[poppy]

She had tried to keep herself calm.

She hadn’t wanted to walk alone today but she was anyway.

Maybe she was a fool for choosing this, given her current state, but she couldn’t help it. She was afraid. Afraid of being murdered out in the woods by someone who wanted to take her place. Dusklion’s outburst at the meeting had just solidified her belief that she couldn’t trust anyone- and for the most part, she didn’t. She didn’t trust anyone but a small pawful of cats, and she wasn’t ashamed of it.

She still wasn’t sure about Fadingsun, not a hundred percent. But with every passing day she had that strange feeling of dread and she knew her Clan needed an heir. Maybe he was the right choice. Maybe he wasn’t. Maybe she’d just have to wait and see. Or wait and see him turn on her. Like they did to her father.

She’s not a paranoid cat. Usually. But with the throne of the river came the never ending struggle of finding those she could trust.

Slowly, Birdsnow strode through the territory, her bones aching with exhaustion. Maybe she should’ve asked Misty or Kes to come. She wasn’t sure if her legs could hold her, but somehow they did. Over and over. Until she came upon a crumpled ginger and black warrior and her heart dropped. Until she realized that her Head Lionheart was just crying and not dead- her heart failed just like Dad’s had- and Birdsnow’s chest clenched and hardened at the same time. She didn’t think she made a mistake with deputy, but had she made a mistake with Head Lionheart?

Now she would see. ”Dusklion.” She felt her voice soften instinctively, and she padded closer to the other molly. ”Would you come with me to the StarCave, possibly? I… I’m not sure if I’ll make it there alone. Plus, I would really like to talk to you about what happened earlier, and hear anything you have to say.” She wasn’t going to fight this cat, if Dusklion came, she came. If not, oh well. She would have her answer.

"If you would prefer to have time to yourself, I would understand. I know it's been a rough day and I'm not your favorite cat right now."

// @talle