I.Wasn't.Looking.For.Perfection>>[Open]

[♫.Starredmyst]

Patchstar's eyes narrowed, even as the murmurs swelled around him. Already this was coming close to a dangerous repetition of the last time a loner had entered their territory; granted, Patchstar certainly wouldn't try to make Goldenleaf kill her own daughter, but his expression made clear that he planned nothing good.

"As a matter of fact," he retorted, trying to hide that Goldenleaf did intimidate him, actually, quite a bit, "I do, madame former rogue. I thought I'd made clear that I had no intention of allowing any more mixed blood into our Clan --"

Starredmyst was whispering to her father, frantically, but he paid her words no mind. Dissatisfied mutters sounded in the crowd.

"...aren't going to like this..."

"-- I know. He's so stupid! How could he do this again!"

And -- to put the icing on a cake Patchstar definitely wasn't going to like -- Nightpaw raced up to the front of the crowd.

"Uncle Patchstar, didja hear?" he crowed, completely oblivious to the dark stares the leader and company were getting. "There's a new cat -- Cloud -- oh, there she is, are you already talking with her? She wants to join the Clan! Isn't it great?"

He beamed; somehow, Nightpaw had always had a particular blind spot for the darker side of his uncle's behavior.

Patchstar muttered something rude under his breath; Starredmyst bumped against him roughly, whispering, "Just go with it, Daddy." He sighed, giving in to the anger of the mob and helpless enthusiasm of his relative.

"Fine. Keep your kit here. She'll be an apprentice -- Cloudpaw." He didn't offer to hold a ceremony for her, or even assign a mentor; Moonwhisker could take care of the little details. "I'm going back to my den."

He turned and stalked stiffly away, Starredmyst trailing after him with a long-suffering expression on her face. Nightpaw beamed at his new friend.

"Hey, isn't that great? It all worked out!"

[nightcloud]

Goldenleaf looked at the tom, as if daring him to tell her to kill her own kit or make her discard Cloud. A slight hiss came from her maws. But then a superbly satisfied look came across her face as she saw Patchstar walk away, her kit having become a clan member then and there, now known as Cloudpaw. With a sense of triumph, the she-cat looked down at her daughter. Welcome to Ivoryclan. Now, get to know the place. I'm sure you'll love it. Go with Nightpaw. I'm going to sleep.

To say the least, Cloudpaw was exuberant about becoming Cloudpaw. Smiling, she looked at Nightpaw and her mother. Purring, she rubbed against her mother and said a happy, Good night, Goldenleaf! Then, licking her chest tuff, she looked at Nightpaw and blinked warmly. So, is that offer for a tour still open? Smiling, her tail flicked under his chin.

[♫.Starredmyst]

"'night, Goldenleaf," Nightpaw echoed his new friend; he watched her go to the warrior den, then turned his eager stare back to Cloud -- Cloudpaw.

"So, is that offer for a tour still open?"

The she-cat's dark tailtip flicked against his chin, and Nightpaw stiffened, startled but not entirely displeased by the touch. " 'Course it is!" he answered happily, bouncing a little on his paws; his ears flickered from one direction to another as he planned where they could stop. "Uhh...we can start right here, and if it's not too dark or cold or whatever I can show you around the territory for a little bit. Just don't tell your mentor you already know where to go!" he teased.

"Follow me; we can start in from the entrance..."

[nightcloud]

Cloudpaw looked at Nightpaw and began to giggle. He would certainly make an interesting friend in this frantic and lonely world. Purring, she examined the camp and sighed. She didn't know which unique looking den to the next. One again directing her hazel optics at Nightpaw, she laughed and said, Nightpaw, I would be thrilled if you would just show me everything. And don't worry, I won't grow weary, for this is very exciting!

Following him to the entrance, she saw a cat looking at her as if she had just grown three tails. Why is he staring at me like that? She whispered in Nightpaw's ear, never taking her inquisitive gaze off the camp entrance guard.

[♫.Starredmyst]

A certain bounce found itself in Nightpaw's step as he heard Cloudpaw's words; he proudly took her back in the direction they'd come from, pausing as they reached the entrance. The young tom started to give the cat on guard a friendly hello -- only to realize that the guard was too busy staring at his companion to notice him.

"Why is he staring at me like that?"

Nightpaw smirked a little at Cloudpaw's whisper; a smirk at the expense of the other cat, not his new friend. "That's the entrance guard -- he makes sure the wrong cats stay out and the right ones in. Mostly that's just chasing after stray kits nowadays -- I mean, we are the only Clan after all -- so since you're new and all, you're prolly the most interesting thing that's come by all day."

He decided not to mention two other options. The tom could be memorizing Cloudpaw's face in case of trouble from the former rogue -- which would be rude to say -- or he could be admiring her -- which made Nightpaw uneasy, because that tom was way too old for her anyway.

"So, um." Trying to ignore the guard's steady gaze, Nightpaw padded up to the driftwood pile that was the outer wall and, half-jumping, half-scrambling, managed to find a perch about halfway up it. "This is the wall, obviously. It's not hard to climb but it's enough to keep trouble out -- you can come up it if you want, we do it on a dare sometimes, but the whole Clan'll come down to skin you if you knock stuff down."

[nightcloud]

Cloudpaw looked at the tom and then at Nightpaw. Purring, she blinked warmly at him. Well, I won't be new soon enough! I wonder who my mentor will me? Cloudpaw's mind working extremely fast, she looked at the older guard and then her brain thought of a mentor; she needed a mentor. Cloudpaw laughed softly at the thought of her own logic. Then, turning towards her friend, she caught on just in time to hear what he was saying.

Her vocals thrumming to the natural feline tune, she gathered her leg muscles and sprung into the air, looking somewhat like a bird the way she soared to the top of the wall. Once having a hold, using her limber arms to lift her on top. There, she sat waiting for her friend. With a cat's wink, she said in a teasing fashion, You're right, it wasn't hard to climb at all.

[.&&. Snowsong.]

(( I know it's probably late in joining this, but blame boredom. xD ))

Within pure silence, Snowsong entered the Camp, Gingerpaw trailing behind her. Within her jaws were a couple of fish, and she padded over to the fresh-kill pile, dropping the fish into the pile. Her lobes were pricked, listening to the murmurs of a new apprentice, and her orbs flicked to the Camp entrance; she had seen Nightpaw and a young she-cat over there, so she figured, now, that the she-cat was the new apprentice. Her orbs flicked to behind her as she heard smaller paws lightly trek upon the Earth.

With a smile, Gingerpaw padded over to the fresh kill pile, dropping the vole that she had caught. Her orbs flicked to the warrior that had hunted with her, and she nodded when the alabaster she warrior flicked her tail, signaling that she was now free. As the apprentice dashed off, Snowsong got to her paws, padding to the warriors' den and laying down, her lobes remaining pricked to listen to more of the Clan news; she also attempted to pretend she hadn't seen Risingdawn a moment ago.

[♫.Starredmyst]

Nightpaw blinked at Cloudpaw's quick flip of subject, then tilted his head. "Dunno," he remarked. " 'course, we're real short on apprentices now, so there's a lot of good cats who you might end up getting. You're fast," he added, an oblique compliment, scrambling up to meet the she-cat when she leapt the rest of the way to the top.

"Hey -- you can see everything from here! Well, except the dens themselves, those are in the caves. See -- in the middle there's the stream, so we always have clean water, but it's salty down near Highrock so you don't want to drink it there. Highrock, I mean, that's the big rock down where the stream meets the Big Water, where the leader makes announcements and has ceremonies and stuff. Uncle Patchstar hasn't used it in a while, but Moonwhisker -- she's deputy -- she does sometimes.

"You can't see it from here, but the freshkill pile's behind Highrock, and beyond those are some really cool rocks that stick out into the water -- you can sun yourself, or you can fish from them in greenleaf when the water's not frozen."

The tom paused after this recital, looking rather proud of himself for fitting so many words into a few breaths, and was about to suggest they go walk and see the dens when he spotted a familiar ginger pelt bounding away from the freshkill pile.

"Hey! There's another of us apprentices -- I can introduce you guys. Gingerpaw!" Nightpaw called out, loud enough for the other apprentice to hear, and leapt down from the wall in one smooth movement.

[nightcloud]

Cloudpaw purred at Nightpaw and with intense golden orbs, looked at the campsite, as if quickly memorizing every single nook and cranny it had. After a moment of this focused studying, the pretty apprentice gazed at her friend and laughed, her spotted tail twitching in content. Very impressive! It's good to know where you live so well! I'm sure you're mentor is happy to train you; you must be a quick learner.

Looking down a the fresh-kill pile, seeing if perhaps her mother would be down there, giving food to the elders or queens like a good warrior should. (Goldenleaf had often told her what some of the noble duties of a warrior were.) However, her familiar pelt was not to be seen and she sighed. But then she saw a ginger tabby, who looked about her age, but she was of course, small.

Feeling a sharp pang in her mind, she knocked it aside, uncertain of what she had felt. With beautiful grace and simple ease, Cloudpaw was beside Nightpaw. Purring, she looked up and down Gingerpaw critically, then she smiled. It's good to meet another apprentice! My name is Cloudpaw.

[.&&. Snowsong.]

Her lobes shot up at the sound of her calling being voiced, and her orbs flicked to the source. A bright smile began to play upon her lips, and she turned her figure to face the arriving apprentices. "Hi, Nightpaw!" She then glanced at the larger apprentice as the she apprentice spoke. "Hello, Cloudpaw! It's a pleasure to meet you; welcome to the Clan, too! I heard you just joined."

(( Gah, muse left me in middle of posy.
Ren, Silv should, like, walk up to Snow and be all "HEY, HOW ARE YOU DOING WITH RISINGDAWN?" xD ))

[♫.Starredmyst]

OOc;{OMG she should xDDD I was just thinking she needed to join another thread, too.

{BTW, what time of day are you guys taking this as? I figured it was like late afternoon/early evening?}


Nightpaw purred at Cloudpaw's compliment as the duo approached Gingerpaw.

"Hey, Gingerpaw! I was just showing Cloudpaw around camp," the tom said proudly after the she-cats had greeted one another. "Want to come with us?"



Silverdust was bored.

Risingdawn, after grudgingly watching the scene with that new apprentice and her queen, had returned to the warrior den with death threats on anyone who woke him this time. She wasn't entirely certain he wouldn't follow up on those threats, either, and had chosen to leave him alone (although she couldn't resist a snide comment about the virtue of staying up with your mate all night).

Unfortunately, that left his sister without anything to do. She'd gone hunting with Rainclaw already; the fresh-kill pile was fishy enough without her adding more sea life to it, as was usual during leafbare. She didn't have an apprentice, and cats were rarely interested in sparring matches nowadays, with no reason to really keep them in tune.

So naturally, when Silv spotted the opportunity for some fun, she pounced.

The she-cat was lying on a rock in the water, sighing to herself, when she spotted a familiar white pelt headed for the warrior den. Snowsong! With a relieved yelp, Silverdust jumped the distance between her rock and the shore, bounding to intersect the other she-cat's path.

"SNOWSONG! Hiya! Don't bother going in there -- Riss told me he'd rip the fur off the next cat to wake him up. I'm bored. Come talk to me. Pleeeeease?"

[.&&. Snowsong.]

(( It's around noon for me right now. xDD ))

"I'd love to come with you guys! Besides, no one else wants to have some fun; you guys are, like, my only resort. Not that I mind. Let's get going!" Her tail shot up, and Gingerpaw had to hinder herself from bouncing upon her paws. The past few days had been boring; the older cats would understand if they had her energy and personality, but too bad they didn't.

She paced in place, her orbs scanning the Camp, before shifting back to Cloudpaw. "How do you like this place so far, Cloudpaw? It's great, huh?" She couldn't help but feel brighter; today was actually getting better than the past few already.

Her lobes shot up at a familiar voice calling her, and Snowsong turned around to see Silverdust scrambling over to her. A faint chuckle escaped her lips at the she-cat's statements, and she slightly flicked her tail. "Sure, why not..? The past few days have been kind of boring, even for me, and I believe today is the day I should start getting into something other than boredom..," she murmured, like usual.

In her opinion, Silverdust was a great companion, despite her becoming annoying or too awkward at times. It was who she was, and Snowsong wouldn't complain. "Where shall we go..?" She shifted her figure around to face the she warrior.

[nightcloud]

Cloudpaw went into bouts of laughter as she watched Gingerpaw become vibrant and elated. She looked like she just had chased a rabbit. Smiling, she quieted herself and then gazed at Nightpaw and Gingerpaw, answering the other female apprentice's question. Yes, I do like it! Very much! But I still have to look around and learn all that I can...

Balancing herself on her rear legs, she stood up, stretching her hind legs by lifting herself up, like a human. Then, she went for a jump, over Gingerpaw's head. Come on! Let's go explore the forest, shall we? Or maybe we can spar a little? Purring, she led off into the forest a little ways, then her tail twitched in anticipation. Maybe the clan life was the life she had been meant to live all her young life.

[♫.Starredmyst]

Nightpaw's jaw dropped as Cloudpaw took a flying leap over Gingerpaw's head and bounded off towards the forest. He was impressed and more than a little intimidated by the she-cat's casual displays of grace; they posed as frequent reminders that Cloudpaw was not the same kind of cat as he was, and highlighted her foreign beauty all the more because of it.

Realizing he was staring, Nightpaw re-hinged his jaw and bounded after the she-cat, up into the forest.



"Umm...I don't know. I was over on the rocks, they're real warm now. We can hang out there..." Distracted from dissection of her boredom, Silverdust trotted off in the direction of said rocks.
After a moment, the she-cat remembered something she'd wanted to do for a long time, and cast Snowsong a sly glance as she leapt over to her earlier rock.

"So, Snowsong. How are you and Risingdawn doing these days?"

[.&&. Snowsong.]

She was so amazed as Cloudpaw leaped cleanly over her that her jaw nearly dropped, but Gingerpaw managed to keep it hinged, and then whipped around to watch the new apprentice. The she-cat was so skilled and such a wonderful cat that she couldn't help but feel slightly untalented.

She glanced at Nightpaw, with a new smile, and then turned around as he began to bound after Cloudpaw. With some excitement, she too began to bound off swiftly after the two apprentices.

________________

She trailed silently after Silverdust, and then Snowsong selected one of the large rocks to rest upon. Laying onto her underbelly, she rested her cranium upon her paws, and she was hoping she'd be able to relax and have a -- well -- pleasant conversation with Risingdawn's sister.

But her hopes crashed as Silverdust asked her about Risingdawn and her relationship, and the question caused her lobes to shoot up. She almost flushed under her skin as she swiftly fished for a reply. "Uh, well, I suppose we're doing well. Why?" She felt slightly nervous now.