camp IVY CUDGEL | official kit intro + chaos

[FERNDANCE]

It had been a long moon or so within the nursery, left with her thoughts, it had given the cinnamon tabby some time to soul-search. She wasn't quite sure what she'd discovered, other than an intolerance for the smell of mint, but the grief of her hero's death had begun to lessen. Talking about Sprucepaw to her little ones had helped, she didn't know if they understood how much the apprentice's sacrifice had meant to her, but from their names to their motives, she hoped they would never forget that devotion to family meant devotion to duty and sacrifice. Her little ones did not need to be loyal to her, but they needed to be loyal to each other, nature was a savage beast and it would not be gentle in the face of innocence. Watching them play among each other, Ferndance stood up and entered a crouch, squinting at the light that pierced through the brambles.

"Bonekit, Bloodkit, Shadekit, Snowykit..." she cooed, voice soft even as she tried to speak over the sound of their mews. A gentle smile graced her muzzle, her breaths accentuated with purrs. 'To have found things that I love more than myself... it makes it all feel worth it'. "It is time to leave the nest... for a time. There are a lot of fun things to explore and bite." Permission to venture, permission to make their views of the world and behave in their ways. Her mama had made it seem easy, but Ferndance couldn't help but feel the flutter in her heart at the idea of them splitting up - her eyes may not be able to track all four at once. She pushed out into the light, throat growing dry: she would just have to rely on her clanmates... the thought was not very inspiring. Pupils briefly scanned for Needledrift before she turned back towards the den, where four shapes lingered. She had prepared her children for the outdoor world for a whole thirty seconds, worries be damned. Life was chaos, and explaining every little social faux pas would be meaningless if they didn't find fulfillment in fitting in. Bonekit, who never seemed able to show just how strong his emotions were. Bloodkit, who seemed so enthused to do the right thing that she had sworn up a storm at another kitten that had been ungrateful towards their surrogate. Shadekit, who had modeled themselves after their mother for better or for worse. Snowykit, who seemed to follow her wily siblings into whatever they wanted to do without thought of the wider consequences.

These were not kittens that wanted to be 'normal' by clan standards, and she was fine with that - it was not like they had been born under 'normal' means. "Enjoy yourself... don't eat the snow, it tastes like soggy leaves."

[ please wait for one of the kiddos to reply first! they're gonna be all over the place HBVJDKS: @Bonekit. , @BLOODKIT , @SHADEKIT , @snowykit ]
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[splashdance]

Sprucepaw, would we have been friends?

Friends like she and Shadekit, Bonekit, and Bloodkit. Siblings from beginning to end, built in companionship that will never fade. She gnaws eagerly on the ear of one of her littermates, her teeth paining her gums and this form of roughhousing being the only way she can be rid of the discomfort. Would their savior, their sacrificee, enjoy a tumble with them? The life lost to a creature unknown to the black kitten, would it so eagerly and happily hold her close and laugh with her?

The chill has never left her nose. She sputters out bits of kitten fluff when Ferndance summons them, the metaphorically closed doors of the nursery opening with each syllable. Freedom - but only so much. The leash is lengthened, not released, and yet the kitten feverishly accepts the shift in leniency. Tufted paws are quick to gain on the nursery's exit, the pathing covered with countless tiny, tiny snowflakes. She smiles - though the grin shifts into a frown and her ears pin back at Ferndance's final warning. "I don' taste like soggy leaves... do I?" No, she thinks she's more akin to... moss and milk.

In any case, she releases herself into the thrall of the outside world. The camp is louder than the nursery, grander, busier too. Blue eyes feast on everything and whilst any other day, Snowykit would've followed on the heels of her siblings, the youth ventures on her own. She trots (moreso, stumbles,) quickly to the first bit of bramble and gorse she sees - unknowingly, the exit - and lets out a squeal of, "Ex-cuuuuse me!!" as she goes.

[ anyone is free to stop her! <3 ]​

 

[Skunktail]

—————————————————————⊰☆⊱————————————————————
He had just been returning back from a patrol to the sound of joyous mewls, his ears pinning back curiously before he remembers the source: he forgot often that they had a nursery more full than their freshkill pile and the thought of it made him grimace as he considered whether or not he'd take Briarpaw out hunting one more time before it got too dark. A tiny white and black figure ambles along toward him at the bramble entrance and he swiftly steps forward to intercept.
A thick plume of a black tail flicks up, the white stripe along it flashing like a warning as he brushes it upward in the kitten's path, "No you don't, little sootball." He raises a paw, gesturing for the adventurous kitten to go back the way she came from while making a point to not even look in Ferndance's direction, all he can see when that cinnamon flash of color crosses his vision is Sprucepaw's body strewn across the ground in a bloom of red and white.
"Kittens stay in camp, outside its dangerous..." As their birth had already made quite clear, who knew if that fox was even still roaming the area though from what he knew no patrol had brought it up since; he certainly hoped Chilledstar would let them all know if anymore information came of the predator.
Skunktail's tone with the child was strained, he didn't often interact with kittens - he had not bothered poking his nose around his own nieces and nephews since he had no idea how to interact with them; so he opted to just talk to them like he would his own apprentice. Stern but careful, friendly but not overbearing.

☆ ———— promise me she's not your world ☆ ———————— 'Cause Andy, you're a star

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  Skunktail
  —⊰⋅ Warrior of ShadowClan
  —⊰⋅ He/Him
  "SPEECH", 'THOUGHTS', ATTACK
  —⊰⋅ SH Black & white tom w/spearmint green eyes
  

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[SHADEPAW]

Shadekit tried to grasp the gravity of Sprucepaw's sacrifice, but it was hard for her to understand. Grief and death had met Shadekit at birth, but she knew neither personally yet. She just knew that Sprucepaw had been a hero. She was pleased to share some similiar features with the late apprentice- dark fur, at least one green eye, according to the descriptions she had been given. Sprucepaw's actions had allowed Shadekit and her siblings to live. Her siblings, who she was supposed to stick by. Sprucepaw was the reason that Shadekit was now getting to go explore the camp without a babysitter at her side. She was as grateful as she could be, but only when death became an acquaintance would she really understand.

Until then, she was as innocent as they came, focused on playing, sleeping, and stopping Snowykit from giving her a drop-ear. At Ferndance's gentle call, Shadekit turned, eyes wide. They had all left the nest before, but always at the close side of a mother. This- this was an invitation to go out, to explore, to bite... without clinging to someone else. Wide eyes got wider. With a, "Okay, Mama!" she was only a mouse-length behind Snowykit, almost bumped into her when the black kitten halted to respond to Ferndance's advice, scooted around her because she knew that she didn't taste like soggy leaves. She probably tasted like something cooler, like darkness and rain. Their rush to get out of the nursery stalled out when they got a few feet from it, gaze scanning around for anything of interest. Snowykit took off with confidence in her steps, and Shadekit watched for a few beats before swinging around and pattering after her, whiskers angled forward. There was a gap in the brambles, promising an even wider world, and Shadekit stopped in their tracks, but Snowykit kept going. They opened her mouth, ready to ask their sister what she was up to, but then the looming figure of Skunktail intercepted.

He looked sharp but was kind of soft in voice. Broken ice on dark moss. "Her name's not 'little sootball,' it's Snowykit," She giggled, padding up and affectionately butting her head against her sister. "because she got hit in the face with snow when we were reaaally little, and that's why she has the white markings on her face, too!" She knew that wasn't how white markings happened, from experience with her own, but they thought it would be funny if that was the truth. Espesically since Skunktail had a lot of white on him... he must have had so much snow dumped on him as a baby. She continued, bouncing on her paws, "Have you ever ate snow? Like, the kind outside th' camp?" Maybe it only tasted like soggy leaves in the camp.​

 

[Needledrift]

It was a rare moment that Needledrift was not out with her apprentice or devising up a new lesson plan these days. Lividpaw's training was of the utmost importance to her. He would grow to be one of the greatest warriors ShadowClan would ever see, of this she was going to be certain. However... surely Lividpaw could wait just a minute as she went to check on her kits?

'Check on her kits' was definitely a stretch. Bloodkit, Bonekit, Shadekit, and Snowykit were all paw-fulls already, inheriting the best of worst of their mother from the word go. They were wild and silly and apparently were omnipotent little things, judging by how Shadekit so helpfully recounted how her sister had been named. It produced a chuckle from the gray and white she-cat to see them out and about and causing trouble in no time.

"Skunktail is right, you'll have to wait til you're older to explore more, dearest." She rasps her tongue over her youngest daughter's ears, smoothing out the fluffy fur atop her head. To Shadekit, she offers a purr and a smile. "It's not required of any cat to eat snow in this forest, but in the mountains sometimes I had a mouthful to quench my thirst. It was cold and froze my throat just to swallow." She fibbed back at her child. The snow piles around the camp were muddy and disheveled by half a hundred dirty paws coming to and from. It was best that the kits didn't eat any of that snow. speech is in #B9D0F5​

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[CHITTERTONGUE]

જ➶ Hearing about the kits and even how they came into the world has made him antsy. There is no exact reason why though maybe there is. Especially given how it all happened. He supposes he can understand, yes, yes he can. This place is dangerous but the risk is so much greater away from numbers. He would know, Sprucepaw knows now. Dead and gone. His body slips up alongside Needledrift and he stares at the kits. Only seeing them out of his molten amber gaze. His maw crinkles and tightens, stretching before relaxing as he chuckles softly. "The snow here is full of surprises." Some fun and others not so much. The way to the entrance need not entice them too soon. They will get to see it through safer means soon enough anywah. As he steps back he glances to Skunktail but his expression draws blank.

He seems withdrawn before looking away and to the kits. Debating on something though what that is is hard to tell. Still he finds himself amused by the smaller ones of the camp grounds.​

 

[Wheattail]

every day, Wheattail was growing more grateful that she’d never abandoned Shadowclan. Ferndance and Needledrift, the cats who’d first greeted the former loner, had a family now. The new warrior wanted desperately to say something deep and profound, or look elegant at the very least, but she couldn’t help herself as she trotted towards the tiny bundles.

“They are so precious!” She squealed, sliding up next to Needledrift and wrapping a wheaten tail around herself, amber eyes excitedly watching the quarter’s actions. It was strange, Shadowclan seemed to be the embodiment of blessings birthed from tragedies. Wheattail was well acquainted with both, but isolation and age taught her that focusing on the former was usually for the best.

Melancholic reflections were interrupted by a huff of laughter as she witnessed Snowykit’s accidental attempt to leave camp. “If you two have me babysit, I swear that will not happen. Well, not too often, at least” Wheattail half-joked, well aware that she should likely not be allowed within a fox-length of the kits if it came with any measure of responsibility, but still eager to care for the children of those she considered her close friends.​

 

[Bonechill.]

*+:｡.｡ Devotion to family meant devotion to duty and sacrifice.

A law that Bonekit would live by and cherish until his dying breath.
Big words for such a small kit, but his dull grey-green eyes glowed with a frightening fire whenever the subject came to mind.

And on his mind, it sat as the boy stood like a sentinel at the mouth of his childhood home. His youngest sister was the first to spread her raven's wings and take flight, leaping into the clearing a second behind their mother, followed soon after by Shadekit. Devotion to family was an easy concept for the young boy to learn, as he felt it every day when his chest swelled with warmth at the sight of his siblings' laughter. Perhaps a taste of the chaos he'd been born into had lingered in his spirit since day one, or maybe more likely the tales of Sprucepaw's sacrifice rang like the omen song of a carrion bird approaching the soon-to-die, but Bonekit took on the protector role of the litter to heart. He couldn't imagine a world without his mothers and siblings. Without Ferndance's laughter, Needledrift's steady presence, Bloodkit's confidence, Shadekit's mischief, and Snowykit's shine. He couldn't imagine it, and he didn't want to. As sure as he was grateful that this faceless Sprucepaw had died to keep his family safe, he was determined to stay alive to continue that effort. Bonekit would do anything to keep his family safe, just as his honorary sister, Sprucepaw, had.

He wished he could've met her though, this Sprucepaw, who lived by his family's code better than anyone. She was an honorary sister in his eyes, a role model, a hero, he lays awake at night dreaming to someday, somehow, make her proud. What does it mean to die? To be dead, and buried, your image becomes a list of descriptive traits instead of a true creature with a voice and a scent and a warmth to be touched. But he's still certain he's felt it. Sprucepaw can't truly be dead if her story lives on in every breath he and his family take.

But instead of the mythical molly, Bonekit is fated to meet a myriad of other felines, none -in his youthful opinion - quite living up to her standard. His eyes particularly fall on Skunktail as his large namesake flattens the ground in front of Bonekit's sister's nose, blocking her from her promised world of exploration.
Duty and sacrifice, Bonekit thinks, getting to his feet.

Bonekit steps quietly after his siblings, the palest of the lot and just as ghostly. Passing by Ferndance, he pauses to brush against her, ears twitching as Shadekit's explanation for their sister's name reaches him. A smile instantly cracks open the hard shell of his alabaster face, a giggle escaping him as he imagines his littlest sister with a face full of frost and how that could inspire a name. Padding past his mother, he comes up behind his second one - Needledrift. But before he can give the grey and white molly a similar side-hug of greeting, both her sides are stolen by a flaming molly that reminds him of a stripe-less Bloodkit and an unusual-looking lilac tabby who he's seen not a few times around his second mother.
Bonekit's expression doesn't change, but he does sniff disappointed at not getting proper wiggle room. But where he would've just butted in any way, laying claim to Needledrift's side and glaring at Chittertogue and Wheattail for having dared think they had any claim to HIS mother's company, he chooses instead to walk past them both. He's on a mission, you see.


His path takes him right up too Skunktail. The little silver and cinnamon tom lifts his gaze at the larger warrior, the more animated movement potentially signifying awe as he gazes at the man. But looks - especially expressions - are always deceiving on a tom whose face emotes less than an exposed bone. That's about all the warning @Skunktail gets when, without a word, Bonekit turns his eyes upon his tail and promptly bites down on the white-striped fluff as hard as his little jaws will allow. Unfortunately, a lot of fur rests between Bonekit's fangs and Skuntail's skin, so there's a high chance he will barely even graze the older tom's flesh, but not from a lack of trying.

Ferndance did say that Bonekit and his siblings were free to explore and bite.

And as the determined heir to Sprucepaw's legacy, Bonekit is determined to ward off all evil from his siblings! Even if his definition of "evil" might still be a bit harsh considering Skunktail had only had the best of intentions when he stopped Snowkit.

*+:｡.｡ Updated 12/15/23

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  GENERAL:
  ☠ Shadowclan — Kit
  ☠ DMAB— He/Him — Unsure
  ☠ 3 moons — Ages 1 moon every month real-time
  ☠ Son to Ferndance x Needledrift
  ☠ Brother to Bloodkit, Shadekit, Snowkit
  
  
  
  
  
  
  COMBAT:
  ☠Physically easy | mentally hard
  ☠ Attack in bold #738171
  injuries: None currently

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