... of the whole clan."
  
  She would not deign to let them do all of the work, even if she would unavoidably be going to the Gathering anyway. It's far more interesting to observe anyways... to watch the concentrated furrow of the brows of apprentices as they nestle into their spot along the riverside. Focused in ways that only a promised reward can encourage in young minds... If nothing else, this heightened fixation on hunting would improve their skills tenfold before the cold months would demand better of them.
  
  "I suspect... my warriors are... underestimating the apprentices..." Her nose twitches in an amused sort of way, "One of them... may just win..." Though... Valesight and Splashdance sit as new graduates, they had finished off their final moon as apprentices as splendid examples of all of their mentors' teachings. Time would tell if some of their former den-mates might usurp them.
• about
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  tagging ✶
  penned by tieirlys
• ˚　　★⋆. ࿐࿔　　✦　　　.　　. 　 ˚　.　　　　　 . ✦　　　 　˚　　　　 .
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[lichenstar]

✦˚.✦˚✦˚✦˚ ✧ ˚✦˚✦˚✦.˚✦

CLAIM THE BURIAL I SEEK IN DREAMS FLOWING RIVER CEMETARY ✧

• GRAND FINALE
  
  The Gathering is on the horizon... and that means their festivities have come to an end. As Lichenstar ascends the heights of her perch, it is with a swell of pride- they'd all done well as a collective, pulling in a bounty of prey and mostly managed to stay safe doing so. There are those that bare the cuts and bruises of jealous predators but otherwise...
  
  Her gaze shifts across the excited eyes that wait for her announcement, to wrap this event into a bow and send them on their way into leaf-fall. Hopefully it would spell good tidings for the chillier end of the year. "RiverClan," the she-cat grumbles through the soreness of her throat, "With fattened bellies... and sleek coats.... we have ushered... ourselves into a bountiful.... leaf-fall. No kit... will fear for hunger.... with such great hunters... at our forefront."
  
  With a small dip of her head, a moment of contemplation, pride rumbles in her chest to continue. "I am pleased... to say.... we have two... extraordinary fishers... amongst us. Cloudpaw.... and Splashdance..." She lifts a paw, beckoning them forward to be beheld in the eyes of their clan-mates for the talents they are. "Have caught the most... prey... over the last moon- and they are closely followed... by Horizonpaw, Shellpaw... Hazecloud and Valesight.... It was a wonderful race... to witness. And our fresh-kill pile... thanks them for their... hard work!"
  
  Her tail curls into a broken question mark, turning to face the two winners, "You'll both... be attending the Gathering.... Pick your plus ones... at your leisure."
  
  With that out of the way, she lifts her nose to encourage the clan into a cheer, "Cloudpaw! Splashdance! Cloudpaw! Splashdance!"
  
• about
  
  speech hex code ✧ #6368A5
  
  ooc notes ✦ YOU GUYS WERE GREAT THIS WAS A LOT OF FUN TO WATCH AND HOPEFULLY JUST AS FUN TO PARTICIPATE IN... I know the dice are cruel and fickle so hopefully that wasn't too much of a mood-killer!
  The finally tally for the top three were:
  CLOUDPAW & SPLASHDANCE at 61 POINTS!
  VALESIGHT & HAZECLOUD & SHELLPAW & HORIZONPAW at 60 POINTS!
  BEEFANG at 58 POINTS!
  
  FOR OUR SUPER STAR APPRENTICES.... consider this your opportunity to consider an IC early graduation due to their great success as hunters <3 They have canonically bested warriors older and more experienced than they have and Lichenstar is impressed. Feel free to DM me if you're interested :blushie:
  tagging ✶
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• ˚　　★⋆. ࿐࿔　　✦　　　.　　. 　 ˚　.　　　　　 . ✦　　　 　˚　　　　 .
  
  　　　.   　　˚　　 　　*　　 　　✦　　　.　　.　　　✦　˚ 　　　　 ˚　.˚　　　　✦　　　.　　. 　 ˚　.　　　✦　　　.　　. 　 ˚　 　　　　 ੈ✧˳·˖✶ ✦　　˚　　　　✦　　　.　　. 　 ˚ ★⋆. ࿐࿔
  
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[splashdance]

Splashdance had seen the challenge as a means to prove herself. Many cats still look at her odd, and whilst she thinks she can accept the constant wayward glances, a part of her wishes for it just to end. She had committed to RiverClan, her Clanmates and family are here. She hadn't been sure what more she could do, other than exhibit all that she's learned. Fishing hadn't come as easy as swimming had, but she'd be damned to not be at least acknowledged in her improvement.

The weeks wore on, and the incident with the otter occurred. Lakemoon had decided that she shown exemplary skill then, and with Lichenstar's approval, she became a warrior of RiverClan. The competition nearly fell to the wayside, however the dark furred warrior had no reason to slow down yet. Eventually it came to Lichenstar's final announcement, days before the gathering, and -

She's summoned forth. Alongside Cloudpaw (there is no shame in being coupled with an apprentice. Prodigies happen!) does the she-cat step forward to be marveled at by the Clan. Her Clan. She's proven herself time and time again, and despite her desperate need of approval, the moment almost feels unnecessary. Splashdance allows for the cheering and excitement, nods when her leader tells them to find their gathering partners at their leisure... and she immediately seeks out @LAKEMOON .

"Hey," she greets the warrior. She had met the blue furred molly shortly after she lost someone important... life hadn't been kind to the tabby, but she hopes in their time together, Lakemoon finds a little light in the warrior she's created. "I'd like you to be my gathering partner," she effortlessly smiles. Her wispy fur ruffles but there is no anxiety in sight - purely confidence and excitement. "I wouldn't be who I am today without you. I want you there to see me at my first gathering as a RiverClan warrior, please."​