Open Territory WC a trip into the hot springs ⊱✿⊰ hot springs discovery

[Meadowpaw]

MEADOWPAW

x

The chill in the air that morning was potent. Sinking deep into the bones of those who had gotten used to the green-leaf heat. Dew stuck to everything, and a flimsy fog blanketed the territory. All to be expected with how warm the ground still was.

She shouldered through the undergrowth, doing a sweep for any herbs. Lately, they'd had to dip into far too much of their storage for her own comfort—Especially when Gorsepaw, Talon, and Owlbear all still needed mending. Who knew who else might show up next, shredded and bleeding. She still wanted to visit RiverClan before leaf-bare arrived. As it was, they'd already waited long enough, and it worried her that there hadn't been any news about them since the gathering.

With a soft sigh, she pressed ahead. Though it was becoming clear that she picked a bad time to be out foraging. The fog made it difficult to pick out anything in the grass. "J-just a little longer and we'll head back! She chirped over her shoulder to the warrior accompanying her. Meadowpaw would have saved them the trouble, but it was still too dangerous to wander alone after the recent coyote attack. Dimmingsun might've taken up as their medicine-cat, but getting injured herself wouldn't have done WindClan any good.

Shouldering through a thick patch of growth, the fog ahead began to look... thicker? Also, Meadowpaw didn't notice right away but breathing felt different too, like the air was smothering her lungs. A heaviness was there, accompanied by a dense, almost metallic scent. "What in StarClan…" She murmured, damp lashes fluttering as she pressed cautiously forward.

That bit of caution proved not to be enough, because the ground gave underpaw. Meadowpaw yelped, falling forward and landing with a splash into something startlingly warm.

Coin Flip: Tails → Failure

Anyone could've been the warrior who escorted her out into the territory.

x

I BELIEVE THAT THERES COURAGE

BUT ITS BURNIN' LIKE ASH IN THE WIND

x

WINDCLAN

MEDICINE CAT APPRENTICE

12 MOONS

SHE/HER

Meadowpaw values kindness and remembrance. As a kit, she internalized her mother's lessons, but questioned whether her way is the only way. She has broken free from the heavy burden of her mother's expectations due to their estrangement after the fire. She remains kind and soft-spoken through all she's endured, but is not afraid to speak out for what she believes is right.

Meadow works tirelessly at any task she undertakes, desperate to prove herself capable and worthy despite her disability. Without her mother's guidance, she finds new ways to express herself.

In conversations, she is gentle, thoughtful, and withdrawn, often hiding her struggles, fearing others seeing her as incapable. She continues to have a strong bond not only with her sister, but with her adopted family as well. Meadow uses her new freedom to support and deepen the bonds with her clanmates. Additionally, she has started to explore the more spiritual side of herself…

Her worldview is a complicated mix of hope and frustration. She wants to believe that there's hope at the end of all the suffering, but feels trapped by her limitations. With enough time and support, she may find a way to overcome her limitations and accept herself.

 

[scorchpaw]

NATURE CHEWS ON ME

( hidden scroll )

/ scorchpaw is also accompanied by a warrior/patrol <3 literally whoever, or can just be NPC :D i can also edit if need be lol

Scorchpaw, typically underfoot, tags along with a warrior to do some hunting. It had been a last-minute proposition, and the usually quiet apprentice had volunteered herself, wishing to get away from the clamoring camp. They are in the far reaches of the territory, but Scorchpaw does not complain despite her paws aching as she keeps pace with the older and larger cats. She'd rather be here than canned up in camp. Maybe she'll relent to being assigned an actual mentor instead of sneaking away to meet with the ghost-coated ThunderClanner. Having to follow orders and a training schedule seems like a better fate than being subjected to small talk and chores day in and day out. Besides, Scorchpaw finds that she's begun to enjoy learning in these recent moons.

As the patrol continues, she has resigned herself to carrying prey, and is mostly moving without thought when one of the warriors on the hunting patrol points out to the rest of them that they see the autumn-speckled coat of Meadowpaw up ahead. Scorchpaw could do without having to make nice with her clanmates. She suppresses an eyeroll when they suggest they should go check in on the medicine cat apprentice and her chaperone and then head in that direction. She tells herself that this is just prolonging her having to return to her prison, so to speak. Scorchpaw, again, moves without much real thought. She's checked out until she realizes that the air around them is growing thicker and hotter.

Scorchpaw squints against the steam. Is she imagining this? She squeezes her eyes shut and then shakes her head, but when she opens them again she finds the same surroundings. Thankfully, it seems that Meadowpaw and the accompanying warriors are all in the same boat. Scorchpaw's gaze is turned away when she hears the splash of Meadowpaw falling through the ground and into the water below, and she moves forward to make sure that the older apprentice isn't now suddenly drowning in some strange pitfall. What sour luck that would be. Befitting of whatever curse WindClan has, she thinks. "Are you okay...?" she propositions, squinting through the hot fog that rises around her as if it stings her eyes. Her voice crackles from misuse, but she finds her throat is soothed by the vapor. "It doesn't burn, does it? I can barely see you down there..."

— ⋆˙⟡

☼ scorchpaw is a windclan apprentice with a haunting disposition and leering gaze
☼ 9 moons old, ages on the last day of each month.
☼ currently has no mentor, though this is changing soon.
☼ in battle, physically moderate and psychologically difficult
☼ her parents are unknown and she is a former barncat.
☼ penned by carat, see her tags here.

 

[charitypaw]

Charitypaw lopes gently alongside Scorchpaw, her tail lifted only just to not disturb the shortest of grasses around them. She does well to be ignorant of the tall grasses, however, shouldering through the thick swaths with no issue. They'd move whether or not her patrol wandered through them, she thinks. Her maw opens to say something worthless about the weather, or the oncoming leafbare - surely much to the chagrin of dear Scorchpaw - when the thick wall of steam hits her, too.

"What in the world..." Charitypaw furrows her brow as she, too, proceeds into the unknown. Curiosity flits into her gaze as she walks forth, almost committing herself to the same fate Meadowpaw condemned herself to. Wet paws... she doesn't mind them, usually, but the thick steam in the air makes her a little more cautious than normal. The albino chimera rounds the edge of the dip. With Scorchpaw's words, the pale apprentice offers an equally as morbid, "It'd be an ironic end if it did." For Meadowpaw to burn, she means.

 

[Swiftwatcher]

'Cause you are loved, you are loved more than you know
I hereby pledge all of my days to prove it so
Though your heart is far too young to realize
The unimaginable light you hold inside

.

Swiftwatcher had not thought he would be walking after some apprentices, it was cold and the weather got worse every day.... Then again, when had that ever stopped him? The morning's chill had bitten clean through his long fur, and the sight of the young ones had been all the reason he needed to tag along. What kind of elder would he be if he didn't keep an eye on WindClan's brightest stars?

" Careful there, young paws. " he called with his usual good humor, voice carrying in the mist. " The earth's as sly as a fox this morning, one wrong step and you'll be swimming before you know it! " And then, as if StarClan themselves wanted to prove him right, there was a yelp and a splash. " Ah! Meadowpaw! " The tom bounded forward, half-sliding down the damp slope before catching himself, his tail puffed comically wide. " I told you! Star-blessed soil's got tricks today! "

He peered through the steam, blinking against the stinging warmth, his whiskers twitching in disbelief. " By the heavens…" he murmured, crouching low near the edge as the fog curled around him. " It's warm water… I'll be foxed... " The heat seeped through his pads, up into his legs and for the briefest moment, the chill of early leaf-fall melted away. He turned his head toward Scorchpaw and Charitypaw, his grin bright beneath his whiskers.

" Now this... This is a find! Have you ever felt the ground breathe like this before? Almost feels alive, doesn't it? I'll admit, though, it's a bit eerie… like StarClan's boiling a stew under our paws. " His chuckle rumbled deep in his chest as he helped steady the apprentices, sweeping his thick tail out to guide Scorchpaw back from the edge and offer Charitypaw a bit of balance.

" Easy now, no need for more splashing! Meadowpaw, you alright down there, dear? Don't go melting on us! " he teased gently, though there was real worry in the warmth of his tone. As he looked down into the swirling steam, his mind drifted as it often did toward the ones waiting back in camp. He could just picture his grandkits reaction to such news... Ah, they'd have loved this! One might even declare it a secret StarClan pond, while Cricketpaw would already be halfway in, trying to prove it wasn't too hot. The thought drew a soft chuckle from him, a mix of longing and affection that tightened his chest.

Shaking himself from the thought, he smiled again at the young cats before him. " Well now. " he said, tail tip flicking " Seems the land's got surprises yet. Warm water in the heart of WindClan, I'll be mouse-eaten if I know what to call it, but it feels like a blessing all the same. Perhaps even the stars wanted to give us a little warmth before leaf-bare settles in. " He looked over at the three apprentices, eyes gleaming with that familiar mix of pride and playfulness. " Go on then, take a closer look if you've got the courage but mind your steps! I'm far too old to be fishing any of you out twice! "

Speech, thoughts/emphasis

64 MOONS

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WINDCLANNER

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SONG

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