Tauntingtear's Replies

Here is an index of every scene chronologically that Tauntingtear has been involved in. The writing belongs to the respective owners of each character, and there is no claim being taken over it, this is for documentation purposes only.

## Arc 1

### Snowthistle's Apprentice Ceremony

'Dawnstar:

The long Bengal's fur twitched as her stride broke into a chase, her legs wrenching against the moor floor and flying through the territory with wind guiding her, flanking her sides and brushing her whiskers. She curled her tail around her flank as she slowed, her whiskers twitching as she scanned the darkening overgrowth, the way to camp quite vague. She'd spent many moons padding this path with her clanmates however, and their subtle scents still clung to the grass around, inviting her with their twining familiarity. Dawnstar brushed her cheek against it, a loud purr rumbling the bones that clattered against her chin, swinging with each motion of her head and threatening to snap free in a matter of moments if she wasn't more careful. Gingerly, she relocated the bones to where waste usually lay, her paws scraping against dirt as she kicked Earth over them, burying it in deep territory where it was unlikely to be discovered. She swung her head to head back to camp, her mind swirling excitedly at the opportunity at paw.

She curled her claws into the dirt as she pulled herself up the familiar slope, her haunches bristling as the scents took their time to reach her, giving her a humbling brush backwards of her pelt. *I've left them alone for so long... What if the coyotes returned?* The pang of guilt that threatened to choke her only tightened as she padded faster, her pouch swinging against her legs as she pushed on, her long legs aching to rush. She peered into the darkness, half expecting to hear yelps from the wretched dogs and the squealing of kits... Though no sound echoed. She flattened her ears and continued, screwing up her gaze as she opened her jaws. Suddenly it hit her, the warmth of the dens, the scent of fresh prey... Everything was serene. Dawnstar stifled a sigh as she crouched through the entrance of camp, her eyes blinking rapidly to adjust to the differentiating light inside camp as opposed to the veiled darkness of the arcway tunnel leading in. She curled her tail tip in greeting, a bright smile widening across her face as a few cats rose to greet her, their whiskers twitching. It seemed as if the patrols for the day had returned, with Tourists settling into their den at the edge of camp, searching for a place to claim as their nest. Her clan mates were circling around the fresh-kill pile, a large hare dangling from a small apprentice's jaws as she dragged it towards her den, her whiskers buzzing excitedly. "Greetings, Dawnstar." There was a voice that meowed beside her, a young Queen, heavily pregnant with kits, her silver face shining a pale amber in the fading sun, her whiskers buzzing with some emotion. She bowed her head in greetings, her eyes glittering as two tiny toms sprung at her paws, scuffling and kicking at one another before bolting off when a fluffy tortoiseshell came to shoo them away, her head bowing in greeting to the rosetted leader before she quickly padded away, her tail curling up against her flank.

Dawnstar purred at the kits, before taking to sitting just outside her den, her head bowed in a wash as she awaited the arrival of her companions. Her ears twitched as they appeared not long after her, with Snowthistle headed in first. Dawnstar looked up at him hopefully, her ears pointed towards the camp entrance as if expecting something more, though when Skyrose did not push out directly beside him, the molly tucked her tail in softly, her expression neutralizing. She let out a soft chirp to alert Snowthistle, waving him over to her with a paw. She rose to meet him, trotting to stop the tom half way, her breath warm on his muzzle as she leaned in to whisper to him. "I'll introduce you to them now before we begin our ceremony for the sundown. Are you ready?" She blinked at him encouragingly, not entirely giving him the option to back out if he wished. She kept her expression solid yet sweet and providing, her muzzle curved in a sweet smile as she offered him a moment to prepare, before she bumped her head against his cheek, her tail tip twitching before leaping upwards, her paws landing with a heavy thud atop the stone ledge that made up her den, her tail curling up with her as she fluidly stretched along the length of the stone beneath her, her sharp gaze scanning the cats far beneath her. The exhilarating pulse that shot through her was a feeling she recognized she'd never get used to. Standing tall, commanding and directing her clanmates. The vantage point spelled out her power, it shown her authority, her overseeing over each and every life below her. She stood tall, her shoulders locked and her chest puffed, her face slightly down turned and causing the swirling pattern of her design to spiral outwards against her sides, defining each piece of her anatomy and laying itself upon her pelt with soft grace. Her narrow muzzle parted to speak out to her clanmates, the significant boon of her voice echoing throughout camp, alerting any and all cats within it

"Let all cats old enough to hunt beyond the Tall Grass meet beneath the High Ledge for a clan meeting."

*Snowthistle:*

Snowthistle felt dazzled when he entered the camp again for the second time ever in his life. After the cool speckled shadows of the tunnel in, the setting sun shone brightly over the lip of the tall grass that surrounded the clearing. He blinked at the brilliance of it all, one green and one blue eye reflecting the shine. At an alerting chirp, he ducked his head to see the great leader beckoning him. With his thin white tail held high in the air, he trotted over, one ear flicking back as he heard Skyrose finally walk in behind him. Still holding the hare ears delicately, he set them off to the side right before Dawnstar reached him half-way across. As she leaned in, he felt his excitement doubling, tripling. Her soft words reached his ear fur, trickling past as he breathed slowly to settle the quivering in his paws. His whiskers twitched and her already familiar earthy scent soothed his anxieties about the ceremony. He pushed the semi-awkward conversation with his mother away to focus on his coming future. A smooth purr erupted in his chest, traveling to his throat. He blinked appreciatively at Dawnstar and meowed, “I’m ready!” He felt the rosetted molly nudge her head against his cheek, his purr increasing. He watched the strong she-cat launch herself up the rock in one bound, his maw turning up at the corners in a smile. *I can’t believe how lucky I am! How wonderful and welcoming Dawnstar has been.* for one guilty moment he panicked, looking around the clearing to see if he could spot his soft, spunky friend Twinkle. His fur bristled as he realized he hadn’t much thought about her during his outing. *Oops.. I guess I got carried away being wild again. But she knows why I came here! It’ll be fine.* The young tom reassured himself, turning fully to face the gathering cats. His gaze flicked through the crowd, seeing so many different expressions and characters and pelt colors. Open, friendly faces, then some that looked more closed off or disinterested. He continued his analysis as Dawnstar’s words boomed out above him. He straightened his back and raised his head, meeting the cats’ curious eyes as he waited for the announcement. His white pelt was streaked with some dust and pollen, but he felt stronger and more handsome than any other day of his life. He may not have been becoming a full member of the Clan today, but he still felt the enthusiasm as if he was. It *was* the start of his new life after all. A proud flame bloomed in his heart. *Here we go!* He crowed internally.

*Skyrose:*

Skyrose kept a pace with Snowthistle as he breezed past her on the way to the camp, staying about a fox-length behind him as they padded back. She noticed as they got closer that the young white tom was stretching the distance between them. He must have been moving faster, his excitement bringing flight to his paws. She thought bitterly, that Snowthistle still had the youth in his body, that *his* life wasn’t over yet or calloused as much as her’s. But—the she-cat shook her head—that was unfair thinking. She had no idea what her son had endured when she left. He could be masking unbelievable pain and past. If anything, it should be admirable, if she thought of even the little bits of life he could have had up to this point. Hopefully, Skyrose would find out everything soon. Did Bloodiedstar live? Had Thornspike been killed for her blinding him? What role had Snowthistle played? Had he killed? As she entered camp, she watched Snowthistle continue onward towards the spotted molly that was to be his new leader. The older feline huffed softly under her breath. All the Tourists were back, and most of the Clan cats. The prey pile was lower but not gone and many cats still mingled in the clearing. As Dawnstar’s order sounded through the clearing, the cats of the camp began to murmur to each other and make their way towards the rock outcropping above the leader’s den. She closed her eyes for a moment, then opened them in determination and made her way over. Raising her chin and faintly glaring at any cat that might oppose her, Skyrose made her way to the front of the crowd, hearing a snarled “watch it!” from a ginger tabby as she pushed past them. *Not the most popular cat here*, she thought with amusement, sitting primly at the front of the many cats with her tail curled around her front paws.

Snowthistle met her eyes, looking overjoyed that she had made her way up there. The snowy she-cat gave him a slight dip of her head, then looked up at the dazzling Dawnstar and blinked at her in appreciation (probably mirroring her son’s blinks from earlier). Though she couldn’t convey it right, she was so thankful for everything that had happened that day.

*Tansypaw:*

“What? You want a rematch, after you already lost so badly to me this afternoon?” Tansypaw purred out mischievously, bumping into Bloompaw as the two trotted along next to each other. The journey back was unfortunately all-too quickly gone by, as short as all return journeys usually were, and the Tall Grass soon loomed up before them, already cast in growing shadow at the bottom. The woods had begun to grow dim and quiet, save for the growing bravery of a few loud crickets and toads along the way. The molly scrunched up her nose as the scent trail of her clanmates leading through the blades of grass were overcast by the masking stench of strangers, who smelled of twolegs, trash, thunder-paths, and foreign lands. *Great, here we go*, she thought with a sigh and a roll of emerald eyes that shone in the evening light. Her attitude was shattered along with the peaceful chatter emanating from beyond the rustling barrier as Dawnstar’s distinct and commanding voice broke out. A searing flash of panic burned through the ginger-white apprentice, some of the same thoughts of her sister’s entering her brain. Tansypaw’s tufted ears were pricked tall upon her head, mirroring Bloompaw’s as the sisters glanced at each other. She noticed Bloompaw’s worry-laced eyes and quickly covered up her own anxiety, putting on a strong face. *Skyrose just might’ve noticed I was missing, since she wouldn’t be taking part in the Festivities, most likely.* And with nothing else to do, had probably come looking for her for some training, Tansypaw thought grimly.

“It’s probably nothing,” she attempted to calm her sister’s worries however, ducking through the stems and into the entrance first this time. If she went ahead of Bloompaw maybe she could protect her from the brunt of the punishment awaiting the two on the other side. When she slipped out the other side, back into the last rays of sunlight, however, the camp looked calm and content. Dawnstar was up on her ledge, relaxed. Skyrose was no where to be seen, as far as she could tell. Tansypaw let out a breath of relief, the rattling of her heart and trembling of her large paws finally stilling. She’d been right, of course she had been, it was nothing. Bloompaw appeared behind her and seeing as she didn’t need to stand up to some sort of confrontation, Tansypaw let her nudge them towards the gathering crowd, settling at the edge. Even though she had her tall stature and could easily see above the heads of most of the gathered cats, Tansypaw would always rather be up at the front and center. “What’s this now?” She muttered to her sister, green eyes critically scanning camp and Dawnstar to figure out what the leader had planned now.

*Dawnstar:*

The crowd of cats below her shuffling and murmuring sent shivers down the dappled leader's spine. It wasn't often that each and every cat was crowded into one area, the sight of every clan cat together now was enough to encourage any leader. She hooked her claws into the stone beneath her as she took a gentle step forward, locking her shoulders to peer farther across the rock without the opportunity to stumble and fall, her tail tip swishing to counteract any loss of balance. Her eyes shone eagerly as she looked upon her clan mates, each one eager as they gatherer to hear what she'd have to say to them. Tourists and clan cats alike now mingled, their different pelt shades mixing together to blend into a pleasing fuzzy pallette, one that would claw its way out of its own fray to defend her until their last breath.

Her whiskers twitched as more and more cats swarmed into camp, including the young kits in the nursery, who huddled with their mothers just outside the nursery. There was an apprentice as well who looked on from the den, her ears flattened as if the idea of leaving her prey did not entice her. She curled her tail over her flank and retreated deeper, no longer visible to the leader's naked gaze. Below she spotted her Tunnelers, who were bundled together as a silver cat with a lazy eye groomed debris from their twin's pelt, their long laps only interrupted when the cat sneezed. There was a darker tom near them as well, his brooding expression menacing as he took to the edge of camp, avoiding the tangle of pelts in the center of camp. *Each cat is so different.* She recognized with a pang of curiosity. *I wonder if any cats will disagree with my decision.* That was a question only time would answer. She flattened her pad against the cool stone as she arched her back, letting out a soft yowl to regain her clanmates's attention. She blinked down at them eagerly, her tail tip swirling.

"Cats of Sunlit Prairies," her voice was washing the words from her throat like a cool bubbling stream, ears pinned forward as she kept her gaze steady beneath her. "It is my honor to announce the expansion of our populace. Cats of Sunlit Prairies, I'd like to introduce you to our newest temporary apprentice." Her head held high, her voice echoing off the camp walls and resting upon soft ears below, she only hoped she picked the right ones for the announcements she'd call out next. "Snowthistle, please join me atop the High Rock." She looked down at the tom beneath her eagerly, her gaze settling on his pale pelt. She beckoned him with her tail tip, her expression glowing. Though surrounding them, some cats seemed to shuffle uneasily. Dawnstar overheard various voices whispering from the crowd.

"But it's the first day?"

"He has a clan name already? Was he exiled from Hanging Canopies?"

"'Temporary apprentice,' already? Dawnstar..." Dawnstar flashed them a warning glare as the alabaster tom leapt up to meet her, her paws ready to support him in any which way if he happened to slip, her fur twitching anxiously. As she stood beside him now, she blinked carefully down at her clanmates, who seemed to lean forward now at the new opportunity, their whiskers fizzling against their soft muzzles. Her maw twitched as she watched on, her ears flicking dismissively. She saw the darker tom from earlier retreat slightly, his tail bristling. The silver cat had stopped to stare curiously, and even the pretty apprentice from earlier stuck her white muzzle out to gaze upon the tom, her tail tip curled around her flank. The rosetted Bengal cleared her throat.

"Snowthistle has proven himself to be a talented hunter, his tactics using impressive speed, besting moor prey with as much ease as a naturally born clan cat. As well as his eagerness for survival, this tom has proven to me he has earned this opportunity. I will be his mentor, and he shall train alongside me to become one of our strongest assets." She curled her tail over his shoulders, giving the bi-color tom ample time to look on at his clanmates below, her tail tip twitch the only give at her general anxiety. *If only they'd accept my choice with no question.* Her gaze slipped to the dark pelted tom at the edge of camp, his fur plastered a deep rustic color due to the fading light around them, yet the outline of his lashing tail was evident.

She winced as he took a step forward, his ears flat against his head. Yet he wouldn't dare speak out on her. She realized suddenly he was glaring directly at Snowthistle. "Everyone please welcome Snowthistle, your new den and clan mate. We honor your courage and tenacity. May Silkstar light your path." She bowed her head to him as she spoke these words, touching her nose to his own to complete the ceremony, before she searched for the next announcement, seemingly losing it in that dark tom's eyes. She shook away her thoughts, her mind settling on a much more flavorful option. She flitted her gaze at the tom as he took a step forward, as if about to protest, she met his grief with her own distraction, her paw flattening against the stone as she leaned forward. "And as the sun sets on Sunlit Prairies' territory, so does it set on another crucial day. Tourists and clan cats alike have worked together to learn the likes of each life. I'd like to give thank you, to our guests and our fellow clan mates, for working vigorously." She swished her tail in a twining motion, her paws kneading the stone beneath her pads. "You all have done a wonderful job. Nightly patrols shall be halted tonight as we take the time to celebrate Silkstar and our achievements as a clan." With that she bowed her head, giving an opening for any cat to speak if they so wished. Of course, some cat bit. Dawnstar's warm hazel gaze grew still as Carrionsaunter took the bait, his whiskers quivering as he took a meaningful step towards her. From her positon, she could see his neck fur was bristling. *He means trouble.*

*Carrionsaunter:*

The dark pelted ton stood firm in his up right position, his stocky motif sharpening his pointed edges where his bones linked together, where his body met on peaks. The masculine flared his chest, his whiskers vibrating against his stock muzzle as he flicked his tail ominously. Each word that stumbled out of that molly's mouth made Carrionsaunter's pelt itch. He was never one to speak out against his leader, especially not Dawnstar, but he almost couldn't stop himself, by the time he'd stood to challenge her he hardly realized what he'd been doing. He stared boldly at Snowthistle, ignoring the warning glare shot down by Dawnstar above. *Nonsense.*

"'Temporary apprentice' already, did I hear that right?" He called to the tom above. The rustic male had a deep, sharp toned voice, the depths of his vocal chords shuttering to give him a breathy accented tone. Dawnstar rose her muzzle, her tail lashing behind her. Daring, Carrionsaunter followed the motion, his hackles raising behind him. He was still cloaked with debris and mud from his earlier hunt, and his whiskers fizzled at the thought of Petalpaw tucking in with the other apprentices, though he realized now his impressive catch had vanished. He swung his head around momentarily, his gaze flicking around camp and back to the white stranger, before returning. He repositioned his head, clearly not finished. "He looks like nothing more than a drowned hare-kit with twisted whiskers. Where'd you find this one, the tunnels?" His tail tip twitched as he continued, his shoulders flexing to show off his own build, while not necessarily attractive no cat could doubt his strength. *The real strength necessary to live in a clan.* "When will this one's trial be taking place? Surely you've come up with a challenge suitable to his liking." His eyes were glazed with an icy challenge, his muzzle curling back in a snarl. Around him he noticied few other cats held his grief. Magnoliagloom and Azaleanectar, two queens, looks up at the tom with the same pair of pale yellow eyes, glittering in the light as if each molly was curious to learn more. Shallowshrine, one of his idiotic denmates, looked up from his drowsy grooming to blink sleepily at his leader, his whiskers twitching as he joked with his brother. The sight only enraged him further.

He continued to scan around. Pelts of varying colors, few of which held his side. He noted a heavily pregnant molly at the edge of camp, her fur bristling in a mocked hesitance much like him. He locked a purr in his throat at the sight of the pretty molly. *So I'm not alone.* He flexed his claws on the dirt beneath him. *To live as a clan cat it's a challenge. It only serves them right to have to take paw in one to show their strengths and their determination to stay loyal to their clan.* He grimaced as a sour thought bottle-necked his mind, threatening to choke him. *Harpyspiral... He'd had to remove a tree that had fallen into camp... Himself.* He remembered hearing the story retold by the tom various times, he'd been so proud of his solution. *He just broke off pieces of it until he was able to start rolling it. It took him moons, but he'd done it. He was granted few moons to live here in return before my mother...* He gnashed his teeth as he pushed the thought away. The only thing that mattered now was seeing another cat suffer a similar trial.

*Tauntingtear:*

The muscular tom’s stormy-gray fur twitched in the light breeze, the afternoon sun sending a glow across his pelt that only seemed to outline the oddities of his pelt’s markings. As a few light clouds began swerving onto the evening sky, the sire’s gaze rose slightly, eyes narrowing as he inspected the darkening silverpelt. His eyes glowed in observation, tail flicking peacefully, before his head tilted downwards. The sire’s gaze now swept across the clearing, watching as clanmates and strangers alike traded kind words and warm welcomes. The prey pile had begun to dwindle, but no true worry sparked at the deputy's mind. There were too many cats who would get hunting sooner or later. Even so, few tourists seemed eager to eat the little creatures anyways. The sire had no worry that the pile would stay full for now. However, he wouldn’t be surprised if it’s height doubled before the morning sun rose once again. The festival had always been a time where all clan-members seemed to act their best. Despite the chaotic nature of some tourists, everyone in the clan seemed to want to impress the strangers, going out of their way to do their duties with a keen eye and a careful paw. A light chuckle rose in the sire’s throat, his head shaking slightly. Many times he wished the clan cared this much throughout the moons. After all, the clan camp was practically sparkling, not a hair out of place. With a twitch of his whiskers, he began to clean his paw, distracting himself in a calm and not-noticeable way.

The evening grew darker before long, and the sire watched as many cats began showing signs of drowsiness and hunger. It was now that strangers drew near to the pile, their timid noses inspecting the bloody creatures with a disgusted glimmer in their eyes. Tauntingtear’s gaze swung to them, watching them without a word. A few backed away hurriedly, mumbling quick mutters of unease. But even so, some took tentative bites before their gazes lit up and they dug in for more. This was of no surprise to the fur-covered feline, as it happened every year during the festival. The fresh-kill had even become an item of clan-life that truly intrigued kittypets and other kibble-eating strangers, if they had the courage to get past the bloody and disgusting outer side of the creatures. To many of his clanmates, this unease seemed exaggerated and unnecessary, but Tauntingtear had begun to understand over the moons. If he hadn’t been raised on it, he would likely feel similar.

If he hadn’t been raised on it, he would likely feel similar. But his many moments of pure thought didn’t last much longer. The sire’s tall ears twitched as the rubbing of branches and fur alerted him of an entering cat. His even gaze creeped towards the clan entrance, where a long-legged feline was now crouched, shrugging their way into the camp through lowered haunches and careful pawsteps. The feline’s bengaled pattern glowed in the evening sun, and recognition flared as the deputy recognized his leader’s scent. Lowering his paw and ceasing his hygienic routine, he watched his fellow clanmates as they also recognized Dawnstar, many taking steps forward to greet her with wide smiles. Dawnstar reacted similarly, her muzzle breaking into a grin before long. However, Tauntingtear stayed where he was, simply observing the interactions with a careful twitch of his tail. He had no specific inclination to greet the leader, and was quite fine here, where he could easily watch the organized chaos of the clan camp. However, he gave a curt nod of greeting to the molly, no emotion truly shining through his expression. In no way was he annoyed or unhappy, just simply distracted. However, his expression changed slightly as another cat crawled through the entrance after her, a lean tom with a rugged, muscled look. His thoughts bled through his concentration once again, observative gaze narrowing as he watched the snowy-white tom. *A rogue, it seems.* Nose twitching again, his tail curled around his paws. *He smells of prey.* His gaze stayed on the strange tom as Dawnstar leapt onto the vantage point high above the clearing, a familiar voice ringing through the ushered silence. *"Let all cats old enough to hunt beyond the Tall Grass meet beneath the High Ledge for a clan meeting."*

It was only now that his gaze snapped away, his haunches rising as he broke into a slow gait. Pawsteps careful and determined, the sire stalked towards the front of the commotion, finding his way close to the vantage point. His tail twitched in thought as he walked, only murmuring quick greetings to any cat who attempted to exchange a word with the tom. His gaze was set though, and it was obvious he had lots on his mind. His expression drew few, and those who did speak a word faded away as the meeting began. The sire listened with silent intent, in no way surprised by the cause of the meeting. It was impossible, however, to ignore the murmurs of unease that soon rippled through the clearing, and Tauntingtear glared at some particularly outgoing cats, his eyes narrowing. For a moment, his gaze rested on the tunneler Carrionsaunter, and his gaze only narrowed further. The tom’s neck and back fur had begun to bristle, hushed growls crawling from his throat. Tauntingtear hadn’t known the tunneler to be outspoken or necessarily ‘outwardly rude’, but he seemed quite perturbed at this moment. Momentarily ignoring him, Tauntingtear watched Dawnstar for the remainder of the meeting. He waited until she had finished her announcement of the day's end, ducking his head as she mentioned Silkstar. Assuming the commotion would silence itself throughout the night, he turned to walk off… but a meow rang through the clearing before long, from Carrionsaunter himself. It was obvious the tom was very unhappy with this ‘temporary apprentice’ business, but his behavior was quite dramatic. Taking a step towards the tom, Tauntingtear’s low voice rumbled from his throat.

“Greetings, Carrionsaunter. Is there a problem?”

*Peachpurr:*

Peachpurr noticed Twinkle’s queasy hesitantcy and gave the kittypet what she hoped was a comforting look. Where others would have lost their patience or abandoned the fluffy damsel with an annoyed huff, the Siamese waited for Twinkle to claw one of the cleaner mice towards her, dragging the tiny, limp body through the dust. The Medicine cat was known to be one of the most, if not the most, patient cats in the Clan, one had to be in order to be a healer. If you asked Peachpurr, patience was just a part of the job. She nodded supportivly, waiting for Twinkle to duck down to give her prey a doubtful taste before bending down herself towards a hare on the smaller side. She thought better of telling Twinkle then, of how her father used to tell her that a headless and tailless rabbit would look just like the body of a cat, a headless and tailless cat. *”You can’t tell the difference! Without the head and tail”* her father used to say all the time, whenever the subject of rabbits had come up, always earning himself disgusted glares and disagreeing yowls from her family. Her nostalgic chuckle was cut short as a yowl, one here and now, tore through camp. Her icy eyes flashed up, landing on Dawnstar up on her ledge, looking regal and stunning in the amber light on her pelt, as always. The hare dangled from her watering jaw and for a moment Peachpurr deliberated on just taking it with her. Regrettably, she had to drop the succulent prey back onto the pile, feeling Twinkle’s nervously surprised gaze burning the back of her head. “Looks like Dawnstar’s fixen’ to give us an announcement.” She swung back around to the kittypet next to her, who she noticed hadn’t been able to take a bite either, adding sacastically, “and her timing’s perfect.” She invited Twinkle to follow her with a flick of a sandy tipped tail as she joined the gathering hubbub at the base of the ledge, claiming a spot for both of them to sit and watch.

The Medicine cat didn’t mind usually sitting in the back, though she wouldn’t see anything past the taller warriors and most of the time just poked her head out of her den, if possible. This time, she found a rather nice spot closer up for Twinkle to have a nice view. As the crowd settled down around them, Peachpurr noticed with a huff that everyone seemed to be as full as a tick, already half-asleep after their Festival feast. Her own stomach gave a pitiful grumble, thankfully not audible above the general chatter. Dawnstar began then, calling for attention, and the Siamese respectfully gave her leader her full attention, watching with a mix of awe and endearment. The rossetted statuette had come so far since first joining the Clan as a Tourist herself and Peachpurr saw her as a fellow comrade in arms. Somebody who had to fight for their place here, rather than just inheriting Clan blood. Peachpurr’s sky blue eyes widened as Dawnstar introduced Snowthistle, aware of Twinkle next to her. *That’s her friend, isn’t it? My, my, did I pass out for a few days or is Dawnstar bringing him into the fold this quickly?*

After her initial shock wore off, a fizzle of happiness and pride sparked through her pelt for the newcomer, even though she’d never met him. He must have made quite the impression on Dawnstar, to become her apprentice in all but a few hours within meeting her. Though Peachpurr had to admit she felt a bit jealous, that this tom had become a part of the Clan within a day while she had had to go back home and wait a year, the feeling passed over quickly. *A mill cannot grind with the water that is passed*, she reminded herself. And why not? Dawnstar was bringing about a new era of leadership, where cats need not waste years of their life, but were welcomed and accepted from the beginning, so why not start now, for the sake of the young? She smiled up at the pair on top of the ledge, wishing that the waves of happiness, approval, and pride could shine right out of her and wash over them as well. Something itched at the back on her mind as she laid eyes on the newly minced Temporary Apprentice, something familiar she might figure out later,,, his eyes. And his Clan name, as she’d questioned herself about earlier, but right now she was too caught up in the moment for that. The molly opened her maw to yowl her cheer, as they should to welcome Snowthistle, but was cut off by a gruff- and rather haughty if you asked Peachpurr- voice. All eyes shifted to the source, and the Medicine cat moved in sync, landing dissaprovingly on Carrionsaunter. She hoped he could feel her icy eyes on his rusty pelt telling him to freeze and shut his trap as she glared. Tauntingtear was already on his paws though, and Dawnstar could defend her own decision, they didn’t need her butting her head in as well,,, at least, not yet.

*Twinkle:*

Despite the young damsel’s curiosity at the yowl that had rang through the clearing moments ago, nausea still clawed at her belly like an attacker. Sympathy also rang at the back of her mind, though it was only for the small creature that now lay at her paws. *The poor thing…* She let out a worried sigh, ears lowering. *What did it do to deserve this?* Letting out a few disappointed clicks of her tongue, she turned back to the medicine cat, waiting for the peach-furred she-cat to let out a mew of explanation. In her own home, it had been rare to hear such a loud and confident yowl, especially with one of those words. She had never heard many of them, though throughout the day she had heard others say things like “clan”. She was still quite confused by the chaotic organization that seemed to frequent the clan camp. But still, her interest was overpowered by her energy from before, and she was unable to truly inspect the camp. Now that her mind had stilled into an eerie quiet, she was more able to look around and truly think about her surroundings. She had heard about the clan, indeed. Afterall, Snowthistle had come to her after asking the other felines in her area, before the snowy-white tom was pushed into her direction. She had heard tales and stories of vicious cats and great fantasies, but she had known the moment she had met the lean tom that he was determined. And inside, even she wanted to explore the great unknown, so she had agreed to guide the visitor to the camp, timing it perfectly to arrive during The Festival of Spring Tides. They had become close friends during the journey, though it was short and hurried. The kittypet felt as if she could safely confide in the tom now. Afterall, she had little experience with true friends. She believed Snowthistle to be the perfect friend!

Now, as Peachpurr looked over to the bengal molly from before, a hare dropped from the clan cat’s muzzle. The medicine cat let out a quick mew, beckoning with a quick twitch of her tail. *”“Looks like Dawnstar’s fixen’ to give us an announcement.”* Twinkle nodded hurriedly, taking one last glance to look down at the bloodied creature, before shaking her head forcefully and sticking out her pink tongue briefly. Her pawsteps broke into a quick, relaxed gait as the damsel began to follow the medicine cat, weaving her way between other tourists and clan members alike. It seemed they weren’t the only ones gathering for this commotion, it must be important. However, the kittypet’s amber gaze soon found that of a snowy-white tom in front of him. Twinkle let out a quick and loud mew of greeting, though it faded quickly as the meeting started. Before long, Dawnstar motioned to the same white tom, calling him forward as something called a ‘Temporary Apprentice’. Snowthistle hopped onto the ledge beside the bengal-furred molly, his grin wide, but Twinkle’s heart fell. *What is this- temporary apprentice and mentoring business? A clanmate? Is he part of the clan-?* Her mind began to race, and her expression and stance seemed to mimic her thoughts. Her ears and tail began to droop as her fur lay flat, almost caving in on itself. She looked back up to the ledge, a hopeful glimmer in her eye, but the snowy-white tom was very distracted. The kittypet had thought of the tom’s odd request before, who else would want to travel to the clan?

But she hadn’t truly thought that he would just join right away. Part of her even believed that she was hearing things, or this couldn’t be right… but Snowthistle’s grin made all of those theories impossible. Head hanging low, she waited until the meeting seemed to conclude, and most cats began to disperse. Despite the commotion that was beginning to occur beside her, seemingly between two dark-furred strangers and Peachpurr, she stepped towards the ledge, normally-gleeful expression evaporated. “Snowthistle- what are you doing?"

*Snowthistle:*

Snowthistle pricked his wide ears as Dawnstar began her formal announcement. His tail waved behind him in unsuppressed excitement, her voice like, though loud and clear, sounded like the smoothest honey to his ears. He didn’t have to wait down below for long, as the great leader called for him and beckoned with her tail tip. A grin cracked his jaws as he crouched down, bunching his leg muscles and leaping up the high rock to join the rosetted molly. For a moment, he felt the world swim below him as he gazed down at all the cats. The vantage point was so different than anything he had experienced, even in trees. Like this, all these cat eyes up at him instead of bristling undergrowth, he almost get nauseous. As he allowed himself to adjust, his own ears rang lowly with a vibrating frequency of panic. It only took a few mouse-tail-lengths of time for everything in his body to settle. The tension that had sprung between his shoulders settled, and he was able to relax his whole body and raise his head confidently. His tail, which had lowered once the rock was beneath his thing paws, raised high again in pride. The murmurings from below in the clearing hadn’t reached him. All his senses were now honed in on Dawnstar’s continued words and the bursting of his heart. The white tom felt like yowling his happiness to the world as the young leader praised him. *Strongest asset!* he cheered in his head. He turned slightly towards Dawnstar, then glanced down at his new Clanmates. His two eyes shone like stars in the dying light of the sun, the deepness of both the blue and green of either brightening. Only then did he notice uneasiness in the crowd, as Dawnstar’s tail curled over his shoulders. His pelt began to prickle slightly in warning as he met the furious glare of a dark-pelted Tom near the edge of the crowd.

His tail stilled. Snowthistle’s grin faltered at the edges but continued on strongly nevertheless. He broke the gaze of the angry tom cat and turned his head to touch noses with Dawnstar, murmuring a breathless *thank you* to her in return. He barely heard the rest of the announcement as he stepped back to give the Clan the leader’s full attention. His eyes sought out Skyrose’s down below, his smile strengthening once more as he saw the blatant happiness in her face. Only to be wiped away as the brown tom from before took an arrogant step towards the leader’s perch, directly challenging Snowthistle. The pale tom himself felt his heart speed up as the insult smacked him clear in the face. Fury scorched through his veins, making his hackles raise as the other cat’s did. He spared a glance through heated bi-color eyes at Dawnstar, his anger, he realized with surprise, mostly coming from the challenge to her words and not the injury to his own character. Still as he opened his maw to potentially growl back, he noticed another cat jaunt forward towards the other and address him. Tail lashing, the white tom huffed in frustration, feeling bewilderment at how things began to unfold. It was only enhanced as a familiar, bell-toned voice rose out as well. *Twinkle?* Snowthistle felt alarm make him stiffen, as he turned his eyes away from the challenge down to his kittypet friend. She was sitting beside an older cat with cream fur and fiery points, and her face made him feel stricken. *Mouse-brain! You should have told her first*, he despaired to himself. “I-er-“ he called down to Twinkle, eyes shooting between her and Carrionsaunter—who he didn’t yet know the name of, nor who was with him. He began to realize how convoluted this all was. His head spun and he took a step backwards, farther on the rock and more in Dawnstar’s shadow. His successful outing came slamming together with the unknown of this Clan, their traditions, and the cats within.

He glanced again at Dawnstar, feeling his inexperience rising. Should he address the warrior, or his best friend?

*Skyrose:*

Sitting nearly at the very front of the other cats, Skyrose’s entire purpose was focused on her son and the leader. She watched with controlled glee as the Bengal pelted she-cat called the young tom up onto the rock. Her heart spread its wings and waited patiently for flight as Dawnstar’s introduction filtered over and down to the cats below. She almost rose to her paws in triumph, as if it was her own induction ceremony many moons ago. Ever since he had arrived, she had felt confused and taken aback. Now that he was some distance away, and the reality of his coming to the Clan, was settling into her fur, she couldn’t help but feel positive. It was the happiest she had felt in a long time, even if she didn’t entirely show it in her body language or facial features. Instead, pink nose twitching, she relegated all her joy to just a few motions of her face. Twinkling eyes, twitching whiskers, a shadow of a smile. His long lithe back and tail silhouetted beside Dawnstar, Snowthistle looked like a champion to Skyrose. She was purposefully unaware of the other Clan cats reactions, up until the haughty voice of Carrionsaunter rose above the mumblings as the announcements dove towards the end. Her heart’s wings, ready to take flight, lashed in anger at the intrusion. Her gaze of one icy blue and blazing yellow swiveled as she stood. Her snowy pelt fluffed out in outrage and, like a mother’s furious instinct, her claws slipped out of their protective sheathes. Her tail lashed as she stalked a few steps toward the challenger, sparing a glance up at her son as he floundered with it all. Her head turned at the call of an unfamiliar voice, spotting a delicate looking gray and white she-cat staring in bewilderment up at Snowthistle.

She shook her head to dismiss it, glare focused on Carrionsaunter as the deputy, Tauntingtear, trotted towards him. Skyrose may have been uncertain about where she and her son stood with each other, and barely knew him to boot, but she felt the fire of preparedness to defend him. Her son *would* be part of this Clan.

*Carrionsaunter:*

His pelt bristled as he felt crowded at each angle, his pelt bristling with rage as few cats turned to face him, expressions full of nothing but question, bewilderment, and similar anger though now against him. Though he felt he was alone on this, he'd stand up to speak either way. He twitched with bitter irritation, his tail curling to and fro as he bristled the fur along his spine, his tail bushing out wildly behind him. He shot Skyrose a venomous glare, threatening her to silence, his claws scraping the ground as a kittypet spoke up. *Take the flea-pelt back. We don't want him.* Yet he seemed to realize he was out numbered. No cat stepped up to agree with him, and no cat backed him as he challenged his leader's authority head on. *It seems your mind is already made up.* He caught Dawnstar's glare and returned it with malice.

"That is *enough* Carrionsaunter. Unless you'd like to spend the rest of your days shovelling dirt from the dirt place, I suggest you wisen up." Her tail flicked to and fro as she hardened her shoulder against Snowthistle, supporting both herself and the tom beside her. Carrionsaunter's chest flared with furious heat. He flexed his claws and narrowed his eyes, more whining on the tip of his tongue as a stormy shape took a step ahead of him, covering his body in it's dark shade. Frantically he stared straight upwards, searching for the features of the cat blocking his sight. *Tauntingtear! You fox-hearted excuse for a deputy.* Carrionsaunter flattened his ears and winced as if his words raked his muzzle, his icy tone brushing his pelt the wrong way. He shot him a glare before lowering his spine, the only give to his irritation being the flick of his tail tip. Hesitantly, he backed away, his gaze atill locked on the alabaster intruder. "No, Tauntingtear. There isn't." His gaze fixed on Snowthistle's own, as if attempting to feed the tom all his malicious thoughts from where he sat. Yet, he knew a losing battle when he saw one. The open opposition against him was enough to keep the riled tom from doing something irrational.

He looked down at his paws after scorching the tom's face with his putrid stare, now lost on the muddy sight of his paws. He flexed them and lapped eagerly, his tail curlinf calmly beside his flank. As Tauntingtear moved from his direct vision, the grisly tom bore a snarl of warning in Snowthistle's direction, before focusing on his own cleaning, out right ignoring the deputy and not respecting Dawnstar with as much as a response. His flaring nostrils grew hot as he caught his leader's gaze, her soft features stretched and deepened with boundless rage, cooped up inside her young little head. Carrionsaunter almost scoffed. Dawnstar had become as easy to read as the rest of his clan mates, and it was simple to rile her up. Not like that was his goal here or anything, but it was still noted. He recalled the way her tail tip twitched and her eyes smoldered into the pelt of whomever her rage was directed towards, as if the leader herself was attempting to scald cats with her sight alone. He suppressed a purr. It was never his intention to be on her bad side, but he wasn't one to accept just anything thrown at them. If they had a useless member of the clan, one who hadn't proven anything to his clanmates to earn their respect, what was the purpose of them joining the clan at all? *We're called clanmates for a reason. Mates, littermates, clanmates, we're all connected in that way. Where does kittypet fit in there? Exile? Rogue, Loner?* The answer was simple. *It doesn't. And if he can't prove he's worthy, he won't be welcome. Starclan help this mange-pelt if he's to sleep in my den.*

*Tansypaw:*

As soon as Dawnstar’s cool voice pooled out over the clearing, smoothly delivering the unnerving news and announcing a “Temporary Apprentice”, Tansypaw’s pelt began to prickle, her tail twitched at its ginger tip, eyes darkened to a deeper green. *Snowthistle? What had happened to having to be a ‘paw first?* A flash of envy seeped from her eyes, leeching out along with a knot of instant resentment in her stomach. *Why did this Snowthistle character get to skip right to receiving his Warrior name? The day he joined the Clan no less?! Why not just make him a Warrior already then, or why stop there: how about deputy then, since he was already up there, acting so important, looking down on them from on top of his high ledge.* She watched with silent frustration as he hopped up next to Dawnstar, but the roar of blood in her ears and thoughts in her head dissipated as Snowthistle turned his gaze in her direction in his scan of the clearing below. For a jarring moment, Tansypaw thought Skyrose had jumped up on the ledge instead, and the ginger-white molly was completely thrown off. No, this wasn’t her mentor. Skyrose hadn’t changed her name and joined the Clan as an apprentice once more. This was a tom, lankier than her muscled teacher, with a thinner pelt. Tansypaw might not have noticed if she hadn’t been spending everyday of her life for the last few moons with the white-furred molly, but now the resemblance was unmistakable. And- yes, there she was!

A quick search of camp revealed Skyrose up at the very front of the amassed crowd, which Tansypaw would have thought imposible was she not seeing it with her own eyes. The with-drawn mentor she knew would never squeeze her way to the center of the commotion and attention. What was so special about Snowthistle? What did Skyrose care about *him* for? Dawnstar’s authoratative meow broke through the fluff in her ears and relief and jealousy clashed throughout her pelt. On one paw she was glad that Skyrose wouldn’t be dropping her like a wet pigeon to train this rogue instead, but on the other, Snowthistle would be trained by *Dawnstar* herself? The *leader* of the Clan of Sunlit Prairies!? What did he do to gain that honor? What more could he have done to prove himself than Tansypaw herself? *She* was more qualified, more *worthy*, of being Dawnstar’s apprentice! Even if Snowthistle would keep Dawnstar occupied, would he be keeping Skyrose occupied all for himself from now on as well? Her teacher would certainly have other things on her mind now. Skyrose was *her* mo- mentor! She should be focusing all her attention on her apprentice! From where Tansypaw was sitting, she couldn’t see Skyrose’s face, but she could just *imagine* her sparkling bi-colored eyes, twinkling with pride (which was usually reserved for only Tansypaw!) at that little white rat on the highlegde, shining all her attention up onto him.

And not only would she have to be sharing Skyrose with him, but most likely she’d have to be sharing her den with him as well! Was she to sleep with this- this *rogue* right next to her?! The green-eyed she-cat was pulled out of her corollaries by the whisperings surronding her, shocking her with new tidings. Could Snowthistle have come here *with* that name already? *Was* he from Hanging Canopies? If so, was she to sleep with a potential *criminal* next to her? What could he have done to be kicked out- murdered somebody?? Tansypaw blinked at the sudden yowl, thinking for a moment that she had accidentally spoken out without meaning to. The octave was deep enough to be hers, but she always moved it up a notch, besides it was too breathy to be hers. No, swiveling her large head to the side, she spotted Carrionsaunter, bravely standing up to this unprecedented announcement. She contemplated joining him and making her opinion known as well, but a quick scan of camp revealed that it seemed to be the unpopular side, from the glares sent the Tunneler’s way. She decided to keep quiet afterall, Dawnstar had made her desicion already and Tauntingtear was already quieting Carrionsaunter down. There was no point in making enemies out of the majority and siding with the unpopular, grouchy Tunneler. Realizing her muscles had been taut and rigid, she took a deep breath and forced herself to relax and watch the following commotion with an indifferent gaze. She agreed with Carrionsaunter, Snowthistle should prove himself to all of them, not just to their leader in private, who lets face it, was already biased in his favor due to her own background. This was how trouble began! When you started welcoming in any and all strangers into your home as soon as they showed up!

*Dawnstar:*

At once, the bright shimmering pride she'd felt in her clanmates was swiped away by the rumbling outburst below her. Stunned, Dawnstar blinked rapidly at Carrionsaunter. *What is he doing?* As his words pierced the warm air, Dawnstar felt her hackles raise defensively, and the noble molly fought to keep them down. She had no idea why any cat would oppose her, especially like this. *In the middle of a meeting* I *called? How disrespectful.* Her lip curled and she fought the urge to yowl into his face, though as she felt Snowthistle stiffen beside her she recognized that as a poor decision. She would need to come across as a graceful leader, not some naive cat who screeches at her clanmates whenever they disagree with her. Sure, cats had other opinions, but what was the reason behind his? She felt weak when she could not wrap her head around it. *The leader of a clan should be all-knowing. I did the best I could for my clanmates with what I've been given. Why can't they just support my decisions?*

She flared her chest and puffed her lips as the tom groomed instead of replying to her. Her scorching gaze grew into a burning stare as if attempting to will the tom into daring to speak out again. Yet he didn't. She silently thanked Tauntingtear from where she stood, bowing her head to the tom when he looked back to her. She cast a long gaze upon her side, her once twinkling gaze now hardened and irritable from the interruption that had occured. Beside her, Snowthistle's expression was unreadable. She brushed her pelt against his, her tail swishing over her flank as she rose it to wave to her clan mates. "If there are no further objections, than this meeting has come to a conclusion. I bid you all a good night." The molly's tone was laced with unspoken fury, her tone shifting and burning with an underlying cruelty. She flattened her chest to the stone, gazing down at the faces peering up at her curiously, before they nodded and began to disperse. Dawnstar felt she needed a moment to cool off, lest she ran into Carrionsaunter herself. She leapt without warning, landing next to Skyrose before she spun around, bounding away into her den with an irritable flick of her tail. There would be no further training for Snowthistle tonight, so the molly decided to tuck in early. The Tunneler's outburst had irritated her so much that her pelt itched. She flexed her claws as she flopped into her nest, her legs played out in front of her. She didn't feel tired, not even remotely- but she didn't feel like facing her clan mates again until she cooled off. She had a feeling Snowthistle would be fine from then on. Any further interaction with Carrionsaunter would likely result in an argument, and she was positive she'd hear from her vantage point to claw off his whiskers if she needed to. She tucked herself deep into her nest, her tail tio stretched out its full length, her body nearly taking up the small den.

Her scent now flooded it heavily, consuming it with her own pent up rage and the reminder of the evening she'd spent with their newest recruit. She flattened her ears as if the thoughts pained her, letting them wash over her dappled face before she scowled into darkness. *For all I do for these cats, a few of them sure are ungrateful. How dare he question my authority?* She hooked her claws into her soft moss nest, the scent of which was still flowing, ebbing and easing with her as she stared desperately at the back of the cave, as if it would hold the answers she was looking for. Yet obviously, nothing stood out. She flipped over and glared through the vines that cloaked the entrance to her den, as if expecting Carrionsaunter to pad in and turn himself in. She didn't even realize why she was so furious at him. *He does this shit constantly,* she bargained, her fur bristling along her spine. *And every time it riles me up. Perhaps I should just make him a prisoner, it would help me sleep at night, thats for sure.* Her tail bushed out as his words repeated in her mind, his empty insults he flung without reason. It had infuriated her as if they'd been aimed at her.

*Snowthistle:*

In his panicked confusion about that to do, the young white cat pricked his ears as Dawnstar growled down to the dark tom challenging him. He felt relief make his legs weak, realizing he didn’t have to defend himself right now, and had to stiffen them again to stop from falling to his belly. He sucked in a breathe quickly to calm the bristling of his fur. *If Twinkle hadn’t pulled my attention away from that.. that tom, what would I have done?* It could have been so easy for the haze of competition to filter over his eyes. What role did that cat even play? If he wasn’t a Sentinel, the Clan fighters, how did he know he could even fight back if Snowthistle had decided to attack? Not that he *would* have. The lithe tom shuddered as Carrionsaunter disengaged from the situation, though fury still bubbled in his stomach at he disrespect towards Dawnstar. As the great leader concluded the meeting, he began to turn to her to mumble-what? He wasn’t sure. But no worries, as her muscles bunched without warning, soaring down the ground and disappearing into her den. His multicolored eyes focused on Skyrose below, who was just relaxing her own raised hackles and flinching away from Dawnstar’s landing. Despite the mess that had become his ceremony, he couldn’t help feeling a glow of joy at the sight of his mother prepared to defend him. As the cats diapered, he pricked his ears in embarrassment as he recognized he was still on the highledge without Dawnstar. Quickly, Snowthistle jumped down and landed with a thump in the clearing, close to Skyrose himself. The two white cats locked eyes and he dipped his head ever so slightly. “Thank you, I guess I shouldn’t have hoped to be accepted so easily. We’ll talk another time, right? Excuse me.” Feeling awkward again, the tom gave her a twitchy smile and brushed past, weaving through the other cats as he tried to reach where Twinkle had been sitting. What was done was done, but he still needed to speak with her.

A song in his heart reminded him that it was his fault that the despair had crossed her face. How could he have betrayed her so easily? What kind of friend was he?

*Skyrose:*

She dug her claws into the hard, sun-scorched earth of their camp at Carrionsaunter’s glare directed at her. Ever since she had joined, Skyrose had been a quiet, if disgruntled, Clan member. She had met her trial to join the Clan and did so with whatever honor she had left, and had been serving them dutifully for moons. A little part of her murmured that these Clans cats knew nothing of *hardship* like she, and Snowthistle, had faced. If they heard half of what they had gone through (granted, *she* didn’t know what her son had really gone through), their self-satisfied faces would fill with dread. It didn’t matter right now if her Clanmates has faced their own hardships; her heart was closed to anything else. She imagined that this *fox-hearted, little weasel!* couldn’t begin to understand Snowthistle’s background. Her tail lashed behind her, her mind started to climb up and up into the varying ledges of anger, Skyrose took another step. How dare this flea-bitten cat think he could stop her with a look. He wasn’t so above her to do so. She could beat him. As a low rumbled growl began in her throat, she stopped again, looking up as Dawnstar spoke once more, dismissing the meeting. Haughtily, she raised her head and began to let her hackles fall. Skyrose sneered in Carrionsaunter’s direction, her mismatched eyes twinkling. *Lucky cat. Crawl back into a hole.* Distracted by her internal name-calling, she flinched back as a thump beside her announced Dawnstar’s dismount. Saying nothing, she momentarily watched as the rosetted molly trotted away. If she looked closely, Skyrose could swear smoke was coming up from the furious she-cat. At least the snowy cat could count on the leader to defend and protect Snowthistle. She flicked her gaze over as he came down from the sturdy rock as well, dipping his head and meowing a few words before dashing off. She said nothing still. Feeling her body heavy with thoughts, the she-cat felt many emotions swelling up.

She sheathed her claws and sent a glare around the clearing, at anyone who might dare approach, then stalked off towards the Sentinel’s den. Tomorrow would be a normal day; she needed a good rest.