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Post by flickerfly7 on Oct 11, 2014 0:51:27 GMT -5
((going to assume this is all taking place when the thread was started. Also, yeah, sorry if this is slightly godmoddy.))
Rainpaw was growing increasingly glad for their subdued grey fur and the bustle of the camp. It made it far easier than it might have been for them to sit against one of the mottled walls of the camp, eyes open and ears pricked, and not get noticed. Or maybe cats just ignored them that often - they weren't quite sure.
Now, seeing an opening, they padded up to their mentor, ears twitching. "ForestClan scent, huh?", they mewed, clearly implying - How come I have to find out by eavesdropping? "I'm eight moons old, you know! I'm not a-" They turned to glance at Hollyflight and Smokefang. "I'm not a kit."
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Post by mixer on Oct 13, 2014 13:44:33 GMT -5
Sootstreak jumped nearly out of his fur at the sound of his apprentice's voice, and he turned with claws ready. "R-Rainpaw!" His tension eased slightly upon seeing the small gray cat, and he sat back down with a relieved sigh, sheathing his claws. "Great StarClan above! You could stand to be a little louder when you're at camp, you know." After a moment, their words registered in Sootstreak's brain and he chuckled nervously. "Oh- Heh, I guess you heard that, then." He tried his best to explain himself and soothe his obviously upset apprentice, "I was going to tell you, but it's a delicate situation. I didn't want to worry you when it could've been nothing."
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Post by flickerfly7 on Oct 13, 2014 19:27:36 GMT -5
"Nothing more to do with StarClan above than any other FlameClan apprentice, I'm afraid." Rainpaw dipped their head, having just remembered that there was, in fact, such a thing as 'respecting your elders'.
Respect paid, they licked at their pelt, and said- "No, no, I'm not concerned!" They were a terrible actor. "I have total faith that we will - that our great and mighty clan will - remain completely unfazed. In these times of... ForestClan scent and scarcity of prey. Which could be nothing. It's all fine," they said, slowly beginning to believe it. "It's just - I really am a grown apprentice, you know! And if I'd known he might have had something important to do, I might not have -"
"Uh, nevermind. The point is, if I know, then I can help with whatever we're doing about it." We are doing something about it, right? Rainpaw doubted it, to be honest.
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Post by mixer on Oct 14, 2014 8:38:11 GMT -5
Sootstreak purred and licked the top of Rainpaw's head, "I promise I'll tell you before we do anything big."
He pulled back and smiled apologetically, reading the look on their face, "For now though, we can't really do much more than catch what prey we can and keep an eye on the ForestClan border. We're planning on bringing it up at the next Gathering to see what they have to say about it, since we've only scented them the once."
Sootstreak's tail swept over his feet as he sat back down, gauging Rainpaw's reaction. "It's the most we can do. Right now, we can't afford a clan battle, not unless we absolutely have to."
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Post by flickerfly7 on Oct 15, 2014 0:32:33 GMT -5
Disappointing, but reasonable. Rainpaw was glad Buzzardstar was going to mention it, at least. They didn't want to be walked all over by some ForestClan fox-dung. They purred slightly at the lick, sitting down. "If you're absolutely sure." Their tail twitched.
"I've just got this feeling that things were better, somehow, when I was a kit, even when Silverpaw was the most annoying thing ever and I wasn't allowed to do anything and I guess I was just always a bit too much of a kit, because you never say bad news in front of kits and now I'm hearing things I used to ignore, that's all," they babbled.
They moved on before Sootstreak could say anything. "I'm- I'm sure we'll do better once she proves it, anyway! Just trying to keep above the level of deserted queens."
I haven't gone hunting yet today, they realised with a pang of guilt. Maybe they should ask to, but they didn't want anyone to expect them to be responsible. Better to ask forgiveness than permission.
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Post by mixer on Oct 17, 2014 10:20:24 GMT -5
Sootstreak chuckled, "Like you'd ever be out of the loop for long with all your skulking around."
He tilted his head then and pondered his apprentice's nervous ramble of a story. I guess that wasn't the best way to break it to Rainpaw. They're still young after all, and what's going on now is a far cry from a few moons ago. He frowned in thought, Now that I think about it, I haven't taken them out in a few days. They could use the practice, not to mention the distraction.
He blinked and realized he had made an awkward silence and had been staring at- more like through- Rainpaw as he thought.
He laughed nervously before grinning full force again, too pleased with his idea to let the realization deter him. "Since you want to help so much, why don't we go for a hunting patrol? I bet we could find at least a mouse to come back with."
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Post by flickerfly7 on Oct 18, 2014 1:17:16 GMT -5
"Have to figure things out somehow!" They flicked their tail, amused.
I was hard for them to get too cooped up - they were getting increasingly confident in just sneaking out. There just seemed some pessimistic air about the world right now, and that was harder for them to escape. It's always been like this, they reminded themselves. You were just being naive. You can notice the good things as well as the bad things, right? For example, this sunlight is... They squirmed slightly, glancing up at the blue sky. ...not as hot as it could be. Fairly shady, really.
"Yeah," they said, blinking at how easily he had been able to tell. They were almost disappointed; it sapped all the excitement out of the experience. "Yeah, I'd like that, actually." They shifted their feet to stand up quicker, peering at him.
"...Hey, the Clan Leader's orders are the warrior code, right?" They ventured.
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Post by mixer on Oct 21, 2014 7:50:52 GMT -5
Sootstreak stood and paused at his apprentice's question. He tilted his head and studied them up and down before answering, "... Yes. It is. Any particular reason for asking?"
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Post by flickerfly7 on Oct 22, 2014 15:47:19 GMT -5
"Oh, no, it's just..." They flattened their ears. Particular reason indeed. "Those general conventions, too, like - like me not being allowed out of camp alone, the leader can also override that or reinforce it, which means her not doing that is also sort of her 'word', and..."
"--Am I disrespecting Starclan by sneaking out of camp!?"
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Post by mixer on Nov 12, 2014 21:41:21 GMT -5
Sootstreak cocked an ear, thinking, before opening his mouth hesitantly, "I... never actually thought about it." His green eyes narrowed as he looked at the ground, shuffling slightly, "I might not be the best cat to ask that question to. Maybe you could ask Morningflower, or Buzzardstar herself."
The tom looked back up and shook his head, "Either way, you could still just ask me or another warrior to join you instead of sneaking out by yourself." He purred, "Then we could at least try to keep an eye on you."
He leaned down to lick the top of Rainpaw's head fondly before pulling back with a grin, "Speaking of which, we should start on that hunting patrol. We're losing daylight!" He began to walk down the path, nodding a goodbye to the other cats, feeling a bit sheepish for having ignored them through the conversation.
((Soooo sorry this took so long!! School got busy for a while there.))
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