camp WISHING WELL シ STARGAZING PROMPT

When Tigerkit looks up at the night sky, she can't see all of the warriors that were apparently up there. They took different forms, sure... eyeless ones. Legless and earless and tailless and kind of everything-less ones too. Apparently, they could still watch all the cats on the ground, even without having anything to watch them with. If Tigerkit had the chance to be something like that, would she want to be? She'd be like Stormkit, without his eyes. Or like Twilightkit, without her leg. Cats would most definitely look at her then... but that's only if she was a star in ThunderClan. If she was a star in the sky, and so was Howlingstar, and so was Bayingkit, she'd be even more like them than she already was...

She's up later than she's supposed to be. They all are- her and Twilightkit and Howlkit. It made sense for Twilightkit to be out with his name. Maybe it did for Howlkit too, since the scariest sounds were at night. If Nightbird found them, was Tigerkit the only one that would get in trouble?

Carefully, she toes the barrier that separates the nursery from the rest of camp. She didn't really want to be a bad kit, but she couldn't see the starts if she kept being a perfect one... Stormkit wasn't a perfect kit, and neither was Bayingkit, and lots of people looked at them... So maybe it'd be good for Tigerkit, in the long run. Maybe everyone would know her as the Stays-up-late kit. Could she be that, instead of a warrior or a Leader or a Medicine Cat? ...Maybe not, cause then she'd be like... a ShadowClanner. Raccoonstripe definitely wouldn't talk to her then... Plus, Twilightkit and Howlkit were here too...

A brown tabby face pokes itself from the nursery, straining to see the stars... " I thought Howlingstar woulda looked special, " she whispers to her denmates. She thought for sure she'd be able to pick her out right away... " I can't find her. " there's a faint note of a confusion. Her brow furrows. What did it mean if Howlingstar was one of the most special cats, and Tigerkit couldn't even find her in the sky... They had lots of kin up there, didn't they? Her and Twilightkit... " I can't find anyone, " she says, blinking wide.

OOC: For the autumn prompt event! She's with @TWILIGHTKIT ⋆ and @HOWLKIT, but no need to wait!
 
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His impending apprenticeship is what keeps him awake. There's little security to be had in knowing that in less than a moon cycle, his siblings will be parted from his side - his mother, too. They'll be distributed to different dens, to different mentors even. There had once been a point where he grew excited at the prospect of apprenticeship, as it would've given him freedom to see what was outside of the camp's walls - as he would've been able to visit his uncle's grave and share a meal with him, too. And now, after everything...

All he knows is that a visit to the stars is permanent. And leaving the nursery is a step closer to that permanence, a step closer to death with a chance of no goodbyes.

Tigerkit edges out of the nursery where Twilightkit is settled with Howlkit. He's grown somewhat fond of the feral trio - distantly, and certainly not anything close to what he feels for his family. In the very least he doesn't detest his close proximity and until his sister finds them basking in the moonlight, he uses the smoke tom as a stand to lean against (whether the other likes it or not.) Tigerkit's voice is quiet in the dark and gilded eyes seek out his sister. In one fluid motion, he moves to fit beside her, instead - utilizing her weight to anchor down his uneven self.

"Hm." Twilightkit hums as his gaze flies upwards once more. His sibling isn't wrong. It's difficult to discern the stars from one another, much more to find specific ancestors in each of them. Eyes narrow as if that'll help pick out Howlingstar's... stocky shape? (What did Howlingstar look like? Cats say that Raccoonstripe looks like her, and Tigerkit like him. But when he looks at his sister... he doesn't see his grandmother. He sees Tigerkit.) (An unknown sense of dread fills him but he presses forth regardless.)

"They could look different up close..." he suggests, centering his lone forepaw to be a better weight bearer. "Or maybe... she isn't up there. Maybe she's visiting us now," and it's then that the silver and black streaked molly looks out into the dark corners of camp, as if he will see Howlingstar in all of her glory. (What did you look like?)
 
-ˋˏ ༻☾༺ ˎˊ-​

There's a pang of panic that shoots through Thrashkit when he wakes up to find his littermate not beside him. Had it left without them? Or was he taken, his head whips up from where it was situated against the moss of the nest, already wild tufts of fur sticking in places that looked untamed even for this burr of a kit. There's figures by the front of the nursery, once the initial panic subsides he realises that these figures aren't of any particular threat to anyone here, they're too small to be really that dangerous. Except for a familiar taller body, relief seeps into his bones as she rises, stretching still asleep limbs that send tingles dancing within as they attempt to wake up.

There's no grace or consideration for the other kits that reside here, except for Yippingkit, so while he doesn't trudge through the sleeping forms of his denmates like they're simply crunchy leaves in his path she also doesn't try to avoid brushing or knocking against anything. He doesn't announce his presence to those gathered by the front of the nursery, dark pelt helping him blend into the darker pockets of those natural shadows. Bright amber eyes glare out to the stars, piecing together the topic at hand as it stared.

Did any stars look like Howlingstar? He doesn't remember her well enough to even begin to think about. The realisation doesn't perturb him, she wasn't close with the previous leader so why should he spend hours of the night trying to piece together her appearance? He can understand frustration surrounding this concept somewhat, all the stars do look the same. Twilightkit suggests that maybe it's because she's visiting them right now, it sparks a flicker of memory. "Maybe... She's one of the ones that sometimes run... across the sky" He sees them sometimes, it's not common but occasionally there's a trail behind stars as they blink from one side of the sky to another. Short bursts of energy, they don't understand what it means but maybe it matters to someone else.

"Are some stars meant to be special?" Or did Tigerkit only think that Howlingstar might be special because they're related? That seemed silly to him, Tigerkit seemed smarter then that and he was faithful enough in his own judgements of character to not let this one blunder change his mind.


  • THRASHKIT
    any pronouns, 5 moons
    A black smoke with abnormally bright amber eyes and a habit of crouching while they walk.
    Bayinghound x Duke | Littermates with Howlkit & Yippingkit
    Due to her circumstances surrounding it's life she will be confrontational in the majority of their interactions { will start fights | will not end fights | will not run away and might be merciful }
    "speech" | thoughts | attacking
    All opinions are IC only!
 
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-ˋˏ ༻❁༺ ˎˊ- "stars are special. that's where our loved ones go when they pass away. see, their loved ones come get them and they go up there. that's where everyone says my mom is. where howlingstar, and mousenose, and rabbitnose too. they're up there, watching over us. doing their best to keep us all safe. but they're safe up there now."

orangepaw is tired now. he sits down for a moment, ignoring the thrombin ache in his leg before he flips over on his back, stretching out fully and looking up at the stars. he points to a few of them, his ears twitching ever so slightly.

"sometimes if you watch the sky enough, you can notice when new ones join the others. these few joined not too long ago. I think one of them is howlingstar. see, from here she just looks like one star. but she's pretty bright, isn't she?"

orangepaw hums. the kits don't have to believe him if they don't want to. he's simply speaking what he believes to be true. he closes his eyes, and twitches his tail as he thinks. hopefully, mama, you see them too. wherever you are. I just can't believe you... are gone. so you have to be looking for me still. I'll be waiting when you find me.

 
⊱⊰ The night looms dark overhead, and Hopepaw lies awake. The apprentices' den is a lonely place, even with the presence of so many other cats around her. Coalpaw is there, and so are Squirrelpaw and Bugpaw—but from her nest she can also see the shadowed forms of Scarletpaw and Mottledpaw, and she just can't get settled. Some nights it's easier, but some nights it's just like this. After only a bit more tossing and turning, at last the girl stands up and picks her way out of the den and across the camp. At least… at least she thinks Gentlestorm won't kick her out, as long as there's room for her. Or maybe he won't wake up at all, so she won't have to find out if her assumption is true.

She doesn't make it to the medicine cat's den, because she spots a little cluster of bodies near the nursery's entrance. Three kits bunch around, and their quiet conversation draws her attention. Howlingstar's name is mentioned, and their heads tip back to gaze up at the stars. "Hmm," she hums, tilting her head as she watches the kits—plus Orangepaw—discuss the stars, and StarClan cats themselves. The kits seem curious, building upon one another's knowledge and speculation, and Orangepaw speaks up to offer his own answers to Thrashkit's questioning. "I always wondered… where my mom and dad are," she murmurs, mostly to herself, as she settles down beside them all. Her posture is stiff, shoulders hunched forward as she stares out across the camp, focusing on each of the darkest corners for a good long moment. She won't be getting much sleep tonight anyway, so she might as well keep watch for any threats while the kits discuss the starry sky above.

  • ooc:
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  • HOPEPAW ❯❯ she/her, thunderclan apprentice
    skinny, thick-furred lilac molly with deep copper eyes. soft-spoken and sleepy, but can be a bit of a grouch.
    daughter of batwing and leopardtongue (adopted by roeflame) ; sister to braveheart, hazepaw, cardinalpaw, coalpaw ; adoptive sister to beetlepaw, dovepaw, littlepaw
    mentored by lovelight
    peaceful and healing powerplay permitted ; does not typically like physical contact from anyone besides her family
    penned by foxlore
 
Twilightkit is leaning against Howlkit. She wonders, if Tigerkit had gotten here at the same time as them, who Twilightkit would rather lean on... Well, she's a little happy her brother doesn't tell her she's wrong right away. Twilightkit's a lot smarter than her, she's pretty sure, but maybe they could both be smart today... Was that better, or worse? They could look different up close... she suggests. Tigerkit doesn't get what the point in being different was if no one else could even tell... Or... or she's visiting. What's the point if they can't see her? Tigerkit sniffs. " I wanna see her. "

The sudden appearance of Thrashkit, announced by her voice, spooks her for a moment. Tigerkit wonders if she could be spooky like that. Would she like to be? Cause that means she'd be unnoticed... but then, the second the other cat does notice you, they notice you in a way they wouldn't notice any other cat... It surprises her. " Stars can run? " She's never seen that before, and now she squints at the sky, wondering if she could catch one of them running. If it's true, Howlingstar would definitely be a running star... How many running stars could there be? " I thought so. I thought... Cause... Cause Leaders got star in their name before they're even a real star. Shouldn't they be the biggest stars? Or the brightest ones? Or um, like a different color... "

Orangepaw wanders over, and Tigerkit momentarily shrinks away, wondering if he was gonna scold them for being up so late... but he doesn't. Instead he tries to answer her questions, which she appreciates. What she doesn't appreciate is that it doesn't make any sense. Her face furrows. " All the stars can't be special... " No, that didn't make any sense at all...

Another apprentice appears, and again, they successfully avoid a scolding... If Tigerkit tried really hard, maybe she could become invisible like Thrashkit. Too bad Hopepaw couldn't find her mom or dad... Too bad none of them could find anyone. Maybe this is what she needs to do, become The star-seer kit. Not even Medicine Cats could do that, can they? ...Tigerkit's no star-seer, though... " I wish I could find them for you... " disappointedly, she mews.
 

-ˋˏ ༻❁༺ ˎˊ- "I'm sure they're up there somewhere."

he looks briefly to hopepaw before turning back to the stars, closing his eyes, and offering a quiet moment. his tail sways gently and he opens his gaze again, looking back to tigerkit. guess that kinda made sense because if everyone was special then no one was. but that's not the same, is it?

"maybe, maybe not. but they're all different, which is what makes them special. that's what my mom said at least. i don't know. I just look at the stars sometimes. gives me something to think about. to do. to see. to feel happy about. because so long as the stars are in the sky, I know that I'm going to be okay. and so will everyone I love."

he can hope for that much, can't he? hope still is a dangerous thing to behold, and no matter what it did to him, he would keep it in his paws and hold it close to his chest, with his heart know his sleeve.

"when i die, I wanna be the biggest star up there. that's my goal."

 
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〕There were many nights that she struggled to fall asleep, her dreams plagued with bloodshed...tonight was one of those nights. Peaceful dreams were few and far between ever since Skyclaw's fall, but the presence of her kits by her side sometimes kept the nightmares at bay. The leader slipped quietly from her den, desperate for some fresh air to clear her head, but when she emerged into the camp she discovered she was not alone. Her brows furrowed as her gaze rested upon three kits, with two apprentices gathered around them. Their muzzles pointed to the stars, and she could hear mentions of Howlingstar from where she was currently.

"It's awful late." the leader would murmur quietly as she padded over to join the group. Hopefully she hadn't startled them, her tone was more curious than stern. She couldn't fault them for watching the stars, not when she had came out to do the exact same thing. The leader lowered herself into a sit, and pointed her muzzle to the silverpelt above, wishing she could describe the very sight she had seen not too long ago. There had been a time that she had believed her clanmate's brains were full of bees. Dead cats watching over them in the stars...a tale fit to please kits. Before padding into the tunnel that lead to the Moonstone, there had still been a flicker of doubt, but as soon as she laid eyes on the glowing rock, her doubts had been quenched.

Twilightkit's voice pulled her away from the memory she had been pulled into. The leader turned to gaze towards Howlingstar's great grand-kit. "She will always be watching over us." She is there...I promise. Aging bones had been turned young, tired eyes were now bold and blazing, her pelt had glittered with the beauty of a thousand stars. Howlingstar had been almost unrecognizable when she had seen her last. Thrashkit spoke next, wondering about the stars that ran across the sky. She wasn't sure what those stars were, but she did know the answer to his next question. Orangepaw answered before she could, and she nodded approvingly at his words. All of the stars in the silverpelt were the ancestors of all of the clans. They were each special...except for a few that came to mind. Did Skyclaw and his mutts go to Starclan? Had Sootstar? She hadn't seen any of them, and she hadn't thought about asking.

"I always wondered… where my mom and dad are,"

A familiar pelt of grey stands in front of her, long healed claw marks across his eyes blink as he welcomes her into Starclan. "I am giving you your next life- the life of courageousness." An endless roar of fire had blazed within her as he touched her muzzle, filling her with the intense feeling of bravery, followed by the breathtaking ache of pain. When she opened her eyes, she was staring at the daughter of Batwing and Leopardtongue. While she hadn't seen the apprentice's mother, she knew his mate had been not too far away. "Your parents were brave, noble warriors. They will always be watching you." And they are so proud of you all.. Had Howlingstar felt this way? Cursed with knowledge forbidden to be shared?

"You'll know in your heart which stars they are..." the tabby's voice began and trailed off shortly after Tigerkit wished to be able to find their ancestors in the stars. Her gaze rested firmly on one star in particular, one of the more brighter stars. Underneath it were three smaller stars, one for each of her fallen kits. "That one." she lifted a paw, pointing a toe to the star that tugged her heart. "Is my Flycatcher...Lilykit, Butterflykit, and Sparrowpaw are with him. I can feel it." She would give anything to be there with them, to meet their kits that she hadn't been able to raise. To hunt and run through the starry forest with their adopted son that she had raised and loved as her own. To sleep beside her mate's figure once more, to joke once more about how old they were growing and her achy ancient joints.

"when i die, I wanna be the biggest star up there. that's my goal. She is pulled from her dreamy haze once more, but this time by Orangepaw's words. "You have much of your life ahead of you before that day comes." The leader began, slowly shaking her head back and forth, though a small smile formed on her maw. Orangepaw had a good heart, there was no doubt in her mind that he would continue to shine brightly, even after death.
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  • ooc.
  • FLAMESTAR —— leader of thunderclan , mentoring merlinpaw . storm x lily . littermate to nala, smokey, and nemo ✦ penned by icey !
    afab / she/her / 38 moons & ages every 20ᵗʰ
    widowed / heterosexual / closed to romance
    peaceful and healing powerplay permitted / underline & tag account when attacking
    —— difficult in battle


    "speech", 'thoughts', all opinions are in character
    tags — msg on discord for plots — toyhouse
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    a longhaired red tabby with low white and green eyes. flamewhisker's fur is a vibrant hue of red, riddled with thick classic tabby markings. her fur is medium in length, and she has a large, feathery tail. her chest, belly, tail tip, and her paws are dipped white. flamewhisker's eyes are a dark, deep shade of green. her shoulder has a large scar on it from a fight with a dog. she also has a shredded ear from a disagreement with a loner during her time alone before joining thunderclan. on particularly cold days, or sometimes before a major weather change, she will walk with a slight limp from her shoulder injury.
 
Squirrelpaw stirred when she felt her mother leave the den. It wasn't every night that she stayed with her family in the leaders den - she'd probably go crazy if she had to listen to Bugpaw mumbling in her dreams or Sunpaw snoring all the time - but tonight she had. Similarly to Flamestar, the company often eased the ache of her incessant nightmares, which were frequent enough already. She rose to her paws quietly, stepping over her littermates sleeping forms as she followed her mother out into the dark camp clearing.

It seemed that many of them had trouble sleeping these days. Tired green eyes watched as their leader joined a group of kittens and apprentices, all staring solemnly up into the night sky. Wordlessly the blue torbie joined them, snuggling into her mother's warm fiery fur as the rest of them contemplated their ancestors. Strangely enough, Squirrelpaw never found much solace in the stars. She knew her father and siblings were up there somewhere, and she didn't doubt Starclan's existence or importance. But at the end of the day, everyone up there was still dead and far from their reach and the thought made her terribly sad.

Her gaze drifted to Hopepaw as her friend quietly wondered about her parents, and it only hit her just then how similar their circumstances were. She, too, had lost Flycatcher before she'd been born, just like Batwing and Leopardtongue. Although, perhaps she was luckier that she still had Flamestar.

Her heart clenched as she settled more firmly against her mother's side, her throat suddenly going dry. She was Thunderclan's leader now. Eventually, every leader died. Just like Howlingstar. It was a curse, not a blessing from StarClan, and someday she would be forced to watch one of the cats she loved most die nine times over. Perhaps… Perhaps Hopepaw was lucky after all. Would the pain of loss sting less when you never had the chance to get to know them? She couldn't bare the thought of losing her mother now, after everything. But someday she would.

Tears began to prick her eyes, emotions welling up as her exhausted mind failed to hold them back. In an attempt to distract herself from the futility of dreading the future, she forced a wobbly smile onto her face and looked to the stars Flamestar had just pointed out. "I wish I could have known him," she whispered softly, in spite of her previous existential despair. She missed Sparrowpaw terribly, but knew that her life was richer for having known him. He was a great big brother, and she would always cherish the time she had with him. Was that… the point? Was that the reason they continued to fight for each other, even though they would inevitably lose in the end? Because the time they shared, however brief, was more precious than anything.

  • ADzwRhe.png
    SQUIRRELPAW she/her, apprentice of thunderclan, 9 moons
    lh blue torbie with high white and green eyes // slender but fluffy
    single, bisexual, crushing on no one // flamestar x flycatcher
    sister to bugpaw, ravenpaw, sunpaw, falconheart and stormfeather
    mentored by lightflower // adoptive sister to sparrowpaw
    peaceful powerplay permitted // underline and tag when attacking
    penned by limerence@limericks. on discord, dm for plots
 

Softsight has never been one to rest with the others, resulting in many nights lying awake in the warriors' den or slipping silently to and fro in the camp, satisfying her own wakefulness without worry about disturbing the rest of her Clanmates. Warriors needed proper rest, of course, but Softsight never seemed lacking in energy when the time came to have her duties distributed and performed. These nights, a fine breeze drifts through the ThunderClan camp, promises of the Leafbare that is to come.

When Softsight was little, still just a kit, she'd once dreamt about what it might be like to witness StarClan in all its glory. She knew that the only way that would ever come to fruition was if she was guided to a path where starry paws walked alongside mortals, and though some had sought to temper her dreams of grandeur, she'd never quite given up the idea that one day...

But not tonight. Not now, as she approaches the group of younger cats behind Flamestar, offering the leader a respectful dip of the head before she turned her attention towards the sky above, Silverpelt shining with its masses. Unlike many of her Clanmates, she had no one to search for in the starry sky, no family that had been lost to her as of yet, and for that she knew she was lucky. The kits and apprentices that looked up to the stars now, wishing they had known family and friends before their time, she'll never understand intimately how that feels.

Softsight has many thoughts about StarClan. She always has - it's what's drawn her to talking to medicine cats like Gentlestorm and Dawnglare. But she keeps her peace tonight, silently looking up at Silverpelt as the breeze ruffles her pelt, content to listen to what the younger cats have to say.

 
〕Since the day Skyclaw had exiled all kittypet-blooded cats, Honeykit hadn't looked at the stars. They dreaded it, they ran from it. When night fell the golden tabby stayed cooped up in the nursery, curled against their father, refusing any invites to go outside to do anything ( lest they accidentally look up at Silverpelt ).

It had been two moons of this. Two moons of avoiding the glinting stars above out of fear. Honeykit had always been told that when cats die and went to StarClan, they became one with Silverpelt so they could watch over the living during even the darkest nights. But they were afraid. . . Afraid that if they looked up, their mom wouldn't be there at all. She had died to keep her family together, what if she had been cast from StarClan and hadn't become a star? ( she had defended kittypets after all ) What if. . . What if that meant they'd never see her again?

Honeykit wanted to join in so bad, to search for Sorrelmist amidst the sky — because of course they would be able to tell which one she was. But what if she wasn't there?
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  • ooc.
  • HONEYKIT —— kit of thunderclan , mentoring/mentored by name . waspchaser x sorrelmist . littermate to none. ✦ penned by nocthymia
    they/them / 5 moons & ages every 7ᵗʰ
    single / too young
    peaceful and healing powerplay permitted / underline & tag account when attacking
    —— combat details here / battle notes

    "speech", 'thoughts', all opinions are in character
    biography — msg on discord for plots — toyhouse
  • reference image here
    a longhaired red tabby with low white, vitiligo and dichroic eyes.