RushClan | Camp

From the surface RushClan’s camp could easily be missed, mistaken for just another dry, sandy hill in the landscape. It is only once you get closer that the broadness of the large claw-mark in the land is revealed, and the shelter within that it provides. A small stream trickles into the camp from the inaccessible end, hiding behind the tiny waterfall the medicine den and herb storage, and traces past the rockfall-hidden nursery. The elders sleep on the opposite side of the camp behind a single, strangely shiny boulder on top of which the leader makes announcements, named the Great Rock. The leader, deputies, warriors and apprentices all sleep out in the open, the ground warmed by the sunlight during the day and releasing it again at night to heat the cats from below. If the weather turns sour however, there are various ledges and smaller hollows that can be used to shelter from rain.

Spiderstar yawned as she woke up, feeling the sun on her fur. Grunting slightly, she wrapped a paw back around her eyes like she was trying to return to sleep. After a few moments, she let out a hmph and got to her feet, yawning at the sky as she shook out her fur and stretched, flexing her paws in the dirt.

Rustclaw growls as he looks around camp. He's been up since sunrise and has been waiting for another cat to wake up so they can go on a border patrol. He looks around and notices movement in the dens around him, however he huffs and waits.

Jadescorch pushed herself to her paws, shaking out her silver fur and parting her jaws in a wide yawn. Her bright eyes flicked about before landing on Rustclaw, her ears flattening at his angry expression. She huffed, padding out from the den. "Good morning, Spiderstar," she mewed.

Rustclaw's tail flicks, his eyes watching Jadescorch as he mentally huffs. Why isn't anyone awake other then Jadescorch and Spiderstar?

Plumdrop wandered back into the camp after making dirt, stretching and letting her claws drag against the ground. She looked around the strangely quiet camp, huffing a little. I'm not surprised nobody's awake. That rain last night would've been enough to deafen a badger. "Morning," she purred as she wandered over to the deputy and leader.

"Alright, I want to get a border patrol out right away." Stagheart announced, stepping towards Spiderstar, "Jadescorch, would you be okay taking out our first hunting party?"

Brambledusk's nose twitched as he walked over, fur on his shoulder laying funny still. "I'll go with her," he purred.
Plumdrop nodded, looking at Stagheart for his answer but not saying anything.

Stagheart nodded to Brambledusk. "Alright. Rustclaw, Plumdrop, could you accompany me to the RippleClan border?" he mewed. I hope that was subtle enough for her not to think anything of it.

Plumdrop nodded, hoping her tail hadn't fluffed up like it felt it had. "Sounds good. Those fish-brains are always up to something there."
Brambledusk snorted. "They're the only ones that can swim in the water. Not that I'd like to," he added, purring as he leaned against his mate.

Jadescorch nodded to Stagheart and purred at her mate, leaning her head down to groom the fur on his shoulder. "You look like you just got in a fight with the wind," she teased, nudging his cheek with her tail. 

Spiderpaw wandered out from the den, groaning and stretching. She shook out her fur, sticking out her tongue in disgust at the sight of her parents. "Ew, so much affection."

Juniperpaw awoke with the sound of his denmate's movements. He stretched greatly, then stood up and followed Spiderpaw out into the open. He blinked in the sunlight, then sat down to wash his pelt. He wondered what his task his mentor would have for him today.

Rustclaw stood, nodding at Stagheart, moving towards him. "Good idea. However, it is unlikely we would run into any trouble at the border as Sleekstar had just become leader." He says.

OOC: I don't actually know if the other clans know about how Sleekstar is leader so if they don't ignore what he said.

ooc: no they don't, they'll find out at the gathering tonight lol

ic: Brambledusk purred gently and licked her cheek too, ignoring their kits. "We should go."

"Are you coming with me, Brambledusk?" Stagheart asked, a bit confused.

"No, Stagheart, he said he'd join me." Jadescorch let out an amused purr and shook her head. "Where do you think we should hunt, Brambledusk?"

Cloudedkit bounded out of the nursery with a gleeful cry, ignoring the groan her mother, Peachspring gave at her volume. "Quiet down, Cloudedkit!" Was called from the nursery, but she just giggled and ran off further into camp.

Brambledusk shrugged. "Somewhere there's prey would be helpful," he purred.

Plumdrop shifted on her paws. "Are we going?" she gulped, a little put-off by Brambledusk and Jadescorch's closeness.

"The barn and the open moors?" Jadescorch shifted on her paws, flicking her striped tail and sitting down. "We'll definitely need more cats though."

Windpaw twitches in his sleep, opening his eyes, before he walks towards his mentor, looking at him. "What are we doing today, Brambledusk?"

"Ah, Windpaw!" Brambledusk purred at his apprentice. "I'm going hunting, would you like to join?"

Plumdrop fidgeted in place, too awkward to say anything to Stagheart. Why would he choose me? First? Of all cats!


Riverswoop stretched awake, clamping his jaws around a yawn as he got up and walked into the center of camp. "Hello?" he mewed.

Spiderpaw looked to her mentor and rolled her eyes, padding over with a sassy flick of her tail. "Plumdrop, am I needed?" She meowed, boredom dripping from her tone. 

Jadescorch beamed at the sight of her mate and his apprentice. It's so good to see him with one after Springpaw. She shook away the memories and rose to her paws. "It would be good training."

Cloudedkit, upon spotting her father, darted over and leaped at his legs with a playful battle cry.

Plumdrop nodded. "I'm bringing you on a border patrol, Spiderpaw. We're going to look at RushClan's border."
Stagpaw rolled his eyes. "And of course, I'm going to get stuck here again," he muttered to himself.

Riverswoop staggered dramatically, then dropped on his side as another fluffy kit launched herself at him. "Ow, ow, Wisteriakit, no biting please!" He pushed her away, and Wisteriakit huffed.
"But you're a big fox! We're defending the camp!"

Spiderpaw glanced at her brother and huffed a little. She padded over, swatting lightly at a tangle in his fur. "Honestly Stagpaw, how do you let your fur get like this?" She meowed, shaking her head. 

"Yeah, dad, we're protecting RushClan!" Cloudedkit quickly joined her sister's act. Crouching, she swatted at her father's tail. 

Peachspring padded slowly out after her kits, purring in amusement at the sight of them. "You don't make a very threatening fox, Riverswoop," she teased.

Windpaw nodded enthusiastically, looking at Brambledusk. "Where will we be hunting?" He asked.

Jadescorch jumped in then. "The barn and the open moors," she meowed, "but if one has more prey than the other, then we'll stay there longer."

Windpaw smiled happily. "I do want to work on my open moor hunting, I enjoy running on the moors after prey." He said, his head tilted. "I need to work on it anyway."

Brambledusk glanced at his mate, confused as to why she'd interrupted him, but looked back at Windpaw and nodded. "You're a RushClan cat for a reason, we'll get those running skills up," he purred.

Windpaw nodded excitedly and looked around. “Who else is coming with us?” He asked his mentor.

Jadescorch gave a sheepish glance at her mate, curling her tail between her hind legs once she realized she'd interrupted him. She shifted her paws on the ground and stood up straight. "We're seeing who is awake and able to go," she mewed.

"Right, let's go to the border," Stagheart meowed confidently, flicking his tail towards Plumdrop.

Plumdrop nodded. "Come on, Spiderpaw. Let's go!"

Peachspring moved to lie by her mate, watching as Cloudedkit pounced at Wisteriakit.

Brambledusk fluffed up his fur as a swift breeze cut through the camp. "I'm sure we can just go now. We're not in danger, the wolves rarely come when it's this cold." He glanced at his mate. "But you're the deputy, you choose."

Riverswoop purred, licking Peachspring's cheek. "They're adorable." Wisteriakit shrieked happily, tossing her sister aside with fluffy paws, then sneezing suddenly.

Jadescorch thought for a moment before nodding. "Let's go ahead. We'll just keep an eye out," she mewed and flicked her tail, leading the way out of camp.

Peachspring nodded happily, watching as Cloudedkit waited for her sister to stop sneezing before darting back at her. "Adorable is putting it lightly."

"Come on, Windpaw!" Brambledusk followed his mate, making the leap out of camp safely as always.

Windpaw followed suit, his excitement filling his paws as he keeps up with his mentor.

Riverswoop purred and nuzzled Peachspring's shoulder, then stood and stretched again. "I'll be back soon."

As the wind picks up through the camp, small cold flakes begin to drift down.

Flurryfeather walked along the edge of the camp, still holding the bundle of chamomile. He entered the cool air of the medicine den and added his herbs to the store. The somewhat tangy scent of the den was a comfort. He was glad to have gotten back before the weather turned. The trickling sound of the water overlapped with the faint sounds from the camp. He settled down, letting his chilled fur be warmed.

Wisteriakit sneezed again, her ears pressed back against her head, and she padded back over to her mother. "What's this?" she asked, curiously batting at the flakes of snow.

Peachspring closed her eyes and tilted her head back into the snowflakes. "It's snow, Wisteriakit. Basically frozen rain. Stick out your tongue and you can catch the flakes," she purred.

Wisteriakit did as her mother said, purring in amusement at the tiny specks of cold, then busied herself with pouncing on the flakes.

Peachspring purred, watching as a timid Firelily padded over. The young warrior's russet pelt stood out sharply against the snow.

Firelily sat down after clearing away some snow with her tail. "What are you up to, Wisteriakit?" She mewed.

Slatelily trotted out of the nursery and stretched, arching her back and opening her mouth in a wide yawn. "Snowed over night?" she called to Firelily.

"Just started, actually." Firelily called back, shaking the flakes from her russet fur. "It's not too heavy yet, but I hope patrols get back soon with food before all the prey is hiding."

"Hopefully we don't get snowed in..." she mewed, "Where's Peachspring? Wisteriakit shouldn't be unattended in this kind of weather."

"She's right over there with Riverswoop?" Firelily tilted her head, pointing to the couple with her tail. Cloudedkit was bouncing around their paws, asking endless questions.

Slatelily sighed. "The snow must be bad for my eyes," she mewed, sitting on the crisp floor of camp.

Wisteriakit huffed. "I can take care of myself!" she proclaimed. "Don't tell me what to do!"

"You might catch a cold!" Slatelily meowed, "Warriors don't risk their health to play."

"Warriors don't play at all. Looks boring." Wisteriakit huffed, flicking snow up with her paw.