Leafbare is Beautiful (OPEN!)

[Lionhearted]

The lithe brown tom smiled softly at the falling snow, tipping his head up to catch a snowflake on his nose. It melted into water in almost an instant, and he chuckled lightly. Mudpaw shivered; his short fur did not provide the desired armor of warmth needed to face the coldness unleashed by leaf-bare. 

Still, he couldn't help but admire the scenery. It was early in the morning, and a fresh layer of snow had settled onto MidnightClan's camp, blanketing the whole clearing, and whiting the crooks and chinks of rocks, trees, and shrubs. He was reluctant to step into the pristine landscape and ruin the whole view. So instead, he stood there and watched the snow fall. 

This was his first experience of leaf-bare; he had been born in the middle of greenleaf. It was so different from the usual greenness the camp and territory showed, and he had never seen anything more breathtaking. "This is nice," he said, and he gasped, recoiling slightly; when he exhaled, his breath rose into the air, white and fog-like. He laughed, and blew the air, creating a small, visible breeze. 

He tilted his head and blew upwards; his breath billowed and disappeared as the light of the sun pierced through it. He stood up on two paws and pawed at the snowflakes, and then all of a sudden, fell back and landed into the snow. He gave a suffocated gasp as he was plunged into the coldness, but soon enough, he was wriggling around in the snow near the apprentices' den. 

Mudpaw sat up with snow on his nose and back, and sneezed. "This is great!" he exclaimed happily. 

[Icestorm]

Mothkit sat near the nursery entrance with large eyes. She wasn't sure about this cold and wet stuff. How could she trust something that made her so cold? Mudpatch had told her it was just snow, but still. Why was there snow? The kit pushed her paw into the cold, wet stuff a chill running through her large paws.

Her green eyes looked out in front of her where the fresh-kill pile was. She was hungry and wanted something, but she had to cross the large clearing, which was just covered in this snow stuff. Taking a deep breath the kit rolled back her shoulders, "Here I go!" What a sight she was, as the white and brown kit made her way towards the fresh-kill pile her feet being picked up high to the side.

A sudden sneeze stopped the Mothkit in her tracks as she dropped herself low to the snow. The kit let out a small squeak before she noticed Mudpaw. "Mudpaw, what are you doing," she asked cocking her head to the side forgetting about her hunger as he focus was now on the apprentice covered in that snow stuff.

[Lionhearted]

A sudden sneeze made the brown tom freeze in his leisure. 

Mudpaw popped out from the pile of snow he was playing around it. Slightly embarrassed by the fact that he'd been noticed by a kit, he smiled warmly down upon her. "Hi, Mothkit," he purred. "I'm just enjoying all this snow. It's so cold, but it's beautiful. Look all around you. Isn't a wonderland? Isn't it such a pretty world we live in right now?" he gestured with his tail at the snow-ridden camp. "Are you hungry?" he asked, standing up. "Want to go get some food?" Ah, we'll have to trample through the snow, though... "I could carry you, if you want. The snow'll be deep and cold, and I don't want you getting sick. " 

[Deleted]

Shadowpaw slid through the snow gracefully, her black pelt outlined clearly in the snow. At this moment, her name couldn't have suited her better, as she appeared to almost be the silhouette of a cat against the pure whiteness that surrounded her.

Well, there would be no sneaking off and causing trouble as long as this stuff was around. She would leave tracks in the fluffy whiteness, and she would be easily spotted anywhere she went. Oh well. It was too cold for any of that stuff anyways.

Shadowpaw noticed that another apprentice- Mudpaw, maybe?- was watching the soft white flakes fall from the sky, and a tiny kit had just appeared as well. Well, she had nothing better to do, she might as well see what these two were up to.

Shadowpaw padded over, her footsteps light as she tried to keep them out of the snow. So cold!

"Hey, what's up?" she asked as she approached, shivering all the while.

[Icestorm]

Mothkit looked at Mudpaw skeptically. How in Starclan could he like this cold stuff? It was cold. How was cold stuff pretty? "I- I don't know. Seems kinda strange to me," she said quietly as she eyed the snow that stuck to her paw before shaking it off. "Hmm, I was hungry but I don't need anyone to-"

Mothkit flinch once more with the sudden sound of someone else before huddling in the snow. The she-kit looked around for the new voice trying to brush off her flinch as if it hadn't of happened. "I was getting some prey!" The kit said slightly louder than he usual self.

[Lionhearted]

"I don't know. Seems kinda strange to me. Hmm, I was hungry, but I don't need anyone to-"

Mudpaw jumped as Shadowpaw appeared, then smiled and nodded at her. He had been so focused on the scenery and Mothkit that he hadn't noticed Shadowpaw approaching at all. "Hello," he greeted respectfully. "We were talking about eating. Would you like to join us?"

Turning back to Mothkit, he sniffed her. "Well, do you want to trample through the snow with us? It'll be sad to wreck this, but we've got to eat, haha. Let's go, then." He walked through the snow, towards the fresh-kill pile, and fetched a thrush. "These are my favorite," he said through a mouthful of feathers. "What's your favorite prey to eat?" he asked Mothkit gently, dropping the thrush in front of her.

[Deleted]

Shadowpaw nodded slightly at the offer to join them for a meal- she was quite hungry herself. She was amused watching the little Mothkit and waited to walk with her to the freshkill pile.

"So how do you like the snow?" she asked, trying to appear as though she knew lots about the stuff. She had been born during greenleaf, so she actually had never seen it either- all of this was new to her too.

[Anya]

"Look out below!" a loud yowl echoed through the clearing as a gray and white tom slid over a miniature slope. The landing sent snow flying everywhere.

"Jaypaw!" an annoyed hiss came from the apprentice's den and a pretty mackerel tabby stepped out with a demonic glare. She was covered in snow because of his stupidity. He had built the slope right in front of the den. "There's snow inside now thanks to you! You stupid mouse-brained idiot! Wasting moss and time! Stupid! Stupid! Stupid!" her voice rose with every word and she looked ready to tear him apart.

"Stupid she-cat." a low growl came from behind her and Wrenpaw was pushed forward face-first into the snow. A bristle-furred ginger tom strode past her.

"Pfft...bwahahaha!" Jaypaw rolled onto his back in the snow.

"Don't laugh your tail off." Bristlepaw yawned. He made his way over to the fresh-kill pile where he stood over Mothkit, Mudpaw and Shadowpaw. His hazel eyes narrowed in on them, the bristling lines cutting through the green and brown let off an electrified glow.

Being born in the colder time so close to leaf-bare the three apprentices were very much use to the snow. It was the first thing they had experienced as kits.

However, they weren't the only ones. A little pale she-cat almost invisible in the snow with the exception of her pink nose, blinked open her startling clear green eyes. They seemed almost ghostly. This was little Brindlepaw. Shivering away. She had been whisked away for a dawn patrol not long ago and had been too tired to return to her den. The remains of a eaten mouse at her paws. Her chest felt tight and she bit back a bout of coughing as she raised her head to inspect the commotion.

Ooc:// I did it...I unleashed my apprentices ;-; may StarClan be with you all

[BigMable]

Foxpaw was startled awake as a clump of snow hit him on the head in the apprentice's den. He let out a low hiss with annoyance as he stoop up and gave his pelt a good shake. He didn't really care for the snow, the cold white stuff was fun for the first few days, but now he longed for the warm newleaf sun to soak into his fur. However, all the other apprentices were out and about making the best of the blanket of snow that covered the camp, and he wasn't going to be a debbie downer.

The ginger tabby pushed his way past the fallen Wrenpaw and shot a glare at Jaypaw. He padded over to where Mudpaw, Shadowpaw, and Mothkit were and greeted them. "Good morning guys," he meowed, his eyes still adjusting to the sunlight reflected off the snow.

[Icestorm]

Mothkit followed after Mudpaw with Shadowpaw, her paws lifting high and to the side again. She really didn't like how the cold stuff stuck to her paws. It felt weird, as if she wasn't walking on the ground anymore. "It's so... sticky!" She said with a shake of her back paw.

Her eyes wide with hunger as Mudpaw brought her a thrush, "I haven't decided yet! I like it all," she said before taking a bit.

Mothkit jumped with a piece of thrush in her mouth at the sound of the other apprentices. The kit was really frustrated that she jumped... again. Really Starclan why? She was tired of flinching at every sudden sound. She wasn't even sure who all the apprentices were. Mudpaw was easy because of Mudpatch... Shadowpaw, well Mothkit wasn't sure why she remembered that apprentice's name but she did. The rest of them.... She had no clue who they were.

With the greeting the kit swallowed her prey, "Morning!" If she didn't say their names she was okay.

[Lionhearted]

Mudpaw nodded silently as the other apprentices approached. He knew that the other apprentices' voices were going to override his soft ones again, and now he was just going to sit in their shadows and listen to their conversation, not knowing when to add his own voice.

"Hi, Wrenpaw, Jaypaw, Shadowpaw, Bristlepaw, and Foxpaw," he said, blinking in amusement at the siblings' bickering. They gave him a headache, but what could he do? Yell at the constantly? They already did that to each other. And he didn't want to express his annoyance at them for ruining the scenery. There were dirt specks tainting the pristine whiteness, and pawprints and bodymarks that distorted the snow. "Care to join us for a bite to eat?"

[Anya]

Bristlepaw didn't reply but instead he simply nodded to the greetings. He would be playing hooky with Jaypaw if he hadn't just recently fought with his mother. She had been at it again lately. Bossing him around and telling him exactly what he wasn't doing correctly. She even tossed in some rubbish about him being a burden to the clan. He didn't care.

The tom stopped to stare at Mothkit. He was taken back to his meetings with Dovekit...no Dovepaw. It was already Leafbare and he had met her in mid leaf-fall. What was she doing now? He flicked his ears and picked up a small ground squirrel to eat. He sat a tail length away so he and began his meal.

"Morning all!" Jaypaw on the other hand was in high spirits. Being one of the older apprentices he was doing exactly the opposite of what was expected of him. He slid down the slope once more. Send snow flying onto Wrenpaw once more.

The faded gray apprentice shook the cold flakes off her. "Stop making so much noise. Can't you see cats are trying to eat in peace?" Wrenpaw rolled her eyes and settled beside Shadowpaw, Mudpaw, Mothkit, and Foxpaw. "Good morning to you all." she nodded. She wasn't feeling too well today so her usual haughty tone was softer. Her energy had been drained thanks to her fur-ball of a brother. "I'd love a bite to eat. Don't mind the others." she yawned. "Jaypaw will shut up once hunger strikes in faaaact," she waited, "one," flicked her ear, "two," she blinked her pretty green eyes, "and cue the stomach." A loud rumbling noise came from the half buried tom. Wrenpaw winked at Mothkit. "I can tell the future." She laughed.

"Haha, we can barely contain the laughter." the gray and white tom replied in a muffled tone.

Jaypaw had dug himself out and shivered slightly before grabbing his sisters mouse and running over to eat beside Bristlepaw. Wrenpaw flicked snow towards him with her tail and exclaimed in fright as the snow wasn't really snow but a very surprised Brindlepaw. "Brindlepaw," she gasped. "Don't scare a cat like that! I nearly choked!"

"Sorry." Brindlepaw whispered with sleepy eyes. "Good morning." she shook her head and the movement followed down to her tail like a wave. She was fluffed out and appeared larger than usual. It had finally quieted down. She enjoyed the silence. knowing that once Jaypaw was recharged he'd start the ruckus all over again. "It's cold. The snow's quite nice though. Soft..." she found herself dozing off again.

[Whiteleaf]

A dark lithe figure slipped through the trees, heading in the direction of the river that makes the border between Stormclan and Midnightclan. The lone cat stopped for a moment, opened his mouth to scent the air, before continuing on. The trees began to thicken a little by the time he was close to the border of his clan's territory. Swiftpaw stopped at the edge of the border, and then glanced around to see if any other cats were there. He quickly marked the border before noticing a rabbit near the edge of Midnightclan territory. Even though it was leaffall, the rabbit was large, but still scrawny. Swiftpaw dropped into the hunter's crouch before moving silently towards his relaxed prey. In less than a few seconds, the apprentice burst through the white snowy undergrowth and quickly tackled it, before going in for the killing bite. 

His prey immediately went limp as birds called out alarm calls to the rest of the animals that was in that area. Swiftpaw dropped the dead rabbit to his paws and raised his head, ears pricking up with alertness. He then grabbed his prey near the neck before he started to drag it back towards the camp. Finally, the sleek black tom managed to drag it all the way back to camp with his stomach starting to growl with hunger.

Swiftpaw shouldered his way through the entrance into the clearing of the Midnightclan camp. With a quick look around, the young apprentice saw that the camp was bustling with activity, mostly from his own denmates. Swiftpaw padded over to the fresh-kill pile and deposited the rabbit on top with some pride showing in his eyes. "Hey guys," the normally shy tom mewed in greeting to the other apprentices and Mothkit.