#lightclan!birchpaw

[ts3lightclan]

(1.37) The Misty Grotto

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As Birchpaw and her siblings followed Stormflower into the strange stone circle, a strange sensation filled her chest. This place was so strange, and it was so much creepier at night. Birchpaw found herself having to comfort Mousepaw, who was easily spooked by things like this. Antpaw, on the other hand, didn't seem very fazed... just awed.

She cast an expectant glance at their chaperone, surprised to see an odd glow in Stormflower's gaze, and maybe... the smallest of smiles?

"Finally... this is it..."

Birchpaw's ears twitched as the spotted molly mumbled to herself. Huh? She let out a soft trill to get the healer's attention, and in that instant, Stormflower's smile disappeared.

"This is what we healers call a 'conduit'," Stormflower explained to the trio, earning new confused glances from Antpaw and Mousepaw, who hadn't heard the initial whispers. "A place to commune with the spirits in StarClan at will, rather than waiting for dreams or omens. They can take many forms: a pool of water, a shining stone... and, in our case, a strange, spiraling tree, as bright as the stars themselves."

Birchpaw glanced back to her siblings just as the other two looked at her. It was easy to tell that Antpaw and Mousepaw were just as bewildered by the situation as she was.

Stormflower took a deep breath after staring at the tree for a long moment, then she turned her attention back to the apprentices.

"I have a proposition for you three, but it must be kept a secret. Will you hear me out?"

"Uh..." Birchpaw shared yet another look with her siblings, but Antpaw was the first to speak out among them. "Sure? What is it?"

The spotted molly simply smiled.

"How would you like to be reunited with your father?"

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The patrol discovers a new location on the way to their destination: The Poppy Patch

The cats stop to hunt along the way. Stormflower observes the apprentices as they do so.

The siblings are relatively successful in their hunts. Antpaw catches four pieces of prey, and Mousepaw and Birchpaw each catch two.

Upon arriving at the Misty Grotto under the full moon, Stormflower confirms this area to be a conduit to StarClan.

Stormflower reveals to the three that she has been in contact with their father, Skunktooth, and offers to reunite them with him.

The trio is confused by the sudden offer, and they decide to think it over during the rest of their expedition.

The group decides to stay the night at the Misty Grotto.

[fan-clan-fun]

Looks like some basic allegiances, lets see what you have!

AshClan

Leader:

Ashstar- Light gray tom with a Dark gray stripe down his back.

Deputy:

Thickpelt- Large light brown tom.

Medicine Cats:

Pinstripe- Gray tom with white stripes.

Littlepaw- Small brown tabby tom.

Warriors:

Tinclaw- Light gray tortoiseshell tom.

Spotbranch- Swift brown tom.

Blackpaw- Small black tom.

Ferretstripe- Small white Siamese tom.

Ravenlight- Black and light gray she cat.

Rainpaw- Small gray and brown tom with a spot of white on his chest.

Eaglefeather- Brown tortoiseshell she-cat.

Gingerdrop- Elegant ginger tom with a white muzzle.

Embertail- Large gray tom with thick fur.

Gorsewood- Yellowish brown tortoiseshell she-cat.

Queens:

Looserock- Light gray she-cat.

Goldenfur- Small light brown and ginger tabby she-cat.

Silvertail- White and light gray Siamese she-cat.

Stemkit- Small brown Siamese tom.

Icekit- White Siamese she-cat.

 Brightleap- White She-cat with a light brown muzzle.

Rustkit- Light brown she-cat.

Acornkit- Small brown tom.

Tinykit- Very small gray and brown she-cat.

Elders:

Violetnose- Large brown she-cat. Deaf in her left ear.

Watereye- Gray tabby tom. Blind.

RainClan

Leader:

Rainstar- Light gray she-cat with a dark gray muzzle.

Deputy:

Tallshine- Big tom with a white pelt.

Medicine cats:

Tanwhisker- Small tabby tom with a light brown pelt.

Warriors:

Mousepebble- Light gray she-cat with brown ears.

Stumppaw- Dark brown tortoiseshell she-cat with half a tail.

Twigtail- Brown tabby she-cat with white spots.

Whitebranch- White tom with brown tail and brown paws.

Rosefur- Small she-cat with a reddish-brown pelt.

Lightningtail- Skinny tom with a yellowish white pelt.

Stoneclaw- Gray tortoiseshell tom.

Sharppaw- Small tom with a silver pelt.

Fiercepelt- Strong brown tabby she-cat with white paws.

Onespot- Black tom with a white spot on his back.

Bunnyheart- White tabby she-cat with brown paws.

Stainbite- Small brown tortoiseshell tom with a black stripe.

Queens:

Sandleaf- Graceful she-cat with a tan pelt.

Smallkit- Tiny tom with brown fur.

Applekit- Tabby tom with tan fur.

Toadkit- Small she-cat with a dark brown pelt.

Elders:

Bristlefur- Grumpy ginger she-cat with a limp.

LightClan

Leader:

Lightstar- large tom with gray and white fur.

Deputy:

Stonestep- Black tabby tom with white stripes.

Medicine cats:

Twisteye- Small brown tabby tom who is blind in his left eye.

Rootpaw- Small brown and black tortoiseshell tom.

Warriors:

Swiftsong- Fast tom with a gray pelt.

Birchpaw- Brown and gray tom.

Sharppelt- Small she-cat with a silver pelt.

Oakblaze- Brown tabby tom with black stripes.

Earbranch- Big ginger tortoiseshell she-cat who is deaf in her right ear.

Halfpaw- Brown and white tom.

Pearlblossom- Elegant Siamese she-cat with a bluish silver pelt.

Redgaze- Tom with a pelt the color of rust.

Spotnose- Ginger tom with gray spots.

Dirtpaw- Tabby tom with a dark brown pelt.

Harejump- White tortoiseshell she-cat.

Lionglint- Tom with tan fur.

Queens:

Harejump- White tortoiseshell she-cat.

Glamourkit- White and gray she-cat.

Dustkit- Gray tom with white stripes.

Treekit- Brown and gray tom.

Elders:

Knobclaw- Black and gray tabby tom.

Swiftjoint- Ginger tom. He is blind.

CodeClan

Leader:

Codestar- White tom with black ears and paws.

Deputy:

Brownfur- Brown tabby tom with a gray tail.

Medicine cats:

Glassdive- Small she-cat with a white pelt.

Maplepaw- Tom with a reddish brown pelt.

Coder:

Orangeheart- Large ginger tabby tom.

Downpaw- Small gray tom.

Warriors:

Shiftpelt- Big gray tom whose pelt seems silver in the sun.

Stoneblossom- light gray tabby she-cat.

Mirrorheart- White she-cat.

Grainpaw- Small tan tom.

Perchclaw- Gray and white tortoiseshell she-cat.

Tanbreeze- Small tom with a tan pelt.

Birchfall- Light brown tom with white spots.

Skypaw- White and gray tabby she-cat.

Smallsky- Small gray tom.

Patchpaw- White tom with brown spots.

Turnfur- Brown tom.

Queens:

Heartbranch- Strong white tabby she-cat.

Tosskit- Small white tom with ginger spots.

Kittypets:

Pack: Small brown tom.

Harold: Black and Brown tom.

Eliza: Sleek White/Gray she-cat.

Bird: Gray tabby she-cat.

(I couldn’t figure out how to add an image and copy and paste wasn’t working)

Characteristics of the New Clans:

Large-Lake: Large-Lake is a freshwater lake somewhere in the U.S.

Far Twoleg Place: A cat was once trapped on a Water-Sailer (Boat) and was trapped on Far Twoleg Place.

Small Twoleg Place: Small Twoleg Place is an island feared by all clan cats. Kittypets are not afraid of Small Twoleg Place.

Small Lands: The Small Lands are small islands surrounding Small Twoleg Place. RainClan Cats must swim to these islands before they can become warriors.

Large Twoleg Place: Not much to know. This is where most Kittypets and Rogues live.

Twoleg Barns: Eliza and Pack live here.

Ruined Twoleg Place: This was a farm until it burned down. Lightclan cats go here to practice rock climbing skills.

The Woods: The Woods are a place where LightClan cats hunt. RainClan also hunt there sometimes.

Clans Meeting Place: This is where the Clans meet every moon. There is also a small camp built here that a clan can access if their territory is unusable (flooding, fires, etc.)

I like the fact that they have a neutral safe place if a clan is in need.

Spring Twoleg Place: Twolegs come here in the spring and summer to camp in tents and RV’s. Cats think of this as a yearly invasion. During Greenleaf, they avoid this area.

The Dead Forest: This is a spooky place. It is told in myths that dark beings (most likely warrior ancestors who had caused the clans trouble) haunted these areas. One of the highest punishments a cat can be given is banishment to The Dead Forest.

Climbing Tree: A large tree AshClan apprentices train on.

Rapids: The Rapids are a small river that flows very fast. It flows inland towards the Starlight Cave. The Rapids are also a border for CodeClan and AshClan.

Starlight Cave: Starlight Cave is an old mine where Medicine Cats and Leaders go to speak to their Warrior Ancestors. This is where the half-moon meeting of Medicine Cats takes place.

The Mountains: The Mountains are a no-go zone for Warriors. This is another place where some cats are banished.

Large Pine Forest: This is the home and hunting place of CodeClan.

Alright, so not much information about the clans themselves and their culture, but it looks like you’ve put a lot of work into the allegiances and territory! I’d love to hear more about Codeclan, especially why they are called that!

[ts3lightclan]

(1.32) The Distant Stones

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As Antpaw went about his daily duties- namely, hunting for his clan- he debated whether or not this was a good idea. He had decided to go back for that strange structure he'd seen the last time he visited this section of the forest, alongside his sisters. The rocks just seemed so... deliberate, so important... surely, they would mean a great deal for LightClan! Besides, if he, Birchpaw, and Mousepaw all went and explored new territories to claim, Lightrunner would be impressed with them! Which would get them that much closer to receiving their warrior names.

"This is the weird place you saw..?" Mousepaw mewed, tipping her head curiously as she squinted off in the distance. "Those rocks over there?"

"Yeah! They're not too far, right?"

"I guess not, but shouldn't we bring a warrior..?"

Birchpaw perked up. "Like Magic-"

"Not Magicburst," Antpaw and Mousepaw answered in unison. Birchpaw seemed a little sad that her idea was shot down before she could even suggest it, but she didn't protest.

"If we explore it on our own, Lightrunner will see what good warriors we are! Taking initiative and all..."

"I guess that makes sense..." Though Mousepaw still didn't seem completely on board, Antpaw knew she would tag along anyway.

"Yeah! Let's go! Let's race there!" Birchpaw's front paws prodded the snow excitedly.

"No, no racing!"

"Yes racing!"

Before Mousepaw could stop her, Birchpaw had already pelted off into the forest, beaming. Betrayed, Antpaw started after her.

"Do BOTH of you have bees in your ears?!" Mousepaw whined, giving chase with her smaller legs. "Wait for me!"

For once, Birchpaw actually did wait for Mousepaw, slowing down enough so that both she and Antpaw could pass. Antpaw didn't want either of his sisters to win, though, so he didn't stop. In fact, he was supposed to be the leader of this whole operation, so it only made sense that he'd be in front.

As they continued onward, though, the mist began to grow thicker, only made more difficult to navigate by the snow that started to whirl down onto their pelts. It was a good thing he and Birchpaw had their mother's thick fur, but...

"It's so cold!" Mousepaw complained with a squeak. "My tail's gonna freeze off at this rate!"

"It'll be okay! We're nearly there!"

The closer they got to the rocks, the more Antpaw began to realize that the mist was emanating from this place, rather than this place being settled in mist. It sent a chill down his spine, almost as much as the snow did.

Eventually, the structure loomed before them. A circle of rocks, within another circle of rocks, and with the... weirdest tree Antpaw had ever seen, right smack in the middle. It almost seemed to... twinkle?

"...This place is creepy... I don't like it..." Mousepaw whimpered, shivering due to the cold fog surrounding them. "Can we go home yet?"

"No way!" Birchpaw piped up. "This place is like, SUPER significant! We've gotta tell Lightrunner, like, right away!"

"We should probably hunt first," Antpaw shook his head. "We did come out here on a hunting trip, after all..."

Mousepaw huffed, clearly not happy with the suggestion. "Yeah, I guess so. I'm still hungry... I didn't get any breakfast..."

"We'll earn you some supper, then!" Birchpaw gave Mousepaw a good rough pat on the back with her paw. "Maybe we'll even get our warrior ceremony when we get back? You never know!"

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Antpaw, Birchpaw, and Mousepaw have discovered a new location: Misty Grotto

None of the apprentices can quite place why, but this place seems spiritually significant.

The siblings hunt while they're at the strange location, chatting happily among themselves.

Back home, Magicburst picks a fight with Stormflower. While the healer wins the fight, she gains a minor wound in the process.

Thankfully, Stormflower is able to recover on her own with minimal effort.

Magicburst and Stormflower are currently on bad terms.

After a full day of unsuccessful hunting back home, the apprentices' hunting patrol is a sight for sore eyes. They manage to bring back enough prey to feed the clan, if only for the evening.

Mousepaw reports back to Lightrunner in the place of her siblings, who are so tuckered out that they immediately head to bed. Lightrunner decides that she'll send a better-equipped patrol to investigate the Misty Grotto in the near future.

[ts3lightclan]

(1.28) I Was Bearly Scared!

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As Magicpaw wandered the territory, he found himself muttering grouchily to himself. He'd gotten used to sleeping alone in the apprentices' den, but now that Honeypurr's brood had reached six moons and had their apprentice ceremony, they were taking up all of his space! Not only were there too many of them, but they were all so loud, and they kept roughhousing and rolling on top of him while he was trying to sleep!

He wasn't sure how much more of it he could take. If only Lightrunner would make him a warrior already... Magicpaw didn't want to get in trouble for starting fights again, and of course, everyone would take the younger apprentices' sides if he tried to teach them a lesson.

As he approached the border, Magicpaw froze to a halt at the stench of a twoleg nearby. Was there another intruder? ...No, this twoleg was on the other side of the thunderpath. He crouched behind the cover of the bushes, trying to figure out what the lumbering creature was up to.

Then, upon further inspection, he gasped. He had a kit in his paws! Magicpaw couldn't tell whether or not the kit was in danger, but either way... he didn't want to risk it! The warrior code says to always protect kits, right? Well, Magicpaw was a warrior in spirit, and he was not about to let this slide.

"Put that kit down! Leave it alone!" He yowled, rushing across the thunderpath and charging at the threat. In seconds, his claws raked through the weird outer skin of the twoleg, and it let out a loud shout of surprise and fear. Shocked, the twoleg dropped the kit, and it landed with a soft 'fwump' into the powdery snow.

"Yeah! That's right!" Magicpaw hissed, biting at the twoleg's ankles. "Get out of here! This is LightClan territory!"

The strange twoleg bellowed in terror, and Magicpaw gave him a few more rakes of his claws before the twoleg ran away, its nonexistent tail between its legs.

Magicpaw spat at the pavement, fur fluffed up with anger and pride. He'd driven out a twoleg all on his own! The clan would be so proud of him; surely he'd earned his warrior name now!

"Awawawa--"

Oh, right-- the kit. Magicpaw watched for a moment as she flailed in the snow, struggling to get up out of it so that she could stand. With a huff of second-hand embarrassment, Magicpaw scooped her up by the neck scruff, then carried her safely to the other side of the thunderpath before setting her down.

"Ptoo!" The kit spat out a bit of snow from her mouth. "That was cold!"

"It was snow," He informed curtly, tipping his head. "Are you okay?"

"No, I'm Mips!" She squeaked in response, shaking herself off.

"Uh... that's a weird name. Are you a kittyp-" He paused. If she were a kittypet, she wouldn't know what that meant. "-a house cat?"

"Yeah!" The kit was already prancing about on her little paws. "I was at my house with my sisters and brother an' then these big-people came an' poked us around with their big fleshy paws! An' then this BIIIIG guy scooped me up and took me right outside! Golly, it's so cold out here! Part of it he stuck me right in his pocket! But then YOU came along! Wowie! You kicked his big dumb butt! Are you a super-hero-cat?"

Magicpaw hardly understood a word the kit was saying, but at least she seemed alright. But, Stars, if he thought Antpaw was loud...

"Uh, no, I'm not a 'super-hero-cat'," He informed, puffing out his chest. "I'm a warrior-cat! Gonna be, anyway. I'm Magicpaw."

"Oh! Oh! Cause your paws is magic?"

"Uh- something like that?"

"Can you take me home Mister Magic-Paws? I'm hungry!"

Uh. Magicpaw glanced around awkwardly, trying to figure out where this kit had even come from. Apart from the farms, there weren't a whole lot of twoleg dens around. Her home must be pretty far away...

"...Tell you what. I'll take you back to my clan, and you can eat something there. The grown-ups can figure out what to do with you there, okay?" Without waiting for the little kit to respond, he started to lead the way back to camp, clearing a path through the snow for her with his tail.

"You mean you're not a grown-up?" She gasped, running along at his heels. "You're like the biggest kitten I've ever seen! Am I gonna be big like you soon?"

"If you eat plenty of fresh-kill, you might?"

"Haha! I like your funny words, Magic-Paws!"

┗━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━┛

Magicpaw chases a twoleg off of LightClan territory, freeing a young kit from its grasp.

The kit introduces herself as Mips.

Magicpaw brings the kit back to the clan for her safety.

Lightrunner is surprised by the story as Magicpaw tells it.

Birchpaw is thoroughly impressed after overhearing about Magicpaw's bravery.

Lightrunner decides to change Mips's name to Bearkit in honor of her stubby tail, and she allows her to join the clan.

Magicpaw believes this incident has gotten him closer to his warrior ceremony.

Birchpaw is eager to squeeze every detail of the encounter with the twoleg from Magicpaw. He tells the story proudly, and the two grow a little closer.

Antpaw spends some time with his mother. He cleans the fleas from Honeypurr's pelt.

[ts3lightclan]

(1.41) All Grown Up

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"Cats of LightClan," Lightrunner spoke from atop the Light Rock. "I have called you here today to announce that our three eldest apprentices have passed their warrior assessment. They showed great initiative and skill in discovering the Moontree at the Misty Grotto, where our healers will be able to commune with StarClan for many seasons to come."

As Antpaw listened to the clan's unofficial leader, he felt a surge of pride well up into his chest. It was finally time! He and his sisters had come a long way to reach this moment.

"Mousepaw, Birchpaw, and Antpaw. Do you three promise to uphold the warrior code and defend your clan, even at the cost of your lives?"

A tiny "yes" rose up from Mousepaw, and a much more confident confirmation followed from Birchpaw. Antpaw could safely promise that he would be loyal to his clan as well. "I do!"

"Then, may StarClan shine on you all like a warm ray of light." Lightrunner purred subtly, then cleared her throat.

"Mousepaw, from this moment forward, you will be known as Mousetail. LightClan will forever honor your warm heart and creativity."

Antpaw was surprised to find that the group of cats that had gathered were already cheering. With a glance at his sister, he could tell that Mousepaw- now Mousetail- also felt this way. For his little sister, Antpaw was glad that nearly the whole clan was cheering her new name... with Magicburst being an obvious exception, as the tom was hardly even paying attention to the ceremony.

"Birchpaw, from this moment forward, you will be known as Birchshine. LightClan will forever honor your wit and determination.

Birchpaw- Birchshine- was next to receive her name. His sister puffed out her chest proudly, welcoming the praise of their clanmates.

"And lastly, Antpaw. From this moment forward, you will be known as Antstride. Lightclan will forever honor your bravery and keen senses."

Antstride. Antstride felt confident that this new name suited him well, and he wasn't at all offended at his sisters being named first. After all, Lightrunner needed to save the best for last, didn't she?

With the whole clan cheering their names in unison, Antstride gave Birchshine a playful bump with his side, which in turn sent her stumbling slightly into Mousetail. Both of his sisters laughed, finding a new bliss in their shared ceremony. Antstride's heart warmed at the sound. They may be warriors now, but they would be littermates first and forever. Who could ask for anything more?

┗━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━┛

Mousepaw receives her warrior name, Mousetail, in honor of her skinny tail.

Birchpaw receives her warrior name, Birchshine, in honor of her bright personality.

Antpaw receives his warrior name, Antstride, in honor of the new step he (and his sisters) helped the clan take in finding the Moontree.

[ts3lightclan]

(1.40) The Proposal

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"I don't know about this..."

Mousepaw was surprised that Antpaw of all cats was apprehensive about Stormflower's proposal. He was usually the most eager to explore and try new things, being the most... careless of the litter.

"Why? I thought you'd be excited!" Birchpaw seemed equally shocked, tilting her head. Mousepaw just sat and allowed Antpaw to groom her fur, tipping her head to the side so he could reach behind her ear. He tended to fuss over her when he was anxious; was this related to the conversation?

"I'm just not sure it's a good idea, that's all. I mean..." He huffed, lowering his voice so that none of the others in camp could hear. "Skunktooth was... he was exiled, I don't know if we're allowed to talk to him."

"But Stormflower says it's fine!" Birchpaw replied, furrowing her brows. "And she's a healer. We should trust her!"

Still seeming unconvinced, Antpaw turned his attention back to Mousepaw, wordlessly asking for her opinion.

"...I just want to see him again," She mumbled quietly. "It might be controversial, but... he's our father! Why wouldn't we be allowed to see him?"

Antpaw kept silent. Mousepaw couldn't understand why he was so against the idea.

"Well, if you don't want to come along," Birchpaw huffed, rolling her eyes, "Then Mousepaw and I can just go by ourselves. That way you won't get in trouble, okay? Besides-" She grinned, motioning to a spot in the distance where Stormflower and Lightrunner were speaking. "-We're gonna be warriors soon! We should focus on that first!"

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Antpaw, Birchpaw, and Mousepaw return to camp with Stormflower. The healer reports to Lightrunner that the siblings have earned their warrior names.

Their warrior ceremony will be held soon.

The three apprentices discuss Stormflower's proposal with one another. Birchpaw and Mousepaw are on board, but Antpaw is still oddly reluctant.

Bearpaw has recovered well from her injury, though the incident has left a scar.

Magicburst seems to be giving his apprentice more positive attention since the incident.

Flowerkit finds a squirrel in the warriors' den and chases it around.

[ts3lightclan]

(1.34) Bonds Severed and Fostered

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"Mister Magic-Paws! Wait up!"

As Magicburst began to exit the camp for another hunting trip, he found himself stopped by a loud, squeaky voice from behind. Begrudgingly, he stopped until the kit could catch up.

"How many times do I have to tell you? It's Magicburst now."

"Oh! Right! Mister Magic-burst!" Bearkit purred, her stubby tail wiggling back and forth. "I wanna come with you! Let's go hunt together!"

"You're not old enough for that yet," He reminded her with an impatient huff. "You have to be an apprentice. You know that."

"Yeah, well, I'm like, basically already an apprentice, so doesn't that count for something?"

"No." He could hear a whine squeeze out of the kit's lungs at his blunt response, but he was too used to this behavior to be fazed. "Besides, it's too cold out."

"Cold don't bother me any! I've got big puffy fur, see?" The black-and-white kit fluffed out as best as she could, to look as big as possible. "I'm not like the other kits! I got some meat on my bones!"

"Right, and you won't keep it there unless you let me go catch more fresh-kill," He grunted. "Go back to the nursery. You can come hunting with me when you're an apprentice."

The moment Bearkit gasped, Magicburst knew he'd screwed up.

"You mean it? You promise?! No take-backs, okay?!"

"Yeah, yeah, whatever..."

"Woohoo!" Before Magicburst could warn her to keep it down or she'd scare away all the prey, Bearkit had already run off toward the nursery, no doubt to brag about his "promise" to Pepperfrost's litter.

Sigh...

┗━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━┛

Bearkit has been following Magicburst around nonstop for the past few days.

Despite his cold exterior, Magicburst has grown a bit attached to Bearkit. The two are friends.

Bearkit is nearing the age of six moons. Her apprentice ceremony will be held any day now.

The clan is having trouble keeping the fresh-kill pile full. Nobody is starving, but everyone is growing restless.

Of all the cats working hard to feed the clan, Antpaw seems to be the most successful hunter.

With everyone's patience running thin, Magicburst and Stormflower are fighting once more. Though there's no bloodshed this time, nobody is happy with this.

Magicburst and Birchpaw have become friends after spending more time together.

Mousepaw presents Sleetkit with an Empty Chip Bag for her and her siblings to play with.

Stormflower has been teaching Lilacdream more and more about healing remedies and herbs.

[ts3lightclan]

(1.30) Hunger Growing

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"Why would you do that?!" Stormflower's sudden aggression startled Magicburst, who- as far as he was concerned- was just minding his own business. "That's a Rainbow Beetle! Why are you eating it?!"

"Food is food," He huffed. "We can't get picky about prey now, it's leaf-bare!"

"Those are incredibly rare!" The spotted she-cat hissed. "And their healing properties are second to none! You should have brought it directly to me!"

Oh. Magicburst suddenly felt very silly, and slightly shameful. He'd been hunting for the clan since the moment he'd awoken, and he hadn't had anything to eat yet... with prey so scarce, he figured that a big, strong warrior should keep his energy up, and so he had snacked on one of his catches after returning to camp. But after a reaction like that...

"I- I didn't know it was important!" He defended, fluffing up. "And I was hungry!"

"You should always put your clan first, Magicburst," She growled under her breath. "StarClan has graced you with a place to stay. You shouldn't take it for granted."

Huh?

"What's that supposed to mean?!" He bristled in shock. "I don't take the clan for granted! You're the one who strolled in on your own and started bossing everyone around!"

"I do what I have to for the sake of this clan," She snapped back, turning to leave. "You should do the same."

Magicburst was seething by this point, flexing his claws angrily... he felt about ready to claw her tail to teach her a lesson for being so... so...!

"Um-- Magicburst?"

He whirled around, causing the cat behind him to jump. Oh. It was just Birchpaw.

"...S-Sorry if I was bothering you! I just- prey is scarce and all, so I was wondering if you wanted to share?"

"No. I'm not hungry."

The hope that had been in the younger cat's eyes vanished with his blunt response, and Magicburst suddenly felt a bit guilty. He hadn't meant to snap at her, but it came so easily to him, especially after the argument with Stormflower.

"I... I mean, I already ate. You should have it."

"O-Oh..." She sighed, seeming weirdly... disappointed? But that didn't stop her from continuing to talk. "W-Well, do you mind if I just sit with you, then? That seemed like, uh, a bad conversation. I didn't hear everything, but-- maybe I can lend an ear..? If you need it? No pressure though! Totally understand if not!"

He sighed. She really was trying hard to befriend him, wasn't she?

"...I guess, just don't... don't sit too close. I don't want Antpaw and Mousepaw to get the wrong idea."

"Right! Got it!" She shuffled a little bit away, placing the womrat down and settling down to eat at a respectful distance. She seemed to be trying to 'play it cool', but he could hear her purring from a few fox-lengths away. "Well, try not to worry about my siblings too much. I'm the only threat you have to worry about, after all~!"

"I think I see what you mean."

┗━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━┛

Magicburst eats a Rainbow Beetle during hunting without realizing its medical significance. Stormflower gives him a thorough scolding.

Birchpaw allows Magicburst to vent to her (while sitting at a respectful distance).

Prey is scarce in the middle of leaf-bare. The cats all work hard to fill the prey pile, but they're just barely breaking even as of late.

[ts3lightclan]

(1.29) Magical Days Spent Planning Away

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"Magicpaw, do you promise to uphold the warrior code and defend your clan, even at the cost of your life?" Lightrunner spoke out from atop the rock, pride gleaming in her eyes.

"I do."

"Then, may Starclan shine upon you like a warm ray of light. From this day forward, you will be known as Magicburst. LightClan will forever honor your loyalty and determination."

As the clan cheered Magicburst's new name, with Birchpaw being among the loudest, Mousepaw felt her belly wrench with distaste. She'd never gotten along with Magicburst, not even when they were kits, and she was... weirdly jealous of his new status as a warrior.

Even now, as their clanmates moved to congratulate the new warrior, Birchpaw would not shut up about him.

"Can you believe that? Magicpaw's a-- I mean Magicburst is a warrior now! I mean, he deserves it, he beat that twoleg up real good! I wish I could've seen it!"

"I wish you could've faced the twoleg instead," Antpaw rolled his eyes with a laugh. "No offense, Birchpaw, but you've been talking about this for days. You sound like a moonstruck kit."

"I--" Birchpaw's fur fluffed up on the defense. "I can respect a warrior of my clan, can't I?"

"Yeah, but it's painful to listen to all the time!" Antpaw laughed, putting on his always-funny-and-accurate Birchpaw impression. 'Magicpaw this, Magicpaw that! Magicpaw's so cool! I wish he'd sweep me up off my paws and carry me off into the sunset~!'" If Birchpaw was embarrassed before, she was mortified now.

"I- I do not talk like that! S-Shut up, he's gonna hear you!"

"You do kinda talk like that, though," Mousepaw finally chimed in, giving her sister a sympathetic smile, though her brow furrowed. "But... Magicburst's... kind of a jerk, you know? He still hisses at me, like, all the time."

"Mousepaw's right!" Antpaw huffed. "We're siblings! We've all gotta be on the same team! So are you with us, or against us?"

"Th-That's not fair!" Birchpaw huffed, tail lashing. "Of course I'm on your side, I just... well, I wanna make other friends too, y'know?"

Mousepaw stayed quiet, averting her eyes.

"Well, then, how about this!" Antpaw puffed up a little, his tone making Mousepaw a bit nervous. When Antpaw got himself all riled up, Birchpaw was usually quick to follow... and it usually landed them all in trouble. "I've got a plan. One that'll show Lightrunner that we're all ready to be warriors."

"We haven't been apprentices for that long, though..?" Mousepaw pointed out softly.

"Doesn't matter! If warriorship is about achievements, then... well, let's give her some!"

┗━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━┛

Magicpaw receives his warrior name, Magicburst.

The remaining apprentices are whispering about some sort of plan.

Honeypurr attempts to share some motherhood tips with Pepperfrost. Pepperfrost does not seem very interested.

A rainbow can be seen from the edge of LightClan territory. The clan perceives this as a good omen for the moons to come.

[ts3lightclan]

(1.27) Sunset Trails

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"Race ya there?" Birchpaw suggested with a grin, eager to head off to their destination. "Three-two-one GO!"

"Wha-!" Antpaw watched as his sister darted across the thunderpath, not even waiting for him to be ready first. "Hey! No fair! You got a head start!" He called out, taking off after her in seconds.

He was faintly aware of Mousepaw calling out to them to wait for her, and- even farther away- Lightrunner warning them to be careful on the path. It was fine, he figured; monsters rarely came by this direction, anyway. It was why Honeypurr had suggested their little outing in the first place.

His heavy breaths formed thick puffs of mist in the air as he raced after Birchpaw, willing all of his strength into his legs and his lungs. As his sister disappeared around a bush, he thought the race had surely ended, and he had already lost. But he would still give it all he had!

┗━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━┛

Antpaw, Birchpaw, and Mousepaw are taken on an evening trip to nearby hunting grounds to practice their hunting skills. They are chaperoned by Lightrunner and Honeypurr.

Mousepaw catches a snake.

Antpaw spots a strange rock structure in the distance, but he doesn't get an opportunity to investigate.

Birchpaw catches the most prey out of the entire patrol. What a rush!

Antpaw is bummed out that he didn't win the prey-catching contest.

Pepperfrost tries to distract herself from her grief by hunting. She's especially productive, despite having kits to take care of.

Antpaw challenges Magicpaw to a friendly spar.

[ts3lightclan]

(1.26) Bursting At The Seams

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From atop the Light Rock, Lightrunner had a hard time wrapping her head around just how many cats her clan had accumulated over the past few seasons. It hadn't felt like LightClan was very big at first, but now that Honeypurr's litter was practically bursting out of the nursery, the camp had never felt so full. It only felt right to welcome them to a new era here, from atop the rock that these kits themselves decorated with claw marks.

"Antkit, Birchkit, and Mousekit. The three of you have reached the age of six moons, and you are now ready to become apprentices."

The trio seemed a bit overly eager, bumping and squealing amongst themselves. It took a quick shushing from their mother nearby to get them to contain themselves.

"StarClan shines upon these young cats like a warm ray of light. Until you receive your warrior names, you will be known as... Antpaw, Birchpaw, and Mousepaw." The new apprentices only barely seemed to contain themselves as the ceremony progressed.

"Due to our... current lack of full warriors, your training will be shared between Honeypurr and I for the time being. I hope we are able to pass on our skills and experience to the three of you."

Once the announcement was made, Lightrunner dipped her head to dismiss the cats, and the remainder of the clan roared the new apprentices' names... apart from Stormflower, who merely watched pleasantly from afar, and Magicpaw, who seemed a bit irked. Lightrunner suspected the young tom was becoming impatient with his own training now that his mentor was stuck in the nursery with her new litter. She should really do something about that in the coming days...

┗━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━┛

Antkit, Birchkit, and Mousekit become apprentices, under the names Antpaw, Birchpaw, and Mousepaw.

Their collective training will be overseen by Lightrunner and Honeypurr, as there aren't enough warriors in the clan to mentor them individually.

Magicpaw seems upset that he isn't a warrior yet.

The snow has gotten so heavy that dens are overflowing. It is nearly impossible for cats to access their nests, and the kits are having trouble exploring.

[ts3lightclan]

Introducing: Birchpaw

Playful

Hunter

Current Role: Apprentice

Mentor: N/A

Of her siblings' shared three brain cells, Birchpaw often has at least two of them at any given moment. The largest of her littermates, Birchpaw serves as both the brains and the brawn, though her competitive drive often sends her competing with Antpaw over just about anything she can think of. It's good to remind your siblings who's in charge every now and then.