[Brilliance]

 

When she was bluntly asked whether or not she was sorry, Sheepcloud held her tongue and actually thought about it - was she? Yes, definitely, and she would have felt immensely guilty if she had hurt him. But she didn’t want to completely go against everything he’d just said to her either, since he’d mentioned there’d been no reason to apologize. When she noticed the small hints of amusement etched into his face, she returned them, realizing this was a bit excessive and silly. Maybe she was sorry for making a bigger deal of it than it had to be, but that happened to her quite often. “Trust me, I have no intentions of bringing you down now or in the future,” Sheepcloud promised with a soft mrrow of laughter in her voice, unable to help but feel reassured at his confident smile. He was charming, for sure, and seemed to have a quality that made him extremely personable. At least to her, but she had a feeling he was like that everywhere he went, an admirable trait to possess and one she wished she had herself. Making friends probably came easily to him, one of those cats that managed to look comfortable in any setting. “You?” she questioned, appearing skeptical when Passionblaze told her that he wasn’t the most graceful warrior. If he was as clumsy as he claimed (which she figured he was, she didn’t think he’d lie), then she wondered if he could recover from those instances as quickly as he did a few minutes ago. The mere idea of it was intriguing to her, considering he was so adept at putting his thoughts into words, weaving them into sentences as if it were nothing. A smooth-talking feline, a very kind one at that. It certainly would be a sharp contrast to pair his skill of navigating social situations with a clumsiness on his paws. “You’ll have to forgive my surprise,” she giggled. “It’s just hard to imagine you--Passionblaze, the wonderfully competent deputy of ThunderClan--inadvertently headbutting your unsuspecting clanmates.” It was essentially what she had done to him, though it hadn’t been particularly forceful.

Sheepcloud was visibly more relaxed with him now. “I think if I started telling everyone that I almost brought you down in one swoop, the best I’d get is a bunch of curious gazes. The worst.. Maybe being called a traitor.” She didn’t have any friends outside of ThunderClan, so her audience would be fellow warriors who probably wouldn’t respond well to that. Everybody liked Passionblaze as far as she knew, nobody wanted him gone as ThunderClan’s faithful deputy. “What I’ve always wanted,” she purred sarcastically, “to be known not for being a good hunter or excellent fighter or the most loyal warrior, but instead to be the one that almost took down Passionblaze. My kin will be proud of me for generations to come.”

After he corrected that it was Snowstar that’d banish her for the clumsy mistake, she emitted a genuine laugh at his little joke, relieved he wasn’t uptight like some of the other cats in the Clan. He knew how to carry and deliver light-hearted amusement, making the atmosphere more comfortable for everyone. Honestly, Passionblaze was throwing her for a loop in how humorous he was, and she could say with confidence she was enjoying his company. It felt refreshing, like she hadn’t had a meaningful interaction in moons; sure, this part of the conversation was centered around less-than-serious affairs, but it nevertheless succeeded in bringing her joy. She hoped he was similarly liking their time together. Grinning, Sheepcloud shook her head when Passionblaze wondered if she’d join WindClan first, “No, I said that because they’re the only one that’d take me.” It was a harsh jab at how desperate WindClan had become for warriors--she still had a minimal respect for the other Clans, however ShadowClan was pushing it after their involvement in the raid.

As Passionblaze expanded on why he’d been unable to go to Snowstar about the fox situation, she nodded understandingly, grasping the importance of attempting to keep the leader’s stress levels at a minimum and allowing her to spend time with family. “But what about you?” she inquired. Passionblaze should be able to enjoy the same peacefulness for a while, even if that wasn’t what reality had in mind. “I know you’re not leader, but being a deputy is probably exhausting as well..” It was juggling the current state of the Clan and its inhabitants, leading and directing them, conjuring diplomatic and battle strategies… it was a job she didn’t think she could do. Although she hadn’t outright stated it, she did care about the well-being of her clanmates, including Passionblaze. As the deputy, perhaps he felt the need to impulsively take care of others before himself, but she hoped he knew he had as much right of any cat to be tended to. He was important too and despite being only a bit more than acquaintances, Sheepcloud internally promised she would try to help in any way she could.

Once she was finished giving her plan and had received his feedback, she blushed lightly, her pelt getting warmer again. In all her days, she couldn’t quite remember a time that anyone had complimented her for her planning skills (or lack thereof, more appropriately.) Besides, she believed that if Passionblaze had made a plan on his own, his would be many times better. More thorough, more safe for those involved. Sheepcloud didn’t think she was good at planning, much less making something feasible enough to do but perhaps this had actually been decent? She was simply worried it wouldn’t work, or would result in cats getting hurt… but then again, that was always a risk they were taking when they were dealing with foxes or other predatory wildlife. Even the best of plans could fall through unexpectedly. “Thank you,” she meowed appreciatively, “but I’m usually terrible at making them. I’m even worse at sticking to them.” The latter was one of the major flaws she saw in herself, the impulsivity that bred danger. After Passionblaze reacted to her previous question by darting his eyes around the clearing, she was unsure if she’d said something wrong but wouldn’t have the slightest clue what it would be. Did he lose family or friends to a poorly-constructed plan in the past? A far-fetched deduction, but the sole one she had to work with. She had no idea what could be bothering him but didn’t want to push it further in fear of making the situation worse when the last thing she wished to do was increase his discomfort. He’d worked hard to make her comfortable, it wouldn’t exactly be courteous to immediately to the opposite for him. “Oh, please,” she scoffed, “I don’t believe that for a second. You definitely think, how else would you have become deputy?” Or a warrior at all. Just because he was impulsive didn’t mean he didn’t think. With a shrug, she clarified, “Maybe you just put thinking after acting. I struggle with that too when I’m in a high-pressure situation. It’s like I abandon every scrap of a plan I had, then do my own thing.”

Her eyes widened at the thought, but she wasn’t afraid. It was an expression of excitement, craving the thrill of what he proposed they do. “Right now?” she perked up, ears tilting forward in instant interest. Sheepcloud hadn’t expected Passionblaze to be ready but couldn’t say she was displeased -- she would prefer to act on this sooner rather than later. It hit her that they might want to tell another cat what they were doing in case things went horribly south, but that was pushed away quickly. Her mind for safety disappeared when there was an adventure to be had, one that aided in keeping her Clan safe. That was of utmost importance to her, all else tossed aside. It was ironic, somehow, but that was lost on Sheepcloud. They’d finished talking about the problematic impulsive behavior but were happy to embark on a potentially-threatening journey to find a fox, and she could think of nothing but serving her Clan. Keeping them safe above everything, especially the ones that couldn’t fight for themselves but could be victims of a hungry, vicious fox. When he corrected his statement to explain that he meant he wouldn’t mind company, Sheepcloud appeared amused and quizzical. “So you don’t want me along?” she clarified, but flashed a subtle smile at him to make sure he knew she was joking, being intentionally obtuse. Her features taking on something more serious, she nodded, “We should do it.” She couldn’t think of a single reason to procrastinate on this. Absentmindedly putting a bounce in her step, she bounded toward him, falling into a trot beside Passionblaze as they headed out of camp to see what the territory would hold.

Passionblaze wouldn’t remotely envision himself as a charming fellow. He’d leave that attribute to his brother, Burn. In some ways, he had been known to be unintentionally charming which he liked to tag as being friendly. Their earlier encounter was one of surprise. A literal one. She looked to have been embarrassed, and Passionblaze didn’t want her to appear that way. More than one occasion, he remembered his embarrassing moments so he succumbed in the knowledge of using humorous techniques to make the other feel more at ease. Gradually, it worked, and the two were on more of a friendly-acquaintance level. She could talk to him, managed to joke with him as he done earlier. He claimed to be clumsy, which he was. As hard as it was to believe, but if one stayed long enough to watch his pawsteps, they would see the inkling of a tom who always manages a smooth recovery in the end. Maybe not so subtle, as one would think. Passionblaze was more of that cat, if you asked him to climb a tree, it would take more than one attempt until he completed the action. Or, when he was in deep though, a lone root could be sprouting from the ground, almost making him fall. “Been doing this for thirty moons now. I’d say I mastered my acting skills.” Humorous as truthful it was. When he been in this game for too long, he might as well learned a way to work around it. “Hard to believe, huh?” Passionblaze purred faintly. Her following words complimented him, making the deputy hummed amusingly. Was that how she saw him? While others always seen the good traits in his character, Passionblaze was the type to frequently notice his flaws, like they were a Spector before him, mocking him. However, not to be deterred, he put on a haughty facade. “As much as I enjoy being Starclan’s gift to the clans, seeing as perfect I am and all,” A pause. A look to the sky with a dreamy expression. A smile. “You could say it‘s an honor for me to bump into my clan mates.” Passionblaze mused. He didn’t really think anybody liked to be bumped into as it could bring pain. To him, as long as Sheepcloud was untroubled with socializing with him, then Passionblaze was happy to play along.

“Yeah...many wouldn’t be happy with that, would they?” Passionblaze remarked. The question being more rhetorical than anything else. “Getting rid of their beloved deputy? Well, don’t you have the nerve!” Sheepcloud didn’t appear to have any type of problems with Passionblaze. It was the first time he had physical contact with her. Other than that, he couldn’t quite remember whether he saw her around often, but her face wasn’t transparent in his mind. He didn’t know anything else about her, other than her outright clumsiness as she stated before, but in his she looked to be like a good cat. Harmless and sweet as most mollies were. “Wouldn’t want to upset your family then, now would you?” It was almost as if he was provoking Sheepcloud to fight. With a bright grin on his face, then his intentions were different.

This was good. She was more relaxed, appeared a lot more pleasant, so the conversation would run smoothly. Passionblaze felt he accomplished something every time he managed to put one of his clan mates into an easygoing form so they wouldn’t be tensed. Passionblaze always had enjoyed conversations with the other cats of his clan. Whether it was small talk, deep conversations, playful banterings, or a mix of sorts; it beat the loneliness! Sheepcloud provided Passionblaze a sense of comfort even before she approached him about the main aspect of what their conversation was about to become. Passionblaze had wondered why in the world would she join their enemies first if she were to be exiled. Not even Skyclan? Or, Riverclan? He didn’t even bother to mention Shadowclan. When she answered, he was quiet for a few minutes, confused by her answer. His eyes bucked moments later when he realized what she meant. “Hah!” He exclaimed. “Don’t I know it? And, I thought you were being crazier than a fox in a fit for wanting to be apart of Windclan.” Passionblaze understood the jab Sheepcloud threw towards Windclan, and it left him in a heap of chuckles every time he thought about it. Maybe it was because he knew Thunderclan had victory, so it was more than funny each time the little thoughts coursed through his mind. If Thunderclan had lost, he’d feel more depressed.

“What about me?” He quickly asked following her inquiry. Before, he stated that Snowstar needed to be more concerned with recuperating and getting love and praises from her family and clan. After the battle, Passionblaze bounced back into his duties, not even bothering to see Caliapaw to treat injuries, as he believed they were kitten wounds. They would heal on their own. Besides, his pelt was thick enough to hide most scars (some of them not even given to him in battle, but being reckless.) except for the long gash on his leg that was a visible faded flesh of pink. “...oh.” That’s what she meant. Wanting his leader to recover at her own pace, but himself immediately getting back to work after the war. His mother was as well displeased with this fact, but Passionblaze didn’t allow injuries to put him off his pedestral. He was a hardworking tom and enjoyed little of lounging around. “Well, it is...exhausting, but the work got to get done. You just gotta jump right back up! Even if you don’t want to, you gotta stretch those limbs and get to work.” This was only a rule he applied to himself. Never would he allow his scarred, hurt clan mates to continue on while they needed to rest. Now, while more trouble rested in their paws, Passionblaze was getting restless. Mothers concerned for their kits. Warriors concerned for their families. Elders concerned for their lives. He was patient enough to wait until Snowstar was visibly well enough to want the company of her deputy to discuss strategic plans to sour this fox. In the end, initiation had to take place, and Passionblaze could do with another fight that would satiate his abnormal love of fighting.

So, he had heard her plan. He liked it. He thought it was smart, despite her telling him that she wasn’t good at making plans. Her plan wouldn’t be bulletproof in the least, as it was likely that warriors would be hurt. Then again, they would have backup. Then again, Passionblaze never liked the notion of putting any life in danger. As the deputy — scratch that — as the reckless tom he’s always been, he would march up to that fox, wherever he was and handle him alone. He couldn’t promise that he would make it without being fatally wounded or possibly — alive. Passionblaze carries the determination and belief that if anything bad should happen, it will happen to him first before he allowed anything to hurt his clan. “I understand. It’s like a waste of thinking, don't you think? You come up with this brilliant plan and soon as it’s time to take action - you forget all about it!” It probably had to be the worst flaw ever, in his opinion. So, to calm her nerves, he gently brushed his tail atop her head to light up some comedy. Passionblaze didn’t know what to tell her but he did sympathize with her because he understood the struggles of an impulsive nature. Whereas others would call it ‘getting yourself killed’ Passionblaze known it as a fierce behavior to protect the ones you love and the place you live. More so, the former for Passionblaze. The entire camp of Thunderclan could be destroyed in an instance, but as long as the lives that resides there are spared, then everything was good. They could always find another camp, but each cat was unique and could never be replaced with a different life. The ginger tom’s ears had perked at hearing her scoff. So, he shot her a questioning glance at what she meant by that. Afterwards, Passionblaze lend a listening ear at her words, finding them locking into his head. The deputy never believed himself to think. He was always the one that took action quickly in dire situations, but hearing Sheepcloud word it in such a way completely made sense to him. It was like his brain cells clicked together igniting a form of recognition. “I never thought of it that way, actually.” He replied, a thoughtful expression clouding his face. He wasn’t good when it came to strategic tactics, which was why he liked to get the opinions of others. Yet, Sheepcloud was right — he usually thought after the motive been pushed. He always thought what he could had done before he done it. He never thought about the following consequences. “At least you put it in a much nicer way than how my mother would say it,” he half-scoffed, half-chortled. “Felines like us, we like to live in the heat of the moment. Most times that be...okay. But we need to work on making a plan and being faithful enough to follow it.” Passionblaze knew that everything was easier said than done. Being reckless was not a good attribute. It was a flaw that could not be rid of easily. At least, Sheepcloud acknowledged this flaw. Passionblaze wanted to believe it was something good in his system. That being straightforward was a marvelous trait that others didn’t understand. The uncanny knowledge of wanting to cast yourself into danger had to be a disorientating thing in the eyes of felines who do not understand.

Inviting her to handle this troubling issue was probably not the...most smartest ideas. What if one of them were to get hurt? Passionblaze wouldn’t be able to live with himself for getting her fatally injured, but having backup was never a bad idea. Sheepcloud sounded a lot more brave than she appeared. Passionblaze gave a light hearted shrug at her question, making himself appear more nonchalant when he was truly raging inside. Am I mousebrained for allowing her to come along? What if she gets hurt!? Ohhh, Passionblaze, you’re in for it now, buddy! You better make sure not a scratch is grazed on that pelt of hers! He smiled at his company, flicking his ears nervously at his own anxiousness. Discouraged, he was not. Passionblaze was tired of hearing the concern of others about the fox, his patience was wearing thin. So, the next best thing was to handle the beast, and he allowed himself to believe he have a strong companion to help along with this.

Trotting paw by paw, this was a time for work. Which meant that a joking tom’s behavior had to cease and be mindful of his surroundings. Usually when an alerting situation was at task, Passionblaze held a stoic expression. His muzzle had parted as he slowed his pace to determine a direction of the fox. He put his muzzle to the ground. “I don’t sense anything over here.” He told her, his voice quiet. If we were a fox, where would we be in thunderclan’s Territory? Passionblaze inwardly thought. He turned to look at Sheepcloud. “Maybe it’s a little deeper than we imagined. Or around the borders of the territory. Just keep your eyes open and your nose on the track.” He ordered. Not to mention that he wanted her to stay near him. Passionblaze had to make certain that she would be okay during this entire little (big) venturing move. Fighting off predators was not light work.

@Rose Queen