Open Camp love of the sun // 02.05 MEETING

[SABLESTAR]

That night had left him oddly on the defense, still without answers or even the slightest clue for a direction in which he could lead for one. Troublesome phantom stampedes in the middle of the night were not what he signed up for in taking on the title of Fleecefur's champion, but it appeared that would be exactly what arrived to his den.

There was action to be made, eyes to set in every corner and noses to keep to the ground and yet he couldn't be everywhere he felt needed him. Each direction pulling him into another- fill the Clan's bellies quickly pivoted to deal with this skirmish and reared back to settle this argument only to whirl towards confronting this trespasser.

This is going to kill me. Maybe Juniper had the right idea picking up a whole team after all. Even without having kits to wean he felt impossibly exhausted from trying to have his paws on every inch of the pocosin. It was time to get help, and maybe fit these apprentices with a warrior to keep them from chasing after trouble with cats like Jadethorn.

"ShadowClan, gather to me. It's time for some changes." The tuxedo's tail twitched with impatience, quick to get things into motion. "I realize there's been a lack of direction that I can only blame myself for allowing to occur. Unfortunate that of the gifts given to me, being everywhere I'm needed isn't one of them." He would need representatives of sort, but none too close to the likes of Brightpetal. Someone solid on their paws and had a spine of stone.

"It's time I choose a deputy, someone who will act with the will of my own paw that you all can look to with the same authority as myself in my absence. I already have the cat in mind, who's reassured me he will always have ShadowClan's strength and longevity in his best interest." Sablestar paused to find mottled fur in the crowd, unsurprised to see mismatched eyes fixated on him. Always trained ahead like his namesake- and always making him feel hunted, too.

"Wolfpack- you will honor this Clan as it's deputy." A grab for power that Sablestar knew he wouldn't deny, and perhaps it is this that may satiate him from the possible thirst for more, even if it were foolish to put his immortality to the test. "I will need more than a deputy, though. This Clan grows bigger and stronger day by day, it needs a proper team to tend to the weeds and sow greatness. A trusted council made of Night Guards. I would like to extend this trust now, starting with Smogmaw, Mothbite, and Possumgrin." The older of the trio had always been in reach where Sablestar needed him. Mothbite, he saw much like the potential of his Clan. A sapling he could tend to and grow into a strong asset to himself, and he could see the same in Possumgrin. They would just have to do well not to wither in either's shadow. "None of you are shy from speaking plainly and honest to me, and I find your efforts placed in the Clan worthy to lift those voices higher, if you will accept the invitation."

this heart beats cold like the devil his own

• //wahoo first round of promotions! make sure to stay on the lookout for the second half of the meeting :D @WOLFPACK @smogmaw @Mothbite @possumgrin
  "mew"
• 

  SABLESTAR— he/him ･fifty-four moons ･leader; shadowclan ･penned by gonkpilled

  a black and white tuxedo with dark amber eyes

 

[WOLFPACK]

AND I AM SORRY MY CONSCIENCE CALLED IN SICK AGAIN​

---

Sable wasn't the only one who'd been on edge since the incident the night prior. Wolf still couldn't come up with an explanation for what he'd heard and felt. For what he hadn't seen afterward. No tracks or scent or scrap of fur to confirm they weren't all suffering some kind of mass hysteria. And the mottle tom, who had always been able to rely on his own senses and judgment, was left wanting answers for the seemingly impossible.

No cat could get in and out like that without leaving pawprints in the mud of their camp. A hoard of them definitely couldn't– not in that kind of time frame.

But, since there was nothing to actually be done about it, life went on, as did Wolfpack.

The call for a meeting wasn't entirely unexpected after what had happened, and he was glad he was in camp for it. Meetings had been eventful in the past, whether it was claiming to have spoken to the dead, being blessed with extra lives, changing their names, or announcing the death of their rival's leader. At the very least, he expected it would be a distraction for the time being.

And Sable didn't disappoint.

Wolfpack- you will honor this Clan as its deputy."

The tom licked his lips at the words, fangs glinting in the curve of his grin as mismatched eyes met ambered honey. He suspected the tom knew he was welcoming a wild animal into his midst, but it had yet to be seen if he could teach it not to bite the hand that fed.

"I accept." Of course. There was no world where he didn't. Wolfpack had never made a secret of his greed or his desires. Why would he? There was no shame in wanting more. In testing yourself to learn what you could keep hold of and what you couldn't.

And Wolfpack? He would have it all if he could. He just hadn't yet determined the manner in which he planned to get it.

Though, he had to admit– having Sablestar hand it to him like this was satisfying in other ways. In the same way watching Marbleshine fix his nest for him was, or seeing Mothbite admit to his uselessness.

And maybe it wasn't everything, but the mottled feline figured it was a healthy start.
​

---

loner/future shadowclan - male - a large, monochrome chimera with mismatched eyes and several scars​

​

 

[Nettlefrost]

┍

Another of these meetings, though this one had a different air to it. Nettlefrost sits where he can hear clearly, ears pricked and tall upon his striped head. It came as no surprise that there would be promotions. Structure. They weren't just a colony anymore. They were a clan. Things were bound to be different, and that would only become more blatant as time went on. Nettlefrost was still getting used to it all, especially when it came to the names.

"Congratulations to you all." He speaks plainly, voice as stoic as his expression. He didn't mind Smogmaw or Mothbite. They seemed decent enough. Possumgrin was one he didn't really know as well, and Wolfpack... well, at the very least that one was strong. Given recent events, strong was probably what ShadowClan needed most.

‎┙

 

[Marbleshine]

MARBLE OF SHADOWCLAN

Deputy! Wolfpack had been appointed as their deputy! A surge of pride swelled in Marble's chest as she looked at her friend, her loud, rumbling purr filling the air. Sitting up a little straighter, she beamed. " Congratulations, Wolfpack! " she meowed warmly, dipping her head in respect. It made sense, they needed a second-in-command. Leading a whole group alone had to be difficult, right? Wolfpack would be a strong, reliable presence at Sablestar's side.

And then he continued… speaking of Night Guards. Night Guards? Huh. That was new. Her ears perked up as the realization struck. Her brother was one of them! " Possum! " she called, quickly turning her head in search of him. When she spotted him, her eyes shone with excitement, warmth radiating from her expression. " Congratulations! That's such a big step up! " She then turned to Smogmaw and Mothbite, dipping her head toward them as well. " You both will do amazing, I'm sure of it! Congratulations! " she added, her purr still thrumming in delight.

GO ON AND TRY TO TEAR ME DOWN ——･ﾟ✦​

･ﾟ✦ —— I WILL BE RISING FROM THE GROUND

 

[Smogmaw.]

Claws cease their restless ministrations against the mud beneath him at his name's announcement. Another meeting, another restructuring of the clan, and to his astonishment, he is among those to be plucked from their relative mediocrity to be handed a new place of standing. New privilege as well. Smogmaw tilts a pondering chin, giving a slight incline to the one responsible. The black baroque markings that gild his forehead knot into a cant implying both uncertainty and self-assurance. With but a vague description to go off, he's left to determine for himself what his obligations are, where it is that his limits end, and exactly why he deserves them.

Now, Smogmaw finds no faults in the deputy role, divvied out to the ever-indelicate Wolfpack. A second-in-command position serves not only to complement a leader's skills but also to offset their shortcomings. Truthfully, the responsibility does suit him—arrogance notwithstanding. But, the existence of a Night Guard, per the title Sablestar lends to the tom, Mothbite, and Possumgrin, reeks of something unsavoury. In choosing whose voices matter more than others', ShadowClan's leader becomes complicit in forming his own elite. Much akin to Fray and his preference for Hawthorne. Smogmaw knows that his clanmates have enough trouble deciding between personal relationships and duty; he, himself, holds a deeper loyalty to his kin than this clan. Compounding that difficulty with an additional incentive, that being clan-mandated priority, does not strike the silver tom as wise.

By the same token, however, a great degree of good may also be done. Should he accede to this promotion and gain his place at the leader's ear, there will come with it opportunities to deter unwise decisions, too. Misgivings aside, there was not much value in him discarding Sablestar's consideration now. Let alone the promise of authority, and how it reignites a bold ambition deep within himself. This was an opportunity, wasn't it? He should embrace it. Even if he did not agree with its premise, he may gain the means to create a safer haven for his family.

A bow and uttered "Congratulations," is sent Wolfpack's way, then he levers up off his haunches, briefly noting the warm attentions from Marble. Already, the added attention was palpable in the air. All these eyes on them. Their influence growing as their peers watched. It's a rush of blood and bravado that, after settling, has Smogmaw levelling an affirming nod to Sablestar. "I accept," he states. Muzzle squared, pelt sat smooth about his flanks. "I'll sow... greatness for you, my dear leader." A distant smirk lifts in the corners of his jowls. He's still not sure if he believes it. Sowing greatness was a bizarre way of putting things.

His gaze wanders to the others charged with these new responsibilities and privileges shortly thereafter. Mothbite and Possumgrin, namely. Strange bedfellows that they will make. One who couldn't defend themselves from a kit, and another that's a wise-ass. He imagines his brutishly rough edges may just counter their eccentricities for a thin semblance of a balance. What an image for ShadowClan.

 

[cicadabuzz]

CICADABUZZ, 27 moons / shc + med. cat
a SH cinnamon tabby/chocolate tortie chimera w/ orange eyes
parent to deathberrykit, hemlockkit, mistletoekit
a reserved, pragmatic healer driven by duty rather than sentiment

Cicadabuzz chooses to observe the meeting from a distance, their expression unreadable, yet their eyes sharp with quiet contemplation. The shifting structure of ShadowClan is of no personal consequence to them, but they recognize its significance for those within it. Power consolidates. Lines are drawn, names elevated. These things matter to those who seek control, to those who believe leadership is something that can be bestowed rather than earned through quiet constancy. Wolfpack's acceptance, his barely restrained hunger beneath the words, is expected. He is not one to refuse the opportunity to climb higher, to test the limits of his grasp. Cicadabuzz does not judge this; ambition is as natural to some as breath. What remains to be seen is whether this new order will bring stability or merely shift the weight of existing tensions.

Sablestar's choices are pragmatic. A structure to maintain order, a council to balance the burden of leadership. Cicadabuzz understands the need, even if they are detached from the Clan's inner struggles. The land does not favor those who run themselves ragged in an attempt to be everywhere at once. No cat, no leader, is immune to exhaustion. Sablestar recognizes this—perhaps belatedly, but recognition nonetheless. The Clan murmurs, voices rising in congratulations or quiet speculation. Cicadabuzz listens, but does not speak. Leadership, titles, and authority—all of these are passing things. What matters is what comes after. The true test will not be in the words spoken today, but in the choices made when no eyes are watching.

 

[SABLESTAR]

Those hand-picked to act as his eyes and ears had agreed, and a calm smile returned to his maw. All would be in order, then. This new totem pole would need time for adjusting, growing pains as they continued to climb through the discoveries of the Old and replenish it with the New. Onto equally more important matters- the apprentices.

"I look forward to all of your work for ShadowClan. Now, there is one other change for the sake of order here. Apprentices, they're meant to be trained in preparation for warriorhood. Expected to learn the skills of their older peers to help their Clan, themselves, thrive. It would be better for them to be personally assigned a warrior to do these duties, rather than fall to the whims of the village, so to say... I would like more direct action taken in their teaching." More monitoring wouldn't be so awful, either. Not if any would learn from Fleapaw's influence.

"Mentoring an apprentice is a gesture of importance, it means your skills are worthy of passing down. That I see you are capable and trustworthy with to shape the paws of the generations after you. So, Smogmaw, you will be assigned to Sealpaw's training. Possumgrin, you will be assigned to Fleapaw." Wolfpack would need time to settle into this new position, and he would rather the mottled tom focus on learning the ropes of this new title before taking on a personal project as well.

"Geckoflame, Pepperpaw will be trained in your care. And Bluegale will be in charge of Webpaw." His eyes quickly searched for the toms kin in the crowd. "Halfshade will be responsible for Gingerpaw's training, and Vampirebite, Fennelpaw will be your's to train." That was one... three... six... just a few more. "Bonestalker, I'm trusting you to train Daturapaw. Coalstrike, you will be training Vanillapaw, and... Flamerunner, you're in charge of Smudgepaw." That seemed to be all he could spare for now, but there was sure to be more as the nursery emptied out.

"I want to be clear, this means if you are on a patrol I expect your apprentice to be on your tail. Learning what you do, and why. How we protect our borders, how we provide to fill the Clans bellies, and how these expectations are constant in their everyday lives. But do show them the joys it brings- the fulfillment of caring for one another. The honor to hold respect among your fellow Clanmate. ShadowClan may live in the dark, but we are not swallowed by it." Too much prattling off now, he didn't want to feel too preachy in his sermon. But at the very least he did trust the warriors he paired with, even if some were meant to test their limits.

"That is all." Sablestar dismissed with a lazy flick of his tail.

this heart beats cold like the devil his own

• wahoo apprentice/mentor pairings are real! any thread dated after february 5th can include your pairing!
  tdlr:
  @Smogmaw. is paired with @Sealpaw
  @possumgrin is paired with @F l e a p a w
  @GECKOFLAME is paired with @Pepperpaw
  @bluegale is paired with @webkit
  @Halfshade is paired with @gingerpaw
  @vampirebite is paired with @fennelpaw
  @BONESTALKER is paired with @Daturapaw
  @Coalstrike is paired with @VANILLAPAW
  @Flamerunner is paired with @Smudgepaw
  "mew"
• 

  SABLESTAR— he/him ･fifty-four moons ･leader; shadowclan ･penned by gonkpilled

  a black and white tuxedo with dark amber eyes

 

[Flamerunner]

FLAME OF THE COLONY

Flamerunner had been half-heartedly grooming himself, nodding absentmindedly as Sablestar spoke about the importance of apprentices and their mentors. The mention of skills and trustworthiness was just background noise to him, after all, he had his own fun ideas about training. Mischief, pranks, and a bit of chaos sounded like more his speed than anything else. He smiled to himself, already thinking about what kind of trouble he and his buddy Flea could get into when Newleaf came around.

Then, something clicked. Wait... had Sablestar just called his name? His eyes widened as realization dawned. He had an apprentice now. A mentor. That was his role? Quickly scanning the camp, his gaze landed on Smudgepaw, who was sitting awkwardly nearby. His grin stretched wide, both surprised and excited at the sudden responsibility. " Well, well... guess I'm your mentor now, huh? " he said with a light, teasing tone as he padded over to her. With a friendly nudge of his shoulder, he gave her a good-natured grin. " You ready to be my lil' shadow, Smudgepaw? "

Perhaps it hadn't quite dawned on him yet that this meant his slacking off had to slowly on be replaced by training, hunting and such.

RUN BOY RUN ——･ﾟ✦​

･ﾟ✦ —— THE SUN WILL BE GUIDING YOU

 

[Sealpaw]

┍❆

One could say Sealpaw had been unusually quiet since the border skirmish despite not having stayed long enough to see the brunt of it, the aftermath alone had been enough to leave her withdrawn and uncertain. She still didn't understand why. Marbleshine hadn't been able to explain, and asking Jade about it felt like asking for another smack from the molly. It was not something she was keen on revisiting so soon. She'd have to find someone else to ask...later.

With dragging paws she rose from her nest at Sablestar's call, half listening to the tom rattling off something about apprentices- she should be paying attention to this but part of her is too tired to actually care.

'Smogmaw, you will be assigned to Sealpaw's training.' Wait, what? Hadn't Leopard told her to find @Smogmaw. if she didn't come back..? But that had never come to pass, with Marble taking her in instead. It felt ironic that now, after yet another fight, she had been assigned to stay by his side. Maybe Leopard had had the right idea. He never seemed uncertain. Never was afraid... Unlike herself.

Weaving through the crowd to sit next to the tom, Sealpaw studied him with a frown. "Hi... My mama, before she died, said to find you if anything happened to her..." There was more she wanted to say. Wanted to ask. Like why Leopard had wanted to entrust her safety to the other, but there would be plenty of time to learn, she imagined.

❆┙

*•.¸❆

─WAVING THROUGH A WINDOW─

❆¸.•*

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

 

[Smogmaw.]

Restless forepaws ruck damp grass from its earthen nest, a compulsion which he has adopted and indulged in whenever his leader held court. Keeps him focused and grounded. Easier to mangle and pull at his surroundings than to digest the sermon in full. While the broad-shouldered, newly-anointed Night Guard absently toyed with what the soggy topsoil offered to him, his ears remained dutifully bent upon the address at paw. Yet another arrangement made to break from old patterns; apprentices under mentorship for the purposes of swifter and more reliable growth, rather than remaining pooled under an ill-defined cluster of supervision. Claws retract by reflex at the end of the announcement, giving pause to a crisp sigh. It isn't the worst idea to grace the tom's ears. But Smogmaw must suspect that he'll be among the first to-

Mid-thought, he catches his name from Sablestar's tongue for a second time, alongside-

Shut up. Really? Instinct takes the reins and yanks his head straight to attention. Alarm smacks itself across his features, visibly pulling his lips taut into a frozen, unsavoury half-gape. Leopard's kit. In his care, with him daily, one-on-one, in-and-out. The very same maw that'd left Sealpaw orphaned was now responsible to lecture her on ethics and good conduct. For the first time in so long—since before the uprising, even— Smogmaw feels utterly ensnared in self-awareness, brought to face with what he's wrought without time to ready himself. He imagined he could merely drift past it. Live in willful ignorance, treating the colony's destruction as the conclusion of a story. But Sealpaw's little legs carry her across the clearing in a snap, and all the tom can think about is how much she resembles her mother.

Pensive eyes fasten on the she-cat before him. They carry with them a momentary hint of despair that ebbs away the longer that they drink in the sight. Guilt does not possess his mind. No, it is merely a chill that passes.

Sealpaw squeaks on about Leopard's instructions for her, were anything to happen. Anything had happened, and there was naught anyone who could do anything about it anymore. "She did, did she?" he prompts neutrally. "Took ya long enough, but better late than never." His tone is aloof, but his gaze has not left hers. She doesn't know, and she will not know, or ever even suspect. "Gotta get ya up to snuff, teach ya how to hunt 'n put a little meat on those bones. We'll start tomorrow, eh?" Maw twisting into something of an awkward smile, his claws push down against the earth again; rucking damp grass from its earthen nest, mangling, pulling to keep him grounded.

 

[Halfshade]

YOU'RE WELCOME BITCH, THE SHOW IS FREE

I DON'T DO THE WALK OF SHAME - I STRUT

Halfshade arrives somewhat late, but not late enough to miss who was being assigned as their clan's deputy. The second-in-command, the cat given a taste of power. Wolfpack. Immediately her ears flatten, she glances from side to side briefly to see if anyone else had the same reaction she did to this tom with his penchant for violence and hungry eyes being granted authority. Something about him unsettled her and she didn't like this - she didn't even realize Sablestar trusted him enough for this but who knew. Maybe he was doing it to appease the beast, toss him a scrap of meat so he didn't bite the hand that fed him. The two-toned shecat rolled her eyes, but her bristling pelt smoother over quickly at Smogmaw's name: if she ignored that he was promoted alongside what was essentially several cats with the emotional disposition of a rock, this was good news and not at all concerning.
A brief, small part of her is slightly annoyed she was not considered to be part of Sablestar's newly deemed council, but just as quickly she realizes he probably picked cats he could bully easier and she would have been the one putting him in his place. If he thought he was safe behind Smogmaw he was sorely out of luck. As the cries and cheers die down, she glances at Marbleshine with disdain to that bubble headed fools optimism, her name once again rings out in a meeting but this time it was not to give her a name, but a child. Glorious.

Halfshade finds the cream pelt in the crowd easily enough, approaching on light and elegant steps. "Looks like its you and me, Gingerpaw. I expect perfection at all times, do try not to embarrass me." She pauses, smiling as she waits for any twitch on the younger cat's muzzle to indicate he heard her before laughing, "I'm kidding, relax. Your face will get stuck that way if you keep it up."
Copper and blue eyes wander over to find Smogmaw, equally burdened with the expectations of raising the clan's youth and they weren't even parents this time! Funny how she thought she was done mothering little furballs after Garlicheart had become an adult, but seemed life had other ideas. She turns, tail flicking to gesture to Gingerpaw to join her as she approaches the blue striped pelt of her mate and his new spotted charge.
"Congratulations, Night Guard. It seems we both have been given our own little shadow, what do you say to taking them both out together later?"

♥ I like turning heads - breaking necks ♥ Highheels in the morning.

Halfshade
♥ — ShadowClan
♥ — She/Her
"SPEECH", 'THOUGHTS', ATTACK
♥ — Blue Torbie w/Blue & Orange Eyes.
#FEA8A8—#8087BD