(Note: for my non-writing activity, I played football outside for 30+ minutes on Thursday 26 March 2026) This is my completed final weekly of March SWC) Word Count: 2000
Florence shakily walked down the path. How she had somehow ended up agreeing to go on this quest, she never really knew. She knew she would have to prepare, so she had packed a backpack with basic food supplies and a few other things. She was very nervous but she told herself, “You CAN do this. You CAN!” over and over, until she felt a little more confident in her ability to succeed in her dangerous quest. At this point, she didn't even fully understand what the quest was for, so that didn't help her confidence either. She quickly though back to the previous day. A mysterious person had come to her house and told her that SHE had been selected to go on an important quest! Since then, time had gone past in a blur and she barely remembered anything else about that eventful and important day. She did know, however, that no matter what, she could not fail. If she did, she would never forgive herself. Never. She had to succeed. She had to. She vowed there and then that she would succeed, however challenging this was going to be, she knew she had to try to succeed. At that moment, though, the mysterious person appeared again. “Right, if you're going on the quest, you should come with me to a place where you can learn all about it. Will you?”. Florence nodded nervously, and followed the mysterious person, who said his name was Ben. After walking for a while, they came to a circle of tents. “Right, this is the camp.” “These are the people who are helping you” “You now have a choice. You can either go that way or that way. The first way is where the magical gem is that we need. The other way is the golden dragon, a magical and friendly dragon that could benefit us greatly.” “Which do you choose?” Florence swallowed. “The.. the dragon.” “Great!” Ben said. “Then I'll try to get the gem.” So Florence went around the camp and greeted her new friends one by one in the short amount of free time she had before she had to leave. She met two other people in total: Armena, a young woman, and Duchen, who was a very tall man. They both seemed quite friendly, but they were annoyed that they had to stay at the camp and not go on the exciting quest! Although Ben had said she only had a short time, to Florence it felt like quite a LONG time, as she had plenty of time to relax and get to know everybody. She was also briefed on her journey a little bit, but as no one had ever gone as far as she was going to, no one really knew very much about it, so Florence was just going to have to take a risk and go in the next few hours or so. Meanwhile, though, she was having a nice time discussing her new opportunity with Ben. He was surprised that she chose the dragon, as he thought that the gem was much easier to get to, but he was pleased that she had even agreed to go on the quest, let alone choose the more dangerous option! They spent a pleasant few hours talking about the quest and planning ahead, but neither knew what was lying ahead awaiting them, so they couldn't plan all that well really, but they had fun trying, and Florence began to feel like this maybe wasn't so bad after all! All too soon, though, Florence had to go. But it wasn't an easy start for poor Florence, as only a few hours into her trek she met an elf in the thick forest, and he was ANGRY! He thought that she was trespassing and wouldn't listen to her. She started yelling at him instead of calmly explaining herself, and that enraged the elf even more, and made HIM start shouting too! Florence was annoyed with herself, knowing that she shouldn't have gotten angry at the elf, but it was too late now, so she just kept shouting. “STOP TRESPASSING AND GO AWAY!” “NO, I WON'T!!!” “GO. NOW.” “NO!” Is all that could be heard if anyone passed the forest that day! The two angry people argued for hours and hours. Suddenly the elf got fed up with shouting and started to shove Florence out of the forest, but of course he didn't succeed as Florence was much bigger and stronger than he was, but she didn't want to resort to being physical, so she didn't shove him back. She did, however, try to calmly explain what she was doing in the wood “I'm on a quest, I'm not trespassing!” but it was far too late, she had already made an enemy in this elf, and barely three hours into her quest, too! They had both calmed down a little, though, so they were able to talk at a normal pitch to each other. Even so, they were arguing for a further two hours, just in a quieter tone of voice this time. The elf also knew now not to attempt to make Florence leave by force, so he was left to try to persuade her to leave as calmly as he could. (Which wasn't very calmly at all!) Eventually, the elf got bored and stormed off VERY angrily. Her first day adventuring wasn't all bad however, as late that night she heard a mew, getting out of her tent she investigated the sound. It was a little kitten, curled up and camouflaged in a bush! “Aww, so cute!” Florence said. So she decided to look after the kitten, and she started by warming it up in her lap. It was a small, black kitten with big, green eyes and very fluffy and soft fur. It also looked very young, probably only a few months old. It was very cold though, and needed to get warm quickly. Luckily, it was warm in Florence's tent, so the kitten was able to warm up quite quickly, and soon was bouncing around the tent, full of energy. “Hmm…what should I name you?” Pondered Florence. “I know! I'll name you Poppy, as there were some poppies near where I found you. So the kitten's new name was Poppy, and Florence had another responsibility, but for now she didn't mind at all. Early that morning she did though, as she couldn't find her adopted kitten anywhere at all! She hurried out of her tent and looked around wildly everywhere, in all the bushes, around the back of the tent, even peering up at the trees! She had almost given up all hope of finding her precious little kitten, and was going back to her tent in despair, getting ready to pack up and leave… Then when she went to zip up her backpack… Out jumped Poppy! Yes, she was hiding in Florence's backpack, and she was safe and happy! Florence was so glad to see her little kitten again, she had gotten very fond of Poppy even though she had only known her for a short time so far, and Poppy loved Florence very much indeed, even after only a few hours together. It wasn't easy for Florence, though, as Poppy was very mischievous and enjoyed running off and hiding from her. She also had to find food for Poppy every day, so the kitten was mostly just eating apples and the basic food supplies that Florence had in her handy backpack. Of course, there were good parts about having a kitten, like the times when Poppy cuddled up on Florence's lap and fell asleep, and when Florence was in her tent at night and Poppy came in and slept next to her. The next day, Florence set off again, and came to the edge of the forest. There, right ahead, was a treacherous looking river. ”Oh…“ Said Florence in dismay. Because she had no boat, and the river was far too wide and deep to swim. Just then, she saw someone come up at the opposite side of the river. It was a centaur! ”H…hello?“ Said Florence. ”Can you let me have your boat for a few minutes?“ For the centaur had a large boat… At the other side of the river, of course! ”No. Not unless YOU have something I want!“ ”Er, I have an apple! Do you… want it?“ ”Nah, something good.“ They negotiated for hours on end, Florence would offer the centaur something, and he would shake his head or say ”Nah“ Florence almost gave up hope, but at least she was safe as the centaur didn't seem to be angry with her for wasting his time at all. In fact, he seemed to be enjoying the negotiation a lot! Florence, on the other hand, was hating every minute! Here she was, so near to a boat, and this centaur wouldn't lend it to her for just a few minutes to get across! ”Look, I cannot offer you anything else, just take everything I have! Just give me the boat for a few minutes! Please!“ ”No, sorry but I can't.“ ”Ugh, this is pointless.“ Meow! Mew! Mew! Florence looked down. Poppy was at her feet meowing. ”What do you want, Pops?“ Poppy stopped meowing so the negotiations began again. ”I'll get my new friends to give you stuff when I get back from my quest with the dragon!“ begged Florence desperately, almost in tears. ”I don't want items.“ ”You don't want items!?“ ”No.“ Purr! Meow! ”Poppy, shush for a while, I'm busy“ ”Ah.“ said the centaur. ”I have an idea. Can that cat jump the river? I want to see her properly.“ Florence agreed to let Poppy jump the river, as she was incredibly good at jumping, far, far better than Florence herself, so Poppy jumped over and… purred at the centaur! The centaur said, ”I think we have a deal here. I'll take good care of your beautiful little kitten, and in return I'll push the boat across to you so you can sail across. Is it a deal?“ ”Look, I'm sorry, but I can't give you my kitten! I love her!“ ”Then I may as well leave.“ Said the centaur, starting to walk away. ”Wait! Wait!“ ”Can we at least compromise?“ ”Well, what's the deal?“ So Florence frantically tried to think of a good deal again. ”Alright, you can have her, with a few conditions. One, you take VERY good care of her, no excuses. Two, I can have her back when my quest is over?“ ”Alright then, we have a deal. Finally. And I can promise you I will take amazing care of your sweet kitten until you come back.“ So Florence made the deal. She knew she was close to the Golden Dragon, so she valiantly pushed onwards, though she already missed Poppy. That night, she came to a great golden statue. Or she thought it was a statue, until she noticed it was breathing smoke! She tentatively went up to it and asked, ”Please, are you the Golden Dragon?“ Slowly, it opened its eyes. ”Why do you ask..?“ ”Ben says the magical world will greatly benefit from your assistance, will you come back with me?“ ”I will. I was asleep for a very long time, and only in times of great need do I awake. Therefore, I will come with you." So Florence set off for the camp with the Golden Dragon held safely in her arms. She had to go back a different way though, as it was quicker and easier, the Dragon told her. When she got back, Ben had just arrived with the gem, so he was surprised to see her, and she was surprised to see him too! So with the gem holding immense magical power, and the Dragon's great knowledge and strength, the magical community were finally safe for good. And it was all thanks to Florence's bravery.


Author's note: (Doesn't count for words) This really wasn't very good, but it helped me to write in a different genre!

wow fab this is cool!

It reminds me (because of the name Florence) of a story I wrote when I was younger!

200mutley16 wrote:

wow fab this is cool!

It reminds me (because of the name Florence) of a story I wrote when I was younger!

Thanks!

(Surprise cabin wars, no idea if valid XD)
Word Count 204
Ella the octopus was swimming through the sea with her best friend Sally the seahorse, trying to avoid their enemy, Andy the Anglerfish. They were having fun splashing around in the water, until a huge hammerhead shark swam towards them! They didn't mind though, as the shark recognised them both and didn't eat or attack them, instead just called out a friendly greeting as he swam past. Then peace was restored… For now. Pretty soon, Ella , with her very good eyesight, spotted some cuttlefish in the water below! “Wow!” She said. “I've never seen those before!” Sally, however, couldn't see them as she was floating on a piece of seaweed nearby and was getting swept away. Soon, though, panic flooded through the ocean like a wave. Humans were diving into the sea! Quickly, everyone who could darted into the shadows or swam away quickly, and others camouflaged themselves on the floor. Unfortunately for Sally, she got caught by one of the divers who was looking for some creatures to take home! Then just before all hope for Sally was lost, the hammerhead shark came back and terrified the divers! The diver dropped Sally and swam away hurriedly, so calm and quiet was restored again.

(More Cabin Wars) word count 162
Delphi the Dolphin, Owen the Orca and Hailey the Hammerhead Shark were deadly enemies. The Orca would eat the dolphin, the Hammerhead Shark was terrified of the Orca, and for some reason the Orca was scared of the Hammerhead Shark! So, in the busy ocean, each day was filled with fun for the creatures, but also with fear. Delphi found safety in numbers, though, as she swam around every day with her friendly dolphin pod, and Owen and Hailey were scared of each other so both steered clear every day! Until one day, they both formed an unlikely friendship together. That was the day that the Great White Shark came and almost attacked both the Orca and the Hammerhead Shark! They swam away together, and decided they needed to end their silly feud and become friends, or at least allies! So those two became friends, and the dolphin stuck with her pod for safety and happiness for the rest of her days.

March 31, 2026 Daily Word Count 92
This has been my first session of Scratch Writing Camp, but it's been awesome! So for my thank-you notes, I'd like to thank everyone, but that would take too long, so I'll just list a few: (No particular order)
1: @Seagulling - Thanks for being a huge part of Cyberpunk this session, and co-leading.
2: @Zyzeryko - Thank you for co-leading Cyberpunk!
3: @VioAquaCat - You were also very active in Cyberpunk, and have been great this session! Thanks so much : D
4: @Yumetopia - Thank you for co-leading Cyberpunk!
5: @everyone in SWC - You are awesome!

Critique for Lune's app (@LovegoodLady) This is either grammar or personal preference, so no need to listen to all of my feedback
Grammar:

Lune wrote:Writing-wise, I’ve been a writing for around 4-5 years.

Should either be “Writing-wise, I've been a writer…” or “Writing-wise, I've been writing…”

Lune wrote: My first session, Fantasy SWC March ‘25, wasn’t very active as I was sort of busy and not always in the mood to write. I’m truly glad I decided to camper…

Should be “My first session, Fantasy SWC March ‘25, wasn’t very active as I was sort of busy and not always in the mood to write. I’m truly glad I decided to be a camper…” or “My first session, Fantasy SWC March ‘25, wasn’t very active as I was sort of busy and not always in the mood to write. I’m truly glad I decided to camp…”

Formatting:

Lune wrote: Accountability
I can keep myself on track by sitting down in a comfortable place without distractions, and nothing but my work and possibly a snack in front of me.
Speaking of which, food is a surprisingly helpful tool when it comes to getting things done! It sounds silly, but it works quite well. Personally, I always have a clearer mind when I’m not worrying about when dinner is or how hungry I am. Whether it’s a hard candy or an apple, having somethingI’m a fairly reliable person when it comes to accountability. I do, of course, have my issues, like everyone, but for the most part, I’d like to think it’s one of my greatest strengths in a leadership setting.
Yes, I have a bad habit of procrastination. But like I said, once I actually sit down to work, I’m quite productive. And I’m finding ways to battle the procrastination off in the first place.
And I do have a hard time letting myself do something that’s not perfect. I have a bad case of perfectionism. If I get stuck on something that doesn’t feel right, I’ll eye it for hours, trying to figure out how to fix it.
But I’m getting better at that, too. Most ‘issues’ lately are only fixed if I finish early. And that, to me, is a huge improvement.
So despite all that, I stay pretty consistent. And I have lots of strategies for keeping myself on task.
to satisfy my stomach always sets a calmer and more encouraging atmosphere to get work done in.

You accidentally wrote the bit “to satisfy my stomach always sets a calmer and more encouraging atmosphere to get work done in.” below. This should run as, “Accountability
I can keep myself on track by sitting down in a comfortable place without distractions, and nothing but my work and possibly a snack in front of me.
Speaking of which, food is a surprisingly helpful tool when it comes to getting things done! It sounds silly, but it works quite well. Personally, I always have a clearer mind when I’m not worrying about when dinner is or how hungry I am. Whether it’s a hard candy or an apple, having something to satisfy my stomach always sets a calmer and more encouraging atmosphere to get work done in…” (then move on to procrastination etc.)

An extra note here:

Lune wrote: Scenario C:
Losing motivation is something I can relate to. It’s something everyone deals with. And so is having trouble with accountability; sometimes time constraints and piles of work feel like a huge weight pressing down on you.
If something like this happens to someone on my team, I’d reach out privately (in case they aren’t comfortable sharing with the rest of the team or don’t want to clog the forum) and ask them what’s going on.
If they don’t have enough time, I’d work with the rest of my team to figure out who has the most time on their hands and if they’re willing to take on some of the (co)leader’s work. If no one is able, we’ll try to simplify the plan and take some items off the list to lessen the load.
If they just can’t see the point of working on the stuff, I’d ask them what feels pointless about it and see what I can do to explain the meaning behind it while still validating their feelings. I might also ask them what they think might be a better idea, and discuss any given ideas with the rest of my team so they’re working on something that feels more important to them.
If they don’t feel like they have the skills to do it, I would ask them what about it feels ‘impossible’ and guide them through the process. If that doesn’t work, I’d see if anyone would be willing to switch around some assignments and give them something that they feel comfortable working on.
If they don’t give an answer, I’d see what I could figure out from context and try some more collaboration-focused things where they could easily give their input on what they want to do or don’t want to do. And if all of this fails, I’d try a simplified version of each of the methods above and see what seems to work.
I definitely know what this situation feels like, and I’d do whatever I can to boost morale and keep things on track.

I'd write “If they don’t give an answer, I’d see what I could figure out from context and try some more collaboration-focused things where they could easily give their input on what they want to do or don’t want to do.” as “If they don’t give an answer, I’d see what I could figure out from context and try some more collaboration-focused things where they could easily give their input on what they want or don't want to do.” but it's personal preference here!

Lune wrote: vii. swc impact

SWC has had an enormous impact on me, from my very inactive first session last March to this very day, it affects how I think, how I approach leadership, how I interact with others, and most of all how I write.
I started out in March a silly writer who never planned and thought the only thing worth writing was a novel.
Boy, was I wrong.

Again, personal preference for me would be, "vii. swc impact

SWC has had an enormous impact on me, from my very inactive first session last March to this very day, it affects how I think, how I approach leadership, how I interact with others, and most of all how I write.
I started out in March as a silly writer who never planned and thought the only thing worth writing was a novel.
Boy, was I wrong."

Lune wrote: Before SWC, I wrote completely for the plot, didn’t give a grain of salt…

This, in my opinion would flow better as, "Before SWC, I wrote completely for the plot, and didn't give a thought…" Just my preference though!

Lune wrote: If those opportunities come in the form of critiquitaires as possible

My opinion again! “Those opportunities may come in the form of critiquitaires, being an accountability buddy or even simply telling someone that their writing is really cool, I'm taking them.” Note that it's my preference

As for cutting back on words, maybe try cutting stuff from your intro or deleting a few adjectives / shortening some sentences?

Writefight attack. Attack on @Technj2009 - character used: Saige Merlot. Used 1 character that isn't my own. 197 words! (Prose)

Saige Merlot - @technj2009 || Human || 17 || Female

Saige sighed. Would she ever be able to leave the orphanage? She didn't think so, but she still dreamed of being able to wander again some day… Saige allowed herself to dream, just for a moment.

She awoke from her daydream again. She had been thinking of the days when she was free… when she was simply happy… She shook her head. She needed to stop thinking of those days and just deal with her life! But until she stopped dreaming, she'd never be satisfied. Even though she was safe here at the orphanage, she still felt dissatisfied. She laid her head down on her arms and relaxed. It was one memorable day - the day that she became free. It was a normal day, but in other ways, the most extraordinary day of her life. She spied an open window, climbed through. She was outside - but where could she go? She didn't know, didn't care. All she cared about was that she had freedom at last: for now. Saige woke up suddenly; she wasn't free. Just a realistic dream. But need it stay a dream? Couldn't dreams become reality? Saige sat up. She was determined to try. (197 words)

Character I made for someone's story. Note to any stalkers: please do not use this character.

Seralina, elf, bonded with a small, young dragon. She is white, has green eyes, and although shy, she isn't afraid to stand up for her friends. She is also kind and caring. She's an ally to the main character in the book that my friend is writing.

Attack for @skatercat17 on Isabelle
and @Its_Aves on Charlotte (121 words)

Isabelle was wandering through the woods. When would the next hero arrive for her to defeat? She sits down and waits…
***
“This is a lovely walk - I know, I'll practice some languages while I'm alone!” said Charlotte “Hola!” “Hmm… Bonjour… guten tag… shwmae…” As she walked through the woods, she practiced her languages. “Hmm, not bad! I'm definitely improving”. Then suddenly - she came face-to-face with Isabelle, the half-cat. She put up a brave fight, but as always, Isabelle succeeded. “Another hero defeated!” said Isabelle. She was done, for now. Isabelle sat back down, feeling pleased. Charlotte, on the other hand, was defeated and devastated. She would get revenge on Isabelle one day (she said), but not that day.

Daily 1 July SWC (Letter to future self) 300 words.

Dear future self,

You've done pretty well this year so far - keep up the good work! Some things I'd like you (me?) to improve though would be better time management, and writing more regularly (what happened to writing a book a day?!)
First: Time management. I've not been the best at that - future self, it would be great to improve upon that! Better time management means more time for doing things you love, less time wasted. If you, my future self, can achieve this, that's awesome! As for writing more regularly… I'll admit, I've not been the best lately. That ties into the time management: I simply don't have time to write as much as I'd like, so I just don't bother. I don't mean writing like I am now, but writing in my notebook and continuing my series. I love to write, so I want to start writing more in future. Now, on to more fun things I'd like to achieve!
1. Reading more. I used to read multiple books each day, but now I've read my books so many times, I don't read as much. I'd like to read a lot more, if I can. (Although reading my books so many times *I* get bored of them is a pretty good achievement in itself…)
2. Piano. I go to weekly piano lessons, and I've got an exam coming up next year - I want to succeed and pass that, and continue to improve afterwards too.

I have realised though: patience is key. Waiting a little while can make a huge difference. So, as a final note to my future self, don't rush into trying to improve or anything else - take your time, and it will be so much easier.

From, my past (currently present) self.

Daily 2. Song lyrics (I couldn't remember a lyric I misheard, so I'm allowed to do any lyric <3) Word Count 516.

Rain on Me

In the lush green meadow… Dandelion awakes, then sighs. “I've come back - and of course, the soil is dry and there is no moisture… again.” It was a heatwave, and there was no rain. The meadow grew hotter day by day, became brown and dry; plants like the thin, weak wildflowers withered and died, the earth became dry and hard. It was quicky becoming a crisis. Each day, Dandelion lost more hope, and finally, on the hottest day, began to wilt. It looked as though the last day of her life was approaching, and fast! “Hey, Dandelion! You hanging on in there?” It was Dandelion's best friend, Clover, who was speaking to her. Clover was also hot and wilting, but was trying to stay positive - she would not give up that easily. “I'm okay, I guess. Why does it never rain on me?” Dandelion groaned; even speaking made her hotter, or so it seemed. That night, something changed in the atmosphere, it felt… ominous. It was a little more cloudy the next day, but it was so humid: many wildflowers and weeds wept, wilted, and withered. Clover succumbed that day too, which wasn't easy for Dandelion to watch. She began to lose hope herself - she barely made it to evening. Then suddenly… There was the sound of thunder in the distance, and Dandelion knew that somewhere, not far away, was rain at last. “Now that you're coming down, why don't you rain on me?” She said. Moments later, relief. It was raining, and heavily. The meadow got soaked, the plants grew green and healthy, and amongst it all; Dandelion, the determined survivor. Away up the field was a little house, abandoned and alone. Well, not quite alone. There was one inhabitant, a cat - this cat had no home, and was very near to giving up in the heat: it couldn't find food, it was very thirsty, and it was very lonesome by itself. Minutes after the downpour stopped, there was a noise outside the derelict house. A child, with raincoat and boots, walking into the house. She stopped, stroked the cat, and thought for a while. What seemed like hours, but was only about ten minutes later, the cat felt herself being picked up, and she was carried for a while. She heard the creaking of a door, and looked up to see a friendly and warm looking house, where she had been taken. It was her best day of her lonely life - the day she found a home. Two survivors, very different. Two lives saved by the same downpour. The child who found the cat was checking that no animals had been hurt in the thunderstorm, and the cat was in the right place at the right time. The downpour came at the last chance for Dandelion, and saved her from withering. Even the old house was helped by the thunderstorm: it became a wildlife watching hut, and in two years time, it looked like a completely different place. One heatwave, one downpour. Two determined survivors, and one lucky day.

Daily 3. Interview with @imstillbreathing of Bi-fi Word count for me: 458. Comment thread for proof that we both did it: https://scratch.mit.edu/projects/1329590984/#comments-556459315

imstillbreathing: Hihi, for the interview for swc// We could alternate asking questions perhaps. First question, if you remember how did you decide on your user/online name?

FlamingoTesting: Hi! Sure, sounds good // It's pretty simple, I REALLY like flamingos, so that's where I got the inspiration! Plus, this used to be my test account, so that's where the “testing” comes in (29 words) First question: What are some of your favourite hobbies? (7 words )

imstillbreathing: That's so cool, birds are awesome! My favourite hobbies include reading, as I love all the different ideas in books and how relaxing they are! I also love horse riding, although I'm still a beginner I find it fun, exciting and I've always wanted to learn since I was young! Second question: What is your favourite genre/thing to write?

FlamingoTesting: Ooh, nice! I love writing picture books, but I also like fantasy, though I haven't been writing that for as long! Second question: How long have you been writing for?

imstillbreathing: They both sound super fun to write! I've been writing for pretty much my whole life haha, ever since I was a child I would always write poetry. My skills are a bit better but I always did it for fun nothing more. I must have been writing for over 7 years but not frequently to be honest. (Next question), How many sessions of SWC have you done before and if this is your first, how did you discover it?

FlamingoTesting: They are! Cool - yeah, it's hard to write frequently, haha! I've done a previous session; this is my second! And I don't really know how I discovered it. (Next question) What's your favourite book, and if you don't have one, favourite genre to read?

imstillbreathing: Woah nice! This is my second session I can be properly active for! My favourite book is probably either Sunrise on the Reaping or The power! My favourite genre to read is definitely dystopian, possibly sci-fi! Although I will read any genre! (Next question) What is one thing/hobby you've tried that you disliked and why?

FlamingoTesting: Ooh, nice! Cool, I haven't read Sunrise on The Reaping yet Nice! I like reading dystopian too Tough question… I can't immediately think of anything that I disliked, apart from maybe crocheting, because I'm not good at it, haha (next question) What SWC cabins have you been in, and which has been your favourite?

imstillbreathing: I'm planning on trying crocheting possibly at some point :0, I've been in dystopian in July 2025 and so far that has been my favourite but it's so far looking like this session (bi-fi 2026) might take tha place! So far the whole cabin experience has been very fun and interesting! Next question: What is your favourite thing to do on scratch while not participating in SWC?

FlamingoTesting: Nice! Cool - bi-fi sounds fun Hmm, I really enjoy participating in the SDS' and SES, like Scratch Week! SWC is a big part of Scratch though, hehe What made you start Scratch?

imstillbreathing: Woah! I've never heard of those, they sound fun! I started scratch as I was bored during lockdown and wanted to make projects! Have you got a specific daily or weekly you'd like to see or a favourite one which you've completed so far?

FlamingoTesting: Yeah, they are! Cool I'm not too sure, I'm looking forward to completing the current weekly though! I also quite liked the letter daily from a few days ago What about you?

imstillbreathing: The weekly definitely looks fun so I'm also excited to complete that! I would like to see maybe another daily to do with talking to people from other cabins or a daily surrounding poetry writing! Do you have a favourite author or book series to read, if you like reading?

FlamingoTesting: Yeah! Ooh, that would be cool Hmm, I used to really like Enid Blyton for something easy to read, but I also like the Hunger Games a lot! Then again, I do enjoy reading classics too - I basically love any books lol-cat emoji Do you have a favourite place to read / write?

imstillbreathing: The hunger games are always amazing haha!! My favourite place to read is in my bedroom later at night or early morning while the whole house is quiet as it's really calm and peaceful! What about you? (Total for me is 360! We can keep going till we both reach the goal D)

FlamingoTesting: Yeah, they are! Ooh, nice! I love reading at night too, it's so relaxing Plus, that way I don't get interrupted when I'm reading (That's great D)

FlamingoTesting: Next question: Have you ever participated in a SWC cabin war, and if so, did you enjoy it?

imstillbreathing: I've never participated in a cabin war as then one session I could have I missed both of them :'] I'm hoping to give it a go this session though! Do you have a certain food, meal or snack that's your favourite?

FlamingoTesting: Same as me Nice, same! I'm hoping to participate in most activities this session Ooh, I really like pizza, but for something a bit healthier, I like spaghetti bolognese What about you?

imstillbreathing: Those are both such good foods! I love dark chocolate (especially with sea salt!) but on a healthier side I adore crunchy red apples and green grapes! What cabins have you been in for your previous swc sessions?

FlamingoTesting: Nice! Ooh yeah, grapes are delicious! I've been in Cyberpunk (backup, March '26) and Dystopian this session Do you prefer writing digitally or in a notebook?

imstillbreathing: For poetry and journalling I like to write to paper, but with stories and things for swc I prefer doing it digitally! Do you have a favourite time of day to write at? (I'm on 470 words )

FlamingoTesting: Nice! I prefer paper, but write digitally for SWC I like writing at night or morning, it's when I have most time and it's peaceful Do you read E-books? (Nice, I'm close!]

imstillbreathing: Nope, I don't read e-books I personally don't like them so I only ever read physical copies of books! What about you + do you collect anything?

FlamingoTesting: I've read a few when I couldn't get a physical book, but I'm not very keen on them! And I don't really collect anything at all, except for books, which doesn't really count What about you?

FlamingoTesting: Whoops, forgot the total for the question. Total 433!

imstillbreathing: I also ‘collect’ books :') I have loads at home! I also collect CDs as I love listening to music on my cd player as there are no adverts that way! Do you have a favourite time of day and why?

FlamingoTesting: Nice I love nighttime, because it's quiet, peaceful and I have the most free time, but I also like early morning, for the same reasons!

Forums won't let me post, this was a word war.

Word count total 1,624. Part 1: 118 words
Magical relics or artefacts often need protecting or offer a power. Ways to use it in your writing could be a quest to find one, an ordinary person stumbling upon a relic and becoming magical, or many others. Another good element of fantasy is fantasy creatures, such as dragons and unicorns. They could be incorporated as a main character, a side character or even an enemy. There's also the type of magic - for example, elemental magic (fire, water etc.) and is sometimes developed to include lightning and ice. Otherwise, there's the option of magic plants (like magical healing herbs or plants that are subtly magic) These could be the object of a quest, or a small side item.
Part 2: 300 words
In the world of Dawnhaven, the Elemental Elves live peacefully, growing healing herbs and planting trees. They have only one threat; the Lightning Dragon - their greatest enemy. The Lightning Dragon would swoop down every so often, and would wreck the surrounding area, often resulting in injuries, and worst of all: destroying the healing herbs and trees. The world is a mostly happy one though, with most elves working with the herbs and trees - and the others? They were the adventurous ones who wished to explore far beyond their peaceful forests and meadows, looking for new plants, new magic, and new lives. In Dawnhaven, there is two halves. One half of it is the Glowing Forest, where the Bouncing Mushrooms and Orb Leaf grow, and where most of the elves live in hollow trees or small tents. In the other half is a large meadow, which is mostly used for storing food and herbs, as well as a place to run to when the Lightning Dragon attacks. There's also a mountain nearby, which is unexplored as of yet, though some have been tempted to climb it. Finally, there's the Last Border. This isn't used for anything useful, it's just there to mark the end of the Explored Territory of Dawnhaven. What's beyond that? No one knows… yet. In Dawnhaven, there are three jobs. Planter, who grows the magic herbs and looks after them, Forester, who plants the trees and cuts them down for wood when needed, and Explorer, who explores carefully a little way beyond their borders, but always within view of Dawnhaven. The elves never dare to leave Dawnhaven, and even the adventurous ones don't quite want to leave unless something happens to make them, which they know will never happen in their peaceful world - will it?
Part 3: 701 words
Far away is the peaceful world of Dawnhaven, where Elemental Elves grow plants and trees. The only danger? The Lightning Dragon, which occasionally wrecks the beautiful meadow or the Glowing Forest - the elves are used to it though, and are mostly unharmed. In amongst the Planters, Foresters and Explorers, there are two elves; Lavender and Sage. They aren't satisfied with the dull life that they lead, and they want adventure. So one day, they sneak out of the Forest, slip quietly across the meadow, and leave their old lives behind… forever.

***
“Hey! Lavender! Come look at this plant, what do you think it is?” Called Sage, from across the field they were currently in. Lavender sighed; she was busy looking at a strange, glowing, yellow plant. “Coming!” She called. She picked part of the plant and went over to Sage. “I found–” “Look! What's this?” Sage interrupted. “*sigh* I think that's just a normal herb, like thyme. But look, I found this plant over there!” Lavender said. “Come on then, let's go. We can continue looking tomorrow, or we can move on from here!” Sage said quickly. Lavender and Sage walked over the field back to the tree where they were currently living. “I want to go somewhere else tomorrow” Said Sage. “Alright then” Lavender agreed. So the next day, they both walked away from the field and began to climb a large hill. They began to wonder if it was worth it, but then they came to the top. The view was truly magnificent, and they both stared in awe; they could see for miles. Then Lavender pointed - she could see a rather interesting sight. Lavender quickly told Sage under her breath what she had seen, and they agreed to check it out, so trudged back down the hill again. “There! See those trees? They're not naturally growing there; I think there are people living here. Perhaps they are Elemental Elves like us!” Sage and Lavender quickly ran over to the trees - and were stopped in their tracks by what appeared to be a rather ferocious looking dragon. Lavender took a step back, but Sage ran forwards, towards the dragon. “Stop. I'm guarding this place, and you cannot come through.” Sage and Lavender tried to speak to the dragon, but then decided to risk everything. They rushed through the trees and managed to get past the dragon. A tall person stepped out of the trees - clearly an Elemental Elf. “Welcome to Duskhaven” he said. When Sage and especially Lavender has gotten over their shock, they introduced themselves. “I'm… I'm Sage.” “And I'm Lavender, her older sister.” “Welcome. I am Ash - before you are allowed into Duskhaven, what is your affinity-magic and power-name?” “What?” Sage and Lavender exclaimed in unison. Ash sighed. “Allow me to explain.”…………… “You are Elemental Elves, as you know. What you don't know is that when you have discovered the first magic that you are able to do, which varies for each person, that is your affinity-magic. (Affinity for short) My affinity is Fire. And then you get a second name, which is called your power-name. It relates to your affinity-magic. My first name was Thyme, and now my power-name is Ash.” “Oh! We don't do magic… yet.” Sage said. “Then I can allow you into Duskhaven now. You must began to find your affinity, starting tomorrow.” That night, Sage and Lavender whispered to each other. This was a whole new life opening up to them, and they couldn't wait. The next morning, they followed the instructions of their new teacher, Rosemary. She showed them basic things, and by the afternoon, they had both found their affinity. Sage's affinity was Water, so her name became River, and Lavender had an affinity of Fire, so her power-name became Ember. They thought that was it, but Rosemary told them otherwise. This was just the basics; to get to mastery, they would have to work hard, probably for years. River and Ember looked at each other happily - years here, in Duskhaven, where they could master magic and have fun? It may be hard, but it was a challenge they were ready to face.
Part 4: 504 words.
Ember (formerly Lavender) was sat in a tree, observing her sister River practice her magic. It was around three months since they arrived at Duskhaven, and they had loved it. Both of them had discovered their affinity-magic, and were pretty good at controlling it now too. Suddenly, Ember heard something. She whispered to her sister, and River quickly climbed the tree and sat by her sister. They waited for a moment. “Hello? What is this place?” They heard someone say. River called down before Ember could stop her, and the strange person ran into the clearing and stood below the tree they were in. “Hello? I'm Seraphina, who is it that called to me?” Ember sighed and climbed down. “It was my sister, River. Hello. Why are you here?” Seraphina didn't answer for a few moments. “I jumped through a magic fountain and ended up here. What IS this place?” “Fine, I'll have to tell you. Wait, did you come up through THAT fountain? I never knew it was magic - it must be connected with your fountain! Anyway, this is Duskhaven, a home to the Elemental Elves.” “Woah, that's cool! I have this crystal with many powers if you want to see it - here it is.” Ember took the crystal and looked at it carefully. Even she could tell that it was very powerful and magical. “Can I take this? I need to show it to my teacher, Rosemary.” She said. Seraphina hesitated, but then nodded. “Yes, I don't know anything about it, so you may as well take it ” she said, and smiled shyly. Ember walked off and told Rosemary about it, and came back a few minutes later. They agreed to carefully look after the crystal for now, and to try and find out it's powers. Meanwhile, Seraphina could stay and learn about Duskhaven and the Elemental Elves. So Ember and River resumed their practice and Seraphina watched while they did so. After training, they all went for a walk together to discuss the magical fountain and the mysterious crystal. They didn't find out anything else, but they did decide to look at the crystal again, just in case something changed this time. “Okay, we've got the crystal. Who wants to look first for any changes?” Seraphina said. “Can I? I haven't yet!” Said River. “Sure, here you go.” Seraphina passed the crystal to River, who looked intently at it. “Ember, look at this!” Ember looked, and gasped! They could both see markings on the crystal - elemental markings. This crystal had once belonged to the Elemental Elves. “Wait, what about the fountain?” someone said amongst the chaos - Ember was sure it was River, but River thought it was Seraphina: they were never sure. They raced over towards the fountain - sure enough, both River and Ember could see the same markings. The fountain in Seraphina's world must be connected to this one - and the crystal too. They were super excited about their discoveries, and talked nonstop about everything they had discovered that day.

Fiver woke up one spring day on Watership Down. It was many years after the rabbits defeated General Woundwort, and Fiver still missed his brother Hazel a lot, though life was fun and exciting again. He woke up his doe, Vilthuril, and they went outside to feed. After a little while, they were startled by a loud noise that sounded like a twig snapping! Vilthuril ran back to the burrow, but Fiver stayed where he was. Somehow he knew that it was no danger, although he couldn't see what caused the noise. Moments later, he had the answer. Coming towards him out of a large bush was none other than a young rabbit, who looked lost. “Who are you?” The rabbit asked “I'm Thorn” Fiver made no reply at first; he was thinking of what to do. Then he said, “I'm Fiver - you can come with me.” So he and Thorn walked up the down back to the main burrow. “Hey, who is that?” The two rabbits were asked. Of course, it was Bigwig who was being inquisitive. “Bigwig, this is Thorn. I think he'll be a good addition to the warren; may he stay?” After an hour's talking between Fiver and Bigwig, they decided that Thorn could stay. He was very happy about it, even though he was far from his home, which they later learned had been destroyed by men, like what happened to the Sandleford warren, where Fiver and the others lived years ago. Thorn fitted in very well in the warren on Watership Down, and the rabbits got along very well together. Each day held new surprises, and mostly life was pretty good for everyone. They also met another rabbit named Thyme, who also joined the warren, and became very good friends with Thorn over time. Daily challenge, word count 300. I picked Watership Down.

Looks nice!
I have one too!

An Essay Heavily Influenced by Movies

"Every student encounters bullying in their life. I used to be blocked on the road all the time by the kids from the lower village back when I was in fifth grade. The character ‘I’ seems quite cowardly and timid, just like me. When it comes to bullying, I’m so used to being bullied, but I still don’t like it because bullying is not a good thing.

As for my feelings, the character ‘I’ must be very angry. Who wouldn't be mad when being bullied? And I feel that the character ‘I’ also wants to learn martial arts to punish those bullies. I think I need to learn Bruce Lee’s martial arts to teach them a lesson. I will use Jeet Kune Do moves to take them down in 5 seconds.

When I grow up, I will become a righteous hero, fighting the bad guys to save people from them, and sacrificing myself for the common folk. Later, I will go up the mountains to find a master hiding deep in the forest. I will trek into the woods and mountains to find a master who can pass down supreme martial arts to me, making me invincible under the heavens. I will become the strongest martial artist to fight those who bully students.

When I confront them, I will say:
– ‘Do you guys still like to bully people?’
If they say ‘Yes’? How dare you be so insolent! You dare come here?
– ‘Oh, so what? If you’re brave enough, bring it on!'
– ‘Wow, this guy has got some guts. Let me teach you a lesson!’

Then they will rush at me, and with one single energy blast, I will defeat over a dozen of them. Seeing how powerful I am, they will bow their heads and cry: ‘Please spare me, Great Hero!’. I'll tell them: ‘Don’t bully the other students, okay!' “Yes, we won't”. Just then, a beautiful young lady will come over, help me up, and ask: ‘Are you okay, sir?’. ‘I am fine, let’s go grab some ice cream!'. And I will treat her to an ice cream cone. From then on, no one will ever dare to bully me again. I will also continue to help many miserable commoners, beating up those bullies so they learn their lesson and stop bullying others."

Screenplay daily. 453 words!
{JESS bounds into view in the setting of a bedroom, and JESS jumps onto a bed}

JESS: “Meow!”

{JESS runs across the bed and off the other side. JESS walks over to the bedside table}

Jess: “purr!”

{JESS begins to chew a plastic bag that is under the bedside table. JESS drags the bag out and tries to chew a corner. The BAG keeps slipping away from her.}

{FLAMINGOTESTING enters the room from the left. FLAMINGOTESTING runs over to JESS and tries to grab the bag away from her. JESS jumps, and continues chewing.}

FLAMINGOTESTING: “Jess! Stop that now!” {FLAMINGOTESTING claps hands to spook JESS. It fails.}
FLAMINGOTESTING: (yells) “JESS!” {JESS runs away, dropping the plastic bag. FLAMINGOTESTING walks over to the BAG and picks it up. FLAMINGOTESTING exits through the door to the left. Cut to FLAMINGOTESTING. FLAMINGOTESTING throws away the bag, and enters a different room.}

{JESS re-enters the room via the door when FLAMINGOTESTING walks out to throw away the bag.}
{JESS jumps into the windowsill on the right, and begins to walk across to the open window.}
{FLAMINGOTESTING re-enters the room and looks around for JESS.}
Jess: “Meow!” {Jess sticks her head through the window}
FlamingoTesting: “No! Don't go out the window, Jess!”
{JESS squeezes further out of the window and almost falls}
{FLAMINGOTESTING grabs JESS and pulls her back inside the room.}
FlamingoTesting: “Don't ever do that again, Jess. You aren't allowed outside, you know that!
{FLAMINGOTESTING shuts the window and slowly sits down on the bed to stroke JESS.}
{FLAMINGOTESTING and JESS snuggle together for approximately 3 minutes}
{JESS gets off of FLAMINGOTESTING's lap and exits the room.}
{FLAMINGOTESTING sits for several moments (THOUGHTFUL EXPRESSION ON FACE)}
FlamingoTesting: ”Hmm, I wonder if I could write about…“
{Cut to JESS} {JESS walks into the living room and looks around}
{JESS goes over to a shelf with a potted plant and jumps on the shelf. JESS sniffs the plant for a moment. JESS nibbles at the plant until she accidentally knocks the pot over. SOIL spills everywhere. JESS runs}
{Cut to FLAMINGOTESTING.}
FlamingoTesting: ”What was that loud noise?" {FLAMINGOTESTING runs down the stairs and sees the pot plant on the floor with soil all around it. FLAMINGOTESTING picks up the plant and places it on the shelf carefully} Cut to JESS {JESS looks guilty outside the room, and bolts upstairs} Cut to FLAMINGOTESTING. {FLAMINGOTESTING pours some fresh soil into the pot and waters the plant} {FLAMINGOTESTING exits room from the right. FLAMINGOTESTING walks to a cupboard and takes out a vacuum cleaner. FLAMINGOTESTING re-enters the living room and switches on the vacuum cleaner. FLAMINGOTESTING cleans up the spilled soil} {FLAMINGOTESTING exits room and walks upstairs at a normal speed.}

“Dear Diary…” Fab looked up sharply from her diary as she heard a very loud noise. What was that?! It was a portal opening up to another world. She jumped in, and was sucked into a different land. She screamed and landed sharply, surrounded by dragons and elves. She was clearly in a fantasy world… But where? She walked around for ages and looked in awe at the creatures she saw, not knowing where to go next. This was wonderful, a dream come true! She walked for hours and had a lot of fun, she met a dragon who could talk, a flying unicorns and so much more. THis was wonderful and great, she loved it and it was the best thing she'd ever been to. It was a very cool place, and she didn't want to leave. She did see a return portal, but didn't go near it, she wanted to stay in the world of fantasy. She didn't leave for hours, until she reluctantly decided to return home. She would come back, some day. She definitely was surprised when she arrived there, but it was very good suprise, and she loved it a lot. That night, she dreamed of returning, and the next day, Fab did return. She strolled around again, and met different magical people, like Sparkle the Elf, who she became very good friends with. She definitely wanted to stay longer this time and she did. She stayed overnight, and loved every second of it. She decided not to go home for a few days, so she could explore more (word war, 264 Words)

Critique for @Cherryleaf40. I love all the descriptions in this piece of writing, and it's a lovely and emotional piece - great work. One thing I picked up on was “Jonathan couldn’t quite believe what he was hearing. Not in a good way” To me it sounds not quite smooth, so maybe try adding “,and” instead of ending the first sentence. Just my preference though! What I do love is the connection between the dandelion seeds and the people, that's a nice touch that really connects the story. Maybe just before the end you could add a bit more as it ends a bit quickly - it's nice though!
“He was a small, enthusiastic, happy seven years old” Probably should be “…seven YEAR old” I do like the questions the main character asks about the lying though - it flows pretty well! “Jonathan felt sick.” Maybe you could elaborate more on this? Overall, nice writing! 128 words of critique written by me (excluding quoted writing from the original piece)!