- Aug 9, 2022
- 689
- 327
- 63
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"RiverClan...gather." The words are not the ones he often uses, thoughts in disarray from the morbid news to share, the weight suddenly heavy on his back as well as on Moonpaw's slim shoulders too. He is a taciturn shadow perched above the clan this day, expression weary. “This past moon has brought us losses and life. We mourn the passing of Mudpelt and Lilybloom, both honorable cats from our clan’s humble beginnings who fought and died for their clan in very different ways. Mudpelt saved Iciclefang and thus saved her kits we are fortunate to have at last. Lilybloom died bringing in new life, her children will be raised well in her honor. With the nursery full I remind you that our queens and kits are fed first, that our elders as well come before any warrior or apprentice.” It was the code Cicadastar had placed upon the clans and it was the one he would honor more aggressively than any other - part of him knew it came to be not simply because of the colony’s respect to their elders but because he had been with kits at the time. The memory of it was a grave reminder of how fleeting life was. How quickly it was snatched away. He would ensure the nursery remained as well-cared for as it was during leafbare regardless of the easier access to prey now. Some of their losses held no closure this moon.
“...we have seen no sign of Ravensong and Moonpaw spoke to StarClan at the last fullmoon gathering of medicine cats. She says she received a sign making clear he was lost to us. As much as I would like to continue the search, we can not waste resources further on sending cats out and we must accept that StarClan would not give Moonpaw this sign unless they meant it to mean he is gone.” He hoped desperately it was not something like death that kept Ravensong from them, that he would not be another body found bloated along the river’s edge like Beesong had been long ago. He hopes the dark tom returns to them one day, alive and well with tales to share but for now they can do nothing but mourn and move on. Smokestar sighed deeply and waited a moment for the news to settle before he pressed onward. Life continued, whether they liked it or not.
“We have a few kits ready to be apprenticed.” Better news. His own nieces and nephews, well-some of them anyways. His heart goes out to Shellkit, sick in the medicine cat den but also he had considered holding her back to begin with given her wandering paws leading her into trouble with the rogues prior. When she was well, though, she would be given a mentor proper but for now he would rather her focus be on recovery.
“Riverkit, Pebblekit, step forward.” He finds the two blue tom’s in the crowd, fur neatly groomed by Hazecloud prior to sending them out and he marveled again at how comical it was that his family had grown so much despite the cold merciless leafbare that took his mate from him.
“Riverkit, until you earn your warrior name, you will be known as Riverpaw. Salmonshade is a skilled hunter and dutiful warrior who once mentored Moonpaw before the path of a healer pulled her away, I have no doubt you will flourish under her training as well.”
The burnt umber molly was a cat he regarded as one of their more diligent and while soft spoken he knew she would be firm as necessary to guide Riverpaw properly.
“Pebblekit, until you earn your warrior name, you will be known as Pebblepaw...” He pauses, eyes moving from his nephew to a patchwork of autumnal colors across white snow within the crowd. He had taken Eelpaw from Foxtail only a moon ago, but Pebblepaw would be different he hoped. At six moons the apprehension of a ‘kitten’ being harmed would surely be easy to disregard and he had faith their talk had not simply slid from the tom’s pelt like water droplets, but sunk within.
“Foxtail will be your mentor, one of the clan’s finest fishers and a respectful warrior. May he pass onto you these traits in your training.”
Smokestar felt more confident in this choice than he had previously, he had high hopes it would be a fine pairing. With so many kits in the nursery he was pleased to have more warriors to name and so he turned to the older apprentices to the side, two of which would be named today and hopefully he would not regret either.
“Claypaw, Otterpaw, please step forward.” He lifts his head, single burning eye locked on the sky above, “I, Smokestar of RiverClan, ask our ancestors in the stars to look upon these two apprentices. They have trained hard and fought valiantly for their clan and are ready to become warriors…” Faded gray maw turned, the color around his nose lighter than it once was as though seasons had passed within seconds, “Do you both swear to protect and defend your clan and honor the warrior code?”
"RiverClan...gather." The words are not the ones he often uses, thoughts in disarray from the morbid news to share, the weight suddenly heavy on his back as well as on Moonpaw's slim shoulders too. He is a taciturn shadow perched above the clan this day, expression weary. “This past moon has brought us losses and life. We mourn the passing of Mudpelt and Lilybloom, both honorable cats from our clan’s humble beginnings who fought and died for their clan in very different ways. Mudpelt saved Iciclefang and thus saved her kits we are fortunate to have at last. Lilybloom died bringing in new life, her children will be raised well in her honor. With the nursery full I remind you that our queens and kits are fed first, that our elders as well come before any warrior or apprentice.” It was the code Cicadastar had placed upon the clans and it was the one he would honor more aggressively than any other - part of him knew it came to be not simply because of the colony’s respect to their elders but because he had been with kits at the time. The memory of it was a grave reminder of how fleeting life was. How quickly it was snatched away. He would ensure the nursery remained as well-cared for as it was during leafbare regardless of the easier access to prey now. Some of their losses held no closure this moon.
“...we have seen no sign of Ravensong and Moonpaw spoke to StarClan at the last fullmoon gathering of medicine cats. She says she received a sign making clear he was lost to us. As much as I would like to continue the search, we can not waste resources further on sending cats out and we must accept that StarClan would not give Moonpaw this sign unless they meant it to mean he is gone.” He hoped desperately it was not something like death that kept Ravensong from them, that he would not be another body found bloated along the river’s edge like Beesong had been long ago. He hopes the dark tom returns to them one day, alive and well with tales to share but for now they can do nothing but mourn and move on. Smokestar sighed deeply and waited a moment for the news to settle before he pressed onward. Life continued, whether they liked it or not.
“We have a few kits ready to be apprenticed.” Better news. His own nieces and nephews, well-some of them anyways. His heart goes out to Shellkit, sick in the medicine cat den but also he had considered holding her back to begin with given her wandering paws leading her into trouble with the rogues prior. When she was well, though, she would be given a mentor proper but for now he would rather her focus be on recovery.
“Riverkit, Pebblekit, step forward.” He finds the two blue tom’s in the crowd, fur neatly groomed by Hazecloud prior to sending them out and he marveled again at how comical it was that his family had grown so much despite the cold merciless leafbare that took his mate from him.
“Riverkit, until you earn your warrior name, you will be known as Riverpaw. Salmonshade is a skilled hunter and dutiful warrior who once mentored Moonpaw before the path of a healer pulled her away, I have no doubt you will flourish under her training as well.”
The burnt umber molly was a cat he regarded as one of their more diligent and while soft spoken he knew she would be firm as necessary to guide Riverpaw properly.
“Pebblekit, until you earn your warrior name, you will be known as Pebblepaw...” He pauses, eyes moving from his nephew to a patchwork of autumnal colors across white snow within the crowd. He had taken Eelpaw from Foxtail only a moon ago, but Pebblepaw would be different he hoped. At six moons the apprehension of a ‘kitten’ being harmed would surely be easy to disregard and he had faith their talk had not simply slid from the tom’s pelt like water droplets, but sunk within.
“Foxtail will be your mentor, one of the clan’s finest fishers and a respectful warrior. May he pass onto you these traits in your training.”
Smokestar felt more confident in this choice than he had previously, he had high hopes it would be a fine pairing. With so many kits in the nursery he was pleased to have more warriors to name and so he turned to the older apprentices to the side, two of which would be named today and hopefully he would not regret either.
“Claypaw, Otterpaw, please step forward.” He lifts his head, single burning eye locked on the sky above, “I, Smokestar of RiverClan, ask our ancestors in the stars to look upon these two apprentices. They have trained hard and fought valiantly for their clan and are ready to become warriors…” Faded gray maw turned, the color around his nose lighter than it once was as though seasons had passed within seconds, “Do you both swear to protect and defend your clan and honor the warrior code?”
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March Activity Shoutouts
@lichentail & @Moonpaw & @Snakeblink & @Petalnose & @iciclefang & @FERNGILL & @Mosspool
@FOXTAIL & @salmonshade & @hazecloud & @robinheart & @SWIFTFIRE & @Sablemist & @HOUNDSTRIDE. & @QUICKJAW & @FOGSHORE & @brookstorm & @claypaw & @valepaw ➶ & @EVENINGKIT & @TWINKLEKIT & @RIVERKIT & @shellkit
Another month of killing it, excellent job you guys! SO MANY ACTIVITY SHOUTOUTS! Reminder that activity shoutouts put you in THIS raffle! And another reminder to not forget our Newleaf prompt event, they don’t end until the end of April! If you feel you were missed for shoutouts please let me know in my channel on discord, to punish me for not being thorough enough I am giving doodle freebies to anyone who was forgotten! The minimum post amount for last month was ten! Hold me accountable!
New Apprentices:
@RIVERKIT mentored by @salmonshade
@PEBBLEKIT. mentored by @FOXTAIL
To be named Warriors:
@otterpaw
@claypaw
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Smokestar
—⊰⋅ Leader of RiverClan
—⊰⋅ He/Him
"SPEECH", 'THOUGHTS', ATTACK
—⊰⋅ Black tom w/vitiligo & one orange eye.
