private hiding in my fox hole [pinkpaw]

[SCORCHSTAR]

Scorchstreak has been assigned a new apprentice, and though the child has been vocal about her displeasure with being named a tunneler, the lead warrior is certain that she will grow to like the tunnels very quickly. Just as Scorchstreak had, when she was growing up. Soon enough, Pinkpaw may even be racing beneath the earth like a true tunneler. It all depends on whether the apprentice is willing to put in the work to become a capable tunneler for the clan—and her journey truly begins now. The first descent into the underground is important for any tunneler, and if Pinkpaw is to change her mind and become a less difficult apprentice, it will take a strong first impression.

The calico leads her new apprentice to one of the burrow entrances, tail flicking languidly behind her as she comes to a stop. "Here we are," she announces, eyeing the apprentice at her side. She runs through her usual speech in her mind, similar to the talk she’d given to Luckypaw when she’d taken her son on his first tunnel expedition. "Once we go in, it will get dark quickly. You won’t be able to see anything, so you’ll need to use your other senses—your ears, your whiskers, your paws—to keep your bearings. Stick close to me." They aren’t going too far into the tunnels for Pinkpaw’s first expedition. Still, it’s better to be safe than sorry while dealing with such a quick-changing environment, Scorchstreak thinks. She waits for confirmation, golden gaze remaining settled solidly on the younger feline.

// @PINKPAW​

[ BE A FIRE, BURN THIS DOWN ]​

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[PINKSHINE]

So... Pinkpaw was just going along with this right now, because she was a good kit—pprentice, apprentice, and she would follow the rules. Cause she would also be following the rules if she just grew super tall and couldn't fit in the tunnels no more! Scorchstreak has no idea that Pinkpaw is gonna be as tall as her dad one day ( Which is extremely! ) Scorchstreak is lucky that she's so fair and gave her a warning beforehand. In her opinion, that makes this training totally pointless, but... apparently, she has to listen to Scorchstreak instead of Brightshine now.

She stomps her paws very angrily all the way to the tunnel. She thought all the stories about worm cats and stuff were like, exaggerated! Or um, myths! But they were really just gonna get in a hole? Pinkpaw's eyes go wide. " Are we really going in there...? " Dark? She did NOT like the dark one bit! She'll need to use her other senses, Scorchstreak says. Ears, whiskers, paws. She knows how to use those, but she's never used them in the dark before ebcause she's always asleep! What if she's not good enough at it and she gets totally lost and eaten by unknown tunnel monsters?! Scorchstreak is looking at her all expectant - like, and Pinkpaw has the perfect counterpoint. " Scorchstreak, what if i diiieee? " she wails.

staring at the mirror gotta smile, smile 🌸🌷🦄🦩 don't be late, we got plans!

• 

• 

• ( IT'S TIME TO START A FUCKING RIOT, RIOT! ) PINKPAW APPRENTICE OF WINDCLAN. DAUGHTER TO BRIGHTSHINE & HEAVY SNOW. SISTER TO HEATHPAW, DOWNYPAW, & FINCHPAW.
  —— SHE / HER; UNOPPOSED TO THE USE OF OTHERS
  —— CURRENTLY 3 MOONS OLD. AGES EVERY 16TH
  
  A tiny, longhaired calico she - kit with yellow eyes, ringed blue around her pupils (sectoral heterochromia). While you can clearly see her flame markings on her face, the rest of her body is currently covered by a grey fever - coating. Though the whites of her are still very much visible. Pink-kit bounces around WindClan without a care in the world! Her emotions are big, and she makes little effort to regulate them, resulting in both her usually cheerful disposition, as well as making her prone to sudden bouts of extreme anger or sadness. Rarely seen without a smile!
  

  HEAVY IC OPINIONS! Pink-kit is a very irrational and childish character!​

​

 

[SCORCHSTAR]

Pinkpaw wails pitifully, and the calico finds that her patience for such dramatics is much shorter than she had previously estimated. It is reasonable to be concerned, she supposes, but even her Luckypaw had been more confident on his first trip into the tunnels. This whining cannot be tolerated if Pinkpaw is to be a true warrior of WindClan someday. "Only one apprentice has died in the tunnels since I joined WindClan," she says. It might be reassuring, and it might not be. She doesn’t think that Pinkpaw will be satisfied with the response either way. But the thought of Dazzlepaw makes her sad; a life, ended too soon, and there was nothing that she or Sootstar could do to save the boy. Pinkpaw, however, will certainly be safe so long as she doesn’t rush off into the dark without care. Not that Scorchstreak will allow her new charge to be killed on their first excursion underground, of course. Even if the child isn’t interested in being a tunneler, the lead warrior still doesn’t plan on taking the younger calico anywhere truly dangerous (and by extension, interesting) yet.

With a flick of her tail, she steps into the shadowed entrance of the tunnel. This is the same tunnel that she had once introduced her son to, back when he was even smaller than Pinkpaw is now. "As long as you stay near me, you’ll be fine." With that, the tunneler strides forth, disappearing into the darkness. It is quiet, thankfully, though she doubts it will be once Pinkpaw has set foot inside of the tunnel. From what Scorchstreak knows of her, the girl is unable to speak without raising her voice. This will be a trying apprenticeship, she’s certain, but she hopes that she and her new apprentice can find some kind of middle ground. Until then, the least she can do is fill the space between them with an explanation of the tunneling life. There is much that Pinkpaw needs to learn, so they may as well get started now. "Tunnelers normally work in pairs—that way, no one gets lost and separated from everyone else. Some of us have partners who we always go tunneling with. Mine is Redrumble, but she isn’t here today, so that makes you my partner for today." She pauses and turns to glance back over her shoulder, golden eyes narrowing as she checks whether the younger tunneler has followed her in yet.​

[ BE A FIRE, BURN THIS DOWN ]​

​

 

[PINKSHINE]

Only one apprentice has died— " Noooo! " Pinkpaw is already wailing, bouncing around on her paws as if there were a million spiders underfoot and she didn't wanna step on any of them. What if she's the SECOND ONE? She wouldn't even um, be in first place! That's terrible! Or, or, What if Scorchstreak joined WindClan, like, YESTERDAY, and the apprentice died YESTERDAY? Pinkpaw didn't even know who the heck she was until the journey cats got back, maybe that was the first time Scorchstreak has ever been in WindClan! Maybe everyone is a lead warrior when they first join!

As long as you stay near me, you’ll be fine. Pinkpaw immediately practically steps on the warriors tail. Darkness swallows them both. Pinkpaw feels like a giant monster just ate them, but it's even worse cause they're walking into their mouth on purpose! She would never be so stupid! " I can't see anything! " she immediately cries, totally forgetting that Scorchstreak told her that would happen. How's a girl supposed to be ready for that anyhow?

She has no idea who Redrumble is, but a partner sounds kinda interesting... She could get her sister so they could talk and have fun to distract themselves from how horrible and scary it is down here... um, at least until Pinkpaw outgrows the tunnels anyways... Her whiskers twitch uneasily. And if she turns her head, sometimes she can feel them brush up against a wall or something. That kinda made her feel better, remmebering there was a wall and she wan't walking into endless void, to never return again. " Do we get to pick our partner? Can I have Downypaw or Heathpaw? What if you get lost? Will we both be lost? And we'll die? "

staring at the mirror gotta smile, smile 🌸🌷🦄🦩 don't be late, we got plans!

• 

• 

• ( IT'S TIME TO START A FUCKING RIOT, RIOT! ) PINKPAW APPRENTICE OF WINDCLAN. DAUGHTER TO BRIGHTSHINE & HEAVY SNOW. SISTER TO HEATHPAW, DOWNYPAW, & FINCHPAW.
  —— SHE / HER; UNOPPOSED TO THE USE OF OTHERS
  —— CURRENTLY 4 MOONS OLD. AGES EVERY 16TH
  
  A tiny, longhaired calico she - kit with yellow eyes, ringed blue around her pupils (sectoral heterochromia). While you can clearly see her flame markings on her face, the rest of her body is currently covered by a grey fever - coating. Though the whites of her are still very much visible. Pinkpaw bounces around WindClan without a care in the world! Her emotions are big, and she makes little effort to regulate them, resulting in both her usually cheerful disposition, as well as making her prone to sudden bouts of extreme anger or sadness. Rarely seen without a smile!
  

  HEAVY IC OPINIONS! Pinkpaw is a very irrational and childish character!​

​

 

[SCORCHSTAR]

Fiery eyes narrow to unimpressed slits as the apprentice continues to wail and complain. Her patience is waning with each word that leaves Pinkpaw’s mouth, and the she-cat gives a pointed lash of her tail despite knowing that the gesture won’t be visible to Pinkpaw. The younger she-cat steps closer as Scorchstreak says to stick beside her—now she’s too close, nearly on top of Scorchstreak, and the tunneler lets out a slightly annoyed sigh. "You’ll get used to it eventually. All tunnelers do." She doesn’t think to mention the effect that spending so much time in the dark has had on her own daytime vision—the smaller tunneler will find that out in time, she is sure. There’s no need to drive her away from tunneling when she is already unsure about the prospect of it.

Pinkpaw has more inquiries, of course, and Scorchstreak nods along with her. "Yes, you get to choose your own partner, and they can be anyone. Even your siblings or friends." She isn’t sure who exactly would agree to be Pinkpaw’s partner, but surely there’s someone in the clan who will befriend her. She isn’t a bad apprentice, just a tad much. "And I won’t get lost. I was born in these tunnels, I know them like the back of my paw." To anyone else, her confidence may seem like arrogance, but Scorchstreak is willing to bet on her inability to get lost. One does not spend the majority of their life underground without developing a strong sense of direction. She hasn’t found herself turned around in WindClan’s tunnels yet, and she doesn’t plan on doing so anytime soon. "Well, not these tunnels, exactly. I was born in a tunnel system close to the place where all the clans meet for gatherings. Anyway, we won’t get lost. And we won’t die." Stars, this apprentice certainly thinks about death a lot, doesn’t she?​

[ BE A FIRE, BURN THIS DOWN ]​

​

 

[PINKSHINE]

There's actually no way she could ever ever get used to this. How's she supposed to get used to not seeing? To walking in a black void and like, probably dropping out of the entire WORLD if she's not paying attention. She wouldn't even see the void - hole because EVERYTHING is void! At least she'd get to choose her own partner, that sounds fun... Maybe. Could you even have fun in the tunnels? Could you do anything but fear for your LIFE? Downypaw not only couldn't hear, but woiuldn't get to see either, that's so mean! And could she even play with Downykit here? It's way too cramped!

And I won’t get lost. Scorchstreak says. Okay, but what if she did? Pinkpaw is about to offer, and then Scorchstreak says that she was born in here. Pinkpaw gapes (but you couldn't tell because it's so horrible and dark) " Huh? Huhhh? " Pinkpaw is still about a whisker away from stepping on her mentor's tail. " Like, you were born and you didn't see the sun or stars or nothin? " she asks, awestruck. It's not as if she knows for sure that that's what she herself did, but, um... it SEEMED very weird. " So is the dark normal for you? And the light is weird? Are you a monster, Scorchstreak? Will you eat me? "

staring at the mirror gotta smile, smile 🌸🌷🦄🦩 don't be late, we got plans!

• 

• 

• ( IT'S TIME TO START A FUCKING RIOT, RIOT! ) PINKPAW APPRENTICE OF WINDCLAN. DAUGHTER TO BRIGHTSHINE & HEAVY SNOW. SISTER TO HEATHPAW, DOWNYPAW, & FINCHPAW.
  —— SHE / HER; UNOPPOSED TO THE USE OF OTHERS
  —— CURRENTLY 4 MOONS OLD. AGES EVERY 16TH
  
  A tiny, longhaired calico she - kit with yellow eyes, ringed blue around her pupils (sectoral heterochromia). While you can clearly see her flame markings on her face, the rest of her body is currently covered by a grey fever - coating. Though the whites of her are still very much visible. Pinkpaw bounces around WindClan without a care in the world! Her emotions are big, and she makes little effort to regulate them, resulting in both her usually cheerful disposition, as well as making her prone to sudden bouts of extreme anger or sadness. Rarely seen without a smile!
  

  HEAVY IC OPINIONS! Pinkpaw is a very irrational and childish character!​

​

 

[SCORCHSTAR]

The apprentice continues to nearly step on her tail, and Scorchstreak takes care to draw the white-laced appendage closer to herself, hoping to avoid a painful tug. Pinkpaw, to her dismay, continues to chatter away, and the lead warrior releases a put-upon sigh. "I was born in the dark. No sun, no stars." In the darkness her life began, and so too in darkness does she hope it will end. If Scorchstreak were allowed to choose, she would join StarClan from the comfort of the tunnels. Pinkpaw is not like her, she knows; the younger WindClanner was born into a world without a ceiling, and this is likely the first time she’s had the sky blotted from her view. She nods her head to confirm her apprentice’s question—the dark is normal for her, though she wouldn’t necessarily call light weird—but before she can elaborate, Pinkpaw pivots to a different line of questioning.

Are you a monster, Scorchstreak?

Dappledsun. Cicadastar. Tigerfrost. Cottonpaw. Badgermoon and Curlewnose. Weaselclaw. Smogmaw’s kits. Sootstar. Scorchpaw. She has always done what needs to be done, what is best for her clan. What is best for her family. But where id the line drawn, between what is a monster and what is a warrior doing her duty?

She doesn’t know the answer, not honestly. She understands though, she knows that Pinkpaw didn’t mean anything by it. It’s merely the curiosity of a young cat attempting to understand the world around her. Pinkpaw doesn’t know what she’s asking, truly—what she’s implying. It takes a number of heartbeats before Scorchstreak responds. "I’m not a monster," she mutters at last, a grim look crossing her face. "But I may eat you if you don’t listen to me. Have you been paying attention to your surroundings, Pinkpaw? Do you know which way we came from?" There are multiple paths branching off into the darkness, and Scorchstreak now stands at the center of them, whiskers twitching as she shifts around.
​

[ BE A FIRE, BURN THIS DOWN ]​

​

 

[PINKSHINE]

" That's so saaad! " Pinkpaw wails. No sun AND no stars? Pinkpaw can't even imagine that, but she guesses she doesn't have to at all, because she's already in this dark evil place without either... If it wasn't creepy before ( and it totally was ), it's super duper creepy now. She feels like if they're quiet for too long, a monster will come and sneak up on them in the silence. ...Unless the monster was already amongst them? Amongst her? Was Scorchstreak keeping her face hidden, because she was looking totally terrifying right now with black eyes and the sharpest teeth anyone's ever seen?— that NO ONE has ever seen, because they didn't live to tell the tale??

She gets sooo suspiciously quiet when she asks her if she's a monster, and Pinkpaw's pelt prickles. Were these her final moments? Down here, in this super sad place, with no sun and no stars? No friends, either? Maybe she should make friends with Scorchstreak, just in case...

But I may eat you if you don’t listen to me. Pinkpaw squeals. No way! Friends shouldn't eat eachother!

Have you been paying attention to your surroundings, Pinkpaw? Do you know which way we came from? This is a test. This is a test and if she fails it she's dead forever. " Uhh... The other... one? " How the heck is she supposed to answer this? Maybe she's not. Maybe Scorchstreak's just tricking her cause she wants her dead!

staring at the mirror gotta smile, smile 🌸🌷🦄🦩 don't be late, we got plans!

• 

• 

• ( IT'S TIME TO START A FUCKING RIOT, RIOT! ) PINKPAW APPRENTICE OF WINDCLAN. DAUGHTER TO BRIGHTSHINE & HEAVY SNOW. SISTER TO HEATHPAW, DOWNYPAW, & FINCHPAW.
  —— SHE / HER; UNOPPOSED TO THE USE OF OTHERS
  —— CURRENTLY 4 MOONS OLD. AGES EVERY 16TH
  
  A tiny, longhaired calico she - kit with yellow eyes, ringed blue around her pupils (sectoral heterochromia). While you can clearly see her flame markings on her face, the rest of her body is currently covered by a grey fever - coating. Though the whites of her are still very much visible. Pinkpaw bounces around WindClan without a care in the world! Her emotions are big, and she makes little effort to regulate them, resulting in both her usually cheerful disposition, as well as making her prone to sudden bouts of extreme anger or sadness. Rarely seen without a smile!
  

  HEAVY IC OPINIONS! Pinkpaw is a very irrational and childish character!​

​