!earning to f!y {c!an meeting}

[LYNX ♥]

Pursing her canines over her lower lip, the young queen bit back her silly looking grin of pride. She didn't need it, for her babies, and everyone around her knew how imensely happy she was for her children-and Flamingarrow's-No matter what facial expression she chose to play across her delicate features. Ears pricking at Lynxstar's deep yowl, the obsidian she-cat jumped to her paws from her nest as soon at the string of words faded away. "Now get over here you bounders!" She yelped playfully as the four kits dashed into the clearing even before Lynxstar had finished. Abyssbird darted after them, and naturally caught them before they could get all too far, having a bigger build. Though she had no doubt that they would soon sprout past her petite stature, she wanted to take advantage of their small size while she still could. "Wait you!" Abyssbird snatched Seedkit's tail to catch up to the tiny dark tortoiseshell then stooped to quickly draw her tongue across a tuft of fur juttign up from the smallest kit's head. "There you go, off with you. Stand tall, Seedkit!" The mother purred, nudging her gently with her nose. Glancing over, the spied one of her own children, Gloomkit, as he suddenly pipped up. "Hmm? Oh they'll be fine Gloomkit. Soon they'll have good mentors to take care of them, and Flamingarrow will be back eventually, you should know that. She's strong as a weed, persistant as one too!" Weakly, she attempted to make light of the situation, but as her small voice wavered slightly, she gave a sigh and turned away from her son, just in time to catch sight of a thoroughly upset Heatkit. "Wipe off that frown, sourpuss!" She purred, slipping over to sit beside her adoptive kit. "Don't worry about your mum, okay? She'll be fine, I know that for certain. Just ask Lilythorn! She's very close to Flamingarrow, she's always got a gut feeling about her." Putting on an encouraging smile, she bent slightly to smooth down the fur on the ginger tom's back. "Now straighten up, put on a smile!" Though completely oblivious to the real feelings of the little tom, Abyssbird congradulated herself inwardly for surviving motherhood for the first time, and again for not breaking under the pressure of Flamingarrow's leaving, or melting under Serenewinter's searing gaze or, in that fact, freezing up from Darkfog's cold shoulder. No, it wasn't easy, especially with the several deaths in her ginger friend's litter, and guilt of not being able to supply enough milk was knawing away at her, but, looking over her shoulder at the excitedly waiting kittens who had survived, Abyssbird finally let that proud grin just waiting to burst out bloom upon her pretty face.

---

Perhaps his handsome, chiseled face would be tearstained forever, the white and brown fur of his cheeks perminently soaked and the burn of tears held back would linger in his throat for all eternity. That is, until he too, died. Oh the sound of her agonized shrieks as she bled away, engulfing the camp with a presense of dreariness and gloom as the beautiful Dustedrose's wails hung in the atmosphere, not only crying out in physical pain, but with her heart about to burst at the sight of her three gorgeous kits, still and cold. No! Northwind inwardly yowled, crumbpling into his nest and ignoring Lynxstar's call, just as he was beginning to learn how to drown out those haunting cries. He was so broken, the first time he had loved, he had lost. no, it was not better to have loved and lost. Everything would have been fine if he had never loved at all! Unshealthing his long, knife-like claws, the warrior tore away at the moss underpaw as he sat up, back hunched as his slumped over, staring moodily at his ruined nest. Biting his lip until blood welled up and finally burst through in a small bead, the tom threw the ball of foliage dangling in hs forepaw to the side, a scowl forming on his face as his finally controlled the infernal weeping that racked his muscular body. All his friends! Not only had he losted his dearest love, and his children, but in his obsession over Dustedrose, he had driven away every single friend he had strived to make. This had done it, and, flopping down once more, he attempted to gulp down each sob before he broke. Come on Northy! An inner voice snapped, cufing about his head. Quit acting like an emotional female, get a hold of yourself, its almost been two whole moons! It reprimanded him harshly, and, in his mind, Northwind spat at it, willing the horridly harsh conscious to leave him be. Allowing a faint shiver to dance down his spine, he sucked in a shaky breath and stood once more, though his skull remained dejectedly lowered, and his long, scarred tail was held don, so low it nearly dragged along the ground as he crept outside into the fresh, bright afternoon light. Blinking, as if to adjust to the sun, the usually strong, hearty fellow wiped away the moisture from his eyes, glad no one else had been in the den with him. Somehow, he couldn't hold his head any higher, so there it remained, drooping unconditionally as he tottered off to the side, to watch the ceremony from a distance.

---

A soft, warm gust of air slipped between her lips as they popped open, breathing in the familiar scents of her clan, her family. Slowly, they curled into a smile as she beamed down at the cats of VertigoClan, dipping her head at those who chose to sit nearest to her, and lifted her left forepaw slightly in acknowledgement of Cloudstreak's friendly greeting. Without meaning to, Lynxstar let her gaurd down and allowed her sharp gray eyes to wander away from the main crowd, and land upon the furry white figure that was Darkfog. Pursing her lips slightly, she managed to dip her head, though stiffly, in his direction on he off-chance that he had seen her gazing his way, as most cats seemed to be doing. Did they all know of his suicide attempt after Abyssbird had birthed, or were they only glaring becuase of the way he had left her for his real love, Serenewinter? the gossip and drama that seeped though her clan like wildfire was hard to contain, but if she could keep just one small piece of information out, such as Darkfog wanting to be dead rather than wanting to be a father, then she would try as hard as she could. Sighing quietly, the bobtailed she-cat lifted her head slightly, tipping her cream-colored chin skyward as Abyssbird bustled after the four kits, hurrying them towards the fallen log. Lynxstar emitted a small purr as Abyssbird's pretty face broke into a broad, proud grin, and finally cleared her own throat. "VertigoClan!" The leader called again, as if the entire clan asn't already at her paws. "As you may or may not know, Abyssbird's kits, Gloomkit and Spellkit have been ready to be apprenticed for several days now. I wanted to wait because Flamingarrow, her presense is missed, also has a litter, just a few days younger. We all mourn the loss of her other kits, Silhouettekit, Blazekit, and Phloxkit, we cheer those who made it, Heatkit and Seedkit." The mottled tabby meowed, shooting all four kits a gentle smile, "Spellkit, please come forward." Lynxstar once-over recited the ancient words, spoken so many times before, as the sleek young she-cat approached. "I call upon my warrior ancestors to look down upon these kits. They would like to become warriors of VertigoClan, but must first become apprentices. From this day forth, until you have earned your warrior name, you will be known as Spellpaw." Giving the silver-eyes apprentice a look of encouragement, then turning to gaze into the crowd before her, Lynxstar's eyes landed upon a familiar mottled brown pelt. "Maplesong, you are ready to take on this apprentice. Your outgoing attitude and friendly nature are valuable to my clan, and I hope you will pass them on to Spellpaw. Gloomkit," Lynxstar did not allow time for Maplesong and Spellpaw to touch noses yet, as she launched into the next ceremony. "Please come forward." The words, now firmly placed in her mind, lingered upon her tongue. "From this day forth, until you earn your warrior name, you will be known as Gloompaw." It did not take a moment for the leader to find her faithful pal's silver pelt. "Cloudstreak, you are ready for another apprentice. Your intelligence and judgement are valuable to my clan, and I hope you will pass this on to Gloompaw. Seedkit will you please come forward? From this day forth, until you have earned your warrior name, you will be known as Seedpaw. And I myself shall be mentoring you." She purred softly, knowing full well that it did not take much to shatter the little tortie's confidence. Bringing her head up, she knew there was just one more kitten to move to the next rank. "Heatkit, please come forward. From this day forth, until you have earned your warrior name, you will be known as Heatpaw. Flarefrenzy," Lynxstar purred, glancing at the young scarlet warrior. "You are ready to take on an apprentice. Your honor and sense of justice are valuable to my clan, and I hope you will pass them on to Heatpaw." With that, she moved forward to press her nose gently to her new apprentice's, while twitching her tail, the signal that the other three mentors ought to do the same. Backing off a step, Lynxstar dipped her head, then jumped from the log and into her clan, while chanting off each apprentice's name. "Gloompaw, Heatpaw, Seedpaw, Spellpaw!"

[burp]

Frostbelly nodded at Flarefrenzy, snapping his head away from Darkfog. He smiled a little at the she-cat. She seemed truly concerned about him and Tigergrowl. Such a nice cat she was. "Well I don't know about you Tigergrowl, but the heat is a little bit intense for my thick fluffy fur right now. But hiding in the elders den is the way to go you see. Nice and cool in there." he added, his bi-colored eyes following a few small shapes out of the nursery. They saddened as he realized some of Flammingarrows. The poor things, there mother wasn't even here for their apprentice ceremony. And that poor Abbyssbird. Not only having Darkfog forget about her but having to care for another's litter as well! He shook his head.

"Poor tiny scraps, hardly seemed to know their mother before she disappeared. Ah well she'll be back soon 'suppose." he ended on a cheery note. He turned his head to his leader and sat very still as she spoke, calling each kits forward to receive its name. He smiled sadly at Heatkit and Spellkit. The poor things. So lost at such a young age without a mother. His heart felt like breaking as he realized how much these kits were like him, no parents and only the two of them, facing the world alone together. At least they had adoptive siblings, as well as a mother. He growled to himself. No a father, that moron of a Darkfog.

"Well there you go Cloudstreak!!! An apprentice. I'm holding you to that promise about fresh-kill and den clean out on a regular basis." he chuckled gruffly. He smiled at the young Flarefrenzy after congratulating Cloudstreak. "You too little missy. You teach him to respect his elders well you hear?" he laughed, touching her shoulder with his tail. He glanced up to where the four young kits stood, where there should have been seven, and another mother beaming as proudly as Abbyssbird was.

"Gloompaw! Heatpaw! Seedpaw! Spellpaw!" he cheered whole-heartedly. New apprentices was always a good sign.

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[MiNTY♥]

Her eyes looked straight ahead, but she wasn't really seeing anything of the present, she was seeing that past, memories with her old friends. Her apprentice too, poor Lavenderpaw. Poor Northwind. Poor Serenewinter. Such fun they had had in their past. Yet, the one thing she tried to not let herself remember was Emeraldfire. Just on time, a perfect distraction, she could scent Northwind. Northwind?! He was actually out of the den. Her head snapped round and she found him standing at the back of the gathered cats. A lump rose easily in her throat. What had the world done to him? What had the world done to them all?! How could this even happen, it was so, so horrible. Her eyes were wide and glistened with tears as she started at her best friend, if she could even call him that. Sniffing she shakily padded over to his side and hesitantly pressed against him. "Northwind." She meowed quietly. Her meow almost barley audible. How familiar this felt, but not under such circumstances.

[scribblez]

Crimsonspirit's eyes opened wide as she heard the news of the poor kits who died. She had already heard about it, but that didn't mean how much it hurt to hear that. She was so afraid, what if she had kits? What if they died? She couldn't suppress a shiver, but she tried to. It went down her spine, into her legs.

The young she-cat smiled, hearing the new apprentices.
"Gloompaw, Heatpaw, Seedpaw, Spellpaw!" She chanted along with her clan, and went closer to get a look at them. They must be so exited!! She thought happily, exited for the young ki- apprentices. The ginger warrior closed her eyes and sighed. She wished that she could see her kits become warriors... if she had any. She looked at her friend, Maplesong.
"Congratulations!" She mewed, proud of him.

[raid]

The ebony she-cat beamed with pride, Spellpaw. Oh how lovely it did sound. Her ghostly eyes lit up, intense light showing through them as she stared at her mentor Maplesong. She'd give her hell and there was a slight smirk upon her face to prove it to those who did not know the little she well enough. However Seedkit, Seedpaw was to be Lynxstar's apprentice. That scrap of nothing but fur did not deserve that. Gritting her teeth she stood proud, keeping her tail still and her head up. She would not let this ruin her proud manner. As the clan chanted her name she looked to her brother, giving a small grin before her eyes fell on the other apprentices.

---

Seedpaw. The name was something she didn't want to have. Why couldn't she just stay a kit? Why couldn't she just be ... not here? Where was her mother where was her father oh dear Starclan where was anybody she could lean on. Her heart gave a jumping beat as Lynxstar said she would be her mentor. Oh Starclan what have I ever done to you? Lynxstar was trying to put her in for a quick trip to death wasn't she? She had expectations to live up to now. Being the leader's apprentice. But as the clan began to cheer the names, her's included she let a small smile form on her features. Her faded amber eyes gave a small spark of happiness and she gazed at the others with wonder.

[razz]

Flarefrenzy sat quietly and listened to the kind elder reply and give a small smile. "Thats good to hear, and I believe I will stop by more often, It's been a while since I've heard a good story."Tone continued to be gentle with a smile to match, though something had caught her eye. A gloomy warrior known as Northwind came from the warriors den with low spirits. Flarefrenzy recalled hearing a dreadful incident that had involved him not too long ago. Her heart shuddered with sorrow and a strong urge to comfort him came forth. Flare was about to motion towards him when lynxstar continued her speech, forcing her to remain in her seat. A bright grin formed upon her visage as the little tots became apprentices. The she-cats mind filled with wonderful thoughts and fancies as she predicted this to be the turn from bad to good for her clan. While the female continued to dream she vaguely heard her name and snapped back into focus. Powerful bottom jaw dropped surprisingly as she was appointed mentor of Heatpaw, one of flaming's kits. Flarefrenzy nodded respectfully towards lynxstar, after she had regained her composed state, and padded very proudly towards her new pupil. Skull inclined majestically as she swelled with pride and unending joy. The new mentor then lowered her head to touch noses with Heatpaw, whispering silently,"Congradulations, Heatpaw. I promise to do all that is in my power to make you shine, and bring out the noble warrior that lies within your heart. Your mother will be very proud of you...as I am now." A deeply warm smile brightened her features as she stared at heatpaw with her bright golden eyes. Yea maybe she over did it just a tad with the cute speech and all, but flare was determined to make a strong honorable warrior out of him. Pretty head turned around as she heard the elders praise and twitched her whiskers joyfully. "As long as my kind wise elders will spill some of their exciting stories and knowledge!" Flare teased kindly as she absorbed the happy atmosphere like a sponge. Though, northwind still attracted her wandering eyes and flare was determined to speak with him after the ceremony. Flarefrenzy could not wallow in her happiness while another suffered in her clan.

[LYNX ♥]

He lifted his head a whisker, having been roused slightly by a gentle voice which penetrated his mind. Being Northwind, even through such times of broken-heartedness and depression, he couldn't smply ignore a friend's help and push them away. Was this clanmate even his friend? Twitching his frosty white whiskerpads slightly, the tom detected a familiar scent, one he once loved, one that now, he loved again. Possibly because of the way that it held those rosy touches, not unlike Dusty, dear Dustedrose. Then again, there was that faint, pleasant odor of pine, which his passed mate never had, so obviously this was not the ghost of Dustedrose come to haunt him. Youu wanted the kiits! It was all his fault. Not a single cat could bring the dejected cat up to realize that it wasn't, because in his drowning mind, Northwind was the cause of all of his own misery, and was not yet finished wallowing in self-pity. Forest green lights shifted to one side suddenly, as the tom finished playing mind games with himself, jeering and taunting, and finally became curious enough to actually wander over and attempt to comfort his pitiful soul. "Radiant?" He recognized the soft, smoky gray pelt within an instant; a feat for him in such a state. A faint sigh pushed through his lips as soon as did the simple question, which obviously didn't need answering. "I'm sorry about his training-" Who are you kidding Northy? She couldn't care less about her son's training right now. Face it, you can't push everyone away. Biting his lower lip, the tabby raised his head a bit to look into her mournful green eyes, and softened his own.

[MiNTY♥]

Lynxstar's words passed in a ceremonial blur, absent at the back of her mind. It was all very well that the clan had new apprentices, but Northwind had suffered such a large loss, that it had left him damaged, mentally. Northwind was always the cheery one, the one who would talk to you if you were down. She could no longer feel the familiar happy aura that followed him like a puppy followed its two-leg. That's why it was so strange when he said her name, well part of it. He rarely called her by her full name. She would always all him Northy in return. Yet, she couldn't help but stiffen slightly at what he said next. Was he trying to treat her like any other cat? She knew she wasn't special, but they were best friends, he didn't need to be formal. He didn't need to act all proper and apologies for pointless things. "I'm not." She added. She knew his training would get on fine in the end, he was a hard worker, and he knew quite a lot already. She couldn't say she didn't care at all about her son's training, because she did, obviously, but there were more important things to deal with right now. "Northy." She meowed. Remember. What was she doing? She was rarely this tense around Northy, but how many others had he spoke to since....Dustedrose? She feared that even if she gave him a familiar sisterly nudge, he would crumble to pieces, and then what would she have to work with?! Nothing. "I'm not a stranger you know." She purred.

[cat]

Maplesong, feeling happy from his ears to his furry tail tip, padded forward proudly to meet his new apprentice. He'd seen Spellk-make that Spellpaw, only a couple of times when she was out of the nursery. Never in his wildest dreams did he believe he'd get to mentor one of these kits. None so soon, in fact. Maplesong had assumed this litter would go to more experienced warriors; he was, by some of the others, still judged as a younger warrior. That wasn't going to get him down, however.
Reaching down to touch noses with the she-cat, Maplesong felt a prickle of unease at the flash in her eyes. Swallowing, the tom attempted a grin.
"You'll do fine." He whispered, a warm look in his eyes. As he heard Crimsonspirit's voice, he turned around, the smile still on his face as he watched the pretty she-cat warrior. "Thanks!" He meowed, waving his tail happily. The sound of chanting voices filled him, sweeping him off his feet. It felt like his warrior ceremony all over again.

Tigergrowl had, to tell the truth, disappeared from the conversation as he listened with pride at the apprenticing ceremony. Oh, he couldn't be more happy for the kits. Though, casting a frown at Darkfog, he knew that they would have to work hard to get over the shame of the scandal that had been brought on them by the dark-pelted warrior. Looking back after chanting the apprentice's new names, he realized with a jolt that Flamefrenzy had joined them.
Mentally calling himself a mouse-brain for not realizing the warrior had joined them, he shifted his paws lightly and smiled. "Oh, please do stop by. It's a shame how cats seem to forget the elders after they become warriors." He meowed tragically, sighing heavily. A sparkling gleam in his partly blind eyes, however, gave away the humor in the words.

[burp]

Frostbelly stood, stretching his muscles. "Well of course I'll share some wisdom with you, one condition though. Some prey is brought to my den each morning by that apprentice of yours." he laughed softly, flicking Flarefrenzy on the ear. He nodded at Tigergrowl's statement, but was unable to keep the grin off his face.

"Well young Flarefrenzy hasn't forgotten about us, and hopefully neither has Cloudstreak. I'm going back to the den now, Comin' Tigergrowl? Dun't you forget to send those youngin's to our den once and a while you two! Our bones are getting to creaky to be able to walk all the way out here." he chuckled, waving his tail in farewell. He laid it across Tigergrowl's shoulders gently, steering him back to their den.

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[lily ♫]

Lilythorn

Her icy blue lookers were dull as she watched the ceremony from afar, unlike she should have. There were traces of pain and distress thoroughly etched into her eyes. Was she failing her duty as deputy by not being strong anymore? She had a reason though, but what would other cats think? Would they see her as a pathetic, or perhaps just distraught like she trule was? Too many questions filled her mind, and she shut her eyes and blocked out both her thoughts and the Clan. Images raced across her mind, causing her much pain. What could be happening to the beautiful little she-cat? Her sister, she called her. "Flamingarrow..where are you?" She whispered, and winced as the name slipped out of her lips. Lilythorn couldn't do this. No, not again.

--

Heatpaw

His emerald gaze was full of happiness as Flarefrenzy, his beautiful new mentor, greeted him and congratulated him. "Thank you, Flarefrenzy. I will try my hardest to please you in the next few moons." Heatpaw meowed to her, grinning. "Can we train later? I want to go talk to the other apprentices first!" The young ginger tom, a mirror image of his mother, bounded over to where Silentpaw. He froze when an icy chill settled upon him. Gloompaw was watching, but why? What, did he have an interest too in this obsidian apprentice? He wasn't truly interested in the she-cat, he only wanted to make a friend. Of course he was oblivious to way she was afraid to hardly even speak. "Hello, Silentpaw! Do you like training with Lilythorn? I would love to have been a deputy's apprentice, but she's also my aunt. Or at least that's what my mother told me to call her." The younger apprentice chattered absentmindely, flinching when his cousin approached.

--

Gloompaw

There was nothing gloomy about him. The name was entirely influenced off of his idiotic father, and he absolutely despised it as much as he did his father. Smirking to every cat in the Clan, his smirk broke into a straight face when he spotted the pretty apprentice. Her name was Silentpaw, was it not? Putting a true smile upon his face, he let out a hiss as he noticed Heatpaw heading in her direction also. Gloompaw stopped, but then drew closer to hear the words of his mouse-brained cousin. The stupid chatter irritated him, and he stepped forward and stood by Silentpaw. "Salutaions, Silentpaw." His voice was calm and gentle, as if he didn't want to break her. Then he turned his head, which had then been close to Silentpaw, to face Heatpaw. "Don't you even know anything, Heatpaw? Lilythorn is too distraught over your own stupid mother's disappearance! She hasn't had the time to train, let alone even do her duties as deputy." His tone was much more harsh and cold when he spoke to his cousin. "Perhaps my mentor, Cloudstreak, might have the time to take you training with me sometime, Silentpaw." Gloompaw smiled at her, a truly pleasant smile, and then glared at Heatpaw, urging him to leave.

ooc: hurrah, 509 words, 3000 characters.

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[cedarclaw]

Cloudstreak

The tom nodded to Lynxstar and looked to his new apprentice, Gloompaw. He padded up to the young apprentice -- his young apprentice and touched noses with the tom. "Congratulations, Gloompaw," the tom meowed with a stern nod. He supposed he'd let his apprentice have a little free time before taking off out of the camp with the boy. He'd be sore in the morning, they'd go and explore every part of the territory there was to explore. He sat down and looked at Lynxstar, wondering if she would hop down from her spot anytime soon. The tom smiled to himself and then he went back into his serious-mode. If this apprentice was to be a great warrior, he would need to concentrate and focus on what they would be doing. His lights flashed for a moment before allowing his hearing to be focused on the words of Gloompaw.

Perhaps my mentor, Cloudstreak, might have the time to take you training with me sometime, Silentpaw.

Ears flicked back to his apprentice as those words were said and he cocked his head thoughtfully. Yes, maybe he would allow Gloompaw to train with a friend. Although..would it create too much distraction for the young tom? Oh, so many questions to be answered with such a simple statement. He nodded as if he had made up his decision and got to his paws, rounding his body so that he was facing Gloompaw. "Gloompaw, say goodbye to your acquaintances. We'll be off to explore the territory," he meowed swiftly. With a curt nod of hiss head, he turned his bodice toward the entrance of the territory. In a softer voice, he added, "And feel free to invite Silentpaw." With a flick of his tail, Cloudstreak was on the move toward the territory. He figured his apprentice and friend would be able to catch up. If not, well, they'd know where to meet him. He chuckled to himself.