Raccoonmoss had brought his apprentice to help his sister gather herbs. Just the things that the clan can't grow like cobwebs or catmint. Drypaw has never been this far into the mountains. A small plant hung over a cliffside. "Shrubstalk is that plant useful?!" He shouted. Shrubstalk didn't reply but Dry could hear the squeaky gibberish that was Raccoonmoss talking. Drypaw decided to grab it just in case. Of course he heard stories about the end of the world but seeing it was something different. Seeing the fog swirling around in an endless expanse is timeless. He didn't even notice his mentor sitting next to him until Shrubstalk talked, "There you both are! You should probably get away from the edge of the island." Turns out Drypaw found chamomile.
-Drypaw gathers chamomile
Wisteriapaw laid in her nest like she has been doing since her encounter. Reedwade gently nudged her, "Hey kiddo, do you want to go training?" Of course, Wisteriapaw did nothing, blankly staring ahead. "... It's ok. I'll be with Dartstrike if you're ready." And with that, Reedwade left. Wisteriapaw felt empty. The fear that grasped her hollowed her out. When tiny paws pressed into her side, she raised her head, "Huskkit? Aren't you supposed to be in the herb storage?" "Yeah," it was said bluntly. So bluntly that Wisteriapaw was shocked into silence for a bit, "... So why aren't you there?" "Because I noticed you've been doing nothing but laying in your nest. This is abnormal behavior," The way Huskkit spoke was strange, like conversing with a crow that somehow also understands cat. "... Yeah...?" Wisteriapaw was quite unsure how to respond, "I think you should spend more time with your littermates. They probably miss you." "Miss me?" "Yeah, like they want to play with you." "Play?" "Yeah like mossball." "Is that why other cats leave bits of moss by my nest?" "Probably." "I never really bothered to bat at them." "I'm not a big mossball fan either," Wisteriapaw purred for the first time since seeing the monster.
-Wisteriapaw realizes she has more in common with Huskkit than she realized. Wisteriapaw recovered from shock
Gambler asked Dartstrike if he could lead a patrol and Dartstrike happily said yes! Of course it was a border patrol to help the apprentices learn the boundaries. Midnightdusk was struggling with Basilpaw and was told to come along, Gambler is still confused because Boragepaw has been nothing but a dear to him. While he was pointing out the Old Desert a patrol could be seen on the rocky face a bit below. Of course Basilpaw just hopped over the side and slid down like a maniac just to meet the cats Midnightdusk was tumbling down after him. Gambler giggled, he remembered being overzealous as a youth on a foreign island without any magic. He and Boragepaw padded down the long way. "Halt!" Midnightdusk regained her footing to shout, "Basilpaw that includes you!" When Gambler made it to the group Midnightdusk was already interrogating, "Why are you here?" "Mirrorcave." "Why do you need to see the Mirrorcave?" "To get my lives." "Why are you getting your lives now and not when you became leader like seasons ago?" Basilpaw didn't have Boragepaw's sense to stay quiet, "Wait you didn't get your lives? How long have you been leader for?" Now Gambler could recognize Clearstar from the disembodied voice talking, "Lakeclan is quite the walk away, when I inherited the clan from Otterstar there was no need to prove my leadership and no direct threats for extra lives to be worth the hike... Until now. I had a prophecy from Starclan." Gambler wore his worry on his face, "Are we at risk?" "Not that I'm aware of but ask Cloverstar if Starclan visited her." Gambler nodded, "Will do sir, we should hurry right away. The Mirrorcave is west from here, may you find what you need." With that the patrol started back towards the camp, Midnightdusk and the apprentices were quickly bounding ahead." Gambler stopped and stared out to the patrol... Before his eyes caught sight of a deer... A deer that was a bit longer than normal...
-Gambler directs the leader of Lakeclan to the Mirrorcave. The beast has been spotted on Cliffclan territory.
The mountains are known for being steep with the ramps to camps and the Mirrorcave having been carved out by a former Darkclan artisan, Boulderbounce. Of course, she was the last cat with the artisan title due to the other artisans just becoming caretakers, and she is currently staying between Bogclan and Lakeclan. This is unfortunate because the hunting patrol that Dartstrike was leading was looking down at the gap between a steep dip and the camp ramp to see a fuzzy cat stuck down there. "You ok?" Reedwade asked. "Yeah!" The voice echoed a bit. The patrol put the prey they gathered to the side, with camp so close they were sure nothing would steal it. Reedwade gently grew some reeds. They were weaker than normal due to the lack of water. Between her and Dartstrike, they could braid the reeds, and then thro- what the shit snacks is Wisteriapaw doing? Reed gave a side eye to Wisteria, who is really leaned over into the pit before reaching her paws down. Alright, she'll probably have to save her apprentice as well. Back to brai- OHMYSTARS! A loud, strained yowl shook Reed's thoughts, and Dart stood up quickly as Wisteria somehow dragged the kittypet up by the harness with her paws. Oreo was her name, and apparently, making friends is her game as she talked Dartstrike's ear off. Reedwade just simply glared at Wisteriapaw. She is definitely hiding another power. Reedwade was too busy glaring at her apprentice to notice Dartstrike giving a mouse away and promising to visit Oreo and her friend.
-Dartstrike, Reedwade, and Wisteriapaw save a kittypet. Dartstrike is caught giving prey to Oreo.
Reedwade waited until Dartstrike was done with talking and when the patrol dumped the prey into the pile to confront Wisteriapaw. Reed simply followed Wisteria to the apprentice den before asking, "So about that second power?" "I'm not ready to be a warrior, I barely can grow anything without water nearby. Much less get this power under control!" "Have you ever heard of Darkclan?" "Like the cats who were anti happy?" "Well... That's one way to put it. They had a strict code that every cat born was shameful. Being a warrior meant you proved yourself to no longer something to be ashamed of, I think I'd have to ask Cloverstar, anyways apprentices needed to prove themselves however in this world where powers come from names it didn't end well... Apprentices accepted the extra powers but without the name to accommodate it... They just... Hmm... They exploded." "They exploded?" "It's a way to put it, some withered away from plant powers or slowly turned into animals. Some caused earthquakes from ground powers or made other cats blue. Of course others actually exploded. All of these either eventually killed them or left them in a state where they couldn't be a warrior." "Oh... Why did this only happen in Darkclan? Surely other clans held apprentices back." Reedwade froze. For a moment, she could feel the water rushing by her paws, her legs, her fur, her camp. She shook her head before answering, "Well the other clans blamed the apprentices. What happened varied from apprentice to apprentice but it almost always ended in exile." "What happened when everyone realized the apprentices were innocent?" "Well when everything about Darkclan came out a search for the apprentices started and some did return and others found new homes and stayed there. The majority were already dead." Left to rot, Reed bitterly thought, It wasn't fair. She continued, "That's why you should've gotten your name as soon as the secondary power started appearing." "But what about my power training? I haven't gotten growing things down," Wisteria questioned. "Apprenticeships are about making sure you can survive without an adult. We can work on your powers when your a warrior." Wisteria was quiet at Reed's answer. After a bit, Wisteria asked, "Do you think I'll be named Wisteriadusk after my mother?" "Maybe." "Do you think I'll be named after you?" "No." Stars, I hope not. I don't want you to end up like me.
-Wisteriapaw becomes a warrior named Wisteriashade
Midnightdusk's scowl scrunched up at the news of a permanent scar. It was large and visible and the fur was sparsely growing back. It was on her back too, meaning she couldn't get to it all that well. At least now she could move around without worry of opening the wound.
-Midnightdusk's claw wound healed into a scar
Cloverstar happily watched her kits. Boragekit and Basilkit have started climbing the side of the nursery pit. Once a kit climbs out of the pit, then they are made an apprentice, usually. Cloverstar has been waiting for Boragekit to climb out after her brother. Basilkit happily pranced around, bragging that he's going to be made an apprentice. Oh yeah, he's going to Midnightdusk, Cloverstar thought before something bumped her leg, "Oh dear! Boragekit you got up and I didn't even see you!" "You didn't see me do it yesterday either." Oh dear, her kits will be the end of her.
-Basilpaw and Boragepaw are apprenticed to Midnightdusk and Gambler.
Scorchstripe just wanted to walk aimlessly. Cloverstar just wanted to talk about Basilpaw and Boragepaw's new apprenticeship. The dog that attacked them just wanted a meal. Cloverstar's limp body hung from the frosty jaws of the cold canine. Scorchstripe felt his face tingle as his fur was unraveled like a ball of yarn. Flames danced on his skin before it seared the dog's fur. It dropped Cloverstar before running away to put itself out. Scorchstripe waited for a few seconds before clovers tentatively grew to shield and protect Cloverstar as she revived. Stars. Oh, my stars. Scorchstripe felt sick.
-Cloverstar lost a life to a dog
Cornkit was never the sanest dreamer. Most of his dreams were nightmares of everything bad that could happen. So Scarabkit decided to be his dream guardian! First she was just a beetle in his dreams but how she interacted with Cornkit in his dreams, the more she changed. One night she decided to fight a nightmare and kill it. Cornkit looked up at her in fear, Scarabkit now being a massive junebug. "Stop it! Please stop!" Cornkit yelled. Scarabkit's sad response echoed through the whispy mountains, "I just wanted to help you..." "I don't like this!" Scarabkit just nodded and quietly left, letting Cornkit fill the dreamspace where she once was. A few heartbeats later and only Scarabkit is awake. I can at least always be there for him.
-Cornkit has a nightmare. Scarabkit promises to always be there for Cornkit
