#downgaze

[elementclangen]

Moon 291-Greenleaf

Skykit (3) has always been a bit jumpy, especially with her wind-blessing allowing her to jump extra high.  Now, Pebbletuft (24) has determined that it’s actually partially due to the fact that cats have been approaching her on her bad side.  She was born with one bad eye and no one picked up on it until now.  Also in the nursery, Kestrelcreek (80) is not healing from giving birth as well as Lakepelt (99) had hoped she would.  It’s a little worrying, considering that the last cat to give birth in the Clan, Whorlstem, died from it.  Kestrelcreek doesn’t want to leave her kits and mate (and Brightmouse-66).  Before she realized that she had an infected wound, Kestrelcreek was having a fun time playing with Brightmouse.  They might have to postpone that, now.  With Kestrelcreek not feeling great, Almondback (62) spends some time with the kits and tells jokes about the other Clans to Rimekit (2).  Cherviljumble (96) is impressed with how well the Ground and Sky kits are doing (that’s what I’m calling them now).  The four of them don’t have a parent in the nursery, and Petalkit (3) has been really brave about telling his siblings to give the younger kits some space.  Basalkit (3) is missing having an adult around to cuddle with.  Sweet Marmalade (76)  is just so fluffy and he just wants to cuddle.  Peatkit (3) works together with Basaltkit to sneak into the warriors den to surprise Sweet Marmalade.  With Downgaze (72) out of the healer’s den, he and Alderflight (47) are taking some time together.  They go on a ‘training’ patrol and have a great time racing each other through the woods.  Meanwhile, Dawnfreckle (74) and Burdockpaw (7) continue to not get along.  Dawnfreckle thinks she’s annoying and wishes that she would just do what he asks without trying to undermine him.   Copperpaw (7) feels like Hoppaw (9) has been acting stuck up and rude lately.  Just because she’s a mediator, doesn’t mean she’s better than all of them!  Echopaw (9) really likes spending time with his older sister, Hatchswipe (36).  It’s a good way to get information.  He keeps asking why.  Why do they catch prey like that?  Why are the days getting longer?  Why is there a strange cat talking to him in his dreams?  Hatchswipe doesn’t have an answer for most of them, and is a little worried about the ‘strange cat’.  Creekstar (145) has also been having strange dreams.  She’s worried that it’s Yuccawillow trying to reach her from the Dark Forest.  It’s actually Echomoor, who has decided that the time for silence about Auburnpaw’s death is over.  He hopes to be able to reach either Creekstar or Echopaw soon.  

Healer’s Den: Kestrelcreek (infection after birth), Aries (running nose), Sofanthiel (small cut), Emberpaw (small cut)

Cherviljumble now has constant joint pain, Skykit was born with one bad eye

[romanoffscottage]

do you want me to hold you?

*gif is mine

a/n: flufftober day 9 - shy about asking for cuddles

warnings: none

pairing: natasha romanoff x reader 

summary: all natasha wants to do after her bad day at work is cuddle with you, only problem is she is too scared to ask you to

words: 1014 | natasha x reader masterlist | navigation post

likes, reblogs, and comments are always appreciated and welcomed <3

Natasha hated asking for anything. She hated having to ask for help, she hated asking for favors, but above all else, she hated asking for affection or comfort.

Deep down she still felt as though she wasn’t deserving of affection or comfort. Her mind filled with thoughts of all she had done in her past. Why should someone like her get to be loved? Why should someone like her get to be comforted?

You knew Nat never asked for anything, but you always did your best to figure out what she needed. When Natasha walked through the front door, you could immediately tell she had a bad day. The way she walked, her cast downgaze, the way she didn’t immediately say hello to you were all indicators that her day was a shitty one.

“Hi my love,” Natasha almost jumped at the sound of your voice, she just now noticed you were even in the room. “Hey.”

“What's the matter?” You patted the couch, inviting her to sit down, but she shook her head. “Nothing,” she flashed you a fake smile as she nervously fiddled with her fingers. “Love, you can talk to me.” You knew she needed to get something off her chest. She needed to talk it out or she was going to explode later. But of course in true Nat fashion, she told you everything was fine and that she was just tired.

“I’m gonna take a shower.” She almost ran into the bathroom. You took this as an opportunity to get into bed.

When your girlfriend emerged from the shower, she noticed that you were already in bed. Natasha desperately wanted to just cuddle with you all night. She wanted nothing more than for you to hold her tight, but she couldn’t ask for that.

“Are you going to lay down?” You asked, knowing she was still not okay, “Oh right.” Natasha hopped into bed and created an awkward distance between you two. “Nat I know somethings bothering you, I don’t want to force you to talk about it but I’m worried?”

“I just had a bad day at work and I wanted to-” she was too scared to finish her sentence and started hiding her face with the blanket. “You wanted to?” You paused to think and finally caught on to what your girlfriend was too afraid to ask for. “You wanted to cuddle? Do you want me to hold you, love?” Natasha slowly nodded. “Oh love, I’ll always hold you whenever you want.”

“I know, I just didn’t want to-” You cut the redhead off, “Ask me?” Natasha felt bad, it wasn’t that she didn’t want to ask you, she was just scared. She didn’t want to be annoying. She didn’t want you to think she was too clingy. She didn’t want to seem too needy. “I’m sorry,” Natasha said as she buried her head into your neck. “Oh love, hey come on now look at me, “ you waited for her to meet your eyes. God, you loved staring into her eyes. “You don’t need to apologize, you have nothing to apologize for.”

“I wasn’t communicating with you, so I’m so-”

“Don’t apologize, Nat, you have to be sorry for. I understand that asking for affection is hard for you and that's okay. Just know, I will never turn you away, I will never think you're annoying, and I will never think you are being too needy.” Natasha let your words sink in. No one has ever said things like this to her. She had always been told she was nothing and that no one could ever love her, but you loved her. You made her feel like the most loved person in the universe. You reminded her every day that she was beautiful and kind. You always reminded her how amazing of a person she was. “I love you,” Natasha said through her tears. You lifted her head and wiped her tears with your thumbs, “I love you more.” You pulled her closer to you so there was no space between you two.

“Did you want to talk about what happened at work?” Natasha took a deep breath, she knew talking about it would help, but talking about her problems was not her forte. “I was leading the meeting about the mission I have to go on this week and one of the new agents in the back was talking with their friend and was saying ‘why should we listen to her?’ and ‘why should we even trust her?” You were livid hearing this. “I am so sorry Nat, they are idiots who don’t know what they are talking about. You are an amazing agent and you deserve every ounce in their respect.” Natasha smiled up at you. She could always count on you to make her smile.

“You know you are the kindest soul in the universe Y/N. You always know how to make me smile. You literally light up a room when you enter it. I am the luckiest girl alive because I get to spend forever with you.” You pulled Natasha as close as you could and pressed a kiss to the top of her head.

You two laid together in silence, just appreciating each other's warmth. Natasha had laid her head on your chest and was listening to the steady beat of your heart. You were running your fingers through her hair. It was so soft, it always was. You looked down to see if Nat was asleep and noticed she was still up. “Can’t sleep?”

“When can I ever?” Nat teased. You pull her into you, her small body curling into a ball around you and you moved her head to lay directly over your heart. “Close your eyes, listen to my heart, you’re safe with me love, you deserve some rest.” Natasha slowly found herself falling to the beat of your heart. Only once you noticed that she was in a deep sleep did you allow yourself to drift off to thinking of Natasha's emerald eyes and her soft smile.

[ayearofpike]

Last Act

Pocket Books, 1988 226 pages, 13 chapters + epilogue ISBN 0-671-73683-3 LOC: CPB Box no. 1726 vol. 28 OCLC: 799710298 Released March 10, 1988 (per B&N)

The play gave Melanie Martin a chance to meet some people in her new small town, a handle by which to pull herself into the stream of social life. Of course, she’d have to play opposite the campus beauty, the ice queen, the one who’d baited her into a car accident the previous spring, the one that nobody talked to and everybody was scared of. But over a month of rehearsals, Melanie found herself drawn to this quiet, withdrawn girl who seemed to be rude in order to keep to herself. It’s a shame that Melanie went and shot her on opening night.

Whenever anybody asked me what I saw in Christopher Pike as a college student, this is the book I’d lend out. Sure, we have ghosts and zombies and witches and vulture girls and sexy lizard teens, but I was always drawn to Pike’s other stream of fiction: the malicious victim in full control of her faculties who sets up an elaborate revenge plot and throws us into this whole murder mystery deal. Remember, at the same time I was reading these books, I was plunging headlong into new Hardy Boys and Nancy Drew, and the mystery aspect of the stories was the thing I savored over everything else. The Ick Factor didn’t do anything for me – bring on the fucked-up side of real humanity!

I used to think I wanted to write a murder mystery of my own, and Last Act was a big part of the reason why. I’d read a few traditional murder mysteries by this point (your Sherlock Holmeses, your Hercule Poirots, your Adam Dalglieshes) and none of them ever grabbed me. In fact, the only thing that stood out to me about these other books was that I didn’t care about the crime or the victim because neither did any of the characters. The whole story felt like a neat device to show off this radical idea the author came up with to bump someone off without actually committing murder himself, but he was in such a hurry to talk about it that he didn’t bother imbuing his detective or any of the other characters with, like, empathy. And the characters were all wealthy, overeducated, downgazing adults with diamonds and mink stoles and train valises full of Chateauneuf-du-Pape and shit. Not only were they all up their own asses, but those asses were so far above me that I could not relate even a little bit.

That was not a problem with Melanie Martin. She was lonely, she didn’t have the money her classmates did, she had nothing in common with the kids in her new school, she didn’t think she was worth anyone’s time. And then she found her niche and fit into a group and started to make friends. And then she quickly earned an important role, but it was undermined by a terrible mistake. It was an almost scary parallel with my own experience (albeit I joined band and not drama, and my terrible mistake was bombing my chair test sophomore year and losing section leader and not, you know, shooting a dude). This book, maybe more than all the rest (with one exception that we’ll get to), made me feel like I could do it too: write my own story, create my own fiction and share it with the world, and get people to understand how I saw things and why that was important.

(This is still kind of what I do as a teacher, only now I’m trying to get my students to understand that THEIR writing and THEIR point of view is important, even if it’s “only” texting. The undermining of YA lit in the pre-Potter era really had the adverse effect of telling kids that their voices weren’t important. We’re still digging out of this hole, even though now literally everybody has a platform for a public voice if they want it. Like, check me out, writing about ’90s juvenile horror on the Internet like it matters, but IT DOES because it’s MY VOICE in PUBLIC.)

We do have to grapple with another one of Pike’s BS small towns first  – Careville, Iowa, “population 21,867, but only if you counted the neighboring farmers and their prize-winning hogs” (1). Remember how I calculated Timber, Wyoming, as topping out at 10k? Iowa is a bigger state, yes, but this “small town” is double the size of that. In 2016 this population would put Careville in the top 25, and the towns around that population aren’t exactly sleepy farming villages. Des Moines, the capital and largest city, only has ten times Careville (not counting suburbs). I’m not doing the same level of research here because I’m actually counting on some more factual, on-the-ground disparagement of this so-called “small Iowa town” in the comments.

But anyway, this helps the narrative because it gives us a bigger student population that is pissed off at the ice beauty. Melanie doesn’t actually find out why until after she pulls the trigger. It turns out that her boyfriend (Ice Beauty’s, I mean) was the big man on campus the year before, until she drove his car off a cliff and into a reservoir and paralyzed him from the chest down. So all of a sudden there’s motive from more people, since after all Melanie is the only one who crashed her own car. In fact, most of the people with the strongest motive were in the play or around it: the boyfriend’s sister, his best friend, his old friend who found the play in the first place and wanted to direct it, his crush who Melanie beat out for her role, Ice Beauty’s crush who supplied the gun, the guy who sold her the blanks for the gun.

OK. Can we just talk about this for a second? They’re using a REAL GUN for a school play. And not only is it a real gun on the stage, they’re loading it with REAL BLANKS. I’m sorry, but didn’t PA systems exist in the 1980s? Would it have been completely impossible to stage this show with an empty gun, or even preferably, a TOY gun? And use foley to create the sound of the shots? No, it wouldn’t flare or smoke, but does your average high-school theater attendee really expect THAT level of realism from the gunshot? In the wake of what just happened in Broward County (among other places), this whole concept is totally insane, and yet when I read it in the ’90s it didn’t strike me as that far beyond the pale. Talk about different time and different place.

The thing is, for this story to work it HAS to be a real gun. Because Ice Beauty has to get shot during the play, and Melanie has to believe that she somehow mistakenly put a real bullet in and is responsible for Ice Beauty’s death. So let’s think: who declared that the production should use a real loaded gun? Who blocked the set and the actors for their entrances following the shooting scene, and left open one doorway without anybody in it? Who cast Melanie in the shooter’s role in the first place, knowing all about the car accident and the ill will it caused? Isn’t that the person we need to trace back as the most likely villain? The police figure this out way faster than Melanie does, but not before she gets shot too. We can’t really blame her, though, seeing as she’s a high school student and not a detective.

Lucky for Melanie, the paralyzed BMOC shows up and saves the day. No, I’m serious. Dude in a wheelchair rolls down and tells the killer what an asshole she is and how messed up her brain has become, and she literally gives up. Seriously? A man has to save the day, and he does it despite the killer’s complete lack of grasp on reality? I didn’t remember how this book ended, and was surprised to find that it totally pissed me off. After so many years of recommending it, I can’t believe I was telling my female friends to read a story where a mentally ill woman is “fixed” by a stern talking-to from the dude she loves.

I really did love this book all through my teen years, but when I reread it as an adult, it sort of fell apart. (Not literally. This isn’t even my original copy; it must have gone missing in one of my loans, and I had to buy a new one when I was finishing the collection.) Besides the Great Wheelchaired Hope, the whole thing with the gun just doesn’t work at all, and I’m at a loss to understand the placement of an old LA cop, away from his wife and kids, as the local police captain even with Pike’s in-depth reasoning of (here I am quoting directly from the book) “politics.” There’s also one dude who’s a little bit too aware that the whole thing is a story, decades before self-referential fourth-wall-breaking became a thing, and I’m not sure it’s done well here. Still, the setup and the turmoil still work great. I don’t regret buying it again.

[treatmentmedicine-blog]

New Post has been published on Alliance of good doctors. Alliance of good knowledge.

New Post has been published on http://bit.ly/2xj6VMU

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[velvetunderground0053]

With The Wolves

I could have been on a moon; Soft pale dust beneath my feet, Barely surrendering footprints. A fog of other-worldly mist Spreading its tendrils with Other-worldly curiousity. I could have been on a distant moon, But no matter: My head was with the wolves. I could have been on a space craft; The downgazing portholes spinning slowly, Stealing me glimpses of the ant-people below, The crawling beetle-cars and the Pond-skimming ferries, Holding me aloft above this Vastly miniture cityscape. I could have been on a Spielberg spacecraft, But no matter: My head was with the wolves. I could have travelled back in time; Feet scuffing not-yet ancient cobbles, Through the twisting Renaissance streets, Pausing at grandfather clocks, Powered by steam, Chiming forgotten bells, And gliding by Broadwalk hotels With dustless french windows. I could have journeyed far back in time, But no matter: My head was with the wolves. I could have been in an Inuk legend; Rocking in storm-chopped ocean swell, My pine canoe blown and tossed Amid giants. Colossal titans hurling their rippling bodies At the sea goddess's wrath, Heaving backs knarled with barnacles. I could have been the hero of an Inuk legend, But no matter: My head was with the wolves. My head was with the wolves, Muzzle buried deep between Raised haunches, Greedily lapping at Drips of meat And honey and heat Until she joins in with my howls.

[elementclangen]

Moon 306-Leaf-fall

Creekstar (160) is shaken.  Something happened this moon that took her straight back to when she was a kit, almost out of the nursery: a badger attack.  Badgers raid the camp and, when Creekstar sees them, she freezes.  All she can see is Songkit’s broken body falling to the ground.  That leaves the rest of her Clan to jump into battle without her guidance.  Downgaze (87) protects his mother and gets her to safety before leaping back into the fray only to find. . .Sweet Marmalade (91) and Alderflight (62) lying dead in a pool of blood.  Brightmouse (81) is a fury of fire in the center of camp, fighting back against the badgers trying to get into the nursery and at Bluestripe (81).  She manages to take down the badgers attacking her, but not before one deals her a fatal blow.  With this being their first battle, the young warriors are shocked, but are able to rally under Hatchswipe’s (51) instruction to drive back the attack.  Although neither of them are as powerful as a star-blessed cat, Echoarch (24) and Embershell (24) work together to drive the badgers back into Burdockbeam (22) and Boulderflood’s (22) trap.  The two of them collapse a hunk of earth on top of the remaining badgers and kill them.  The battle is won, but at the cost of three lives.  Downgaze is especially shaken.  He just can’t get the image of Sweet Marmalade’s and Alderflight’s bodies out of his mind.  He never even had a chance to confess his love to Alderflight.  And he can’t imagine life without Sweet Marmalade by his side.  They’ve been together for so long, and through so much loss.  He struggles-no, refuses-to accept their deaths.  Sweet Marmalade’s kits huddle together and take comfort in each other.  Echoarch comforts Hatchswipe and reassures her that she’ll see her father again in StarClan.  He cared about her, even if she didn't always feel like it.  Kestrelcreek (95) lies next to Brightmouse’s singed body as the Clan sits vigil for her.  Her world has ended with Brightmouse.  She can’t help her bitterness and rage as Brightmouse’s life is recalled at the vigil and she coldly turns away from Almondback (77) when he offers comfort.  She and Brightmouse had so little time together.  They should have had more.  And Brightmouse should have had more time with their kits, who are only apprentices.  Mitepaw (7) and Hollowpaw (7) are a little less energetic with the loss of their mom.  Hollowpaw can’t even think of any pranks to pull.  And then there’s Bluestripe.  When she sees Brightmouse’s body and realizes that she died protecting her, she screams at the sky, cursing the stars who took her sisters too soon.  Before the senior warriors can bury Brightmouse, Bluestripe lights her sister’s body aflame, giving her a pyre worthy of the greatest heroes.  With the new losses in the Clan, Creekstar is feeling a bit ill.  But, in some much needed good news, Hopcurl (24) has announced that she’s expecting kits.  It looks like Creekstar will have even more great-grandkits.  Downgaze appreciates his kits and grandkits.  He’s also glad that Burdockbeam has toned down her pranking during this time of grief and appreciates how nice she’s being to him.  Greenrapid (62) did not get the memo and still hasn’t grown up.  She complains that Copperheart (22) never does anything helpful and should be more like her sisters.  Because that’s not hurtful at all.  Bumble (83) thinks that pregnancy suits Hopcurl and is jealous of how shiny her pelt looks.  Aphidkit (3) decides to be a pain and asks Bluestripe where kits are from.  She makes up a story about eagles dropping them out of the sky.  It’s a way to get her mind off of Brightmouse, at least.  But the Clan is not done with loss yet.  In another blow to Kestrelcreek, Creekstar and Almondback run into a gang of rogues on patrol.  The two fight bravely but are badly outnumbered, and the rogues had dark-cursed cats with them.  They kill Almondback and take a life from Creekstar, leaving before she is revived.  She now has six lives left.

Healer’s den: Bluestripe (recovering from birth, infected), Petalfrost (claw-wound), Nettlestripe (mangled tail), Hopcurl (pregnant), Kestrelcreek (grief stricken), Downgaze (shock, grief stricken), Hatchswipe (sore), Hollowpaw (stomachache)

New personalities: Skymoon (thoughtful, keen eye, and a fast runner)

[elementclangen]

Moon 298-Leaf-bare

ElementClan welcomes two new warriors!  Longpaw (12) is named Longpelt for her honor and Skypaw (10), despite feeling like an outsider, has been given her warrior name of Skymoon early, honoring her tenderness.  It feels nice to be seen by Creekstar (152).  With the amount of pranksters in the Clan now, it’s amazing that more cats haven’t been getting hurt.  Still, Rimepaw (9) falls victim to a prank and finds a thorn in her bedding.  Crouchpaw (9) is still stressed over her visions, and Creekstar suspects that there’s something going on with her.  She doesn’t know what, though, and that makes her testy in general.  She hisses at Crouchpaw over a small mistake.  Downgaze (79) seems to be taking out some of his mixed feelings over Auburnpaw’s death on Echoarch (16) and gets in a fight with his son over who should get a pretty feather.  The feather ends up getting destroyed.  Bluestripe (73) has been spending time with Pebbletuft (31) lately.  The two enjoy each other’s company.  And it’s a nice break for Bluestripe from Tanglechirp (45).  Burdockbeam (14) has been keeping a close eye on Tanglechirp lately.  He’s a little nervous that she's planning on making him the victim of her next prank.  Copperheart (14), despite warnings from senior warriors, is planning her next prank.  If she pulls it off, she’ll blame it on the apprentices.  Boulderflood (14) is rethinking her life choices.  What made her think being close with her sisters was a good idea?

Healer’s den: Sweet Marmalade (bite wound), Cavecatcher (dislocated joint, join pain), Kestrelcreek (pregnant), Rimepaw (small cut)

New personalities: Skymoon (loving, keen eye, and a fast runner), Petalpaw (troublesome, splashes in puddles, and quick to help)

[elementclangen]

Moon 297-Leaf-bare

Creekstar (151) is feeling her age.  She’s starting to get more confused about things that used to come easily to her, and Dawnfreckle (81) is having to step up more.  However, Creekstar is still feeling up to giving some apprentices their warrior names.  Copperpaw (13) has always had a penchant for getting into (and starting) trouble, which has almost made Creekstar hold back from making her a warrior.  However, Creekstar can tell that Copperpaw’s been trying really hard lately to make up for it.  She feels it would be cruel to make her wait any longer and gives her the warrior name of Copperheart in honor of her enthusiasm.  Boulderpaw (13) also gets her warrior name of Boulderflood in honor of her observance and the way she saved Crouchpaw (8) from the flood.  Basaltpaw’s siblings are not fans of the constant reminder of how their brother died.  Brightmouse (72) is also feeling frustrated with Creekstar.  She feels like she should have made Bluestripe (72) deputy instead of Dawnfreckle, to better honor Skipneedle.  Boulderflood decides to help out the medicine cats for the day and grows some herbs for them.  Lakepelt (105) is grateful.  It reminds her a bit of working with Archdapple, though, which is a little bittersweet.  Kestrelcreek (86) has announced that she is, once again, expecting kits.  Brightmouse is excited to have kits of her own, this time.  Although Kestrelcreek is feeling a little lonely and wonders if anyone would notice if she disappeared.  Almondback (68) and Brightmouse reassure her that they would. Skypaw (9) is still feeling like an outsider in the Clan.  She overhears Copperheart spreading a rumor about her and her littermates and jumps in surprise when Rimepaw (8) sneaks up on her bad side.  She’s sure she did that on purpose.  Additionally, Echoarch (15) was finally able to make contact with Echomoor, so that Echomoor could tell him what really happened to Auburnpaw when they were apprentices.  Echoarch is horrified to hear about the traumatic event and does his best to comfort Echomoor.  He also, with Echomoor’s permission, tells Creekstar and Downgaze (78) the truth about what had happened.  Downgaze is shocked to learn these things he didn’t know about two of his littermates.  He wonders what else he doesn’t know about his family members.  He doesn’t blame Echomoor; he just wishes that he had told them sooner.  Creekstar takes the news a little bit harder.  She wishes that Echomoor had felt comfortable enough to tell her what had happened and feels bad that there was anything she did that made him, Primcrest, and Smokefoot feel like they couldn’t trust her with the truth.  She wants to see him and tell her son how sorry she is.  Crouchpaw (8) confides in Alderflight (53) that her dreams have recently been filled with shadows and. . .images.  And a gray and white cat.  Alderflight doesn’t know the Clan lore about Yuccawillow, but does his best to comfort the young cat.  In the dark forest, Yuccawillow is watching for her next victim.

Healer’s den:  Sweet Marmalade (claw wound), Embershell (whitecough), Kestrelcreek (pregnant), Skypaw (shivering)

New personalities: Boulderflood (nervous and a great mediator), Copperheart (troublesome, learner of lore, and a great mediator), Rimepaw (charismatic and interested in Clan history)

[elementclangen]

Moon 296-Leaf-fall

It has been a bit of a dramatic moon for the Clan.  First, Tanglechirp (43) and Bluestripe (71) have a fight and break up.  Then, just a quarter moon later, they get back together.  Drama.  Brightmouse (71) hopes that her sister gets into a more stable relationship at some point.  She doesn’t think Tanglechirp is good for her.  Next, Burdockpaw (12) is given the name of Burdockbeam, honoring her determination.  She’s still just as troublesome as she was when she was younger, but now she has the determination to back it up!  However, just when things have been looking up for the Clan, the camp floods.  There are enough water-blessed cats that they can stave off some of the damage, but Troutpaw (7) and Basaltpaw (8) still drown. Boulderpaw (11) saves the young Crouchpaw (7), though. Kestrelcreek’s (85) family misses Troutpaw.  Rimepaw (7) begs StarClan to send her back.  She shouldn’t have been taken so soon!  Crouchpaw, though, is wondering if Clan life is too dangerous for her.  Maybe it wouldn’t be so bad to become a kittypet.  Kestrelcreek and Almondback (67) rely on their remaining family to get through the grief, and Brightmouse does her best to keep the apprentices' minds off of the tragedy by telling them a story.  The three surviving Ground and Sky kits huddle close together.  Petalpaw (8) falls asleep during the vigil, but Skypaw (8) and Peatpaw (8) stay up all night.  They’re even more alone in the Clan, now.  Petalpaw feels like Creekstar (150) should have done more to save his sister and steps on her paw, pretending not to notice.  She lets him get away with it.  She feels like she should have done more, too.  Apparently, Petalpaw is feeling very angsty after the death of his brother.  When Embershell asks for help, he rolls his eyes at her.  She’s a warrior.  Shouldn’t she be independent?!  Downgaze (77) is not happy that he has to share a den with Burdockbeam.  She may be his grandkit, but he finds her very annoying.  She just doesn’t understand that life comes with consequences.  He’s not the only one annoyed by a younger cat.  Greenrapid (52) feels like Longpaw (10) has been acting stuck up and rude.  She doesn’t have to rub it in her face when she catches a piece of prey that Greenrapid missed!  Alderflight (52), despite being close to Downgaze, doesn’t know Sweet Marmalade (81) very well.  They spend an afternoon hanging out, and Sweet Marmalade reports back to Downgaze that he approves of Alderflight.  Sweet Marmalade is glad that he joined the Clan.  He reflects on how different his life is now than it was when he was a kittypet.  If he hadn’t joined, his life may have been easier, but he never would have met Downgaze or had kits with him.  Life is good. Lately, Creekstar thinks she’s been hearing the voices of StarClan cats.  They almost sound like her father and grandfather, calling her home. . .

Healer’s den: Greenrapid (grief stricken), Dawnfreckle (running nose), Sofanthiel (running nose), Tanglechirp (fleas), Embershell (running nose), Copperpaw (running nose)

New personality: Peatpaw (loyal and splashes in puddles), 

[elementclangen]

Moon 295-Leaf-fall

The Clan had a bit of a scare this moon when Creekstar (149) was struck by lightning and lost a life.  It’s a reminder to them all that she’s getting old.  None of them have ever been in a Clan without her as leader.  Creekstar hopes that Dawnfreckle (79) is ready to step up into leadership, because she feels that she’ll be gone within the next twelve moons.  In better news, Kestrelcreek (84) and Almondback’s (66) kits have been made apprentices!  Rimepaw (6) is apprenticed to Cavecatcher (53), just as he had hoped.  Crouchpaw (6) is apprenticed to Alderflight (51) to help her gain some confidence.  Troutpaw (6) is apprenticed to Bluestripe (70), as she did well with her previous apprentice.  Now that Cavecatcher is more mature, Brightmouse (70) has noticed how kind he is.  She corrects his hunting stance and brushes up against him, purring.  Dawnfreckle, as a new deputy, makes sure to spend time with the younger cats in the Clan.  During a break from training, he and Troutpaw play mossball with each other, using his wind powers to play it with a flying mossball.  He also makes some time to share tongues with Hopcurl (13).    The Ground and Sky kits are still feeling a little left out.  Basaltpaw (7) doesn’t get the joke Burdockpaw (11) was telling Boulderpaw (11).  She said it was something only star-blessed cats could understand.  Skypaw (7) was also rude to Alderflight.  Petalpaw (7) and Peatpaw (7) seem to be getting along with the other cats better, though.  Peatpaw and Cavecatcher have become friends and enjoy spending time with each other.  Petalpaw also covers for Rimepaw when she wants a break from training.  Even though  Kestrelcreek isn’t the most senior warrior, she has been in the Clan the longest.  She gathers up the apprentices and tells them about what times were like when she was an apprentice, and all the cats she used to know.  Alderflight and Downgaze (76) are still close friends and are getting closer.  Alderflight thinks it’s amusing how grumpy Downgaze manages to look all the time and teases him about it.

Healer’s den: Greenrapid (grief stricken), Dawnfreckle (running nose), Pebbletuft (small cut), Sofanthiel (running nose), Tanglechirp (fleas), Hatchswipe (sore), Alderflight (stomach ache), Embershell (running nose), Copperpaw (running nose), Rimepaw (scrapes, running nose)

[elementclangen]

Moon 294-Leaf-fall

As leaf-fall begins, a plague of minor illnesses and injuries plague the Clan.  Lakepelt (102) is a little overwhelmed with all the cats coming to her asking for help with their soreness, running noses, and stomach aches.  And it doesn’t help that Pebbletuft (27) has a more serious illness and has come down with whitecough.  But, in better news, the Clan has welcomed two new warriors and a new mediator!  Echopaw (12) is now Echoarch, in honor of his heart of gold.  Bluestripe (69) is proud of him, and is proud that Creekstar (148) gave him a name that honors both Echomoor, and Bluestripe’s sister, Archdapple.  Echoarch deserves it.  Emberpaw (12) is named Embershell for her spirit.  Nettlestripe (63) is also proud of his first apprentice.  And Hoppaw (12)  is given the warrior name of Hopcurl in honor of her observance, a useful skill in a mediator.  Something she has observed is that Kestrelcreek (83) and Brightmouse (69) have become mates!  Kestrelcreek is still mates with Almondback (65), but Brightmouse is only mates with her.  Downgaze (75) is proud of his kits and notices that Embershell is being very helpful around camp.  In reality, Embershell misses the structure of being an apprentice and is feeling a little lost.  She turns to her grandma, Creekstar and asks for advice.  Creekstar offers to send her on more patrols and keep her busy.  Sweet Marmalade (79) has never been very close with Creekstar.  He decides to spend some time with the old leader and comes to understand her better.  She’s stressed and worried about her Clan constantly.  She became a leader at a young age with no one to teach her, and it’s all she knows.  She’s doing the best with what she has and has led the Clan through some really hard times.  The Clan also has four new apprentices, as the Ground and Sky kits have turned six moons old.  Skypaw (6) has been apprenticed to Tanglechirp (41) and is hard at work thinking up ways to prevent cats sneaking up on her bad side in battle.  Basaltpaw (6) is apprenticed to Sweet Marmalade, who Creekstar hopes will tone down his ambitious tendencies.  Petalpaw  (6) and Peatpaw (6) are apprenticed to Cherviljumble (99) and Hatchswipe (39) respectively, giving both warriors their first apprentices.  Meanwhile, Crouchkit (5) is excited to get out of the nursery.  Mostly because Copperpaw (10) is big and fluffy and if they’re sharing the same den she’ll have more chances to cuddle and be warm.

Healer’s Den: Pebbletuft (whitecough), Petalpaw (claw wound), Greenrapid (grief stricken), Dawnfreckle (running nose), Lakepelt (sore), Aries (stomach ache), Sofanthiel (running nose), Tanglechirp (fleas), Hatchswipe (sore), Alderflight (stomach ache), Copperpaw (running nose)

[elementclangen]

Moon 292-Greenleaf

Longpaw (6) has been made an apprentice!  And with Creekstar (146) as a mentor.  The leader hasn’t taken on an apprentice since Bluestripe (67) was an apprentice, but, with every other fire-blessed or dark-cursed cat in the Clan already having an apprentice, Creekstar felt she had no other choice.  She hopes she does a good job with him.  In a bit of a twist, Bluestripe and Tanglechirp (39)  have become mates!  It seems that Bluestripe actually found someone she liked.  The rejection club will not be getting a third member.  Perhaps part of why Bluestripe chose Tanglechirp is that he’s proving to be quite good with kits.  Crouchkit (3) always wants to be him in her and her sisters’ games and Troutkit (3) is trying very hard to get his attention.  By walking along an unstable log.  Great idea.  Meanwhile, Cavecatcher (50) really hopes that he’ll have an apprentice soon.  He’s hoping that Creekstar will let him train Rimekit (3).  He’s grown quite fond of the little cat.  Boulderpaw (8) is proving that she’s going to make a great warrior one day.  When Petalkit (4) was grabbed by a hawk, Boulderpaw cleverly used a combination of wind and bursts of fire shot at the bird to get it to drop Petalkit.  Her low power-level didn’t hold her back!  Creekstar is impressed with her.  Even though he’s crushing on Alderflight (48), Downgaze (73) still makes time for his mate and goes on a nice moonlit stroll with Sweet Marmalade (77).  However, trouble continues to brew among the terrible triad.  Skipneedle (67) is frustrated with how much time Brightmouse (67) is spending laying around camp (she’s actually keeping an eye on Kestrelcreek’s-81-kits for her).  Bluestripe is staying out of their drama.  Since Skipneedle is training her sister, Copperpaw (8)  has been spending some time with the deputy.  She really admires her.    Echomoor may also be trying to reach out to Emberpaw (10), because the apprentice had a very strange dream.  

Healer’s Den: Pebbletuft (heat exhaustion), Brightmouse (heat exhaustion), Petalkit (claw wound), Kestrelcreek (recovering from birth), Almondback (stomach ache)

New personalities: Echopaw (oblivious and constantly climbing), Copperpaw (troublesome, quick to make peace, and interested in Clan history), Troutkit (daring, never sits still, and oddly observant)

[elementclangen]

Moon 287-Leaf-bare

After many moons of not having any kits, the nursery is full!  In addition to Whorlstorm’s (32) three kits, a ChaffinchClan queen leaves her litter with the Clan and Downgaze (68) and Sweet Marmalade (72) adopt them.  One of them, the sweet Hopkit (5), is water-blessed while the other two, who are both polite, are fire-blessed.  The she-kit is fittinginly named Emberkit (5) and the other is named Echokit (5), after Echomoor, Downgaze’s dead brother.  Additionally, Kestrelcreek (76) has announced that she is expecting kits!  Almondback (58) is excited.  And nervous.  He tries to set a good example for the younger cats in the Clan.   As a break from the business of Clan life, Kestrelcreek and Almondback have a nice little training session before Kestrelcreek moves to the nursery.  Almondback feels wild and free as he playfully pounces on Kestrelcreek.  He doesn’t know the last time he’s felt this light. However, all this good news is tempered by Whorlstorm’s death.  She couldn’t recover from giving birth and passed away, leaving her kits without their mother and Hatchswipe (32) the only survivor of Downgaze and Rootwing’s litter (look at that, more trauma in the Brightfalcon family).  Copperkit (3) misses cuddling with her mom and wants to learn more about what her mom was like as a kit.  Downgaze, who’s also in the nursery caring for his new kits, is glad to share what he remembers.  Hatchswipe has decided not to deal with her sister’s death and is instead sparring with Kestrelcreek.  She does make time to help care for her sister’s kits, though, and helps Boulderkit (3) pick burrs out of her fur.  Downgaze, having decided to help care for his orphaned grand-kits,  is feeling a little overwhelmed with six kits under his care and asks Sofanthiel (76) for some help.  She’s surprised, as she thought he had everything figured out, but helps out with the kits willingly.  It seems there may be a bit of a polycule brewing.  Downgaze is crushing on Alderflight (43) while his mate and Lakepelt (95) are crushing on each other.  Maybe he’ll have better luck than his great-grandparents? While Cavecatcher (45) is trying to be more mature, Greenrapid (43) is still acting like the young warrior she is.  She steps on Aries’ (53) foot and pretends not to notice.  Creekstar (141) just can’t seem to get along with her deputies.  First, she and Primcrest fell out, and now she’s fighting with Skipneedle (62).  Skipneedle feels like Creekstar needs to step down and/or take a break.  She’s been sick/grieving for moons and Skipneedle thinks a break would really help with her mental health.  But Creekstar is determined to serve her Clan until StarClan takes her.  

Healer’s den: Creekstar (whitecough), Pebbletuft (claw wound), Sweet Marmalade (whitecough), Brightmouse (mangled tail), Tanglechirp (yellowcough), Kestrelcreek (pregnant), Downgaze (stomachache), Cavecatcher (stomachache)

New personalities: Copperkit (lonesome, quick to make peace, and interested in Clan history)

Meta: Echokit’s original name was Fawnkit, but he looks like Echomoor and was adopted by Downgaze (Echomoor’s brother).  Also, the parent listed for the litter is a male loner but the game says that a Chaffinchclan queen left her litter with ElementClan, so the loner is their bio dad. Additionally, I'm going to start noting when a cat gets a new personality or trait, so that's why Copperkit is mentioned.

[elementclangen]

Moon 286-Leaf-bare

Nettlestripe (55) is feeling a little left out.  It feels like a lot of the cats in the Clan are finding love, and he’s still alone.  He decides to confess his feelings to Bluestripe (61), but she rejects him.  He likes her more than she likes him.  In other Clan news, another powerless former kittypet has joined the Clan, who takes the name of Cherviljumble (91).  With the Clan growing again, even in leaf-bare, Creekstar (140) is feeling like things are looking up.  She playfully teases Dawnfreckle (69) for missing a catch and lets Lakepelt (94) know that, despite their recent troubles, she appreciates how hard she works as a medicine cat.  Downgaze (67) is spending some time with his grandkits.  He grew up in a family of dark-cursed cats, so it’s weird for him to realize that he has star-blessed relatives now.  He spends some time playing with Boulderkit (2).  Meanwhile, Skipneedle (61) feels like Burdockkit (2), who’s always been a little troublemaker, needs to learn how to listen to adults rather than just doing her own thing.  So she’s bossing the kit around.  Her sister, Brightmouse (61), also is not a fan of Whorlstorm’s (31) litter.  She can’t stand Copperkit (2) and hopes that she won’t have to mentor her.  Almondback (57) and Kestrelcreek (75) enjoy a moment of downtime together.  They talk about what they want from the rest of their lives and find that their goals align: they both want to keep the cats they care about safe.  Sweet Marmalade (71) had a run of luck with not being in the Healer’s den, but that has ended now that he has whitecough.  He also can’t seem to get along with both of his kits at once.  He’s made up with Whorlstorm but now Hatchswipe (31) is annoyed with him .  Cavecatcher (44) is trying to take on more of a mentoring role this moon.  He’s used to being one of the babies in the Clan, but that’s not really true anymore.  He talks with Creekstar about getting an apprentice one day and gives some advice to Copperkit.  Tanglechirp (33) doesn’t seem to realize that some of the things he does are offensive.  He takes a piece of prey that Greenrapid was eyeing and the two of them get in a fight.  He also told Lakepelt someone else’s secret. Oops. With Whorlstorm feeling a little sick after having kits, Skipneedle makes sure to check in on her and gives her the last piece of fresh-kill on the pile.  She’s sure that she can find some more.  Aries (52) is doing her best to be a good mediator and cheers up Alderflight after he has a small disagreement with Downgaze.  She also makes sure to get to know the younger members of the Clan and shares fresh-kill with Copperkit.  Kestrelcreek is getting closer to Brightmouse and asks her more about Frostblotch.  Brightmouse is glad to talk about her sister, as she feels like cats forget about her and instead focus on Archdapple.

Healer’s den: Sweet Marmalade (whitecough), Downgaze (yellowcough), Brightmouse (mangled tail), Whorlstorm (recovering from birth, infected), Pebbletuft (claw wound), Greenrapid (shivering)

Sofanthiel got a scar

Meta: I think that the conflict between Sweet Marmalade and his adoptive kits is technically Brightfalcon family drama. Downgaze’s kits are Graysong’s great-great grandchildren and Brightfalcon and Bushmask’s great-great-great grandchildren. Also, take two on the adoptive father family drama.

[elementclangen]

Moon 285-Leaf-bare

Alderflight (41) has recovered from his head damage, although not without a scar on his face.  He’s excited to finally have a chance to help out the Clan and go on patrols.  Meanwhile, Skipneedle (60) is starting to understand why Primcrest was not a fan of Creekstar (139).  She’s a bit paranoid, especially with the new star-blessed cats in the Clan.  Skipneedle finds it hard to get her work done.  Brightmouse (60) has decided that the best way for Hatchswipe (30) to move on from Treepelt is for her to get in a fight to distract her.  She starts an argument between Aries (51) and Hatchswipe and then watches the chaos unfold.   Additionally, Aries, who doesn’t feel like she’ll be much use as a warrior, has decided to become a mediator instead. Whorlstorm (30) is busy with her three kits in the nursery, between grooming them and making sure that Copperkit (1) doesn’t burn down the nursery.  Burdockkit (1) is enjoying causing trouble in the healer’s den by messing up the herbs Lakepelt (93) is storing.  Lakepelt doesn’t understand why she’s being so rude. Sofanthiel (74), being from outside the Clan and not used to relying on powered cats to survive, teaches Downgaze (66) a useful hunting technique while they’re in the healer’s den together.  While on a patrol, Kestrelcreek (74) and Brightmouse find a loner named Pebbletuft (18) that they bring back to camp.  She’s Earth-blessed, and, if she recovers from her claw-wound, will be able to help out Lakepelt in the Healer’s den

Healer’s den: Sofanthiel (mangled tail), Downgaze (yellowcough), Whorlstorm (recovering from birth), Pebbletuft (claw-wound)

[elementclangen]

Moon 284-Leaf-fall

Whorlstorm (29) has had her kits!  No one knows who their other parent is, but they suspect they were a powered cat because all of the kits have magic.  The first kit, Copperkit (0), is a lonesome little girl with a medium high strength fire-blessing.  Thank StarClan her mom’s water-blessing keeps her from burning down the nursery.  Her other two kits are both. . .Star-blessed.  Boulderkit (0) would also like to spend time alone and has relatively low strength magic.  Relative compared to her sister, that is, the troublemaking Burdockkit (0) who’s magic is even stronger than Archdapple’s was.  Between the two of them, it’s hard for anyone to get sleep with the nursery (and camp) always being so bright.  Whorlstorm is also tired of not being able to get to sleep and wishes that Burdockkit would figure out how to turn off her glow.  Even Lakepelt (92) is getting cranky and gives Boulderkit some bitter herbs on purpose.  On the other paw, Sofanthiel (73) likes the new kits and keeps a bit of Burdockkit’s fluff.  Hatchswipe (29) makes sure to spend some time with her nieces, although it does make her a little sad that she and Treepelt never had a chance to have kits of their own. Downgaze (65) and Alderflight (40) continue to get along well.  Alderflight is curious about why Creekstar (138) has been avoiding the nursery lately and not going to see her great grandkits.  Downgaze tells him the story of Yuccawillow and Creekstar’s grandparents.   Despite some tensions amidst the terrible triad lately, Bluestripe (59) is proud of how well her sister is doing as deputy.  It’s not a job she would have wanted and thinks that Skipneedle (59) is handling everything very well.   While on a patrol together, the terrible triad find a former kittypet named Aries (50) who joins the Clan.  She is water-blessed, but very weakly.

Healer’s den: Sofanthiel (mangled tail), Alderflight (head damage), Whorlstorm (recovering from birth), Sweet Marmalade (cracked pads), Hatchswipe (joint pain)

Meta: Copperkit's original game was Echokit, but I didn’t like naming her after Echomoor.  He was Whorlstorm’s uncle, but he died before Whorlstorm was born.  If Copperkit had been dark-cursed, I would have kept the name, though.