On the shore of the lake...

This stuff is going to take ages to dry off, Briarfrost thought, turning to look at his own long, wet fur. Ah well.

He was taken by surprise at Tidalpaw's compliment. Cool? He'd always thought of himself far from cool, but now he was pleased enough. "Um. Thanks!"

Together they set off, back to camp. Briarfrost only needed to set Tidalpaw on the right track a few times, merely coming a few foxlengths off their usual track.

((OOC – Yep, sure! ^^ We can start another one as soon as you like. I think we have time for one more before Scamp and Quebec and Erika and Aiden come along.. :P

August 20th to September 19th... this took us exactly 30 days! Awesome.))

"Great! Good job, Hiddenpaw. I knew that that raven didn't have a chance. Do you want to practice a little longer? I think you don't need any more practice but just in case..."

Hiddenpaws chest puffed out at the praise, and she carried her kill over to her mentor. "When will my assessment be?" The apprentice couldn't help asking, for it was getting close to her warrior ceremony.

"I don't know, Hiddenpaw. I will have to talk to Puddlestar, and he will see if he can fit you in. You are going to be a great warrior, Hiddenpaw."
OOC: Do I have to involve Puddlestar's rper in this? Or what do I do for assessment? *panics* I don't know what to doooooo!!!!!

ooc: Lol, no. Poor Puddlestar is swamped with other things. Just sort of make her go out hunting some day, and then he follows her and watches her progress and all. Easy enough.

ic: Hiddenpaw nodded, her chest puffing up at the compliment. "I'm going to be the leader some day!" She commented, wishing it were true. But of course there was a very little chance, but it didn't hurt to hope.

Rockstep chuckled. "I hope i am leader at one point too, Hiddenpaw, and if I become leader, I know exactly who I will choose as my deputy. My former apprentice." Rockstep beamed down at Hiddenpaw. "I will tell Puddlestar I will assess you tomorrow. Now get some sleep. You have a big day ahead of you." Rockstep started to head back to the camp.

Hiddenpaws tail puffed up a little more, and she couldn't help bouncing around again. The hyper apprentice snatched up the prey she had caught and bounded around her mentor a few times before falling into step next to him. Walking slowly didn't suite her at the moment, so soon she was running through the forest again, stopping every now and again to wait and catch her breath.

Squirrelspot sniffed the air in search of prey. But she caught another scent instead, and recognized kittypet. Another kittypet? Unlike some warriors, Squirrelspot was nice to kittypets. She followed the scent to Shimmer Lake, and walked out to meet the kittypet. "Hello? Don't worry, I won't attack. What's your name?" As subtle as a peacock, she thought.

OOC: Sorry, but I'm moving my charrie elsewhere. I've waited over a month, and I'm the impatient type. Sorry! Bye!

*end of thread*
OOC: could you make a thread for the assessment?

?topic=36093

... Here. Snowkit probably would've liked the lake.... Rainstorm set the tiny white body down gently, almost as if it were asleep instead of dead.
Now that he had left the watchful gaze of his mate and he concerned looks of his Clanmates, the gray tabby finally let his tears fall. They wet his cheeks, then his paws, then the snow then finally the dirt he churned as he dug.
He'd always heard of other cats losing their young before they were born. He'd always felt bad for them, gave them pitying looks or a kind word. Now, now he finally knew how they felt. Knew how no matter what anyone said, it could never repair the damage done. Knew that having other healthy, living kits wouldn't ease the pain.

After too short a time, the grave was ready. It was small, tiny. Rainstorm hoped he wouldn't have to dig another grave of this size again. He turned back toward the cold, stiff body of his child. Her fur almost blended into the fresh, powdery snow around her. "Snowkit is definitely a good name for you, kiddo," he meowed, his voice hoarse. He reacher for her scruff, then stopped. He couldn't do it. He couldn't put this tiny, absolutely pure kit into the ground. Snarling, he glared at the sky with rage filled blue eyes.
"Why did you take her?! What has she done?!" he yowled, his voice shaking. Part of him wanted to fill the grave back in and take the kit back to the nursery, just to defy her death. The sight of her cold body starting to get covered by snowflakes brought him back to earth.
He lay down, curling up around her, trying to warm her body, licking her head, anything to bring her back. Reality kicked in after a moment. "It's not going to work." He told himself.
Finally, he lifted Snowkit's tiny body, watching the snowflakes fall off her fluffy kit fur before gently laying her in her grave.

He stood silently, just looking at her, watching snowflakes drift into the hole in the earth. Now came the difficult part, actually burying her. ... She's not here anymore. She's in StarClan. This is just a body. Just lift your paw, and knock some dirt in. Good. Now again. And again. And again... Soon the hole was completely filled in.

It took all of his strength for Rainstorm to walk away from the small dirt mound, back towards camp, and not to try to dig up his tiny newborn daughter.

OOC - Well he's not really the enemy....but it still sounds cool. xD

A light dusting of snow covered Lilypaw's fur, but it was barely visible, as her fur was almost just as light. She walked beside Sagenight, her eyes flicking over every couple of seconds, out of curiosity. Was he going to make a run for it? Attack? She didn't think so, he seemed nice enough and smart enough not to mess with SnowClan when they'd captured him already.

With a start, she realized that if he did run, Lilypaw would be dead. Probably exiled, because she'd offered to take him out of the den.

OOC: I know. x3 When I first saw the title I thought it was so cool. ^.^

IC: Sagenight had hunted, talked, and even argued (no claws used) with his half-brother, so he didn't feel any urge to run now. Besides...the Blackhearts, to his knowledge, had been killed or run out, so where would he go? Nowhere, except for an ally. Allies he had never visited before.

A hare, fur patched as it began its color transformation from brown to white, raced ahead. Unfortunately, it would not live to see its new color as Sagenight ran ahead to easily kill it. Returning to Lilypaw, he mewed, "Here's one. You want to go for two?"

Lilypaw smiled. "Sure," she purred. "Gimme a sec." Hunting was where she shined, so she walked ahead a little bit. When she arrived at the base of a huge pine tree, she moved into a small pose she came up with. Basically it allowed her senses to work at their best. She tiled her chin upwards, so her nose was at a good height for scents and her ears were swiveling around slightly. Her eyes flicked around as her paws planted themselves so that she could feel movements that were large enough. Quickly she picked up on something.

A couple of feet ahead, a squirrel was at the base of a tree, where the grass poked through the snow. The squirrel was on the thin side, but it's cheeks were puffed to their fullest with acorns and nuts that it was gathering. Lilypaw sunk into the crouch and crept forward. Slowly she drew a paw in front of another. The squirrel suddenly froze and it's beady eyes turned, searching for the danger it sensed. In the next moment, the apprentice's claws had the creature pinned. Lilypaw quickly killed the squirrel and came back to Sagenight. "Shall we eat?" she suggested, avoiding Sagenight's amber gaze awkwardly. A small butterfly came into her stomach as she waited to see if she'd impressed him in any way.

Sagenight nodded, eyes alit with curiousity. "Where'd you come up with that pose?" he asked, crouching down and taking a look at the squirrel.

"Just kind of....my own thing," she said as she glanced down, avoiding his amber gaze. If she could have blushed, she would have. Suddenly in the forest in front of them, the trees blew violently and the wind roared. Lilypaw had to pick her voice up, so she was almost at a yell. "Let's go in here," she shouted as she picked up her mouse and turned towards a large oak, that was hollowed out in it's middle. Squeezing through a crevice, she got inside and huffed her breath against her paws, trying to warm them up. She began to lick her snow-coated tail the wrong way. Although it was uncomfortable, it helped to warm it.

Sagenight was glad for his thick coat. The brown tabby scampered over to the hollow, dragging his rabbit with him and joining Lilypaw inside. Laying the rabbit near the entrance to prevent a draft, he pressed his body against hers. "Sharing the warmth," he purred, grooming his paws and one of Lilypaw's as well. "Don't think it's going to be cold in here now!"

OOC: Hope you don't mind if I started a genetics thread. That way we aren't rushing at the last minute by the time they decide to have kits.

OOC - Oh, cool. (:

Lilypaw felt lighter and her breathing picked up. She tried to pass it off as the cold causing it, but of course it was Sagenight. She giggled and noticed a clump of snow in his long fur, near the nape of his neck. It didn't require much movement, as they were already pressed together, and she licked it off of his fur gently.

Sagenight began to purr, and his fur began to relax as he took in the she-cat's warmth and gave her some of his own. The tom pressed his body even closer and continued to purr, rumbling, "The lake is really pretty, but with the snow it's a little cold and lifeless. Want to warm it up and create some life?"

You could practically hear the click as Lilypaw put things together. Nervous, she simply responded with a purr. She gave him a nuzzle.

OOC - Sorry I'm sort of museless right now. x-x Shall we fade out now....?