camp Home for the holidays | left at camp

[Snakeblink]

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

New leaf is peeking over the horizon with warmer winds and greening branches; the air is mild and sweet; and while the Gathering party's tails are disappearing behind the reeds around camp, on their way to Fourtrees, Snakeblink is not going.

It's a good night.

There's still unease clinging to his ribs at the thought of clanmates far from sight, among outsiders; but Sootstar's death has settled his nerves some, and for now he's just relieved to stay home with his clanmates. He stretches under the stony outcropping upon which Smokestar usually adresses the clan, resting his head on his crossed paws with a faint sigh. His breath sends a few stray petals fluttering off the ground where they laid, scattered from the pre-Gathering decorating.

”Do you think they will announce something strange this moon?” He idly asks a nearby clanmate. ”Or are we due for some quiet at last?”​

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

ooc. information.

• 
  
• 
  
  
  — Snakeblink • he / him. 50 ☾, riverclan warrior
  — a sleek, skinny tabby with long ears and a scar over his right eye.
  — gay, not actually evil, penned by @Kangoo
  
  
  

​

​

 

[Aspenhaze]

For once, Aspenhaze is happy to not be going to the gathering. They are always ready to hear about whatever drama may be spreading around, but they are fairly tired today… and no one would want to deal with the tortie point when they’re angry tired. They’d probably snap at any passing ThunderClanner, though whoever it is they metaphorically snapped at would probably deserve it.

Relaxing with clanmates and discussing what they think will happen is always enjoyable, though. And there’s only so much participation expected of them, so hey. And who doesn’t like gossiping about clanmates while they’re not around to hear? Aspenhaze takes some time to stretch, yawning before they humble Snakeblink’s question. “Quiet? It’s never quiet. I’m sure one of the other clans has something ruffling their feathers, hmm? Too bad we’ll have to wait and see what it is this moon.”​

 

[SWIFTFIRE]

I'VE LEARNED LOVE IS LIKE A BRICK — Though Swiftfire's constant curiosity about the other clans was an ever-present boon and burden, she was also actually glad to not be going along on this particular gathering trip. Most of her energy as of late had been focused on preparations, paws often working frantically at her own nest as she softened it and readied herself for the inevitable aches that would come with pregnancy. Eventually she'd be moving into the nursery, but for now she wanted to make herself as comfortable as possible outside of it as well. The gathering just seemed like undue stress while she was in such a vulnerable state, especially if one of the other clans decided to try and pick a fight over some perceived slight.

The chimera would be able to go sometime after her children were born, she was sure of it.

For now she was content to lay alongside the rest that had been unceremoniously left behind, curled almost into a neat little ball while she still had the ability to do so. It was already beginning to become a little more difficult, a soft huff leaving her at the chub that now graced her sides. "Unfortunately, I'm pretty sure Aspenhaze is right. I don't think I've seen a single gathering group come back since I joined without something to say about how the other clans were behaving." Though at least now the name Sootstar never seemed to leave anyone's muzzle, not unless they were thanking the stars that she was gone and they no longer had to worry about her threats. "Hopefully this time we'll just hear about how some Shadowclanner was rude, rather than another leader making threats." Though... hadn't it been Smokestar making the threats, the last time? Swiftfire wasn't sure, considering her absence from the last gathering as well, but the returning group certainly hadn't given the impression that he was friendly.

YOU CAN BUILD A HOUSE ✿ OR SINK A DEAD BODY

• 
  ✧ shorthaired blue and red tabby chimera molly with green eyes
  ✧ 40 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

​

 

[Hawkcloud]

Hawkcloud also doesn't mind remaining behind at camp while their Clanmates head off to the Gathering that night. Although it's exciting to visit Fourtrees and have the chance to chat with all sorts of cats she usually never lays eyes on, the warrior also finds it nice to enjoy the quiet that settles amongst the reeds when there's less chatter from their Clanmates — where the soft bubbling of the river serves as a backdrop for the harmony of crickets and frogs in the bright moonlight. Her brother had left the camp with the others on their way to Fourtrees, and she only hopes Foxtail has an enjoyable time despite the nervousness he might be feeling. Perhaps they'd be able to go together soon.

Besides, when it comes to relationships with the other Clans, even Hawkcloud's seemingly boundless curiosity wanes. The very idea of conflict with the other cats that make the forest their home seems to fill her Clanmates with unease, which the ever-optimistic she-cat hates to see. If only they always got along, and never had to worry about arguing or bloodshed. The tabby settles herself nearby Swiftfire while her Clanmates discuss the possibilities of the Gathering and the other Clans, and rests her chin upon her snow-furred paws. "Maybe they'll be nice. I bet there will be some new kits born to raise their spirits," Hawkcloud muses to the older warriors. "Newleaf is the perfect time for it!" Unbeknownst to her, the she-cat at her side is expecting kits of her own.​

 

[TURTLEDOVE]

i'm in the in between, honey​

---

Pushing her way out of the apprentice's den, Turtlepaw frowns at the sight of her clanmates dissapearing for the night. She had such a fun time at the last gathering, and was upset she couldn't relive that this moon. The apprentice dragged her feet to where her mentor lay and dropped her body next to him. She tried her best to mimic his posture, crossed paws and all. Turtlepaw glanced at him from her peripherals, trying to see if he noticed.

"I hope it's the most boring gathering ever!" She cried. "I'll be so bummed if something super cool happened and I wasn't there to see it." She waves her tail in greeting to the cats who've arrived. A yawn escaped her jaws and the day's training was definitely settling in her muscles. She had to stay up to see her clanmates' return and see if it really was a boring gathering.

---

‎‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎┌── ooc ⋆⋅☾⋅⋆ info ──┐‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎

• 
  
  speech color
  

• 

• TURTLEPAW ✩ she/her/hers, apprentice of riverclan, 5 moons (ages every 1st)
  ⭃ stocky silver charcoal tabby. tail is a stub. energetic, naive, dim
  ⭃ peaceful and healing powerplay permitted / roughhousing and wrestling encouraged / underline and tag when attacking ↛ see battle info here
  ⭃ penned by muddly ↛ @/muddly on discord, feel free to dm for plots.
  

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[Minkpaw!]

While the lynx-point molly was not fond of Turtlepaw's outburst, she couldn't help but agree with her premise. It was an absolute disgrace that she was left behind this gathering. It was such a missed opportunity! I could be doing something important right now. I could be talking to some naive apprentices from the other clans and finding out good information! It mattered not that she had been allowed at the previous gathering, she should be allowed to go to every gathering. She found herself settling closer to Turtlepaw. Misery loved company.
"I bet it will be super boring. So boring that they'll let us go every time afterward because they can't handle how boring it was. Then we won't miss out on anything ever again!"​

 

[HOUNDSTRIDE.]

Hound'd never had any real loe for the Gatherings. They were a source of anxiety more often than not, stuck watchin' from the shadows as all sorts of vile things were slung from whoever's mouth. Maybe it was nothing more'n the association of it all. Knowing all the cats that had died there to make these clans possible. Knowing just how soon it'd happened. Not long ago at all. They were made unfamiliar through sheer force of will, memories forgotten in a few slow moons dragging past. Going back there would do nothing but tear open his scars, so Houndstride does nothing more'n — hover.

"What was it Bogspider'd said?" he questions, joining the gathered group with his head low and half-lidded eyes tired as he looks through the crowd. Some of these cats he'd never seen alive 'til coming back. Six months, stars above. "Alive. Dead. Making kittens." Eating frogs is specific to the marshes; he won't share that part. One playful paw lifts to push lightly at Minkpaw. "Nothin'll be peaceful with your yapping, that's true enough. But sometimes it'd do us better to have it." His tone may be flat, but verdant eyes sparkle with mirth to lighten him up.

𝐇𝐀𝐌𝐋𝐄𝐓: 𝐎 𝐅𝐔𝐂𝐊.  ╱ ( 𝑬𝑿𝑰𝑻 𝑯𝑨𝑴𝑳𝑬𝑻 ) 〚 03.11.2024 〛 𓆟༝ ˚ ｡ ⋆｡˚ ༝ • .𓆝

• OOC. —
• 𝐇𝐎𝐔𝐍𝐃𝐒𝐓𝐑𝐈𝐃𝐄. HE - HIM - HIS. PRODIGAL WARRIOR OF RIVERCLAN. ————— mauled by a fox moons ago and has the scars to prove it. though his wounds are healed, nothing can rid him of that pain.  ╱ PENNED BY REVELATIONS
  
  a lean chocolate tabby with lime green eyes. the scars that had once been limited to the bridge of his nose now shatter and expand across that entire side of his face, up to a ripped ear and down to his shoulder and front right leg. it is somewhat difficult for him to put his weight on that paw at odd angles, and he gets grumpy after a long while of walking, but it does not inhibit him terribly.

• "speech"

​

 

[claythorn]

Her clanmates spoke amongst themselves of the gathering- Claypaw doesn't ever remember going and with their assessments of how it normally went, she doesn't want to go. A big social event, with drama and then tumultuous news always at the end? It was like a sickening white-water ride. Claypaw had done that once. She didn't think she'd want to fling herself into the rapids again.

She shifts her shoulders, the new scars across them stretching as she remains silent, paws idly kneading old moss into a ball. It'd be good for the young. She thought to herself, golden eyes staring at the corpse of growth between her paws. "It's like that's all we ever do." Claypaw finally spoke up as Houndstride spoke. Her ears twitch, eyes not shifting from the green she had pinned down. Vision only lifted to address the two younger apprentices, studying them blankly before looking away.

✧　°　.　♦　.　°　✧​

ooc Information

• ooc: —
  "yuh"
• 
  
  a large, lh chocolate torbie towering, nine moons old, she/her. well-build and muscled. a drypaw. former river colony cat.

​

 

[hazecloud]

The last time fourtrees had been graced with Hazecloud's presence was the first moon following her return from the journey. An honored guest under the moonlight, where she had just discovered kittens would be in her future. Where she introduced Lichentail to Batwing, and he shared that he had grown his own family in ThunderClan.

I should ask what he's been up to... She thinks as she looked up to the stars quietly. His own would have become apprentices before the new law. She wondered how they were now, what they looked like. If any shared the same handsome green eyes that shined emerald in the sunlight. She was glad at least one of her own had kept Lichentail's chilling blues. She always liked her mates eyes over her own.

She doesn't consider Snakeblink wonderful company to have, but she couldn't help to overhear the conversation. "I didn't hear anything interesting come home from the last gathering." Hazecloud commented as she tried to recall anything notable. It seemed like a typical recollection of events, save for Smogmaw representing Chilledstar that night.

"When you don't know anyone it can be rather fun. But going every moon, it starts to feel the same." She's excited for her chance to return to fourtrees after such a long break from even stepping a paw onto a patrol. She knows there's much she has missed from the other Clans that she'll have to catch up on. Especially from her journey friends.​

 

[QUICKJAW]

"Yeah, we sleep as well, it's a super important part of life you're missing out on Hound," the young warrior flashed a grin towards Claypaw and Houndstride, the impudence of youth making way for a sincere bout of teasing. His mentor's judgment meant that hadn't been to a gathering in a while, the sepia flame point didn't mind as much as some of the others. Representing one's clan was a job like any other, best behavior and professionalism were to be expected and despite the social aspects, it was hardly a time for relaxation. It was a shame though, the gossip at Fourtrees was juicier than any fish. He'd love to be able to sink his teeth into it once more, but... he'd somehow have to go without sharing his own secrets. Aqua gaze cast over each apprentice present, the dusty nose of the tom wrinkled in thought before he suddenly let out a scoff to himself. Whatever thought he'd had originally wasn't worth sharing and instead, the sharp-featured tom turned his head towards Snakeblink. "How d'you feel about being stuck here anyhow?" Someone had to be from Snakeblink's council, lest the camp turn to anarchy in his absence.




​

 

[Snakeblink]

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

Snakeblink listens to everyone’s speculations, nodding idly at the comments that sound most plausible. Kits are more than likely; it’s the season for them, in their clan and others. ”I wonder if there will be fewer apprentices for a while, now that kits must wait six moons to receive a mentor.”

He glances down at his apprentice’s arrival, whiskers twitching as she folds herself into a mirror of his position and yawns wide enough to make her jaw pop. Being an apprentice is hard work, but he’s still surprised he managed to find the limit of her seemingly-boundless energy. The apprentices gathered around still manage to talk eagerly of seeing what happens at the Gathering; he’s sure the experience will lose some of its luster once they’ve been to a few of them and realized how boring sitting around waiting for Thunderclan to talk about new warriors can be.

”Alive, dead, making kittens sounds about right,” he note wryly, glancing at Houndstride — it’s strange to see him around camp again, like seeing a ghost, but it’s a strangeness Snakeblink is more than happy to experience. He missed the tom’s steady presence and easy humor. Turning to Hazecloud, he tilts his head and softens his voice, wary of speaking out of turn to a molly who already does not hold him in high esteem. ”That must be because Lichentail did not go last moon. I’m sure she will know what interesting information to report back to you — the deputies are well-placed to hear every bit of gossip around.”

He can’t help but chuckle at Quickjaw’s question, although he knows it wasn’t meant as a joke. ”Stuck? No, I would much prefer to stay here and keep an eye on you. Stars know what manner of trouble you would get into without supervision — and I have launched rumors of our deputy’s death every single time I was sent to the Gathering in their stead, so clearly I also need to be supervised lest I accidentally convince Flamewhisker I have murdered our medicine cat next.”​

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

ooc. information.

• 
  
• 
  
  
  — Snakeblink • he / him. 50 ☾, riverclan warrior
  — a sleek, skinny tabby with long ears and a scar over his right eye.
  — gay, not actually evil, penned by @Kangoo
  
  
  

​

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