camp Voicing Doubts || intro

[HAREKIT]

tags​

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Pride surges through him as he slams a paw down upon the flower petal with a roar of success. The foolish thing had drifted into camp upon the breeze, a target for young Harekit's fury! Chest puffed out and chin raised, he squeals at the trespasser, "That'll teach you to trespass on WindClan territory!" The child speaks with finality as tiny claws pierce the flower petal, tearing it to shreds against the dry dirt. WindClan was not all cheer, however. It seemed Harekit had been born into a dangerous time, where sickness tainted the air, and war threatened the horizon like a looming thunder storm. Sootstar grieved her mate, and others that had passed to the plague. Some in the clan had left on some journey, seeking the cure. Back at home, those who remained seemed to be growing hungry, perhaps because some of the warriors were now gone, leaving less paws for a hunt. Luckily, Harekit is yet to starve. His mother, Bramblebelly, makes sure that he is fed first, whenever she brings in prey from the moors. She was out there now, racing the wind to catch hares, just like his name-sake!

Which reminds him of something she had told him last night... say thanks to StarClan whenever he eats fresh-kill. He had been so hungry at the time, he hadn't bothered to question her on it. Sure, Harekit knew StarClan. He had heard the tales ever since he was old enough to listen! But surely there was more to know? He had never seen a StarClan cat. Were they real, or were they just stories, like that bone-monster in the tunnels? "Has anyone ever actually seen a StarClan cat?" The kit decides to ask, his gaze flickering across the other WindClanner's nearby. A few turned to look back at him. Would they reply to his doubts?​

 

[Gooseberry]

Gooseberry turns his attention to the kit after eyeing him for awhile. He wouldn’t say he’s fond of kittens, but they are entertaining to watch, at the very least. He wishes he still had some of that playful spirit left in him, but it was lost long ago. He take everything he does very seriously, and he’s not too sure whether or not that’s a good thing. Not that it matters much right now, as the clan is in a crisis, and he needs to do his best. Right now though, he will entertain the young one’s inquiry.

“They are dead. Gone forever from the earth, so you can’t see them like you would an alive cat, like you and me. But you can see them if you’re a medicine cat or leader, when you dream.” He’s not sure how well Harekit will understand his words, but hopefully he worded it eloquently enough. He knows that the most likely chance of a normal warrior seeing them is when they’re on the verge of death, but he decides not to bring that up. “But they are real, believe you me.” Whether or not they actually care for the clan or not anymore is another question, but one that remains unspoken.​

 

[beetlenose]

Beetlenose, on the other paw, loves kits. She doesn't think she'd be suited to having her own– she'd taken care of Sedgepounce enough when he was a kit that she thinks she's had her fill for life. But they're such young, pliable minds; it's hard to resist telling them silly lies that they'll grow out of. Maybe older warriors scold her for it, but Beetlenose is ignorant to their critiques. So, when Harekit raises his question to the rest of them, the dust-coated tunneler can't help but think up a new yarn to spin.

Gooseberry beats her, though, and tells Harekit the truth. Or, at least, she thinks it's the truth. She can't remember the great battle herself, but her mother had told her of the spirits who'd risen from the cats that had fallen, the way they'd walked the earth with the living. She's never seen them, though. She's sure she'd remember if she had. "Everyone saw 'em in the great battle," Beetlenose supplies Gooseberry's explanation. "And I heard that they like t' punish little kits who don't believe in 'em." She doesn't provide an example, wondering if Harekit's imagination could take him farther than her own words could. Really, she doesn't care whether he believes in StarClan or not– but he'd do better in the long run if he acted like he did. Right? Her mind floats to Sootstar's recent ceremonies, the lack of the stars among them. She must be imagining things. Beetlenose blinks her uncertainty out of her copper gaze, fixing it on Harekit to see how he'd react.​

 

[SNAKEHISS]

Snakehiss, like many other of his clanmates, thought about StarClan and their mystical ways a great deal. What he wouldn't give to commune with his ancestors before him, to hear their tales of the moors when they were untouched by the clans and only dwelling with sparsely populated families of cats. Had his homeland always been the same, or had it been even better before WindClan had arrived? Even more importantly, what truly was his destiny, and could they predict the future?

However, he would likely never get the chance to speak to them, even if he was blessed by the stars themselves. His ancestors had no idea what StarClan even was, he reckoned. There was hardly a chance that they would have been sent to live with the ancestors of the colony cats... but then again, where would they have gone?

Snakehiss pondered these questions a lot more now that death and dying ran rampant in the clans, especially WindClan, but to simply answer the kit's question, the young warrior meowed, "The closest an ordinary cat could get to feeling StarClan's presence is traveling to the Moonstone. Every WindClan apprentice makes the journey before receiving their warrior name." He twitches the end of his tail ever so slightly — children were sticky and loud, but as long as this one remained somewhat tolerable then Snakehiss would not mind indulging his curiosities.

✰ INFO

• 
  
• 

  ✰ SNAKEHISS
  —— he/him; warrior ( moor runner ) of windclan
  —— bisexual; single; not looking
  —— long-limbed black tom with green eyes, a small white chest patch, and a notable bite mark on his right foreleg
  —— "speech", thoughts, attack
  —— link to full tags; @ on discord for plots.
  —— penned by beatles

​

 

[HAREKIT]

tags​

---

Dead. Gone forever. Never to be seen again, except by those deemed worthy. It seemed strange to little Harekit, but he finds himself both fascinated and ambitious by the very thought, the idea of being touched by the ancestors themselves, of being graced by their presence. "What's so special about leaders and medicine cats?" He adds his question with a squint, "I mean... why does StarClan only visit them and not the rest of us?" Didn't every-cat matter the same? Perhaps not... Perhaps he and the other kits meant nothing to StarClan. After all, they hadn't been deemed worthy. Eyes flicker from Gooseberry to Beetlenose. Harekit had been told stories of The Great Battle. It must have been glorious! But the idea of being punished by StarClan if he didn't believe... he flattens his ears with uncertainty, whiskers twitching in thought.

"I'll be the very first kit to talk to StarClan." The youth decides. He'd believe harder than anyone else in WindClan! Then they'd have to visit him. Another WindClan warrior, Snakehiss, mentions the Moonstone. Harekit can only imagine what it must look like, a piece of the moon itself shining against boring old rock, splashing the ground with pale light. His amber eyes widen at the thought, and he excitedly digs his claws into the tattered flower petal again, ripping at it against the dirt. "I'll be ready, when it's my turn to see the Moonstone. I'll be the greatest apprentice WindClan has ever had!" Harekit announces pridefully. If only determination alone would be enough...​

 

[HARRIERSTRIPE]

Harrierstripe lumbers in to stand nearby Snakehiss, his whiskers quiver. It’s been tradition for apprentices to travel to the moonstone before becoming warriors for sometime… but he’s heard whispers that a mentor and apprentice pair has been denied the journey recently. ”Up until now. Times might be changing.” He meows vaguely to the black and white warrior.

Then his gaze shifts to Harekit, he scoffs, ”And rabbit’s will fly.” The tom bears no hesitation in shattering the tabby’s dreams, Harekit would never speak to StarClan. Most of them wouldn’t until it came time to join them.

Harrierstripe hopes- however- that there is hope for him. Perhaps one day he will carry the burden of his mother’s name and the ancestors will speak to him. The power and responsibility spreads a fire through his chest, one day the oppertunity would present himself, and he’d be there to take it.

☾ INFO BATTLE

• 
  » Harrierkit . Harrierpaw . Harrierstripe
  » WindClan Warrior
  » He/him
  » A black and chocolate chimera with golden eyes.
  » "Speech" ․ thoughts ․ attack
  
• 
  » A foe who uses jeers and jaunts to distract his opponents.
  » Excels in using terrain to his advantage.
  » Fights to outwit and see another day.
  » May powerplay minor harm. Can powerplay healing

​

 

[rivewhisper]

"BABY, DON'T YOU KNOW I SUFFER?"​

"What crawled in your crowfood, Harrierstripe?" Rivekit exclaimed from where she was nearby. First Featherkit, and now talking to Harekit like this? Rivekit didn't know Harekit super well, but she knew that the warrior could be way nicer. A hot breath left her as she scrambled over, bonking shoulders with Harekit before coming to a stop. She turned her head, a stink eye placed upon Harrierstripe. Snakehiss had been in a bad mood sometimes, but this guy really had it out for some cats!

With that decided, a tiny nod following, Rivekit turned her vision towards Harekit. She broke out in encouragement- after all, it was easy enough to give to her siblings, why not this kit too? "I think I'm going to race you there! Whoever wins gets to pick out the prettiest feather." She decided this with a VERY big nod, the grin on her face all kinds of wide. ​

✦ ★ ✦​

 

[mothmoon]

( ✧ ) "starclan appears to medicine cats and leaders because they are in charge of guiding the clans. medicine cats can receive advice and leaders receive prophecies. one must be a quite important cat to speak to the stars." the soft vocals ring with rehearsed truth as mothmoon catches wind of the conversation. this is what she has been taught since birth, and she carries the knowledge with her every day. "harekit, you must strive to be a great warrior, and perhaps you will one day be honored with their presence."

dark amber eyes glance between snakehiss and beetlenose, before it lands on harrierstrike who seemingy has a darker opinion. "no matter the trouble, the stars will guide us from above. a cat can feel their strength within her own heart, even if she is unable to see them." moth, too, has heard the rumors of a moonstone visit being denied by the moor queen. sootstar's reasoning is never clear, but the pale young warrior keeps her faith in her leader as much as she keeps it in starclan. "why do you ask about them, harekit?" she'll address the child again, curiosity gleaming in coppery eyes. ​

 

[SNAKEHISS]

Harekit's childish enthusiasm coasts right over Snakehiss's ears, knowing that his ambitions would mean so little when it actually came time for apprenticehood. A lot of WindClan youths vied to be the "best warrior"; that was all Snakehiss had ever wanted while growing up. In fact, he still firmly believes he will be one of the great names of the clans in due time.

However, it is when Harrierstripe suggests that the clan's connection with StarClan may be crumbling that Snakehiss arches a brow inquisitively, "Whatever do you mean, 'times might be changing'? Are you suggesting that Sootstar will stop Moonstone visits altogether?" Snakehiss hadn't thought much of the recent news — he figured that perhaps the apprentice in question hadn't been ready, or that Sootstar wanted to keep as many cats in camp as possible to hunt and defend the territory with so many sick or journeying. Ending the tradition of visiting the Moonstone, though... how else would apprentices sample a taste of StarClan's light? How else would they solidify their belief in the power of the ancestors?

✰ INFO

• 
  
• 

  ✰ SNAKEHISS
  —— he/him; warrior ( moor runner ) of windclan
  —— bisexual; single; not looking
  —— long-limbed black tom with green eyes, a small white chest patch, and a notable bite mark on his right foreleg
  —— "speech", thoughts, attack
  —— link to full tags; @ on discord for plots.
  —— penned by beatles

​

 

[HAREKIT]

tags​

---

Harrierstripe sure seemed grumpy, and for what reason? Well... Harekit has heard all the talk about the plague, the journey, and all that. He might not grasp the full weight of the situation, but he knows it's bad enough to spark some tension among the clan. He's about to snort a challenge at the warrior, when Rivekit interjects with their own. The boy giggles, amused by her reply.

"Okay. You're on!" Harekit agrees to the race with a purr. Then there's Mothmoon, who finally offers an answer to the youth's question. Medicine cats and leaders were meant to guide the clans. They were important. More important than everyone else. That was why StarClan spoke with them. Harekit can feel a burning within his chest, the hot flood of jealousy. His eyes flicker back toward Harrierstripe in a moment of bitterness.

No... he'd break that tradition. StarClan would speak to him. He was going to be important too! Even if he had to... make up a few things.

Harekit's vision returns to Mothmoon, and he nods with determination. He'd strive to be a lot more than just a great warrior. Mothmoon seemed to be quite faithful to the stars, and to her clan. She questions his curiosity, and the boy shrugs a bit, replying with a smooth mew, "I just wanted to know more about them." He admits. In his eyes, the stars were a gateway toward greatness. If he was going to become WindClan's greatest warrior, he'd need to live up to their godly standards.

Blazing eyes flicker toward Snakehiss next. The dark warrior shoots a pointed inquiry toward Harrierstripe, and Harekit narrows his eyes, listening curiously. He hadn't picked up on the same thing Snakehiss had, given the kit's inexperience. Now his focus returns to Harrierstripe as well, waiting for his reply.​

 

[Gooseberry]

Gooseberry ignores the bickering, until talk about Sootstar possibly denying Moonstone trips comes up. There’s absolutely no way that’s true, right? His mind searches for a possible reason why, and he doesn’t think any are likely. Letting younger cats not see their ancestors isn’t a way to hoard power, and he also doesn’t see any reason why her faith in them would be lessening. They surely are an existing force, so why deny them? Either way, he wouldn’t be the one to go against her if that is what she truly is doing. Someone else can face her wrath.

Attention turns back to Mothmoon and the kit. “It is good to be inquisitive. StarClan is something a lot of cats take for granted, and there’s nothing wrong with asking.” If he didn’t see them rise into the sky for himself, he could see himself not entirely believing in the idea. Of course, watching a leader come to life after dying would surely change anyone’s opinion in an instant. “Keep that spirit alive. I’m sure you’ll make a great apprentice if you really put in the effort.”​