camp season of the witch | talking to puddles + intro

[leechpaw]

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In a far corner of Shadowclan's camp sat a spindly, frail looking apprentice, no older then 4 moons with her face angled down to peer curiously at a puddle right infront of her paws. Shallow and icy, Leechpaw knew better then to touch the water, instead she gazed at her reflection, dark eyes holding a dreamy peace to them, paws tucked neatly under her and long, silky tail wrapped carefully around her paws. Not even bothering to check if anyone could see her, she spoke softly seemingly to nobody around, "Despite the cold, our clan will find food. Even if it is just a mouse, or a simple shrew or vole, we will find it... I know we will." Her reflection mirrored her actions, her eyes watching the way her jaw worked and lips pulled over her thin, kitten-like teeth to reveal the few adult ones that'd grown in. Seeing them gleam in the dim light made her smile softly, nodding in confirmation to some unspoken thought. "Just as I've lost my kit-teeth to grow my full fangs in, this time too shall change and grow... surely newleaf will be kinder to us then leaf-bare has been," She murmured to her reflection, her eyes pulling from her teeth to gaze at her own eyes, twinkling with this affirmation that, yes, her clan will be stronger and better. They had to be, for that's how it's supposed to go, right?
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[Magpiepaw]

When he spoke to the carrion birds, cats acted as though it was odd but really it wasn't strange to listen to them when they talked; it was rude otherwise. He had not seen too many of them recently, his avian friends perched high in trees and watching wistfully for a cat to keel over so that they might pluck and feast on the remains; allowing them to fly. Cats became birds that way but only for a little while, he had realized that they must be carrying them up higher than even he could see if what Starlingheart claimed was true; to the stars to let them loose in the sky.

Leechpaw was speaking but to herself, their face framed in muck on the reflective pool of melted snow and echoing back soundlessly to their remarks. Magpiekit felt talking to yourself a perfectly fine hobby, not many ShadowClan cats were very keen on having chats so you had to do what you had to do to get a little conversation going. His black paws moved forward, plodding along and his entire body seemed to bounce with each step like a rippling liquid; his head tilting back and forth before he came to a stop on the opposite side of the puddle to peer into its depths as well.
"Hello Magpiekit." He greeted himself, his reflection staring back with wide blue-violet eyes that did not seem to blink or maybe he missed it when he blinked. "Hello Leechpaw." His focus drifted up slightly to her reflection before he tilted his entire head up fully to peer at her themself. "Hello other Leechpaw, do you think our others can breath underwater or can they just hold their breath really well?"
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[Ravenwatcher.]

So I walk alone down the darkest roads​

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The cruelty of leaf-bare kept its icy grip on Shadowclan, and though she cared little for it, she hoped no more would be taken away due to starvation or infection. Leechpaw's words fell onto her ears as well as that of Magpiekit's cheerful tone as he greeted the reflections and themselves. Her tail swayed in a gentle calmness as she approached the two with emotionless eyes as she settle herself down near the two, gaze drifting to her own mirroring reflection, seeing how close her skin was to her own body and the punctuating of her own bones. Frail, weak, and she wondered if that was how the other clans saw them as of right know.

leechpaw was hopeful about new-leaf being more promising and her ears twitched softly, she too couldn't wait to feel the warmth of the sun against her frame, to not worry if she'll ever get another meal. Her tail thumping gently on the ground as she sighed softly towards them ears curving to flatten on her skull. "We can only hope for the best Leedhpaw" she stated monotonous before drifting to look at Magpiekit before snorting at what he said, deciding to allow him to believe such a silly statement of some cats being able to breathe underwater. "Do tell more of these cats that breathe underwater" deciding to entertain the silly little kit.​

"speak""Thoughts"​

 

[Starlingheart]

If Starlingheart was older perhaps she would tell Magpiekit and Leechpaw that they weer being silly, that the cats in their reflections weren't real. But she is only a pawful of moons away from being out of the nursery herself so she comes to stand with them, lets her childish wonder take the reigns for a little bit and allows her imagination to run wild. "D-do doooo you think that uh th-that reflection st-starling does-doesn't st-st-stuuuutter?" she asks no one in particular and she gazes down at herself. When was the last time she had seen her reflection? Really looked? She is uncertain but she stares now. Her face was filling out, she looks older. With a tentative paw she reaches up and touches the dark circles under her eyes, put there from countless nights spent awake way too late, worrying over her brother, her clan. She wishes she could stop more often and just look at herself like this but there simply was not ever enough time in her day, not usually.
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[smogstar]

If all-powerful deities exist, the one tasked with controlling the weather must have rocks in its head. The past moon has seen the swamp's whiteout conditions regress into a sludgy state, only for the temperature to drop yet again afterwards. Now, the bulk of the free-flowing water has frozen over, but pockets of liquid exist here and there, and to be frank, the territory has never been in a more unappealing shape. At least when the trees went ablaze there was some idea of what would happen next.

Smogmaw's rugged mug is washed over with disgust while he cuts across the camp. Every pawstep feels awkward in the coagulation of swampwater and mud, which has a texture that best goes unwritten, and the idea of tumbling à la Rosemire comes as a threat more than a possibility. When he unavoidably loses his footing and glides across the muck for a horrifying moment, he catches a glimpse of Leechpaw, along with a smattering of outlines encircling her.

The dark-striped tom doesn't topple over, thank StarClan, and in the next passing seconds he manages to compose himself. And as he takes a moment to catch his breath, the tabby finds himself squinting at the throng of cats and kits. Each and every one of them had their necks craned down at a puddle, and a couple of them looked to be conversing with it.

Kids are bizarre. Ravenwatcher is bizarre, too. They ought to be concerning themselves with more material things, like food and the catastrophic lack of it. Damn children and their imaginations. Unless they get their heads out of the clouds, one of them is bound to fall in.

He shrugs and returns to what he had been doing before: walking, failing to navigate the dangerous parts, and slipping. Only this time around, he isn't able to put his foot down and catch himself.​

 

[leechpaw]

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Her puddle is filled by another shape of black and white, large round indigo eyes gazing upward at what Leechpaw would assume is the original. She blinks, ears perking as he addressed himself, her reflection, and finally her, her own gaze flowing upward to meet the wide-eyed features of Magpiekit. Barely even a moon older then the other, Leechpaw didn't mind him, infact his collection of bones intrigued her and she made a mental note to ask to see them later. For now, she thought about his question, tilting her head in ponderment, eyes gazing back at the owlish gaze of the other.

As she wondered over the question of if reflections could breathe underwater, more shapes joined the two of them, Ravenwatcher-a warrior-and Starlingheart-the medicine cat. She blinked appreciatively at what Ravenwatcher said, knowing that deep down it had to get better, otherwise... "Reflections... I like to believe perhaps it's similar to how we look at them. It's them looking at us, not necessarily in the water, you know? Perhaps they breathe air like us," They murmured, flicking her gaze back down, smiling softly, "I like to think Reflection Leechpaw is super strong and a better hunter than I ever could be, that way she can take care of her clan." Of course, Leechpaw knew her reflection was just that... a reflection of their own image casted back at them and not some alternate dimension of cats, but still... the thought was nice. Plus it helped her deal with her problems, speaking to this imaginary friend of sorts, and she felt... well, she felt she could do anything. Starlingheart's remark made Leechpaw look up and tilt her head the other way, really thinking on it. Would Reflection Starlingheart stutter? "I think our reflections are whatever we want them to be. Something we can aim for and something we can look at to keep us on track for what we want," Their answer was vague, but mostly because it wasn't Leechpaw's place to say whether someone was without something that made them them, and she smiled softly, "I'll talk to mine when I'm feeling down because it helps me keep my mind on what I want to see in the forest."

If Leechpaw had been paying attention, they may have caught Smogpaw's soured and judgemental look he had cast in their direction as she spoke. If they had seen it, perhaps they would have been upset, uncomfortable, or even angry, but when they finally noticed Smogpaw, it was because he'd slipped, splashing into the slick mud and the entire action made them gasp. Instantly mild concern gripped her chest and she wanted to make sure he was okay-something she probably likely wouldn't have done if she could have known what he was thinking-and stood to her paws, watching him a moment with worry tinging her features.
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[Magpiepaw]

"If cats could breath like frogs I would sit in a puddle all day." He pipped up, tone shrill and delighted at the idea. Out of the corner of his eye, past Ravenwatcher, he saw Smogmaw's lumbering tabby form nearby but not joining them in their investigation of the other world within the puddles depths. Maybe he was afraid of being clean like Pitchstar was. Some cats just liked being stinky he guessed.

He turns suddenly to stare at Starlingheart almost incredulously, great violet pools almost watering in response to her comment. Leechpaw began to speak at length while he processed what the medicine cat had said and he listened intently but without blinking to the idea of ones perfect self. While interesting he did not like it one bit, he didn't like the idea he was not already whole; that he was something incomplete or not molded in the way that best suited him. Perhaps it was kithood naivety that made him think so, he was as good as he got and he liked himself fine. Self-esteem was never something he combated or even was aware of, that a cat could dislike aspects of themselves seemed strange to him. That Starlingheart felt similar was even more alarming.
She seemed to think the Starlingheart in the reflection was somehow better than her and he took great insult to it. He adored her, she was kind and nice and even if she had a weird smell sometimes from the plants she touched a lot there was nothing wrong with her. Magpiekit's mouth opened and then closed, trying to formulate words for his protest, "I like your song words. They sound like birds. I like birds." She named him for one, just like her own. It meant birds were good, because kittens ought to be named after things you liked and he knew from listening that Starlingheart's mama liked her a lot and still did even if she was stuck up in the sky now. His head dipped down slightly and he glanced at Leechpaw, raised a paw to bat at the puddle so it rippled slightly.
"If you want..you can talk to me too. My ears are big." Which was just his way of saying he listened well.
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[Maggotfur.]

EYES COVERED IN INK AND BLEACH​

maggotkit | 02 months | female | she/her | physically easy | mentally hard | attack in bold mediumpurple

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Oh great, another freak. Maggotkit's thoughts on her clanmates are rarely charitable nor kind in the first place, but when it comes to the oddities of shadowclan the turn rather nasty. Magpiekit is just barely on the right side of tolerable to her - his strangeness offset by compliments paid to her like tokens and, of course, copious amounts of insects, bones, and other goodies available for the swapping. If there was to be a way to get on the girls 'good' side, it would of course be food.

Watching with jaded teal eyes, it takes a moment for the girl to decide to deign to join the conversation, first observing with her usual blank expression before her brows twitch in confusion and a faint frown tugs at her lips. Leechpaw is talking to herself it seems - or perhaps to her reflection, or perhaps even to something within the puddle. Whatever it is has already drawn over not only Magpiekit himself (speak of the devil!) but a handful of warriors as well.

She doesn't want to be left out.

Setting aside her distaste for her clanmates, the pretty child slips over on confident paws, legs taking long strides and making the journey all the quicker. Shoving her way close enough to view, she simply stares - the girl staring back at her exactly what she expected, exactly what she sees everytime she does this. A scrawny little thing of skin and bones hidden beneath a fluffy pelt and eyes as dark as she imagines her soul must be. The eyes of a killer. "I don't think my reflection is any different." her words are unusually quiet, lacking her usual drawl and condescending confidence - bland and dry and utterly humorless. Deadened.
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