Open THE MELTING POT OF SOCIETY [ apprentice "gathering" ]

[lavenderpaw]

[ this is open to all apprentices! this takes place the night of sept 1st (oops) and was mostly spread by word of mouth. it is not required and characters are at liberty to be sniffed out by their mentors or clans at large for sneaking away. hehe good luck!! ]

Lavenderpaw does a quick headcount of the RiverClanners that agree to join her that night. It's not all of them, perhaps luckily - if every single apprentice left the camp at once, then the warriors would start to notice their absence. Not to mention trying to corral more than the pawful she's garnered would be far too much stress on her. After all, she wants to do this in part so she could see more of her friends in a safe, neutral space. She wants to see if... that tom is okay. Perhaps selfishly.

With the headcount completed, she slips out of camp with ease. Her tail is her only signal that she's heading off somewhere, secret. Eventually, a few more apprentices follow, and potentially a few more after that. Only when everyone she counted has gathered outside of camp does Lavenderpaw continue the trek. They come upon the river and the blue furred molly steps atop the stones, unwilling to get soaked this early in the night. She remembers coming this way only a few days prior, and finding those kits. She recalls them being split up amongst the Clans... and worries finding more kits in their wake.

In any case, RiverClan is the first to four trees this time, no doubt due to Lavenderpaw pushing her friends to hurry their paws. It'd be embarrassing if no one else came... but that's the risk she's made. Hopefully Frostmoth won't be too upset...

"Who do you think will show up first..?" she asks one of the other apprentices, drawing her tongue through her fur in an attempt to clean it up.

 

[Galepaw Galepaw]

—————————————————— Rocked by an endless motion ✦

It wasn't particularly interested in this gathering, that much could be said. Somehow, someway, Galepaw always found himself roped into this sort of thing. The whispers had started with Lavenderpaw on that fated patrol, the one which they drew away from with another mouth in their midst. Even then, Gale didn't particularly plan to follow after, but the whispers had grown. The muttered invite grew more tantalizing until the night of, the silent apprentices slipping away as the moon began to crawl across the sky... but he turned away, disinterested, much preferring his moment of calm solitude. It hadn't lasted for long, naturally, amber eyes staring him down with curiosity, the silence disturbed by prodding questions. 'Where were the apprentices going? Why tonight? Who were they meeting?' to name a few.

Of course, Galepaw much rather show the young kit rather than tell him, and for that reason he now slunk after the disappearing party of apprentices, staying silent as he followed their many footprints through the territory. He had to hang back anyhow, if Salmonkit wanted to see what was going on so bad, the little tom would have to make his own path through the territory. There would be no carrying here, instead a cool silence as the older and younger cat wordlessly followed after Lavender's troupe.

"Mmm.. Perhaps no-one." The tom answered Lavenderpaw, stepping into the clearing from the shadows like some pale spectre. He cared little that the question wasn't meant for him, as he usually did. "Certainly isn't the safest scheme to be a part of..." With gentle, lithe steps, the tall apprentice found himself settling into a sitting position not far from Lavenderpaw. The stars twinkled down upon the group, and Galepaw couldn't help but note it wordlessly. The night wasn't exactly his favorite time of day, as the silence from the ever-familiar birds put him at a bit of an unusual disadvantage. If the group got snuck up upon, the tom would have no sing-songy warning prior... though not as though he'd stay and fight. "...Perhaps Shadowclan." He mused after a moment of thought. "Tricky things as they are."

The tom trailed off as a familiar small cat scurried underfoot, and he looked in muted interest down to the kit. "Ah, yes—Salmonkit." It greeted, as though they hadn't expected to see him among the cats. "Never mind him, of course. Simply consider this... An early lesson in mischief, perhaps?" His tone, as per usual, was rather flat—but a glitter in his vibrant blue eyes betrayed the humor he got from the situation. It was not often a kit snuck out of camp, much less all the way to Fourtrees. "Nothing for you to worry about, of course." Galepaw said after a moment, giving a brisk nod to the silvery she-cat. While he did believe in... what was that charming phrase.... right, 'Fucking around and finding out' as his sister Thunderpaw often spoke of, Gale was not keen to let the kit find himself in too much trouble.

—————Whether truth or just a story

It's not up to you—————

• responding to @lavenderpaw , mentioning/interacting with @Salmonkit
• 
  Galepaw
  ✦—Riverclan Apprentice | 10 Moons
  ✦—He/They/It
  ✦—"SPEECH", 'THOUGHTS', ATTACK
  ✦—A fluffy high white lynx point with curled ears and deep blue eyes
  #87878E #BAB2AC

 

[Salmonkit Salmonkit]

—————————————— All I wanted was to be seen, and to see. ✦

A kitten's curiosity is usually easily batted away, given a vague answer and left at that. But unfortunately for Riverclan, Salmonkit was as stubborn as the father he never knew. He had heard the whispers of a meeting, like the gathering his father never returned from, but just with the apprentices of the clans. He knew it would be moons upon moons until he would even get a chance at seeing such a marvel, if one was to ever occur, that is.

The idea swam in his mind, minnows on a clear morning, not something you can ignore. The tantalising promise of something just under the surface, only if you dare to reach out and snatch it up. But much like fishing, Salmonkit was too small to even dare follow the apprentices out alone; he would be lost at a moment's notice, snatched up by a beast craving something fresh under moonlight.

It's why he turned to Galepaw, ever stead, ever present. While his mother would always be a bastion of comfort and love, and always would be, she wouldn't entertain his ideas. But Galepaw? He seemed far more keen to listen, to return questions even. In the wake of Salmon's thirst for the unknown, he was a guiding paw to find what he sought.

That was also why he wasn't surprised the apprentice agreed to go along with the kitten in tow. Of course, though, he would make his own way there. Salmonkit would have fussed if he were to be carried along, anyways.

Or. That's what he thought when he hadn't realised just how far Fourtrees was. He had never ventured this far. Mama had brought him outside of camp, but this much walking was nothing he had had to deal with. His paws ached before they even got past the river. But he refused to whine; he needed to prove to Galepaw he was strong, prove that he could be trusted to be brought along. If he cried and whined, he wouldn't get a chance to venture like this again for moons on end.

---

As they finally rounded to Fourtrees, Salmonkit had staggered behind the group, still able to barely see Galepaw, but having struggled to catch up for a while. The kitten silently gasped for breath, but the group never stopped moving. Even as he took the slightest moment to pause, those in the lead only seemed to vanish one by one.

Even so, he refused to be seen as pitiful. Salmonkit had asked to come along, but he would act like it.

Steadying his breath as much as he could, he trotted along into the opening of Fourtrees, eyes glittering at the enormous trees. For a moment, he could forget the ache in his chest, how his breath caught ever so slightly with every inhale. Though he promptly trotted to Galepaw, shooting the tom a mischievous grin, and likewise to Lavenderpaw. "Yea! I jus' wanted to see what all've you was doin'!" The kitten chirped, looking up to Galepaw before sitting down exactly as he was.

Though as he looked out to the opening, he only saw and smelled Riverclan cats, his face wrinkling up. "I thought yous said there'd be other clans!" He huffed with an almost suspicious expression; it hadn't been like she was lying, but maybe those other cats lied to Lavenderpaw...

————— Is it magical thinking,

or is it magical realism? —————

• 
  Salmonkit
  ✦—Riverclan kitten | 2 moons
  ✦—He/him
  ✦—"SPEECH", 'THOUGHTS', ATTACK
  ✦—A tiny black x chocolate broken mackrel tabby chimaera with bright, too knowing eyes.
  #4B7CE4

 

[Rattlepaw]

x

x

x

RATTLEPAW

THUNDERCLAN

APPRENTICE

HE/THEY

09 MOONS

DINGO

After having caught wind of a supposedly secret gathering of apprentices Rattlepaw knew he had to go. He hadn't mentioned to anyone that he'd be going as he hadn't wanted any cat to tell his mother... Or his mentor for that matter either. Due to this he also wasn't sure which of the other ThunderClan apprentices would be going as well but he hoped they were all able to sneak out safely when the time came.

When the night finally came he'd scan the camp with his honey coloured gaze, making sure no eyes met his. He knew Ghoststrike, his mentor was often times one of the first cats up pre-dawn as he was prompt in always trying to go along with him every morning for a run. Hopefully that meant that he was now very much asleep given the time but it also reminded Rattlepaw of how little time he likely had to go along with all this as well. He'd better hurry up so he didn't miss out entirely!

Each careful pawstep placed in order to not make a sound felt like it took a moons worth of time but eventually the young tom was out of camp and into the territory, heading straight for Fourtrees as fast and quietly as he could, his tail snaking it's way behind him as he pushed through the undergrowth. Nose twitching, whiskers quivering. RiverClan had already arrived by the time he reached the same spot the full gathering had taken place. The same spot he had gotten to see his father for the first time in all his glittering pelted glory.

Not wanting to startle the other apprentices Rattlepaw would break out of his stealthy pace as he approached. Hopefully he hadn't left an obvious scent trail behind too, maybe he should've rolled in something before coming... "Hey, you're all RiverClan, right?" He mewed on approach, the tip of his tail twitching apprehensively before he looked down and spotted the much smaller cat who was with the RiverClan apprentices. He admittedly not heard anything about bringing kits along with, maybe he had missed that part? "Aren't you a little short to be an apprentice?" His tone was lighthearted and playful though, he had come here once as a kit himself too after all with Boarpaw and some of the others.

"I'm Rattlepaw of ThunderClan, what's your names?"

Living in this world you left behind

A Smoke torbie / Chocolate lynx point chimera with low white and amber-yellow eyes. Looks like a half/half of both his parents.

Littermate to LEAFPAW and THISTLEPAW
Adoptive Sibling to ROWANPAW
Son of SERPENTBERRY and THORNSTAR / Nephew of SNAKEBLINK
Mentored by GHOSTSTRIKE
"speech" // "thoughts" // #FF9933

 

[Cardinalpaw Cardinalpaw]

Cardinalpaw heard about the apprentice gathering. After all, which apprentice hadn't heard about it? The other apprentices weren't as quiet and subtle as they thought they were. Cardinalpaw noticed as Rattlepaw left camp, and she took it as a sign to be on her way as well.

She counted some time, allowing Rattlepaw to be way on their way before she followed suit. After all, two apprentices leaving at the same time might raise some suspicions.

When Cardinal felt it was safe, she left camp as well. With her head down, as if occupied with some important task, she avoided bringing attention to herself and encountering any warrior.
Once far away from camp, she started running. She wouldn't ever admit it to anyone, but she was afraid of encountering any danger. She thought the best path would be to run as quickly as she could to Fourtrees, until she was no longer alone.

When she arrived at Fourtrees, and she smelt other cats, she allowed herself to slow down and catch her breath. She took a moment or two to take deep breathes, she was very much tired, her muscles ached with the effort.

Once she was able to talk again, she approached the other apprentices. She nodded at Rattlepaw, someone she knew was in her same clan, even if they hadn't talked much.

"I'm Cardinalpaw, I'm also from Thunderclan," she said, still a tiny hint of an almost panting on her voice. She smelled the air, in Galepaw, Lavenderpaw and Salmonkit's direction, feeling the faint smell of fish and river water. "Riverclanners, I suppose."

She gave a second look at Salmonkit, tilting her head slightly in confusion. "Were we supposed to bring kits as well?"

I know my way through the night to your door ☆ You know the blood that I'm owed is all yours

• 
  "speech"
  thoughts
  
  ☆ OOC:
  
  

• 

• CARDINALPAW she/it, thunderclanner, 10 moons.
  ☆ A strong rosette tabby with low white and green eyes.
  ☆ Mentored by Gingerflame
  ☆ No family
  ☆ Peaceful and healing powerplay permitted / / underline and tag when attacking
  ☆ Color = crimson
  ☆ Penned by draculaelliot ↛ draculaelliot on discord, feel free to dm for plots.