pafp NO MORE HEROES / gift for elkskull

[SNAILSTRIDE]

A few apprentices had become warriors recently: Lemontongue, Sootchase, Windswift, and Elkskull. It was difficult to ignore that the marbled tabby should've been there among them, ready to receive their own special name. Like their namesake, they were taking their sweet time getting to where they needed to be, and recent events had only killed the sensitive feline's motivation further. Galeforce had been a good warrior, Dandelionwish a good medicine cat, if the best of WindClan could be cast aside like prey bones, what would happen to the worst? What would happen to them? It was a question that bothered them at all hours of the day, so much so that they were hunting more just to avoid having the time to think about it - today though, Snailpaw didn't come back with prey. They held their head at a weird angle, their cheeks puffed out like a chipmunk's as they waddled into camp. Their attention skittered around, either oblivious or ignoring the odd glances from clanmates, until their round eyes settled on an aforementioned new warrior. They lept through the slush and much, weaving a path through the bustling camp until they were a short distance away from Elkskull.

Skidding to a halt in front of the new warrior, the tabby first attempted to grin through the item in their mouth, but finding the gesture too difficult, they lowered their head to deposit it. Falling out of Snailpaw's mouth was a particularly large, particularly slobbery pebble - smooth on one edge, rugged, and split in two on the other. If the apprentice squinted (and they meant really squinted), they thought it resembled a cervine's skull and at that point, they knew they'd need to show it to the other. "Haaaaaappy warrior promotion!" They beamed, grit stuck between their teeth as they smiled. Being an apprentice forever sounded awful, but being a warrior did not feel like a piece of cake either. Having to care for the next generation... being expected to fight and die even more willingly for your home... there was a promise of freedom that felt like another lie. Snailpaw hoped Elkskull would be pleased with his promotion though, their own thoughts on clan life didn't matter much as long as their clanmates were happy. "I got this to celebrate your big day! It reminded me of you so... here!" They nudged the multi-faceted stone closer, a twinkle in their eye as they expectantly awaited Elkskull's reaction.

@ELKSKULL

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[ELKSKULL]

It's different now. It feels that way anyway. To have his full name and to be free from the confines of being an apprentice. He can leave this place when he wants now and not have someone following him, talking his ear off. Though he supposes he doesn't exactly mind the ones that talk and talk and nothing comes out of their jaws. The ivory warrior sits in camp with these thoughts spinning in his head as he draws a pink tongue across his paw. His frigid eyes glimmer as he watches others in the camp. He is normally watching the other cats that occupy Windclan. Wondering what they are doing, what they are thinking. If they will be a problem, if they are benign. It's all just out of curiosities sake of course. That is until he notices someone come flying towards him, sliding across the sloppy ground and then smiling with something in their jaws. Blinkijg slowly he drops his paw back down upon the dry spot he had procured, that seemingly strange small smile upon his muzzle. "Snailpaw." He lightly breathes the other's name before they drop something.

His ears angle forward as he looks at the rock that they brought to him and then a congratulations was given. Truly he never expected anyway to give him anything or even congratulate him beyond chanting his name at the ceremony. Hm. Hm. He is trying to process this but he has become unsure. Did Snailpaw want something? This rock made them think of him and he leans down, eyes examining the object despite the drool. His paw reaches forward and he nods almost thoughtfully. "You are the only one to tell me that. Much appreciated. I promise that I will hold on to this, Snailpaw. Do you want to share prey with me?" His smile widens and as weird as it looks it is in earnest. ​

 

[SOOTSTAR]

It was a nice sight to see her clan-mates celebrating each other. More often than not, remaining apprentices remained bitter and jealous after warrior ceremonies, especially if one was held behind. Snailpaw seems to still keep good spirits and even gifts Elkskull for the accomplishment. Sootstar watches this all from her perch on Tallrock, where she lays sunbathing in whatever light she could get. A small smile forms on her face.

”Precious,” The word casts a warm breath into her fur.​

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Spoiler: TAGS ★ 01/07

( primary character / "speech" / ic opinions )​

╰ ★ ჻ 001 GENERAL INFORMATION ,
· SOOTSTAR, female — she / her
╰ ‣ 34 moons . pisces. ages on the first
╰ ‣ windclan leader . marsh-born . believes in starclan
╰ ‣ former soldier of the marsh group

╰ ★ ჻ 002 VISUALS & AESTHETICS ,
· DOMESTIC FELINE, smells like heather and wet dirt , status — 100%
╰ ‣ blue smoke . scarred chest, difficult to see through fur . green eyes

╰ ★ ჻ 003 MENTALITY & MANNERISMS ,
· ESTJ-A ❝ EXECTUTIVE ❞ , Slytherin, Lawful Evil
╰ ‣ Cunning, brash, fierce, confident, self-reliant, envious & selfish
╰ ‣ finds great difficulty in relating to others . can be cruel, usually shows mercy to those she can find sympathy with
╰ ‣ sole key to her heart is loyalty, if you have her trust, she often shows a completely different side of herself. Aggression tends to manifest from her extreme paranoia
╰ ‣ Appreciates titles such as "miss, m'am" etc

╰ ★ ჻ 004 INTERACTIONS & RELATIONSHIPS ,
· SOOT CLAW x PEBBLE BREEZE, sister to Pebblenose
╰ ‣ heterosexual. mate to Weaselclaw
╰ ‣ mother to Windpaw & Sootpaw
╰ ‣ mentor to Smokepaw & Coyotepaw
╰ ‣ average fighter . skilled hunter .
╰ ‣ will start fights . unlikely to flee .
╰ ‣ attack in underline . penned by user @ava.​

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[bunnywhisker]

Bunnywhisker hadn't thought of gifting something to another before. It seems almost obvious, watching Snailpaw present the newly named Elkskull a rather odd stone. But like most things, she simply hadn't thought of it prior. The she-cat doesn't take the time to beat herself up for her own inaction or self perception of ineptitude - instead she trots closer to the two felines (some of her only friends left, she thinks.) She observes the snowy and spit littered rock, attempting to make sense of it at a wrong angle before giving up.

"Unfair, Snailpaw," Bunny teases, her smile only widening slightly. Snailpaw is a little dense, and so the tabby hopes the other stumbles only for a moment as she continues, "You hadn't gotten me anything when I became a moor runner. And I thought you liked me." Her grin morphs into a pout, briefly, before she nudges the apprentice with the previous grin again. "I'm just joking," she clarifies. Then the fem turns towards Elkskull, looking him over for a moment, wondering if anything shows different about him. Nope - same empty headed tom cat she hung out with sometimes. That's okay, though. "Really, though - congrats. I'd offer to help you out with a new nest, befitting of a warrior - but there's nothing out there right now worthy of nesting." She shrugs after her words.
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[LEMONTONGUE]

It feels like everyone else who became a warrior with Lemontongue gets their own moment to celebrate.

Sootchaser and Windstrider are a given - the two are Sootstar's own children. Anything they do is bound to get some sort of congratulations - is probably some milestone to celebrate, in the eyes of the leader. Lemontongue can't help to be jealous that they're able to have a parent here to celebrate with them. The cinnamon tabby is left with his mind, is left to wonder if Honeytwist would celebrate with him, if she were here.

And now, Lemontongue is left to watch as Snailpaw bounds over to Elkskull - a gift for the white-furred warrior between their teeth. Yet another moment of celebration. Yet another moment of envy. How lucky Elkskull was - Sootchaser and Windstrider were - to have someone to celebrate with.

"What," he starts, a teasing tone evident in his voice despite the stinging he feels in his chest, "Nothing for me?" He doesn't expect much from the apprentice, or anyone else really. Still he nods to his fellow warrior, tail twitching behind him.

"Congratulations, by the way," he tells Elkskull. He deserves it, after all. The rock, the promotion, the praise. All of it. Just as Sootstar's children do.
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[Firefang]

Firepaw isn't surprised in the slightest Snailpaw was skipped over again maybe if he put as much work into actually training and becoming a suitable windclan warrior as he did finding pretty rocks then he'd have been one moons ago. Instead he continues to torture her with his incompetence, she really can't ever understand him she's tried pushing him but he wasn't the kind of cat to budge really much rather he liked to just roll over and take it if not completely ignore it. She left him alone more lately, both because she was busy more often then not training with dumb ole' dopey Badgermoon but because part of her felt bad about harrasing him after everything. She could say the same about most the other apprentices, for now she lets them be merely watches them wondering if some of their treacherous words and beliefs would fester or if they'd well grow up and see how good they had it here in Windclan under Sootstar's leadership. Snailpaw would do good to work harder to prove himself, if he didn't she'd be a warrior next gathering and oh would she hold it over his head.

One thing was for sure as she padded over, muzzle crinkled up in a cringe as she looked down at Elkskull's paws to the saliva drenched rock and that was she prayed to starclan he had some sense not to give the same thing to her. How Bunnywhisker and Lemontongue were envious of the gross gift was beyond her - they'd lost their minds. She doesn't get either why Sootstar can call it cute either, starclan that thing looked so disgusting. ❝Why is it so wet and goopy? Are you somehow related to Nightmareface or somethin?❞ she still can't stomach staying to close to that Tunneler in particular how Icepaw deals with her she can scarcely imagine. She shakes her head taking a step back as if it's grossness would infect her if she stood too close.
She casts a look briefly towards Lemontongue another of the apprentices who earned their warrior name briefly dipping her head to him despite well her envy (it's not enough to make her angry just impatient, she wants to join them to be accepted as a full warrior but she has to wait just a while longer! And it's so hard!) before her gaze lands on the pale face of Elkskull.

She was still annoyed at the tom for catching her by surprise just before the gathering but well if someone could catch her off guard the strongest apprentice then well she guesses they deserved to have their ceremony even if they left her in the dust. ❝Yeah congrats Elkbutt, just don't let it go to your head❞ she teases and it's more good humored then anything else ❝After all I'll catch up soon and steal it right under ya paws so enjoy it for now!❞

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( PLACE ME IN MY CASKET TONIGHT ; BECAUSE IM ALREADY DYING INSIDE )