✣ { ＡｅｔｈｅｒＣｌａｎ } ✣ { 7+ years together! } c l o s e d ✣

[ HELLO sorry for the delay!! I got really distracted by something this weekend cough so it took me longer to do hw, and thus more time to get to these than I expected. xD My muse has been kinda low these past few days so these prollllllly suck. :") Sorry fam!!
I hope the weekend has treated everyone well <33
noble.  tbh I wasn't sure if Cardinalsong should know about what happened with Baybone, Milkpaw, and Graywater so I just... stopped there. xD I feel like it would've been a clan scandal but also, yeah wasn't sure if I should mention it directly lol :')
🎃❅❖.Şp໐໐kฯຟiຖ໓.❖❅🎃  ok the thought just struck me seeing the 2 couples on our front page b UT hear me out, hear me out. If Honey and Clover were in the nursery around the same time and Dark and Azure came to visit them, Dark and Azure would probably interact at some point and I'm just lOLING AT THE IDEA OF TAKO AND INIGO INTERACTING ]


       It'd be better if they were far away, Lionpaw mused to himself as Tawnypaw spoke, though he didn't dare actually voice such thoughts. She was already in a melancholic mood and making it worse was not his goal. Still, the tom shifted his paws somewhat awkwardly as she spoke. As Cinderspark's apprentice, he had always strictly followed the warrior code, and he didn't understand why cats like Augustpetal were so drawn to those outside of the clan. This was no exception, even though Tawnypaw and Robinpaw were born outside of the clan. "Well, hey, if any cat gives you a hard time for having kin outside the clan, then send them my way and I'll give them a good talking-to!" he ventured eventually, figuring it was the safest thing to say. Sure, Lionpaw didn't think she should be torn between clan and kin, he thought the choice was obvious, but cats like Tawnypaw needed to know there were others on their side, to feel less alone and alienated! He shot her a cheerful grin, as if to assure her meant what he said.


       Cloudpaw nodded in agreement at Echomist and Coalpaw's words. If the kits were going to be a part of the clan from now on, he also felt that they should be given proper clan names. It wouldn't change the outlook of every cat in camp, per se, but certainly would help give the feeling that they were part of the clan now, not some random loner's kits that they were raising on a whim. His ears twitched when he heard a soft squeak interrupt them, glancing down at the sleeping kits to see that the small speckled she-kit had stirred from her sleep, likely because of their conversation. Oops... well, he'd tried to keep his voice down. Hopefully the others wouldn't wake up anytime soon - they needed their rest after, well, who knows how hard the journey was for such young kits? He leaned closer to Coalpaw and whispered to her, "It's probably not a good idea for them to reject a name change." Besides, Silverstar would have to announce the kits at some point. It wasn't exactly a well-kept secret that the nursery was now guarding these new little ones! 

       Wondering if the kit was going to go back to sleep - he certainly wouldn't fault her for it if she did - or stay awake, Cloudpaw peered closer at her to get a better look. At least she hadn't woken up complaining about fever or nightmares or something to that effect! "But don't you want a name like your mother?" he asked her softly, trying to avoid disturbing her siblings. "Augustpetal was a... loyal and well-respected warrior." Admittedly, the tom's voice faltered and he inwardly winced at that. Yes, Augustpetal was a loyal warrior, but Cloudpaw had a hard time remembering her that way. After all, he and his mentors had been the ones dealing with all the cats with greencough - which Silas brought to camp, mind! - and he remembered having the hardest time separating the two mooning lovebirds. He pretty much gave up at some point, his paws were too full with the other sick cats. Not to mention the she-cat leaving the camp with the loner... no one would forget that any time soon, especially not with three reminders of it now residing in the nursery.


       Cardinalsong was relieved to see Baybone smiling. It seemed he had been deep in thought until she showed up, and she had hoped she wasn't disrupting anything. As to his question, the she-cat shrugged as she sat down next to him. "I'm doing okay," she responded. Her day certainly could've been going better, what with the depressing aura of camp. It seemed that no cat was keen on forgetting what happened just yet, although some were certainly trying by organizing patrols. She appreciated their efforts greatly, now that they didn't have a deputy to do that for them. Peering at Baybone curiously with her pale yellow eyes, Cardinalsong leaned closer almost conspiratorially.

       "How about you? What do you think of... what happened yesterday?" The sepia-furred warrior spoke quietly and calmly, trying to make sure no one else in camp could overhear them, almost like she thought the whole subject of... well, everything from yesterday, was just a taboo that shouldn't be spoken of. Besides, although she enjoyed his companionship, the she-cat had to admit Baybone was rather hard-to-read. Would he be upset that she mentioned it? Maybe he didn't want to talk about it, and she just totally ruined his day. Or maybe he absolutely loathed loners and was incredibly fired up about it? Cardinalsong had a feeling other cats, like Milkpaw, understood Baybone much better than she did - although... the way the two cats treated each other, it was hard to tell they had ever been close. She vaguely remembered seeing the two of them together, but nowadays they seemed to never be in each other's company.

[ Sorry for the delay! I've been low on muse this week. And yep, I'm having Redlily be sleeping for this elder interaction bc... I'm lazy... :')
Anyway, I hope everyone has had a good weekend! ]


       Lionpaw gasped in joking surprise. "Haven't met Dovesong yet? Well that's just a travesty," he said, eyes glittering with amusement to signal he wasn't being serious as he shook his head in mock disapproval. "Come on!" Without waiting for her answer, he flicked his tail at her and made his way to the small cave that was the elder's den. Once he was at the mouth of the cave, he glanced around to see if the two occupants were still sleeping, given how early in the morning it was, then glanced behind him quickly to make sure Tawnypaw was still with him. "Dovesong, are you awake?" he whispered quietly once he turned back to the elder's den, trying not to disturb her and her denmate if they were indeed asleep.