Gritpaw

History

Kithood [ 0 - 4 moons ] >

    After she went through a rollercoaster of emotions with her first litter, Mintbreeze had finally found the time and capability to care for another. She looked forward to motherhood once more as she decided this time, she would give birth to her own litter. Perhaps it would be a bit nerve-wracking, having kits in the middle of war with some strange rogues, but it was now or never, and Mintbreeze ultimately chose now.
    Gritkit was the last born of Mintbreeze's second litter, following his sister Sparkkit and brother Ashenkit. Unlike his older littermates, Gritkit had a long and scruffy tail, and he let his voice be known from the moment he arrived. This bright personality of his would continue to grow quickly as he would find himself treading in mud and slush the first few steps he took, always bringing home with him the guarantee necessity of a bath.
    He was born during turbulent times, with a lot of uncertainty rolling off the backs of his older clanmates. He was not even a moon old when EmberClan's camp was attacked by some strange-smelling cats. It started like any casual morning, with Gritkit comfortably nestled into his mother's fur for a slated sleep. In the back of his ears, he could hear the rustling and conversation of the morning cats, including his brother Ashenkit. Gritkit had a long day of play the day before though, and he was not about to get up. He only did when he suddenly heard cries of concern turn to battle. A deer had invaded the camp, alongside these strangers. He wanted to see what was happening, but the queens were adamant about keeping the kits in the nursery, holding him and many more curious faces back. But where was Ashenkit?
    The sounds of battle left about as quickly as they came. The last thing Gritkit heard before he was finally able to come out of the nursery was some loud tumbling noises. The herbalist's den had collapsed, he realized, and there were a lot of injured cats. Someone had even died. He didn't understand, exactly, what was going on, but his prying ears caught on something about herbs. Still, he couldn't find his brother.
    Pikestar ultimately stepped down after this attack, letting her deputy Gullwatcher take over as the new leader. Finally, Gritkit was reunited with his brother, who looked to be out of breath. He was evaluated by Singeflicker, who said he had some form of an attack and would need to be monitored. Gritkit couldn't really make sense of it, and he tried asking Ashenkit about what happened. His brother didn't seem too keen to discuss it. Gritkit really wanted to know... but he didn't want to pry and scare Ashenkit. So he didn't.
    The clan set to begin repairing themselves. Injured cats were put up in the elders' den for the time being while the destroyed herbalist's den was being cleared. They even found a living cat underneath the rubble, as well as a body. At least the living one was a clanmate. Gritkit wanted to go play in the rubble, but after getting reprimanded enough times, he finally gave up. It was before long that it was cleared and his curiosity waned to something new.
    Another stranger came into camp, and Gritkit wondered if another attack would happen. But this cat was welcomed into the clan instead. He was apparently a former clanmate who had returned after disappearing seasons ago. Strange. Meanwhile, Gullstar announced Snapstream as his deputy, and Singeflicker picked a cat named Elmpaw for her apprentice. Gritkit didn't really care much for the politics of all this. It was more interesting seeing how others responded to it.
    It wouldn't be too long after then that the herbalists' den would be repaired. That also meant that the rubble of the previous herbalists' den was dutifully removed. The rubble didn't cause much issue, save for the one time that Burdockkit tried to play on it and got in trouble. Gritkit would have joined her, if the rubble didn't crumble under her feet and make him think he was going to fall. That fear was just enough to stop him. That didn't matter, though, because he would be able to find adventure elsewhere.
    He was a bit disappointed when Burdockkit and her littermates became apprentices and moved out of the nursery. Gritkit liked her spunk, and she was a lot of fun to play with. Sure, there were still his littermates, as well as Barkkit, Firekit, Cardinalkit, and Rosekit. But Gritkit never really grew close to anyone enough to be willing to bug them out of their nap and go out and play with them. But he figured that he would be following Burdockpaw and the others to the apprentices' den soon. For now, he would just continue to enjoy his kithood and start training early. Who knows, maybe he'll impress Gullstar so much with his moves that he won't even need training!
    But none of that ever stopped him from being a kit. When the weather started to get warmer, Gritkit found himself out more playing in puddles left by snow or making mudcats. He had been warned by his mother to stay away from the ice, which he did for a little bit. But curiosity got the better of him one day when he was the only kit awake and had no playmates. What was so scary about the ice anyway? He wanted to find out himself.
    The ice was terribly cold on his paws as he took his first few steps. He stared down at his reflection as he walked, and then he slipped and fell. Some kits would maybe cry at the impact, but Gritkit just giggled. He struggled to get up, and then he pounced on his reflection, falling again. This became some game to him until he heard some cats calling his name. He saw that it was Burdockpaw and Orchidpaw, as well as some of the older apprentices. They looked concerned at first, but Gritkit turned their attempts to grab him into a game of chase as he tried to run further out on the ice. And eventually, most of the apprentices eased up and started laughing, too. Gritkit hadn't even realized that Cicadahowl, Orchidpaw's mentor, had come to try and put an end to the fun, as he was too absorbed in his own game. He wasn't broken out of his trance of joy until he realized that Orchidpaw and Burdockpaw and fallen so hard that the ice had broken.
    The ice had already been cracking here and there, but nothing so terrible that Gritkit was worried. It was only now that he realized just how dangerous the situation had gotten. Rather than jumping in to help or get himself to safety, the young kit simply froze, his eyes wide with fear. He watched as the apprentices he was just playing with struggled to get up on the piece of ice he was on, Cicadahowl struggling to help them. Eventually, Minnowpaw had come over to shield him, protecting him from the jerks of the ice. He begged for Mintbreeze in his mind, his body trembling as his ears laid back. There was a lot of yelling between the cats on the ice and the cats in camp, but Gritkit couldn't comprehend any of it as he tried to cry for his momma. It was useless, though. By the time he finally found it in him to look up, the camp was drifting away.

Lost in Adventure [ 4 - 8 moons ] >

    Eventually, the drifting camp disappeared over the horizon, and the slab of ice that the stranded cats were on eased in its adventure, lulling itself to a gentle coast along the river. Gritkit couldn't help but watch the camp until he could no longer see it, his eyes wide with terror. Was this his fault? He didn't mean for this to happen... he was just having fun.
    The ice was bitter on his fur as Gritkit stayed frozen in his spot. Some of the cats around him would try to steer the large chunk of ice by dipping their paws in the water, but he could only imagine how difficult that was. When they seemed to realize it was fruitless, the cats curled up together in a tight pile to keep each other warm as the night slowly creeped up on them. Gritkit, now more than ever, missed his momma as he curled up against the thick fur of Cicadahowl and Carppaw, easing himself into a restless sleep.
    The following days were a lot of the same. Growling bellies became louder, including Gritkit's, and some of the older cats would sometimes try to fish. By then, Gritkit had gotten over his initial fears, getting up and creeping around the island of ice to get a look around the lake. He attempted to dip his paw into the water, only to draw it back with a hiss. The water was so cold! Was it always this cold? He nearly stumbled right into the water when the ice hit a rock, but he dug his claws into the ice just enough to keep himself from lurching forward. He decided that was enough exploring as he went back to the pile of cats that laid in the middle.
    Sometimes the fishing attempts were successful, and sometimes, they were just down right awful. It leaned more towards awful. Orchidpaw had been pulled into the water when she attempted to fish, and both Cicadahowl and Burdockpaw fell in trying to help her. Gritkit wanted to help, but he froze in the moment while Carppaw and Tadpolepaw came to their rescue. By the time all three were out of the water, they were all shivering. Gritkit found himself pressing against Burdockpaw and Orchidpaw in an attempt to help them warm up as everyone eased back into yet another restless night. The next day, they would find out that the cold water would bite Orchidpaw with a case of sickness.
    The weather warmed up, if just enough, to cause a thinning in the middle of the ice. It eventually broke, exposing a hole that had possibly been formed by the warmth of the cats who piled on that area. There was a bit of concern for this; what if the the ice continued to melt? Would they find land before that happened? They tried not to think about that as some of the older cats began to use the hole for fishing, with Cicadahowl successfully pulling up a fish. Gritkit, determined to be helpful, tried to fish as well, leaning down with a serious gaze as he watched for a fish. Just as he was poised to jump, he felt someone's paw quickly scoop him away from the edge of the hole. Gritkit groaned, less out of pain and more frustration. Why couldn't he help!? Just because he was the youngest didn't mean he couldn't do anything! Still, he decided not to try again, curling up on the ice with a grumble.
    Gritkit didn't move from his spot for a bit in a fit, but he watched as the others would do some things. Orchidpaw, despite her sickness, dipped her paw into the water with an attempt to paddle, and her sister joined in. Gritkit could feel the ice shift underneath them as they pushed the ice in some direction, but it didn't last long as the young cats eventually tired out. He was surprised to see Burdockpaw collapse, and he cried in shock, jumping up to check on her. She seemed to still be breathing, but as Gritkit looked up to ask Cicadahowl what they should do, he saw the warrior fending off a massive fish, batting it straight back in the water. Fish could... get that big? It was maybe three times the size of Gritkit! Suddenly, he wasn't all too sure about fishing as he curled himself up beside the unconscious Burdockpaw. He tried desperately to cover the sniffles he felt setting in as he closed his eyes.
    He was woken the next day by a small movement beside him. Gritkit opened his eyes to see Burdockpaw looking around. She just as quickly closed her eyes again and fell back into a deep sleep. Him, on the other paw, felt slightly better that morning. His sniffles were still evident as he wiggled his nose, but at least his body didn't feel as heavy as he got up to stretch. While Burdockpaw and Orchidpaw slept close together, their bodies trembling from their sickness, Gritkit stood at attention, as if something could attack them at any moment. And for all he knew, something definitely could; that large fish was a testament to that! He would be there to protect his friends if something were to happen.
    Perhaps staying up wasn't all too good for his body, though, because not only did the shaky feeling in his limbs return, but everything looked like it was tilting on its side. He wondered if he wouldn't have felt this way if he had slept with the others... right now, their sleeping pile was looking really good. It took a stumble or two before he found himself plopped over Burdockpaw and Orchidpaw, where he fell into an uneasy sleep for the day.
    How many days had it been, anyways? He had begun to lose track of time as his health continued to rise and fall. When he woke up again, he once more felt refreshed. This likely was a sign that he should keep sleeping, but there was a lot of movement going on around them. Orchidpaw and Burdockpaw remained where they were, their fevers still prevalent and Orchidpaw in a deep sleep. Tadpolepaw and Carppaw, however, went over to the edge to do some fishing, with plenty of success. Gritkit's ears perked with great interest. Maybe that big fish that Cicadahowl had fought was gone and the waters were, once again, safe. He was hesitant at first as he approached the edge of the water, but as he gazed down at his reflection, he took a deep breath to gain his courage back. He waited carefully, keeping his eyes on the stillness of the water. He thought he caught a glimpse of a fish, and he leaned down to get a better look. It wasn't until he had sucked in a mouthful of sharp, cold water, that he realized he had been dragged into the water.
    His head hurt terribly, some red spots in the water surrounding his sight. Was he injured? What had happened? The pain increased, and he tried to yowl, only to swallow more water. Everything hurt... he couldn't breathe, and things were going dark quickly. The last thing he remembered feeling was someone pulling him free from his captor and dragging him up to the surface before his consciousness vanished.
    Gritkit didn't know how long he had been out. There were times during his deep unconsciousness that his body felt heavy and light at the same time. He thought he had seen a beautiful field of flowers, too, the sun shining down on them with a gentle glow. The water that was there wasn't harsh like the lake had been to him the last couple of however many days he's been on that ice. He wanted to frolic in those fields forever.
    A sudden rock of the ice jolted him awake, and Gritkit only groaned. It was the first signal of life he had shown in quite a bit, and he felt sick to his stomach. He was back to reality, and while his body felt terribly heavy and his head pounded with pain, he was able to shakily get up on his paws. He couldn't quite grasp everything that was going on around him as he took in his surroundings. There was a splash, followed by the gasping of a cat as he saw Carppaw get pulled out of the water and back onto the ice. Minnowpaw, too, had fallen in, and after pulling herself back up, she had fallen over. Was this just going to be their lives now? No... No, Gritkit wanted to see that field again. He wanted to feel the sun's warmth and the grass under his paws. He didn't want to be stuck on this piece of ice for the rest of his life!
    Gritkit stumbled over towards where Cicadahowl was attempting, once again, to steer the ice. The warrior warned Gritkit away from the edge, but he didn't listen. Gritkit leaned down to push against the water in a similar fashion as Cicadahowl, his face scrunched with determination. And, surprisingly, the ice began to move. Realizing that he was helping, Cicadahowl continued to help with the paddling, and eventually, they found land in the distant horizon. Gritkit's eyes lit up for a moment: land! They were going to get off this hunk of frozen water at last! With a final push, him and Cicadahowl were able to steer the ice towards the land they saw, and after exhausting themselves with doing so, they all went to sleep with the hope that they would be able to touch solid ground soon.
    Gritkit was woken up to the gleeful sounds of his friends mentioning the nearby land. It didn't take long for him to look too, his own body filled with anticipation. He wanted to jump for it right then and there, his paws itching to get off the ice. But Cicadahowl picked him up, instead, perhaps thinking Gritkit wouldn't be able to make the jump. They waited for a moment for Orchidpaw to jump, but she slipped on the ice and fell straight in. Cicadahowl tried next, and he ended up doing the same thing, bringing both him and Gritkit down. Gritkit yelped as he was penetrated by the cold water once more. His head began to ache again as he flailed his paws around. He tried to focus on the land, his legs kicking about. It wasn't until he saw how Carppaw and Minnnowpaw swam that he mimicked their motions, desperately kicking until he was able to get to the shore. With the help of the cats that were up on the shore, he managed to pull himself up. Cicadahowl helped from the back, and they were able to pull Orchidpaw out, as well. Gritkit felt so terribly exhausted after that sudden, uninvited dip in the water, collapsing as he gasped for breath. But when he finally was able to calm down, he closed his eyes in bliss. Finally, he was on land.
    It took a moment before the group got moving. They needed to figure out where they were and, more importantly, how to survive. Orchidpaw and some of the others looked to gather supplies while Cicadahowl attempted to find clues as to where they had drifted to. Gritkit, on the other paw... well, he just wanted to rest. He still felt quite light-headed and delirious from everything, a chill raking through his body from the water's aching touch. He chose to sleep for a little longer while others situated themselves, hoping he would be ready to get moving the next day.
    The weather didn't seem to like the idea of them moving, though. Gritkit, feeling a bit better than the day before, felt eager to get a move on. He had no issue attempting to take the front of the group as they walked in the direction that they believed EmberClan to be in, squinting his eyes against the wind. But when the wind suddenly shifted and began to go against him, it lifted him off his paws. He hardly had a moment to process it before he fell face first into the ground in front of him. He groaned and laid there for a long time; he didn't know if he was more embarrassed or in pain. By the time he had looked up, he realized that the wind had attempted to take both Minnowpaw and Orchidpaw as well. Fortunately, Minnowpaw landed on some soft moss, while Cicadahowl quickly leapt in to save Orchidpaw from falling down a sudden incline. Why did those two have some better luck? Gritkit only groaned again, plopping his head back into the dirt.
    When the group was ready to continue moving, he finally struggled back to his paws. His legs felt a bit wobbly as he continued to combat the wind, and he gave up his spot in front in favor of the bigger cats, putting himself between Carppaw and Tadpolepaw. He even attempted to hunt on their way, pausing by the water to try his paw at a fish again. He was simply splashed back at in return, and no food to show for it. The group eventually came to a stop and attempted to set up camp against the wind. Cicadahowl built a shabby-looking den for everyone to squeeze themselves into, which Gritkit didn't hesitate to do so.
    The next day, Gritkit was determined to find a way to help out. Hunting didn't seem to be a viable option for him, so he decided to try and gather some herbs or something. It wasn't really easy, as the weather decided to continue going against them as a heavy rainfall began. But Gritkit didn't stop looking, and he eventually found something that looked promising. He wasn't sure he had seen the pretty flowers before, but even if they weren't helpful, they could at least lift everyone's moods! He happily picked the flowers and brought them back with him to the group, showing off his prized find.
    Truth is, no one really recognized the flower. Cicadahowl and Carppaw felt wary about it, but Orchidpaw and Burdockpaw were drawn to the flowers like Gritkit was. The three of them collectively chose to give the flower a try. It tasted a little funny, tingly even, but in the moment, Gritkit felt that was a good thing. Even Burdockpaw said they should look for some more!
    The next day proved them wrong. When he tried to wake up, Gritkit felt awful. His body was extremely heavy, and he couldn't put his paws underneath him, collapsing when he tried to get up. His eyes spun in ways he didn't think possible after the fish attack, and he couldn't keep his head up. He tried to check on the others, and he could barely make out the similarly struggling forms of Burdockpaw and Orchidpaw. Maybe those pretty flowers weren't so good after all...
    Gritkit wanted to help so badly, but his body refused to listen to him as he laid helplessly in the makeshift den. He tried to sleep, hoping that it would make him feel better, but everything ached and made it difficult to even get a nap in. He would try to listen to what the others were doing, though he couldn't really comprehend much. At least he was able to hear a light snore coming from Orchidpaw, insinuating that she was alive. What about Burdockpaw? How was she faring? Gritkit tried to move his head to check, but he was too stiff to do so. All he could do was restlessly listen to Orchidpaw's snoring and the pattering of the continued rainfall outside, hoping he would get better soon.
    Gritkit didn't know how much time was passing at this point. He could simply lay there in the den with the others, watching feverishly as a cat would leave and come back, or the way the sky outside would get darker and lighter. At some point, the rainfall stopped and the world outside became a bit brighter as snow began to fall in its place. Gritkit couldn't decide if he was hot from his illness or cold from the weather, his body swapping between different temperatures. He eventually attempted to get up again, and he was ecstatic to see that he could stand once more. It took a lot of effort, though, and he decided to lay back down, closer to the others, to share their warmth and continue recovering.
    Eventually, with enough rest, Gritkit was able to start moving around again. Burdockpaw and Orchidpaw were able to, too, though all three of them were sluggish and needed to rest frequently. But with their recovery, the group thought it would be time to start moving again, with Minnowpaw requiring extra help for her continued illness, as well. Gritkit, ultimately, decided that it would be best if he didn't do anything. He stuck close to the others, sometimes leaning on them for support, while the older cats continued hunting and scouting. He felt pitiful and useless. Gritkit wanted so badly to help and fit in, but every time he tried, he only got the group in trouble.
    The group, honestly, wasn't completely sure they were going the right way. All they could do was keep moving and hope that they would eventually find something familiar. What they found, instead, was a hungry fox. The group tried desperately to fight the fox, and even Gritkit was able to land a couple of successful swipes on the fox. Unfortunately, Orchidpaw had ended up getting badly injured by the fox, getting caught in its jaws at some point, but ultimately, the fox was chased off.
    That wasn't the end of their troubles, though. While they tried to tend to Orchidpaw, a coyote found its way to the group, perhaps tempted by the scent of weakened cats. The cats were certainly in no position to fight off another opponent, especially with their injured companion. The older cats told the others to run, and Gritkit was quick to oblige, leading the cats to somewhere that would, hopefully, be safe. He hadn't noticed that Minnowpaw had been caught by the coyote and injured, but he could hear the retreating steps of the bigger cats eventually behind him. He could only assume that they had brought Orchidpaw with them.
    Gritkit's chest burned from running, and he didn't dare look back. The pounding of paws behind him was enough to tell him that they were still being chased. He even shut his eyes as he gasped for breath. But he opened them again in surprise when, suddenly, his paws could not find ground in front of him. The next thing he knew, Gritkit was tumbling down a steep cliff.
    After the second time that his body had collided with something, Gritkit couldn't feel anything else. Not until he finally landed on solid ground. Something warm was flooding around his face, and his body trembled from the pain. He's pretty sure he lost consciousness for a moment. He came to thanks to the sound of Burdockpaw's voice screaming his name. He opened his eyes, but nothing looked recognizable, not even the blurry forms of what looked to be cats. Someone tried to nudge him, and at first, all he did was groan. He realized it was Carppaw by her colors, and he grinned up at her before asking her to go help Burdockpaw with whatever was going on.
    Thankfully, the strange rogue was actually friendly. They mentioned their desire to help Gritkit, and after talking with the two apprentices for a moment, they came over to ask Gritkit if he could stand, else they would carry him. Gritkit couldn't keep acting like a kit! He could stand, surely he could. He just didn't expect how much effort it would take to even get his paws underneath him, and when he finally found his footing, the world spun around him. He couldn't barely utter any words as he stumbled after this rogue--Mackenzie was their name--to some camp.
    Gritkit was all too grateful to finally find a comfortable space to fall into, where he once again lost consciousness. He wasn't sure how long he was out for, but every once in a while, he could hear voices. He heard Burdockpaw's and Carppaw's, and Mackenzie's unfamiliar voice was often close by. When he finally felt well enough to open his eyes again, he tried to wait for them to focus, but it never came. He cried in surprise for a moment, but his companion's words soothed him. They were still there... thank StarClan. Gritkit looked around for any source of comfort, but everything looked so strange. As things came into picture for him, they weren't... exactly what he was expecting. At first, he thought that there was a small fox in front of him, and his fur fluffed up in alarm. But when Burdockpaw spoke, the image shifted to look like her, and his ears pinned back in confusion. It was Burdockpaw... all along? He turned to see a large black and white figure, his vision playfully showing him a skunk. And even when Mackenzie spoke, it never really went back to the three-legged cat that was actually in front of him. His head whirled from this odd shift in his perception, and he tried desperately to shake it off. But one day turned into two, and then three. He never saw Mackenzie as a cat again, and his vision always continued to play tricks on him, even as the group packed up to find a way out of the gorge.
    It was... difficult. Gritkit felt like everything around him was wrong. He found himself running from bushes or hissing at a vole, thinking it a weasel. After a day, he chose to stick close to Burdockpaw and Carppaw, who his brain at least could discern after associating their forms with their voices. He could trust them, even if he couldn't trust himself.
    Eventually, Carppaw found a path up and out of the gorge, and they followed it eagerly. They were left with disappointment when they realized that none of their companions were there. Where could they have gone? Surely they didn't just abandon them? No, Gritkit had confidence that they wouldn't do that! They chose to set up camp in that same area, hoping that the others would come back eventually. Gritkit wasn't really sure how long they stayed there, but he tried his best in the meantime to try and focus his vision to be normal. He would ask Carppaw what an object was in front of him so that he could properly perceive it, but the moment Carppaw told him, it was like his vision was fine. So he stopped asking her, turning his perception training over to Mackenzie. He knew they weren't a skunk... they were a cat! Gritkit found himself staring at them for long periods of time, his face scrunched up as he tried desperately to visualize them as a cat. But... even with his companion's help to describe Mackenzie's appearance, it neither quite formed correctly. Sometimes it was a cat! But it was... like a cat with skunk patterns. And with four legs. And when Gritkit learned that Mackenzie was actually quite tall, he was surprised. He always pictured them as smaller, though he figured a skunk standing on black rocks wasn't very believable for thinking them to be a short cat standing on black rocks. The more he tried to think about fixing his vision, the more his head hurt.
    He eventually stopped trying so hard, instead joining in a bit with Mackenzie's training with Burdockpaw. After all, by now, Gritkit would probably have been starting his own apprenticeship. He wanted to learn how to hunt and fight properly and show his littermates when he got back just how amazing he had gotten! It... was harder than he was expecting. Thanks to his perception issues, he often walked right past prey while attempting to follow its scent, not realizing it was under his nose. And he would sometimes try to attack inanimate objects thinking they were prey.
    He nearly attacked Orchidpaw, too, when she suddenly came running back and tackling Burdockpaw. His whole body fluffed up nearly twice his size, ready to pounce, when Carppaw stopped him. It wasn't until Orchidpaw finally spoke that she began to form properly in his vision. It was... an odd view; she didn't quite look as confidently as Orchidpaw to Gritkit as Burdockpaw and Carppaw did. He thought she had more white... no matter. The good thing was that Orchidpaw was back! And following shortly behind them were Cicadahowl and Tadpolepaw, who again, Gritkit originally thought to be potential predators or prey. Cicadahowl, especially, looked a bit like a badger, and Gritkit couldn't help but breathe a sigh of relief when the warrior spoke. Finally, things were beginning to look up.
    Spirits renewed, the group began to search for the still missing Minnowpaw. It didn't take long to find their clanmate, who was being cared for by another rogue. Gritkit thought them a dog ready to snack on Minnowpaw, and he was prepared to attack. He was stopped by his companions, who told him it was a cat that had been helping Minnowpaw. He was unsure about this, as his brain never perceived the rogue as a cat even after being told, but he reluctantly backed off. He was glad that Mackenzie took over Minnowpaw's health, as despite them being a skunk in his eyes, Gritkit could trust them.
    With everyone back together, relief washed over every cat, including Gritkit. He felt like he could sleep comfortably that night--albeit it far from the rogue, Eclipse--and he was re-energized the next day. In fact, the first thing he did was announce that he wanted to go by Gritpaw. He was long past six moons, after all! Sure, he didn't really feel like an apprentice, what with how much he held the group back and how his vision makes training near impossible right now, but he was tired of being called a kit when he blatantly wasn't. His companions supported his change, trying their best to adjust to the new name. There were a couple of slip ups with the old kit name, but Gritpaw just brushed them away with a light jest. Meanwhile, he began to train with Cicadahowl, eager to make his mark in the group.
    As he trained, the group began to steadily make their way towards where they believed EmberClan to be. They would make temporary camps as they went, setting up a makeshift den to sleep in and a small fresh-kill pile to eat from, and then they would move on again. This happened for a couple of days, and his companions would update that they were beginning to recognize things. The anticipation grew as they grew closer to home, but their journey was never quite over.
    The group was settling in for another night's sleep in their makeshift camp. Gritpaw's head was lulling as he slowly fell asleep, but he was jumped awake by snarling. And it wasn't just in one area, but in multiple. Everyone was quick to run out of the den, but it was too late; they were surrounded. The shapes were shrouded in shadow, making it all the more difficult for Gritpaw to discern what they were. Burdockpaw said something before one of the shapes attacked her. Gritpaw's fur ruffled in surprise as everyone leapt into attack. He tried to lash out himself, staying close to Cicadahowl's large figure as he did, but he wasn't ever sure if he actually landed hits on their enemies. He wouldn't be surprised if a couple hit his own companions. Cicadahowl would try to direct him, but soon Cicadahowl was also thrown into the heat of battle. Gritpaw didn't know where best to be, so he struggled in the middle with Orchidpaw. He heard a sharp cry from Carppaw, but he couldn't take his eyes off of the action to check on her.
    The battle was long and exhausting, especially as their enemies were far bigger than them. Gritpaw liked to believe he helped, but he wasn't actually sure, when the creatures--which he was later told were coyotes--retreated back into the shadows. Everyone was spent from the attack, and he finally noticed that something was missing from Carppaw. He wondered if his brain was playing tricks on him again, but Mackenzie's skunk-like figure quickly rushed over to help Carppaw while others helped soothe her and keep her awake. His brain was not lying: Carppaw had lost her leg.
    This attack halted their journey as Carppaw and the others needed time to recover. Gritpaw was relatively okay, save for a few scratches that would easily heal over time. He worried about his companions, especially asking Burdockpaw and Minnowpaw how they were feeling. Thankfully, the injures--save for Carppaw's missing leg--didn't seem too drastic, and when Carppaw was well enough to keep moving, the cats set out once again towards EmberClan's territory.
    Gritpaw had long lost the concept of time, no longer sure how long they had been away. He used to try and track the moon's phases, but now, with his visual perception skewed, it was sometimes hard to tell what phase the moon was in save for the new moon. But when the group finally came across the EmberClan border, everyone's energy felt naturally revitalized. It was taken again when Mackenzie and Eclipse decided it was time to go, and everyone gathered around their rogue friends to say goodbye. Even Gritpaw tapped Eclipse's shoulder in an awkward farewell, knowing that the large dog in front of him was, in some shape or form, a cat. After the rogues departed, the clanmates eagerly turned around to head home, as if their legs could not move any slower.

Apprenticeship [ 8 moons - present ] >

    Finally, finally, they were home! The others were quick to race into camp and find their loved ones. Gritpaw followed just behind them, his fur electrified with joy. But as soon as he entered the camp, his whole body fell with dismay. He-He didn't recognize anyone... There were so many moving figures, some small shapes like scurrying squirrels or larger figures like dogs. Some of them looked like cats, but they didn't look like any that he remembered. Gritpaw admittedly looked lost, looking around frantically for his friends again. Burdockpaw, Orchidpaw, and Tadpolepaw had gone over to who he could assume were their fathers, while Carppaw, Minnowpaw, and Cicadahowl found themselves by a brown rock-like shape who he figured was Daceshell. They all knew their families and knew where to go... What about Gritpaw?
    Finally, he heard his old name cried out in disbelief and delight. It had been moons since he heard that voice, but how could he forget the voice of his beloved momma? Gritpaw wasted no time turning and running to the voice. What was originally a small bear had quickly formed into Mintbreeze as Gritpaw collided with her. All of his emotions came flooding forward, and for the first time in moons, he cried. Another figure had come to welcome him back, and though he didn't recognize the voice, he welcomed them into his and his momma's embrace. He later was told that it was his brother, Ashenpaw.
    There was plenty of time to gather and reminisce, but there was only one time that you could have a ceremony. Many of the cats on the quest were overdue for their ceremonies, Gritpaw included. He waited in the back, sticking close to Mintbreeze's side, while his friends gained their warrior names. He cheered the loudest that he could for Carpfin, Minnowtail, and Tadpoleflame. And Gullstar wasn't done when he called up Orchidpaw and Burdockpaw. Gritpaw's tail curled with delight: they were becoming warriors, too! He called out their new warrior names--Orchidwish and Burdockflutter respectively--before quickly running up to them to congratulate them.
    But it wasn't over, because now it was time for him to become an official apprentice. He wasted no time stating how he was training with Cicadahowl and even began going by Gritpaw in preparation for this day, and Gullstar smiled back with bemusement. He called Gritpaw by his old name one last time before calling over Fennelspots. Fennelspots! That was Burdockflutter and Orchidwish's dad! He would be such a great mentor, and Gritpaw was all the more ready to start his official training as he looked over. He was a little taken aback by the sight of what looked like a mountain lion, but he eased up. No, this was Fennelspots! He would repeat this to his brain until his mentor eventually shifted back to being a cat, though he wasn't sure that Fennelspots looked the way he actually did to Gritpaw. It didn't matter, though. Gritpaw excitedly tapped his nose to Fennelspots, grinning with delight. He was home, and he was an apprentice!
    It wasn't long after they had returned that Gritpaw decided to try and explore aer gender identity. Ae never really had time to consider it, but ae knew that not everyone quite aligned with male or female. Gritpaw wasn't necessarily uncomfortable with the male gender... but ae kind of wanted to explore and see if anything else fit better! So shortly after they had returned, Gritpaw told aer friends and family that ae wanted to try going by she/her and ae/aer pronouns to begin their exploration. Ae was supported in aer decision, and ae's chest puffed up with pride.
    It was a bit hard getting back into clan life. Gritpaw, especially, had a hard time trying to discern everyone. She didn't really recognize anyone's voices anymore, save for Mintbreeze's, and even when they gave her their names, her nose would scrunch as she tried to visualize everyone. At least, over the next couple of days, she was able to convince her brain that she was in a camp of cats. Every once in a while, she would come home to a bunch of unfamiliar animals, predators and prey alike, before she would mentally tap herself to remind her she was in camp. Cats would eventually be perceived as cats with that prior knowledge, but she doubted any of them looked quite the same. In fact, their appearances changed every day for her, and it was frustrating.
    Trying to familiarize herself with the territory was just as difficult. It was easy to find the borders, thankfully, as that wasn't a visual aspect anyway. Gritpaw's smell worked just as well as the next cat! But anything else would warp and look strange to her, and she would have to ask Fennelspots about what she was looking at. And when Fennelspots tried to teach her to fish, Gritpaw shook her head vigorously. What if another large fish came out to eat her? What if it was the same one? Now, she wouldn't be able to tell if was a cat-eating fish or not! No, she much preferred the land and hunting the small scurrying rocks on the ground than risk her life for another fish. At least she seemed a bit willing to still swim, but she didn't stay in water for very long periods of time.
    While they were away, a lot had happened: not necessarily for EmberClan, but for the other clans. There was the war that Gritpaw could remember for as long as ae was able to open his eyes, and apparently, the opposing cats had driven CloudClan out of their territory. The clans discussed a plan to band together and drive the opposing cats--the Empire is what they were called--out of the territories. Gritpaw stayed home, unsure of how much help ae would actually be. The mission seemed to be successful, as ae heard that the Empire had successfully been driven off. It wasn't without loss, though. Daceshell, Carpfin and Minnowtail's father, had been killed in combat. A former EmberClan warrior, Poplarpounce, had avenged him, all while promptly announcing that he had been a spy the entire time. He returned to camp with the others, but Gritpaw could only focus on aer friends. Ae had raced over to comfort them, especially Minnowtail, and ae wanted to stay by their sides during the vigil. Cicadahowl, too, seemed muted to the death, keeping to himself after Daceshell had been buried. Gritpaw worried for aer friends, but ae wasn't quite sure what else ae could do aside from be by their sides.
    There was also apparently a strange sickness going around, and it was getting worse. It didn't seem too concerning at first, but then suddenly, a lot of cats grew sick. Among them were Gritpaw's mentor as well as Sparkpaw's mentor, Petalberry. Gritpaw hadn't really talked to her sister very much since returning, as Sparkpaw seemed to be a bit distant from her naturally. She wondered if that was a good thing, especially as Sparkpaw began to suddenly talk bad of the herbalists... Singeflicker was their sibling! How could she? Sparkpaw was reprimanded by her new mentor for her comments, and Gritpaw couldn't help but turn the other way.
    Gritpaw felt like she had taken three steps back as she had to try and work with her mentor, Myrtledove, regarding her disability. At least Myrtledove was nice! She quite liked working with her, and though it was difficult, they gradually grew closer to where she left off with Fennelspots. Except... it didn't last very long. Myrtledove also ended up catching this strange sickness and being confined to the herbalists' den. Gullstar gave Gritpaw another mentor, Shoretalon. He was on the older side of warriors, but he still seemed to have a good spunk. Still, Gritpaw only sighed as, once again, ae tried to explain aer situation once again.
    The pronouns that they had tried for that period of time were fun, but they didn't feel like Gritpaw. So they decided that it was time to try and switch it up a bit. They first told their mother about their new pronouns, being they/them and fae/faer. Burdockflutter often used fae/faer for herself, so Gritpaw figured they would give it a shot, too! They told Ashenpaw and Shoretalon, too. And a couple others, like their friends of course. But they chose to refrain from telling Sparkpaw. She'd find out eventually!
    Poplarpounce had brought back a former Empire cat to recover in EmberClan. A lot of cats were skeptical about it, though Gritpaw didn't see the issue. Fae especially wasn't concerned when Gullstar decided to announce that the Empire cat would be formally joining the clan with the name Sproutpaw. Gritpaw offered faer encouragement and support, excited that things seemed to be improving. There was actually a decent amount of support, thankfully, and Gritpaw was glad to see that Sproutpaw would be welcomed into the clan.
    This was offset by the sudden announcement that a warrior was being demoted to apprentice rank and being put under a mentor. There were no words as to why this happened, but Gritpaw was confused. What could someone do to make that happen? Well, it was no concern to them, because suddenly, they were having to try and train themself again. Shoretalon developed symptoms of the sickness, and yet again, Gritpaw was given a new mentor by the name of Clovermist. He was an anxious warrior, constantly worrying over things, but he tried to be composed for Gritpaw. Gritpaw could see right through him, and fae felt exhausted by all of this happening. It was to the point that fae found themself beginning to ask other warriors for help, especially Cicadahowl, who was happy to help faer. Not that Gritpaw didn't trust Clovermist, but fae was just preparing for the possibility that this would happen again.
    What they couldn't expect was their sister suddenly approaching them. What did she want? All this time, since they had come home, Sparkpaw had rarely cared about them. And they never really approached her either, but that was less because Gritpaw didn't want to and more because they didn't know it was Sparkpaw in the first place. After all, her voice had changed quite a bit since they had last seen her, and it took enough effort to tell their brain that Sparkpaw wasn't a toad. But maybe they should keep that perception, because what Sparkpaw said had Gritpaw's fur flaring. She said that it was their fault that their mentors kept getting sick! How in StarClan's name was that their fault!? They wanted to bite back, even call her a toad since that's what she was to them, but they held back, glaring at her. Ashenpaw tried to comfort them while the others reprimanded Sparkpaw, including Cicadahowl and Blackhawk, but Gritpaw just turned away. She wasn't their sister.
    This encouraged Gritpaw to train harder. Fae offered condolences to the families who had lost cats to the sickness, the cats being Petalberry and Myrtledove. Was fae sad that one of faer mentors had passed? Honestly, not really. Fae didn't have much time with Myrtledove to develop a connection with him, but fae was still sad to see him pass. And Petalberry going meant that Sparkpaw would be left with Blackhawk. Good. The mentor was a better fit for dealing with her than Petalberry and would maybe put her in her place.
    Another warrior was demoted to becoming an apprentice and was given to the deputy, Snapstream. The deputy seemed exasperated by this, and Gritpaw couldn't blame him. Wasn't it just announced that his partners were expecting kits? He had a lot on his paws, but at least he wasn't stuck with Sparkpaw. And the reason that Sturgeonlily had been demoted was pretty terrible, too. She had attacked an innocent young rogue on a patrol, and it caused Burdockflutter to come home sobbing. Gritpaw was angered by the fact that someone could make faer cry, and their fur ruffled in agitation. But they sought to comfort their beloved friend, sitting beside her for the rest of the day in an attempt to help.
    Gritpaw once again decided to try some new pronouns. Fae/faer was perfect for Burdockflutter, but not quite for them. They/them wasn't so bad, so they decided to continue experimenting with those pronouns. They also added some new ones, being vi/vis. These were some unusual pronouns that they hadn't quite heard of before, but that just made them all the more interesting to Gritpaw. They were excited to continue exploring their identity, although they couldn't help but feel further from what it was.
    Many cats became apprentices as well as a new warrior, and more began to fall ill. Some passed away, like Muskieprance and Spiderdove. Gritpaw didn't know these cats well, but vi still offered vis condolences to the families. And vi continued to express this melancholy until Sparkpaw was diagnosed with the sickness--which the clans had began to call wasting disease. Vi should probably be worried for vis sister, but Gritpaw couldn't help but roll vis eyes as vis momma worried incessantly over her health. Sparkpaw got what was coming for her! First she insulted their older sibling, and then insulted Gritpaw. It was only a matter of time that it would all come back to her, and now here it was. Though, admittedly, vi didn't hope for her ultimate downfall. Hopefully Sparkpaw would be able to recover eventually...
    Clovermist eventually was added to the herbalists' den. The tom was constantly worrying over the disease after his niece had passed, even having a panic attack. Gritpaw was a bit annoyed by his reactions, and there were many times that they had to help snap him out of it. But it seemed like his worries weren't unwarranted as he found himself diagnosed with wasting disease. Gritpaw ended up being reassigned to Sootweaver, which caused them to perk up. Sootweaver seemed cool, and he was like Burdockflutter's second father. Sootweaver also assured them that he wasn't going anywhere, and although Gritpaw knew he couldn't guarantee that, it still made them feel significantly better.
    Another one of his former mentors died, being Shoretalon. That didn't worry vim, though; rather, vi grew concerned when Minnowtail suddenly was admitted to the herbalists' den for wasting disease. Vi wanted to check on her, knowing how bad she was throughout the quest. Would she... be okay? It terrified vim, vi wasn't going to lie about that. Sootweaver and the others tried to keep vis mind off of it, but vi couldn't help but glance at the herbalists' den every time vi passed by it. Vis concern only grew worse when Chamomilebloom passed away shortly after she was admitted.
    At least Gritpaw could celebrate something like their brother's warrior ceremony. Sparkpaw was held back due to her illness, and of course Gritpaw wasn't ready to be a warrior with their repeated setbacks. But Ashenbeetle was more than ready, and they cheered loudly for their brother as he received his new name. Alongside him, Elmspark earned their full herbalist name, which was a big relief to the entire clan as they knew now that they had two fully trained herbalists.
    The celebrations were quickly cut off for Gritpaw when it was announced that Tadpoleflame was nowhere to be seen. Gritpaw met the eyes of vis friends, vis face creasing with worry. One of them was in the herbalists' den with wasting disease, and another had gone missing yet again... would they all be okay? Vi prayed incessantly to StarClan for the good health of vis friends.
    Gritpaw decided the best way to get vis mind off of it all was to continue training. Vis training was slowly coming along with Sootweaver, and vi didn't have to worry about a new mentor for some time, now. Sure, it took a bit to get there, especially with the way that Gritpaw had to continuously fill new mentors in on vis situation, but vi was finally getting somewhere! And it made vim so, so excited to see some progress. There were still moments that Gritpaw had to slow down, and oftentimes, vi needed auditory guidance for hunting. But vi was just thankful to be progressing.
    And it wasn't just his training that Gritpaw was progressing in. It had been a long time since he had began to experiment with his gender identity, and none of the pronouns he used felt quite as right as he/him did. Well, he did quite like vi/him, perhaps because it was similar to he/him. But he was quite confident at this point in what his gender identity was, not only in his pronouns but his presence in general. He was always a tom, and he was proud of it! So he wasted no more time to announce that he was ready to fill the paws of his gender identity, settling into he/him and vi/vim pronouns.