Make Dry These Eyes

[LupTacco]

Blue and grey and yellow blue and grey and- so few colors left to see when she looked out around her now. The itch in her eyes was worsening, always going deeper it seemed, and lately the reds of the world were no longer gracing her vision, and green had paled to grey and yellow. Perhaps the world meant to torment her, then, with the two colors she wished most to avoid. Everything was those colors, either the water, the stones, or his fur. Should she have visited Frostfall and Daisypetals before it got this bad? She knew the answer was yes, but she had so many seemingly compelling reasons for not doing so. Now she only had two- the damage was done, and she was busy.

"May all cats old enough to cross the waterfall gather below for a clan meeting," Bearstar called out over the rushing water, curling her tail around her front paws and trying not to feel like she was among strangers as all her clanmates appeared before her in strange and unfamiliar tones. "Though the nursery has been empty for a moon, it is no longer- I have heard Snowstorm will soon grace these old stones with a litter of her own. You have my congratulations," she spoke calm and formally, against the tension in her shoulders. "The time has also come for some of our apprentices to become warriors. Pumpkinpaw, Petalpaw, Murkpaw, and Hawkthornpaw- come to the front," she moved her tail only slightly to wave them up, looking blankly at the dull yellow tone the first two were.

"Pumpkinpaw, your nocturnal preferences have not impeded your training- instead, you have grown into a clever young tom. You will be Pumpkinfox."

"Petalpaw, you have lost love early in life- I can see you hiding that spark of yours. But there will always be new opportunities- I'm sure you'll see that youself, and I hope your new name of Petaldawn helps you."

"Now, Murkpaw, you have a harder talent to place, but one thing is certain. You know how to use your unique pelt to your advantage; we are lucky to have such a skilled hunter. You will be Murkdusk."

"And Hawthornpaw, though you often kept to yourself, you are a helpful and hard-working cat, standing by your brother and your friends after losing one of your peers. Your name will be Hawthornhowl."

Closing her eyes and rubbing her paw over them as her clan called out the new names, she dismissed herself quickly, winding around the rocks into her den and trying to ignore the itch, that deep and persistent writhing in the back of her eyes. How many more colors did she have to lose?

[☀ k a l i]

Briarsong looked up, midlick, and set her paw down at Bearstar’s announcement. Her tail flicked impatiently as she got comfortable again, eager for the news. She inclined her head respectfully when the announcement of Snowstorm’s expectant litter was made, though saying little. Good for Snowstorm and all, but Briarsong couldn’t imagine all of that. A mate had never quite crossed her mind, though she wasn’t sure why. Kits though? And a full litter at that? Oh no. No way. Being no devil, Briarsong loved to play around with kits, showing them nifty hunting tips in the spirit of fun, tousling with them in the grass, that was all fine and well. But for days? Moons? Very funny.

The tabby she-cat blinked back into MistClan and out of her thoughts, drawn in by the splash of the waterfall punctuating Bearstar’s calling of the new warrior’s names. Briarsong sat up straighter, tail tidily over her front paws. She was right on time to call out the apprentice’s new warrior names, welcoming them and praising their hard work.

[GnawingOnIce]

Murkpaw skidded to a stop in the cave and quickly sat down, his heart thudding against his ribs with excitement. It was finally time for their warrior ceremonies and he couldn’t be happier. He was finally going to be a warrior of MistClan! A big, strong warrior that could hold his own in battle. Independent and powerful. Petalpaw got her name before him; Petaldawn. It was beautiful and fit her pelt, the color of a blazing early dawn sky. He didn’t realize he was looking at her until Bearstar called his name. His eyes quickly flitted to his leader.

“Now, Murkpaw, you have a harder talent to place, but one thing is certain. You know how to use your unique pelt to your advantage; we are lucky to have such a skilled hunter. You will be Murkdusk.”

Murkdusk smiled with furrowed, determined kittybrows. He wouldn’t lie, he had wanted something more powerful-sounding, like Murkclaw or Murkstrike, but he could make it work. He always made it work. For example, Petaldawn’s suffix, dawn, and his suffix, dusk, worked very well together.

“And Hawthornpaw, though you often kept to yourself, you are a helpful and hard-working cat, standing by your brother and your friends after losing one of your peers. Your name will be Hawthornhowl."

He looked over at his sister. She knew the truth, and he knew the truth, about everything. He and her were built off of lies and Bearstar had no idea about it.

Anyway. After everyone was done chanting names, Murkdusk gave Petaldawn a quick lick behind the ear, smiling at her with proud eyes. “We’re finally warriors, Petaldawn! Aren’t you excited?”

Tags;; Ava
Notes;; n/a

[Ava]

Petalpaw eagerly waited beside Murkpaw, tail slapping the ground behind her like an excited dog as she leaned lightly against Murkpaw. She hoped for a good name, as she had fantasized this moment for moons upon moons prior. Petalflame, Petalclaw, Petalbite, Petalheart... so many options! She hoped that, finally, she wouldn't be known as Dawnpetal's kit, but rather her own cat! No longer would she have a soft, almost kittypet name like Petalpaw. It was so boring and easygoing- she wanted something feisty! And finally, she would get it-

Petaldawn.

Fricking Petaldawn.

Bearstar must've had a laugh about that one. Naming her, once again, after her mother. What in StarClan's name was so great about this kittypet code-breaker of a dead mom that made Petaldawn's name need to honor her? She honestly didn't get the point. Nonetheless, she accepted the name with a stiff dip of her head and briskly walked back, taking her place beside newly named Murkdusk. At least his name wasn't entirely based around some stupid dead cat. 

She returned his lick, though it was clear she wasn't happy with the stiff look on her face and narrowed amber eyes that she wore. Petaldawn just shrugged and sighed, mumbling a few words in return, "Yeah, I guess." She turned away and ignored the chants as she made her way back to her den, dragging her paws on the way there like they were all broken severely.

GnawingOnIce

[GnawingOnIce]

Murkdusk faltered, his smile disappearing from his lips as his eyes fell upon Petaldawn’s face. It was obvious she wasn’t happy. He winced as she uttered an, “Yeah, I guess.” and padded off, head hanging.

He glanced briefly back and forth between his sister, the other cats still gathered in the clearing, and his companion. “H-hey,” he finally got to his paws and trotted after her to catch up. “What’s wrong?” He asked gently. He despised seeing her upset.

Tags;; Ava
Notes;; n/a

[Broadwaykat]

It was of course normal procedure for former queens to be proud the day their offspring were made full warriors of the clan, and for all her sharp attitude and cool demeanor Nettletooth was no different. You might have thought the way she was carrying on, that she was the one being made a full warrior again, or given some sort of accolades, rather than simply watching the now-adult kits she had the barest influence on raising take their final steps and receive their full warrior names.

"I'm so proud of you, both of you." She oozed pride as she made sure to shoulder her way forward into greeting her own grown kits. "Hawthornehowl, Murkdusk. You'll make your clan proud."

Of course...it was not only her kit's special day. As evidence by the fact that two other cats had received their warrior names. And one of them the she-cat her son hung suspiciously close to. Of course, in her mind no one was good enough for her kits, so the look she passed onto the other she-cat was a cross between mild boredom and a thinly veiled threat.

"Congratulations to you too, I suppose. What was your name again?"