|
|
Post by tor on May 22, 2024 8:49:17 GMT -6
#s://i~ibb~co/G2gWhXV/heronpaw~jpg It wasn't often that Heronpaw found himself this far north in PrairieClan's territory, unless he was assigned to patrol the border with MistClan. The way the trees dappled the fields, going from sparse to nearly a forest in just a few short strides, always struck him as strange. He thought the meadows were meant to be decorated with colorful flowers and sprawling rows of rich, golden grains, growing under a vibrant blue sky. Here, where the trees reached to tug clouds down to the earth, the sky could only be seen in the spaces were it carved its way through the canopy. It felt unnatural. Then again, tunnelers sometimes went days without seeing the sky, and Heronpaw never thought that was odd. Maybe it was like that for MistClan - so accustomed to the dark, fog-ladened woods, they never thought it strange to rarely see the sky. Still, as the shadows of the canopy draped over him, Heronpaw couldn't help but shiver, cut off from the warmth of the early new-leaf sun. He hoped the friendship waiting for him at the border might restore some of that warmth. He still remembered Wolfpaw's face when he suggested the two of them meet up before the next gathering. Wolfpaw looked so happy. Heronpaw wanted to capture that expression and carry it with him always — it wasn't often he got others to smile at him so freely. Embarrassingly, though he'd never admit it, Heronpaw kept himself up the previous evening thinking about what stories to share or what jokes to make just for a chance of seeing Wolfpaw smile like that again. He was tired for it now, but he thought it might be worth it. The MistClan border popped up abruptly between trees, the smell pungent as if a patrol only just passed through. Heart racing, Heronpaw acknowledged what good luck it was that he hadn't bumped into them. MistClan seemed tense lately, though he didn't know why. Swiftwind once said something about missing kits, but few in PrairieClan seemed to have answers. He kept himself low to the ground, ensuring he was alone on the border, before another scent — more familiar, more comforting — reached him. "Wolfpaw?" |
|
storms make trees take deeper roots
|
Post by cosmic on Jun 6, 2024 18:55:04 GMT -6
#s://i~imgur~com/HXj8XZe~png As much as he tried to ignore it, it was fresh in his mind still with the way that some of the warriors were talking to him. They called him kind, supportive, all nice things for keeping his apprentice name and rejecting the ceremony in order to wait until Milkpaw was able to pass hers. He had fantasized for so long about what his warrior name would be, certain that his stead-fast and melancholy personality wouldn't cause him to be named "Wolfsong". It was a relief off his shoulders, as he could only hope for a great name.
New-leaf gave new life to the spry apprentice, as he was no longer bound to keeping to his nest when he wasn't on-duty. His skin-tight pelt made the winter almost unbearable, and he hoped to StarClan that the next would take a long time to get here again.
Even though he was a MistClan cat through and through, he found a certain solace around the territory line with PrairieClan. It always felt so tense and scary when he was younger to be around the RidgeClan river, almost like a force was causing him his anxiety along the border. However, with time, the feeling silenced itself, but PrairieClan had always been his safe place.
Wolfpaw imagined grabbing some prey to take back to the nursery for the kits, when a voice rang against his ear from the border. The familiar scent of the tom washed over him, as he immediately bounded toward the voice without thinking. Before he knew it, he was face-to-face the sweet face he recognized from the last Gathering. "Heronpaw!"
His scrawny tail flew high into the sky as an inaudible purr erupted in his throat. Sure, at some point he figured her would see his acquantance again, but not so soon! "It's good to see you again! It feels like the Gathering was only like a week ago," the tom laughed, with his ears pulling forward to pay attention to the other apprentice's responses. "How are you? How's your training with Swiftwind going?" |
|
|
|
Post by tor on Jun 14, 2024 8:46:13 GMT -6
#s://i~ibb~co/G2gWhXV/heronpaw~jpg A warm feeling crept through him, starting in his toes and working its way up into his chest, and then his face, as Wolfpaw bounded forward to join him at the border. It felt like he was feverish, all prickly and warm, but Heronpaw didn't think he was ill. He hoped he wasn't. Something like that could delay his training, or interrupt this meeting with Wolfpaw. Heronpaw's tail twitched in excitement as his friend spoke. Good to see him — ancestors, he was glad Wolfpaw felt that way. "It's sooner than I expected, yes," he said, his voice much more tempered than Wolfpaw's, but full of a slight quiver of delight. "But nicer than waiting for each full moon." And even that wasn't a guarantee. What if one of them wasn't attending that gathering that moon? "I'm very well." Save for the feverish prickle still under his fur. It wasn't going away, but he wouldn't worry Wolfpaw. "My training is also well — Swiftwind and I have a patrol this evening, and I hope we'll discuss my upcoming assessment." His twelfth moon was approaching. Heronpaw was desperate to hear Swiftwind tell him he'd be named with his brother and friends. "How about yours?" Wolfpaw was his age, right? Perhaps a moon older or younger? If he was older, he should be named any day now... "And your siblings'?" |
|
storms make trees take deeper roots
|
Post by cosmic on Jun 28, 2024 16:27:26 GMT -6
#s://i~imgur~com/HXj8XZe~png Seeing such a familiar face always warmed the soul of the tom, especially those that chose not to entertain the idea of his name being similar to the previous RidgeClan leader. It was the same excitement that he had felt when seeing Heronpaw at the Gathering. This time, however, his stomach and chest began warm and uncontrollable. Almost like there was crickets humming from within his stomach. He ignored it, just attributing it to general nerves, before the greeting was shared between them.
Waiting a whole moon to see his friend again? That would have been painful, if they both happen to be lucky enough to go!
Hearing about his training going well made him equally as happy. They had briefly had a talk about facing adversity in their trainings, but nothing more than an off-hand comment perhaps. Still, it was hard to remember with all the new faces of last moon to remember if they were even the two to have that conversation. But then, Heronpaw asked about his training. What he did remember is telling that his assessment was soon after the Gathering.
"Well, I had my warrior assessment after the Gathering. Briarpelt made it tough on me, but I was able to pass." Wolfpaw gently nodded with a bit of pride in his voice. Against all odds, he had become one of the warriors of his clan. "But... my sister, Milkpaw." He started, with his voice faltering a little. "She was the only one of us that didn't pass. I didn't want her to feel left behind, so I'm waiting until she passes to get my warrior name. The other cats called it "honorable", but I just care about my sister is all." The pointed tom remembered how disappointed she was, and how much she had asked him to move forward with his naming ceremony. He felt like her protector, the one that would be the example for their family, as much as the weight of those responsibilities could crush him.
"But, I'm really hoping that Briarpelt puts in a good word to Hailstar to give me a cool name. None that the other apprentices thought of sounds right, but I'm hoping that it will be cool." Wolfpaw paused for a moment. 'As long as it isn't song...'
"I know you'll do fine though. You're smart. And when you really think of it being a test of what you learned, not what you are expected to know as a warrior, it makes it a lot easier." Before his assessment, Wolfpaw got wrapped up in anxiety scared that he was going to have to know everything there is to be a warrior. But, as he progressed throughout the assessment, the more he came to realized what the assessment truly was about. And now, he could answer any questions the other apprentices had about it, including his friend across the border.
Though those crickets in his stomach still wouldn't go away... |
|
|
|
Post by tor on Jul 9, 2024 12:34:43 GMT -6
#s://i~ibb~co/G2gWhXV/heronpaw~jpg Heronpaw brightened when Wolfpaw mentioned passing his assessment, easy enough to do with all the warmth still churning in his chest. Did that mean his friend had a new name? Had he called out the wrong one? Heronpaw nearly asked for his friend's new name before Wolfpaw kept speaking, letting him know about Milkpaw and the decision to hang back. The admittance sobered Heronpaw. His mouth was dry. Would he do the same for Snowpaw? Would Snowpaw do the same for him? He wasn't certain. But there was no world where Snowpaw was held back, while Heronpaw's own naming was still in doubt. As best he could, Heronpaw swallowed the dryness in his throat and tried to focus on the wisdom Wolfpaw had to share with him. "And when you really think of it being a test of what you learned, not what you are expected to know as a warrior, it makes it a lot easier."
"You're right," he said. "That does sound easier." Still, apprentices learned a lot. Would he remember it all? He worried about that, on top of the many other reasons Swiftwind might recommend he be held back. "I do think it's honorable to wait for your sister. It speaks well of you." He smiled, an almost-shy expression on his lips. The gesture felt foreign to him. "And I'm sure Milkpaw appreciates it."The ache was beginning to return to his throat, thinking about Snowpaw and all their friends being named without him. Each day, the possibility grew stronger. "What name would you hope for? I'd like something simple, like Heronfur. Heronstripe, maybe." |
|
