Elderberry

## Elderpaw

Elderpaw is a dark gray she-cat with yellow eyes.

Elderpaw was born to Brindleface and Whitestorm alongside her siblings, Fernpaw, Tulippaw, and Ashpaw in ThunderClan. She is apprenticed to Creekflower.

## History

### Extra One-shots

#### Elder Rush

During a hunting patrol consisting of Leopardfur, Cherryfur, and Reedpaw, Elderpaw is first seen peering up at the burned canopy of trees, missing the shade they used to give to shield her from the heat. She remarks that she misses a lot of what the forest used to have before the fire. After Reedpaw sneezes, Elderpaw teases him about having to call him "Sneezypaw". Reedpaw objects and challenges her in jest to sniff out prey with all the soot around them. Elderpaw accepts immediately.

Elderpaw thinks about how Cherryfur was the one she learned quick comebacks from, instead of her mentor Creekflower. Cherryfur claims the skill is a gift, while Ashpaw, Elderpaw's brother, grumbled it was an annoyance. In response, Elderpaw teased him that he'll "just have to deal with it", nicknaming him "Ashy". Ashpaw's response had been to mumble and run back to his mentor, Dustpelt.

As Reedpaw protests her acceptance of the challenge, Elderpaw is unbothered by the soot and ash on the forest floor. When she looks back at Reedpaw, she asks him why he's looking at her like a startled fawn. Reedpaw is unable to articulate his words, which Elderpaw claims is surprising, since he likes to talk - and she meant the remark in a good way.

Elderpaw offers to teach Reedpaw how to hunt in the fire-wrecked forest, stating that neither Cherryfur or Creekflower would mind. She privately thinks that if they did, then Highstones would crumble to the ground.

As Reedpaw thoughtfully contemplates her offer, Elderpaw finds herself recalling the day she invited the other apprentice on an "all she-cat hunt" with herself, Fernpaw, and Cliffpaw. She had been concerned at first that he wouldn't want to, since he'd be the only tom, something Elderpaw says that Ashpaw and Tulippaw had complained about - as well as Cliffpaw's presence. However, Elderpaw had been presently surprised at Reedpaw's stuttered "yes", and the four apprentices had quickly become friends.

Elderpaw also states that not every apprentice was happy that Reedpaw had made friends within ThunderClan - like Lynxpaw, Brightpaw, Tulippaw, and Ashpaw. She also inwardly thinks she should stop listing names while she was ahead. Additionally, she's relieved that Reedpaw is seemingly oblivious to her denmates' muttered whispers, or that if he wasn't, then he was consciously ignoring them. Either way, Elderpaw isn't as skilled at brushing off the whispers and remarks that she hates it when the other apprentices gossiped about each other - especially Cloudpaw and Cliffpaw, with their kittypet roots. She says that Reedpaw was now an honorary denmate of the ThunderClan apprentices, even if he was confined to a separate den with the rest of the exiled RiverClan cats. Elderpaw claims that because of her deep loyalty to her friends, she has gotten into quite a few spats with the other apprentices - none of which had reached Reedpaw's ears. Or if they had, he hadn't acknowledged it.

Their hunting lesson begins and Elderpaw instructs Reedpaw step-by-step, giving him tips on how to hunt in all the ash. She tells him;

1. Keep nose out of the ash, since it can clog up his nose
2. Use his ears and eyes as well as his nose
3. Stand still; let the prey come to him

During the lesson, Elderpaw remarks that she appreciated the attentiveness Reedpaw showed her. She also states that if the other apprentices were here, they would be hissing about how she was "revealing weakness", something she claims is ridiculous, seeing as the exiled RiverClan cats had already seen that state of the fire-wrecked forest and the low fresh-kill pile. Elderpaw then says that Creekflower had taught her the importance of patience early on in training, and she had learned just how important quiet and thoughtfulness could be in hunting as well as fighting.

Reedpaw then asks if what's next is the normal hunting crouch, and Elderpaw agrees, advising him to be mindful of the foliage around them. Reedpaw is ready to get started, puffing up his chest, and Elderpaw rolls her eyes. She thinks about how he looks like Swiftpaw when his head is full of thistledown, which is all the time.

She tells him there's no need to "puff up like a thrush", nicknaming him "reedrush". When he deflates with an embarrassed look upon his face, Elderpaw laughs and asks if he's ready to put those skills to the test. Reedpaw immediately agrees.

## Killed victims

#### Finchflight

Elderpaw didn't deliver the killing bite to Finchflight - the honor for that went to Turtlefur. However, Elderpaw, as well as Bramblepaw, Mistlepaw, Snowpaw, and Tulippaw, all helped Turtlefur pin Finchflight down so she was able to kill him.

## Trivia and Notes

### Trivia

* Elderpaw has a lower tone of voice.
* Elderpaw has a deep, passionate loyalty to her friends.
	+ Something that has gotten her into plenty of fights, mainly with her own denmates.
* Her best friend in RiverClan is Reedwhisker.
* Her best friend in ThunderClan is tied between Fernpaw and Cliffwhisker.
* Elderpaw's mentor, Creekflower, was chosen not only to reassure the clan of Creekflower's loyalty, but also because Creekflower was the quickest to accept Airleap's own gender identity. Fireheart thought that with Creekflower as an encouraging mentor, Elderpaw would feel more comfortable both in her skills as a warrior, and in her own identity.
* Elderpaw has nicknamed at least two cats, Ashpaw and Reedwhisker. This may mean she has a habit of nicknaming others.