private WHERE HAS EVERYONE GONE / smokethroat

[BEEFANG]

( ) Beekit found herself hanging less and less with kittens around her age and oftentimes found herself getting caught up with the apprentices of the clan of which she doesn't mind. Sablepaw and Fernpaw seemed like good cats but today she had been playing small games with the hyperactive kittens that would ask her to play, it made her realize that her own time as a kitten would be over with soon and she'd become Beepaw the next meeting. It started to make her ponder over who'd be her mentor, she's excited and nervous all at once knowing that she wanted to be a warrior similar to her fathers and Petalnose (but less mean). One that would make both of her parents proud, the black molly scrambling away from the flock of kittens near the nursery and making her way to the den where she had been born, slept each night within rather than the nursery, and would move out of once she became an apprentice.

She'll miss being nestled with her fathers and her littermates but mainly Smokethroat and Cicadastar seeing as her siblings would move in the apprentice den with her, it'll be an exciting new experience. One that involves picking a new nest and which denmates that she'd sleep next to but most importantly... She would finally be able to get out of the camp and see the world for herself, the thought itself made her fur bristle with excitement. She'd finally see the other clans and see if they were as odd as Cicadakit or maybe he was the weird one. New scents, new faces, and learning the warrior code only to uphold it. It's a lot of responsibility and work to place onto a young cat but she knows that she can manage it, she has to... It wouldn't be the best look if the daughter of the deputy and leader lagged back due to being unable to handle it

Once she reaches the mouth of the willow den, Beekit pokes her head in to see if Smokethroat's there and not busy with either of her siblings. The river princess perks up when her bicolored gaze locks onto him and she chirps out "Papa! Can you take me to do more swimming?" It wouldn't hurt to get better at the skill especially if she's meant to learn how to fish and swim one day, the little molly knows that she won't get it right away but with practice she could be better.

The thought of practice reminds her of what Sabelpaw has taught her which was dodging, Beekit tried it a few times while play fighting with the kittens within the nursery and it could use more work for sure but it's definitely a lot better than the first time she had done it. Beekit just needed to work on balance since she wobbled a little whenever she performed it and she mews in addition "Oh, Sablepaw taught me something the other day too! Do you wanna see?" A little shuffle of mismatched paws hoping that Smokethroat isn't busy since she knows that he has a little bit more responsibilities than all the other warriors, perhaps he could spare some time for her but if not then she'll run off to find her littermates. ​

( KILL EM WITH THE MOJO ; CINEMATIC SLO-MO )

 

[SMOKESTAR]

It is a wonder how much a nest will tolerate before it begins to shred and tatter under many rambunctious kitten claws and flailing. Cicadakit's nightly terrors and the occasional spasm of movement and sporadic play had left it a mess most days and he didn't have the energy to clean it usually; but a rare surge of motivation had him hauling it out to get material for a new one that would hopefully last longer with more effort put into the padding and fibers. He could probably weave the bracken together for a more durable cushion but he detested weaving and the idea of spending his days folding his paws over it was so unappealing he shrugged it off. Extra moss would do instead, he'd worry about a more comfortable nest when the kits left the den. Part of him was eager for their apprenticeship, to be able to go about his duties as before and leave the camp but another smaller part of him was frantic over it. He didn't WANT them to grow, he didn't want them to leave the den where he could watch them safely, he didn't want to put their care under another warrior and he had made clear to his mate they were to be apprenticed only to proper RiverClanners and not simpering, bumbling fools. The idea of Snakeblink mentoring one of his kits makes his stomach heave with unease, the idea of that shivering and quivering mess that was Pikesplash training one of them to be as pathetic as he was lacked any sense or reason. It was a wonder Catfishpaw had come out so decently with that useless lump of a mentor.
He's been thinking on it idly and part of him wants to mentor one himself, Otterpaw could be reassigned for all he cared - he had no desire to deal with the loud apprentice if he could be permitted to keep an eye on one of his owns. A little selfish, perhaps, but he was sure Cicadastar would permit it.
He might even suggest it himself first.
Smokethroat is halfway through dragging a wad of moss to the mouth of the den when Beekit toddles in, voice loud and excited and he can not help but smile through the plant matter at his daughter's enthusiasm for life. His previous efforts are discarded, moss tossed aside in favor of humoring her instead. Suppose he should be more stern, suppose he should learn to say no. But he didn't want to really, he'd be part of the issue if she became arrogant and spoiled but he doubted it would be an issue with a firm paw guiding her.
"Of course." The dark tom's affirmation is a calm purr, "Let's go, show me what it is you've learned from Sablepaw then?" Sablepaw was a decent apprentice, skilled and striving for betterment, he had no doubts she'd be a proper warrior in time - her lineage not withstanding.
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[BEEFANG]

₊· ͟͟͞͞➳˚❥ Beekit probably contributes to how tattered and messy their nest in especially when she had decided to bring forth the flowers that Sablepaw had let her keep, she notices that Smokethroat drops the moss in favor of humoring her. She makes a silent mental note to herself to help fix up the nest after she shows her papa what she had learned from her friend and tried to learn how to become better at swimming. Her curly tail lifting to the air in excitement as she begins to make her way to the swallow pools but before they arrive, the smoke molly turns to Smokethroat grinning wide as she speaks up deciding to tell him what it was exactly that Sablepaw had taught her "She taught me this one move that helps me dodge my opponent!" She still feels bad that Sablepaw had felt like she needed to teach her due to how Pikesplash seemed to persistent and willing to take the blame if anything had occurred to Beekit.

She would become the best at dodging her foes so she can honor Sablepaw and the thought of training with the older molly makes her all the more excited about becoming an apprentice, soon, she would be able to do such a thing. She takes a deep breath and lowers her belly to the ground just as Sablepaw had told her, she rolls to the side as if someone had tried to strike at her and springs back onto her paws which she lands quite wobbly but seems quite proud that she had managed to pull it off regardless "Didya see, papa?" She is practically beaming though with a shuffle of her snowy paws, Beekit smiles sheepishly as she adds "I just need to work on being less... Wobbly,".

She shows promise or as Fernpaw encouraged, she was quick to catch on and the thought itself makes her chest puff out briefly in a heartbeat. Her bicolored gaze focused onto Smokethroat hoping that he was proud of her for almost skillfully learning something such as this, she had practiced it a few times when play fighting with a few of the kittens. She draws close to the waters and let's her snowy paws dip into the shallows when suddenly she turns to her father, Beekit thinks about how her brother is named after her father, and Starlightkit after the stars that hang above them every night, and yet... She wonders if she is named after the bug that her father affectionately nicknames her as. Little bug.

His refusal of saying her name yet she does not understand that quite yet, Beekit does not realize that her father chooses not to strain her name on his tongue, no, she simply accepts the little pet names that he gives her knowing that he says it with such love. Perhaps it's a silly question to ask but perhaps she's named after more than just the round, fuzzy insect that goes from flower to flower to pollinate. Large ears lay on her head as she finally musters up the nerve to ask "Papa..." She begins letting herself sit by the bank that belonged to the pool of water, she knows that she would likely not get an answer from Cicadastar. If he does not say her name why would he even spend more than a heartbeat telling her what Smokethroat had named her?

Another shuffle of her paws, the smoke molly managing to get the words out from her clamped jaws "Was I named after a bug or?" It could be a ridiculous, silly question that could easily be answered and yet she found herself a little nervous asking... Like she was prying for more information than just her namesake alone or Smokethroat could simply keep this knowledge to himself. Maybe even draw her attention away from the inquiry and have her focus on practicing her swimming or even bettering her half roll maneuver. ​

[ KILL EM WITH THE MOJO, CINEMATIC SLO-MO ]​

 

[SMOKESTAR]

The little black kitten does a tuck of her paws and rolls and though she stumbles and it is far from a seamless transition from crouch to stand it was still something she seemed to already have a knack for. "Look at you, already dodging like a proper warrior!"
He does not spout praise unecessarily, is far from the type to unjustly swell an ego when there is more work that could be done to improve but she was a kit and such teachings and instruction could wait until she was apprenticed. At the very least her desire to learn to fight already was something to be admired.
"Being less wobbly will come in time, as you grow bigger you'll be able to balance better and practice will hone that to perfection." Smokethroat nods encouragingly, letting her skip ahead of him and he follows on long strides before she slows back to his side with an almost solemn mewl of 'papa' to get his attention.
He wasn't stupid, he had seen how Cicadastar reacted to their daughters name though he offered no protest; but what he could not ignore was his adamant refusal to not say it. He would not spare her name a single whisper, yet will crow his own praises through their son named after himself. It was something to be addressed in private when he could leave camp, so that their clanmates and his children would not hear him give the tom an earful for his behavior but that was for later. Right now the very real understanding that his daughter had noticed was unfolding before him.
Was I named after a bug or...?
The question is sharper than he thought it could be, he feels the pinprick of claws in his heart and wants to fold around her comfortingly but resists the impulse to do so.
"No, Beekit. You were named after someone who was very dear to me and the clan, Ravensong's mentor and one of the most honorable cats I ever had the privelege to know. Beesong was once our medicine cat, before you were born, and you were named after them." He tips his head down, nudges his nose into the side of her head gently, "That you are fuzzy like a little bee was a coincidence~" A name in honor of a lost friend but a name that would be uniquely hers going forward, what she did with it, what path she chose to follow, would be her choices and decisions. Unlike the name that had been fastened onto the other two. He uses them both, but he dreads knowing that the weight of such lofty titles might crush them in time. To be compared to Cicadastar, to the stars, he wishes he had named them himself but isn't even sure what he'd pick...

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[BEEFANG]

₊· ͟͟͞͞➳˚❥ The praise for her dodge is enough to make the little molly smile back at her father and finds herself relatively pleased though she listens to what he says that once she's bigger she will have better balance. Surely, if she prefects the dodge and has better balance then she would be a force to be reckoned with or that's what she wishes to believe but only gives her father a little nod of her curly furred head. Maybe when she becomes an apprentice she could train a little more freely with Sablepaw and the other older apprentices, the thought is enough to make her paws drum excitedly against the cool ground beneath her. A part of her wants to ask several questions but decides to bite back on them as she let's her little body rest within the shallows briefly before focusing her mismatched gaze onto Smokethroat once more as he speaks.

"You were named after someone who was very dear to me and the clan, Ravensong's mentor and one of the most honorable cats I ever had the privilege to know."

Beesong, she thinks in her mind and realizes that Ravensong and her share a part of the late medicine cats name. An honorable cat. She wishes that she could've met Beesong before their passing, if her papa speaks so highly of them then they are worth knowing about and potentially meeting yet that would not occur. The small molly briefly broken away from her thoughts when the nose of her father touches the side of her head and a small purr leaves her unable to help but giggle at the fuzzy like a bee comment. It was her own name now. Beekit. It would be hers and a part of her wishes to honor both Smokethroat and Beesong, her eyes looking up to the deputy as her mouth opens to speak "What were they like?" A curious shine in her river blue and fiery orange eyes as she stares up at her papa.

She wants to know the feline that she was named after and know how dear the late medicine cat was to both her father, Ravensong, and the cats around them in Riverclan. Perhaps she would never follow the path of medicine and herbs like Beesong but follow her own once she becomes apprenticed, she'd create her own legacy and name for herself in her home and possibly throughout the clans. The little molly stepping out from the shallows pool and pressing her head to her fathers leg, the death of Flutterpaw had hurt several of their clanmates. She can't imagine how much it stung to lose someone so close or dear to her, life having to be cherished. "Only if you want to tell me, of course." She glances up at him with a gentle smile on her maw.

𓆟. ° .• . THERE MIGHT BE NOTHING LEFT TO SAY

• 
  ❥ 3 moons old
  ❥ riverclan apprentice
  ❥ sexuality unknown; single
  ❥ daughter of smokethroat & cicadastar
  ❥ "speech", thoughts, attacking
  ❥ peaceful powerplay allowed
  ❥ penned by bosstaurus

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[SMOKESTAR]

Smokethroat raises his head, looks off into the distance briefly and with a touch of regret to his gaze - he had never really gotten to express his gratitude to the cinnamon tabby when they were alive, had never really said thank you outside the few offhand mentions, had never properly informed them of how much they had meant for RiverClan. He remembers waking up in a feverish state on and off to gentle words and cool moss and it reminded him of a memory long ago, in the harsh stone labryinths of twolegplace, licked gently atop the head and soothed by a harried mother. Smokethroat didn't remember a lot of his time in the medicine cat den, when he'd lost his eye he had almost lost his life as well and it was a surprise to himself and most of the clan when he survived to step out through the reeds and greet the new day. It was all thanks to Beesong, a medicine cat with merit and skill and determination and perhaps a touch of sass that kept death itself at bay.
He mulls over the question once more, 'what were they like' and at Beekit's sheepish addition that she would not mind if he didn't want to speak he only laughed once, lightly, "...they were mean to me."
He started, tone amused, "I gave them no end of grief, the number of fights I got into, the trouble I got up to, the arguing, the skirmishes...it's a wonder they were not solid gray with how much stress I put them under." The black tom shook his head, continue striding into the water more proper so he could bat a paw into it with a splash, "...despite that they tried. They refused to give up on me. When I nearly died they continued to fight in my steed. A medicine cat wages a battle most of us can not begin to comprehend. A battle against death itself, they're skilled warriors even if they can not fight like one might normally. Beesong was from SkyClan, initially, StarClan lead them here and made them medicine cat and not once did they treat any of us any differently despite not being born to the marshes. They were a true RiverClanner til the end."
Sometimes he thinks about it still, wonders how Beesong had met such a fate. Why had they been walking alone near the gorge, why had they been so careless as to slip? Part of him is curious if there was more to the story, but nothing indicated otherwise and he suspected they may never know what exactly befell their medicine cat.
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