camp ROCKY CATHEDRALS THAT REACH TO THE SKY — chatting

[Hawkstride]

It had only been a matter of days since Hawk and his littermates had joined Shadowclan in search of their long-lost father. They were already working on the first legs of their new relationship with Skunktail, but it was a bit of an awkward situation and wasn't likely to be an easy transition for any of them. It was pretty clear that the ebony tomcat was not prepared for fatherhood (and seemingly had never even thought much of the subject) though Hawk couldn't hold that against him. Porcupine had done a great job keeping the whole situation a secret from them, after all. And on top of the revelation of finding a family he never knew he had, Hawk and his brother's had promised to work hard to learn and adapt to the ways of the clans in order to keep their newfound place within the ranks of Shadowclan. It was a bit.... overwhelming, to say the least. He was trying his best to get used to being watched every moment of the day, but truth be told, learning the complicated traditions of the clans was what he struggled with the most. He'd always been content with the simple lifestyle of a loner, and was having a hard time wrapping his mind around the complex rules and dynamics that these clanners took so seriously.

It wasn't long before Hawk came to the conclusion that he was going to need a little help, and rather than beat around the bush and waste more time, he decided to go straight to the top authority for information. He'd managed to get a few moments with Chilledstar while things were slower around the camp, and the pair were now comfortably situated near the warriors' den, casually chatting as Hawk asked his questions. If anyone would be able to clarify the important bits, it would be their leader, right? The smoke-furred tom shifted his weight slightly, moving one paw to rest over the other as he lay a few feet away from his companion. "Okay, so then, you all live by this 'warrior code'. And every clan has their own unique rules?" It seemed unnecessarily confusing, having a set of rules that everyone followed and then another set that just specific clans had to follow; but hey, what did he know? The only rule he'd lived by until now was keeping himself and his family alive. Brows furrowing slightly, he tilted his head as his moss-colored gaze flickered skyward in thought. "Alright, then which rules would you say are the most important to know?" Obviously he needed to know all of them, eventually, but he wanted to be able to avoid the biggest no-nos for starters.

[please wait for @CHILLEDSTAR. <3]

 

[CHILLEDSTAR.]

DON'T YOU GIVE ME UP, PLEASE DON'T GIVE UP​

---

slow time around here, especially during leafbare, was rare. the tom certainly caught chilledstar at the best time that he could, because chilledstar wasn't known for sitting around and doing nothing for too long. guess they could take this time to clean up their fur. tail twitching back and forth, their tongue grazes over scarred up onyx, taking their time when they reach the splash of white that isn't upon their face. their ears twitched at his questioned and chilledstar only grunted as they thought about it. which ones were the most important? why the ones they set for the clan. their word, after all, was law.

"a lot of them are important. different clans have different rules because they have different leaders. im sure sootstar's only rule is to be an absolutely idiot."

they snort, bitterly scrapping the ground with their claws before they sigh.

"some of the more important rules here is the way we emphasize that a shadowclanner must learn the ways if the shadows. and also, more recently, no shadowclanner is allowed in the forest by themselves. too many dangers to go alone. always have someone with you because a dead shadowclanner is not a good one."

they don't mean for it to sound so... brutal. they're just honest. a dead cat is of no use to anyone, and they really don't know how much grief they can take.
​

 

[fleabounce]

“Caution alone rarely begets change,” Fleabounce adds, her small paws folded at her front. Her placid voice comes from somewhere deep in her throat, “You’ll find that most of our rules—those from the warrior code and those conducted in individual clans—are born from some kind of tragedy.” Remembering such things made it easier to follow the more stifling of rules. They spoke in the voices of the dead, and said that they had assumed things would go differently for them, too. They asked, here and now, for the same mistakes to not be made once more.

She leans without shifting overmuch towards Hawk—undeniably curious.

“We aren’t supposed to hunt beyond the bounds of our borders, and we are to remain loyal to our clanmates. Those are the rules I find most important, personally. Breaking them can cost more than just your individual life,” She smiles slowly, gently—her voice remains a plucked neutral, “Do you understand?”​

SHADOWCLAN WARRIOR ▫ CHOCOLATE TORTOISESHELL WITH AN UNUSUALLY SHORT TAIL

LOW HEARING ▫ 83 MOONS ▫ TAGS​

■■■■■​

 

[Starlingheart]

ShadowClan's forest should be a safe haven for the cats who lived there. They should not be made to constantly look over their shoulders, to feel like their lives were at stake every time they left camp. But she was a living reminder of why that rule existed now. The scars she wore on her face and across her body a permanent fixture of fear and hatred when all her life she has strived to be a symbol of the opposite. She understands why Chilledstar feels the way they d, though. Cats were being picked off one by one and there was safety in numbers.

Fleabounce is the one who offers the real answers to the question Hawk poses. She explains briefly the laws that exist in the warrior code, a universal set of laws all clans must follow. "The-the warrior code is very important" she levels, a serious look on her face as she peers at her nephew with her single eye. "Flea-fleabounce is- is right. Usually a new code is-is established out of tragedy or-or need." clans keeping to their own borders was something necessary in order to keep the peace after all. "Medicine cats, we- we have our own code as well" though so far, there was only one law in their code, one that she herself had established.

​

 

[SINGEGLARE]

*+:｡.｡ "So a cat has to die for a code to be made? That's kinda dumb" Singekit snorts, offering his blessed opinion like the saint he was. Stomping over to the crowd, he'd take up residence beside Fleabounce with a thump of his rear. His expression was miffed, as though the task at hand - that he'd interrupted - was personally offensive to him. Or maybe that was just his normal expression. "What happens if you break the code? Are you not allowed to be a warrior anymore?" Singekit would inquire, frowning deeply as though preparing already to argue with whatever answer he was given - which he assumed would be a 'yes'.
As a soon-to-be apprentice aiming to become the greatest Shadowclanner alive, he'd need to be well-informed on his clan's laws. But rules always made his skin crawl! "I mean, what happens if we have to hunt outside our territory? Should we just not eat if there isn't enough in the marshland? A question he hadn't thought up himself, but had overheard some warriors talking about it when leaf-bare was at its worst. Although he'd been comfortably full, young enough to be allowed to eat, even he couldn't ignore his fellow clanmate's stomachs rumbling for food they 'weren't allowed to hunt for outside the marsh'. He'd wondered idly why they could just...do it, and now he had his answer - because the code said so! Because some cat died and now they had to stay stuck in the marshes! Just like how Sin had to be stuck in camp for so many endless moons!

The code could be stupid sometimes, why always follow it?

*°:⋆ₓₒ Updated 2/6/24

• 
  
• 
  
  
  
  GENERAL:
  ☄ Singekit
  ☄ Cismale — He/him — Questioning sexuality
  ☄ 3 moons — Ages 1 moon every month on the 2nd
  ☄ NPC x NPC (brother to Swallowkit, Sneezekit)
  ☄ Shadowclan — Kit
  
  
  
  
  COMBAT:
  ☄ Physically easy | mentally easy
  ☄ Attack in bold #b8312f
  ☄ Can be power played just ask
  injuries: None currently
  

​