WindClan: Life Before 2023's Fire

[Vexing]

Koki'opaw had wandered out of the camp a few minutes ago, even though she had been told explicitly not to unless someone was with her, but she wanted to show that she could take care of herself. She'd wandered for a bit but ended up settling down in front of a bright yellow flower that just stood out to her, so much so that she'd even ended up looking at it for an unnatural amount if time. She heard prey whizz by her every so often but didn't even make an attempt to catch it or even break her gaze from the flower, instead she just kept her dead eyed stare on the bright yellow plant in front of her. Some rabbit had even begun to see that she was not a threat and instead of running away, they came up next to her and began to investigate her. She smiled at the feel of their soft noses and whiskers tickling her fur ever so gently and began to think back to her mom and when she would give her random check ups by sniffing her to make sure nothing was wrong. She spaced out to her memories of her mom and what it was like with her or at least what she could remember seeing as only fragments of her past still remained in her mind.
(Sorry, forgot to mention @Tempest's Song)

[Tempest's Song]

Originally Posted by Orchidleaf

Koki'opaw had wandered out of the camp a few minutes ago, even though she had been told explicitly not to unless someone was with her, but she wanted to show that she could take care of herself. She'd wandered for a bit but ended up settling down in front of a bright yellow flower that just stood out to her, so much so that she'd even ended up looking at it for an unnatural amount if time. She heard prey whizz by her every so often but didn't even make an attempt to catch it or even break her gaze from the flower, instead she just kept her dead eyed stare on the bright yellow plant in front of her. Some rabbit had even begun to see that she was not a threat and instead of running away, they came up next to her and began to investigate her. She smiled at the feel of their soft noses and whiskers tickling her fur ever so gently and began to think back to her mom and when she would give her random check ups by sniffing her to make sure nothing was wrong. She spaced out to her memories of her mom and what it was like with her or at least what she could remember seeing as only fragments of her past still remained in her mind.
(Sorry, forgot to mention @Tempest's Song)

(No, it's all right!)

Emberpaw was in a very bad mood.
First, Jadeheart had given him the lashing of a lifetime- with his words, of course. Well, excluding the few well-aimed swipes he had taken at his already battered ears.
Then, he had given him the ridiculous assignment of 'hunting for the elders, and caring for them' for the entire rest of the day. If that wasn't enough, he was also banned from the fresh kill pile for the rest of the day.
It almost made him wish he hadn't went and visited his friend at the twoleg place. Well, who was Jadeheart to deny him the simple pleasure of a little time of in the presence of a friend!? He let out a small hiss, followed by the sound of him inhaling a deep breath of air. Partly to calm him down, the other part to try and scent some prey. It didn't matter the Jadeheart that he had already worked his tail off for prey. Wait- that was a lie. Those huntings had been for mostly leisure.
But, Jadeheart didn't have to know that. In fact, Jadeheart didn't have to know anything about him. Emberpaw let out a soft 'Humph' to accent this unspoken 'truth.'
At tha moment, he caught wind of another scent- fresh rabbit. Emberpaw swiped a leisurley toungue over his muzzle, deciding that he would hunt for himself first, before the elders. If nobody knew, nobody was harmed. That was becoming his personal mantra.
But, as he neared the site of the prey, he came upon an unlikely sight- a she-cat, an apprentice like him, sitting and waiting as a rabbit drew closer. He stood for a moment, dumbfounded, as the she-cat allowed the rabbit to investigate her.
After standing for a moment, he shook his head. "Just like Torrentpaw," he muttered to himself, thinking of his friend, the bird-brained tom- literally. He loved everything about birds, and hated it when others hunted them. It was good he was Windclan and not Thunderclan, they might not be so accepting if his 'radical' ideas.
Emberpaw decided to talk to the lost-looking she-cat- he thought he might recognize her from the apprentices' den. With one last shake, he padded over to her, his tail lifting up in a manner of greeting.
"Hey!" he called to the spacey molly. "Uh- sorry, to disturb you, but are you talking to that rabbit?" He watched as the rabbit looked up at him, it's eyes widening. He slowed a bit, yet the rabbit still yelped, and too off across the plains. He remembered a patrol being assigned that way- he wondered if that same rabbit would appear on the fresh kill pile later that evening. Of course, he couldn't eat it.
He neared the she-cat and said, "Have I seen you around? I must have, you are quite striking." He winked in a playful way, even though he found nothing about the she-cat attractive- well, that wasn't completely true. But, he truly wasn't into girls anyway.

[Vexing]

Originally Posted by Tempest's Song

(No, it's all right!)

Emberpaw was in a very bad mood.
First, Jadeheart had given him the lashing of a lifetime- with his words, of course. Well, excluding the few well-aimed swipes he had taken at his already battered ears.
Then, he had given him the ridiculous assignment of 'hunting for the elders, and caring for them' for the entire rest of the day. If that wasn't enough, he was also banned from the fresh kill pile for the rest of the day.
It almost made him wish he hadn't went and visited his friend at the twoleg place. Well, who was Jadeheart to deny him the simple pleasure of a little time of in the presence of a friend!? He let out a small hiss, followed by the sound of him inhaling a deep breath of air. Partly to calm him down, the other part to try and scent some prey. It didn't matter the Jadeheart that he had already worked his tail off for prey. Wait- that was a lie. Those huntings had been for mostly leisure.
But, Jadeheart didn't have to know that. In fact, Jadeheart didn't have to know anything about him. Emberpaw let out a soft 'Humph' to accent this unspoken 'truth.'
At tha moment, he caught wind of another scent- fresh rabbit. Emberpaw swiped a leisurley toungue over his muzzle, deciding that he would hunt for himself first, before the elders. If nobody knew, nobody was harmed. That was becoming his personal mantra.
But, as he neared the site of the prey, he came upon an unlikely sight- a she-cat, an apprentice like him, sitting and waiting as a rabbit drew closer. He stood for a moment, dumbfounded, as the she-cat allowed the rabbit to investigate her.
After standing for a moment, he shook his head. "Just like Torrentpaw," he muttered to himself, thinking of his friend, the bird-brained tom- literally. He loved everything about birds, and hated it when others hunted them. It was good he was Windclan and not Thunderclan, they might not be so accepting if his 'radical' ideas.
Emberpaw decided to talk to the lost-looking she-cat- he thought he might recognize her from the apprentices' den. With one last shake, he padded over to her, his tail lifting up in a manner of greeting.
"Hey!" he called to the spacey molly. "Uh- sorry, to disturb you, but are you talking to that rabbit?" He watched as the rabbit looked up at him, it's eyes widening. He slowed a bit, yet the rabbit still yelped, and too off across the plains. He remembered a patrol being assigned that way- he wondered if that same rabbit would appear on the fresh kill pile later that evening. Of course, he couldn't eat it.
He neared the she-cat and said, "Have I seen you around? I must have, you are quite striking." He winked in a playful way, even though he found nothing about the she-cat attractive- well, that wasn't completely true. But, he truly wasn't into girls anyway.

Koki'opaw was brought back into reality by a strange voice calling to her from the side. Sadly this caused her rabbit friend to leave her side and search for a safe space elsewhere. She watched longingly as the rabbit hopped away and slowly turned back to the cat now approaching her. She didn't respond but instead waited for him to finish talking so she wouldn't be seen as rude however, when she heard the compliment, a slight blush crept across the fur above her muzzle but she didn't acknowledge it as she spoke "Oh sorry, no I wasn't talking to the rabbit I was just thinking about something and the rabbit happened to come up to me, I can't remember what I was thinking about though. I can't remember but I think I've seen you before and striking? No I'm just normal." She lied, she knew she wasn't normal and that she was actually quite different from most others but if she mentioned that, she wouldn't be able to say she was normal and since this cat didn't know her or just didn't remember her, maybe it was finally time for her to be treated normally. "What's your name?"

[Arie]

Originally Posted by Aquilex

Deathpaw looked between the two quarreling warriors, ears flat and tail drooping. Even when they told him it wasn't his fault, he still felt partly to blame. After all, his existence meant he got apprenticed to Breezefeather, which had made the tom angry because he wasn't getting attention from the deputy that he clearly didn't want. The young Bengal-mixed tom dare not say another word, and when Breezefeather beckoned for him to follow he cast an apologetic glance at Buttercupbreeze before following his mentor.

@Arie

Breezefeather broke. For the last time - he hoped - the silver tom broke completely. He shattered. He just fell to the ground, his legs no longer holding the resolve to keep him standing up. No longer did they work and he landed on the ground with a hard thump, harder than it should be. His eyes were closed, they were directed inside where he was retreating, where he was breaking most of all. Because Buttercupbreeze was right. She'd always been right and she would always be right. It was inside him, he refused to get better, he felt like he deserved this torment that haunted him. He felt like he deserved the pain that it was causing him. He just couldn't do anything. Empty was all that he looked as he laid there in the moor. He was lucky, no one was really around to see him breaking down in front of Buttercup and his apprentice. He just laid there on the ground, no one. He was no one. He'd been using proving himself to Bunny as an excuse to grow deeper into his own selftorment, that he deserved all this pain and more because he'd been a terrible mate and a terrible dad and a terrible son. He'd not been able to save his mother when she had been ripped apart by Shadowclan warriors, he'd not been able to save his mate as the illness had devoured her of her very life force and his daughter... The one he'd wronged most of all because he'd not been able to save her from himself. He'd caused her pain when he ran away and was causing her pain now that he was back. He was shattered. All the puzzle pieces that'd been glued together as he'd recovered from his starvation and depression period was all ripped apart forcefully at Buttercup's words. Because he was the coward. He deserved the pain but he'd been to damn insecure to admit that it had taken a turn for the worse, that the madness he'd been feeding with his own pain had taken over control of his own damn mind.

He turned his head and looked over his shoulder at the molly who'd wrecked him with those few words, the molly who knew him better than he knew him damn self. Because who was he? He wasn't Breezefeather that was for damn sure. He honestly didn't know... Not any longer. He tried to lift his chin and look her in the eyes but failed and instead his head dropped the green eyes no longer sparkling with a remarkable fury but rather the sadness of a cat who'd long since given up on life, who'd lost everything and didn't know how to fight back. He was a broken male. He was shattered and didn't know how to fix it. He said to the dirt, barely loud enough for Buttercup to hear, "I am not who you think I am any longer. I am broken. Broken beyond repair. I don't know how I am ever gonna be alright... Everything's been so broken after she died. Everything. I tried to fix it, but it was just like... fixing something that can't be fixed. I felt fixed though, but I guess I never was. Some wounds never heal and this will probably never do... I'll never be myself again."

|| @Fuzzyfeline ||

[Tempest's Song]

Originally Posted by Orchidleaf

Koki'opaw was brought back into reality by a strange voice calling to her from the side. Sadly this caused her rabbit friend to leave her side and search for a safe space elsewhere. She watched longingly as the rabbit hopped away and slowly turned back to the cat now approaching her. She didn't respond but instead waited for him to finish talking so she wouldn't be seen as rude however, when she heard the compliment, a slight blush crept across the fur above her muzzle but she didn't acknowledge it as she spoke "Oh sorry, no I wasn't talking to the rabbit I was just thinking about something and the rabbit happened to come up to me, I can't remember what I was thinking about though. I can't remember but I think I've seen you before and striking? No I'm just normal." She lied, she knew she wasn't normal and that she was actually quite different from most others but if she mentioned that, she wouldn't be able to say she was normal and since this cat didn't know her or just didn't remember her, maybe it was finally time for her to be treated normally. "What's your name?"

"Oh, sorry, no, I wasn't talking to the rabbit, I was just thinking about something and the rabbit happened to come up to me, I can't rememeber what I was thinking about, though. I can't remember, I but I think I've seen you before- a-and striking? No, I'm just normal."

Emberpaw smirked. The she-cat seemed suddenly nervous, a soft blush creeping over her muzzle. She seemed a bit... off, somehow, yet, he couldn't quite place why.

"What's your name?" she asked, and he realized she hadn't answered the same question. Pushing down the urge to playful say, "I asked you first," he instead told her his name-

"Emberpaw." he said with a smile. "And... you are?"

Then he decided on a whim to be courteous- he had seen that blush!

"no doubt your name is as lovely as you," he purred. "And, no, don;t downgrade yourself- for a she-cat, you are quite pretty." He made sure to add the she-cat part so that she might be able to glimpse that we really wasn't interested in her that way.

[Vexing]

Originally Posted by Tempest's Song

"Oh, sorry, no, I wasn't talking to the rabbit, I was just thinking about something and the rabbit happened to come up to me, I can't rememeber what I was thinking about, though. I can't remember, I but I think I've seen you before- a-and striking? No, I'm just normal."

Emberpaw smirked. The she-cat seemed suddenly nervous, a soft blush creeping over her muzzle. She seemed a bit... off, somehow, yet, he couldn't quite place why.

"What's your name?" she asked, and he realized she hadn't answered the same question. Pushing down the urge to playful say, "I asked you first," he instead told her his name-

"Emberpaw." he said with a smile. "And... you are?"

Then he decided on a whim to be courteous- he had seen that blush!

"no doubt your name is as lovely as you," he purred. "And, no, don;t downgrade yourself- for a she-cat, you are quite pretty." He made sure to add the she-cat part so that she might be able to glimpse that we really wasn't interested in her that way.

Koki'opaw was stunned at his words, nobody had ever talked to her like this nor did she think anyone would! She blushed more and turned back to the flower "M-my name's Koki'opaw, it's nice to meet you." She said in a quiet voice "And my name isn't lovely, it's just confusing and odd...like me apparently." She had heard the 'for a she-cat' part but wasn't exactly sure what he meant by that, because again nobody had talked to her like this and she wasn't sure what to do. She glanced at Emberpaw, thinking of a way to return the compliment she had been given and without giving her brain enough time to think, her mouth moved on it's own and said "Emberpaw is a nice name."

[Tempest's Song]

Originally Posted by Orchidleaf

Koki'opaw was stunned at his words, nobody had ever talked to her like this nor did she think anyone would! She blushed more and turned back to the flower "M-my name's Koki'opaw, it's nice to meet you." She said in a quiet voice "And my name isn't lovely, it's just confusing and odd...like me apparently." She had heard the 'for a she-cat' part but wasn't exactly sure what he meant by that, because again nobody had talked to her like this and she wasn't sure what to do. She glanced at Emberpaw, thinking of a way to return the compliment she had been given and without giving her brain enough time to think, her mouth moved on it's own and said "Emberpaw is a nice name."

"M-my name's Koi'opaw, it's nice to meet you."

By the sound of her suprised, yet flustered voice, Emberpaw knew he had charmed her right over a cliff. He silently berated himself, he didn't want the apprentice falling for him- it would be awkward to explain that he wasn't into girls, and it seemed she hadn't really gotten his hint.

She continued on in a softer, more timid voice- almost sad. "My name isn't lovely, it's just odd... like me apparantly." If she emmited a loud sigh at this moment, he would tolerate it- it sounded like this cat was more odd than she had seemed.

He studied her, and she glanced at him, her eyes sad, and misty- liek she was reminising the past. "Emberpaw is a nice name," she observed in a dreamy voice, making him think not much thought was put behind it.

Still, he took it in stride- like he did everything. "Thank you," he purred dipping his head towards her and settling down near her- but not too close, he felt like she was as fragile as a hare, if he got to close she would run away faster than the wind. "It used to just be Ember, before I was taken in by the clan. I owe them a lot for that."

[Vexing]

Originally Posted by Tempest's Song

"M-my name's Koi'opaw, it's nice to meet you."

By the sound of her suprised, yet flustered voice, Emberpaw knew he had charmed her right over a cliff. He silently berated himself, he didn't want the apprentice falling for him- it would be awkward to explain that he wasn't into girls, and it seemed she hadn't really gotten his hint.

She continued on in a softer, more timid voice- almost sad. "My name isn't lovely, it's just odd... like me apparantly." If she emmited a loud sigh at this moment, he would tolerate it- it sounded like this cat was more odd than she had seemed.

He studied her, and she glanced at him, her eyes sad, and misty- liek she was reminising the past. "Emberpaw is a nice name," she observed in a dreamy voice, making him think not much thought was put behind it.

Still, he took it in stride- like he did everything. "Thank you," he purred dipping his head towards her and settling down near her- but not too close, he felt like she was as fragile as a hare, if he got to close she would run away faster than the wind. "It used to just be Ember, before I was taken in by the clan. I owe them a lot for that."

Koki'opaw heard him settle down and tensed up, unsure of what to do next until he started to speak. "I used to be just Koki'o before I was found near the clans. At first I didn't want to stay here, I wanted to look for my family but after some time they...they convinced me to stay." She looked up at the sky with a smile and a longing look as she quieted her voice and said "Should I feel guilty about it? I mean, my family didn't leave me I just wandered away from them. Everyday I think about how much grief I must be causing them but when the thoughts of them just not caring come into my mind. Those are the worst." A tear dripped from her eye down her cheek but she didn't seem to notice as it fell onto one of the flower's petals.

[SuspiciousMindz]

@Rosemew

Blazingstar let out another small sigh as he thought about the fight once more. "There was no other choice. He was a danger to WindClan and it sucks that the danger was one of our own warriors," the golden tabby replied. He still couldn't get over the fact that he had killed someone

[Tempest's Song]

Originally Posted by Orchidleaf

Koki'opaw heard him settle down and tensed up, unsure of what to do next until he started to speak. "I used to be just Koki'o before I was found near the clans. At first I didn't want to stay here, I wanted to look for my family but after some time they...they convinced me to stay." She looked up at the sky with a smile and a longing look as she quieted her voice and said "Should I feel guilty about it? I mean, my family didn't leave me I just wandered away from them. Everyday I think about how much grief I must be causing them but when the thoughts of them just not caring come into my mind. Those are the worst." A tear dripped from her eye down her cheek but she didn't seem to notice as it fell onto one of the flower's petals.

Emberpaw watched as the she-cat tensed up, slightly, then began to spoke in an even quieter voice, making him have to lean in a bit to hear her.

"I used to just be Koki'o, before I was found near the clans." she murmured. Suprise falshed through him, she used to be a rouge too? He felt as if he should abort mission, but his curiosity was too great, so he sat still, listening.

"At first I didn't want to stay here, I wanted to look for my family, but after some time.... they convinced me to stay."

Questions zipped through Emberpaw's mind like hornets. She wanted to loom for her family? Had they abbandoned her, too? And, if she had the chance to leave, the freedom of choice that he knew he lacked, why hadn't she? Emberpaw would love to leave- but he knew he could never leave his poor brother, Windpaw, to be here alone. He would never leave him as their mother had.

Koiki'opaw looked up at the sky, her eyes shining with a sad sense of longing. Her voice hissed to an octave lower, and he had to scootch forward a bit to hear her next words.

"Should I feel guilty about it?" she whispered, her eyes still transfixed on the sky. He cocked his head to the side; guilty about what? "I mean, my family didn't leave me, I just wandered away from them."

Ah. A lost kit. For a second he had thought she might truly understand his situation, but now he knew better. Her family still cared for her, didn;t they? They had probably even looked for her when she went missing. It took everything he had to keep his face neutral, and not let a sneer marr it's surface.

"Every day I think about how much grief I must have caused them-" she began to sniffle- "but then the thoughts of them just not caring come into mind. Those are the worst."

Yes, they were the worst. Even though knowing and wondering where very diffrent things, he could still relate to the fact that they might not have wanted her. His ears perked again. Maybe they weren't so diffrent after all.

A soft sniffle tugged him from his own mind. He was suprised to see that she was crying, but she didn't seem to notice. Her tears fell softly on the petals of the flowers around her, like rain, or early morning dew.

He decided she should at least try to make her feel better. He just hoped he didn't say something to make her feel worse.

"My brother and I, Windpaw- well, we were left by our mother. We never knew our father." Emberpaw was caught of guard by how emotional his own voice sounded. Usually light and cgarming, it was now softer, and huskier- more mature.

"She left us because she couldn't keep on taking care of Windpaw, because he is deaf. She left that responsibility to me." With a sigh, Emberpaw continued. "The clans are truly the best place for him- maybe not for me, but for him. I would get out of here, if I could. But I could never bear to leave my brother, not after my mother left us. So, I am trapped here."

His eyes found hers again. "If you want," he said evenly, "I could help you find your family, and see if they... want you back." he struggled with his next words. "Because, if you have the chance... I would urge you to go."