Mossygrove's Silence [Open-ish?]

[pidgeon]

(feel free to interact, I'm mostly just stretching my writing skills out a bit after not being here for a while and I need to work on developing Mossygrove after she left RiverClan. Preference given to cats who know and remember her, but anyone is welcome to interact!

For anyone who doesn't know, her name was formerly Hailstorm of ShadowClan, and unless your character has a reason to know, they should not know her true identity as Icestar's daughter/Dawnstar's sister. She fled to RiverClan as a refugee after the murder of Icestar, and then shortly abandoned the Clans altogether.)
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Alone.

Alone was the only place that Mossygrove could truly feel at peace. She had been ever so grateful to Lionstar and RiverClan for allowing her to seek refuge after she had caused the death of her mother, Icestar, subsequently allowing her sister to become the fierce and unquestioned leader that she was, however the misty gray she-cat was never able to overcome the weight of the guilt that crushed her. She felt responsible for so much chaos and destruction, knowing that ending her mother's life was not, in fact, the end of ShadowClan's suffering. She had ended the massive black cat's life with her own two paws, and it had been for nothing.

She'd done it in a fit of panicked rage, feeling with every fiber of her being that it was the right thing to do. It had seemed like the only thing to do. But it had been pointless. Her deceased mother's tyranny lived on in her sister, and Mossygrove couldn't bear to watch what happened next. Fearing for her life, and feeling heavy with shame and grief, she had fled the Clans entirely to escape her problems. She would never truly get to witness Dawnstar's leadership in action, and she didn't want to. Running away was the only thing she felt she was good at.

Running away, just like she'd run from her mother, from her sister, her cousin and grandmother, and her dear apprentice Falcondive who she was never able to break through to. She had so many regrets. She had left Falcondive hating her. Left Ebonyfang and Owlfeather with nothing but questions and concern, abandoning them for her own selfish purposes, her own inability to deal with her inner demons. And now here she was, alone.

In truth, she was not all that different than her tyrannical kin. She carried with her the same ailments and behavioral traits, simply managed differently due to the abuse she'd suffered in her youth. She and her sister could not be more different, but they were in many ways the same. Deep in her heart, she missed her kin dearly, but she could never go back. Not now, not after everything she'd done. They would never forgive her. She couldn't even begin to forgive herself. The position she was in now was entirely her own fault, and she knew that better than any cat.

Rain pattered the leaves and dampened the ends of the large she-cat's matted gray pelt as she sat, crouched beside a pool of water, lapping gingerly. The crisp wind told her that leaf-fall was fast approaching, and she would have to find better shelter soon. She didn't stay in one place for long these days. Her Clan-scent was long gone by now, yet she dared not stray too close to the territories for fear of recognition, even though logically she knew she wouldn't be found out. With her name and scent completely changed, she was beginning to feel safer in her anonymity.

Blue eyes flitted towards the horizon as the wind rustled the leaves, leaving her upwind for a moment and dampening the noise of the surrounding area, to the point where the usually highly-alert former warrior did not notice the sound of quiet paw-steps nearby.

A storm is approaching.

[sock]

Cody cowered beneath a tree, so scared he didn't notice the scent of another cat. A gash above his muzzle bled onto his nose, filling it with the acrid scent of his own blood. The kit had run. Run far away from his abusive mother. His abusive father. His abusive brother. A long scar ran across his side, and another rested just below his left eye. Cody's hazel tabby fur rustled in the wind, chilling him to the bone. @pidgeon

[pidgeon]

@FredTheFrog

It was the scent of blood among the damp leaves that finally alerted Mossygrove to the presence of another cat. Immediately her hackles bristled, making her seem even larger, as her warped fight or flight response kicked in. Her gaze snapped towards the smell, and she quickly forced her fur to lay flat when she noticed it was only an injured kit.

"...Hello?" She called out carefully, not wanting to frighten the poor thing. What was one so small doing so far from any of the Clans? Had he come from twolegplace? "Don't be scared, I'm not going to hurt you," she assured, not daring to take a paw-step forward. She couldn't leave the kit to suffer out here.

[sock]

Originally Posted by pidgeon

@FredTheFrog

It was the scent of blood among the damp leaves that finally alerted Mossygrove to the presence of another cat. Immediately her hackles bristled, making her seem even larger, as her warped fight or flight response kicked in. Her gaze snapped towards the smell, and she quickly forced her fur to lay flat when she noticed it was only an injured kit.

"...Hello?" She called out carefully, not wanting to frighten the poor thing. What was one so small doing so far from any of the Clans? Had he come from twolegplace? "Don't be scared, I'm not going to hurt you," she assured, not daring to take a paw-step forward. She couldn't leave the kit to suffer out here.

Cody looked up with frightened blue eyes. He backed away slowly, keeping his gaze locked on Mossygrove. He wondered if this cat would beat him like his mother and father did... or would she steal his food like his brothers....? The hazel tabby wiped his muzzle with a paw, smearing the blood into his pelt on accident. His tail was held straight in the air, fluffed out so it looked bigger.

[pidgeon]

@FredTheFrog

Mossygrove's heart sank when the kit clearly showed fear. What had he been through?
"It's okay," she insisted, "you don't have to be afraid, I promise." The poor creature looked hungry and tired, as down on his luck as she was herself. Something overcame her and she wanted to care for him, to make him feel safe. She had a makeshift den nearby where she'd stored away some prey she'd caught not long earlier. He needs to get out of this rain. That wound looks bad.

"Are...are you hungry?" She tried to make her voice sound as friendly as she could, despite the emotions she was feeling.

[sock]

Originally Posted by pidgeon

@FredTheFrog

Mossygrove's heart sank when the kit clearly showed fear. What had he been through?
"It's okay," she insisted, "you don't have to be afraid, I promise." The poor creature looked hungry and tired, as down on his luck as she was herself. Something overcame her and she wanted to care for him, to make him feel safe. She had a makeshift den nearby where she'd stored away some prey she'd caught not long earlier. He needs to get out of this rain. That wound looks bad.

"Are...are you hungry?" She tried to make her voice sound as friendly as she could, despite the emotions she was feeling.

Cody looked at the cat, shivering harder than ever. He nodded slowly when she asked if he was hungry... he was VERY hungry. The hazel tom still stood his ground, not daring to come closer to the cat if she really did want to hurt him. Cody's ear twitched as he blinked quickly.

[pidgeon]

@FredTheFrog

Mossygrove sat down to try and seem less threatening, hoping that it wasn't her size frightening him. She was also not the most well-groomed cat in the forest, with her unkempt pelt from moons of lacking self-care. When he nodded, her eyes lit up a bit.

"If you come with me, we can get you out of the rain. I've got fresh-kill in my den that I can share with you," she pressed, making a purr rumble in her throat to help ease the tension. Clearly this kit had been through something very traumatic.

[sock]

Originally Posted by pidgeon

@FredTheFrog

Mossygrove sat down to try and seem less threatening, hoping that it wasn't her size frightening him. She was also not the most well-groomed cat in the forest, with her unkempt pelt from moons of lacking self-care. When he nodded, her eyes lit up a bit.

"If you come with me, we can get you out of the rain. I've got fresh-kill in my den that I can share with you," she pressed, making a purr rumble in her throat to help ease the tension. Clearly this kit had been through something very traumatic.

Cody tilted his head. Maybe this cat wasn't too bad... after all, she was offering prey and shelter... but at what price? Pain? Abuse? Wouldn't be worse than what he'd already experienced... the hazel tom took a few weak, shaky steps forward.

[pidgeon]

@FredTheFrog

Seeing the kit step towards her, Mossygrove moved to help steady him, relieved that he seemed to want to come with her. She couldn't leave him out here like this. Thankfully, her den was only a few fox-lengths from the pool of water.

It was a hollowed out tree stump that had maybe been a badger's set many, many moons ago. It was empty now, and served her just fine for the moment. Once the two were inside out of the rain, the gray she-cat shook the water droplets from her pelt and moved to uncover two plump mice she had caught close to sunrise. She hooked one with a claw and placed it at the kit's paws.

"It's all yours," she told him. "You'll feel better once you've eaten something." She then sat further towards the back of the den, giving the little one some space.

[sock]

Originally Posted by pidgeon

@FredTheFrog

Seeing the kit step towards her, Mossygrove moved to help steady him, relieved that he seemed to want to come with her. She couldn't leave him out here like this. Thankfully, her den was only a few fox-lengths from the pool of water.

It was a hollowed out tree stump that had maybe been a badger's set many, many moons ago. It was empty now, and served her just fine for the moment. Once the two were inside out of the rain, the gray she-cat shook the water droplets from her pelt and moved to uncover two plump mice she had caught close to sunrise. She hooked one with a claw and placed it at the kit's paws.

"It's all yours," she told him. "You'll feel better once you've eaten something." She then sat further towards the back of the den, giving the little one some space.

Cody hooked a paw around the mouse, dragging it to the far corner of the den.