xx Come [and] Go xx

[(aurora) of the problematique]

<sub>His electric-blue eyes wearily opened and glanced over the camp. His lithe legs unfolded from their sleeping position and pushed him up. He shook himself with a yawn and groomed for a moment before running out to the gnarled root like he had done so yesterday. It was morning. He needed to leave soon.

Ghostlywind padded from the base and settled himself on the root. He coughed for a moment before calling out like he had before. He shook his black fur and yowled up to the heavens, causing cardinals and jays to squawk indignantly and fly away.

"Let all cats old enough to catch their own prey join here beneath the Root for a Clan meetin'!"</sub>

[falconkit]

Swirlpaw woke at the sound of Ghostlywinds yowl. He looked around, confused by the fact that he was not in his den. Then his thoughts organized. He must have fallen asleep last night after he ate back here. Embarrassed that he slept so far away from his den he sat up and groomed himself. He would be going to moonshard tonight. He lifted up his head to look at his new leader, wondering what he had to say.

[leopardheart]

[W-a-r-n-i-n-g
Small]

A blurr of fluffy brown fur followed a few fox lengths behind Ghostlywind. Soft pads may have been hard to hear, who knows. Then she wondered if it was smart to leave Ruinespell behind. Eh, does it really matter? He can survive, no doubt about that. Placing her rabbit, or 'bunny', near the fresh-kill pile, she walked over to the 'Root'. She had no idea why it was called that, just was. Ya, whatever.

Luckly the voices in her ear where gone, they werent bothering her anymore. She shrugged, and waited for Ghostlywind to blabber.

[...Alright. I have been to sites when peeps have been offended.
So...
NO OFFENSE TO ANYONES]

[Spice..xx]

_{The form of the she-cat padded slowly out of the warriors den. Her shoulders were slumped, her tail dragged along the ground. She looked up at Ghostlywind, her normally bright blue eyes dull and stricked with grief. Swanflight sat in the shadows, her white pelt, normally kept so clean was a murky grey colour. A small sob shook her body and tears rolled down her cheeks. 'Why StarClan? Why have you taken him, leader of my Clan, my brother?. She sat and looked at the ground, eyes still swimming with tears.
Amberpaw sat quietly at the entrance of the medicine cat den. She had grown from the young looking kitten she had been into an adolescent she-cat. her limbs had grown longer and her face had changed into a look of kindness and maturity. Her eyes swiveled towards Swanflight and she was weighed down with sadness. She turned her head to look at her mentor. 'Why is there no herb for grief? It is one which would be off great value and look at everyone around us. Nobody is happy. she said to Cloudedsky, her tail flicking sadly.
Mousepaw padded silently out of the apprentices den. She looked around for her family but couldnt see any of them yet. Though she was older now she still loved to be ewith her family just as much as she always had. She sat down and looked up at Ghostlywind, waiting for him to speak.}[/color]

[(aurora) of the problematique]

<sub>"I have some announcements t'make!" Ghostlywind called out, his composure perfectly calm. The winds paused for a moment, like the calm before a terrible storm. The black tom cleared his throat.

"Because of t'death of our esteemed leader, Wrenstar, I am goin' to the MoonShard t'receive my nine lives. However, before I go, I would like t'announce that some apprentices need mentors!" The black tom nodded to the BrightClanners around him. His claws dug into the gnarled root he sat on, unfearing that he would fall. His eyes were bright with the agitation and readiness of heading off.

"First off, Northkit, Jasperkit, Eastkit, Swirlpaw, and Nightpaw, please step forward." He paused for a moment for them to do so. "Northkit, from now on, ya shall be known as Northpaw. Poppyflower, y'ar ready fer an apprentice. Ya will be Northpaw's mentor. Poppyflower, ya possess perserverance and cleverness. I expect ya t'pass on all your skills t'Northpaw, so that she may be an honorable warrior of BrightClan."

"Jasperkit, from now on, ya shall be known as Jasperpaw. Pearlsheen, y'ar ready fer an apprentice. Ya will be Jasperpaw's mentor. Pearlsheen, ya possess loyalty and dignity. I expect y at'pass on all your skills t' Jasperpaw, so that he may be an honorable warrior of BrightClan."

"Eastkit, from now on, ya shall be known as Eastpaw. Tansytail, y'ar ready fer an apprentice. Ya will be Eastpaw's mentor. Tansytail, ya possess chivalry and speed. I expect ya t'pass on all y'ar skills t'Eastpaw, so that he may be an honorable warrior of BrightClan."

"Swirlpaw, y'ar in need of a mentor. Y'ar mentor, Pansyleaf, is too ill for mentorship, and my apprentice, Ryepaw, has been too ill for his apprenticeship; I will mentor ya until they return to full health. I will teach ya my honor and discipline and pass on all my skills t'ya, so that ya may be an honorable warrior of BrightClan."

"And Nightpaw, ya, too, are in need of a mentor. Lionsong, y'ar ready fer an apprentice. Ya will be Nightpaw's mentor. Lionsong, ya possess strength and kindness. I expect you t'pass on all y'ar skills t'Nightpaw, so that she may be an honorable warrior of BrightClan."

He smiled faintly and dipped his head to Swirlpaw before chanting all of the apprentice's names aloud.</sub>

[FIREH!!]

The prowler of the storms cannot erase the grief.

Stormprowler escaped from the warriors' den and showed his face. The age old body followed. Scars laced the black pelt as he sat down. Some scars were worse than others, showing rather clearly. The elderly black tom's green eyes pierced his new leader. He chanted the new apprentices' names, his voice rasping.

[/color][/left]

I may look sweet, but my claws are of death.

Shining blue eyes searched the clearing and Stormfeather found a spot to sit at the back. Her eyes filled with hope and warmth as she looked to the leader. Her eyes found his and she locked her gaze with his. Hers said to him, "I need to speak with you." As she looked around the clearing, her eyes fell upon Northpaw. She smiled warmly at her foster child. She chanted all the names of the apprentices. Once done chanting, she began to clean her pelt. She found a tick and cracked its neck with practiced ease. She looked back to the nursery, and found a snow white pelt that belonged to her daughter, Frostedkit. She smiled as she watched the kit tumble and play with her littermates. The she-cat knew they were old enough to be apprentices. That's what she wanted to talk to him about. She returned her gaze to the tom upon the roots. Sudden unease gripped her like icy claws. What if he was too busy with the clan? What if he couldn't spare any time for his family? As these thoughts filled her mind, she felt a tad woozy. Her mind shifted and her eyes blurred. She shook her head and everything cleared. For now.

[/color][/right]

[(aurora) of the problematique]

<sub>Northkit beamed when she became Northpaw and she puffed out her blue-gray chest with a hearty smile. Seeing Poppyflower a couple badger's lengths away, she bounded over and touched her mentor's nose. "I'll be a great learner!" the apprentice smiled.

Ghostlywind nodded to his mate in a 'one moment' fashion before calling out again. "Pearlsheen, Stormprowler, Tansytail, and Swirlpaw! When y'ar finished getting ready, meet me outside of camp!" The black tom lunged and landed nimbly by his mate's side. "What's wrong, Stormfeather?" He tilted his head.</sub>[/color]

[FIREH!!]

Erase the past, the past I knew.

Mind racing, thoughts numbing. Stormprowler knew he had to go to the Moonshard. As he stood, he wavered a little. His steps were uneven. His age was showing. He shook his head and padded to the camp entrance. He sat down and waited. Waited for what was going to be a new beginning. A new beginning for a terrifying end.

Claws slicing the dark, I howl my need for you.

The comfort she felt, felt from her mate. It was gone. She looked into his eyes, so blue. "Ghostlywind.. It's going to change.. Everything. The clan, the life I knew. The life we knew. Ghostlywind, will you be too busy for me and our kits?" She asked him. Tears pricked the blue and her gaze fell away. Tears of silver dripped to the ground from a slender black face. Her gaze was broken with his and hers fell to the ground. She watched as tears puddled, waiting for his answer.

[(aurora) of the problematique]

<sub>"Nothin' has changed between you and me," Ghostlywind said softly, mixed emotions fluttering across electric-blue eyes. "Ya may visit me whenever ya wish. I will not bar that from ya. I will not estrange myself from ya when I come home as Ghostlystar. I am no different than before. Our kits will grow up as if nothin' has happened. Do not worry...."

The black male's face furrowed and his ears bent back. "I am leader, Stormfeather, but if ya think I'm not a father too, y'ar wrong. I have responsibilities now, Clan, apprentice, you, the kits. I will try t'make some time for us, I promise." He gave her a small lopsided smile.</sub>

[FIREH!!]

Hidden in this world that is so big.

Stormfeather heard the words and the tears dried. Dired away, sucked into the ground. She looked into his eyes once more and found herself purring. "Oh, Ghostlywind.." She purred, pressing againts him, "Oh Ghostlywind.." She then noticed Frostedkit sitting aways away, talking to another kit. "Our kits need to be apprenticed." She meowed.

[(aurora) of the problematique]

<sub>Ghostlywind tilted his head. "They are not old enough, Stormfeather," he said softly. "And...we do not have enough warriors t'take on four more apprentices. With Leopardflight pregnant with kits, there will be more young ones. Mysterykit and the others must wait two more moons." The tom straightened for that moment, looking ill for that moment as he thought about the sick in Cloudedsky's care, his need for a deputy, and other worries. With four hours to sunhigh, he needed to leave soon. He turned to his mate.

"I must then depart quickly t'get t'MoonShard by t'night. Farewell..." He licked her cheek. Like the North Wind, Ghostlywind loped off to meet with the others.</sub>

[FIREH!!]

Stormfeathr nodded. She then understood what he meant. "alright." She meowed. Then she looked shocked. "Honey, you cannot eat before you go to Moonshard." She flicked him with her tail. "I love you. Be safe." She meowed.

[lonelylove :D]

ooc; Ahem, Aurriela, leaders aren't supposed to eat beofer they go to Moonshard or whatever sacred place. -waggles finger in Aurrie's face-

bic; Pearlsheen dragged herself out of the warriors den. The autumn sun was weak, but it blinded her anyway. She stumbled, muttering under her breath. She quickly groomed herself, and straightened up. She remembered what was today. The trip to Moonshard! She listened to Ghostlywind, and happiness filled her inside when he called her to come up. She sprinted toward Jasperpaw, and bumped his nose with hers. I can't wait to start training you! But it'll be a day or two, since I must go to Moonshard.

[(aurora) of the problematique]

((_{LOL omg... *goes to erase that post*} ))

[falconkit]

((sorry im late... school :P))

bic: Swirlpaw looked as calm as a river when Ghostlywind announced he would be the leaders apprentice. But inside his thoughts where buzzing. He would be the leaders apprentice, not just any ordinary warriors apprentice the leaders. This will be such an honor. Seeing Ghostlywind nod to him he nodded back, trying to look serious. He grabbed a small mouse from the fresh kill pile, Hoping to be able to finish it before he had to go. Looking around at all the new apprentices he chuckled. The apprentice den will be very crowded. Swirlpaw gulped down his last bit then went to sit patiently over by the camp entrance.

[blackfoot]

[{slips in, didn't see this thread}]

Tansytail looked proudly at his new apprentice. He made his way to Eastpaw and touched noses with him. 'I can't wait to start training with you.' He whispered excitedly to him. 'I am accompanying Ghostlywind to the Moonshard today but we'll start as soon as we possibly can.' He was all of a flutter, he was a mentor! What could be better than to be able to teach an apprentice in the ways of a warrior?! Nothing! He couldn't wait to get started.

[sorrow]

Eastkitstepped forward with every inch of him trembling in pride. Ghostlywind had made him Eastpaw, he was no longer a kit anymore. Eastpaw touched noses with his new mentor "Ok, I can't wait to start training!" Eastpaw shrunk down in embarrassment that he said that a little to loudly. "Good luck at the Moonshard with Ghostlywind, Tansytail". Eastpaw gave his mentor a quick smile and ran off to congratulate Northpaw his older sister. "Congratulations Northpaw".

[leopardheart]

Blinked. A Apprentice? She started to wonder if she was ready, to train another in the way of a warrior. Before she could get to the fifth word in her head, Northpaw came bounding up, and touched noses with hers. Poppyflower gave a cheeky smile, if a cat can do that. She laughed weakly. "And I'll be a great mentor!" She exlaimed and then looked at Eastpaw. She smiled at the apprentice. "Congratulations to you, Eastpaw! Maybe you can come with us, Northpaw and me, to see the borders. Hows that sound, Tansytail?" She wanted to ask the she-cat before she left for the Moonshard, like a few of the other cats like Pearlsheen.

[(aurora) of the problematique]

_{((Even though it's a rather girlish name ^^; Tansytail is a tom))}