✨WEEK TWO✨
PINECLAN 🌲
Pumpkinseed has cleared Scuttle to return to training after his injury at the Spider Tree! Before leaving her den, Scuttle asked Pumpkinseed about learning more about herbs. Pumpkinseed considers bringing this up to Pine.
Pine spoke with Tigerface about his unwillingness to lead. She gave him some stern encouragement, making Pine feel slightly better about his situation.
Sunflower took Critterpaw out to train in the Mossy Hollow, during which Critterpaw struggled under the deputy's instruction. The two were interrupted by a cat named Moth, who seemed to know Sunflower already. Sunflower agreed to bring Moth back to camp to get Pine's approval and the three headed back to camp.
Bentley went hunting at Sunslopes first thing in the morning and caught a vole. After his conversation with Tigerface, Pine went out after Bentley and watched his hunt from a tree.
After startling Bentley (by nearly falling from a tree), Pine agrees to hunt with Bentley as an equal, rather than as a mentor. Bentley has more luck, catching a mouse, while Pine chased a squirrel but caught nothing, much to his frustration. It began to rain and the two returned home.
After some questioning, Pine agreed to let Moth join the clan, much to Sunflower’s satisfaction.
Bentley and Critterpaw wrestled playfully in the Fern Bed, during which Bentley fell and hurt his nose. Both Pumpkinseed and Sunflower came to check on the two apprentices.
Hornet, Rising Mist and Scuttle arranged a patrol, with Moth joining at the last minute. The group headed towards the river and the treebridge. Moth expressed interest in learning about the other clans while Hornet, panicked, recalled his past drowning.
As the rain let up, Pine went out hunting on his own. While he missed the mouse he'd been stalking, his attention was quickly averted to a bird, singing a strange melody. He followed the bird to an old willow near the river where he met the Tree Walker, Wren. After some hesitation, the two embraced and Pine confided in her all that had happened. Wren responded with a mixture of concern and frustration and expressed how much she had missed Pine, who had been gone from the forest for several seasons. Pine suggested they run away together, and Wren denied, refusing to let Pine's fear control him.
CLIFFCLAN 🗻
Between weeks, Cliffstar appointed Hickorystrike as CliffClan’s deputy, & Owlfeather (renamed officially from Owldream, in honor of her proficiency at healing & her new life in the mountains) as CliffClan’s healer. She also appointed herself to be Pigeonpaw’s mentor. This was after a much-needed counseling session from Owlfeather, in which Owlfeather urged Cliffstar to allow others to share her responsibility— Something which Cliffstar has evidently been reluctant to do since her brother Thundercry turned down her request to be her deputy.
Hickorystrike set out on patrol with Goldenfur to mark CliffClan’s borders officially, since there weren’t yet any set territory borders. They lingered on the stone bridge. Goldenfur was eager to please and imitate CliffClan’s new deputy, and the two bonded over their pride in CliffClan’s growing identity.
As Pigeonpaw’s first training session, Cliffstar took her apprentice out to Kitten Peak to practice both climbing and hunting. Goldenfur accompanied them, eager to see a proper clan training session.
Ternbriar, a fastidious new CliffClan tom from a small family colony in the mountains, spent some time bonding and sharing tongues with Shane in camp— Before the sudden onset of a rain storm interrupted and sent Ternbriar fleeing to somewhere more sheltered to save his newly-groomed fur, with Shane following in tow.
Painted Dawn, a young arrival from the Bat Colony, tried to paint a small picture on a stone in camp based on the dream that had brought her to CliffClan: a beautiful dawn sky over the mountain cliffs. However, this attempt was foiled by rain, so she retreated to the safety of a den… Which turned out to be Cliffstar’s. The two of them spoke, and Painted Dawn revealed that she sometimes had dreams that gave her feelings about the future, and Cliffstar seemed worried that those dreams might get her into trouble if she wasn’t careful about who she told of them. However, after consoling the young molly, Cliffstar agreed to her request to become a CliffClan apprentice, and proposed that her mentor should be Thundercry.
Cloudstep returned from a several-day solo roam & hunting trip to wait out the storm in the sleeping den with Goldenfur. They were joined in short order by Painful Painted Dawn (Goldenfur had slightly misremembered her name), fresh from her talk with Cliffstar, and the three dozed off in one another’s company.
Cliffstar called Thundercry to her den after the rain had passed to talk about Painted Dawn’s apprenticeship, and the two had a moment to rekindle the friendship they’d shared before Thundercry had said he didn’t want to be deputy. They are enjoying their time as clan cats, and have high hopes for CliffClan’s future.
RAPIDCLAN 🌊
Bane from Pineclan meets Ember who was weaving a net. They discuss why they joined their respective clans
Bearclaw and Nightwatcher take a break from building the nursery, while Skidmark plays in the shallows. Bearclaw asks about Nightwatcher's feelings towards Ember, and says she supports her brother in whatever happens. Nightwatcher isn't sure Ember feels the same.
Tawnyhawk and Ember talk at the Sunning Stones. Tawnyhawk revels she has romantic feelings towards Rapidstar, it was never about trying to be better than Ember. They briefly discuss Nightwatcher after heading to trout run, and Tawnyhawk teases about possible kits. Ember says he's just a friend and she wants to help the deputy find his place in the clan. They catch some fish then head back to camp as a storm rushes in
Bearclaw comforts Skidmark during the storm. Sunstream joins them, seeking comfort as well, and tells them stories of the Sky and the Mountain to distract all three of them from the thunder. Bearclaw feels something is wrong but blames her anxiety on the storm.
Rapidstar and Nightwatcher are out hunting together when it begins to rain. Instead of heading back, they hear then spot a kit in danger. A hawk grabs the kit, and Rapidstar leapt for the hawk from a tree branch, forcing it to drop the kitten. Rapidstar fell and hit her head, losing her first life.
Nightwatcher dives into the river to save the kit. He manages to get the kit to safety but is washed away himself as the wet ground crumbles under him, and unable to resurface and hitting his head, Nightwatcher drowned.
Rapidstar yelled at the kit, blaming it for Nightwatcher's death to cover up feeling she is also responsible. Even so, she grabbed the kit and took them back to camp. the kit was given to Sunstream, who cleaned and examined the kit. Bearclaw was taken to the calling stump to speak to Rapidstar alone
Rapidstar told Bearclaw what happened, both about her lost life and how Bearclaw's brother had drowned. Bearclaw wails in grief, getting the attention of the rest of the clan. Rapidstar officially makes the announcement to the clan, and many cats speak about Nightwatcher in remembrance. Tawnyhawk says nothing, but curled up against Bearclaw.
Bearclaw doesn't blame Rapidstar or the kit, who she leaves the vigil to go see. She thinks of her brother as a hero for saving the kit and promises to herself she will keep this kit safe.
Tawnyhawk forms a patrol to go looking for Nightwatcher's body, fearing he's been lost to the river and his spirit will be trapped under the waters as well.
After a visit to the Carplace and reconnecting with his old friend, Cowboy, Shift brought nachos for Skidmark!
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💀 DEATHS: ◆ Nightwatcher of RapidClan; drowned while saving the kit now known as The Child. ◆ Rapidstar; 1st life lost, falling from a great height while attacking a hawk to save the kit now known as The Child.
