DuskClan | Camp

DuskClan’s camp is sheltered inside the foot of a cliff, the entrance hidden by thick, gorsey bushes but opening very quickly into a spacious, slightly dim area. There is a pile of heavy rocks in the corner that appears to have been the cliff collapsing many seasons ago; this has become the leader’s den and medicine den.
Warriors den: usually the warriors just find a sheltered area near the sides of the cliff, however if the wind is blowing in then they retreat into the assortment of small caves inside the cliff faces.
Apprentices den: a slightly larger cave off to the side, where one of the walls seems to always be damp.
Nursery: A wide crack near the base off the cliff on the far side of the camp, sheltered by a bush. Grass also grows around this side of the camp.
Medicine den: One of the larger caves caused by the cliff collapse. It has a few deeper chambers for storing herbs, and a constantly dripping pool in one area.
Elders: not far from the nursery, a cave with smooth floor and slightly raised areas to sleep on.
Leader: near the top of the cliffs, with a small ledge outside to announce from.

Robinstar looked up at the sky, standing outside her den on the ledge. She wasn't planning on any announcements, but it was the best spot to see the clouds drifting through the blue sky. She moved down to the centre of the camp, looking at the prey pile and tilting her head slightly as she looked around for any of the deputies, wondering if they were in camp or out hunting or patrolling.

Tulipsnow padded into the medicine den, dropping her bundle of herbs. "Coldfoot?" she called, wondering where he was.

Coldfoot looked up from the nest he was curled in, amber eyes squinted against the harsh light of the evening sun. "What." he mewed, his tone flat.

Scorchthicket padded slowly into camp, two mice hanging by their tails from his jaws. He glanced back as he waited for his apprentice, Bramblepaw. His ginger tail twitched softly, curling to hang over his back.

Robinstar turned her head, noticing Scorchthicket walking into camp. She eyed the mice and nodded, smiling slightly as her own tail curled. "I'm assuming the hunt went well then?" she asked, tail sliding from side to side as she walked a few steps closer.

Bramblepaw padded into camp, a squirrel hanging from his teeth by the tail. He stared at Robinstar, dipping his head in greeting. He placed the squirrel on his paws for a moment. "I caught my first squirrel," he puffed monotonely, unable to hide the light of pride in his voice.

Coalpaw watched Bramblepaw and his mentor walk into camp before walking up to Willowpaw. "D-Do you think Bramblepaw's g-good at hunting?" his natural stutter made his voice squeak awkwardly.

Tigerstorm walked into camp, a bounce in his step as he nodded towards Robinstar. “Robinstar.” He said in greeting after placing his own prey into the pile.

Leopardspots wrote:Coldfoot looked up from the nest he was curled in, amber eyes squinted against the harsh light of the evening sun. "What." he mewed, his tone flat.

Tulipsnow ignored her mentor's tone, used to it by now. "I gathered more borage, and managed to get the last of the chamomile," she mewed happily. "Looks like we're fully stocked for the cold moons."

Scorchthicket purred and nudged his apprentice. "You did great, Bramblepaw! I'm proud of you," he mewed, dipping his head to Tigerstorm in greeting. "Get something to eat, Bramblepaw. You don't want your stomach interrupting the Gathering," he joked, then trotted off.

Willowpaw blinked and glanced at Coalpaw, shrugging her shoulders. "I suppose? I caught my first squirrel at six moons," she mewed to the slightly younger apprentice, curling her fluffy tail around her paws. "If he and his mentor are proud of his abilities, that's all that really matters, isn't it?"

"Great," Coldfoot sighed, rising from his nest. There was and audible creaking as the old tom stretched his legs. "Did you see any poppy seeds sprouting? we need to get those while they're in season."

Coalpaw looked dazed as he stared at the fresh kill pile. "S-Sorry. I'm really tired."

Bramble tried his best not to look happy. He loved praise from Scorchthicket. After he padded to the fresh kill pile and dropped off his squirrel, he took a small mouse and sat beside the entrance to the apprentices den.

Robinstar smiled as she looked at the squirrel, nodding towards Bramblepaw then turning to Scorchthicket. Hearing Tigerstorm's voice, she waved her tail as a greeting and followed him to the prey pile with her gaze. "Tigerstorm," she greeted in return, ear flicking. "It seems like there's a lot of prey out today," she commented, looking around the camp.

“Yes, the queens, elders and kits will have a nice meal today, as well as the apprentices and warriors.” Tigerstorm said, nodding towards the pile as he moved back towards Robinstar.

Leopardspots wrote:"Great," Coldfoot sighed, rising from his nest. There was and audible creaking as the old tom stretched his legs. "Did you see any poppy seeds sprouting? we need to get those while they're in season."

Tulipsnow shook her head. "We can go looking tomorrow, though. Did you get an apprentice to change the moss?" she started to sort the things as they spoke.

"In the nursery? I think one of them did..." he mumbled groggily.

Fallowpaw stuck her head out of the apprentice's den, squinting at the light of the evening sun. She yawned and padded outside to find one of her friends.

Tulip snorted softly. "I meant in here, but the nursery needed changing too," she nodded.

Coldfoot snorted, "You can change your own bedding Tulipsnow, you're not a kit."

"Not my bedding," Tulipsnow looked at him, frowning. "Are you feeling okay?"

"I'm not dying, I'm just old," Coldfoot reassured her grouchily, "My bedding is fine, you don't need to treat me like a patient."

"I also didn't mean yours, but I'm allowed to fuss over you." Tulip purred softly, testing the bedding for the spare nests by pressing her paw against the moss. "They'll be fine."

"It feels like a waste to change bedding when we don't have patients," he muttered, "Moss will be hard to come by once leafbare hits."

Jadepaw let out a quiet yawn while dropping her prey on the fresh-kill pile. "Coalpaw!" she yelled, "Who do you think is going to be going to the gathering?"

Tansypaw headed out of the apprentices den with a yawn, pricking her ears as she heard Jadepaw yell. “Me, I hope!” Tansypaw answered, knowing fully well the question wasn’t directed at her, and trotted over towards Jadepaw, whiskers twitching.

Coalpaw took one last long look at Willowpaw before padding towards Jadepaw and Tansypaw. "P-Probably not as many a-apprentices as last time. I-I don't know i-if I want to go..." His stutter came back harder than ever. He and Jadepaw were best friends but he didn't know Tansypaw very well and wanted to make a good impression.

Bramble noticed the apprentices gathering and stood up with his prey. He padded over and sat down beside Jadepaw, winking at her and putting the uneaten mouse down in front of her. "The apprentices at gatherings are almost always flea-brained. There's always at least two fights that happen. It's stupid." He commented snarkily, running a paw down his face.

Tansypaw smiled at Coalpaw as he came over, her whiskers twitching ever so slightly as he began to speak.   “Oh, sure you do! It’ll be fun, you don’t want to miss it.” She flicked her tail at him gently, before glancing at Bramble as he came over.

Leafpaw walked up to Tansypaw, Jadepaw and Bramblepaw "I bet we're going to come" He mewed with confidence.

"C'mon Coalpaw, it'll be fun! You'll get to see the new leaders, too!" Jadepaw purred, "I like meeting the new cats, Bramblepaw, although they can be a little flea-brained at times."

Coalpaw nodded. "I-It's j-just that t-the first time I w-went to t-train, y-you scared me a-and I twisted m-my paw!" he hissed, smacking Jadepaw over the head. "A-And I bet y-you're gonna do i-it again!" he grumbled.

Bramble tsked. "Don't bother with it Coalpaw. My first gathering was a nightmare." he grumbled.

Jadepaw giggled "I'll probably be talking to Sapphirepaw and Firepelt, Coalpaw," she said with a purr "I don't get to see them very much, after all."

Leafpaw, being a new apprentice, was quite scared also "Bramble, what do the other leaders look like?" he mewed, letting his anxiety show

Bramblepaw closed his eyes in thought. "I heard that FireClan and FrostClan have new leaders, but I remember that Redstar was really kind-looking and Dapplestar was grey. Um, Turtlestar is fluffy? And BrightClan's leader wasn't here last gathering." He explained. "I've only been to one."

"Brightclans leader is super cool!" Jadepaw almost yelled, again "Sapphirepaw told me allll about them"

Leafpaw laughed, "Fluffy, huh? Can't even remember a fur color?" he teased.

Bramblepaw scoffed. "She's a tortoiseshell. Her son was there too, we talked. He seemed really weird." Bramblepaw grumbled, pawing the ground.

Coalpaw kinda just stared.

Willowpaw glanced over at the gathered apprentices and shook her head, huffing softly. She rose to her paws, trotting over to Fallowpaw and nudging her sister playfully. "Did you plan to sleep all the way through the gathering?" She teased, purring softly.

Tansypaw glanced at Coalpaw, frowning slightly. She nudged him slightly with her shoulder. “FireClan got your tongue?” She asked, keeping her voice low, humor in her eyes.

Leafpaw nodded "I wonder what the new leaders are like?" he pondered

Coalpaw snapped out of his daze (coughnotadaze,wasstaringatWillowpawcough) to blush and look at the ground. "I-I was just t-thinking about the g-gathering."

Bramblepaw shrugged. "Other leaders are boring. Robinstar has a.... unique personality."

“Oh? Really?” Tansypaw grinned, tilting her head as she let her gaze scan him over curiously. “Then why are you acting so embarrassed.” She teased slightly. Maybe he’s just uncomfortable because you keep bothering him, Tansypaw. Back off. She thought, worried now, as she watched for his reaction.

Leafpaw rolled his eyes "I don't think Robinstar would like that, Bramble" he mewed "I wonder what the other cats look like? I bet Fireclan are tiny"

Jadepaw let out a slight giggle "Sure, Coalpaw"

Bramble snorted. "But it's true! Our leader is actually interesting. All the other ones just drone on about 'prey prey prey' and 'kits kits kits' and it's boring."

Coalpaw dug his face in his hands. "I-I-I-I'll t-tell you i-i-if you p-promise n-n-not to t-tell anyone." he whispered.

Tansypaw raised her eyebrows slightly with interest. “I promise. Cats honor.” She raised her paw as she spoke, lowering her voice as she realized she was talking a little too loud towards the end.

Leafpaw let out a chuckle "We probably only think that because we haven't lived in another clan."

"I swear I won't!" She purred, adding a quiet "Even though I already know" at the end

Bramble shrugged. "I still think they're more boring than Robinstar."

Coalpaw's stutter vanished, his voice dropping to a low whisper. "I really like Willowpaw."

Willowpaw? Which one is that again? Tansypaw glanced around. Bramblepaw... Leaf...paw. Hm. She looked over the apprentices around them, before remembering she needed to answer Coalpaw. She looked at him, a purr rumbling in her chest. “Oo, someone has a crushh.” She giggles quietly. “Whatchya like about her?” She asked, a bit more serious. I’ve gotta figure out who this cat is. Willowpaw. I know her. I just can’t. Picture her. 

Coalpaw automatically started stuttering again. "E-Erm, s-she's very pretty. The prettiest cat I've seen. S-She's the most b-beautiful t-tortoiseshell I've ever k-known." he mumbled, embarrassed. He pawed the ground, taking a claw and drawing her in the mud. "I d-don't think she l-likes me b-back t-though."

“Well, I don’t see why she wouldn’t.” Tansypaw snorted softly. “Not like there’s anything wrong with you, or something.” She shrugged. “I say give it a shot.” She glanced at him and smiled reassuringly

Feather wrote:Willowpaw glanced over at the gathered apprentices and shook her head, huffing softly. She rose to her paws, trotting over to Fallowpaw and nudging her sister playfully. "Did you plan to sleep all the way through the gathering?" She teased, purring softly.

"No!" Fallowpaw purred, nudging her back and giggling, "I went on dawn patrol, remember? I think I deserved a nap."

"Oh yeah, definitely deserved one!" Willowpaw purred and sat down, wrapping her fluffy tail around her paws. "If it weren't so late, I'd say we should go hunting together," she mewed, ears flicking backward.

"If we went hunting now we definitely wouldn't get to go to the gathering," Fallowpaw purred, "Do you think there'll be any new apprentices there tonight? I always love talking to apprentices from other Clans and just...hearing the different ways they train."

"I mean, maybe! Maybe there'll be some cute ones too," she purred, lowering her voice towards the end. "Then you can be your hopelessly in love self, Fallowpaw!" Willowpaw giggled and ducked her head, flicking her tail-tip. "I hope we can actually go again," she added, tilting her head. "I loved my first gathering with you and Emberpaw."

Riverswoop padded up to the apprentices. “Are you all going to keep talking about the gathering or actually eat before you go?” he purred with amusement at their excitement. Maybe I should keep an eye on them when we’re there...