ᴄᴏᴘꜱᴇᴄʟᴀɴ; ᴛʜᴇ ʙʀɪɴᴋ ᴏꜰ ᴡᴀʀ {ᴏᴘᴇɴ}

ᔕɿɱƿՆעᗰעς੮ע ​🇳​ᴇcʀᴏᴅ🇦​🇳​​c​ᴇʀ 【 ᵗʷᶦˡᶦᵍʰᵗ 】

Tawnypaw parted her mouth almost to retort once more, but felt her stiff and aching limbs drain the energy from her body. She was too tired to balance her competitive drive with Monarchpaw, desire to impress the deputy, and her stress of disappointing Stormchaser. She glanced carefully at her mentor, who hadn't spoken whatsoever while she and her sister had snapped on and on. Maybe today was the day she began to learn from his personality along with his skillset, and speak less to save her spirit for more pressing tasks.

She fell in beside Monarchpaw as they neared camp. In truth, she just wanted to be left alone to follow her path. Why did Monarchpaw have to fight hers? They could both reach glory if her fairer sister simply accepted the honour that Emberstar wished upon her and worked hard to learn what she could from the remaining moons of the less than enthusiastic Halfdawn. It bothered her that Monarchpaw was singled out, that she needed to be coddled into accepting how special being a medicine cat was. Tawnypaw had to tell herself that Monarchpaw was removed from her way so that she herself could forge her own path to being the most exceptional warrior of her generation, but it didn't feel like the truth. Monarchpaw was more of a runt, but she had grown far more appealing looking than Tawnypaw's scruffy pelt and wide eyes ever would. Tawnypaw felt disgust toward what she feared was the case: Monarchpaw was seen to have more destined potential than her, apparent to everyone including their leader.

Mumblewolf. The deputy's place alongside Monarchpaw was even more infuriating as Tawnypaw began to overthink their positions. Fetching water was a foolish excuse to have the deputy of the whole clan accompany only the medicine cat apprentice further into the territory than was needed for water. Why would Emberstar allow that? She fell behind Monarchpaw a little as camp drew closer, nearing Stormchaser to ask quietly, "Would Emberstar really call me Tawnypeck?" It seemed like a taunt, but maybe Monarchpaw knew better than Tawnypaw. "Can you do anything so that she doesn't?" It was a genuine plea, as the apprentice hadn't worried over the leader's power to give her her lifelong name until now.

Starchaser

mizzoctavia calliope

Lichenstone shook his head. "Not as close as you may be thinking of. I've seen plenty of creatures in my time. But one thing they all have in common is that a young animal will always be protected by an angry mother. Even fawns are best simply observed, and from a decent enough distance. Then they'll remain gentle." His heart warmed to think of the queens of their clan, and how they would do much the same for any of their kits. They were in fact not so different from the animals that shared their territory. All cats wanted to raise their young in peace, something he wished the crueler types would realise more often. His old limbs began to feel more relaxed with movement, stretching themselves as they remembered doing many moons ago. He scented the air, and could almost imagine the damp scent of marshy Cattail Meadow once more.