camp STRANGER ON THE OTHER SIDE - rumors

[Moonbeam]

It was no secret that Moonpaw enjoyed helping around camp, always having that small smile on her maw as she did her favorite task of cleaning out moss and dens. Favorite wasn't hard to get to when it came to tasks, but cleaning out nests and giving fresh moss was a lot better than picking out ticks. She was doing such tasks now, grabbing fresh moss from river and plants near the camp and bringing it to the outside of the elder's den where she began to squeeze out the water the best she could. Although it was probably better if she did it nearer to the water so it had a longer time to dry she found that when the moss was wet she was able to carry it better, the water causing it to clump and stick to itself despite the weight, so she didn't mind that she'd have to wring it out a little more than what could be the bare minimum to get it dry.

Flattening it out in front of her she stepped on the moss, paws now getting wet as water pooled around paws and she almost began humming to pass the time - until she heard her name. "I think Moonpaw will do fine under Ravensong." Mused Frognose, a grumbled noise coming in response from Bugbite, a small second of silence stretching out before his gruff voice broke the silence once more.

"I never said she wouldn't, I said she'd best watch out for that curse. First Gloompaw disappearing, then Beesong found dead? I'm surprised Ravensong's lasted this long with that curse hanging over his den, now she's going to be in there too."

Cursed. They were talking as if she was cursed now, and she couldn't help but let her usual smile turn to frown as she worked on the moss, trying her best to get it done quickly so she could get in and out before she heard much more of the conversation.

I WISH PLANT LIFE ꕥ WOULD GROW ALL AROUND ME

• for a prompt

• 

• MOONPAW formerly Ratpaw || NPC x NPC || brother to Rowanpaw || apprentice to Salmonshade.
  -- She/Her || 7 moons old, ages every 17th
  -- smaller than average, small rounded ears. SH white masking cinnamon torbie with orange eyes.
  -- soft-spoken, often found humming, tries to comfort others by smiling

​

 

[valesight ➶]

⸙͎｡˚⋆ ⍋ ѧѦ ѧ⍋ ⸙͎｡˚⋆

He is not a particularly nosy boy... though he is a sucker for stories. The ones who have the best of these seem to be the old bats that live in a nearby den and it is because of his own interest in their tall tales that he even bothered to leave the nursery. He notices the striking, pale fur of the medicine cat apprentice and frowns, wondering if she's there to scold someone again like she'd yelled at Bitekit. But she seems disturbed, if the twisted features on her face suggest anything... so he opts to do the princely thing and check on this distressed citizen with wide, heather and green eyes. "Seem sad," he comments shortly, licking his lips nervously.

The muttering of the elders does not make much sense to him.. but the mention of 'death' makes him vastly uncomfortable. Flicking his attention between her and them, the chimera gives a small huff before marching towards the two chatter-boxes with a loud, "You're being.... rude." They sour at the scolding from someone so young but it's evident they had not been minding their volume in their gossip. He scurries away from a paw reaching to cuff him for being so blunt before sitting stubbornly beside Moonpaw, giving the molly a sidelong glance as if to say 'Fixed?'​

​

 

[Asphodelrain]

*+:｡.｡ Asphodelpaw cared far too deeply about how he was perceived. He wanted to be someone his parents would be overjoyed to come home to, or someone they'd watch fondly from the stars, whispering to their fellow ancestors the tale of their only son and how they knew he'd grow up just fine, even without them! Although the boy stumbled not a few times trying to uphold the idea of perfectionism, costing him plenty of points in the social department, he remained steadfast that he'd be seen as the hardworking soon-to-be warrior he was!
So he couldn't imagine what it'd be like to have your scales shine against you from the start. Asphodelpaw overheard the conversation with a frown as he placed a minnow at the paws of his old mentor, looking up to watch Valepaw whisper his attempt at a chide before scurrying away from the grumbling elders. He trailed his gaze from the clan's cherished to Moonpaw, the happy molly looking despondent. Feelings weren't his favorite - or most studied - subject. There wasn't going to be anything he could offer Moonpaw that, in his opinion, could be useful. Still, if Valepaw was brave enough to say something, surely Asphodelpaw should be, too.

"No disrespect, but curses aren't for the common cat to decide, only Starclan knows how fate works, if you think you can presume the future better then you should ask Ravensong to apprentice you instead" he says matter-of-factly, trying to keep his steps out of the elder's den confident even though talking back to an elder made his stomach churn. Quick to pad away - truly, a brave soul he was - the apprentice would sigh. Stepping over to Moonpaw, he'd say, "Don't listen to them. Elders are meant to be our most experienced members, not our most superstitious..." he hesitates, before coughing lightly and asking, "are uh...are you okay?" He wasn't sure what to do if she said 'no', so the question felt hollow. Glancing around, he wondered if perhaps he should get someone she was closer to - like Beepaw maybe?

*+:｡.｡ Updated 11/22/23

• 
  
• 
  
  
  
  
  GENERAL:
  ☆ Asphodelpaw
  ☆ DMAB— He/Him — Unsure
  ☆ 8 moons — Ages 1 moon every month real-time
  ☆ Mentored by Crashingtide
  ☆ Riverclan — Apprentice
  
  
  
  
  
  COMBAT:
  ☆ Physically easy | mentally medium
  ☆ Attack in bold #9fc3fc
  injuries: None currently

[/abbr]​

 

[hazecloud]

It's not uncommon to hear the cranky, croaking mutterings and gossip. It was something Hazecloud had quickly grown used to, sometimes even eavesdropping herself if their words touched on anyone she was interested in. Otherwise she, like many of the warriors her age, found peace in not giving their old musings the time of day. Elders were either the sweetest berry of the punch or as stale as still water and, despite the vast differences it was commonly agreed simply keeping them fed and happy was the easiest route to caring for them.

A sideways glance was sent toward the pair that were talking about Ravensong's choice for an apprentice. Had Moonpaw's mentor been anyone else she might not have cared so much, but that curse they enjoyed throwing around involved the midnight tom as well. Her eyes narrowed while her tail-tip thudded against the ground in mild agitation until she rose to her paws, wobbling forward to brush against Moonpaw's side and pulling away.

"They can be real crones sometimes, huh? I think they should be looked at in case they've got fog for brains." Hazecloud hummed as she stepped a bit further from Moonpaw, if only to avoid the pool of water at the apprentice's paws. ​

 

[shellpaw]

she follows, ever the dutiful pup at hazecloud’s heel ; they’re going to see the elders, and her straight tail juts directly upward at the thought. the elders were cats she rarely seen, never did when they weren’t lounging at the edges of their den, watching the snow fall disdainfully outside. she would think that they’d been staring at her that way, too, if she’d been paying enough attention to notice the fiery glares. kits in leafbare were bad, but shellkit doesn’t know ; she does not know, and she does not ask. scaleleg liked her, the old tabby who most often sat outside the elders den and called her over occasionally for a lick over the head, clearing snow from her eyes.

she’d never been in here, though. she stares openly at the elders, their weird fur and sagging skin. it was like it was slipping off, like she’d seen some frozen mouse on the freshkill pile do before a gagging apprentice had thrown it out. from the sound hazecloud was making, they’d made moonpaw sad, and that made shellkit sad. ” they’re melting. “ shellkit says in a voice feather thin, as if it would help or make sense at all — the elders sagging skin was a sign of the end, surely, and so moonpaw should be okay after that. she nods slow, consoling, aims to follow in her queen’s paw steps to press as best she could to the apprentices other side. even on tippy toes she can only press against her lower flank, still too small for her age ; but she is alive, thanks to her and ravensong. she stumbles a bit, but perks herself right back onto her toes, straining with effort in bony paws.

still, though, a question rings in her mind. hazecloud had told her all about the warriors, and from her short, recent adventures outside, she thought she’d known every cat — but the elders had said two, two that she did not know. she had not heard of. dead, the elder said, but she still struggles to grasp the concept, fragile minded and sheltered as she was. milkfed and soft, dead was only something the prey her queen ate was. she blinks, too wide, eyes and nose watery, up at the older cats gathered, ” who’s beesong? “

𝐈𝐍 𝐓𝐇𝐄 𝐀𝐑𝐌𝐒 𝐎𝐅 𝐓𝐇𝐄 𝐎𝐂𝐄𝐀𝐍 𓇼 𝙎𝙊 𝙎𝙒𝙀𝙀𝙏 𝘼𝙉𝘿 𝙎𝙊 𝘾𝙊𝙇𝘿

• i.
  
  
• 
  
  
• 
  
  SHELLKIT 𓆉 SHE / HER, KITTEN OF RIVERCLAN. KINDLING xx UNKNOWN, NIECE TO SMOKESTAR. 3 MOONS OLD, SMELLS LIKE SALT & RIVER BLOOMS. PENNED BY ANTLERS.
  delicate lilac - striped molly with sugarplum eyes she is pallid ; platinum splotched with ribbons of shell - touched cream, wisped ends like memories of a distant shore. feather breath and elderdown fur conceals a body worn fragile by tumultuous youth, too thin in some places and round with baby fat in others. her face is short - muzzled, framed half mast by eyes coined warm, sugared amber.
  
  currently exhibiting symptoms of whitecough. this includes a running nose, wheezing, sluggishness, and labored breathing. please keep contagion in mind.
  
  

​

 

[Moonbeam]

She hadn't expected her mood to be so clearly visible to those around her, especially not the younger members of the clan. Her plan was to simply finish her work, give the elders as dry of moss as possible and simply move on and try to forget what was being said about her, but there were other plans now. She hadn't realized Valepaw had gone off to be a hero, to let the elders know that what they were saying was rude and unwarranted but when she heard the soft voice of the young apprentice break through the gossip a startled pause came to her and Moonpaw found herself looking up, giving the other a small smile as he looked up at her. It wasn't fully fixed, but it was better knowing that others had her back even if they didn't need to.

When Asphodelpaw asks if she's okay she nods her head slightly, usual hum coming from her "I will be, thank you." She'd offer before moving the moss once again so that it wasn't sitting in a puddle of water. It was almost dry now, though still not enough to put in nests and she let out a small sigh before leaving it be for just a moment - the elders could wait a few minutes longer for fresh moss, right? They weren't going to be harmed by moss a few minutes too old.

An amused snort could be heard from her as Hazecloud spoke up and it was then that soft smile turned more permanent. "Maybe the cold is getting in there a little too." She'd muse before looking back towards the moss, willing it to dry quicker in the cold air. Ears flicked back to the group that had slowly gathered around her as Shellkit came forth, speaking of the elders melting and it took her a moment to understand what she meant, but when she finally did she couldn't help the small giggle that came from her. The presses of her clanmates against her sides assured her and it was then that Moonpaw didn't feel so sad anymore - until Shellkit spoke again.

Who’s beesong?

Eyes glanced to Hazecloud for a moment, a small wish of "help" for Moonpaw did not want to teach a kitten about death, especially not one so young and frail. "He was Ravensong's mentor, before he became a full medicine cat. Kind of like how when an apprentice becomes a warrior." Was all she would say, tail-tip twitching for a moment as soon as she had done so. Was that enough of an answer for the kitten? Moonpaw had never met Beesong, and hadn't been there when he'd died so she wasn't even sure of all the details - let alone if she should share any more with the other.

I WISH PLANT LIFE ꕥ WOULD GROW ALL AROUND ME

• 

• MOONPAW formerly Ratpaw || NPC x NPC || sister to Rowanpaw || apprentice to Ravensong.
  -- She/Her || 8 moons old, ages every 17th
  -- smaller than average, small rounded ears. SH white masking cinnamon torbie with orange eyes.
  -- soft-spoken, often found humming, tries to comfort others by smiling

​

 

[PERCHBERRY]

Perchpaw had not meant to eavesdrop (he swore his life on it) but sometimes it was difficult to not overhear the gossips that went on in camp no matter how much he tried not to intrude on somebody elses privacy...If anything he felt bad for Moonpaw because he didn't actually think they had all wrong in what they where saying...Cursed might have been a rather mean way to put it but after everything that had happend to the previous medicine cats it couldn't be a easy role to fill, right?. Perchpaw for one wouldn't have been able to do it...too many risks of things going wrong and..and carrying all the lives on his paws. If he made a single mistake a life might have to pay for it and everybody knew how good he was at making mistakes, to fail in everything he did. No, no, no. He would have shattered under that pressure. If anything he was relived that he hadn't been put into that position. For him it would have been a curse, a nightmare he couldn't wake up from. It was no way he would have been able to live up to everyone's expectations of him succeeding in that role.

" I-i'm sure the curse wo-wont get you..." His intention had been to be comforting, to assure Moonpaw that she would be fine whether a curse hanged over the den or not but...it had all sounded better in his head. Now when he had spoken them aloud he realized his mistake. It didn't sound like a nice thing to say at all!, it made it sound like he actually agreed with that she was cursed!. Perchpaw would stare down at his paws unable to even look at anyone of them now (not that he had been trying to do so before) regretting everything. " I...i mean..." He was unable to even speak now, words getting stuck in his throat as his lip started to tremble. He should just have stayed quiet. It was to late now though...

Instead of trying another attempt to explain himself, to apologize he simply turned around to walk of so he could get himself away from there. He fled from the scene in shame.




​