END OF ALL | assessment

[SILVERSMOKE]

He had not been with Emberpaw for very long, but he had seen a kindred spirit within the smoke. She was a steadfast apprentice, always striving for improvement, always having SkyClan's best interests at heart, always brave - yet, he could not say he had played a part in any of those traits. They had been there from the start, Silversmoke had just honed them, made them into something more refined than they ever had been before. He did not wish to be proud of himself for doing just what was expected of him, but, compared to how he had treated Chrysaliswing, there was a twinge of relief in the spotted tabby's heart that he had done the right thing with Emberpaw. He couldn't wait to see her graduate, first though, came her assessment, something of a formality in the cinnamon she-cat's case - he believed she was readier than any prior apprentice he'd trained. Still, it was not just up to him. At dawn, the Lead Warrior was situated at the sandy ravine, his odd gaze briefly settling over Twitchbolt. He offered his peer a nod, calmer than ever before at the prospect of being judged. He had done too many of these to let his nerves falter now.

"We shall begin," Silversmoke mewed, turning towards Emberpaw. "First, you shall be asked questions on SkyClan's culture and history. It is expected you get all three right." Chickbloom hadn't, and the former Daylight Warrior had been on thin ice for the rest of his trials because of it. Emberpaw was a former rogue, disadvantaged in that she'd never got the chance to listen to elder's tales as a kitten, but, hopefully, she could pull through. Reclining on his haunches, the tom looked towards the sky, his clan's ancestors - would they ever feel like his own? "First, what part of the Warrior Code was proposed by WindClan?" His tail swayed behind him. "Second: Hypothetically, SkyClan is short on prey. You have only caught one sparrow. Who will you give it to?" He paused for but a moment, before continuing. "Third: what sets SkyClan apart from the other clans?" Two basic questions, and one question that was... a little cruel, admittedly. He had seen Chickbloom falter at it, but, curiosity drove him - just how well had Emberpaw taken in the history he'd shared with her?

[ retro to disappearance ;

apprentice tag: @Emberpaw.
supervisor tag: @TWITCHBOLT ]
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[EMBERFALL]

Her assessment was coming up, and she'd done everything to prepare; she had been striving for this since the day Skyclan saved her as a child. She never tolerated failures from herself, strived to be the best warrior that she could become, and never committed to the usual apprentice fun. Though she did not have many friends — Ember was fine with being alone. If anything would ever happen to her later down the line, there would be no tears to shed, as she wasn't close to anyone. Her family gone and the only thing remotely familiar to family was Skyclan, and she would die with honor for her home. Silversmoke had retrieved her for her assessment with Twitchbolt to supervise, and her nerves tingled.

Was she nervous? Emberpaw wasn't sure. She's never felt nervous before that she can recall.

The assessment has begun, and the first would cover the history and culture of Skyclan. A fiery gaze watches her mentor intently, a flawless student that was ready to ace her test. The first question he asked pertained to the warrior code, a code that had been put forth by Windclan. His second question is a hypothetical, yet a good one to think of regardless in the worst case of scenarios. The third question was straightforward and simple compared to the other two. It seems as the questions have come to a halt and it was time for her to answer (finding answering right after he asked to be rude, in her opinion). A solemn sigh parts her lips as she straightens her posture slightly, fortifying herself physically and mentally.

”It's the fourth part of the code,” Emberpaw begins as she glances around before continuing her statement. ”Prey is only killed to be eaten, and we give thanks to Starclan for its life.” How ironic was that coming from the moors' dictator? Sootstar had only brought suffering to her clan and the others, her son having killed Blazestar. Hadn't the signs of Starclan showed their discontent for the female before? Ember couldn't remember, though. Maybe there was a time when the deceased Windclan leader wasn't a fanatic. Her tail sways like clockwork as she ponders the hypothetical question.

”As we always feed the elders and kits first... I would say those in the nursery.” The cinnamon smoke would respond honestly with a furrow as brows, glancing toward camp. ”It would feed more mouths, realistically. However, I would go back out and hunt until I caught something for the elders as well. I could go without a meal for the day.” She rubs her chin after answering, believing it would be the best conclusion. Watching how most elders behaved, they would most likely scold her for not feeding those in the nursery first. A sparrow was already small and would be best split among the children, rather than full grown cats. Hopefully, Silversmoke and Twitchbolt would see her reasoning and agree with her.

The last question, what sets SkyClan apart from the other clans? Emberpaw can think of two things instantly: they were the only clan to have daylight warriors and their skill set. Skyclan was known for easily traversing the trees, often using them in combat and being able to scale them with pride. Each clan had something they were best at, such as swimming for Riverclan, speed for Windclan, which were just some examples. ”There's two things that set us apart the most: we're the only clan with daylight warriors and our skills in the trees. We climb and hunt in the trees as easily as a Riverclanner can swim and hunt in the waters.”
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[SILVERSMOKE]

The spotted tabby's expression did not falter as Emberpaw began her answers. After she had finished her first statement, he nodded. "Good. As it stands WindClan cannot be trusted by the living, but their word are as true in StarClan's eyes as any other clans - we do not kill prey for the sake of it." His opinions on the moorlands had always been conflicted - he'd hated Sootstar, but he hated deserters and codebreakers equally. Their rebellion against her had been their own choice, but it had gotten SkyClan involved the moment Sootstar's son killed Blazestar and now, he couldn't help but resent it. The death of the perpetrator had not been enough justice, not when the ragdoll leader had meant so much to everyone within the pine forest. As his tail began to lash, he was reminded to move on, just in time for Emberpaw to give her second answer.

She would feed the kittens first, a tough call to make - pragmatically, it made more sense to feed the future, but to forget those who had served the clan was an insult that wouldn't be taken lightly by some. Emberpaw mentioned going out to hunt again and his ears pressed forwards in subtle alarm. "I... agree. Just make sure you are not endangering yourself by hunting to the point of exhaustion." Hypocrisy in his words felt like the adder's venom, burning so much he only hoped that his apprentice would not call him out for not practicing what he preached. He tried, but trying and doing produced two very different outcomes. Emberpaw spoke for the final time and the tiny weight of doubt was lifted off of his shoulders. "True, on both fronts. Daylight Warriors provide us a unique advantage in that we have less mouths to feed and need less space for our dens. Our hind legs are also more defined than the other groups, letting us leap from trees like cougars."

Odd eyes briefly shot a look at Twitchbolt, then, quickly looked away in embarrassment as he wondered if the Lead Warrior would pick up on his approval of Daylight Warriors. It had been a recent change spurned about by three very important friendships, but making a big deal about it had never been his style. Straightening his posture, the main coon mix mewed, "Good, you have passed the first assessment. Next: a hunting assessment. You are to hunt a medium-to-large bird. You must show an ability to traverse the trees to aid in your hunt, or show exceptional tracking on the floor. You have until sunhigh." He would be watching from the shadows, following like a silver tiger through the thin foliage to observe her technique. But, he had clued her in on such a thing taking place already - when it came to providing prey to the clan, there could be no subterfuge. "Off you go."

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[EMBERFALL]

The cinnamon smoke nods at her mentor's words and mentions the distrustful nature of Windclan. While she trusted Silversmoke's word, she didn't need to hear it twice. The previous action of Sunstar, the previous gathering, had already cemented their distrustful nature and locked it down with board and nail. The corner of her lip begs to curl in disdain at the memory of the entitled Windclan leader blaming Riverclan for the deaths of their warriors, when they had been the ones to steal and break the warrior code. It was simply the consequences of their actions, and Riverclan had already been nice enough to home their injured when the moors were aflame. Her flaming gaze reflecting the fires that ravaged the moors shift towards her mentor, then Twitchbolt, observing the former deputy before returning her focus towards the silver tom. ”It was a hard choice, really. I respect our elders and they're honored warriors, but a sparrow would be too small to split and I believe they would cuff me for feeding them instead of the kits.” Emberpaw would admit after she listened to his statement, and a rare smile graces her features with a chuckle. Such reactions were rare on the feline who seemed to rare show emotion unless it revolved around the thrill of training, work, or fighting. ”Of course, Silversmoke.”

The cinnamon smoke held a neutral stance on Daylight Warriors, and they brought forth advantages and disadvantages to Skyclan. They contributed as a warrior and left during the night (as their name suggested) and were willing Protectors of Skyclan even if they didn't start full time. His responses surprises her as she wasn't used to Silversmoke openly complimenting and didn't have his former distaste for them. Correctly answering her three questions, she can feel anticipation filling her bones. It was getting so close to the end, and she was on a perfect streak so far. Everything had come down to this moment. Her toes flex against the grass as she can already hear the chanting of her warrior name, and she wonders what would it be? It would surely be one of a kind moment and the memory would forever be the greatest in her life. Her ears swivel as her mentor exclaims she passed, and then the second part of her assessment will be hunting. Emberpaw would have to capture a bird scaling from medium to large, either using her tracking abilities or the trees to her advantage.

The duration to capture such would be until sun high, which she glances to the heavens, gauging how long it would take. Emberpaw starts her journey away from her mentor and the other lead warrior, her fiery gaze alert as she lurks along the trees for coverage. It's logical that a bigger bird would find safety in the towering pine tree if she headed in that direction. She lowers her head occasionally as she picks up the scent of a pileated woodpecker, glimpsing the large prey from above. Seconds later, the winged creature disappeared over the canopy and her lips part as she tracks the ground once more - the scent of the woodpecker engraving in her flehmen. The sound of pecking draws towards the tall pine tree behind her. Her reasoning had been correct, and she now had to calculate she would capture her prey. If she continued to stay on the ground, then the woodpecker would spot her long before she could scale the tree. Emberpaw stretches to loosen her limbs for such a climb, and she digs her claws into the bark before scaling upright into the upper branches.

Rolled an 8 for tracking.

The cinnamon smoke rests upon a branch to give herself a quick breather, a fiery gaze flicking between the branches to find the quickest way to scale the tall pine without a risky fall. Her fiery coat partly blends with the auburn hue of the trees and adds to her stealth of her hunt, tensing as the woodpecker stops pecking. Ember holds her breath as the cautious bird observes their surrounding before returning to drilling into the tree, and suddenly a sudden burst of rain begun to shower down on Skyclan. It seemed as a storm had picked up and the branches she balanced on rattled from the winds picking up in speed. You cannot keep me from my destiny, Starclan. The apprentice warns her ancestors that watched from the silverpelt, as she leaps branch to branch - her powerful hind-legs digging into the bark with front claws snagging to prevent the wind and movement to prevent her failure and fall. Ember slithered between the canopies in a serpent manner as she eventually reaches a branch close enough to launch onto the tall pine to secure a fast capture. If she scaled the tree, then her prey would notice her scratching up from below. A deep breath shuttering from her as she realized the leap she would be taken was a possible fatal one. The ground was far below her and she felt as if she was in the clouds with their ancestors. With a solemn rasp, she gathers determination on her face and tenses every muscle, launching herself towards the Tall Pine. The crisp weather rages against her and a fiery gaze closes for a moment. Her jaw tensed to feel the impact of the grounds...

Rolled an 8 for climbing + a 26 for cool temperatures, heavy rain + wind!

Emberpaw feels herself land on the side of the tree, her body clinging to the large pine and her claws etched deeply into the bark. The beating of her heart roars in her ears as she settles on a branch. She had landed on the opposite side as the woodpecker rested on the other. She gives herself to compose herself after a risky move, and crouches as she quietly leaps to a next branch. Her paws tense as she hears the bird above her further into the canopy of the great pine, and she dreads climbing more than she had. If she made one mistake, her corpse could be buried, and Skyclan had already lost enough warriors. Who would attend her funeral? The thought circles in her head and the strange morbid sense makes her sick to the stomach, and it was something - no, someone she wasn't. The heavy rain must've rinsed her scent away from her prey, as she creeping on to it and yet it was oblivious to it. Was it making a nest for its mate? Ember continues to climb the tall pine slowly, but surely until she's close enough to her prey. She peeks around the corner and notes the distance between the branches and the only feasible solution would be scaling up using her strength.

Emberpaw carefully attaches herself to the base of the tree, as she strafes to the side of her hunt. She feels frozen for a moment as she glances at the ground and it fortifies her statement: she could not fall. The winds beat against her side, which adds to the risk of her plan yet disguise the scraping of her claws against the bark. Her muscles ripple with each movement as she scales up the tall pine, closing the distance between the woodpecker. A minute passes from careful climbing and soon the fiery coat of the apprentice could be seen soaring to the canopy like a phoenix. Her body launches across the pine as she sidesteps off a distance branch, fluking the large woodpecker as a powerful paw stuns them as her serpetine fangs wrap around the neck of the bird. The momentum of her burst makes her uneasy as she continues to climb up the final part of the greatest pine tree, her sides heaving from exhaustion as she finally reaches the top with her prey between her jaws.

Rolled an 8 for hunting, and she managed to climb the tall pine during an adrenaline rush!

The wind slowly starts to die down and the rain fades, a simple passing shower yet perhaps a praise from Starclan themselves? Her heart feels ready to race out of her chest as she glances around and she can clearly see her home around her, a fiery gaze widening in surprise. Emberpaw had climbed the tall pine, and tales of climbing such were chants of accomplishment. The thrill to survive and meet Silversmoke's expectations had completed rendered her useless as she tunnel visioned on completing her assessment. Ember glances towards the sun finally reached the highest point in the sky, marking the her hunt successfully. The apprentice had fully caught herself as she slowly scales the enormous pine with immensive care, the aching of her muscles finally coming in as she eventually comes to the ground once more. ”E... Ei caut one...” She speaks out for Silversmoke to emerge from the shadows, her mouth full with the prize of her prey. Did I pass?
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