Open to Join Adventures and Adversaries

     'Blissful at best, clueless at worst'
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Having left her patrol after catching the scent of a mouse, Larchpaw was surprised to come across the scent of ShadowClan. She was close to the thunderpath, closer than she preferred but the mouse had led her here. She knew the stray scent of the clan just across the path was likely just travelling with the wind, but it was strong, and smelt like just a single cat. 

She dropped the scent of the mouse, now doing her best to catch up with the new scent. As she neared the border she felt more and more disappointed, wanting to come across a ShadowClan intruder instead of finding it was just a stray scent. She prowled through the undergrowth, still a little heavy on her paws. Stealth was something she struggled with the most, usually just opting for a grand entrance over a sneaky one, but if there really was a ShadowClan cat at the border, she needed the upper paw!

Just as she was about to take another pawstep forward, her eyes caught the sight of a white pelt, circling around, well, itself. She didn't know who the cat was, but she could smell ShadowClan on him! Intruder!

Without even thinking, Larchpaw pounced, though kept her claws sheathed, attempting to pin the cat down for interrogation. 

     'Blissful at best, clueless at worst'
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  She felt her paws hit fur and let out an excited huff, almost surprised she was able to do something. He had him pushed into his back, but he continued to roll, doing a quick maneuver once on his feet and giving Larchpaw no chance to pin him down.

As he stood up, the cat took a moment to glance at her, seemingly thinking for a moment before darting away. 'Hey! Where are you going! You can't just run away like that. I didn't even use my claws!' she yelled out, with only a touch of hostility in her voice. She pelted after him, paws thundering over the ground. She might not be the fastest, but she new the territory infinitely better than the tom did, so in her mind she had the upper paw. 'You can't just run away the minute you get attacked when you are on our territory. Just come back and talk, or do you want me to remember you as nothing more than a scared and pathetic apprentice?' she called out, hoping he could hear her as she kept her eyes trained on the white tail tip of the intruder. 'If I was just relaxing in ShadowClan territory, I'm sure you would have attacked me!' She was lucky the apprentice had a stark white pelt, for he would be easier to keep an eye on, though she felt herself lacking behind.

     'Blissful at best, clueless at worst'
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    Brindlepaw? What did he know about Brindlepaw? She let out a quiet hiss of frustration, continuing her chase. 'How do you know Brindlepaw? Don't tell me this is not your first offence!' She yelled out, hoping her voice was still reaching the other feline's ears. At this point, Larchpaw had no chance of catching up, so she would either have to let him go, or do her best to get him to come back and talk. Neither sounded great. 

'Just come back here! Real warriors don't run away! Face me head on coward!' she shouted before coming to the realisation that she could no longer see the white apprentice. She would have seen him dart across the thunderpath, but she didn't meaning the only possibility was that he had dove further into the undergrowth, perhaps trying to hide. She slowed down, parting her maw attempting to pick up the strong ShadowClan scent she had been following earlier, but all she could scent was the rancid smell of the thunderpath. Larchpaw couldn't help but laugh a little, from both exasperation and amusement. Who did this ShadowClan apprentice think he was? Neither cat was really any danger to each other. The white cat ran away, and Larchpaw had no point in actually causing a fight. All she wanted to do was a little interrogation. She trapsed further into the familiar undergrowth, treading as lightly as she could. While white was clearly the worst, her stark cream pelt wasn't the best for camouflage either. For all she knew she could be the one being followed now, in her own territory!

She liked this sort of test though. At this point, it seemed like more of a game for the tones of both cats were either lacking hostility or just full of frustration. This would be good practise for Larchpaw's upcoming warrior assessment. She would track this cat down! Before she took another step, an idea struck her mind. Perhaps she could survey and stalk from the trees. Hopefully something a ShadowClan cat would not suspect. Clawing up the nearest tree with a powerful leap, Larchpaw balanced herself on a branch. Her view was better now, hopefully good enough to spot a hint of white. 

     'Blissful at best, clueless at worst'
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   The instant she balanced herself on the branch, a flash of white sped from the undergrowth. So, he had been watching her after all. Larchpaw spat a curse before leaping down with a thud, almost falling over. The tom was in her sight now. So close, yet so far. 

As she pelted after him, the territory around her became increasingly familiar. Well, obviously it was familiar to her, she was a ThunderClan cat, but it was a part of the territory one such as Larchpaw preferred to stay away from. Snakerocks. 

Her eyes flashed with fear. A ThunderClan cat such as Larchpaw could navigate the rocks pretty safely, but for a stray ShadowClan apprentice, it could be filled with danger. 'Wait! Please! Stop! Snakes!' she called out between heaving breaths, feeling exhausted now. Chasing was definitely not her forte. 'Snakerocks!' she yowled, hoping this stupid cat would be smart enough to listen to her this one time. She did not want to have to go over there and save him. 

     'Blissful at best, clueless at worst'
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   Clearly he couldn't hear her, and the cream she-cat felt her heart begin to pound even louder, a mixture of fear and exhaustion. This stupid, stupid cat! Now at Snakerocks, the van coloured apprentice watched from a high point. She stopped in her tracks, glaring up at him with blazing green eyes. He obviously wasn't going to listen, so she had to be direct now.

Weighing up her options, Larchpaw was about to take a leap up towards him, bowling him away from until a dark shape caught the corner of her eye. An adder. The apprentice's ruckus had spooked it from its spot in the sun., and it felt threatened now, beady amber eyes staring up at Larchpaw. For a moment, all was still. Larchpaw braced herself, and all she could here was the soft breeze rustling the wind. She could hear her own heartbeat, and she looked up to the apprentice with fearful eyes. Yes, it would be very unlikely to kill either of them, but he could be rendered useless for at least a week.

The adder was still, its head the only part visible with the rest of it camouflaged within the rocks. Larchpaw held her breath, and as that snake striked with venomous fangs outstretched for Sootpaw, so did she. Her jaws met its bitter cold flesh as she flung through the air with it, crunching down as hard as she could. Hitting the spine directly, the adder went limp before her paws even hit the ground. She spat it out of her mouth, furiously turning to face Sootpaw, if he was even there anymore. Larchpaw didn't get angry much, but in circumstances such as this it was hard not too. 'Do you not have a brain or something? This is snakerocks! Are you trying to get yourself injured?' she spat, though her gaze was clearly more filled with fear, concern and exasperation rather than fury. If he had gotten hurt because she had chased him, Larchpaw would feel the burden of blame on herself. He wasn't supposed to get hurt, just go home with maybe a bruise or two and for Larchpaw to know what in StarClan's name he was doing on the other side of the thunderpath. 

     'Blissful at best, clueless at worst'
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  Speechless for a moment as he came bounding up to her. She seemed a little dazed, jaw parted slightly. Confused as to why he hadn't just run away as he did before. After a moment of silence, she blinked having processed what he had said. Sootpaw was his name, and clearly he had impressed him in some sort of way. All she had done was kill an adder though, not exactly that special. The atmosphere felt different now, and the energy that radiated from the ShadowClan apprentice was similar to her own. 'Yep! We do hunt snakes, not too often though. You can eat them. I don't like them though. Why don't you try-' She was about to say he should try it before remembering he was, in fact, a ShadowClan cat within the midst of ThunderClan territory. He didn't seem to have bad intentions though... and its not like Greenfang or anyone else would realize... right?

'Yeah, you should try it.' She picked up the snake again, dropping it at Sootpaw's paws. 'And yeah, it is venomous too! Not enough to kill ya, but could put you or me out of training for some time! I'm Larchpaw, Brindlepaw's sister. I can answers your questions. I love questions, but you'll have to answer mine too. And you also shouldn't be here either. I know you said you were just coming too look but you can't just come for a look. If it were someone like Savagefox instead of me you would be in a lotta trouble. Anyway, I don't come here too much, cause I don't like snakes. Haven't caught one in a while so glad to see I still can, and no worries for saving you!'

     'Blissful at best, clueless at worst'
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     With the situation now completely cooled over, Larchpaw took the time to properly look at Sootpaw. She had probably seen him at a gathering before, but had never taken the time to introduce herself. Perhaps next time she sees him they will have their warrior names!

'Brindlepaw's the same as usual. No name yet though! No way could she earn her name before me. We are really close to getting them though. The Brindlepaw you talked to sounds like the Brindlepaw I know. She's a little funny but I love her. Do you have any siblings? I had three, but my brother died. Brindlpaw and Dovepaw are still around though. I'm clearly the best of the three. I hope you would agree' a humourous glint shimmered through her eyes, for she didn't actually believe herself to be better than he sisters, but it was fun to joke about it anyway. 

'I dunno Savagefox that well either, but I choose to stay away. They're my kin too. The whole uhh, fierceblooded thingo. I think I was lucky, or perhaps unlucky to skip it. What's Palestar like? She seems a bit scary, though all the leaders are. What do ya think its like being leader? Maybe we will be leaders one day. Sootstar and Larchstar. Though that would mean Moosestar dying and I don't want Moosestar to die. Are you nearly a warrior like me? You look old enough' Larchpaw just kept going, words spilling from her mouth non stop. Hopefully Sootpaw wouldn't mind... Though he seemed the type to match her energy. Having calmed down from their original chase, Larchpaw was brimming with different energy now, one that made her eyes shine.

     'Blissful at best, clueless at worst'
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   He was Palestar's apprentice....? That was so cool! Larchpaw looked at him with wider eyes, fundamentally impressed. 'No way you are Palestar's apprentice! My mentor is Moosestar's mother, but to be trained by your leader herself is amazing!' She paced around as she talked, full of curious and excited energy. So, Sootpaw was almost a warrior too? His playful attempt at pretending to bite her tail made her chuckle, 'Well.. my name is going to be Larchpounce!' she exclaimed while doing a little shuffle on her hind paws, before pouncing at Sootpaw, attempting to tumble him over with play growl.

While trying to pin her fellow apprentice to the ground, she thought back to her own siblings, almost forgetting her favourite one. Bravesong! 'Ooh, you have a big family like I do. I have a half brother too, Bravesong. He fought a whole fox! Also did you just say your father is the deputy? Like, Dawnflurry?!' Her eyes shone, Sootpaw was so cool! And nice too! She was about to mention her own parents, but refrained herself, realising she didn't want to damped the mood after already mentioning her brother that passed. Maplesprig was still alive and well, Speckledfrost... not so much.

'The fiercebloods are some of my family. I don't pay too much attention to it, but from what I know, if you are born with the special trait you are like crazy ferocious, like Savagefox and Wildcry. It's kinda cool but I think it's a bit too much. You are lucky, cause if I was a real fierceblood, I woulda shredded you to pieces!' she laughed, flashing Sootpaw a smile. 'I would probably make a bad leader too, but it might be fun. Imagine having nine lives. I could protect my whole clan with no fear! The deputy kinda does a lot of leading too. From what I can see at least. Moosestar might make the final calls, but Kestrelswipe does loads of stuff too.'