LOVE & LOSS [WC CEREMONY]

[russia]

Raggedpaw let out a savage hiss at the warrior, tail thrashing every which way. "Mind your own smelly business, you waste of space!" The answer was yes, there were a lot of cats, but Raggedpaw tried to do his best in ignoring them and sleeping, pretending he was still in pain so Cinderdust didn't have to make him work. Spitting at Griffinflight, he gave Dustpaw a disgusted look, just trying to make him madder than he already would be. And Shykit... what a pathetic LOSER. Rolling his eyes, Raggedpaw found it extremely insulting that Stripestar found such good in this good for nothing toddlers. Why bother training them?

His jaw dropped open as Stripestar called out a list of names, names he didn't care about or feel any pride in. Why wasn't his there? Sure, he had already become an apprentice, but he still hadn't officially been named Cinderdust's own, since it was more of a 'here, do your job' sort of thing, So, as anyone would have guessed, Raggedpaw was mad. His ears flattened and he raised his lip, exposing dirty, disgusting, crooked yellow teeth, Hatred for his leader bubbled in his stomach, but he knew he'd get a severe tongue lashing if he did anything at all during this ceremony.

As he followed his mentor, Raggedpaw looked down unsympathetically at the dead cat. His fur bristled with annoyance as Cinderdust payed her respects. He had not been nor ever was close to the deputy or the old leader, Bluestar, and he wasn't about to pray for a dead cat now. Raggedpaw dashed past teh mourning and over the dead cats. Walking over to Cinderdust he bit her, taking a scruff of her side in his mouth and tugging. "C'mon, c'mon!" he whimpered, voice muffled. The least thing he wanted was to stay here and have to watch more cats cry pathetically, because they all were stupid, insolent, and plain old gross.

[elmfrost]

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[atrb=background,http://i54.tinypic.com/ehaxxj.jpg] The more his thoughts lingered on the reasoning behind RiverClan's ambush, the less his emotions stayed involved, the sane part of him mind pointing out that now the battle was over, her was angry toward the other clan, rather than grieving. Sure, he cared that they'd lost cats, he always did. But right there and then he was onto the angered stage of morning. Looking over the bodies of the deceased, Elmfrost pushed out a long breath, his attention caught by the loud yowl that almost could have been confused for a kits. But of course, it just happened to be Raggedpaw. If it hadn't been for the fact Cinderdust was right next to him, the warrior would have snarled at the apprentice himself, knocked some respect into the ungrateful kit. Turning his icy gaze once more to the leader, he watched the ginger tom for a long moment before slowly getting to his paws as Griffinflight spoke quietly. "Where is everybody? uh, are there a lot of injured cats? You know...from the battle?" the question was addressed to Raggedpaw, but knowing how that apprentice would react, he climbed back to his paws, slowly moving to sit himself down next to the other warrior as the medicine cat apprentice replied. "Mind your own smelly business, you waste of space!" Giving a low growl, the warrior's ears flattened against his head for a moment as he sent a sharp glare in the apprentice’s direction. “Show some respect kit, or I'll knock it into you,” he growled at Raggedpaw, icy gaze narrowed before he straightened himself, looking at Griffinflight for a long moment before murmuring softly. “Most that participated are injured, yes Griffinflight. As far as everyone else goes...” Elmfrost glanced around the camp for a moment, before looking back. “There should be more around than this.” he barely got the words out before Stripestar's soft voice broke through the otherwise silent air. “WindClan, RiverClan ambushed us without a second’s notice, the cowards made certain we were outnumbered, and we fought back enough to win. But victorious as we are, we lost something more important than conquest. Let StarClan note these two cats’ faithfulness and audacity as they join their ranks, two fervent stars for Silverpelt.” Letting out a long breath, the tom looked down at his paws, ears flattening against his head as Stripestar paused. He didn't understand why StarClan felt the need to take them now, but there wasn't much they could do about it except for avenge them by showing RiverClan what they've messed with. Claws digging into the solid, the warrior let out a long breath, searching through the darkness of his mind for any fleeting glimpse of emotion to hold onto as they all slipped away with his anger... if it could be even called that. In the end, he grabbed hold of Stripestar's voice, lifting his head to watch the tom intently as he went through the process of naming apprentices, of the task that showed that they were still going, still alive, and still pressing on as a clan despite thing. It gave him hope that maybe, they could move past this, even when it felt like that might be impossible. “I say these words before the body of Greencloud, so that the spirits of our warrior ancestors may hear and approve of my choice.” Flicking an ear the tom glanced around the gathered cats for a moment. Right, they needed a new deuty. But who could possibly fill the gap Greencloud was going to leave? “The new deputy of WindClan will be Elmfrost.” … Oh. That was who. Staring at the leader with a blank expression, all he could do was try and force the leader's words through to the back of his mind. He... he was the deputy? But... A flare of pride finally rose up through his chest, enough to somewhat smother the darkness for the time being, a small smirk settling across his face for a moment. But, as the leader approached the still forms in the middle of the camp, he wiped it off. There was time to think about that later. Looking to the deceased, he let out a small sigh, shaking his head softly before moving past Griffinflight to the second of the cats. He'd say his goodbyes to the deputy after. Crouching down, Elmfrost watched over the warrior for a long moment before pressing his nose against his fur. “May StarClan welcome you with open paws dear friend,” he murmured into the still warrior's fur. WORD COUNT: seven six three TAGGED: raggedpaw/griffinflight/the clan NOTES: n/a [atrb=border,0,true][atrb=width,399,true][atrb=cellpadding,0,true][atrb=cellspacing,0,true]

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[brittlebreeze ♠]

Silentlywatching with a cold, pensive stare, the tabby leader noted his Medicine cat slip gracefully towards him; the sympathy in her gaze honest and revealing, she didn't need to hide any of the disposition she felt inside. But the observation had him in knots; was that what he needed, though, her compassion? Mercy? RiverClan had done this, not her, not one of his Clanmates were responsible for this... disgust welled within Stripestar, this murder. When she pressed her nose gently to his cheek, he sighed, a warm gust leaving his mouth. It did no good when he felt like he had rocks piled along his veins, not a single breath eased the weight that hung heavily in his heart.

Weakly, he desired nothing more than to be alone, but wouldn't the throng of cats gathered wish to say goodbye to their deceased deputy? Their fallen comrade? They had grown with him, some known him their whole lives... wouldn't they wish him a safe journey? He whispered tender words into the black and white toms ears, as if Greencloud could hear him still, as if they sat dozily outside the Flatrock, sprawled out in the sunlight, chattering like two excited apprentices. “I will never forget you,” he rustled, his ears laid flat to his skull, “may your trip to StarClan be guided, my good friend,” if he said anymore, he thought his soul would burst for all it ached and throbbed.

A familiar, but surprisingly comforting Elmfrost crouched down as well, resting his muzzle against the warriors cooling fur, May StarClan welcome you with open paws dear friend, he spoke restfully. It was reassuring to Stripestar that he was not the only one in uncontainable lament. “Elmfrost,” he started, his honey voice rough as jagged edges, “meet me in my den. We have things to discuss,” sure enough, he would have wanted to lay beside Greencloud the remainder of the evening, but there were matters he had to formalize, and plans to make, ones he could not do so without his deputies input. Drifting weightlessly towards the enclosed lair, he made certain not to look back, lest he change his mind, or submit to the temptations of final company... he did not need to feel this empty.

to: && we're marking the start ,, [smally]

[fawnspots]

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[atrb=background,http://i55.tinypic.com/x5a32x.png] "All those old enough to catch your own prey, gather here beneath the Flatrock for a Clan meeting!" She halted, ears erect and gaze focused. That was Stripestar calling from the camp; the flatrock, presumably. There was no time to waste. Fawnspots bent down and snatched the limp rabbit into her jaws. She had planned to catch more than one, but the absence of the warmth in her leader's voice concerned her. Something was definitely wrong - she could practically sense the emotions brewing back at camp. So she did what she did best - she ran. It wasn't a long run, however, since she hadn't strayed too far out into the moorland. A kit could have made the dash back to the camp in only a matter of minutes. Fawnspots hurried into camp, the small rabbit dangling lifelessly in her jaws. Her Clanmates were exiting from their dens and gathering below the flatrock. The petite she-cat decided not to spare a glance at her leader and, instead, maneuvered her way through the huddled crowd to deposit her meager prey onto the well-stocked fresh kill pile. She heard many of her clanmates nudging others, asking about what had happened and how many were injured. She, too, wondered about the outcome of the battle. Her eyes drifted to the center of the clearing and there, there, she saw the bodies. Fawnspots stared, at a loss for words. She eventually averted her gaze to Stripestar as he began to speak, his voice dripping with grief. The small she-cat sat back on her haunches, gazing intently at the WindClan leader as he continued, newfound energy lacing with his voice. She didn't miss a single word he said but as he spoke she couldn't help but wonder if maybe she would have been able to help if she had been there. Then again, that was pretty naive of her, wasn't it? If only I had been there, she thought relentlessly, unable to tear her mind away from the idea. She was small, yes, but she was strong. Surely she would have been able to help! But she had been at the wrong place at the wrong time. This shouldn't have happened. I could have h-- What? Did Stripestar just say her name? Fawnspots blinked rapidly, and then glanced at Dustpaw. She took a moment to process what was going on. I'm Dustpaw's new mentor? Well, wasn't that great. She felt a brief flash of pride which was immediately replaced with.. what, frustration? Yes. She just hoped that Dustpaw wasn't as bratty as Raggedpaw. However, she was proud that Stripestar thought she was reliable enough to be a mentor. And surprised. That surprise only increased when he announced the new deputy, and her gaze immediately shifted to stare at Elmfrost. Wise choice. The warrior was strong, and worthy of the position. But, now was time to say goodbye. Fawnspots rose to her paws and wove her way through the crowd until she reached the two bodies. It was such a shame - they didn't deserve to die, especially not like that. A damn shame. They had been such amazing warriors. WindClan really had suffered a low blow. Fawnspots bent her head and buried her nose into Grayfur's soft fur. Such a shame. She did the same with Greencloud, despite the fact that she had not known him as well as others - like Stripestar. In fact, the only times she ever really spoke to the previous deputy had been when they were on patrols together. She didn't have the connection she assumed Stripestar had with him. The petite she-cat lifted her head, gaze boring into the top of her leader's head for a moment. She felt like she had to say something, something, to ease his pain but no words came to mind. Fawnspots shifted uncomfortably then mumbled, "They were great warriors. They'll be the brightest stars tonight." A pause. She stood there awkwardly, unsure of what to do now. Dustpaw. Right. The she-cat pivoted and strode through the crowd until she reached her new apprentice. "We begin training tomorrow. Bright and early." Now that the clan meeting was over, she just felt exhausted. And sleep was a very tantalizing idea. ooc/ blegh this was bad "speaking"

[griffinkit]

The tabby's jaw dropped, eyes widening even more so than usual to complete the look of shock. He knew there was a battle with RiverClan over a border. But to think they deliberately resorted to trickery. Outnumbering such a small patrol... It was a waste. Those foxhearts! Over a border, with no gain. Clans hunted on territory they were used to for seasons. RiverClan couldn't use the moors no more than WindClan would like getting their paws wet catching fish. What justified RiverClan's attack? Griffinflight felt pride coursing through his veins when Stripestar mentioned that his Clan didn't give in. They fought back, severely at a disadvantage as they were. But he should have been there. “But victorious as we are, we lost something more important than conquest.”

[/i] Stiffening, he looked down. Having just noticed the bodies there was a bit of a shock. So focused on asking about the toll of battle to Raggedpaw, involving his guilt on not being there, he mistook the bodies of fallen brave warriors. Or was "mistook" the right word? Maybe dismiss was easier. His mind did not want to see them, so he did not.
"No..." he whispered. Greencloud and Greyfur. Their lives not supposed to end so soon. This was cruel. To die a noble death was suppose to be glorious. It was not glorious. Death was not noble in any way, especially when the bodies were presented like this.

Griffinflight closed his eyes, wishing somebody would take the bodies away out of respect. Not...not parade them around like a side-show! His Clan mates could mourn at their graves. This is disgusting was all he thought.

He didn't look at his Clan as Stripestar announced new apprentices and mentors. Was he bitter about not being chosen? No. He would not wish the burden of being an untrained warrior mentor on any poor young cat. In fact, he was happy on not being chosen. Elated. How would he explain to Stripestar that a, he could not hunt for his fear of taking lives and b, his fighting abilities were poor at best. Then again, being knocked down to apprentice level didn't seem so bad!

He did look up as his leader spoke the customary words replacing a deputy. Griffinflight was eager to know who the new authority figure was going to be. The young warrior had to know these names. Elmfrost. He wasn't sure who Elmfrost was.

"Mind your own smelly business, you waste of space!" the young warrior's attention was drawn away from his search of the new deputy to Raggedpaw. The medicine cat apprentice was showing open hostility. Griffinflight drew a shaky breath, shifting his body an inch away. What had he said wrong? He barely noticed the presence of company until he felt the brush of fur. This startled him too. Whipping his head around, he saw an older warrior next to him, glaring not at him but at Raggedpaw. “Show some respect kit, or I'll knock it into you"[/b] Baffled, the tabby wondered if it was possible to talk to medicine cat apprentices like that. He was going to speak up, say it was fine, say that this warrior didn't have to speak up on his behalf when Raggedpaw suddenly walked away after his mentor. Griffinflight stared after him, the tip of his tail twitching in frustration.

“Most that participated are injured, yes Griffinflight. As far as everyone else goes...” the tabby looked back at the fellow warrior, concern apparent in hazel eyes. When the other mentioned there should be more here, he nodded a silent agreement. There should be more cats here. WindClan's camp never looked so empty.

Never liked it crowded, but still... It's lonely

And now the not-knowing-your-name warrior left to pay respects to the fallen warriors. One by one the others would do the same. He hadn't known any of them that well. Greyfur... Greencloud... When they were buried he'd pay respects, visit their graves and find some sweet smelling herbs to place on them. It'd be quieter then. He wouldn't feel that he invaded personal time with close friends and family.

Goodbye for now he rose to all fours and walked slowly out of camp, resisting the urge to run back and bury his nose into their fur. you shone more brightly in life than any star in Silverpelt.


TO: wherever!
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