Camp cut him down ──✩°｡⋆⸜ meeting

[juniperstar]

juniper

it feels like burning... she shoulders down the ache of the fire under her pelt in favor of duty, slinking from the shroud of her den to wince against the blinding sunlight. her head rings with the thrum of sharp, persistent pains, bitten back with a heavy inhale and an equally weighty exhale. she doesn't draw more than a few strides from the shadow of the half-collapsed tree trunk that she would normally hoist herself upon, glancing around as the world moves in a bleary smear before finally coming back to clarity. "ThunderClan, I ask for your attention," and even she can tell the way her throat sounds parched.

she straightens her spine, squinting against the heaviness of the bags under her eyes to make herself centered in the moment. "I... unfairly... burdened Murkyfang with a role that she felt ill to refuse... I've been made aware of my mistake... the carelessness of my request... and I relieve her of her duty as Storm Guard. She has been a great asset to ThunderClan and will continue to be... where she is happier... and not drowned by her responsibilities." she searches for the high-strung she-cat, offering the slightly bow (a dizzying action that requires many seconds to recover from), "Thank you..."

it did not leave her with the abundant support structure she craved... one ramshackled together in the face of so much loss. but that could be fixed... divined even, if StarClan were willing to offer some guidance. maybe even Serpentberry would lend Juniperstar her ear one more time... would choose to use a gentle tongue... or maybe even Brightpetal had made notes of who he trusted to fill that space... weren't these guards his just as much as they were hers?

"Brownfur... please take care of Rimepaw's training... and Graybird... if you'd please watch after Dreampaw... I imagine you'll both have your paws full but you can handle it." a moment of brevity, a lightness to be speaking to those she new and could rely on.. but it is short lived, as always.

"One last thing," she meows, articulating more carefully as she lifts her gaze to find a too-grown kit in need of enrichment. "Boarkit... I think you're ready to be an apprentice... to start learning how to hunt and fight to protect yourself and ThunderClan both." her nose lifts heavensward, furrowing her brow against the light as it threatens to disorient her completely. "In accordance... with StarClan's will, I hand up your old name to them to be forgotten... and in return... to recognize you as the warrior-in-training that you are... I name you Boarpaw..." her jaw clenches, feeling the grit of her teeth as they slide into place against each other before looking back to Boarpaw. "And I'll be your mentor."

it was questionable how much training she could offer the young soul when she had to worry over Asterkit still but... she'd never shied from the overwhelm of duty and wouldn't do so now either. she'd... just take today to rest and then tomorrow they could attend to all the many 'firsts' Boarpaw was probably waiting for...

──✩°｡⋆⸜ ✮

• with that we say thank you to @ixora for their time with murkyfang!! hopefully we will see around still as a regular warrior, our nervy, selfish little queen <3
  
  new pairings for @BROWNFUR 𓄋 & @rimepaw , @Graybird & @Dreampaw. and a new apprentice @Boarkit, to be mentored by @juniperstar herself!!!
  
  don't forget that the site-wide event is still ongoing so get those interactions with other clans in while u can !!! and keep an eye out for future stormguard promotions.... i am always on the look out for active and involved characters to join the team <33

• juniperstar leader of thunderclan nine lives remain

  ignore me

 

[Boarpaw]

————————————— The melody sings what the words can't say. ✦

The little too large kitten knew he didn't have to sit in for meetings, but it just felt... Respectful. Juniperstar had been kind enough to welcome him and his siblings into the clan. He settled in quietly, paws tucked carefully together as he sat not far from Dewshine and Copperstorm. He wondered what the meeting might be about, he had heard whispers of other clans, something about river and wind? Maybe this was about them, if they were real, of course. He knew Shadowclan lived on the other side of the Thunderpath that they had all been dropped off at, but it seemed like they were a... Taboo subject almost.

His bright eyes cast to Juniperstar, it wasn't hard to see that the leader seemed weary and tired. Her voice was strained, almost. His ear flicked. Boar wasn't naïve to the misfortune the clan had seen. You hear a lot when you have nothing else to do but play and sleep.

He listened, silently. Gaze following at the cats, the leader mentioned, they had grown familiar with names and faces now. Most of them he hadn't spoken to, but Hopekit and Dewshine had helped put names to each cat. While there was a weight to Murkyfang being relieved of Storm guard duty, he smiled at least at the apprentices. What an honor it must be to get their new mentors.

The meeting seemed simple enough, the leader not wanting to strain themself but needing to get things in order. It seemed as if it would end on a final quick note, until- "Boarkit." Their fur bristled. He looked up, realising she was already looking directly at him. For a moment, there was a nervous feeling; it wasn't as if he had done anything wrong but the attention made his fur stand on end.

But that washed away as they spoke further, eyes glittering, realising they were being made an apprentice. In that moment, their mind raced through the list of cats they had grown to know in the clan, trying to remember who had an apprentice, who could be their mentor. But their jaw grew slack at the final addition as Juniperstar gifted him his new name, naming herself his mentor.

It was surreal, really. They always felt a little outside of the goings on in Thunderclan, their only family their siblings. Having to learn everything from the ground up in just over three moons was dizzying when all they knew was the mill. But now? It all seemed to have flipped on its head.

It was hard for Boarkit- Boarpaw to hide the grateful smile on his face. Yes, there were eyes on him now, but the pride in his chest was so much stronger than that. He would have to thank his mentor once his training started, but he knew it may be a little while, given her exhausted state. Boarpaw didn't mind waiting. Everyone else gave him patience, so of course, he needed to give it in kind.

——— You keep on grinnin'

and this world keeps nagging. ———

• 
  Boarpaw
  ✦—Thunderclan apprentice
  ✦—He/They
  ✦—"SPEECH", 'THOUGHTS', ATTACK
  ✦—A long-haired, dark grey tom with a prominent underbite and blue eyes.
  #a4bac1