Oakstar stretched and slinked out of his den. He flexed his claws into the ground as he looked out of his new home. His den rested in a large whole in the great oak tree that loomed over their camp in an almost protective fashion. He had made his home tad more comfortable by lining the den with moss and a few feathers he had managed to scavenged. It was a trick he had learned from his travels that made sleeping in the forest a tad more comfy.

He looked down at the cats that had chosen to follow him rather than his rival leader, Boulder.... Though the other tom had since passed. From what, the Oakclan leader had no knowledge of. He flicked his tail with a hint of uncertainty. He may have been deemed a worthy leader in the eyes of their ancestors but to him it was all still relatively new to him. To be responsible for so many cats, it was a bit unnerving at times but Oakstar had already accepted his responsibility. There was no going back now.

Oakstar climbed down from his tree and took a seat at the bottom. Perhaps he would go hunting soon.

--------

Harepaw bounded out of the apprentice den in the Boulderclan camp. He felt a hint of hunger rumble in his stomach. He had just awoken and had yet to go out for a hunt or other kind of patrol or training. Either way it didn't matter. That was the perk of living in a clan right? Free food?

The tom settled on a plump finch that was there. He picked it up without hesitation and went off to settle in the sunlight that streamed into the camp.

Hawkclaw yawned and stretched as the light glanced against his eyes. "Do I really need to wake up?" The large cat asked to no one in particular. He cleaned his paw and stood up before lithely padding out into the camp. He looked around the camp and yawned again. "I have to hunt today, don't I?" He grumbled to himself. "Ugghh soo difficult. Oh well, I'd best eat before I go out" he grabbed himself a mouse and sat down to eat it.

With the sun just starting to spread its light across the sky from the East, Burrpelt decided that his early-morning hunt was to draw to a close. It took him some time to collect the kills he'd made: a squirrel, three mice, and a starling, all of which were cached at the various parts of the forest in which he had hunted them. When he scraped the thin layer of dirt and leaves off the last mouse, he struggled to take hold of it, for his mouth was full with the rest of his kills. All of the fresh kills hung from his teeth by their tails, and the squirrel's fluffy tail gave him a mouthful of fur that made it hard not to spit these all out.

Still, it was with his tail pointing straight up in the air that Burrpelt made the return to OakClan's camp. There was something about hunting the wild creatures of the valley that was far more satisfying than pouncing the chubby mice back at the barn. With an air of pride and satisfaction, he entered the clearing which his Clan called home and deposited his catches on the fresh-kill pile. To have that squirrel's tail out of his mouth was more than a relief. He passed Hawkclaw on the way and nodded his greeting.

One ear swiveled to hear his leader taking a seat at the bottom of the tree where his den was. He took the starling and approached Oakstar with a dipped head, gesturing his respect. "I think the time has come to organize a border patrol," he said levelly. "It is still so early in our existence, and I worry BoulderClan may try to expand their territory." He placed the bird with a gentle air at the leader's feet.

––

Like her brother, Screefoot was an early riser. Just before dawn, she stretched and stepped carefully, so as not to disturb her fellow warriors, out of the den. The air outside was cold and crisp, a relieving transition from the stuffy body heat of the warrior den (though she was grateful to have warmth, especially after that winter). She sat outside the den and closed her eyes for a while. She wasn't exactly asleep, but she was very zoned out.

When she returned to reality, the sun was out and she scented her apprentice. Ears pricked with surprise, she padded to Harepaw with some degree of hesitation and nodded in greeting. It felt strange to be a mentor; she was still getting used to the whole idea. There was also the fact of the young cat's personality. She hoped that she would be able to get him into shape, make him worthy of warriorship.

"We should have a lesson on hunting this morning," she ventured.

“Like that?” Eelpaw enquired as he rose from his mouse stalking crouch. Sharpthorn gave his apprentice an annoyed look. “Don’t ask every time,” the large cat snorted back, exasperated at his apprentice’s constant talking. It was okay for him to ask as it was all part of the learning process but Eelpaw had the tendency to never shut up and to have things repeated to him a hundred times. The pair had been training since before sunrise and didn’t even notice when the sun had gone up.

Despite his disliking of the apprentice’s mouth Sharpthorn believed the lanky cat had learned well. He ordered him with a simple gesture to repeat and with his usual swiftness Eelpaw dropped down and crawled forward as to demonstrate his mastery of the skill. “See? I’ve improved a lot!” Perfectly done. If he wasn’t so annoying and thought things through I could be teaching the next most formidable hunter in the clan , Sharpthorn thought as he checked his pupil’s movements.

“Good,” Sharpthorn meowed he then climbed up a tree, despite his large and bulky body the cat quickly reached a very high up branch several rabbit hops away from the ground and quickly checked if it was sturdy enough to hold him. Once he confirmed this Sharpthorn made himself comfortable, lay down and left his fluffy tail hang down in the air.

Eelpaw knew what he had to do and he wasn’t pleased. “Sharpthorn, is this training really necessary? I mean we are the only ones that do it and after all we’ve done I’m really tired!” the thin cat protested as he positioned himself directly under his mentor’s swinging tail. “80,” was the cold response as Sharpthorn closed his eyes and proceeded to take a nap, finally giving in to the collected stress of the uninterrupted and intense training he underwent alongside his talkative student.

“I never understand why we do everything together except for this,” Eelpaw grumbled. The grey Oriental stretched out as he prepared. He wanted to go dig up their kills and go back to camp, skipping what he thought was a pointless exercise but he knew he had no choice but to obey or he would once again end up cleaning Ash’s fur. “You want to keep count?” he asked but a sleepy grunt was the only sound that came out of Sharpthorn. “Of course you don’t…” Eelpaw sighed. He then started leaping towards the tail, counting each time he managed to touch it with his paws.

____

Meanwhile, Stormkit and Venuskit continued their placid sleep, not bothered by training or any responsibilities snoring comfortably with the rest of the kits.

Sootpaw came bounding up to her mentor, Hawkclaw. She looked far more awake and ready to go than most of the cats that had just risen from their sleep. "Morning!" the small cat meowed excitedly. "What are we doing today? I'm ready to go!" She crouched down as if about to hunt something to prove her point. This whole mentoring business was still hard to understand but Sootpaw was eager to learn regardless.

------

Oakstar rested his gaze upon his deputy. Burrpelt had earned his trust since the early idea of the clans and, while they might not always see eye to eye, he did hold respect for the other tom's opinion. He was a reliable hunter and warrior after all. Surely he would make a fine leader in the future.

"You're right. We don't need to be loosing territory, especially since we just got it." he mused. The clan was in a weak state. Not every cat was completely loyal. Some question his leadership and other questioned the need for clans completely. "The most important thing right now is to make sure the clan is unified. Or at least appears that way. Perhaps I should lead the patrol? Or simply be apart of it. It would be nice to go out of camp for a little bit."

-----

Harepaw noticed another cat approaching him out of the corner of his eye. His ears went back slightly and he unsheathed his claws. It was all instinct. Before the clans, it felt like he was always fighting to keep his prey and old habits die hard. Even now he was ready to fight with clanmates for what he felt was his alone. He let a lone warning growl at the cat until he turned his head to see it was Screefoot, his mentor.

He relaxed a bit, tucking away his claws and ceasing his growling. However, he still appeared to be quite fowl. Harepaw scoffed at her suggestion, with his tail lashing from side to side as he looked at her critically. "A hunting lesson? I already know how to hunt. Don't waste your time and more importantly, don't waste mine." he grumbled.

Hawkclaw looked up at his eager young apprentice with awe. How can someone be so awake, so early. I guess youth does have its perks.
"Well little one, grab yourself some grub. We might be gone a while. We are gonna start with some hunting and see where we go from there." The large cat pushed himself up, towering over his charge. "Don't eat too much though, we will be leaving soon and I don't want you hacking up your breakfast." Wow this is weird, He thought So many cats in one area and this one is looking at me to teach her. I guess this will be a learning experience for the both of us. "Come find me when you're finished and we will get started." He padded over to the entrance of the camp and sat down, watching the other cat's morning routines.

Amberleaf padded into the BoulderClan camp, pausing to draw in the scents of the air and look around before heading towards the leaders’ den. The muscular deputy cut an impressive figure as he strode through the clearing, and his auburn pelt was sleeker than he remembered it being recently, thanks to the opportunities to rest and hunt more prey with the Clan. He was pleased to see some cats of BoulderClan already up and ready to go, just a sign of more prosperous times to come, he was sure. His ears flattened slightly as he noticed Harepaw’s rather aggressive demeanor as he talked to Screefoot. No doubt the apprentice was acting out again. Something would have to be done about that, but he trusted Screefoot to get Harepaw in line as his mentor. Amberleaf resolved to have a chat with her regarding the situation later.

He bounded up to his leader’s den, remaining outside. “Boulderstar? I was just patrolling the new borders,” he reported. He had ventured out by himself early in the morning to explore the territory and quickly look at the borders. So far, it would seem that they were being respected, but who knew if OakClan would soon become greedy? Amberleaf wasn’t personally interested in expanding their own territory, but he was definitely ready to defend the areas they had laid claim to. He waited patiently to be invited into the den or for Boulderstar to greet him outside.

~~~

In BoulderClan’s nursery, Sagekit began to stir as it grew light out. He was curled up with Willowkit’s tail resting over his body. It looked like his sister was still fast asleep. Sagekit let out a purr as he felt warm and comforted by the added presence of Ravenfeather and Owlkit. He barely remembered by now what sleeping with his mother had been like, but this felt like home. He opened his tiny mouth in a yawn and allowed his eyes to close as he drifted back into peaceful slumber.

~~~

Nightmist emerged from the warriors’ den of OakClan, carefully stepping past the round forms of other sleeping cats. It was still so strange for her to be among so many other cats, but maybe it was something they were all getting used to. The black she-cat stretched out her sore muscles, sharp teeth glinting as she yawned. She was not always up so early, but adjusting to Clan life—and even just socializing with so many cats all the time—was taking its toll on her, and she found herself feeling on edge and anxious often. She had slept little and lightly in the past few nights. However, she persevered because she saw some wisdom in the idea of Clan life, and it appealed to her despite her loner nature. She would just have to get used to social interaction, and she was already feeling more at home with each passing sunrise. At the very least, she wasn’t one to worry much about what other cats thought of her, so she lived up to no one’s expectations but her own.

Nightmist’s first instinct was to head for the camp entrance to see if she could find some prey for herself and the Clan, but she stopped herself after taking a step. Ripplepaw. The young apprentice was looking to her of all cats for guidance, and Nightmist took her duties as mentor very seriously. Besides, she had to remember to start taking cats out with her when she went hunting or patrolling. With the establishment of borders and territories, more organized groups would be needed to manage it all.

Nightmist settled down to groom herself, content to watch and wait until Ripplepaw made an appearance in the camp. It seemed like Hawkclaw and Sootpaw were also getting ready to head out. It occurred to her that the mentors could collaborate to train apprentices together, but that could wait for another time, when they all had more experience as Clan cats. She noticed Oakstar and Burrpelt conversing by the leader’s den, and cast an appreciative glance at the freshkill pile that must have been stocked so heavily by the deputy this morning. He was certainly proving himself capable in his rank already.

Boulderstar was in her usual morning cleaning routine, softly stroking her tongue over her fur as a meowing appeared from outside her den.

"Boulderstar?" It was Amberleaf. She would recognize his meow everywhere. "I was just patrolling the new borders."

The clan leader smiled to herself. Amberleaf appeared to be just the right cat to follow into he paw prints. She was lucky to have him in her clan.

Boulderstar got up from her lying position on her stomach and stretched her muscles. She didn't wanna leave her caring deputy waiting outside for too long. She considered it impolite. The female cat stepped outside and gave the beautiful orange-red tom a satisfied smile.

"You have been up early once again, Amberleaf. The sun has just come out to shine above us and yet you have something new to discuss. I am glad to have you on my side." Boulderstar nodded her head to show the fellow cat he should follow her as she made her way towards the food.

Shadowkit just awoke. He looked around him, a feeling of pride rising up inside of him. He was exactly six months old today, meaning that he would become an apprentice before moonhigh. He was grateful for what the clan had done for him so far, and he knew the clan was there to support him in the future. This would be his chance to show the clan that he would repay its kindness.

He then saw his mother, Petalwhisker. He couldn't really see if she was asleep or not, but just looking at her made Shadowkit also become a little bit sad. For the last time, he slowly crawled over to Petalwhisker and leaned against her, faking he was asleep. This was his way of thanking his mother for everything she had done for him, from giving birth to feeding him every day.

Even though Shadowkit was to himself and didn't communicate much with others, if he communicated it was mostly with Petalwhisker. She learned him most of what he knew till now, and he was grateful for that. He knew that after whatever his apprenticeship would do to him, he wouldn't be the same kitten she used to know anymore. That is why this fake sleeping against her wasn't only a way to say thank you, it was also a way to say goodbye.

@OtterTerror

Amberleaf’s pelt warmed and he took the praise with a gracious nod. “Thank you. All I want is to help BoulderClan succeed, and I am sure it will under your skilled leadership,” he mewed. The deputy fell into step behind the pretty calico she-cat as she walked towards the fresh-kill pile. Amberleaf eyed it and the cats in the camp, trying to judge whether hunting or border patrols could be sent out. He knew it would take some time for things such as patrols to be so organized every day, since most cats’ instinct would be to make their own schedule and go out as they see fit. But their first responsibility was to their Clan now, and everyone—Amberleaf included—would have to learn to live a different way.

“There is nothing to report on the border with OakClan. The scents have been laid and unchanged, and I saw no cat. I don’t think OakClan will try to contest territories yet, but we must always be on the lookout,” he reported to Boulderstar. Then, voicing his thoughts, he asked, “Should I send out some hunting patrols this morning? I was thinking of sending a small group to the western edge of our territory to check on the scent markers there. We may have more to worry about from aggressive rogues than OakClan cats. But if we see strange cats, we should try to recruit them first if possible,” he added.

@KahleenCuthald

Boulderstar grabbed a mouse with her teeth and walked away from the fresh-kill pile to not stand in the way for others. The beautiful cat lay down and began to eat as her deputy told her about the borders.

She then looked up at the concerned cat. "I agree that we have more to fear from rogues at the moment than the other clan. There are cats out there who believe living in a clan is bad and some of those would definitely try to hurt the clans and try to make them go away. We cannot crumble now, that would make many cats second guess the idea. Our clan has to be a solid wall to outsiders. As for hunting, I'll see if any of the mentors will head out with their apprentices. First and foremost I want our younger cats to learn. I will go with you to the western edge of our territory to check the borders and maybe we can even hunt a little on our way back. If we see other cats we should definitely try to get them into our clan, but always be on the paws for intrigues. We don't know what will happen with the whole clan idea, but I am faithful."

The female cat took a moment to let her words sink in. Then she continued.
"The Oakclan will most likely have the same problems as us at the moment. Trying to get everything in a order and build up patrols. make a hunting schedule, get together apprentices with their mentors, and so on. So we should be safe for now. But as I always say: Never close both eyes, it will give you a claw in the back." Boulderstar smiled slightly. "We should get some patrols scheduled for safety though. You can help me get that done. Also we should slowly get a schedule for the hunting or we will end up having too much food the one day and none at all the other. It has to be clear that every cat has to work for all in the clan, that includes some duties."

The female looked at the male and asked: "If that's all, I would like to build up a hunting team for today. That's if my wise deputy agrees, of course." She smiled jokingly, but yet serious. The opinion of Amberleaf meant a lot to her. She was new to being a leader, new to being the head of a whole group of cats. And she was glad she had someone that pure hearted and wise by her side to always remind her of things she might have forgotten and who would always support her during decisions. She was not a weak cat though. If she would disagree with her deputy, she would meow so. After all these cats - all the kittens, the warriors, the old and the learning ones - they leaned on her to lead them. And she would.

“80, Finished the pointless jumping!” Came the exhausted cry. It was loud enough to scare any nearby prey and wake up the sleeping Sharpthorn who yawned and calmly came down the tree. “Pointless?” he asked Eelpaw when they were face to face. The apprentice flinched and his gaze wandered elsewhere as to avoid the subject but Sharpthorn didn’t move, his silence demanding a response.

“I didn’t mean pointless like pointless I was trying to say that uh,” he managed to quickly mumble as he thought of how to avoid punishment. “That I don’t know what use it has so it’s like an expression, I’m not saying I do the jumping for nothing,” he tried. Luckily Sharpthorn was too tired to scold him and was kind of proud of his progress in training so instead he just turned his back and slowly started making his way towards the camp. “I really hope you love Ash because that’s where you’ll spend most of your time if you ever question my methods again,” he responded. “Oh and just so you know I’m preparing you for your assessment, how in the world did you plan to leap onto a falcon’s back with those wimpy jumps you came to the clan with? Pick up your prey and head back towards the camp, if I get there before you Ash may receive his quality time with you after all,” Sharpthorn added as he kept walking away, leaving an opened mouthed Eelpaw behind.

“A Falcon!?” Eelpaw exclaimed in shock. “Have you lost your mind? Usual assessments are marking borders and hunting mice! Why do you have to be so demanding and different?” he cried in frustration but as usual his mentor simply ignored his protests and proceeded to get one of the hares he had hunted earlier. Eelpaw sighed and began running, quickly getting all the mice he had hunted and hurrying towards the camp.

He got there moments before his mentor who was clearly overbooked as the large tom was dragging his two hares and what looked like three owlets. “Um Sharpthorn… Where did you get those?” a puzzled Eelpaw asked as Sharpthorn carried the fresh-kill. “A monster killed their mother on the thunderpath close to where I hid one of the hares, took me a while but I found the nest on my way here,” he meowed as he handed one of the small owls to his apprentice. “We sure are lucky prey is so abundant these days,” Eelpaw smiled as he took the dead owlet by a talon. In total they had three mice, three owlets, and two hares. Plenty of food for the clan.

“It is not luck, our ancestors are smiling upon our new ways and rewarding us,” the experienced hunter lectured Eelpaw as the two made their way to the fresh-kill pile and added their kills to the large mountain. “Oh yes the ancestor thing, sorry,” the apprentice meowed. “You should be thanking them each time you take a life, in fact everyone should do it but for now it seems I’m the only one. Now get something small to eat and go to sleep, unless the leader tasks you with anything we are done for today,” Sharpthorn ordered.

As Eelpaw made his way towards the apprentice den, Sharpthorn went straight towards the great tree that served as den to Oakstar, greeting Nightmist who by the looks of it had just gotten up. His leader was conversing with Burrpelt. "The most important thing right now is to make sure the clan is unified. Or at least appears that way. Perhaps I should lead the patrol? Or simply be a part of it. It would be nice to go out of camp for a little bit,"“I’ll go if you need an extra paw,” Sharpthorn joined the smaller yet older cats, greeting with respect. “Sorry for interrupting but I was just coming to report in. We had another great training session and I believe Eelpaw is ready to become a warrior,” he informed before turning towards Burrpelt “Was that you hunting I scented earlier when we were training?” he asked as to see whether his nose was as sharp as his claws. He then returned his gaze towards his leader, “It would be an honor for me to accompany you two in the patrol,” he added.

The two cats he was addressing were made for their jobs: leading, causing pride and comfort, qualities Sharpthorn would never possess but unlike them he was born and grew up in the valley; a place where before the winter a kit had to learn to kill before walking and to hunt before talking. He could go shoulder to shoulder with most cats when fighting, and hunting in those woods had been most of his life. He was a born fighter and hunter who only stroke fear into any enemy but would gladly put those self-made skills he honed constantly (and now taught Eelpaw) and his imposing presence to use for the clan life Oakstar offered and every single cat who had joined him. He was the Oak hammer, and he would let the leader’s paw wield him as he pleased as long as it benefitted the clan.

@OtterTerror@CLIW

Screefoot closed her eyes for a moment to steel herself against the younger cat's irritability. It was not a good thing for her, to wake up and immediately go speak to the second-most irascible cat in all of BoulderClan (the first being Roseclaw), and she knew that as a mentor she was going to have to resist losing her temper with Harepaw. If she did, the consequences could be permanent. So, for now, all that showed her annoyance was a twitch of the end of her tail as she opened her eyes. To further calm herself before she spoke she lifted her paw and licked it a couple of times.

Briefly her eyes followed Amberleaf as he crossed the camp and headed for the leader's den. He had glanced in their direction at Harepaw's outburst, and she'd had the faintest glimmer of hope that whatever important business he had to discuss with Boulderstar, the deputy might put that on hold to help her get Harepaw into shape.

He did not.

"Listen," said Screefoot gently. "I know that it's a lot to get used to, this new Clan life––but I've been given a responsibility to teach you, and you have been given a responsibility to learn. If you don't want to take lessons from me, fine, I understand, but in that case you are going to have to join me on the next hunting patrol so you can at least practice your skills. Does that sound like a good compromise?" she asked, bracing herself for more venomous words.

–––

"I would be honored if you led the patrol," answered Burrpelt. Secretly, he was relieved that he wouldn't be required to lead the patrol, for he was tired from his hunting. He appreciated Oakstar's demeanor, felt that he was a worthy leader indeed, and decided quietly that if he were ever to become the next leader of OakClan, this was the cat to model his leadership from.

He swiveled his ears toward Sharpthorn at the large cat's approach. The old part of him, the part that was still in the mode of searching for the next barn, made Burrpelt tense at the warrior's size and involuntarily think, He could easily kill me. Quickly he shook these thoughts away. He was an ally, a valuable one, and deserved his trust. When he asked if he had scented him while training his apprentice, Burrpelt nodded. "That was me," he confirmed, faintly surprised––he'd thought he was the only one to wake early to leave camp.

"I would be happy if you would join us," he added, but didn't definitively say yes or no; that was Oakstar's job. One thing was certain: in the unlikely event that there would be conflict at the border, Sharpthorn would be a valuable and intimidating addition to their patrol.

Berrydream.
Current location: Oakclan Forest => Oakclan Camp
Interactions:
@CLIW Burrpelt
@OtterTerror Oakstar

After picking a place to settle, Berrydream had spent a while decorating her new home near the base of another oak where she could make a nice little den. Then she had gone around her business to learn about the forest and make certain that she could easily find her way around before she had started hunting for herself like today. She had been up since before the break of dawn haven gotten to bed quite early the day before and now she had spent the entire morning hunting. This had netted her six mice that she were now carrying back to camp by their tails. Even if many hours had passed Berrydream felt that her hunt had been quite bountiful as she probably only could eat one of these mice, the rest she figured she might either save or donate to the her clan mates for a chance to get to know them a bit better.

As she reached camp however, she noticed the leader and Deputy by the base of the large oak that was the leaders home. Feeling this to be a quite perfect chance to greet the two gentle-toms she approached them quite casually as she figured she didn't need to fear these two and that it would be the most respectful thing to do. As she came close to them she put the mice down and gave them a respectful bow before sitting down. "Good morning mew-sires~" she said to them while purring on the words to show that she was quite happy herself this morning. "Can I interest you gentle-toms in some freshly caught breakfast?, it would be an honor if you were to accept it as I would be glad to get to know you two better" she said bowing again gracefully as she wanted to show them the tmost respect as they were the leader and Deputy after all.

========================

Granitepaw
Current Location: Boulderclan camp.
Interactions: N/A

Feeling the morning warmth, Granitepaw awoke in the cavern that he had found and were now sharing with another apprentice. Not being one to be all up and about it Granitepaw would rather sleep the whole day away if it weren't for the fact that someone had told him that if he didn't work he wouldn't eat... a thought that was very displeasing. He knew that if he didn't eat he wouldn't last very long out here... and he really, really liked to eat... thus being up and about it became a necessity if he actually wanted to eat. Then as he couldn't really just play the day away he instead left the cave to go find his brother or at least something of interest. However after a while he figured that instead perhaps he should go look around?... so he went to have a look around instead.

While looking around, Granite paw saw many cats that he quite didn't dare to approach, he was a bit uncertain about this still as he was afraid that other cats would be mean to him. He had learned that not all cats are nice the hard way and he was glad that he got out of that one easy. This morning he settled for finding a tree to sharpen his claws on and get a drink from the river where the water didn't rush too fast. After that he sat down to groom himself for a while as he thought about what to do... he knew that he probably would need to find the cat that would train him soon however.

@PrettyWalrus Sootpaw gave a small nod. "Alrighty! I'll be quick!" she said before bounding off to the fresh killpile. She eyed it carefully before grabbing a small mouse as her breakfast. True to her words, she ate rather fast. Sootpaw was a quick eater by nature. There was always something to do and things to explore that she didn't like to waste too much time on such a trivial task as eating. However, she was still grateful for how good it taste.

With a final bite, Sootpaw licked her chops clean and got up from the spot she had devoured the mouse. Spotting her mentor at the camp entrance, she hurried over with her ears perked and tail held high. "I'm ready now! Let's go!" she purred.
-------

@NightmareInd Petalwhisker flickered her eyes open as the sunlight just barely began to seep into the den. The queen let out a soft sigh and raised her head to look at the sleeping kit next to her. Today was the day he would leave and become an apprentice. A hushed sigh escaped her and she wrapped her tail around him in a protective manner.

Truth be told, she was still wary about some aspects of clan life. Shadowkit was the only survivor of his litter and the only family she had. Petalwhisker wanted only what was best for him and clan life had offered them refuge from the harsh season. It would be a new day for both of them. Either way, she would always look out for him, even if it was from a distance now. Petalwhisker's gaze wandered over to the other two sleeping kits, Stormkit and Venuskit. Perhaps today wouldn't be her last day as a queen. She knew the two had lost their mother, so maybe she should remain with them until they reached the age for apprenticeship as well.

-------

@CLIW@CondorTheMole@Iatos Oakstar nodded at his deputy then turned his head to look over at Sharpthorn as he approached. "Hello Sharpthorn. I'd be glad to have you come along with us. You work hard Sharpthorn and I'm grateful for your efforts but don't wear yourself out. Grab a bite to eat or relax for a moment. In fact, I think you both should." Oakstar added glancing over at his deputy. "The border can wait a little while." If something were to occur at the border with Boulderclan, he wanted his warriors to be as prepared as they could be and part of that meant making sure they were not exhausted by their previous work.

Oakstar turned his attention back to Sharpthorn. "As for Eelpaw, we will hold his warrior ceremony today then. I'm sure he will make a fine addition to the warriors of this clan." he meowed with a purr. "This clan has much to look forward to today it seems. New warriors and apprentices." The leader spoke with pride for the cats that followed him. He cared for each of them. It was his duty. They had put their trust in him after all and it was his job to make sure it didn't go to waste.

"Good morning Berrydream." He greeted with a hint of amusement at the she-cat's greeting. "Thank you for the offer. I'm afraid I have to pass for now. I'll eat later, after I actually do something." he said with a soft chuckle in his voice. It seemed he was the only one who had yet to go out and make himself useful. He felt a tad guilty in that aspect.
------

@CLIW Harepaw gave Screefoot a challenging look before biting into his meal and taking another bite. His tail was still lashing and he continued to watch her out of the corner of his eye. When she spoke again he stopped eating and looked over at her with a glare in his eyes.

"Pft. I'm only an apprentice because of my age. Such a stupid rule." He hissed. Harepaw pushed his food aside and slowly got up. "Fine. I'll go hunting. Don't get in my way though." He growled at her. Then, without waiting for an answer, he stalked past her and headed straight for the camp's entrance to leave.

@OtterTerror
Hawkclaw looked at Sootpaw and stood up. "Well little one, let's go catch a meal" he trotted out of camp awhile before stopping and sniffing the air. "Now one of the most important parts of hunting is being aware of my surroundings. I can smell a poppy plant to our right, for example" he gestured with his tail "There are so many things that you can tell just with a single whiff of the air. Some rabbits were here earlier, but they are long gone. Now I want to to tell me every thing that you can smell right now. Start with the obvious things and then the more obscure." he sat back on his haunches. "Once you've finished that, we will go on to the next part"

The white female lay curled in her nest in the Medicine Cat's den, alone as she always was on the nights that she went to bed long after her mate had. She'd been out pacing in the forest, collecting herbs in her restlessness, and thus woke up late that morning. Her long fur stuck out in places, though she knew that Oakstar would never mind assisting in her grooming this early in the morning. She stirred slightly, hearing the voice of one of her two daughters called her from the entrance into the old fox tunnels. If it wasn't for the warrior calling to her she wouldn't have woken until sun-high, and she knew that would be too late, even for just a Medicine Cat. "I'm coming." She called out, standing and stretching before padding out into the early sunlight. She hadn't slept enough, and doubted she would, though she may sleep next to Oakstar tonight if gien the chance.

Giving her daughter a flick on the head with her tail she instructed her to go make sure the elders and queens were comfortable, if not to get one of the apprentices to attend to them while she went out on patrol. The Medicine Cat walked away as her blue eyed daughter turned, walking over to the tabby male she had long been fond of. "Good morning everyone. I trust you all slept well last night?" Frostwhisker refused the yawn she felt in her chest, stiffling it as she walked around to sit next to Oakstar, her side pressed against his. She hadn't told him she was expecting yet, though she hoped to tell him soon, the next time the two were alone together perhaps. "After the ceremony, may I borrow you or two of the Warriors to help collect herbs? I found a new patch of Borage close to the border and don't want to run into trouble." As they had several Queens in camp she believed it best to keep up their stores of Borage and Catmint for the possibilities.

---

The young warrior had woken early that morning, having joined in on the early hunting to catch the animals that still wandered as the sun began rising. She'd managed to drag back an owl, with a little help from one of the other warriors, and brought it to the fresh kill pile before realizing her own mother was still sleeping. She nodded her head to Oakstar as she padded passed, toward the Medicine Den where she called to Frostwhisker. The she-cat had been up late, she could tell from the look in her eyes and the way she walked. She had grown used to seeing such a sight when she was young and the female had done most of the hunting for them. Oakstar had tended to keep the area safe, or watch them when she needed space, but he'd often been up late watching for foxes and she hunted during the day. With her mother safely up and headed toward her father she padded off to find an apprentice or two.

"Hey! Get your lazy rears up already!" The warrior didn't have her own apprentice, but she knew that being easy on them wouldn't help them into growing into good warriors. Leaving them to get up she wandered over to the Nursery, where she saw Petalwhisker already awake with the its. "Morning guys. Anything I can do for you?" It was her mothers request after all, that she make certain that the others were alright. The Medicine Cat had no apprentice, and the only help she got was from herself and Lilypelt, since the boys were busy taking care of everyone else. Not to mention Firelight would just make things worse and Oakstar had an entire clan to look after. It was crazy really, that her parents had been chosen by Starclan to found Oakclan.

---

The maine coon stretched in the nearly empty nursery, since it was just her and Ravenfeather with the three kits though they could be apprentices soon. After her lazy stretch the beautiful she-cat stepped out into the early morning light and sat on a soft patch of grass. The mountain clan's territory never had much in the way of grass, though they had found a nice spot for their camp, with plenty of natural caves and tunnels in the rock and soft grass in the middle. Lifting a paw she began to groom herself, removing the dust from the night before she went to find something to eat.

The Queen wasn't yet pregnant enough to have stopped preforming her warrior duties all together, but had was far enough along that she had recently moved into the Nursery with the others to grow used to the space and others before it was time for her kitting. Silver fur caught what light peeked over the edge of the mountain, shining where she'd cleaned it, and the black interspaced gave her a dazzling look nearly as beautiful as the stars themselves. Starclan was with her, she knew, and wanted her kits to live a good life; hence her willingness to join in on clan life and provide for herself and others while keeping everyone safe, for the lively hood of her kits. To be honest, the she-cat was enjoying it, and found herself much more comfortable with the life of a Queen, raising the kits, instead of out on the battlefield, unsure if she would be going home that night. Perhaps she may stay here and assist future Queens and the Medicine Cat with the running of the Nursery.

Following Boulderstar’s lead, Amberleaf grabbed a small squirrel to sate his appetite and regain his strength for their next patrol. He was determined to take only as much prey as necessary, and only after he had done something useful for the Clan that day. He would need to keep up his strength in order to serve, but he preferred that the majority of prey go to cats who needed it. After all, if they didn’t share with those who could not hunt for themselves—queens, kits, and elders—then they were no better than the rogues and loners they used to be.

As he padded after Boulderstar, he saw Granitepaw across the camp. The orange tom hadn’t had much time to speak to his brother since he assumed deputy responsibilities, and now they were no longer even sharing a nest. It was strange, but Amberleaf had no doubts that Granitepaw would earn his warrior name soon and join them in the den. Talking to him would have to wait until another time; the deputy did not want to be disrespectful by leaving Boulderstar’s company. Besides, they all had things to do.

Crouching next to the calico with his meal, he flicked his ears to acknowledge her plans as they ate and talked. He looked up when Boulderstar mentioned sending out mentors with their apprentices to hunt. “I agree, our apprentices are coming along well with their training with the guidance of their mentors. Of course, some young cats don’t seem to like the new system,” he added, pointing with his tail in the direction of Harepaw and Screefoot. He was starting to go on a slight tangent, but his earlier observation of the difficult apprentice had him thinking. “I’m sure some of them have seen and survived far worse than us.” Pausing on that sorrowful note, he then continued, “Maybe they feel as if they are worthy of being warriors already, because of what they have endured. That may be, but I’m confident that this method of raising apprentices will work itself out once we have more Clanborn kits.” New kits, of course, were strongly needed to bolster the ranks of their Clan.

Amberleaf finished his prey with a few more quick bites while Boulderstar continued. The tom nodded. “We won’t grow lax—border patrols and a hunting schedule. That will shape up the Clan soon enough. But of course,” he added smoothly at her teasing request. “We can round up some cats for a hunting patrol and then investigate the western borders together.”

---

Nightmist returned Sharpthorn’s greeting with a slight nod. Eventually, the black she-cat sat up, satisfied with her grooming for the moment, and looked across the clearing to where Sharpthorn and Berrydream had joined the leader and deputy in conversation. Soon after, Frostwhisker emerged from her medicine cat den to join her mate and the others. If they were discussing patrols, Nightmist was ready to assist as always, but she hesitated to approach such a large group of cats and interrupt them. Better to wait, she thought, appearing alert and ready to go.

---

Willowkit stirred in the gloom of the BoulderClan nursery. Sagekit was fast asleep beside her, and beyond him she could make out the forms of Ravenfeather and Owlkit. The tabby kit quickly realized that there was no sign of Riversong, but her scent was not so faded; she must have just left, and maybe that had roused Willowkit. Proud to have made such a deduction, Willowkit gently extricated herself from Sagekit, who rolled over in his sleep to nuzzle against the others, and quietly padded outside into the clearing.

It was slightly intimidating, seeing all the grown cats talking and coming and going. It was almost too much, but Willowkit understood that these cats were here to keep her safe, and when she grew up to be a warrior, she would be able to do the same. Ignoring the rest of the cats in the clearing, who were almost complete strangers to her, Willowkit sought out one cat whom she had spent more time with—Riversong.

“Riversong?” The brown tabby hesitantly called out the queen’s name as she approached, hoping it was okay to sit down next to her. The silver queen was another calming presence in addition to Ravenfeather, Willowkit found. It was almost enough for her young kit mind to forget the trauma of witnessing her birth mother’s death. “Good morning,” she ventured. “Did you sleep well?”

@KahleenCuthald@ViolentViolet

@PrettyWalrus Sootpaw looked up at Hawkclaw listening carefully to his words. The young cat was eager to learn. She had been too small to hunt for herself during the harsh winter and ended up relying on the older cats, such as Ravennose of Boulderclan who had once traveled with her before the clans were built. But now it was her turn to provide for others and that much excited her greatly. "Ah... Alright.." she said flicking her ear before lifting her muzzle up and scenting the air. She closed her eyes trying to focus.

"I smell the trees.... I smell the camp. And... those poppies and rabbits....There's also a faint scent of some finches not far from here... Oh, I think I just make out the scent of the water too." She told him with a smile. "That's about it though.."

---

@ViolentViolet Oakstar's gaze flickered over to his mate as he noticed her exiting her den. He gave a soft purr as she came to sit next to him. He gave her head a small, affectionate lick. "Yes. And I see you were out late again." he sighed, having always been disapproving of her late night work. Especially when she didn't get the rest she needed. "Of course.. Perhaps we could even gather some when we go out. We were planning a patrol along the border right now." he offered, glancing over at his mate. It would be a rather safe trip for Frostwhisker if she chose to accompany them. Sharpthorn and Burrpelt were both more than reliable warriors, of course in their own ways.

Any other warrior who wished to join would also add their own strengths to the patrol. Strength is what the patrol truly stood for after all. It was meant to show that Oakclan would be thriving in their territory and that, not only Boulderclan but any enemy would have a powerful force to deal with.

---

Petalwhisker lifted her sleepy gaze to look over at Featherwhisker. She motioned with her tail for the warrior to keep her voice down. "They're still sleeping." She meowed softly as she nodded to the sleeping kits. The grey she cat stretched her paws out and shook her head. "I think we're alright though. Thanks for asking.." Petalwhisker said. Her voice was polite but her eyes were cautious. She was well aware that this was the daughter of the clan leader and medicine cat. Both of whom she was undecided upon. To be fair, she was unsure of everyone except for the innocent kits that she shared the den with.

Clan life was something that she would eventually have to adjust to. That or she'd have to leave but that would be hard considering Shadowkit. In a way, this clan had saved his life and he probably held much more loyalty towards it than Petalwhisker ever had. She let out a conflicted sigh. "So, what all does an apprentice do for a clan? Ah, I don't mean to bug you. If you have other duties, you can go ahead and go." she added softly.

Owlkit's large eyes slowly blinked open, the familiar sight of the nursery filling him with a strong sense of comfort. His mother's tail, as black as the bird she was named after, curled protectively around her kits as she rested. The black kit yawned and rose to his paws, shaking his fur to get rid of any clinging moss. His adopted sibling, Sagekit, lay close by in slumber, but his sister was no where to be seen. With a curious tilt of his head, Owlkit carefully stepped away from his mother. No doubt the queen was going to have a fit over his disappearing act, but the young kit didn't care. He had more pressing issues to deal with, like not getting bored to death in the den. With a cheerful mew, Owlkit dashed out of the nursery.

---

Roseclaw stepped out of her den, sunlight shining on her pale coat. A scowl marred her face, deeper than the usual frown she wore. Too much was on her mind today. Too many questions that she could not find the answer to, and one of them concerned her apprentice. Copperpaw...he was a bright young tom. Though she'd never say it out loud, Roseclaw was certain he would make a good medicine cat. But how to teach him? She was a healer, not a teacher. The young she-cat had tried teaching her brother, Briar, before joining the clan, but her impatience had gotten in the way. Every mistake was met with a rough smack, and every lesson ended in a wrestling match. But Copperpaw was her apprentice, and Roseclaw could do nothing to stop him. He was her responsibility now, Starclan help them both.

"Where is that mousebrained fool?" she hissed under her breath as she made her way to the freshkill pile.

---

Vinetail slipped out of the warriors den and headed to the freshkill pile. His tail lashed restlessly, and an unreleased energy buzzed within him. The young warrior was itching for some action. Hunting usually satisfied his need to release his pent up energy, but only temporarily. What he wanted was a fight. Not a real one, a wrestling ,atch would suffice, but still a fight. He ruffled his coat and picked a bird before settling down on the side, diving in hungrily.

---

Many times his Roseclaw warned him against crossing the border, and many times Briar ignored her. He never saw a reason not to. After all, his sister was in Boulderclan. Blood was thicker than water or, in this case, invisible lines cast to set them apart. It only made sense in his eyes that he had free pass to cross.

Briar walked through the rocky terrain, his tail held high and a sparrow dangling from his mouth. A sort of peace offering, in case he ran into trouble. His small bit of territory past the border was abundant in mice anyway, so it wasn't like he needed to bird. He continued wandering, careless of anyone passing.

---

Ripplepaw's pawsteps fell muted against the dusty camp ground. Her lithe body moved like a river past passing casts, her movements purposely delicate to avoid attention. There was only one cat's attention that she needed -- Nightmist. She had been asleep for too long, and her mentor was probably waiting for her. Spotting the dark she-cat, Ripplepaw glided behind her mentor and bowed her head.

"Apologies." Her voice was as quiet and smooth as her actions. "I should not have kept you waiting too long."

---

Sunflame yawned and stretched, purring audibly as sunlight turned his coat to a firey red. The warmth felt good on his long fur, and a soft breeze brushed his fur. If he had still ben living with his twolegs, it would have been the perfect day to lay about and do nothing. But you're not a kittypet, Sunflame quietly reminded himself. You're a warrior now.

With a sigh, the large tom straightened up and headed towards nursery. Might as well make himself useful and see if they needed anything. It was easier than hunting, which he still hadn't gotten the hang of, and less hurtful than fighting. Plus, he loved seeing those kits!

"Hello," he greeted cheerfully.