Open Event ThunderClan RiverClan ShadowClan SkyClan WindClan come and run away with me ִֶָ☾.⭒ — crossclan apprentices

[Fleapaw]

-

With the sun rising higher in the sky and nothing but the buzz of insects and the distant croaks of frogs filling the air, restless paws led her away from ShadowClan territory. No particular direction in mind, just a drive to move. Her paws carried her through familiar bogs and brambles, until the scent markers thinned out. She knew she was pushing it—skirting far past the edge of ShadowClan's claim. Plenty of cats wouldn't be happy about that, but she didn't care. The thought of finding something new was enough to make her tail flick with anticipation.

By the time the trees thinned and the ground dried beneath her paws, Fleapaw found herself somewhere she'd never been before. A wide, open clearing centered by a tree so tall that it touched the sky. Fleapaw felt smaller than ever as she wandered toward the stone cradled in its roots.

"Holy crap..." She muttered to herself, craning her neck to look up at the massive trunks. "I couldn't climb that hunk of wood in my dreams." It wasn't too far from the pocosin, and somewhere in the distance, she could smell ThunderClan too. Well... their scent wasn't the strongest here, so she doubted they would chase her off.

Or she thought until the faint crunch of pawsteps made her freeze. The apprentice spun around at the ready, muscles tensed. Her lip curled instinctively, ready for a fight. Figures she wouldn't be the only one with the brilliant idea to wander off today.

@Eclipsepaw @Chickpaw @BURRPAW @Warrenpaw

The first official meetup for the crossclan apprentice friendships plot! Of course, even cats not involved with that plot are welcome to post! Tee-hee little apprentice gathering : )

That girl thinks she's the queen of the neighborhood

FLEAPAW

8 MOONS
SHE/HER
- Undersized cinnamon solid with folded ears. She's thin but stubby with very messy fur.
"SPEECH" - crimson | 'THOUGHTS/EMPHASIS' - crimson

Fleapaw values family the most with survival at a close second. In conversations, she is blunt, fun-loving, and clever. She is guided by her desires which often leads her astray. Despite her abrasive personality, she cares deeply for those she loves and will do anything to protect them. Due to her experiences, Fleapaw is corrupt and has minimalistic, if any, morals. She does not care for the warrior code and its restraints. Neither does she believe in StarClan. Growing up in a kitten mill, being separated from her mother, and ending up on the streets have deeply affected her view of the world.

She's got the hottest trike in town

 

[Sealpaw Sealpaw]

You Say That You Are Close

Is Close The Closest Star?

x

She knew Smogmaw would be cross with her for wandering so far away from Shadowclan territory, but nostalgia- or perhaps it was something else- had bid Sealpaw come back to where it had all began. The clearing felt like a far cry from what it had once been. The den that had made her feel so safe felt like just another hole in the ground. The nest that had once been her and her mother's was somehow still there but the moss was so dry and brittle it crumbled near instantly at the tabby's touch. It simply wasn't the same anymore. It never would be.

She's about to turn to leave when a voice from outside the den faintly reaches her ears and the apprentice cautiously pokes her nose out before leaning fully out when she recognizes the scent. What was she doing here? Was she thinking of climbing the tree?

"Back when we all lived here," She called out to Fleapaw before fully climbing out of the old den. "One of the older kits tried to climb one of the giant trees around here, but she fell and broke her leg..." Sealpaw hadn't been present for the actual fall but had seen the aftermath in camp. It had been enough to convince her that perhaps the tops of trees were better left to the birds and squirrels that called them home.

Sealpaw shuffled in place awkwardly. She had not exactly spoken much to Fleapaw since she'd dragged the other away from the encounter with Thunderclan and...it had not ended well. The scratch above her eye was long healed by now without even a scar to show for it but if she thought too hard about it sometimes the spot itched as if it had. She wanted to try and clear the air between them but wasn't sure how or if the smaller apprentice would even reciprocate.

"...I don't know everything, but I can tell you a little bit about this place if you want. Like, um-" Sealpaw gestured to the old den behind her. "This used to be me and my mam- ...Leopard's den." She swallowed. The tiniest of olive branches offered, now to see if it would be accepted.

You Just Feel Twice As Far

SEALPAW

— Shadowclan Apprentice
— She/They
"SPEECH", 'THOUGHTS', ATTACK
— Grey Rosetted Tabby With Blue Eyes And A Bobbed Tail.
#4c66bf

 

[Fleapaw]

-

Cinnamon fur bristled as Fleapaw spun around at the sound of a voice. She hadn't expected anyone else out here—the place was supposed to be abandoned, wasn't it? Recognizing Sealpaw the tension in her shoulders settled, fur gradually lying flat once more. That mark she left when they talked last wasn't there anymore, but she remembers where it was. She can still smell the blood and imagine the fear in those blue eyes...

It was no secret Fleapaw didn't like Sealpaw. She supposed she wasn't that bitter about being dragged off the battlefield anymore—well, maybe she still was a little bitter—but that wasn't the point. Sealpaw was a coward. A soft-bellied, coddled kit with no spine, and cats like that pissed her off. She let out a huff, glancing up with narrowed eyes. "Didn't actually plan on climbin' it. I ain't stupid."

Still… at least she wasn't Pepperpaw. Just thinking about that stuck up she-cat made her head wanna pop. Curiosity tugged at her paws. "Hmph." She shuffled a little closer. "Guess I am a little curious." Fleapaw didn't hate the idea of learning more about the place and the colony.

Her gaze flicked past Sealpaw toward the shadows inside the den. "So this is where the colony used to live, right? Don't remember anyone ever mentioning a Leopard. Did they stay with ThunderClan when everyone split?"

That girl thinks she's the queen of the neighborhood

FLEAPAW

8 MOONS
SHE/HER
- Undersized cinnamon solid with folded ears. She's thin but stubby with very messy fur.
"SPEECH" - crimson | 'THOUGHTS/EMPHASIS' - crimson

Fleapaw values family the most with survival at a close second. In conversations, she is blunt, fun-loving, and clever. She is guided by her desires which often leads her astray. Despite her abrasive personality, she cares deeply for those she loves and will do anything to protect them. Due to her experiences, Fleapaw is corrupt and has minimalistic, if any, morals. She does not care for the warrior code and its restraints. Neither does she believe in StarClan. Growing up in a kitten mill, being separated from her mother, and ending up on the streets have deeply affected her view of the world.

She's got the hottest trike in town

 

[Sealpaw Sealpaw]

You Say That You Are Close

Is Close The Closest Star?

x

"I never said you were." Sealpaw countered with a shake of her head before looking back up at the giant tree. "I lived here all my life, before the fight..."

The apprentice slowly sprawled out onto the ground, tucking her hind legs under herself as Fleapaw moved closer to listen. She was about to open her mouth to explain what she knew when the other may as well have dug ivory claws into Sealpaw's heart and ripped it out of her chest. Seal froze, mouth suddenly dry.

Of course Fleapaw wouldn't know about Leopard. Shadowclan and Thunderclan had already split into what they are now by the time she was found... Vaguely she wondered if Fleapaw would have liked Leopard or if she would just have fought and argued with her like she did with every other member of Shadowclan.

"Y-yes... We all lived here together. Our leader was Fray, but he was sick and dying, so he couldn't lead anymore... Hawthorne was his son, and he was supposed to take over, but I think he was so busy taking care of Fray that he couldn't lead at the same time. We didn't have a deputy or anything like the Night Guard back then so Hawthorne was expected to do it all himself..." She paused, suddenly all too interested in the grass between her paws. "Leopard was... Leopard was my mother."

The tabby apprentice did not look up at her clanmate, methodically beginning to rip the greenery with a claw. "She died during the fight that split us into Shadowclan and Thunderclan. I don't know who it was that killed her, but they didn't have to go that far. Anyone that looked would be able to tell she was long dead by the time they tore her throat like that..." Sometimes she thinks- fantasizes perhaps- of what she'd say to whoever it was that killed Leopard. In her mind's eye she's cutting the cat down with her words alone. Every syllable as sharp as her own claws, to drag them down in her own grief. "I wish I knew who it was..."

Maybe, just maybe, learning that- learning why her mother had been killed and left in such cruel way-- would let Sealpaw stand on her own and move forward. ...Or maybe it would just drag her down. She wasn't sure. She was afraid of not liking the answer.

Perhaps confessing this all to Fleapaw was the most damning evidence of all that she was still just a coward after all these moons.

You Just Feel Twice As Far

SEALPAW

— Shadowclan Apprentice
— She/They
"SPEECH", 'THOUGHTS', ATTACK
— Grey Rosetted Tabby With Blue Eyes And A Bobbed Tail.
#4c66bf

 

[Fleapaw]

-

Fleapaw shifted awkwardly, ears flicking at the sudden stillness that settled over Sealpaw. What—was it something she said? The question hadn't seemed like a big deal.

She waited, unimpressed at first, a slight scowl tugging at her face. But as Sealpaw started talking, things got… real uncomfy. Awkward. The beef between the two clans was always some vague drama as far as Fleapaw was concerned. She knew there was a fight, knew ThunderClan claimed Sablestar killed their leader—Hawthorne, or whatever. Just another dead nobody who got used as a stepping stone… Or that's what she thought. But from the way Sealpaw put it, maybe Hawthorne just got dealt the short straw, having to manage a bunch of angry, starving cats while his father slowly croaked.

"…Huh." Her voice came out flat at first, a little uncertain. "Well shit."

Fleapaw sank down on her haunches, not looking directly at Sealpaw. Not getting too close either. Her ears twitched. "I, uh… I'm sorry about your mom. That's pretty fucked up." She didn't really know what else to say. Her own mom was gone too, but she wasn't murdered.

She studied Sealpaw from the corner of her eye. That happy-go-lucky idiot act sure was convincing. Fleapaw never would've guessed they were dragging around something like that.

"Aren't you mad though?" Fleapaw muttered, voice sharper now, bitter. "If someone did that to my family, I'd burn the whole damn forest down to figure out who did it." Her claws flexed in the dirt. Just the thought of anyone so much as laying a claw on Tickpaw gets her blood boiling. "Leopard was on Sablestar's side, yeah? So it couldn't be any of ours that dunnit..." Fleapaw muttered. She wasn't a detective, and maybe there wasn't much use in digging up old bones if Sealpaw didn't want revenge. That still didn't make sense to Fleapaw, but it wasn't her mother feeding the worms.

That girl thinks she's the queen of the neighborhood

FLEAPAW

8 MOONS
SHE/HER
- Undersized cinnamon solid with folded ears. She's thin but stubby with very messy fur.
"SPEECH" - crimson | 'THOUGHTS/EMPHASIS' - crimson

Fleapaw values family the most with survival at a close second. In conversations, she is blunt, fun-loving, and clever. She is guided by her desires which often leads her astray. Despite her abrasive personality, she cares deeply for those she loves and will do anything to protect them. Due to her experiences, Fleapaw is corrupt and has minimalistic, if any, morals. She does not care for the warrior code and its restraints. Neither does she believe in StarClan. Growing up in a kitten mill, being separated from her mother, and ending up on the streets have deeply affected her view of the world.

She's got the hottest trike in town

 

[Sealpaw Sealpaw]

You Say That You Are Close

Is Close The Closest Star?

x

She can't help but laugh somewhat bitterly at Fleapaw's comment of 'Well shit.' Well shit was correct, she supposed. What else was there really to say about it? The sympathy from the other is what catches her off guard the most and Sealpaw briefly looks up from the growing pile of plucked grass at her paws to her fellow apprentice like she'd been caught in the glowing eyes of a monster. She stares, expression unreadable, before looking back to her paws.

"We were going to leave for that barn that burned down recently before the fighting started," It comes out like a confession, as if she was the one who'd set it all in motion. "...But I threw a fit. It's stupid. I was stupid, I should have just shut up and listened. I didn't want to leave without saying goodbye to my friends. Like Lemon and Thunderflash and Juniperstar. So Leopard promised we'd say goodbye in the morning and then we'd leave."

But morning hadn't arrived the way anyone expected it to. "But the fighting started that night, I don't know who started it first but she told me to stay put and left the den to see what was happening." And then never came back.

Fleapaw's tone wasn't lost on her, tufted ears pinned back and her lip curls in a faint snarl before standing to stare at the cinnamon apprentice with a calmness barely containing her hurt though not for long. "Of course I'm mad, but that's not going to fix it-" Sealpaw snapped, a paw reaching forward suddenly to kick the pile of torn grass in the air out of frustration. It did little to soothe the emotions now threatening to boil over and she grit her teeth with an audible click before leaning forward into Fleapaw's personal space. "It's not gonna bring her back! It's not gonna let me go back and fix it! We weren't even involved in either side, not really, and still someone killed her for it..!"

She wanted to scream, to fling herself into the dirt and cry but instead Sealpaw stood trembling in every limb and chest heaving painfully, heavily, as she glared at some nothingness beyond Fleapaw. "Where would I even start, Fleapaw? I don't even know if it was Thunderclan or Shadowclan that did it." Her voice is deceptively soft under the biting iciness now, as she dares to take another step forward. "I'm just one cat who clearly can't do anything right but by all means tell me how you'd figure this all out if you were in my paws!"

Her claws flex in the dirt, nearly green with fresh grass stains, and for the briefest of moments she considers taking a swipe at the other to vent her frustrations but still she finds she can't bring herself to raise a paw against another even if Fleapaw had had no qualms in doing the same to her before. Something heavy settles deep in her chest and just as quickly as she'd moved forward Sealpaw steps back to stare down at her paws, blinking back tears.

You Just Feel Twice As Far

SEALPAW

— Shadowclan Apprentice
— She/They
"SPEECH", 'THOUGHTS', ATTACK
— Grey Rosetted Tabby With Blue Eyes And A Bobbed Tail.
#4c66bf

 

[Cricketkit Cricketkit]

Cricketkit hadn't meant to be here again. Not really. But somehow her paws always took her back to strange places and funny scrungly cats. That one? The one with fire in her eyes? She liked her. She had that same kind of spark Cricketkit saw in beetle wings and starlight.

There was a grin on her face at first, eye glimmering with joy. This cat, this moment, maybe she'd get to hear another wild story, maybe even make a new memory to tuck between her shinies. But the tone was different this time. The words were heavier. Murdered mothers. The barn.

Cricketkit didn't even realize she was crying until her hoard shimmered wrong, blurry, warbled, like they were underwater. A hiccup jumped from her throat before she could catch it, giving away her hiding spot. No, no, no! This wasn't part of the plan! Frantic now, she tried to sweep her shinies together with trembling paws, her ears pinned tight to her skull.

She hadn't meant to hear it. Hadn't meant to remember. The barn's doom. Her mama's scream. Her papa's last call, cut short. Tears burned her good eye and she scrubbed them away in a panic, sniffing hard. ' They didn't hear me, right? I can still sneak away. I wasn't here. I wasn't supposed to be here. This isn't my story-- '

WITH SHORTNESS OF BREATH ☆ YOU EXPLAINED THE INFINITE

• "speech"
  

• 

• CRICKET she/her, windclan, five moons.
  ☆ a lh diluted tortie with blue eyes and unruly fur / petite and scarred
  ☆ mentored by nobody yet
  ☆ peaceful and healing powerplay permitted / / always tag @lionharted
  ☆ penned by lionharted↛ LionheartedPhoenix on discord, feel free to dm for plots / click for toyhou.se

 

[Fleapaw]

-

Fleapaw doesn't flinch, head swiveling to look the other apprentice in the eyes. Blades of grass flutter, crushed stems souring the air. That sharpness—real bite in the other apprentice's voice was not something she was used to.

She lets the rant run its course. The shove into her space, the goading. Normally she'd leap at the chance to knock Sealpaw flat on their ass but… not this time.

There's something about this that hits closer than she likes. Takes a moment to place what it is.

Is this what Tick saw? Pain knotted in every word, fury disguising hurt. There she is again, staring into a clear puddle. A reminder of just how pathetically similar they are—its so uncanny that it makes her guts churn.

Ugh… To think she might've looked remotely this pathetic when ranting to her brother is so sobering.

She can feel it—the frustration—helplessness. That feeling of being stuck in your own skin with nowhere to go. Fleapaw had worn those feelings in her pelt for moons now. They were parasites sucking the life from her veins.

She blinked, watching Sealpaw cycle through all five stages of grief and even invent what might've been a sixth. Maybe she could just… leave? While she was distracted? Oh, she wanted to so bad. Whatever was happening right now got her feelin' all kinds of weird.

Her head hangs, shoulders drooping in defeat. I should've stayed in camp today. Fleapaw sighs loudly, tapping her paw against the ground."Look, you prolly don't wanna hear this from me. And if this were flipped, I'd tell you to shove it, so I'm not gonna blame you if you wanna do the same."

Fleapaw rolls back, rocking onto her haunches. Her gaze wandered, focusing anywhere but on the gray apprentice in front of her. "You can beat yourself black and blue all you want—Trust me, I know it's easier than actually dealing with shit. But don't you think that's all a bit much?"

Her shoulders twitch. "I mean, I'd love to blame you for all my problems too, but c'mon..."

Her claws scraped, absentmindedly carving patterns in the dirt. "You were a kit and theres nothin' stupid about wanting to say goodbye to your home and your friends after living you're whole life here. It's all you ever knew and I get that. I would've loved to even have the choice to stay."

"I didn't know Leopard, but… you really think she'd blame you? She could've grabbed you and ran, could've stayed put, but sounds like she went to go break up whatever was going on and ended up in someones way…" She paused, struggling to find the right words. "But if you really wanna know, if it were me, I'd work through both clans. I'd ask around, pick apart everyone's stories, and if something didn't add up, I'd carve whoever up real good, starting with the face until they stopped lying or stopped moving. Wouldn't even make a difference to me who or if they even did it."

She stiffens. "…Uhhh but maybe thats not advice you wanna hear." Course, it was because this was Sealpaw they were talking about. Softie crybaby of the year.

Fleapaw clears her throat. "Annyyyyway—holding onto shit like this? It doesn't help. Maybe talk to Marble? Tell her what you told me? 'Cause even if you don't figure out who did it, I don't think sitting here alone wishing for somethin' that ain't is gonna get you anywhere."

She rose to her paws with a forced stretch. "Sorry, this is more Tick's thing. But… if you ever wanna go break stuff or throw things in the pit, that always makes me feel better."

Wait! Wait wait wait, that made it sound like she was offering. "Not saying we gotta go together! I wasn't saying… WE are NOT friends. That is not what this is! I still hate your guts." Fleapaw cringes, spinning on her heels to make a hasty retreat. "This is super weird. I'm gonna go now."

But her paw hovers over the ground before she even makes a step. A hiccup comes from somewhere nearby that doesn't belong to either of them.

She slowly pivots toward the nose, hackles prickling. Fleapaw glances back at Sealpaw. Slowly, she hones in on it, paws dampened against the grass. Something twitches, and she looms over it with her claws drawn. Her shadow stretches over them.

It's… a kit? "Errr…" Fleapaw gawks at the soggy eyed furball. All her fire is snuffed in an instant, leaving her cooled and confused. "Heyyyy little…" She usually called Monsterkit little guy, but that didn't seem to fit. "—bunny. You lost?"

That girl thinks she's the queen of the neighborhood

FLEAPAW

8 MOONS
SHE/HER
- Undersized cinnamon solid with folded ears. She's thin but stubby with very messy fur.
"SPEECH" - crimson | 'THOUGHTS/EMPHASIS' - crimson

Fleapaw values family the most with survival at a close second. In conversations, she is blunt, fun-loving, and clever. She is guided by her desires which often leads her astray. Despite her abrasive personality, she cares deeply for those she loves and will do anything to protect them. Due to her experiences, Fleapaw is corrupt and has minimalistic, if any, morals. She does not care for the warrior code and its restraints. Neither does she believe in StarClan. Growing up in a kitten mill, being separated from her mother, and ending up on the streets have deeply affected her view of the world.

She's got the hottest trike in town