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talonslockau · 4 months

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Fire and Ice - Chapter 43

Chapter 42 || Index || Chapter 44

It wasn't long until they heard rustling in the undergrowth nearby. "This way! I smell blood!" It was Sandstorm. Firepaw grit his teeth at the yowl. Sandstorm wasn't the most understanding cat in the Clan, as his first encounter with her had proved. Still, he patiently waited.

Soon the patrol emerged, headed first by Sandstorm and then shortly after by Whitestorm. Whitestorm! He was easily the most level-headed cat in the Clan. If there was any cat that would listen to reason, it would be him. Behind him was Tinyfrost, Peppermask, and Lionheart; those that were the least injured in battle, he assumed. They were good for him, though. All would listen to reason, except Sandstorm, and even she could be convinced by her former mentor.

She studied the ground carefully. "There's a little here. Not much, though. No more than a cut." She paused and sniffed at the air. "Then…" She frowned and sniffed again. "That's strange. I smell-"

""Thunderclan." Firepaw chose that moment to step out, the Thunderclan patrol bristling angrily as he did so. He gestured for Graypaw to join him. "You smelled us."

"Firepaw? Graypaw?" Whitestorm stepped forward protectively. "What in Starclan's name are you doing here?"

"Bluestar sent us!" He spoke quickly, glancing at his friend. "She sent us to get help from the Shadowclan elders. Yellowfang was already there, making sure they were okay."

"I see!" The large white warrior mewed, his yellow eyes shining brightly. "Now I understand why Bluestar told us we might find a friend out here. So they're nearby?"

"They are." The apprentice purred with a dip of his head. "They've promised to help us get Goldenflower's kits back at any cost."

"That's good to hear." The lead warrior looked around curiously. "I don't see where they could be hiding, though. Can they hear us?"

"Of course we can." Yellowfang rasped as she emerged from the peat they had been hiding in. "We're Shadowclan, you know. You're not supposed to see us… until it's too late." She gave the Thunderclanners a toothy grin as she spoke, exposing her broken fangs. As she did so, the other Shadowclan elders descended from the trees.

"I should have guessed." Whitestorm admitted with a dip of his head. "Very well, then. What do you know? How should we attack?"

Nightpelt stepped forward, his dark fur largely untouched by the rain. "Brokenstar will know you are coming. He'll be expecting it. Likely, he's fortified his position within our camp."

"And the kits?"

"That we're unsure of." He admitted, glancing off over the marshy territory. "We think it most likely several of the queens and warriors have been assigned to watch over them. There will be no sneaking them away."

"And the queens allow this?" Whitestorm narrowed his eyes. "Surely they know how Goldenflower and Frostfur are suffering without their kits by their side."

The Shadowclanners shifted uncomfortably. "They do as Brokenstar orders. They have to, if they want to protect their own kits."

Peppermask snarled behind them. "That's sick. What kind of leader threatens kits to get his way?"

"A tyrant." Whitestorm replied, returning his gaze to Nightpelt. "So, sneaking in won't be an option. Neither will a full-out assault, from the sound of it." He considered their options thoughtfully. "What are your thoughts, then?"

"Brokenstar did not technically exile all of us." Cinderscar spoke up from behind his brother. "Only Yellowfang, Archtail, and Crowtalon. The rest of us were merely banished from camp, sent to catch our own prey and take care of ourselves rather than waste valuable resources."

"I see." Firepaw perked his ears forward curiously as the older toms spoke. "I sense you plan to use this somehow."

"We will pretend that we have captured Yellowfang." They all looked to the grumpy old healer, who looked less than amused with this plan. Still, she nodded, giving her approval to it. "We will announce that we have done so to prove that we are still loyal to Brokenstar, and that we can still be a part of his new, stronger Shadowclan."

"His ego knows no limits." Nightpelt added quickly. "He may even believe us. At the very least, he will come to claim his prize. Then we will strike and trap him. His warriors will defend him, but that is where you all come in."

"And what of his warriors?" Whitestorm asked with a frown. "We are strong, especially with these apprentices, but Shadowclan is stronger. How can we hope to beat them?"

"You will not meet as much resistance as you think." Yellowfang growled. "Many are still loyal to the code, and despise what Brokenstar is doing. They miss the old days of Raggedstar. Back when Shadowclan was feared for its cunning, not its depravity."

The large tom nodded sadly. "Those days were not so long ago. There is still a chance for them to return."

"That is why we seek your help." Nightpelt replied. "You will get your kits back, and we will get our Clan - our lives - back."

"Let's get going then." Sandstorm snapped impatiently. "The longer we wait, the more time they get to recover."

"Hmm. Impatient. I like her." Yellowfang grunted. "Come. We will take you to the Shadowclan camp."

The patrol traveled quickly, especially with the Shadowclanners leading the way. Firepaw was glad he didn't have to guess his way across the territory; it was obvious each Shadowclanner knew the land as well as their own paws. It wasn't long before they slowed to a walk in a purely pine forested region.

"Our camp is there." Yellowfang hissed at them, pointing out a cluster of fallen trees surrounded by a messy thorn thicket. "Hide in the peat patch over there until you hear battle cries. It will disguise your scent."

They all crowded in and waited. It was a little small, especially when all but Tinyfrost were warrior sized, but they did their best to hide despite it.

"What if this is a trap?" Sandstorm hissed to her mentor. "They could be telling Brokenstar about the seven Thunderclanners just waiting to be attacked right outside their camp. What if they've been spying on us all along?"

"Spying on what? Tallpines?" Firepaw retorted, keeping his voice soft and quiet so it wouldn't carry into camp. "Only Yellowfang has seen any of our camp, and it wasn't by her choice."

"Hush." Whitestorm growled at both of them, keeping his eyes on the hollow entrance. The two ginger cats glared at each other, their eyes burning green, but they did as he asked.

Then wails erupted in camp, and they all sprang out of the bushes. They all scrambled through the tree hollow entrance, emerging in a clearing surrounded by thorn bushes not unlike Thunderclan's own camp. In the center were the elders, being pulled off of Brokenstar by large, vicious warriors that he recognized. All of them had been involved in both assaults on the Thunderclan camp.

Yet around the edges he also saw scrawny toms and several queens huddled against the thorns, eyes wide as they stared at the sudden intruders to their camp. He recognized a couple of them as having been part of the hunting patrol on Thunderclan territory, the ones that had vanished into thin air. All of them were unmoving as they watched, as though hoping they would be ignored if they sat still enough.

He would never have imagined such a pathetic-looking Clan, from Shadowclan's recent displays of strength. It seemed as though the Clan was separated into two halves; those loyal to Brokenstar, that did whatever he asked and got whatever they wanted, and those that suffered under the cold, unyielding might of the tabby tyrant.

Firepaw leaped at a thick-furred dark tom that was wrestling with Poolcloud, digging his claws into the tangled and matted fur. It wasn't until he bit down that he tore into the flesh, causing the rogue below him to screech in pain. He dragged his head back and forth, relishing the taste of blood before he finally let go.

The tom whirled around, fur bristling angrily. He leaped towards Firepaw. He didn't get the chance to retaliate, however, as Graypaw slammed into him from another side. "Get out!" The other apprentice spat, digging in with his claws and chomping into the tom's shoulder. He yowled in agony, taking off for the entrance before either apprentice could stop him.

Graypaw nodded quickly to Firepaw before leaping back into the fray to help his sister tangling with a brown tabby. Just as he was about to follow, he felt something small slam into his side.

It was a kitten, about four months old and easily half his size. The dappled gray kit was puffed out, spitting angrily at him as it lashed out with claws that were far too small to do any real damage to his thick fur. "I'm sorry, little one." He murmured, sheathing his claws and batting it away gently. "Try again at the Gathering in a few moons."

The kitten stumbled back, evidently shocked by the strength behind his relatively gentle swing. It glanced around, and after a moment backed away into a group of mollies - queens, if he had to guess.

He looked around. Whitestorm was wrestling with Spiderfoot, the two toms nearly an even match in size and strength. Lionheart and Sandstorm were teaming up against a brown tabby that was missing his tail.

His eyes narrowed as he spotted Tinyfrost facing off against a large, brown tom covered in scars. Clawface, he remembered, from the first Shadowclan attack. He had nearly killed Firepaw and Sandstorm then. If what Yellowfang said was true, he had attacked Dewpaw and killed Spottedleaf. His ears flattened as he watched his mentor dodge out of the way of a heavy paw-slam. Now was his chance to get revenge.

Blood pounded in his ears as he leaped onto the tom's back. He dug his claws in as far as he could, his lip curling in a smile as the rogue below him screeched in pain. He reached out to bite into his spine, fangs bared, but before he could do so Tinyfrost slammed into the killer's side, knocking Firepaw off.

When he got up, Clawface had fled into the bushes and his mentor was watching him. "Warriors do not need to kill." The black tom warned his apprentice before darting off into the fray once more.

An angry scream rang out over camp. On the far side, Yellowfang had pinned Brokenstar down. This time, however, there were no loyal rogues to pull her off. Her broken fangs were bared in a snarl as she glared down at her former leader. Thunderclanners and Shadowclanners alike began to circle her as Brokenstar tried to free himself from her powerful grasp.

"I never thought you would be harder to kill than my father!" The dark, matted tom growled up at the healer with a vicious grin.

She recoiled as though a snake had bitten her. "You killed Raggedstar?" She yowled in shock.

"You found his body. Didn't you recognize my fur between his claws?" Brokenstar rolled onto his side and stood up, starting to circle her. She stared in horror as he did. "He was soft and weak. A foolish leader. He needed to die."

"You!" Yellowfang cried, backing up as he spoke. Then, regaining her senses, she arched her back and bristled her dark gray fur. "And what of Dawncloud's kits? Did they deserve to die too?"

"Those kits were weak." Brokenstar spat at her. "They would have died anyway. They were of no use to Shadowclan."

A light tabby queen wailed as he spoke, and Firepaw's heart lurched. How could any cat say that, let alone about kits? No wonder he had discarded Volepaw so easily.

"I should have killed you when I had the chance." He snarled at Yellowfang. "I must have some of my father's softness after all. I was a fool to let you leave Shadowclan alive!" He lunged with his teeth bared towards her, ready to sink his claws into the healer.

The dark gray molly was frozen in place. Gone was her desire to fight, taken by the horrible revelations of the depths of depravity her former leader was willing to go to. She didn't even blink as the matted tabby closed the distance between them. Someone had to help her.

Firepaw moved first, leaping forward to slam into the leader. The tabby landed heavily on his side, not expecting the intervention of another cat. As he scrambled to stand, he growled at the ginger apprentice. "Don't waste my time, apprentice. I have nine lives! Do you really think you can take all of them from me?"

He shook his head in disbelief. He knew some older cats liked to use that saying, but surely this mangy rogue didn't believe in it? "I'm willing to bet you've already wasted eight of them." He snarled back, bushing up and staring him down.

For a moment, it seemed like Brokenstar was actually going to fight him, but then he took in his surroundings. His loyal code-breaking warriors had broken ranks and fled. Now all that remained were furious Thunderclanners and mistreated Shadowclanners, bent on getting revenge. "This isn't over." He spat at all of them, before finally backing away and vanishing into the bushes.

There was silence for several long moments. "What now? Do we go after them?" Firepaw asked, looking to Yellowfang or Whitestorm for answers.

"Let them run." Nightpelt stepped forward, his eyes dark as he gazed across his old camp, ruined by the battle. "They know they are not welcome here. And if they dare to come back, Shadowclan will be ready to face them."

He looked over the Shadowclanners. They were almost skeletal, as though they hadn't eaten in moons. Around camp, the stench of crowfood hit him. He remembered what Featherstorm had said; Spiderfoot hadn't bothered to teach his apprentice any hunting techniques. The Clan had always been at war, with no time for hunting or caring for each other. Perhaps they really hadn't eaten in moons, a thought that made his own stomach churn.

"The kits!" His head snapped up as he heard Graypaw's cry. From what he gathered was the nursery, five kits rushed out, crowding around the dark gray tabby. All of the Thunderclanners padded over to look at them.

"Thank Starclan they're alright." Peppermask purred, nosing over each of them. They gazed up at the Thunderclan patrol with wide eyes that were beginning to change color. "But Cedarkit has a bad scratch on his shoulder. That must have been what Sandstorm smelled when we were coming here. It's not been treated, either."

He sniffed at the group, finding the tom she was talking about, a small dark ginger kit that was colored a bit similarly to him. "Do you think he can wait until we get to Dewpaw, or-"

"Let me see." Firepaw moved back as Yellowfang shouldered her way through. She peered at it for a few moments before looking over her shoulder. "Wetnose! Marigold and cobwebs!"

As if on cue, a small gray tom limped up, his white paw covered in cobwebs and several golden flowers dangling from his mouth. He dropped them respectfully in front of her, allowing her to apply them before smoothing over the wound with several layers of cobwebs.

"He'll be alright for the return journey. I'll treat him better when we're back at camp." Yellowfang's voice was hollow. Even though she was talking to them, he could tell her mind was still focused on what Brokenstar had said.

"Back at camp?" Firepaw questioned. "You're not staying here?"

The healer gazed out over her birthplace. "A season ago, I would have." She admitted. "But I cannot stay. Not after everything that has happened." She let out a bitter sigh as she turned her attention back to the kits. "Besides, Thunderclan has no healer now. Someone will need to train Dewpaw."

Whitestorm nodded. "Thunderclan will be glad to have you." He purred to the old molly. "I'm sure Bluestar will have no problem with it."

Nightpelt approached the Thunderclan crowd. "You have helped Shadowclan in their darkest time, and for that we are grateful. Brokentail and his rogues will never darken the territories of the other Clans again." He dipped his head respectfully to each of them, even the apprentices. "But it is time you returned your kits home. I promise that your hunting grounds will be free of Shadowclan, so long as we can find food in our own territory."

"Thank you, Nightpelt." Whitestorm stepped forward, his voice warm as he spoke. "Hunt in peace for one moon. Thunderclan knows you need time to rebuild after Brokentail's savage attacks."

Firepaw didn't miss the significance of the exchange. It seemed they had rejected the leader and his connection with Starclan. He couldn't blame them, after all Brokentail had done.

With a sweep of his tail, Whitestorm signaled the patrol to leave. Each picked up a kit, except for Firepaw, Yellowfang and Whitestorm, and began the long journey back to camp. At last, it seemed there would be peace in the forest, at least for a short while.

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leafpoolstanblog · 8 months

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ShadowClan-Y2-LF

Nightpelt dies. Could be from his breathing complications getting worse, or the carrion sickness, or Brokenstar.

Darkflower has her litter; Rowankit and Cedarkit. Their father is Scorchwind, but a cat unaware of their father could mistake it for being Tigerclaw, due to how fiercely protective he is of both kits. (He knows mentoring one will win the Clan over, and allow him to secure deputyship easier…)

#warrior cats #warrior cats au #warrior cats fanfic #warriors #warriors au #warriors fanfic #shadowclan #y2-lf #nightpelt #darkflower #rowankit #cedarkit #scorchwind

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residents-of-the-darkforest · 2 years

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Dark Forest Resident: Sparrowface

Aliases / Nicknames: The Elder

Gender: female

Sexuality: Asexual

Family: unknown mother, unknown father, Cinderfang, Larksnow (brothers), Fennelpounce (mate), Cedarstar (son)

Other Relations: unnamed mentor, Otternose (sister-in-law)

Clan: Nobleclan

Rank: elder

Characteristics: Revenge

Number of Victims: 3

Number of Murders: 2

Murder Method: ripping out throat

Known Victims: Fennelpounce, Cedarstar, Otternose

Victim Profile: her mate and anyone who supported him

Cause of Death: Old age, sickness

Cautionary Tale: N/A

Story:

Sparrowface had a good life, had a mate and she had a son of whom she adored, however she had heard whispers of her two brothers.

Some of which rumoured that her elder brother, Cinderfang, was the object of Greyflower's affection, although the she-cat was already in a relationship. Sparrowface's other brother, of whom she was closest to, Larksnow, had joined Mireclan by request of Mireclan's leader, Briarstar, in order to prevent war.

One day, a patrol was sent out to Mireclan's borders, and a fight broke out. When the patrol returned, Fennelpounce was not with them. Sparrowface had waited, and when her mate returned, she faintly scented blood on him. She questioned him on his whereabouts, but he tried to change the subject.

That night, Sparrowface heard Fennelpounce leave their den once again, and she followed him. What she found was a shoddy grave with her brother, Larksnow, inside.

She stalked Fennelpounce back to their den and attacked him from behind. Pinning him down, she had demanded to know why he was burying her brother. Fennelpounce gave in and told her he had killed Larksnow at the skirmish, and to avoid banishment he had hidden Larksnow's body. Enraged, Sparrowface ripped his throat out, but unbeknownst to her, her kit was awake, and in a blind rage leaped onto his mother and ripped part of her face off.

Cedarkit was in shock and passed out shortly after. In the morning, his mother was above him, grooming him. When questioned what had happened the previous night, his mother said that a rogue had snuck into camp to kidnap him, and his father was slain and Sparrowface's eye ripped out.

The lie continued for years until Sparrowface was old and frail, and on her deathbed, her son visited her, and she told him the truth, everything. She had passed shortly after, with her son left to pick up the pieces.

Additonal Information:

--Submission by @sunshadesfrozensky

--Sparrowface's grandson also ends up in the Dark Forest, Brindlepaw was lured there as a young apprentice alongside his friend Sunpaw by Spottedstone, who was the illegitimate child of Cinderfang and Grey flower.

--Her design looks amazing af

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rose-warriorcatsrefs · 3 months

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#cedarkit #cedarpaw #cedarheart #warrior cats #warriors #starclan #shadowclan

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hollys-gay-little-art-blog · 2 years

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they............. the skrunklys................. littlefoot (black and white) and brindlebreeze (gray tabby) and their kits (from left to right) cedarkit, oakkit, and willowkit :]

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corvidaeconundrum · 6 days

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Hail, True Body Warriors AU

Gonna do this as bullets of random information I have gathered since tying everything together into a cohesive storyline is something I’ll battle when I feel conscious.

- Mimics are dark forest warriors, specifically those who have nearly faded away complete as they’re easier to control and influence as compared to the ambition fueled fresh ones. They are able to be led into a living cats dreams through the help of a Starclan cat(Morningstar/Lucifer in this case), where they kill the cat in their dream, and use it to swap places with them and wake up in their body instead.

-Cedarlily/Mark’s grandfather is the current leader of Thunderclan, with Copperstrike/Cian being deputy. This is kind of the reason he was given the suffix he has, as he was seen as lesser then the other apprentices as he grew, and was cursed to have the suffix of a flower as compared to the other more fierce names of his fellow warriors. He usually tries to keep his name hidden from as many people as possible, opting instead for Cedarfang when he can.

-Morningstar is a Starclan cat, he was given this blessing due to the fact that in his life, despite his technical crimes, he never once believed he was breaking the warrior code, and was completely in the thought that he was doing good for the clans. Basically got the Mudclaw treatment, damned bastard. Completely guiltless so now hes allowed in cat heaven.

-Badgersight/Sam was Thunderclan’s previous medicine cat, until he was exiled for breaking the warrior code due to a vision he had recieved from Starclan. He spends his time living around the territory, bouncing from place to place as to not ever be caught. This also helps him keep his Thunderclan scent and not be confused for a full rogue, which would warrant an investigation.

-Azreal has the same name, as he is a kittypet

-Appletuft/Adam was a kit found abandoned on Shadowclan territory, and subsequently adopted into it. He was lucky to have already been mostly weaned, as no queen wanted to take him for more then a week due to his aggressive behavior towards his ‘siblings’. He’s a bit of a Cuckoo in that way, a creature of the outside doomed to remove resources from the home that fosters them, all before the others, and completely in favor of itself. Despite how his aggression made the clan have a very deep distaste for him, he was a perfect warrior. Addershine/Eve is his current mate.

-On the outskirts of all territories there is a rogue, fur a deep non-reflective black. He comes and goes as he pleases and no one has ever stopped him. If asked for a name, he only says Nobody. Elders like to scare the kits with the story, how he’s an omen, a warning of horrors soon to come. Cedarkit never believed them.

-Briarcloud/Bethany was a fierce warrior, who had the unfortunate habit of wandering. It’s how she discovered a kittypet and Shadowclan warrior having peaceful conversation on the edge of the latters territory. She was intrigued the moment she saw it.

-Robinwind/Cesar didn’t just die when he was killed, but something worse. For a clan cat to die in the midst of the Place With No Stars was an after life sentenced to pain and misery, of being trapped lost in this horrible place of pain, cursed to always walk alone along the thistles and blood. It’s easy to become lost in a place with no end. Starclan keeps it’s borders well hidden from it’s dark siblings.

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antclan-blogs · 7 months

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Anisekit and Cedarkit’s newborn and kit sprites respectively! (Sunleopard’s litter)

#clangen #warrior cats #antclan #clan generator #warriors

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tansypaws · 2 years

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first artfight revenge o’ the season on altariart of lil cedarkit :3c ( @sotcwcrp )

#wren speaks #be gay draw cats #sotcwcrp

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night--heart · 1 year

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alright hi i started a new clan on clangen (i first had a clan called willowclan but it kinda. got 2 a point where everyone died so SDJKJKLKG...) and its caalled. mapleclan! and im gonna document mapleclan's history here just 4 fun :)

anyways! here's whats happened so far :

the clan started with briarstar, goosestep, and sandyleap as the leader, deputy, and medicine cat respectively! the other warriors were scarclaw, buckwhisker, juniperpelt, pebblebounce, and midgepaw the apprentice. there were 2 elders named puddlepad and ramblingtail :)

the next moon, sandyleap AND buckwhisker were murdered!!!! and puddlepad and ramblingtail both died of old age!!!!!!! shiet!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

but i made pebblebounce the new medicine cat :) so all is well!

briarstar and juniperpelt quickly became mates :)

midgepaw, the apprentice, got his warrior name, midgewillow! (interesting how his name matched the name of the old clan, willowclan... and his design looked like these 2 cats who my friend and i called Murder Babies bc one of them was bloodthirsty and the other one was their mate... hmmm...)

briarstar and juniperpelt then had. 5 kits!!!! brookkit, cedarkit, talonkit, charkit, and raccoonkit!!!

and then two kittypets joined the clan, fangfur and viastem, and they died after eating poisoned prey

briarstar and juniperpelt had another kit, snowkit! (who was originally named maggotkit but i . changed the name bc it sounded mean SDJKKJG)

then cedarpaw, talonpaw, charpaw, raccoonpaw, and brookpaw all became warriors! cedarstrike, talonflame, charfur, raccoonpelt, and brookbite!!!!

and shortly after that... brookbite was bitten by a snake and. died

the clan brought in two kittypets, chaos and orionmouse, and they both became elders :) then the clan brought in another cat named specklepaw who became a medicine cat

and then. uh. goosestep, the deputy, got. murdered. annd....... midgewillow became the new deputy!

and finally to kinda wrap this recap up, snowpaw became. snowbrook. possibly named after... brookbite!

#warrior cats #clangen #ill be reblogging this with mor stuf since im playing clangen rn :)

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cricketclan · 1 month

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i love gravy so much but his design is so difficult on his sprite and its sooo hard to draw also sorry for the wait!!! for future reference im most likely just going to post twice a week (wednesday and sunday now i think but we'll see) but maybe ill drop a post on other days idk yet!!

First

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sagesden · 28 days

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now its Moon 94

wait so I think that the harsh leaf bare happened here in moon 94 so hopefully form here on out it's going to be clear

Willowpelt has retired

Leafsplash and mapleheart had 4 kits each yipee

Look at all those kittens

Cedarkit has raspy lungs

oof

#clangen #warrior cat au #warrior cats #thunderclan au #clan gen #willowpelt #leafsplash #mapleheart #cedarkit #birchkit #molekit #hootkit #shrimpkit #berrykit #hazelkit #furledkit #mousekit

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talonslockau · 5 months

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Fire and Ice - Chapter 31

Chapter 30 || Index || Chapter 32

The days that followed Dewpaw's ceremony were even busier than before. With Patchpelt's retirement, and the gray molly no longer training to be a warrior, there were fewer paws than ever to get everything done around camp. Not that Firepaw could blame either of them; they were both certainly deserving of their new posts.

Even despite the constant pressures of their duties to the Clan, they still had to make time for training. As Firepaw, Graypaw, Pepperpaw and Cinderpaw neared their fourth moon as apprentices, their mentors had decided to hold a series of assessments to ensure that they were progressing satisfactorily as warriors. That morning had been a series of tree-climbing races that Cinderpaw had predictably won; after sunhigh, while the two mollies were on patrol, the rest of the mentors had decided upon testing the remaining three apprentices on their hunting skills.

Graypaw had been sent off to hunt around the Owltree, while Firepaw was given Tallpines to hunt for the Shadowclan elders. He hadn't heard where Ravenpaw had been assigned, taking off as soon as he got his own assignment, but he assumed it was probably the Great Sycamore, as the last most logical hunting area.

He couldn't help but feel his pelt prickle as he stalked down the silent, eerie rows of pines, his paws slipping into the grooves left long ago by the giant Monsters that prowled this forest. This place was unnatural, and most of the prey knew it too. Very few chose to make their home here, aside from birds and the occasional squirrel.

Despite the challenge, he had done well so far. He had caught a few finches, a single sparrow, and a couple of chickadees so far. It was a decent haul, but they were all small birds that were barely a few mouthfuls. If he wanted to impress Tinyfrost and the elders, he would have to do better.

He paused as a rapid tapping sound filled the air. It could only be a woodpecker. He waited a few moments to pinpoint the source of the sound before stalking forward swiftly, eager to reach it before it flew away.

His heart beat quicker as the tapping stilled for several moments. Then it resumed, the tom breathing a sigh of relief as he spotted the red head of the bird blasting away at the side of one of the older trees in the area.

Catching it would not be easy. He couldn't climb the trunk for it, as it would just fly away at his approach. Nor could he catch it from another tree, as the pine branches were too far apart and too small to support him. No, he would have to reach it in a single, well timed leap. But if he did, Tinyfrost would surely be impressed with his skills…

He was patient in his approach, timing his paw steps to the rhythm of the bird's attacks on the bark in front of it. Thankfully, his pelt was in his favor for once, blending in well with the dry pine needles below him. He froze whenever the bird stopped, not even daring to look at it until it started again.

His methodical approach was rewarded as he made his way to the base of the tree, gazing up at the bird above him. It was impossibly loud now, enough that he had to flatten his ears to try and block out the noise. And still, it remained blissfully ignorant of what lurked below.

He tested the ground below him twice, making sure that it was sturdy enough to support his leap. It was. His heart pounded in time with the pecking. And then, when everything was right…

He leaped.

His outstretched paw slammed into the bird's back, his claws digging in to pull it with him back to earth. The woodpecker struggled, but it stood no chance against a predator, succumbing in a matter of heartbeats to his killing bite.

He knew better than to look around for Tinyfrost, but he hoped his mentor had seen his catch. Hunting woodpeckers was difficult enough in a normal forest, but in the Twoleg-made forests such as these, it was a task he was sure even the best hunters in the Clans would struggle with. Pride surging through him, he began dragging his kill back to the temporary nest that held the Shadowclan elders.

His mentor was already waiting for him when he arrived. "Good work." He commented simply as his apprentice approached. "Why don't you give that to Archtail and Crowtalon? Then we can head back for the hollow. The other apprentices should be finishing up now."

Firepaw nodded, brushing past him to enter the den. Inside, the elders were enjoying the spoils of his hunt, sharing tongues with each other. They stopped as they caught sight of him, watching as he crossed the den to lay his offering at Archtail and Crowtalon's paws.

"It's been ages since I had a good woodpecker." Archtail commented to his mate, sinking his teeth in almost as soon as the bird had landed. "Fresh, too. It's shtill warm." He nudged it towards the other elder for her to try as he savored it himself.

The dark molly took her own bite. "I shupposh it's adequate." She mumbled through the mouthful of feathers and meat.

This was high praise coming from the two of them, even if neither would admit it. "Have a good night." He dipped his head respectfully to the both of them before backing out. He knew better than to wait around, hunting for compliments he wouldn't receive.

Tinyfrost was already waiting at the border of Tallpines when he emerged. Together, they slipped through the broken section of fence, making a straight line towards the training hollow. "You did well today." The black warrior commented as they traveled.

Firepaw's fur grew hot at the praise. "Thank you, Tinyfrost." He replied quickly, not daring to meet his eyes as they traveled through the undergrowth.

For a moment, he thought the little warrior might say something else, but instead he remained quiet. They spent the rest of their journey traveling in silence, and it wasn't long until they reached the edge of the training hollow.

Graypaw and Lionheart were already waiting for them there. "Firepaw!" The gray tom called to him, bounding across the sand to nose him in greeting. "You'll never guess what I caught today!"

"Oh yeah?" Firepaw grinned back at him. "Well, I bet you'll never guess what I managed to catch today!"

Graypaw studied him for a moment. "An owl?" He finally guessed.

Firepaw blinked in surprise and shook his head. "No, not quite that big. Why, did you catch an owl?" He had been near the Owltree, after all…

Graypaw pouted and shook his head. "No, but that's the only thing more impressive than what I got." He replied, licking his chest self-consciously for a moment. "But I did catch a huge crow! Almost as big as a raven!" He finally burst out, no longer able to keep it to himself.

"Really? How'd you manage that?" Firepaw asked, impressed. He glanced at Lionheart, wondering if maybe his friend was exaggerating, but to his surprise the golden warrior dipped his head in an approving nod.

"Well, it was pretty old." Graypaw admitted. "But it was enough for Rosetail, Halftail, and Patchpelt combined! None of the elders could find fault with it."

"I'll bet." Firepaw purred. "Well, I caught a woodpecker from the ground! It was pretty big, too. Archtail and Crowtalon were sharing it when I left."

"That's great!" Graypaw chuffed admirably. "Maybe it'll impress Bluestar enough that we'll get to go to the next Gathering?"

Firepaw shrugged. With how the previous Gathering had gone, she hadn't allowed any of the apprentices to go to the Gathering a few nights ago. Cinderpaw had been upset, but he couldn't find fault with the leader's decision; now that Shadowclan knew where their camp was, any such occasion could be a trap. The night had been thankfully quiet, but the risk always remained.

"Where's Ravenpaw, do you think?" The other apprentice asked, looking around. "Darkstripe usually likes to be the first cat back."

"Probably still returning from the Great Sycamore, if I had to guess." Firepaw flicked his tail in the direction of the tallest tree in the forest. "I wonder if he caught anything interesting?"

Just as he finished speaking, the two dark toms in question bounded through the trees, Ravenpaw struggling to keep up behind his mentor. The ginger tom couldn't help but gasp as he saw what was dangling from the apprentice's mouth; two long, fat snakes that threatened to entangle his paws.

"Ravenpaw! What in Starclan's name are those?" Graypaw bristled in shock beside him. Firepaw had to feel much the same way. Even though they were obviously dead, the mere look of the venomous creatures struck fear into his heart. "They didn't get you, did they?"

"Nope!" The skinny tom replied proudly. "I was too quick for them!"

"Can you eat them, do you think?" The large gray apprentice poked one with a paw curiously, as though afraid it would somehow come back to life and spring at them.

"Trust you to think of your stomach!" Firepaw chuffed at his friend's question. "How'd you catch them anyhow? Did you hunt as far as Snakerocks?"

Ravenpaw stared at him. "Of course I did. That's where I was supposed to hunt." He responded, almost puzzled at the other apprentice's question.

"But that's so dangerous!" The ruddy tom gasped. "What if you'd been bit?"

"He wasn't." All three of them flinched at Darkstripe's growl behind them. "You three should get back to camp. I still need to go collect the rest of my apprentice's catch." With that, the dark tabby disappeared back into the forest, flicking black tail tip the last thing they saw.

"I wonder why he's so upset?" Lionheart wondered to Tinyfrost beside him as they all set off on the path back to camp. "His apprentice did well today."

Firepaw couldn't help but feel a chill at the thought. Maybe Darkstripe had been intending for his apprentice to get bitten by an adder? Had he been acting on Tigerclaw's orders? He couldn't ask the others about it for fear the two mentors might overhear, but his paws had never felt heavier as he returned to camp.

Camp was buzzing with activity when they returned. "Did something happen?" Firepaw asked the nearest cat, which happened to be Rosetail.

"Goldenflower has had her kits!" The multi-colored tabby purred from where she was sitting with the other elders. "Five in total, according to Speckleflight."

"That's fantastic news!" Lionheart rumbled from behind him. "I should go bring her something. I'm sure she's exhausted." With that, the giant warrior bounded towards the freshkill pile to select something for the queen.

"I must go report to Quickflash about your progress." Tinyfrost spoke as softly as ever as the apprentices turned to him. "Firepaw, why don't you bring something to the healers? Spottedleaf always works hard during kittings, I'm sure she could use it." With that, he trotted across camp to where the deputy was talking with his mate.

"What do you think I should do with these?" Ravenpaw asked as he dropped the dead adders at his feet. "I'm not sure I want to add them to the freshkill pile…"

Graypaw nudged one with his paw. "You should put them on the tree stump by our den! We can use them to spook the pelt off Cinderpaw." He grinned conspiratorially at the other apprentice, who shared a small smile in response. "I'm gonna help Firepaw with the healers. I doubt there's anything in the freshkill pile that's big enough for all three of them!"

"That's true." The ginger tom admitted, waving goodbye to the older apprentice with his tail as he and the gray apprentice departed. "What's Spottedleaf's favorite, do you think? I know Yellowfang loves a good vole."

"She's always been partial to squirrels, or so Dewpaw says." The two apprentices picked through the freshkill pile, looking for anything appealing. There were no voles, but Firepaw gently collected a couple of mice by their tails instead. "I remember catching this one myself. I'm sure she'll love it."

Burdened with their offerings, the two apprentices carefully entered the healer's den, where Spottedleaf was teaching Dewpaw herbs. "Now, we'll give her some borage, so she'll have enough milk for all of them. We'll be using that to replace the usual herbs now that she's nursing. Raspberry leaves as well, since-" She broke off as she spotted the two apprentices. "Oh, perfect! Are those for Goldenflower?" She asked, taking the mice from Firepaw before he could answer.

"They're actually for you and Yellowfang." He responded quickly as she cut open a mouse's belly. "Lionheart already took something to Goldenflower."

Spottedleaf huffed, pausing just before inserting a few herbs into the cavity she'd created. "I was going to wait to treat her!" She pushed the mouse towards Dewpaw. "Nevermind, I suppose. She'll just have to take them raw."

"We could add a little blood and nectar, to help with the taste?" The little molly spoke up, nodding to Firepaw. She looked truly comfortable now, a far cry from the introverted apprentice he had met on his first day. "Thanks for bringing these, you guys. We haven't eaten yet today, not since Frostfur called for us this morning."

"Anytime." The ginger tom replied smoothly. "Where's Yellowfang? Still in the nursery?" He asked curiously, glancing around as though she might be lurking in some hidden crevice.

"Yes, she's just making sure they're all good and healthy. Did you hear? She had five! Spottedleaf told me that the largest litter she'd seen in her time as healer was ours." She flicked her tail towards her brother. "I'm already learning so much, and I've only been a healer's apprentice for six days. It's wonderful!"

"Ah, to be a young apprentice again." Firepaw turned to see the grizzled molly he'd been asking about enter the den with a flick of her tail. "They're all breathing well and have latched. One of the girls and the red boy are a bit small, we'll have to keep an eye on them." She reported swiftly to Spottedleaf, who nodded as she looked down at her herbs. "And what about you two? Why are you in here?" She asked, frowning down at the two warrior apprentices.

He could feel Graypaw's nervousness beside him, so the ginger tom figured he had to be the one to reply to her. "We were just bringing you a meal, since Tinyfrost thought you might not have had a chance to grab a bite yet." He nodded to the mice the calico had taken from him. "Those are for you, and the squirrel is for Spottedleaf and Dewpaw."

The dark gray healer dragged the discarded mouse over to her with a claw. "A little small, but I suppose it will do."

He rolled his eyes to the other two apprentices at the molly's typical dismissive response. "I thought you'd be perkier with the new additions." The rest of the Clan certainly was; even Patchpelt had been smiling when they entered. "Isn't it good news?"

Yellowfang shrugged at his question. "I've never been good with kits. They're so loud and needy." She was hard to read, even for him; if he didn't know better, he'd think she was annoyed at the kitting. "At least Wetnose stayed quiet most of the time I was treating him. His brother Finchflight threw the biggest fit when he came down with kittencough."

He watched her take a bite of mouse, frowning at her usual grumpy attitude. "But more kits is good for Thunderclan, is it not? They're our future."

"So what?" The old healer spat at him, swallowing her mouse. "I'm not a Thunderclan cat, remember? I'm only here until I can return to my real home." She glared at the mouse in front of her. "They're not my future."

The two toms glanced at each other uneasily. "I guess that's true." He concurred, not wanting to anger her any further. He glanced at Graypaw uneasily, beginning to back away. "We should get going. Lots to do before the day ends and all."

Neither of the healers responded to him, but Dewpaw waved at them with her tail. "Have a good night, you two!" She called as the apprentices departed hastily.

"That was weird." Graypaw mumbled to him as they crossed camp. "I wonder what that was about?"

"I don't know." Firepaw admitted, feeling disappointed at Yellowfang's words. "I guess I knew she was waiting to return to Shadowclan eventually, but she's been doing so well here. I was kind of hoping she'd stay."

"You'd feel the same way if you were stuck in Shadowclan." The gray tom pointed out as they met back up with Ravenpaw, who was now sitting next to Pepperpaw. "You can't blame her."

"Still." He nodded to the gray tabby molly as he sat down in his usual spot. "I assume everything is quiet on the Riverclan border?" He asked her.

She nodded. "As boring as ever. At least it sounds like everyone else has been having fun while I was out on patrol." She gestured at the snakes Ravenpaw had wrapped carefully on the tree stump. "I can't wait to see Goldenflower's new kits. Did you hear anything about them visiting the healers?"

Firepaw shrugged at her question. "There's five of them, apparently. But everyone in camp seems to know that now." He glanced at the nursery, where Frostfur and Lionheart were proudly sitting guard. "Yellowfang mentioned one of the toms is red and there's at least two girls."

There was wonder in Pepperpaw's eyes as he spoke, her ears perked forward. "I hope I get to meet them soon. They sound adorable."

He wasn't sure how she had gotten that out of what he'd said, but he was hardly going to argue about it. "I guess so." He glanced over his shoulder to see the last apprentice entering camp. "Say, there's Cinderpaw!"

The darkest of the gray siblings bounded across camp, ignoring the hubbub around her as she ran straight for them. "What are those?" She yowled, coming crashing to a halt as she stared at the adders Ravenpaw had caught.

The circle of apprentices purred at her reaction. "Thank Ravenpaw for those." Graypaw said, nudging the tom with his shoulder. "He caught them during his hunting assessment at Snakerocks."

"They're huge!" She gasped as she batted at one with a paw. "I bet the Shadowclan elders would love them." She added with a sly glance to her brother as she continued playing with it.

"I can't believe you're still on about that." The gray tom groaned, rolling his eyes at the rest of them. "If you're so sure they're edible, why don't you eat one?"

Cinderpaw scoffed at him. "Uh, because I'm not a Shadowclanner, duh." She redirected her attention to Ravenpaw in an instant. "Hey can you show me how to catch these? Then I could be…" She crouched down dramatically before leaping into the air, landing solidly on the tree stump and knocking the adders off of it. "Queen of the Snakes!"

One of the adders was flung into Ravenpaw, the long scaly body wrapping around his neck before he had a chance to react. The black tom all but flipped over himself as he sprang away, kicking at the snake in a desperate attempt to get it off. After a few moments it finally flopped into the dust, staring emptily out at nothing.

"Watch it!" He finally spat at Cinderpaw, panting heavily.

"Why, Ravenpaw?" Firepaw asked, crouching and slinking towards him. "Scared you might get bit?" He asked as he sidled up to the other tom, hissing quietly and twitching his tail like a rattlesnake's.

Ravenpaw glared at him for a moment before leaping forward and catching the ginger tom on his back, lightly rolling him onto his side. "Some snake you'd make. You're even easier to catch than these were."

As the group dissolved into purrs, Firepaw couldn't help but look around at each of his friends happily. Things were finally looking up for all of them. The borders were safe, they'd done well in their assessments, and Dewpaw was on her way to becoming a healer herself. This was the sort of thing he'd dreamed of back when he had first met Graypaw, and now it was a reality. If only things could stay like this forever.

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