Lesbian
#ACEBF6
Name Colour
Feathertalon
Bird Overlord
unofficial chicken whisperer
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Post by Feathertalon on Mar 21, 2022 16:24:19 GMT -5
Webheart »
This was strange. Webheart didn’t know what to make of all this. It was one thing to have a cat from an outside Clan in their camp, but a whole other thing to have an outsider in their camp that was clearly mistreated. It had been clear to her that young Shadowpaw’s wounds had been treated to some extent, so she knew Ivytongue had been doing her duty as ShadowClan’s medicine cat, but it perplexed her to wonder just how he had gotten so beat up in the first place. From what Webheart knew of the ShadowClan leader, Dawnstar was a diplomatic cat. She didn’t use her claws to get what she wanted. She didn’t seem the type to bare her fangs and demand for harsh training regiments that required little to no meals. Webheart knew that there was only so much a cat could tell about another cat during a gathering, but never once had the gray tabby gotten an off-putting vibe from Dawnstar.
Her eyes trailed off to where the young apprentice lay. Bones protruded through his pelt, jagged like stones. His fur was dull, lifeless, reminding Webheart of the pelt of prey. Thoughts clouded her mind as she observed the tom. What had happened in ShadowClan that caused one of their apprentices to look so poorly, and was he the only one, or did all the apprentices look that beaten? These were all things that Webheart wanted to ask. Usually the gray molly was one to speak her mind, one to ask the hard questions, but she held her tongue this time around. Whatever had happened to the young tom had to be an incredibly sensitive topic. Along with that, he was now in a Clan he had been raised to be wary of. Even Webheart knew this was no time to ask him such prodding questions. Besides, once she could meet up with Ivytongue during the medicine cat gathering then perhaps she could get answers.
For now, though, she was going to keep quiet and allow the apprentice to get the rest he needed.
The herbs Webheart had given her were helping. Her thoughts were clearer, her heart calmer, her breathing steadier. She didn’t feel like she was being chased by a fox any longer; the tabico still felt the eyes of curious Clanmates seering into her pelt, but no longer was she crumbling under their watchful gazes.
There was one cat, however, that she took immediate notice of, stopping her in her tracks. The young warrior could feel a smile stretching across her face at the sight of her best friend. ”Leafpaw!” She called out. If there was one cat that could understand everything Thornleaf had been going through today, it would be Leafpaw. Before she could get too comfortable around her friend, though, she spotted movement out of the corner of her eye. Monetarily she froze, noticing both Ravenfang and Tawnystar heading out of the leader’s den. Thornleaf’s tail twitched - they were headed toward Webheart’s den. That reminded her…
”Hang on,” she murmured to Leafpaw before rushing forward and grabbing the first thing she could on the fresh-kill pile. With a squirrel in her jaws she shot an apologetic glance at her friend before rushing over to the leader and deputy. She lay the squirrel near Ravenfang’s paws. ”Sorry,” she murmured before hastily adding, ”Can you bring this to Shadowpaw for me?” Before growing nervous near the two tomcats, Thornleaf rushed back toward her friend, letting out a sigh once she had returned to Leafpaw’s side.
ThunderClan’s leader had a lot of questions. Most resided on the tip of his tongue, perched there like birds on a branch. He remained silent, however, listening to what his deputy had to say before inserting his own opinion. Tawnystar shook his head. ”Nothing would make it okay, but even still, if we can find out a bit more about all this, then maybe we can figure out how to handle this.” The rosette spotted tomcat wanted answers, but he knew he would have to take it slow with young Shadowpaw. It was clear the apprentice was frightened, as any apprentice would be in the heart of another Clan’s home, but Tawnystar wanted to make this easy for him. He wanted Shadowpaw to realize that he was welcome to be here in ThunderClan.
He made his way to Webheart’s down. As he walked he could feel dull pain wrapping around his bones. They were tendrils of ivy curling around him, causing his movement to slow down, to feel weak. The leader hid any winces he felt. It wasn’t a long walk from his den to Webheart’s, but a lot had happened thus far, and Tawnystar could feel his body growing weaker as more and more happened.
While he wanted to speak with Shadowpaw as soon as he could, he was grateful for a monetary stop to catch his breath when Thornleaf rushed over with a squirrel in her jaw, dropping it at Ravenfang’s paws to ask him to take it to Shadowpaw before rushing off. Tawnystar’s whiskers twitched in amusement. ”Perhaps he will open up better with food in his stomach.” He nodded toward the squirrel, hopeful that feeding the apprentice would make him feel a little more welcome here.
[ not my best but!! finally got something up ]
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Post by Shadowkit on Mar 22, 2022 10:49:35 GMT -5
Leafpaw let out a relieved sigh as her friend finally called out her name and seemed as if she was about to approach--but the new warrior told her to wait, and the apprentice's claws sank into the floor of camp as she was made to impatiently wait even longer. She watched every step as Thornleaf hastily said something to Leafpaw's father, and, finally, darted back towards the anxious apprentice.
Leafpaw practically leaped into Thornleaf when she was finally at her side again, having to catch her own balance as she almost bowled over her friend. The apprentice was almost bigger than Thornleaf despite being a couple moons younger. Leafpaw rubbed her cheek against her friend's shoudler and then stepped back, looking at the new warrior with wide, panicky eyes, and words began exiting her lips at a sprinting pace. "I'm so sorry, Thornleaf! I meant to get up this morning so I could congratulate you because after the ceremony you had to get to the vigil right away and we only had a couple minutes to talk so I was going to get up but I overslept again and-" Leafpaw had to suck in a ragged breath as her lungs yowled at her for more oxygen. "-by the time I got up Ravenfang was already cranky and you were gone and I'm sorry I'm such a bad friend and now there's some other cat in camp that you brought back? Who-" She sucked in another breath, casting a glance towards the medicine cat's den, thinking about how scared the cat had looked, before looking back to her friend. "Who is that? He seems so injured. Did he attack you? I thought I smelled ShadowClan. Is he from ShadowClan? What's his name? Are you okay?" Her questions came rapid-fire, but she finished with a worried twinge in her voice, tilting her head sideways as a sparkle of worry for her friend glinted in her eyes.
Ravenfang silently nodded in agreement with Tawnystar's assessment, knowing they needed information, even if he was eager to get to ShadowClan to speak with his...with the leader of ShadowClan. He was on a straight march for Webheart's den, but the two of them were suddenly interrupted by a sprinting cat followed by a rushed request and a speedy exit. He blinked in astonishment at the prey sitting at his paws, then looked up at Thornleaf as she came to a stop at his daughter's side. "Well, I guess she answered her own request," Ravenfang stated a bit flatly, clearing his throat as he bent down to pick up the prey, before casting a glance at Tawnystar.
He thought he noticed a heave in the leader's breathing, but it was gone in a second and Tawnystar appeared normal once more. He blinked a couple times, worry for the leader starting to enter his mind, but he knew it was no topic for the middle of camp, and he already had a hurt apprentice to worry about.
He took the lead at a less brisk pace in case his leader would benefit from it, approaching and eventually entering Webheart's den. He felt a bit of nervousness sending chills down his spine as he stepped inside--this was the son of the only cat he had seen a future with, and it was clawing at his nerves. He briefly looked to Webheart and gave a quick dip of his head, before looking to Shadowpaw, not mentioning anything about Thornleaf.
He laid the prey gently at Shadowpaw's feet, then verbally encouraged him to eat it as Ravenfang really took in the malnourishment that seemed to have been inflicted on the apprentice. "P-please, eat, Shadowpaw," He mewed nervously. He wanted to say something else, specifically something that could encourage the tom-cat, but he found his voice paralyzed, scrabbling for the right words. He looked helplessly to Tawnystar for aid.
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Lesbian
#ACEBF6
Name Colour
Feathertalon
Bird Overlord
unofficial chicken whisperer
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Post by Feathertalon on Mar 22, 2022 16:41:40 GMT -5
Thornleaf »
It was much easier to relax at Leafpaw's side, but before Thornleaf could truly catch her breath, her friend came bounding over, a force of weight that almost toppled Thornleaf; the tabico had always been on the smaller, slimmer side, her physique more akin to that of a WindClanner than that of a strong, broad-shouldered ThunderClan warrior. She teetered on her paws for a moment, gathering her balance before she focused solely on Leafpaw, relief brimming over as she finally had time to spend with the cat she felt the most comfortable around.
A purr erupted from the new warrior. She leaned into her friend's show of affection, only to then fall to attention, wanting to hear every word Leafpaw had to say. Thornleaf's ears perked forward, tuning in to the rambling that the apprentice had on the tip of her tongue.
Words fell off Leafpaw's tongue rapidly. It was like trying to keep up with a warren of sprinting rabbits, but Thornleaf had grown accustomed to the rambling her friend could sometimes fall into, and with expert ears Thornleaf was able to catch the words - most of them, at least. She got the general idea of what Leafpaw had to say. "Hey, hey," the warrior started, shaking her head. "It's alright, it's okay." She maneuvered herself in such a way that she could place her tail over Leafpaw's shoulders in hopes of comforting the gray tabby. "You are not a bad friend, and if I hear you say that again I'll personally claw your ears off." It was an empty threat, Thornleaf could never raise a claw to her friend, but she wanted Leafpaw to know that she meant a lot to Thornleaf. She also wanted her friend to know that she had no ill feelings toward her. Thornleaf understood how busy the life of an apprentice could be - she had just been an apprentice herself - and she also knew how hard it could be to try and talk to a cat that was already cranky, and not only cranky, but the very deputy of the Clan as well. Leafpaw's father or not, Ravenfang could be frightening. She had always heard that cats with the 'fang' suffix could be quite fearsome, and Thornleaf did not want to test that out with the deputy.Before she could dive deeper into such thoughts, Leafpaw brought up the biggest topic on all of ThunderClan's minds right now.
Shadowpaw.
Her paws shuffled along the ground, eyes darting downward. "That's...that's Shadowpaw. I met him by the border. He says he's fine, but..." She trailed her words off. It was obvious that he wasn't fine in the slightest. Even now when she couldn't see him, Thornleaf could easily imagine how thin he was and just how easily his bones prodded against his skin. A dull ache tugged in her chest. "I'm fine. Webheart gave me some herbs to calm down, and I...I do feel better, especially now that I can talk with you," she mewed, glancing upward and offering a warm smile toward her friend. It was easy to relax around her friend. Thornleaf was incredibly lucky to have Leafpaw around.
Tawnystar hoped to soon have some of the answers he had questions for. He would not push Shadowpaw for answers, wouldn't even push the young tomcat to speak, but he hoped that there would be enough energy in the dark-pelted tomcat to give answers to at least one or two of the questions Tawnystar had. It would help him decide what he needed to do with ShadowClan, whether that be sit around and wait until the next gathering, or head straight to their border and ask to speak with Dawnstar herself. Just from the looks of Shadowpaw this seemed like something that needed to be addressed right away, but Tawnystar was hesitant to rush into the affairs of another Clan. He wanted to keep peace, not stir trouble.
If the elderly leader had noticed his deputy's slower pace, he did not speak of it. Instead he fell into a steady pace beside Ravenfang, grateful that this slower speed felt easier on his joints. Here lately he had been feeling his age more often than not. It wasn't something Tawnystar spoke of, at least not often. He mostly visited Webheart every few days, the gray tabby giving him herbs to help with tender bones and to ease the dull aches that ailed him throughout the day and into the night.
Even now as he entered Webheart's den, he felt a sudden wave of ease. Even without the herbs just the scent of the den itself eased the leader. The ease didn't last long, however, as his one-eyed gaze soon traveled over to where Shadowpaw lay in a nest.
Tawnystar came to stand beside Ravenfang before slowly, gently, sitting down, lowering his body in hopes of showing Shadowpaw he was no threat. He kept his attention on both Shadowpaw and Ravenfang, knowing this would not be easy for either cats - Shadowpaw was in the care of an enemy Clan while Ravenfang was faced with the malnourished son of the cat he had given his heart to. Tawnystar knew this was hard on all involved here. "Thornleaf wanted you to have this squirrel," Tawnystar added to Ravenfang's plea. "We still have plenty of prey to go around, so please, have all you want."
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Post by Shadowkit on Mar 23, 2022 6:06:25 GMT -5
In her heart, Leafpaw knew that Thornleaf wouldn't be upset with her--Leafpaw oversleeping was as common as a bird flying or Petalstripe barking for prey from the elder's den. Even so, Leafpaw felt it necessary to apologize to her friend, if only so Thornleaf knew that she felt bad about it. She had wanted to go out hunting this morning, and she had thought about asking to do so once she had returned, but with this new cat in camp, it didn't seem like that was going to be an option.
Leafpaw let out a loud and warm purr as her friend's tail draped itself over her neck, and she gently pressed herself against her friend's flank, careful not to almost bowl her over like before, as she was spoken to. She raised an eyebrow for a few moments, looking up at Thornleaf as she gave a few slow-blinks to a friend with a mocking grin. "Oh, come on...You could never hurt me." She gazed up oh-so-innocently at Thornleaf, before standing up straight after a few minutes, a normal smile reforming on her face as her ears perked up attentively to the next thing Thornleaf said.
Leafpaw tilted her head at her best friend as she trailed off, taking a quick glance towards the medicine cat's den and then looking quickly back as her thoughts drifted to where Thornleaf's were as well. "Fine?" Her voice was flat and disbelieving. "He thinks that's what fine looks like? Or is he just trying to act tough?" Cats normally only looked like him after a fierce battle, and that would call for a lengthy time of rest in Webheart's den, at least under their rules. Maybe Leafpaw was mistaken to think all the clans at least treated wounds with seriousness.
"Well, I'm glad you're okay. Hopefully he isn't a threat--he certainly doesn't look like one. Looks more like the threaten...threatenee? Threatened? The...he seems very hurt." She couldn't imagine Ravenfang letting her get hurt like that in their training. He always played tough in their lessons, but every cat old enough to have an apprentice knew how horrible he would feel if he ever let something bad happen to her. From Leafpaw's perspective, she saw that he expected her best effort, and he pushed her as such--but he was the first to ask if she was okay if she ended up on the floor or stunned. "I wonder what Ravenfang and Tawnystar think about him." She quietly murmured aloud.
Ravenfang soon realized the leader had lowered himself into a more comfortable position, and he figured he should copy it as well. Shadowpaw looked very nervous, wide-eyed as he gazed at these two big, high-ranking warriors with their full attention on him, a lowly apprentice from ShadowClan. Ravenfang felt a pang of sympathy and wished he could do more to give off a less imposing vibe.
Shadowpaw was clearly uncertain about the prey, still hesitating to actually eat it as the three adult cats watched him. He didn't repeat his teachings to these cats, because if the leader of the clan was offering the food, it was likely immensely disrespectful to argue the issue. But it was clear he felt uneasy about it as he finally reached down and started pecking at the prey.
It wasn't too long before his attempts to not appear wolfish cracked and his hunger took over. Even having eaten that morning, Shadowpaw was living off of an infrequent eating schedule and rather quickly, the squirrel was gone, and Shadowpaw took a reticent step back, his ears folding back as he looked down at the ground, a bit of shame clouding the apprentice's mind.
Ravenfang quietly took in a deep breath, exhaling it through his nose. He remained silent for a few seconds, not liking just how hungry he obviously was. "Do you want something else?" He asked quietly, tilting his head in an attempt to show curiosity. Shadowpaw quickly shook his head with a quiet "no," and Ravenfang gave a slight bob up and down of his head, trying to decide what to start with. How was he supposed to get to the core of what was going on without scaring Shadowpaw?
"Shadowpaw, you are very hurt. I'm the deputy, I've lived quite a few moons and I've never seen an apprentice hurt as badly as you outside of complete accidents. I don't think Tawnystar has either," He cast a glance towards his leader, hoping to prompt a quick response from him as well. "It's making me worried. Is Dawnstar letting this happen to you? Is your mentor pushing you to train until you're bleeding?" Ravenfang didn't know how to ask these questions in a really sensitive way. They were such strange and foreign questions for him to have to ask; even in stories of hard conflict between ShadowClan and ThunderClan, Ravenfang had never heard of apprentices treated this way.
Shadowpaw flinched as the deputy brought up his mother for the second time. He slowly shook his head, still not looking at any of the adult cats. "My father didn't like how my mentor was training me. It was too slow. He said good mentors aren't soft and don't coddle their apprentices. So he said that Marshleap couldn't train me anymore." Shadowpaw did miss his old mentor; for awhile, Shadowpaw had really been learning important skills for being a warrior, but it wasn't enough to satisfy his father. "Sometimes...My mom would take me out in the morning, though. She said Marshleap asked her to keep working on my hunting skills."
Ravenfang was biting his lip as soon as he heard Shadowpaw speak about his father. Of course that piece of rat-dung is involved in this. Dawnstar would never hurt Shadowpaw like this, but Nightclaw... Maybe Ravenfang wouldn't have expected Nightclaw to take it this far, but Nightclaw had become increasingly hostile after the disappearance of his other kit. "And does...does your mother...let you get injured like this...?" Ravenfang's voice shook a little, because he was scared of the answer. He didn't want to hear that she would let her kit be harmed like this.
Shadowpaw's face drooped with sorrow. Speaking about her was so hard, and it was all the deputy of ThunderClan seemed to be asking him about. "She said it wasn't right, but...My father said it was important to know what a real battle will feel like..."
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Lesbian
#ACEBF6
Name Colour
Feathertalon
Bird Overlord
unofficial chicken whisperer
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Post by Feathertalon on Mar 25, 2022 15:42:58 GMT -5
Thornleaf »
No matter what happened throughout the day, Leafpaw was always able to make Thornleaf feel at ease. It was one of the things that Thornleaf enjoyed about her friend so much, how Leafpaw could just lighten the mood with a few simple words or by even just gesturing in such a way that spoke more than words ever could. The tabico was grateful to have such a cat around, and even more grateful to be able to call that cat her best friend. What she would do without Leafpaw, she had no idea. It was hard to think of what she would do without Leafpaw as a friend, yet even harder still to think about how life would be if Leafpaw had never been found in the territory at only a few moons old. It had been by chance that Ravenfang stumbled across the gray molly when he had, before predators could have taken advantage over such a vulnerable kitten out in the open. Thornleaf liked to think that StarClan had brought them together, their fates intertwined like bramble tendrils. They had been destined as friends, and Thornleaf wouldn’t have it any other way.
Bubbling laughter erupted from Thornleaf unceremoniously. Her body shook, head going from side to side as the amusement slipped from her. This was what she had needed, a moment to just relax and find comfort in the familiarity of a friendly face. ”Yeah, yeah,” she breathed, attempting to steady herself before she made yet another scene in the middle of camp, this time with herself laughing until the corners of her eyes became blurry with tears. ”I couldn’t ever hurt you,” she admitted, chest still bubbling with laughter even once she had calmed down.
The mood soon turned. It was as if a dark cloud had been brought in by the wind to cover the sun that had once been peeking through. Paws shuffled nervously across the ground as she was reminded of Shadowpaw, how tattered and weak he had looked. How frightened he had seemed. She hoped Webheart could help him. ”I don’t think he was trying to act tough. I think…I think he just believes this is how apprentices are treated.” There had been no arrogance in the tomcat, nothing to suggest that he was proud of his injuries. He had only stammered out apologies and excuses from the time Thornleaf had found him to the time she had left him with the medicine cat. There was no way a cat that acted like that had an ego, and Thornleaf half wondered if Shadowpaw even had a strong will to push on and keep living. It was worrisome. Even if she didn’t know the tomcat well, and had only just really met him a few hours ago, she already felt a sense of concern growing ever larger inside of her. Thornleaf wanted him to be okay, wanted to understand his circumstances, but right now there wasn’t much she could do other than sit here and wait.
”He does seem very hurt,” Thornleaf quietly repeated her friend’s verbal observation. It made the young molly wonder if Shadowpaw would even pull through and make it by the end of this. What if his injuries ended up being too severe and StarClan called for him to join their ranks? Her chest tightened at the thought. ”I wonder that, too. Tawnystar seems like he wants to help Shadowpaw, if anything. I’ve never seen him turn down any cat in need.” Thornleaf was young, she knew this, but even in her short few moons of living never once had she known Tawnystar as the type to push away somebody who needed help. He had always been a kind and compassionate leader. She had never heard of him acting differently. The same went with Ravenfang - he had taken in an abandoned kit, afterall, so it was clear to the entire Clan that even the deputy had a fondness of helping those who needed support. Thornleaf remained worried for Shadowpaw, shoulders tense and body tight, but between Tawnystar, Ravenfang, and Webheart, she felt at least a little bit at ease that Shadowpaw had a good support group with him.
It had been seasons upon seasons since Tawnystar himself had once been a young ‘paw. It was hard for him to remember how he had once felt under the watchful gaze of the last leader before him, though he was sure he had hunkered down and tried to come off as respectful and obedient as possible. He was sure his heart had thundered against his chest, and he was certain he had felt an intense pressure. Being so young while being addressed directly by the leader was no easy task, Tawnystar could only imagine how poor Shadowpaw felt. His situation was all the more intense, as he was not only being watched by the leader, but by the deputy and medicine cat as well. All three of the Clan’s highest ranking cats sat within the apprentice’s attention, and the pressure of that had to be immense. But this was something that needed to be done. Tawnystar needed answers, just as Ravenfang and Webheart did. This went beyond just an injured apprentice. What they could get from Shadowpaw would help them decide on whether or not they could wait and speak with Dawnstar. This was going to help them make the decision on whether or not ShadowClan needed ThunderClan’s aid. This could change the political climate of the two Clans. This was more important than any cat could possibly imagine, especially for a young, injured apprentice such as Shadowpaw.
Not wanting to cause the tomcat any more stress, Tawnystar remained silent, allowing the conversation to be between Ravenfang and Shadowpaw - though clearly it was Ravenfang who dominated the conversation. The only indication of being in the conversation the leader gave was a brief nod when Ravenfang looked to him for confirmation. Never had Tawnystar seen such a mistreated apprentice. The only other times he had seen a ‘paw in such terrible condition was when they were teetering on the edge of ThunderClan and StarClan. Silently he prayed to StarClan that their ancestors would not take this young cat.
The leader’s silence continued. He sat and listened, taking in the conversation. He observed as well. For a cat with only one eye, he could pick up on nonverbal cues rather well, and it was no hard task for him to catch on to the sorrow spilling out from Shadowpaw every time his mother was mentioned. He noticed the flinch Shadowpaw gave, the way his body stiffened whenever Dawnstar was brought up. His mother was a sore topic for the apprentice, and Tawnystar felt pity for the young tomcat.
Eventually Tawnystar cleared his throat. He didn't mind Ravenfang interrogating Shadowpaw, but he could tell that his deputy’s mind was on one thing and one thing alone. Gently he flicked his tail upward, brushing it against Ravenfang’s flank. ”Shadowpaw, are any other apprentices injured like you are?” He kept his question simple and singular. Already had he been given question after question, and after a day like today, Tawnystar was sure the apprentice was drowning in a swamp of emotions. The last thing the leader wanted to do was give Shadowpaw even more worries, and while he wanted to get to the bottom of this, he also wanted to keep the environment friendly toward the ShadowClanner.
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Post by Shadowkit on Mar 25, 2022 17:00:49 GMT -5
Shadowpaw glanced up from the ground for a moment as the leader addressed him directly, and he met Tawnystar's eyes for a bit. He noticed briefly that there was something like a look of annoyance on the deputy's face, and he wondered if the deputy hadn't liked what he had said for some reason. He tried not to focus on it too much, keeping his gaze on the ThunderClan leader. He frowned as he thought about the apprentices who liked to use the 'special treatment' he got from his father to bully him. They didn't go through what he did, because Nightclaw expected the absolute best from his son and would push him as hard as possible until Shadowpaw gained some skill in combat. Unfortunately, it wasn't doing much besides leaving his pelt like they could all see now. The apprentice loved taunting how badly he performed in combat training.
"W-well...I don't think so, but...that's because I mess up all the time, and they don't. I'm probably the worst fighter in ShadowClan," He added the second part more quietly, like it was half to himself, then his eyes flashed as he realized he probably shouldn't have mentioned that to an enemy clan.
Ravenfang had more questions; he wanted to know so much about what Dawnstar was doing and what might explain how Shadowpaw could be in this state while she was governing the clan, but Tawnystar's tail indicated it was time for him to be silent, and he grimaced silently, forcing himself to hold his tongue as his leader changed the subject, though he knew he wouldn't have been able to argue it wasn't relevant if he had been so inclined.
Leafpaw's mouth slipped open with disbelief as Thornleaf took a guess at what Shadowpaw took to be normal, struggling to imagine any cat with nearly-open wounds thinking they were in a typical, healthy situation. She truly had to wonder what would give Thornleaf that impression, because it sounded so unrealistic, but the genuine worry in her friend's voice delivered her doubts to the dirt--there wasn't anyone she trusted more than Thornleaf to feel out a situation, and the read she had left Leafpaw concerned about what was really going on inside their neighbor's borders. She had always been told worrying stories about ShadowClan cats' ferocity, but she had never imagined they would treat their apprentices like that.
She continued listening as Leafpaw mentioned what she imagined Tawnystar would do, and she gave a quick sigh, hopeful that it would play out like that. Thornleaf, of course, was a couple moons older than her and would know a bit better how the leader would act. "Gosh...But then he's going to have to go back, and...they're just going to get him all scratched and bloody again..." There was fear in her voice, as she imagined training and Ravenfang delivering real wounds with his claws to his daughter. Just thinking about it was enough to make her shudder with fear for what the ShadowClanner was dealing with.
"I wish we could tell him that that isn't normal, but it probably wouldn't do any good...It's not like we can stop him from going home to his rightful clan..." She mewed quietly, casting a glance to Webheart's den. "Is he going to be staying in Webheart's den for awhile? Or is he leaving right away? We could go catch him some really nice prey before he left if he will be staying for a..." Her voice trailed off as she noticed a scowl appear on the face of a warrior padding by the two of them, obviously hearing what Leafpaw was suggesting.
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Lesbian
#ACEBF6
Name Colour
Feathertalon
Bird Overlord
unofficial chicken whisperer
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Post by Feathertalon on Mar 27, 2022 15:44:16 GMT -5
Thornleaf »
It was very possible that Shadowpaw would be returning to his birth Clan very soon. Once Webheart cleared him and his injuries, Thornleaf was sure some cat would be assigned to escort him back home. She didn’t see why the apprentice would be allowed to just stay in their camp considering he wasn’t a part of ThunderClan. If he stayed any longer than he needed to Thornleaf knew a lot of the Clan would get antsy with him around. They’d call for his return to ShadowClan, cause an uproar about it all. The last thing any cat wanted was a civil dispute between Clanmates, but… But Shadowpaw was so injured, so vulnerable. If they brought him back Thornleaf feared that he would only end up getting hurt all over again, and as Leafpaw voiced these thoughts as well, the worry for Shadowpaw only grew.
Worms of worry squirmed inside the molly’s chest. ”I don’t think I like the idea of him going back,” Thornleaf admitted quietly to her friend. Even if he was from another Clan, Thornleaf would never wish neglect and abuse on Shadowpaw. She would never wish it on any cat, regardless on if she actually had ill feelings toward them or not. ”He would have to go back to his own Clan, though, at some point…” Thornleaf’s words trailed off into the air. Everything that Leafpaw was saying had approval from Thornleaf - she understood where her friend was going, and there was nothing Leafpaw had said that the warrior disagreed with.
Her eyes drifted toward Webheart’s den. That was where Shadowpaw was, battered and broken. A part of Thornleaf wanted to go back inside the den and check on him, but she knew the den was crowded at the moment with three full grown cats in there along with Shadowpaw. If she joined them it would only be a stifling mess. Instead she stay where she was, tail-tip twitching nervously. ”I don’t think Webheart would let him leave right away. Maybe we-” The words upon her tongue froze; a fellow warrior had padded by, casting a stern, disapproving look toward the pair of mollies. Thornleaf’s tail only twitched faster. Heat flared underneath her pelt, embarrassment prickling at her pelt. She still had more she wanted to say, she wanted to keep up the conversation with Leafpaw, but now Thornleaf was overly conscious of the Clan staring at her and whispering about the cat she had brought into ThunderClan’s camp. Involuntarily her head ducked down. Maybe if she just tried to make herself smaller then the Clan would stop glaring over at her and Leafpaw.
Now this was interesting. Tawnystar wasn’t sure if he had expected such an answer. He had thought that if Shadowpaw looked this bad and was treated as poorly as he was then all the apprentices were going through similar trauma, but apparently, if what Shadowpaw said was true, then he was the only one receiving such treatment. The leader’s tail twitched, face scrunching momentarily in thought. He had also brought up his father multiple times, talking about how it was his sire’s fault for why he was getting punished. Shadowpaw had mentioned his father calling him weak, pushing even Dawnstar herself to allow such practices to occur. Tawnystar narrowed his eyes. Shadowpaw’s father sounded dangerous, especially if he could have as much control as it seemed like he did. If he was even going against Dawnstar’s wishes, then something was amiss. Tawnystar did not like the sound of this at all.
”I see,” rumbled the leader, voice quiet and smooth, thoughtful even. He shifted, tail coming to rest neatly over his paws rather than lay against Ravenfang’s flank. ”This is still rather concerning that it’s happening at all, but if no other cats seem to be in harm’s way…” He trailed off to glance over at Ravenfang, curious to know if his deputy had anything to say to this. Despite knowing that his deputy’s main concern was Dawnstar, he still valued Ravenfang’s opinion on this all. Tawnystar had named Ravenfang deputy for a reason; he trusted whatever the brown tabby had to say, and this was something that needed more opinions than that of Tawnystar alone.
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Post by Shadowkit on Apr 11, 2022 14:08:54 GMT -5
Leafpaw listened pensatively, her ears perking up with further attention as her friend quietly told her she didn't like the idea of the ShadowClan cat returning to his home--something which clearly wouldn't sit well with most if not all of the clan. Leafpaw did wonder, for a moment, what led to Thornleaf feeling so strongly about it--another clan's ways weren't really their business, and it could be very dangerous to thrust oneself into that business.
Still, Leafpaw was worried too, even if they had no right to barge in on why he was in that shape. She was just an apprentice, and Thornleaf was in her first day as a warrior--what could they do?
That want to be able to do something for the tom-cat was why she had suggested they catch him something nice to eat--and she wasn't surprised when Thornleaf began to agree, at least, she thought it was the start of an agreement--but soon her friend was hushed beside her and Leafpaw, with little more than a quick glance, had their eyes particularly on Thornleaf, with expressions mostly ranging from stoic unreadibility to tail-lashing irritation. "Ummmm...." She let out an awkward, quiet drone as she bit her lip and shuffled around on her paws. "W-Why don't we, umm...step outside? I know you just got back, b-but..." She had raised her voice a bit so some cats around them could hear her, though her speaking sounded strained and embarrassed. "We should go...anywhere that's not here. Please..." She murmured quietly, looking briefly at the apprentice's den, and then over to the medicine cat's den. "They're all staring at us."Ravenfang didn't look okay. Based on what Shadowpaw had said, it was easy to jump to the conclusion that Nightclaw was leading the whole effort to push Shadowpaw into this dangerous training; but Dawnstar was still there, watching from her position as leader. She should have been able to say no to anything, and that should have been the end of it.
The hackles on the back of his neck buzzed with static annoyance as Tawnystar suggested there wasn't too much more to say if Shadowpaw was the only one in harm's way. Are you being serious? We can't just let... His own thoughts trailed off as Shadowpaw looked back down at his paws, not saying anything more--but that wasn't what grabbed his attention, its that after a few seconds, the sound of choking back tears started being emitted from the young cat. His anger, influenced by his bias for Dawnstar, faded away and was replaced by concern, influenced by his bias towards keeping her son safe. He opened his mouth to say something, but he was silent as Shadowpaw seemed to struggle to keep it together, all of a sudden, in front of the three adult cats. He thought about what Tawnystar had said--maybe the other apprentices weren't receiving this treatment, but could someone else be in danger? Could Shadowpaw be in more danger?
He looked at Webheart with uncertainty and just a bit of bewilderment in his gaze.
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Lesbian
#ACEBF6
Name Colour
Feathertalon
Bird Overlord
unofficial chicken whisperer
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Post by Feathertalon on Apr 12, 2022 7:22:44 GMT -5
Thornleaf »
The eyes of curious, questioning cats burned against Thornleaf’s fur. The gazes of her defensive, annoyed Clanmates seared into her skin. She twitched and fidgeted under their watchful eyes, knowing full well that they were talking about her, whispering about Shadowpaw’s appearance within their camp. They were muttering about what might happen, telling each other that nothing good would come from this. Thornleaf knew they were muttering about Leafpaw as well, now that she was speaking with her friend. Electricity crackled throughout the camp. Thornleaf flattened her ears ever so slightly against her cranium; they needed to step outside, needed to get out of here. Camp wasn’t the best place for them to be in at the moment, and while Thornleaf hated to leave Shadowpaw, she knew he was actually safer than she and Leafpaw were at the moment. Should any cat try to harass him they’d have Webheart to get through, but should any cat come to badger her and Leafpaw, they only had themselves to use as defense.
Minute relief came over the new warrior as her friend stuttered out the words she wanted to hear - they should step outside, go somewhere that wasn’t in the middle of camp, get out of the vision of their worked up Clanmates. Thornleaf nodded. ”Let’s…let’s go get him some prey…like you suggested.” Thornleaf’s voice was wrapped with worry, her nervous energy clear in her tone. It felt odd to know that, as a warrior, she had every right to head out of camp without asking for permission, and even odder did it feel to know that she could just have Leafpaw tag along with her. But that oddness was overwhelmed with the fact that she and Leafpaw needed to leave before the tension grew too thick, and especially before Icetail could come back for a second round.
Thornleaf nudged her friend. ”Come on,” she murmured as she started to head toward the camp’s exit, extremely aware of where her Clanmates stood and how to avoid getting too close. For a split second she turned to look over her shoulder, eyes staring toward the medicine cat den. Worry twisted her stomach. Shadowpaw would be okay. He had the leader and deputy in there with him, at least for now, and Webheart would never leave him alone. Shadowpaw was safe, he’d be alright. Thornleaf just couldn’t shake the feeling that she needed to be there with him. It was stuck to her like cobwebs, but for as much as she wanted to stay, she knew she needed to get out of camp for a bit. It would be nice to be alone with Leafpaw, get some fresh air, collect her thoughts, and she’d be back with Shadowpaw soon enough, hopefully with some juicy prey to give to him as well.
It was clear to Tawnystar that his deputy was growing irritated. This whole thing had put him on edge to start with, and it seemed with every little piece of this puzzle that Shadowpaw was giving them he only grew more and more angered with worry. Tawnystar knew full well just why his deputy was responding in such a way, but this was a case where logic needed to win over emotion. Passion was important to have in any situation, but too much heart would cloud the mind, and Tawnystar was worried that Ravenfang was starting to lose that connection with his reason.
Just as the leader was about to try and calm his deputy down, the unmistakable sounds of sorrow came from Shadowpaw. It was clear to any cat in the den that he was choking back tears, doing what he could to not come completely undone in front of his audience. Tawnystar lowered his head. Had they pushed the young tomcat too far? Perhaps it was time to retreat, allow the apprentice some time to get proper rest. They needed answers, not only for ShadowClan’s sake, but for ThunderClan’s as well, but how were they get honest answers out of a cat swamped with grief? Tawnystar knew something more was happening across the border, but for now it seemed like only Shadowpaw had been in the most danger, and now he needed rest. And, if Tawnystar was being honest, he could feel himself growing weary as well. The old scars along his shoulders were starting to ache, diving deeper into his bones. His body wanted to curl up in his nest and sleep for as long as possible, for the walk from his den to Webheart’s had almost been too much for him, and now he dreaded the walk back to his den and how out of it that would make him. He knew he should ask Webheart for some of the herb mixture she had been giving to him each day for the past moon now, but he had already had some for the day, and asking for a second bundle seemed absurd to him. The leader was growing old, the oldest cat in the Clan at this point, but surely he had no reason to be so tired just because he had walked across camp. It was worrisome, but Tawnystar had bigger problems to deal with now.
Nearby pawsteps snapped Tawnystar out of his thoughts. He glanced upward, noticing Webheart busing herself with a few flower stems. Her eyes did not look up at her visitors, but she spoke with such clear conviction that it made it feel as if she were watching both Tawnystar and Ravenfang intensely. ”It’s time for Shadowpaw to rest. Once he’s feeling a little better I’ll inform the both of you, but for now I think it’s time to call off visitation.” There was something deeper in the molly’s voice that had Tawnystar wondering if she had also noticed her leader’s ever growing weariness. She had a knowing cadence in her voice that brought upon the thought. It wouldn’t surprise him if she had noticed the subtle changes in Tawnystar’s position as the aches came back to bother him. Webheart had been ThunderClan’s only medicine cat for some seasons now, her skills and attention to detail were impeccable.
Tawnystar dipped his head toward his friend and healer. ”I trust you’ll keep us updated on Shadowpaw.”
Webheart pulled away from her flowers. ”As soon as he’s ready for visitors again you’ll be the first to know,” she replied easily.
The leader flicked his tail in acknowledgement. Shadowpaw would be safe here with Webheart. He trusted the gray tabby to keep a watchful eye on him and, if needed, defend him from prying felines who wanted to know every detail of the Clan’s latest gossip. Knowing the injured tomcat would be okay here, he felt more at ease to retreat from the den until later notice. With that he got to his paws. The stiffness within him had settled, his teeth gritting against one another as he tried to move his body. Hopefully he was able to hide it well enough, but he stopped to gather himself right before leaving the den, using this as a silent excuse to look behind him to make sure his deputy was following suit.
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Post by Shadowkit on Apr 19, 2022 16:33:34 GMT -5
Leafpaw gulped, then quickly turned around without another word to follow along with her friend. Ten tension was palbable to both of them, and even if their clanmates glared and hissed as they went off to catch the stranger some prey, at least they would be out of range of their claws--not that Leafpaw truly believed that any cat from ThunderClan would harm them. Their glares were just horribly intimidating.
She hurried along with Thornleaf, repeating her friends own call as her friend seemed to hesitate. "C-come on, before any cat tries to stop us," She urged as they neared the exit. Thankfully, she didn't need to push any more as they slipped through the exit and out onto the territory. Leafpaw took a slow look around the territory surrounding them, breathed in a deep breath of fresh forest air, then let it out in a loud, relieved sigh. She kneaded the ground beneath her paws to get out some of the tension that had been suffocating her, then after a few more steps away from the entrance to camp, she whipped around to look at her friend.
Thoughts of their clanmates were quickly dashed out of her mind. "Oh...my STARCLAN!" She began tip-tapping with her front paws, excitement replacing the tense, hushed tone from moments before. "We...we-re out of camp! Just you! And me! And we don't have to bring our mentors! Oh, sweet StarClan. How cool is this?" She didn't seem at all worried about their clanmates anymore, or at least it had been buried under a strong layer of excitement. She hadn't forgotten they were leaving camp with a goal in mind, but it seemed, at the moment, to be secondary to being able to leave camp, just with her friend.Ravenfang couldn't argue that Shadowpaw was being pushed a little too far--it was obvious to any cat who wasn't blinding themselves to the fact. It did raise serious concern in the deputy, as a storm between his passion to find answers and his compassion for a piece of his other half raged within him. He let out a quiet sigh, irritation no longer echoing through his voice or visible through agitated fur. Ravenfang wanted to say something comforting to the grief-stricken tom-cat, but he feared even another word might cause Shadowpaw to break down completely. Pushing words of support back down his throat for the moment, Ravenfang got up off of his haunches, listening to make sure Webheart would inform them as soon as the apprentice was ready for visitors again.
Once that was made clear, he turned about to follow Tawnystar out of the den. "Thanks, Webheart." He murmured quietly, not giving any hint to how he was feeling, though it was pretty obvious already. If he noticed the leader's sloth to exit the den, he didn't give any sign of it; truthfully, he was too preocupied in his own brain, trying to find any sort of sensible explanation for all that they were seeing. he couldn't find anything that made sense. Dawnstar was letting this happen? Letting her own son be singled out and abused like this? Could she really have lost so much of her empathy in just eight or nine moons?
Ravenfang gulped nervously. Even as he burned with the need for answers, he was afraid of it as well. What would he learn about her? Had she changed so much?
Shadowpaw's emotion didn't cease as the cats left; they weren't responsible, themselves, for his state, but they had triggered something that caused the emotion he had been fighting to hold back, since Thornleaf called out to him, to spring forth and reach the edge of the cliff of breaking down. He barely seemed able to hold the tears from spilling fully forth. He refused to look up from his paws, feeling gross as he had to fight to hold the tears. You're so weak. It's sad, He thought to himself.
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Lesbian
#ACEBF6
Name Colour
Feathertalon
Bird Overlord
unofficial chicken whisperer
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Post by Feathertalon on Apr 29, 2022 8:12:26 GMT -5
Thornleaf »
Camp had never felt this tense before. Thornleaf had always known the ThunderClan camp as comforting, but now it was crackling with electricity, lightning in a storm, and Thornleaf was the tallest tree in the forest.
The moment she knew her friend was following she escaped camp. The thought of Icetail or some other Clanmate confronting her about Shadowpaw was enough to push her out of camp in a hurry. Anxiety-riddled energy coursed through her body, though at this point she should have been exhausted considering her recent vigil and the nonstop adventure she had been on ever since. The fresh forest air kept her awake as well, the ever familiar breeze and crisp air giving her everything she needed to keep moving on. She felt free out here, no longer wilting under the suspicious glares of her Clanmates. Even better was the fact that she had Leafpaw with her, one of the few cats she felt comfortable around, felt like herself around. Looking at her friend she couldn’t help but smile, the softest of purrs rumbling in her throat that soon turned into a puff of laughter, eyes brimming with mirth. ”It’s awesome!” The young warrior exclaimed, sharing her friend’s excitement; she had already explored the territory on her own - it was how she had found Shadowpaw, after all - but this time it was different. She had Leafpaw at her side. Just a day ago there would have had to have been a warrior with the two of them, but now Thornleaf was the warrior, and that meant it could be just her and Leafpaw out on their own. It was freeing, exhilarating. It was thrilling enough that Thornleaf could see exactly why most cats could not wait to be named a warrior.
”This feels so weird,” the tabico warrior meowed, copper eyes going round as she looked around at the forest encasing her. This was all so new to her, being able to just step outside without the supervision of a warrior. This would be her life now, she realized. From here on out she’d be able to leave camp on her own free will. No cat could stop her, and if she wanted she could just go out all on her own. Thornleaf took in a deep breath of air. Freedom made the air taste all the better.
The excitement eased Thornleaf into a sense of relief as she then realized that no other cat was around. The heated stares of ThunderClan warriors no longer burned her pelt, and instead a light breeze ruffled her fur. She felt at ease. ”It's weird, but it feels nice,” she murmured, head bobbing in a slow up and down nod. ”It feels nice.”
What was going on in ShadowClan? The thought plagued him, running through his mind over and over again without stopping. Something was terribly wrong in their neighboring Clan, and while Tawnystar wanted to reach out and help immediately, he knew that was the rash decision. What they needed to do was think things through. ThunderClan needed to be rational, needed to look at all of their options before stepping foot into the business of another Clan. Some cats would call that foolish, cowardly, but Tawnystar had lived many seasons, and from his experience he could say with confidence that impulsive decisions based on the heart only led to disaster.
The spotted leader drew in a deep breath once outside the medicine cat den. Soreness rippled through his body, an ocean of stiffness slowing his movements. He glanced over at his deputy, more concerned about Ravenfang than his own troubles at the moment. ”I have my own thoughts on all this, but I’d like to hear yours first.” Not only was this a way to see what his deputy thought now that they had conversed with Shadowpaw somewhat, but it was also a way for Tawnystar to judge how Ravenfang was holding up; he was acutely aware of his deputy’s past relationship with Dawnstar, and while Tawnystar knew the tomcat was loyal to ThunderClan through and through, there would always be a piece of Ravenfang’s heart that belonged to the Clan within the pine trees. Love could do that to a cat, Tawnystar knew that - a part of his heart would always belong to his deceased mate, though he had had the fortune of loving a cat from within his own Clan.
Tawnystar fell silent, listening to the thoughts inside his head while he waited for a response. There was still more the leader wanted to do before making a final decision on all this, but right now he wanted Ravenfang’s opinion now that they had talked with Shadowpaw. It was Ravenfang’s right to be heard, after all, and as deputy, as just a warrior of ThunderClan, his thoughts on the matter meant a good deal to Tawnystar. His opinion was valuable, and Tawnystar wanted to make sure his deputy was aware of that.
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Post by Shadowkit on Oct 22, 2022 2:40:19 GMT -5
Leafpaw couldn't pretend she wasn't incredibly excited to be out in the territory--stress and anxiety from their time in their camp lingered over her, but Leafpaw was experiencing a new sort of thrill about being out in the open territory, her little paws stepping unsupervised amidst the trees--that was, as long as she didn't consider her best friend as supervision.
Leafpaw gazed off into the distance for what felt like a long time. Eventually, she sucked in a deep breath, cold air filling her lungs. She let out a slow, loud exhale, as her body shook a little bit at its coldness. Leaf-bare seemed a little close than she had realized.
Her gaze turned back to her friend. "Thornleaf....I..." In the mind of the apprentice, she wished to linger on how cool it was to be out here, without restriction. Her best friend having this sort of right should have been so exciting that they wouldn't think of anything else. But...Something else, something so strange, was occurring at the moment. The smile disappeared from Leafpaw's face.
"Thornleaf...!" The apprentice stepped much closer to her friend, and a look of intense worry replaced the excitement that Leafpaw had been feeling. She had to shove down that excitement she was feeling--something very serious was going on. "I...I'm so sorry to say this. I...There is nothing I wanted more than to spend a nice afternoon or evening out on the territory with you," Bitterness rang in Leafpaw's voice as she stated her desires, her wish to just be alone with Thornleaf, before moving on to what was more important. "But what you've said has really worried me. I really think we should try to catch something for that Shadowpaw! Or, at least, we should..." Her gaze traveled towards the territory's floor at her paws. "Just..." Leafpaw sucked in a sharp breath, her gaze snapping up to her friend. "Oh, StarClan, Thornleaf! Is this okay? Are you okay? This sounds absolutely horrible! I don't know what in the name of StarClan is happening over there, but you..." Leafpaw thought about how her friend had described the tom-cat. She took a step closer to Thornleaf. "You absolutely did the right thing. I can't believe the state he was in. What are you going to do? Are you going to try to take care of him? You've just become a warrior. Tawnystar won't eventually kick him out, right?"Ravenfang wanted to explode by the time Tawnystar asked for his viewpoint on what was going on--and how he felt about the whole situation. Yet, despite this, just as he was asked the question, Ravenfang found that his words seemed to dry up deeper than a desert well, and his thoughts became as scattered as the grains of WindClan sand in a windstorm.
The only thing that remained a beacon of fear in his mind was Shadowpaw's state. Part of him knew that it wasn't particualrly ThunderClan's place to interfere, but he still knew that the apprentice was being treated wrong. Ravenfang steeled himself to have his opinion torn down by his leader. "Shadowpaw looked more broken up than a kit separated from it's mother," He grunted quietly, turning sharply to his leader. "And the state that he's in--How can any cat justify that under the eyes of StarClan?! Do you think that is acceptable?! He looks more abused than the moss kits trample underpaw!" Anger was beginning to flare within his voice as he voiced his fear and uncertainty about his former partner, using her former kit as the medium. The way he spoke, an outsider could think he didn't believe Tawnystar saw the injustice in this situation--but that wasn't really true in Ravenfang's case. He was just furious. Deep down, he knew Tawnystar wouldn't stand for this either.
"We need to go speak to Dawnstar now! Certaintly she won't stand for this if we present it to her! If you won't let me go see her, then fine! Go yourself, or send another warrior! But Dawnstar wouldn't do this to her kit! She wouldn't let it happen! I know her! I KNOW she'd protect her own better than this!" Ravenfang's protestation ended with a furious yowl, drawing the attention of those cats who weren't out for patrol or a stroll. Ravenfang's chest heaved with the effort of his heavy, passionate feelings, and he stared at Tawnystar with an intense, expectant gaze. He was almost expecting a reprimand, like he knew the leader would tell him that his emotions were dominating rationale. But he didn't seem to care, as he gazed at his leader, waiting for his criticism.
Ravenfang's lip, unbenownst to him, ended up quivering as he yowled at his leader. He was scared. He was afraid the love of his life had changed in the time since they had stopped seeing each other. It wasn't something just any warrior could see, but fear glistened in his eyes as his voice spoke in anger.
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Lesbian
#ACEBF6
Name Colour
Feathertalon
Bird Overlord
unofficial chicken whisperer
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Post by Feathertalon on Oct 23, 2022 9:28:47 GMT -5
Thornleaf »
As silence washed over the two mollies like a gentle blanket, Thornleaf fell into a reflective manner. Just days before she wouldn’t have been allowed to do this, sit outside of camp with just Leafpaw. She would have needed her mentor at her side. Even now it felt odd not having her mentor at her side. She felt like, at any moment, she’d hear her mentor’s steady voice asking her a question, quizzing her on what she could smell, what she could see. But that never happened. Not once did her mentor’s voice tickle at her ears. All that there was was Thornleaf and Leafpaw.
While Thornleaf didn’t particularly feel as if she had earned her spot as a warrior - she had always doubted herself and her abilities from the first day of her apprenticeship - she had to admit that she had learned a lot during her ‘paw moons. She knew how to hunt effectively, how to stalk her prey in the thick undergrowth of ThunderClan territory and wait for the perfect time to strike. She knew how to use the wind for her advantage, allowing it to tell her where she should and shouldn’t go. She knew how to fight and defend herself, albeit she wasn’t the best fighter, but she could draw blood and fight for her Clan should the time ever arise. Despite her self doubts, she felt accomplished. Pride swelled inside her chest. It was warm, a gentle thing. It reminded her of how her mother’s tongue felt upon her pelt as Silverdeer groomed her back when she had been a kit. Briefly Thornleaf thought of her two brothers, Nettlepaw and Bramblepelt. She had yet to speak to them since being named a warrior, and if possible, if things could settle down just long enough, she wanted to spend some time with her littermates just as she was spending time with Leafpaw now.
Peace was never one to last long. Leafpaw’s voice, worried and hesitant, caught Thornleaf’s attention. She turned to look at her friend, concern swimming in the depths of her eyes. Her friend was struggling with something. Thornleaf waited, patient, as Leafpaw tried to get whatever it was out, and after some time, the apprentice managed to fully speak.
It was no surprise that this was about the Shadowpaw predicament. Thornleaf shuffled her paws along the ground, looking in front of her to where the forest ran thick. Out here with Leafpaw, she could be vulnerable. She didn’t have to put up a front that made her seem as if she were okay.
The young warrior’s shoulders sagged, weighed heavy by everything that had happened. ”I’m really worried too,” she admitted. ”I’m fine. I mean, I haven’t really got to rest much since my ceremony, but there’s too much going on right now that I don’t think I could rest.” Thornleaf could feel the grogginess of sleep just at her core of her being’s edge, but it never stepped beyond that line. No matter how hard she would try to sleep it wouldn’t come over her. Her mind was too occupied with Shadowpaw and the state that he was in. ”Shadowpaw seems like he’s been through a lot, and I…I want to help him. I don’t know how, but I want to. We could start by catching prey for him, yeah,” she agreed with Leafpaw’s suggestion before continuing, ”I doubt Tawnystar would kick him out in the shape Shadowpaw’s in. I’m more worried about Ravenfang doing something drastic than Tawnystar,” she admitted quietly to her friend. Ravenfang was Leafpaw’s father - not by blood, but that didn’t make their bond any less strong - and Thornleaf didn’t want to say anything negative about their deputy, but the way he had been acting around Shadowpaw, the intense feeling of something that Thornleaf couldn’t quite place her paw on…it had her worried. ”If Shadowpaw stays I’ll take responsibility for him. I brought him to ThunderClan, so I should see it through.” Her voice wavered with doubt, but her stance was firm. Leafpaw was right, Thornleaf had just been named a warrior, but perhaps this was the best way to show her Clan that she had earned her rank. She would stand up for Shadowpaw and take care of him, perhaps even be a mentor to him almost. If he was allowed to stay then she’d teach him the ThunderClan way of life. He wouldn’t have to worry about abuse any longer. So long as Thornleaf could help it, Shadowpaw would be safe here.
Tawnystar was facing down a storm. Dark and angry, it swelled with rage, wishing to tear up the land and tear everything down so that one day all could be right once more. Tawnystar had witnessed storms like this before, deadly yet beautiful all at once. He knew there was nothing that could be done, so he sat there, watching, listening, waiting as Ravenfang exploded. Thunder roared as lightning struck. Passionate winds whipped by in the form of shouts. Fear followed the winds, cold enough to chill even the thickest-pelted warrior to the bone. Yet Tawnystar endured. He sat there, silent, unmoving, a stone in the tempest. There was no sense in trying to stop Ravenfang; just as a storm could not be stopped by mere felines, Tawnystar knew nothing would be able to shift Ravenfang’s fear and fury into something more pleasant. Ravenfang needed to allow his emotions to escape, and Tawnystar would much rather they be let out like this than in other ways.
After some time Ravenfang finally faltered. The storm turned into a drizzle. It was even more clear to Tawnystar now that Ravenfang’s passion had come from a place of fear. Fear of what, the leader had no idea the exact answer, but he could only guess that Ravenfang was afraid of what could have happened to Dawnstar. Or what had changed Dawnstar from the cat he had fallen in love with to a tyrant who would harm her own kit. For all Ravenfang’s loyalty to ThunderClan, a part of his heart would always remain with Dawnstar, and so it was of no surprise that the dark-furred tom would know the ShadowClan leader better than any other. If Ravenfang said this was something she would never do, then it was certain that this was something Dawnstar would never do.
The leader looked at his deputy with understanding. Yet even understanding his deputy’s rage, Tawnystar shook his head, his answer already given before he verbally stated it. ”The most I’ll allow for now is that we send a patrol to the ShadowClan border and wait for a patrol to ask for an audience with Dawnstar. We’ll only mention Shadowpaw to Dawnstar, no other cat. If we’re denied at the border then we head back home, as simple as that.” Again he shook his head, this time followed with a sigh. A pang in his flanks reminded him that he was not as young as he once was. Tawnystar had watched many seasons come and go, witnessed the birth and death of warrior after warrior. He was one of the oldest, if not the oldest, cat in ThunderClan, and he could feel it. Every inch of his body felt his age. ”If we mention Shadowpaw to any cat other than Dawnstar, then they’ll know he’s here, and if something has happened to Dawnstar, then who’s to say whoever took charge won’t use Shadowpaw being here against us. We could be accused of kitnapping, and the last thing we need is ShadowClan being hostile at our borders, or worse. I don’t want to risk a battle,” he told his deputy firmly, hoping that if Ravenfang heard anything it was that. If Tawnystar could avoid battle, then he would. It had always been his policy from the start of his leadership, and the ThunderClan leader had managed to reign with relative peace save for a few border skirmishes here and there due to hotheaded youths, but now more than ever did he want to avoid bloodshed. He was old, his body painful and bones weary. He doubted he would survive an all out battle, and while death didn’t frighten the old tom, he would despise dying in battle when peace was what he had always lived for.
”Do you think you could gather up a patrol? If it leaves soon then perhaps you would come across their evening patrol. And, Ravenfang,” the leader began, moving himself in such a way that allowed for him to gently place his tail across the deputy’s shoulders, a friendly yet concerned gesture, ”I’ll allow you to head the patrol, but remember to calm the storm inside. One rash decision could harm Shadowpaw more than is necessary.” With that the leader stepped away from his deputy, though he did not depart, and instead merely stood there, silent, attentive, waiting for an answer.
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Post by Shadowkit on Oct 27, 2022 3:18:12 GMT -5
Leafpaw, hovering close to her friend, was holding a deep breath, bated, as she waited for some sort of response. She felt like she could see the worry in her friend's eyes, but she didn't want to speak up and interrupt Thornleaf's thoughts now that she had stopped speaking. It seemed like her friend really needed a quiet space to think, so Leafpaw was determined to give her the time she needed to think through this situation.
Leafpaw let out a sad sigh after Thornleaf's shoulders sagged and the new warrior seemed to deflate a little. Feelings of concern for her friend rose immediately. Her worry wasn't surprising, but Leafpaw didn't like hearing that Thornleaf didn't even think she would be able to rest. After a vigil for the whole night, she was really going to need sleep, and the concern bubbling up in her mind flashed across her eyes as the apprentice frowned, though she continued listening for the moment.
Leafpaw pushed her concern for Thornleaf aside for just a bit to ponder again Shadowpaw's state. Thornleaf had to be right--Tawnystar would at least want to ensure he left looking better than when he arrived, right? Those wounds he had been sporting looked like they needed more attention, and the cat seemed scared that looking at anyone would cause himself to fall over dead.
She was about to pitch in and agree that getting him something to eat was a good plan when her friend continued on, bringing up her father as she stated one of her greater concerns. Leafpaw tilted her head at her friend, uncertain what exactly made Thornleaf think he would do some sort of unwieldy, drastic move that could cause ThunderClan trouble. "Ravenfang is the deputy. He's smart and strong; what would he do to cause a problem?" There might have been just a touch of defensiveness in Leafpaw's voice--she didn't particularly like being told to wake up in the morning, but besides that negative point, Leafpaw was very fond of Ravenfang. She hadn't seen much of his behavior since Shadowpaw had arrived, and she couldn't see what would worry Thornleaf; thus, she felt the need to press her friend on the matter, also leaving aside, for the moment, the Shadowclanner they wanted to help nurse back to better health. Why would you think that, Thornleaf? Ravenfang is a beacon of calm collectedness and thoughtful planning.
Ravenfang was feeling the urge to rush straight out of camp and towards the ShadowClan border, to storm into their camp and demand an audience with Dawnstar to clear all of this up, no matter the consequences. He was nearly heaving from the fear-driven anger and rage that he had let spill out in a whirlwind, and as much as he tried, he couldn't seem to completely catch his breath.
It was hard to pour all of this out, when the deputy was meant to be emotionally in check and composed, ready for the most difficult challenges, and more importantly, able to handle them without losing one's head. His display was a total failure as a deputy, but his passion wouldn't let him hold back his emotions.
And so it was even more frustrating that he couldn't see any form of judgement or chagrin as Ravenfang demanded they take action. Even if he couldn't hold his tongue, he knew Tawnystar should let him hear how much of a kit he was acting like. But instead, there was a simple shake of the leader's head, and a gentle solution, accompanied moments later with a gentle explanation.
Ravenfang could certaintly get behind organizing a patrol, and he certainly didn't want to mention Shadowpaw to any cat but his mother. Ravenfang was aware of the possibility that he might even run into him on the border--Nightclaw wasn't a mouse-brain. Ravenfang didn't know how much the tom-cat knew, but he had caught onto something going on between Dawnstar and some other cat moons ago. No, Tawnystar was right--Shadowpaw's name couldn't leave their jaws.
But the deputy's nostrils flared in anger at the statement that no action were to be taken if they were denied that audience. What was Tawnystar expecting from ShadowClan? A happy welcome and a flowery path leading the way? Certainly ShadowClan would have to be pushed to win an audience. "But-" He wanted to protest, but Tawnystar was continuing right into an explanation of the risks pushing the issue could hold. Of course, these were considerations that Ravenfang should have known to think of.
Ravenfang comprehended easily the risk to Shadowpaw, and not wanting to give ShadowClan any reason to come down upon ThunderClan, he gave Tawnystar a brisk nod of agreement. The leader was right, of course--there were lots of ways this cold go wrong and end up harming the Clan. Ravenfang made a mental note that he did need to be cautious, for all their sakes.
His nod was fast and certain as the leader requested he gather a patrol of warriors. He began turning on his heels to leave the den right away, but Tawnystar called to him, the leader's tail draping itself over his tensed and hot shoulders. His head turned back to look at the leader, and he was surprised at the warmth and concern he thought he was seeing in Tawnystar's face.
Ravenfang swallowed, paining his dried throat as he was told what a rash, poorly thought out action could mean for Shadowpaw. The apprentice was in his paws now, in a way, and the weight of having Dawnstar's hurt, beaten-down kit in his grasp made him pause, made his heart lurch. What Shadowpaw really needed was some peaceful rest. Gulping a second time, then clearing his throat and holding back some emotion that was starting to sting at his eyes, Ravenfang gave a less certain nod, and mewed a shaky "R-Right...I...I know that." He didn't mean that the leader hadn't needed to say that; simply, Ravenfang had a lot of emotions that were overpowering what he already knew, and Tawnystar saying it brought the most important thing to the front of his mind: Caution. He needed to step with caution, not just for the Clan's sake, but for Shadowpaw's as well.
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Lesbian
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Post by Feathertalon on Oct 27, 2022 12:11:24 GMT -5
Thornleaf »
Guilt rushed over Thornleaf as her friend reacted to her earlier comment about Ravenfang. The new warrior had nothing against the deputy, he was a kindhearted cat that had taken in Leafpaw back when she was just a kit, found abandoned on the territory. He had raised her as his own, not something that many cats would have done. Thornleaf hadn’t known it at the time, being too young herself, but as she had grown older she had heard whispers of how some warriors didn’t think it was right to keep Leafpaw in the Clan. She was an outsider to them, a cat of impure blood. Most talk of Leafpaw’s heritage was probably shut down before it go too far, but there were some warriors who probably took it farther than usual. Icetail came to mind. The look on his face when he had noticed Shadowpaw told Thornleaf everything she needed to know about the white tom’s opinion on outsiders.
But this wasn’t about Icetail or outsiders. Well, maybe it was about outsiders somewhat considering Ravenfang seemed to be the type of cat to look beyond where a cat was born. In theory he wouldn’t care that Shadowpaw was a ShadowClan apprentice, yet Thornleaf had felt a tremendous amount of tension in the air around the deputy in the few moments she had been around him. She had felt choked by the tension, as if she were drowning in the humidity of a storm. Something about Shadowpaw made Ravenfang react, and Thornleaf had no idea what it could be.
”He is smart and strong,” the tabico warrior agreed honestly. Never once had she witnessed Ravenfang do anything that would put ThunderClan in peril. He had always seemed like an amazing deputy, caring toward his Clanmates yet ready to defend them from any threat that came their way. He and Tawnystar worked well together, and while Thornleaf had heard other warriors mention there being deputies who served under Tawnystar before Ravenfang, Thornleaf couldn’t imagine any other cat as deputy. It didn’t make sense to her that there were others before Ravenfang. She supposed it made sense given the leader’s age and for how long he had been leading the Clan, but it was impossible for Thornleaf to imagine any other leadership duo than Tawnystar and Ravenfang. ”There’s just something…odd about the way he acts. I’ve never seen him this tense before,” she mewed, turning to look at her friend. ”Maybe it’s because he’s from ShadowClan,” she added, though uncertainty was clear in her voice. As far as she knew the deputy had never had a problem with ShadowClan, or any other Clan for that matter. ThunderClan was relatively peaceful under Tawnystar’s rule, so why would Ravenfang have any feelings of hostility toward other Clans? It made no sense to Thornleaf, but maybe Leafpaw would have an answer. Ravenfang was her father and mentor both after all.
This had to be hard for Ravenfang. While he had chosen his loyalty to ThunderClan over being with Dawnstar, it was obvious he still cared for the molly leader. Tawnystar could understand that. Had things been different with Vixenflame, had she been from another Clan and he had picked his Clan over the molly, he would have still cared for her. Nothing would have stopped the affection he felt for her. Even after her death some seasons back Tawnystar still loved the tortoiseshell, and never had there been a time in which he had looked at another cat the same way he had looked at Vixenflame. She had been his everything. For him it had been love at first sight, infatuated with her the moment he had looked at her. She had been a few moons older than he and Tawnystar could still vividly remember how excited he had been to be with her, how in awe he had been of the confident, spunky feline.
Tawnystar shook his head. This wasn’t about his romance, rather it was about Ravenfang’a old flame. He understood how Ravenfang felt, how passionate love could make a warrior. Unfortunately this passion needed to be curbed. A ThunderClan patrol charging onto ShadowClan land would only stir trouble, and that was the last thing they needed right now. It was the last thing Shadowpaw needed.
After some clear internal deliberation from Ravenfang, the deputy finally conceded. Tawnystar couldn’t stop the smile that danced across his muzzle. ”I know you do. It’s one of the many reasons why you’re my deputy.” It was a soft moment between leader and deputy, tender even. The two toms were close, as any leader and deputy pair should be, but in a way there was almost a father-son energy between the two. It was different than the bond the leader had with his biological son Owlfoot, but Tawnystar still cared for Ravenfang and would do whatever he could to push the deputy into the right direction.
Dull pain throbbed along Tawnystar’s spine, once again reminding him that he needed to rest. He would need all the energy he could get if something did go wrong with ShadowClan in the next few days. ”I’d suggest bringing cats who won’t become hostile toward a ShadowClan patrol. Report back to me as soon as you return.” This was all common sense and suggestions Tawnystar was sure Ravenfang was already aware of, but common sense always took a step back when emotions were rampant. ”May StarClan grant us with answers,” he murmured softly before turning on his paws, taking a leave to retire to his den and allow Ravenfang the space to gather his patrol and head out.
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Post by Shadowkit on Oct 27, 2022 23:40:15 GMT -5
Leafpaw was left rather puzzled as her friend expressed her agreement. Leafpaw hadn´t been given any reason to believe that Thornleaf disliked the deputy, but now she was feeling concerned that something had been going on. Yet Thornleaf agreed that Ravenfang was not a poor warrior or deputy. What led to her friend saying that, then? Leafpaw could see some sort of deliberation going on in Thornleaf's mind, and she didn't say anything, waiting for more of an explanation before expressing herself more.
Leafpaw had to admit that Thornleaf's comments about Ravenfang's behavior felt foreign to the apprentice. She didn't know him to be like that; tense wasn't a word she would think to use to describe her father. But Thornleaf sounded like she was being honest, and Leafpaw didn't have a single reason to think she would be lying about it. She had to think about Shadowpaw as well; it did seem like the only variable in this scenario, but it sounded so weird to say that Shadowpaw being a Shadowclanner would elicit a strange reaction from Ravenfang. Especially being who she was, Leafpaw couldn't imagine Ravenfang having a strong negative outlook on any cat who wasn't from ThunderClan. Surely, he never would have taken a stray kit in if that were the case.
"It doesn't make a lot of sense to me that being from ShadowClan would set dad on edge," She mewed quietly, looking down at the ground and swiping at a fallen leaf with her claws. "I'm not from ThunderClan. I don't think he'd have taken responsibility for me if...if he was so..." The right word wasn't coming to her, because it was difficult for Leafpaw to think of him like that. It felt so alien to who he was as a cat.
Leafpaw tried to recontextualize what Thornleaf was telling her; think of a less negative reason the foreign cat could be setting Ravenfang's nerves on edge. "Maybe....Maybe it upset him to see an apprentice like that. Isn't that, like...so against the Warrior Code? To treat a cat like that? The Warrior Code is very important to him. Maybe, just like he wouldn't leave me where he found me, he is really worried about Shadowpaw?" She was trying to find anything to explain this in a way that didn't cast him in a bad light. She needed to believe this wasn't about him being from ShadowClan.
Ravenfang didn't say anything more. He was left with mixed feelings as his leader absolved him of needing to feel any doubt that Tawnystar trusted his decision-making. Again, Ravenfang felt a jab of frustration as he felt like Tawnystar should be chastising him, but instead all he was met with was a warm smile and understanding. It was aggravating just how understanding and forgiving Tawnystar could be--but Ravenfang had no room to talk with how gentle he could sometimes be with his kit.
His mind started running through the warriors in camp as Tawnystar suggested he pick cats who wouldn't start a conflict. He had to admit, sending Ravenfang probably increased the chance for a conflict quite a bit--but his leader seemed to trust his understanding of the risk to keep his paws behind that line. Ravenfang hoped it would, because even he wasn't sure.
He nodded in acknowledgement of Tawnystar's suggestion and well wishes, and Ravenfang then turned around and drew further away from the leader's den. He let out a heavy sigh, trying not to focus too much on all of the gazes that were trained on him. Ravenfang breathed in slowly, held it, breathed out. He looked around the camp, gauging who was in sight. He took another deep breath, setting a determined pace for the warrior's den to see if there were any other picks around them.
Five. We probably want five cats to avoid risk of a bad skirmish if things turn sour. He knew he wasn't supposed to engage in combat, but how were they supposed to predict what would happen? Ravenfang thought it was better for all the patrols' sake if they leaned on the excessive side. And certainly no apprentices.
Ravenfang's gaze searched around again--he had thought perhaps Thornleaf would have been around, ready to perform some duty considering she wouldn't even rest after her vigil--but she was nowhere to be found, and neither was Leafpaw. Ravenfang had to assume the two of them had went out together.
His voice sounded across the ThunderClan camp, hiding his emotional state behind the sound of authority. "We are forming a patrol to attempt to make contact with ShadowClan," He elaborated briefly, looking around at the different faces in camp. It looked like Minnowflame was out of camp; the very elder warrior must have gone to stretch her legs, and Ravenfang figured she might not tolerate any ShadowClan passive-aggression anyhow. "I'm going to need...Honeystream, Mothleg-" He paused briefly. Icetail was out of the question, and Berryblaze tended to like any opportunity to flex his claws. The deputy worried Tawnystar would regret letting him choose Berryblaze for this patrol. "Dappledmist, and..." Hopefully, Minnowflame and Berryblaze's kit could be trusted to have a cooler head. "...and Bramblepelt." His eyes locked onto the young warrior, and though this patrol had the potential to turn violent, Ravenfang believed with five of them, Bramblepelt wouldn't be in any mortal danger. And certainly, he would need to know what a skirmish felt like eventually.
"Gather around me. I will explain our mission a little more clearly."
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Lesbian
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Post by Feathertalon on Oct 28, 2022 15:47:10 GMT -5
Thornleaf »
Thornleaf was just as puzzled as her friend. Ravenfang had never expressed bias toward where a cat was born, let alone other Clans in general. Plenty of cats were aggressive toward outsiders, such as Icetail and even Berryblaze at times, but Ravenfang had never been one of those cats. Wasn't that a reason for why Tawnystar had chosen Ravenfang as his deputy? It only made sense to Thornleaf that the peaceful leader of ThunderClan would want a cat with similar ideals to succeed him one day. Even still, the young warrior couldn't have helped it when she noticed how odd the deputy acted when Shadowpaw was mentioned. Something about his demeanor had changed, a subtle shift in his aura had alerted Thornleaf to something out of place. It was very possible she had just been imagining things - with little to no sleep and a long day of escorting Shadowpaw back to camp it would be of no surprise to her that her mind was confusing reality with imagination. Even still, what she had noticed felt real, and something in her gut was telling her that something was off. Something just didn't feel right.
This whole conversation was a sticky one. Thornleaf was talking about Leafpaw's own dad, and while there was a tinge of awkwardness to it, Thornleaf knew there wasn't any other cat she'd want to talk to about this. The apprentice was her best friend, the cat she could always trust; sure, she had her brothers and parents, but something told her they wouldn't completely understand what was going through Thornleaf's mind. This was something she could only trust with Leafpaw. "I know what you mean," mewed the young warrior. She glanced over at Leafpaw. "I know there was something off about him, but Shadowpaw being from ShadowClan surely can't have anything to do with it..." Her words trailed off, faltering as thoughts began to swarm through her mind once more. Before the bees of thought could create a hive, Leafpaw spoke up once more, this time with a suggestion.
Now that was a solution Thornleaf could get behind without feeling squirmy over. She perked up, eyes gleaming. "Yeah! I feel like that could be it." Seeing the state Shadowpaw was in would make any cat uncomfortable. It had left a sick feeling inside Thornleaf upon seeing the young tom, surely that was how Ravenfang had felt as well. Maybe that's what had stiffened him up so much. "He's bound to be super upset that the Warrior Code was broken like that. That's gotta be the reason," Thornleaf conceded, nodding. "It would make sense given how he hates seeing harm come to any cat." It was a fine enough explanation for Thornleaf, yet something in the very deep corner of her mind continued to doubt that the reason behind Ravenfang's demeanor was something as simple as that. You're overanalyzing things, the tabico scolded herself inwardly. There didn't need to be deeper reasons for everything.
Mostly satisfied with her friend's answer for now, Thornleaf nudged the gray tabby beside her. "Still up to hunt something for Shadowpaw? I wonder if he's ever had a squirrel." It was a wonder if he ever had anything to eat at all, but Thornleaf wanted to enjoy the hunt, not weigh herself down with even more terrible thoughts.
A lot had happened in just the span of a day that Honeystream was tired. All she had done was go on a hunting patrol early this morning, but the whole ordeal with Thornleaf bringing home a ShadowClan apprentice had her on edge. What if ShadowClan found out and decided to launch an attack on ThunderClan? The thought of that sent shivers of anxiety down the molly’s spine despite being a rather competent fighter. She had a stocky build under all her fur, with powerful muscle that packed a punch behind any of her blows. Even though she could easily hold her own the prospect of battle still startled her. It also didn’t help that her littermate Icetail had been verbally against an outsider being in their camp. Before he had stormed off he had spoken with Honeystream, fuming about how they needed to send the tom back to where he came from. Not once did Honeystream get the chance to put in her own opinion, not that Icetail would have cared to listen or even stop to see the sense in his sister’s words. As much as it frightened her that ShadowClan now had a reason to unsheathe their claws toward their neighbor, Honeystream agreed that the apprentice needed medical attention. The journey to ShadowClan’s camp wasn’t a long one, but in the state the apprentice was in Honeystream feared that would take every last bit of energy he had left.
Just thinking about all this was taking all the energy Honeystream had left. A long sigh escaped the molly; she glanced around camp with wide copper eyes, seeing a few warriors still milling about on the edges of camp. Her eyes lingered on Tawnystar and Ravenfang for a moment, curious about what was happening between the two toms. Tension was clearly running through the deputy’s body, and had Honeystream been more alert to her superiors she would have witnessed the incredible loss of control Ravenfang had experienced. Instead she had been lost in her thoughts, drained and ready to return to her nest. Just as she was making her move to the warriors’ den, Tawnystar was returning back to his den as well. Honeystream paused in her steps with a frown. It was hard to ignore the stiffness in the leader’s gait. He was getting older and older with each day, and Honeystream feared his time wouldn’t be much longer. The one-eyed warrior had been leader when she and her brother had been born. Tawnystar was the only leader she had ever known, and watching his decline like she was formed a heaviness in her chest. Sorrow or worry, or maybe even both, Honeystream wasn’t entirely sure, but it was there all the same. The molly had no doubt Ravenfang would step up and become a great leader for ThunderClan, but the idea of losing a cat she had known forever didn’t sit right with her.
Lingering outside in camp left her vulnerable. Rather than being able to escape to her nest, her name was called out by the Clan deputy. Looks like hunting wasn’t the only task given to her today.
On heavy paws she headed toward Ravenfang. Out of nowhere did Mothleg appear, the ticked tabby looking as stoic as ever yet the rise in her head and tail spoke of the eagerness she had of being chosen. A workaholic and dedicated to her Clan, Mothleg was a good pick on Ravenfang’s part. It would be of no surprise to Honeystream if the molly was chosen as deputy once Ravenfang ascended to Ravenstar.
Clearing her mind of these thoughts Honeystream stood near the gathering group, nodding toward Ravenfang to acknowledge his request.
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