"Run. That is an order."

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It almost seemed like Cinderwisp’s heart didn’t know how to relax. Like it was always fretting about something. Just when things seemed to be looking up, another thing seemed to start worrying her. And this time around, it was the knowledge that leaffall would begin to set in, though this worry was less anxiety-inducing than her previous ones.

With a deep breath, the molly called for RiverClan’s apprentices and warriors, prepared to assign patrols.

“Nettlesky, you will lead Briarfang and Ravenbloom on a border patrol at moonhigh. Following this, Thornstrike will lead Stormsquall and Sturgeonwhisker on a border patrol at dawn while Goosesong takes Merryaster and Mistydawn on a hunting patrol. At sunhigh, Coldstar will take Mintwhisker and Hailstrike on another border patrol. Cottonbright, take Clamsneeze and Ashsong on a border patrol at dusk. Ambersmudge and I will follow close behind for hunting. That is all for today.” 

Garden's gem, in sunlight's blaze
༻❁༺

The light patter of rainfall was a soft, almost soothing noise that added to the atmosphere around camp. There was much to celebrate; kits were lively and healthy in the nursery and the Mad Rogue had been dealt with, finally giving them all a reprieve from the constant wariness everyone felt these past moons. It was as if the ominous cloud cover that lifted. Not that there wouldn't be additional hardships that would threaten them, but Merryaster was in good spirits.

Her foot falls brought her to the den of her leader and former mentor. Others may have been a bit reserved if one was summoned to Coldstar's den, but Merryaster's steps were light and unguarded. "You wanted to see me?" She greeted into the hollow, tail lifted to greet the longhaired, scarred tom.

There’s always something new to try. I’m hungry for all of it!

⋆⋅❆⋅⋆ ❄️ ⋆⋅❆⋅⋆

Ugh! Why did camp duties have to be so star-damned boring! It had been her and her siblings' duties mostly since the six of them had graduated from apprentice to warrior, since there was no new apprentices whatsoever recently, the duties were still theirs. And safe to say, Hailstrike couldn't wait until Skykit and Galekit got their apprentice names. Less work for Hailstrike. Although... Lilyriver did say she could have cleaned out the nests in the nursery faster than her while being half blind... Hailstrike sure showed her! Nursery was clear as it could be, and the queens and their broods were welcomed back into their freshly made dens.

Though... boredom still ebbed at Hailstrike like an angry cloud over her head, despite today's clarity. The pale warrior watched the nursery for movement, maybe she could mess about with the kits, play with them to at least temporarily treat her boredom. All of a sudden, as if a flash of light peeked through the camp, she saw movement of a tortoiseshell kitten from the nursery.

"Hey! Hey Cricketkit!" Hailstrike whisper-shouted as to not disturb the shrewish prude of a mother that sweet kit had, she'd just return Cricketkit back to Bloomfire before she woke up later during the day. If not, Hailstrike was prepared to match her fire. "Wanna come out and play? I've still got some left over moss." She chirped again, flicking her tail as a curious and endearing gesture. This'll be fun.

What I dream, the day might send. Just around the riverbend.

❖ ⭒ ❖ ⭒ 💧 ⭒ ❖ ⭒ ❖

Choosing a patch of sunlight near the roots of the twistijng willow tree that sheltered them, an older, but healthy Otterwhisker was in relatively good spirits. Relatively speaking, that is. A rogue that murdered indicriminately across the Clans dampened her adventurous desire. Coldstar wisely tried to discourage single cats going off on their own - and for an adventurous cat like her, it felt almost like a prison sentence.

She'd have to try and find an escort or two to the river and she hated to impose a selfish desire on the warriors of her Clan. For now she laid on the ground in a sunbeam, back leg stretched out as she dipped her darker face and groomed herself. Long swipes of her tongue against the back of a dark foot and foot as she worked a burr loose.

She was fortunate that she was flexible enough to take care of her own grooming and thankfully she didn't share the long pelt of many of her clanmates.

Garden's gem, in sunlight's blaze
༻❁༺

Warm greenleaf air drifted lazily through the hanging curtains of the Twin Willow as Merryaster stretched along one of the roots. The shade beneath the paired trees dappled her striped, pointed pelt in shifting patterns of light and leaf shadow as she watched. The young warrior had chosen the spot deliberately.

From here she could see most of camp without being directly in the middle of it. The steady rhythm of RiverClan life hummed around her like birdsong - and birdsong too. Greenleaf had softened Clan life into a temporary state of surplus prey and good fishing...even if there were always things for warriors to concern themselves with.

Merryaster rested her chin on her paws, eyes watchful. For the moment she was content simply to observe her Clan. While she had been called for dawn patrol the next day, there would be no patrols today - unless that meant a spontaneous hunting patrol. Those were always fun...with the right cat.

One day, I’ll fight beside the warriors. Not against them

·: *ೃ༄ ☁︎ .ೃ࿐:·

Galekit sat in the nursery, he would be fibbing if he said he wasn't bored. There weren't many interesting things going on in the nursery it may be cozy and safe, but it lacked the excitement that he wanted at the time of his boredom. He rolled over in the nest laying sprawled, he wanted to play with his sister, but she had played when he was taking a nap, but now he was awake, and she was exhausted. He rose his head to look at his mother she was more awake but was occupied with her fur at the moment which he didn't mind it was better than his fur that took way to long to clean rolling his body over he stared into the dimness of the nursery his yellow eyes going over the fur of prey that lined the nursery he could make out some that looked like prey he had eaten before, rabbits and squirrels is what the young tom recognized the most from the fur on the walls.

 

Galekit laid using his imagination trying to cure his boredom his mind wandering to the darkness of the nursery, my pelt would be dark he thought foolishly.

 

He blinked looking towards the entrance of the nursery, Galekit took a quick glance at his mother before he slowly got up and crept to the entrance. The young tom keeping himself low to the ground as he backed away towards the entrance, he turned quickening his pace and leaving the nursery not noticing the icy blue eyes that had watched him attempt to sneak away. He patted happily through rabbits' warren thinking he had successfully snuck out, his ears perked his eyes settling on the tunnel that light seeped through very different from the nursery that was very dark. With a flick of his tail he slowly moved to the light that shined outside rabbit's warren

"Run. That is an order."

⋆﹥━━━━━━━━━━━━━━﹤⋆

She had slowly but surely grown used to her role as RiverClan's deputy. Sure it had taken her longer than she would have liked but what mattered was that she did her best and that she was making progress. Besides, Coldstar didn't seem disappointed and that was all she could really ask for.

Another day another round of patrols. In all honesty, she found it equally enjoyable and tiering, having to do this every single day. But she couldn't show it and she definitely would not back down. No. Never. She had to let Cinderwhisper's legacy live on.

Padding out, Cinderwisp called for her warriors to gather around them. Perhaps smaller patrols would be alright today. No need for six whole cats each one this time around. It had been.. relatively peaceful, after all, to put it generously.

"Alright..." The molly began, some anxiety hidden under her cloak of indifference as she spoke. Would her clanmates judge her for this?.. Maybe...

"Nettlesky, Ambersmudge and Sturgeonwhisker. I want you three to take tomorrow morning's border patrol at dawn by the ThunderClan border."

"Briarfang, Stormsquall and I will take tomorrow's hunting patrol at dawn."

"Thornstrike, Ashsong and Mistydawn. You three will go on a border patrol by the WindClan border at sunhigh."

"A hunting patrol will also go out at sunhigh with Goosesong in the lead. Take Cottonbright and Merryaster with you." Cinderwisp had noticed that the white molly and silver tabby seemed to be close. So she was sure that putting the two on a hunting patrol together would mean extra prey.

"At sundown, I want Coldstar, Mintwhisker and Hailstrike to make a quick border patrol by our clanless borders. Be back before it's dark."

"And finally, Clamsneeze. I want you to help Nettleplume throughout the day if he needs it. But if you've got time to spare, attach yourself to a hunting patrol. That will be all for today. Thank you."

Garden's gem, in sunlight's blaze
༻❁༺

Merryaster slipped out of the elders' den with a soft huff, shaking out her paws as bits of old moss clung stubbornly to her fur. She had spent a good portion of her day in the Elder's Den. Seeing Otterwhisker settled, groomed smooth and free of ticks felt worth the stiffness in Merryaster's jaw.

The sun was high now, warm on her back as she padded a few tail lengths from the den. She let herself sink into a slow stretch, forelegs sliding forward with her spine arching until she felt that satisfying ripple of loosened tension.

No apprentices meant the elders' den had been left to whoever could spare a moment - or many moments of their day. She had dragged out stale bedding, replaced moss, even brushed a few beetles from the roots. At least Tangleloon could groom his own ticks.

She settled onto her haunches, smelling strongly of elder scent and moss dust before finally letting herself rest... or at least rest until some cat inevitably needed something.

I don’t need anyone! The only one I can trust is myself.

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All was still in the Nettleplume's den. The warm wind brushed against Stoneclaw's fur and he felt a faint stinging from the wounds that dappled what seemed to be every inch of his coat, if certainly felt like it.

If he had though he would die defending a lazy mouse-hearted cat like his son, Goosesong, he wouldn't have stepped out to the Gorge yesterday. He let out a final disappointed huff as his blue eyes slowly glazed over as he fell quite and still in his nest. the blood that he had lost became too much for him, the matted fur and wounds spread across his body were still fresh be he had doubted they'd heal.

His last moments were spent in anger, with a growl in his throat that he couldn't quite let out. His last thought was of his son, how helpless that waste of muscle was. But he was also angry that it came to this, Stoneclaw didn't want peace, he wanted work, he wanted something to do. The last thing he wanted was to lay down and die like limp prey. But StarClan had a cruel way of forcing him to relax

And if that were death, then that was what it must be.