camp MY SONS, MY STARS [✦] Warrior Ceremonies

[SOOTSTAR]

SOOTSTAR​

As leaf-bare makes itself comfortable the winds begin to howl. Breezes that could sit an unsuspecting cat on their rear are not uncommon, most moor runners returned from their patrols with watery eyes. Tunneler’s today had been focusing on putting loose dirt in place after the breezes knocked it out of place. A long day of hardwork, Sootstar leaps onto the Tallrock to end it with a meeting. ”All cats old enough to race the moors gather below the Tallrock for a clan meeting!” Slowly they trickle in, she catches herself waiting for more to appear before remembering ’this is all I’ve got now.’ ”Today my sons become warriors. Adderpaw and Harrierpaw, step forward.” It was hard to believe they had been two small kits at her belly two moons ago. To think they’ve grown up and molted from their shells to become two fine young warriors. ”I, Sootstar, leader of WindClan look down on these apprentices. They have trained hard to become strong and dedicated cats of their clan, and I commend them as warriors in their turn.” As her green gaze washes onto the pelts of her sons they are met with a rare look. Motherly love. ”Adderpaw and Harrierpaw, do you promise to protect and defend your clan even at the cost of your life?”

☾ INFO BATTLE

• @Adderpaw @HARRIERPAW
• 
  » Soot ․ Sootstar
  » WindClan Leader
  » She/her ․ Mate to Weaselclaw
  » Tiny blue smoke she-cat with green eyes.
  » "Speech" ․ thoughts ․ attack
  
• 
  » A high-stamina foe who can be difficult to hit.
  » Excels in quick, short moves.
  » Fights to kill and maim
  » Fatal attack of choice is an underbelly dive.
  » May powerplay minor harm. Can powerplay healing

​

 

[HARRIERSTRIPE]

Harrierpaw had waited for this day for a long, long time.
Every kit born into a clan does, he was certainly no exception. He’d argue, however, he wanted it more than most.

Harrierpaw’s ambition was quiet, but it drove him every second of the day. There was not a moment where he didn’t imagine himself in bigger paws, bigger places, one day he swears he’ll stand as high as Weaselclaw one day- he’ll soar like Sootstar.

He cannot wait to learn the feeling of power flowing through his paws.

Beside his brother, his opponent, he steps forward to say his vows and get his warrior name.

’Do you promise to protect and defend your clan even at the cost of your life?

A smirk rises on his face, ”I do.”

☾ INFO BATTLE

• 
  » Harrierpaw
  » WindClan Apprentice
  » He/him
  » A black and chocolate chimera with golden eyes.
  » "Speech" ․ thoughts ․ attack
  
• 
  » A foe who uses jeers and jaunts to distract his opponents.
  » Excels in using terrain to his advantage.
  » Fights to outwit and see another day.
  » May powerplay minor harm. Can powerplay healing

​

 

[Azaleafrost]

Today was the day, huh?? Harrierpaw and Adderpaw were becoming warriors. It's been....Nine moons already? She remembers when they were born, for star's sake. Did this make her old?? She felt old. But she remembers her bitterness, her loathing. How they are treated as superior to everyone else as if they were chosen by Starclan themselves, even when Adderpaw was so adamant on wearing an twoleg accessory like some kittypet.

She remembers them looking down on her, and she seethes. She turns her blank stare on the two toms. Have they trained as hard as she has? Worked as hard as she has? Of course not, she thinks. Life was easy for them. They were privileged enough to have high ranking parents, of course anything they did was good enough. They have not suffered as she has, have not risen from nothing as she has.

Beneath her. She decides this very moment that they are beneath her.

Perhaps one day she will crush them herself.

But that day is not today. Today, she has to pretend to be happy for them. She must, or the ire of her parents and the clan will be thrown her way. She will not toss away what little she has so easily.​

 

[SUNSTAR]

✦　　. 　 ˚　.   This is a time of great transitions, and Sunstride cannot say that he expected this one. He knew the moons drug on, and that Adderpaw no longer stood so far beneath him. In their trainings, the precocious tom became even more of a threat. The days that their sparring became more of a brawl, and his victory not entirely ensured– that is when he knew it would not take much longer. Yet today, now. How strange. He will not greet his apprentice to a rank that they share. Sunstride may act as any warrior, yet it is a full step above. He will order him as he always has. The only difference now is that he has trained him for every duty to come, and will trust him to see it through. Sootstar must agree with his readiness, or she would not call his name now.

Complicated pride welling around his lungs, the sunset-pelt tomcat sits beneath with his chest full and his head high. There is a glimmer in his own eyes that is not paternal, but something that they could not find another word for. Trust, expectation — pride. None of it is enough. None of it is right. Still, he seems to glow with approval of his own as he waits for Adderpaw to speak his same conviction.

𝘏𝘈𝘕𝘋𝘚𝘖𝘔𝘌 𝘈𝘚 𝘓𝘐𝘍𝘌 𝘈𝘕𝘋 𝘗𝘖𝘐𝘚𝘖𝘕; 𝘚𝘜𝘕-𝘉𝘓𝘖𝘖𝘋 𝘏𝘈𝘕𝘋𝘚𝘖𝘔𝘌  ╱╱ 9.16.2023 ˊˎ＜

• OOC. —
• ✦　　. 　 ˚　.  SUNSTRIDE. FORMERLY SUNNVAR. HE - HIM - HIS OR THEY - THEM. DEPUTY OF WINDCLAN. 4 YEARS OLD. PENNED BY REVELATIONS.  —————————
  
  
  ——  a tall auburn tabby with thick fur and bright glacial eyes. sunstride is broad and bold– a creature standing above most of windclan, though not a beast beyond it, with fur that flames red and deepens to a burnt amber with every stripe. his eyes, in comparison, are a pale summer's blue, still as bold as the rest of them. he radiates confidence and self-assured authority.
  
  

  ✦ NPC x NPC. DECEASED MOTHER, ESTRANGED FATHER. NO LITTERMATES. MATE TO WOLFSONG. FATHER TO BEARKIT, SINGEDKIT, RIVEKIT, SUNLITKIT, AND FEATHERKIT ——

• "speech"

​

 

[cottonsprig]

Huh...

Cottonpaw hadn't been counting the moons. Her mother gathers everyone together for the ceremonies of her brothers, and yet the medicine cat apprentice can't help but feel bittersweet about it. Of their litter of five, only two are stepping into adulthood today. Moorpaw is weakened in the badger sett and Bluepaw still has a couple moons to go. And her... Cottonpaw suddenly feels like she'll never earn her name.

Not only that, but their father isn't here to see it either. She joins the crowd in complete silence, her smile existing but hollow. She has to show up for her brothers at least. None of the misfortune is their fault, after all. They deserve all of the celebration they can get.​

 

[GRAVELSNAP]

Gravelsnap is not a fan of most of Sootstar’s kits, with the important exceptions of Cottonpaw and of course Bluepaw. Adderpaw and Harrierpaw are both nuisances to the clan, apprentices with whom the black and white tom holds no care for. The only reason that he even approaches at the leader’s call is because he thinks, mistakenly, for a moment that it might be Bluepaw receiving her warrior name today. Unfortunately, being a tunneler means that she won’t graduate for even longer than her brothers. At least she’ll hopefully be made a warrior before Cottonpaw is given her full name.

Sootstar asks the two young toms her usual questions about dedicating their lives to their clan, but something seems to be missing. Perhaps the ceremony has simply changed since Gravelsnap became a warrior—or maybe they’re remembering it wrong. They have been preoccupied as of late, either busy hunting for the clan or staring distractedly into the distance in the direction the journeying cats had left in.​

[ you put the fun into dysfunction ]​

​

 

[Addervenom]

Life doesn't discriminate

Adderpaw dreamed of this day. Fought tooth and nail during his training with Sunstride to clutch this very moment within his claws. He was getting ready to step into another level of power as the title of warrior is bestowed upon him. It was honorable, sure. But it paled in comparison to the positions his family held. That of lead warrior and even the coveted crown as leader. That, of course, was his next target. To claw his way up the chain of command and his burning ambition would eagerly spur him along.

He believed himself more than ready as he stepped up beside his brother. Chin high and radiating confidence. The rare flash of tender love is greedily absorbed by the tabby's eyes. A memory to be engraved within his mind forever and in response the brute straightens his posture a hair more. "Do you promise to protect and defend your clan even at the cost of your life?” With a curt nod Adderpaw follows up swiftly after his brother. "I do." Although the crowd is small he could care less. His reward is granted to him in the form of Sootstar's recognition. The only other cat missing to complete the puzzle is Weasleclaw, laying around a ring of other sick clanmates. ​

Between the sinners and the saints​

​

​

​

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[SOOTSTAR]

SOOTSTAR​

To hear them both take their vow, it made her heart twinge with pride. How strong these two were, how powerful and feared they would one day come to be. "Then I give you your warrior names. Adderpaw, from this moment on you will be known as Addervenom. WindClan honors your strength and fighting skill, we welcome you as a full warrior of WindClan!" Sootstar prays, to whatever demon gods that might hear her, that her son becomes just as deadly as his new name. May he strike as fast as an adder to bring down WindClan's enemies and bring glory to his kin. To her. Sootstar touches his nose to his tabby head, only pulling away once she feels the lick against her shoulder. Now her other son. "Harrierpaw, from this moment on you will be known as Harrierstripe. WindClan honors your cunning and ambition, we welcome you as a full warrior of WindClan!" Harrierstripe had always been her quieter son, but she sees the storm that brews in his mind. Sootstar just has to hope he learns how to be louder with it, if he had any intent of rising in station with his mother crowned, he'd have to work day and night to earn it. Both of her sons would. If they were truly of her blood they'd prove themselves worthy in no time. She places her black nose on his brown-striped forehead, he licks her shoulder and gives her a look of determination. She all but acknowledges it as she turns away dismissively and scales the Tallrock.

☾ INFO BATTLE

• 
  » Soot ․ Sootstar
  » WindClan Leader
  » She/her ․ Mate to Weaselclaw
  » Tiny blue smoke she-cat with green eyes.
  » "Speech" ․ thoughts ․ attack
  
• 
  » A high-stamina foe who can be difficult to hit.
  » Excels in quick, short moves.
  » Fights to kill and maim
  » Fatal attack of choice is an underbelly dive.
  » May powerplay minor harm. Can powerplay healing

​

 

[whitedawn]

Meetings were a constant tradition that Whitepaw had a minimal fondness for. But she couldn't miss this one, not at all. There was no denying that she was surprisingly close to the Moor Queen's youngest children to various degrees, given she was denmates for them for the first few moons. Though of them, she was closest to Adderpaw and Cottonpaw, considering the two of the five littermates practically her closest friends. And while she had given few thoughts about her own name when the time would ideally come and the fact that she and Cottonpaw may no longer receive theirs at the same time, she wouldn't miss Adderpaw or Harrierpaw receiving their names. Soon, they were given their new names, Addervenom and Harrierstripe, the names suiting them both. The meeting was swift to end after the fact, and there was little time for a clamor or cheering to start with the clan's dwindled numbers. But she took the brief moment to bound over to the brothers, wanting to at least give her congratulations. "Addervenom, Harrierstripe! Congratulations!" She purred softly as she looked between the two. ​

[I'M BREATHING]​

 

[Gooseberry]

Gooseberry has never been one to come to the beckoning of clan meetings with haste, despite being a member of the clan that is all about speed. It was hard to put forth effort when he finds them to be a bore, typically. But this one, he tries not to ignore. Had it really been nine moons already since Sootstar delivered her sons’ litter? Time sure flies by, quick as the wind.

He can’t help but to admit to himself that the lack of cats surrounding him does make him feel some sort of sorrow. How soon would it be until they are no more? Would it reach that point? He might outwardly appear like he doesn’t care about much, including his clanmates, but to see this home that they made for themselves lost would upset him greatly.

Hopefully, it doesn’t come to that. Right now, though, there should be pride at the prospect of new warriors joining his rank. Some might call bias, some might feel like they don’t deserve it, but that is not for him to judge. He ignores any tension and calls their new names out. “Addervenom! Harrierstripe!”​

 

[Bluepool]

Bluepool did not think this day would come so soon. Harrierpaw and Adderpaw were becoming warriors. Already? She remembers like it was just yesterday that her nephews were running under her feet, mewling for their mother when one of them tripped. Is this what it felt like to be old?

She comes to the summons of her sister and she tilts her head upward to regard the dark furred who call them all together and she wonders if she is proud. Harrierpaw is certainly a force to be reckoned with but Adderpaw... She still has not forgotten the incident with the twolegs, with the tag that his mother had needed to rip out herself because he had been too much of a baby to do it himself. She regards both of them now with impassive golden eyes. Personally, she doesn't think either of them are ready but she would not voice such a thought. Instead, she adds her voice to the rest of the throng cheering for her nephews. "Addervenom! Harrierstripe!"

​

 

[BLUEFROST]

Bluepaw comes to stand beside her sister, keeping just enough of a distance so that their pelts do not brush. She regards Cottonpaw with cool green eyes, noting the surprise in her face. Perhaps she is regretting her lifetime of servitude to Wolfsong; her naming ceremony would certainly come later than their brothers’, than Moorpaw’s and Bluepaw’s. She says nothing to her littermate, instead choosing to focus on the brothers being knighted beneath their mother’s watchful gaze.

Each brother speaks their vow, confident and solemn. “I do.” For a moment, Bluepaw allows herself to imagine she is in their paws, under Sootstar’s proud green glare. Were her littermates ready for the vows she asks them to say?

Harrierstripe and Addervenom lift their heads, anointed with their mother’s muzzle. Bluepaw does as is customary—as is right: “Harrierstripe! Addervenom!” Both of them are strong names, names that will serve them well as WindClan warriors. She can only hope one day she will receive the same honor.

✧ INFO.

•  
• 
  — bluekit . bluepaw
  — she/her, apprentice of windclan
  — bisexual ; single
  — long-haired blue she-cat with white and green eyes
  — “speech”, thoughts, attack
  — penned by Marquette
  — art by Meg

​

 

[breezerunner]

Breezerunner listens quietly and attentively to Adderpaw and Harrierpaw's warrior ceremonies. He isn't even old, but it feels like just yesterday that Sootstar and Weaselclaw had welcomed their brood into the world. They should make fine warriors, he thinks. He tries not to dwell on the past when he thinks of his own warrior ceremony... The name he'd gained before either of his siblings, nor the jealously he felt when they'd been made tunnelers' apprentices and he- too large and lithe for the job- had been made a moor runner's apprentice instead.

He sits up straight as Sootstar announces their full warrior names. He's had limited interactions with the stormy Harrierstripe, but seems mostly like he'll make a good warrior despite his brooding. And it had been just a few days ago that he'd been on a patrol with Addervenom who'd reminded them of the importance of concentration on the task at hand. They'd been asked by Sunstride for he and Snakehiss to teach him a thing or two, but it felt all for naught. Breezerunner had felt drowned out by both of their sharp yet diametrically opposed personalities. Addervenom should make a fine warrior, too. "Addervenom! Harrierstripe!" He calls with the rest of his clanmates, joyful for their ceremonies to have come and gone.
​

 

[SPARROWBREEZE]

She doesn’t admit it, but Sparrowpaw cannot help the disappointing twinge of envy she feels at the call for only Adderpaw and Harrierpaw to step forward. Having earned her apprentice name alongside Sootstar’s second litter, the moor-runner in training might have been alongside the duo, had things gone differently.

But, the moor princes’ ceremonies have already been marred by sickness - a father and sibling unable to cheer them on from their residency in the badger den. Adderpaw and Harrierpaw didn’t need the blight of an outsider standing beside them too, did they? Less so, one that hadn’t completed the last pieces of her own training until recently; simple milestones that took Sparrowpaw too long to complete.

The brown tabby watches from the crowd, ears twitching as apprentice names are shed, as warrior names are bestowed upon the two. “Addervenom! Harrierstripe!” she chants strong names alongside her clanmates, holding onto the hope that she will be on the opposite side of the next meeting’s cheers.
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