ShadowClan Life Before Destruction

[Ever]

Blazingnight purred softly in approval to Auroraeyes. "Thank you very much, report to me if you find anything out of the ordinary." She added, her maw cracked in a yawn afterwards. Her paws stretched into the nest just as Burdockpool sighed. She knew he knew from that sigh and a soon as their visitors were gone she would be sure to explain to him; or rather attempt to justify her actions in dealing with Bucknight's plan to incinerate their opponents. Her tail twitched uncomfortably as she glanced over at him to see him bent and loving a kit. For a moment she wondered if he'd end up loving them more, they were afterall much more pure and innocent than she was. She'd make sure they didn't end up in the mess that she was one day.

[Derpple and Ashie]

"I hate the Dawn patrol," meowed Liontuft, "but I'll join in too. The other clans are probably scared and confused... that makes cats get stupid." He nodded his head, and then took note of how the parents seem to be tired, the kits starting to curl up once again. "Make sure you let me know when they need a good grooming," he meowed, "I'll have them shining like the stars themselves on their apprenticing day." With that, he got up and nuzzled Burdockpool goodbye and gave Blazingnight a respectful dip of his head, before he exited the den.

Auroraeyes gave her leader a firm nod. "Anything strange will be immediately reported. If we catch any cat over the border too, we'll claw their ears off," she vowed, and then departed as well.

Whitesplash lingered, staring at them both. "Is it what I think?" She asked Burdockpool, the tom's hazel eyes growing dark. "Is it him?" He gave a small nod. Sighing deeply, the she-cat rose to her haunches. "I see," she meowed, and then with her white tipped tail drooping she left as well.

The father peered down at his kits, conflict filling his body. He wanted to be angry, but he knew she was just a puppet. "Let's not talk about it right now," he said simply, "I don't want to ruin this memory."

[Ever]

Ash couldn't meet his eyes, her gaze went dark with fire as Whitesplash seemed to clue in. She wondered if he'd told her, how much she knew about where her and Bucknight had gotten their power. She wanted to be angry, and she could feel that blistering emotion rising, but Burdock gave a defeated sigh and said he didn't want to speak of it. She took in a shaky breath and let her head slump. She didn't know what to say, she wanted to drill him about his relationship with Whitestorm and about how much he'd revealed to her. But at his words she snapped her mouth shut and swallowed the anger, she didn't want to ruin it for him. She tried to glance over but all she could taste was his disappointment and feel a bitterness towards the molly's words. Her tail tapped against the edge of the nest anxiously as she sighed and tried to shake it off again. Her golden gaze was distant as it looked out into the snow kissed view of the forest from their den entrance. "It was nice of them to bring us gifts." She said softly, breaking the silence that had overwhelmed the den since his family's departure.

[Derpple and Ashie]

He sat there for some time, silent and deep in thought. "It was," he meowed softly, trying to contain the swirl of emotions rising inside of him. She must have known the fires would happen, but to what extent? Did she simply know Bucknight had a plan to take over the remaining two clans, or what it was exactly? Obviously he would at some point make his move to unify the clans under his control, but had she known what it was? Known that they would set clans ablaze, probably killing countless cats who couldn't escape it? Had she even suggested the idea? With a great amount of discipline, the tom pulled on a soft smile, and turned to her. "They know what it means to be family, to stick through it all good and bad. You're my family now, as are our children. No matter what I'm not going to give up on any of us." He pressed his muzzle to her brow, tail moving a bit from their kits to intwine with hers. "Nothing can destroy this family, not even Bucknight."

[Ever]

Originally Posted by Hexict

Iceclaw watched Eversong's reaction to his news. He looked saddened when she made it clear how much she wished for their little conversation to end even before it started, wishing for him to leave her presence. Every time he saw his first love, he couldn't help but regret how their relationship ended up. But there was no changing it - she wanted nothing to do with and the same goes for their two remaining kits, that is if nothing Happened to Silentpaw.

He was a bit take a back when she seemed affected by this news. Like many others, he was aware about her mental state and the way she was numb towards her feelings. But she seemed to actually care that Silentpaw had recently gone missing. Not only did she seem to care, but she also stuck up for their blind daughter. His ears flattened and Iceclaw even seemed ashamed for saying that Silentpaw would be rendered useless if something were to happen to her out there. She's right, Silentpaw could probably take care of herself, he knew that she had trained to become a warrior, had been trying hard for moons. Though he wasn't here for the beginning of her training, he was still able to tell that she tried hard.

The black and white tom opened his mouth to volunteer in looking for Silentpaw, but stopped when Eversong was quick to tell him not to come. "B-but," he stuttered slightly. I know you don't like me, but I still care for you guys! "She's my daughter too, and I'm worried for her safety as well," he pointed out. "I'm going to look for her too - we don't have to talk while we're out there,but I just want to make sure that she's alright," Iceclaw's blue orbs were desperate as he was almost begging to go with her.

Eversong glared at him for a few silent moments. Everything in her body screamed at her not to let him go. He didn't deserve to be there when she found him. She was Silentpaw's parent, not Iceclaw. Just because he had come back for them didn't mean he deserved to be reintroduced to the family. He'd done nothing all his life for her or the kits, he'd leaved just days after the birth. The pain was still fresh in her heart as she stared at him. Every time she looked at him, smelled him, thought of him it tore her heart apart as hard as the day he left. All she wanted to do was break down in sobs, throw herself against him and love him again. As if she could somehow pretend he'd never left. But she knew better, she was way too terrified to open herself to anyone, even her children, to avoid another broken heart. She blinked a few times, trying to relieve herself from the burning of tears that glossed her eyes. Could she even emotionally support being around him for so long? She wasn't sure. Her green eyes hardened as she knew nothing she could do would stop him. Even if she said no he'd follow her, she was too weak to fight him away. She huffed and tried to gather herself. Through her emotionless daze, pain still came quickly and easily to her. "No, but I know you'll come anyways." Her voice was over the top flat to mask any pain she was feeling deep inside. "Don't speak a word to me." She said, and tried to locate the last wiff of Silentpaw as she headed into the territory. She had no other purpose in her life, so if her one kit that loved her or showed any sign of care to her constantly, despite Eversong's obnoxious behavior, was missing it was her job to find her.

[Ever]

Blazingnight leaned into his touch, but she felt wrong in doing so. It was at times like this where she couldn't understand how he managed to stay with her, to bear to be in her presence. She knew how deeply disappointed he was in her every time something awful happened, something that she might have been able to stop. She could have warned the others but she'd stayed quiet to protect Burdockpool and their kits. She was trapped in an awful battle of trying to save him, and trying to do the right thing. Her eyes slipped close and loosely wrapped her tail with his. She wished that she was the cat he saw in her, that she was perfect and honest and just. But she wasn't and it tore her heart apart every time she disappointed him by being the embodiment of the evil of his haunting past. Her pelt twitched uncomfortable as she laid her head down, making sure to curl it so it would avoid Tawnykit who laid between her paws still. He's too good for me... She knew that was the most true thing in her life, all she'd wanted to do was be good for him. Her heart ached as she tried to smile. "Your family is nice. I am thankful that they accepted me into it." She said softly with a halfhearted purr.

[Derpple and Ashie]

"Of course they accepted you," he meowed softly, licking the kits each aside from the one now concealed by Blazingnight. "Auroraeyes is more accepting of you than me!" He tried to laugh, to joke, but instead it came out bitter and he sighed. "She'll never forgive me for what I did, for killing her father... Even if he was our mother's killer, she'll never let it go. I can't really blame her either, at least mine is still alive even if he's a sorry excuse for a cat." He looked at their kits, determination filling his heart. "I want to be for these kits what neither of them ever were for me, a good father. But they need a good mother too," he meowed as his hazel gaze flickered up to her, "and a good family too."

[Ever]

Blazingnight listened to him carefully, her heart aching for him. She wished his sister would forgive him, neither of them had parents handy, they needed to count on each other now more than ever. She glanced over the kits but she couldn't find the confidence to smile. She'd done perfectly with her apprentice, so she knew she'd be a good mother. She wanted to be a good mother, to set them up perfectly and give them the best of her skills and keep them from taking after the worst of her faults. "We'll be there for them always." She said softly, her eyes slipping shut again. "We'll be good for them" She said softly.

[Derpple and Ashie]

He licked her atop her brow once more, and nuzzled the kits each. "I know, it's the one thing I'm certain of in life." Burdockpool smiled down at the kits, curious as to how their son Onyxkit could have slept for so long, but he wouldn't try to wake him up. Kits needed their rest, it was how they grew after all. He smiled at Blackkit who only seemed comfortable around his family, more calm now that the strange new scents were gone. The black tabby prodded at his mother softly, trying to get at her belly to feed while his brother Mountainkit struggled with moving across to her flank, flipping and flopping like his father did. Burdockpool frowned with thought, the motions of the kit seemed a bit much even for one of his age, and he couldn't help but wonder if it boded something bad for him. Nuzzling the fluffy grey and brown ball of fur closer to Blazingnight, he sighed. "The one thing," he repeated.

[Ever]

As the two kits squirmed at her belly she left off a rumbling purr to try and soothe them in their struggles. She watched through slit gold eyes as Burdock leaned forward to help one along with getting there. She really hoped to be there for them, she could already imagine the glow she'd have on her face as they became warriors. It made a soft smile rise to her lips as she imagined it, tried to picture what they would be like, what she'd name them. A warmth spread through her to think that she'll get the honor of naming her kits as warriors, she'll know them the best and be able to pick the most fitting names. The daydream made her wish that they were in that moment, but she needed to slow and enjoy these moments too while she could. Her eyes found the tom's and she watched him out of her slit lids for awhile in silence as he watched their children. The dark tabby could see how much he cared for them already and it strengthened her purr. Their kits were well loved, that was what truly mattered.