RiverClan Leader's Den

[duckie]

Sootstar
__________

The moment Rapidkit opened their mouth and began to talk, Sootstar began to understand how this had happened. He had no idea how a queen could allow their kit to be so disrespectful but here was the evidence right in front of him. He kept his mouth shut as they all gave their piece but grew increasingly annoyed every time Rapidkit spoke.

"Rapidkit, you'd do yourself a favor to stop talking and only respond when spoken to. You've already dug yourself a hole - do not keep digging." That was not a suggestion but an order, the tone of his voice hardening as he addressed the kit, "You blatantly attacked a clanmate and continue to be disrespectful to your peers, showing no sense of remorse for your actions."

Turning to Flyfur, "Is there anything else I need to know?"

[ @Mumble @Cougar @Rainquail ]

[Abyssopelagic]

Flyfur shook her head.
"I've already told you about the time he harrassed Foxpaw. This was the last thing to happen."
She kept her eyes from straying to Rapidkit, knowing she'd sneer at him and Springkit didnt need to think that was appropriate behavior towards cats you didn't like. She kept her tail around the small she-kit.

@Cougar @wnder @Mumble

[stag]

Originally Posted by Rainquail

Flyfur shook her head.
"I've already told you about the time he harrassed Foxpaw. This was the last thing to happen."
She kept her eyes from straying to Rapidkit, knowing she'd sneer at him and Springkit didnt need to think that was appropriate behavior towards cats you didn't like. She kept her tail around the small she-kit.

@Cougar @wnder @Mumble

Sorry but I have to corret you but im a they

[Cobra]

Echopaw
__________

So, she was back. But something felt wrong. Like.. she wanted to change herself somehow. Echopaw scuffed into Sootstar[aaa]'s den, her head down. All of a sudden, the eyes that had been staring at the ground flew up and looked right at Sootstar's face.

Of course.

"Sootstar?" Echopaw muttered. "I-i-i'd like to ask you some questions." She sighed. "You may recognize me, the cat who.. bothered Fawnsqueak. But I'm over that now, I promise you. I'll swear on my life, I'll never go near that cat again. He's terrifying." A faint smile lit the cat's face, one that seemed like it would never get brighter. "I want.. to ask you about being.. a guy." He said it quickly, like the words could be took back if they were fast and slippery. That's me. A.. male. Yeah. Cool! "CAn I be one? I just.. wanted to try and see if I.. felt better. Yeah. Also.. um, can you change.. my name to.. Copperpaw?"

Copperpaw. The name sounded better. Echopaw had copper and white fur, which so obviously fit. And, well, he didn't want to be named for something he wasn't. It wasn't good. His name wasn't a good fit. Echobreeze is dead. She's gone. I am not dead.

"Also, uh.. who will my mentor be? I was.. thinking Cottonstrike, or maybe you? I don't know, just brainstorming. Forget it. It's not a good idea. I shouldn't have come.. I'm so ever sorry for bothering you[that wasn't sarcastic]. You probably have leader-y stuff to do."

@wnder

[ChillCat]

Mothshade stepped into the dark den, hoping the strange cat was following. "Uhh, Sootstar? There's some weird cat here who wants to talk to you." If he was making a mistake bringing this cat here, it gonna be a big problem. @wnder @Xmas Bliss

[Madelaine]

[ @wnder; @ChillCat; ]

Willowrose followed behind the warrior. She was hoping he would recognize her from when she gave him one of his lives. The molly stood there. "My name's Willowrose and I want to rejoin Riverclan.", she meowed politely. Her good eye starred at the leader her anxiety was through the roof.

[duckie]

Sootstar
__________

"Right, well, if you have nothing more to say for yourself, Rapidkit," he meowed, raising a brow at the small kit, "I believe we're just about done here. I've been given no valid excuse for why you would continually choose to act out in such a way. Your apprentice ceremony will be pushed back by two moons - more if you don't learn how to behave in the intervening time."

"And, since you're apparently so keen on keeping clean you'll be helping the elders with their ticks until I decide otherwise. Run along to Coldamber and Snailswirl and see if they don't have any mouse bile for you to use."

"Flyfur, Springkit - you're dismissed as well."

[ @Cougar @Rainquail @Mumble ]

- - - - -

"Yes, Echopaw?"

Sootstar listened quietly, meeting the apprentice's gaze when they looked up at him. He raised a quizzical brow at the fact that he thought Fawnsqueak was terrifying. Sure, the tom could be a little rough around the edges at times but that cute butt was nowhere near terrifying. And... was he asking for the leader's permission to transition. He shook his head, raising a paw to cut off any further words from Copperpaw.

"You don't need my permission to explore your identity, Copperpaw," he meowed, using the apprentice's new name without hesitation, "But it is not my place to announce it to the clan. If you intend to transition then it is your job to share that with your clanmates."

"You aren't the only one in need of a new mentor. I will be doing reassignments soon. Is there anything else?"


[ @Cold Cobra ]

- - - - -

Sootstar's ears barely flicked as Mothshade entered the den with a vaguely familiar she-cat in tow. He was getting used to these regular intrusions into his free time.

He narrowed his eyes at the molly, trying to place her or where they had met. Even as she spoke her name, it took a moment before the dots connected in his head. The night of his ceremony was hazy in his mind - clouded by pain and adrenaline and exhaustion at once but it did come back to him in time.

"Willowrose!" he gasped, shaking his head as if in disbelief, "But you were-" Glancing back at Mothshade, he snapped his mouth shut and gave a dismissive nod, "Thank you, Mothshade," he meowed tightly, "You're dismissed."

He would wait for the warrior to take their leave before he continued.

[ @Xmas Bliss @ChillCat ]

[ChillCat]

Did the strange cat-Willowrose, and Sootstar know each other? Figuring he shouldn't stick his nose into other people's business, he nodded and left. @Xmas Bliss @wnder

[Madelaine]

Willowrose's good eye was focused on Mothshade as they listened o Sootstar. Once he was out of earshot she spoke. "I know your probably wondering how I'm here, but Starclan has decided to bring me back. This was the clan I had died in many moons ago and I don't think there's any other clan I want to be in.", the molly meowed. She promised to work hard and hard, but there was something else she felt he needed to know. "Cats who knew me thought I had went missing and they were to believe it. Only Lionstorm and Fawnsqueak knew the truth.", Willowrose added.

[ @wnder; ]

[duckie]

Sootstar
__________

Again, the connections clicked. 'Only Lionstorm and Fawnsqueak knew the truth.' Memories flooded back of a conversation moons ago, nearly forgotten. A conversation with Fawnsqueak, as a matter of fact. Strangled words pouring out of the tom's mouth all at once, as if to expel them and never have to think of them again. Buried under the bitter interactions that followed, Sootstar hadn't even considered it important.

"I'm afraid... that's not entirely accurate." he interjected. See, his ceremony was not the first time he had heard Willowrose's name, though it was the first time they had met face-to-face. One moonlit walk back from a gathering in the heat of Greenleaf...

"Fawnsqueak told me about what happened. What you... did to yourself. He was rather distraught about it. I can't say how that pair-" He meant Lionstorm and Fawnsqueak of course, "-will receive your return. Whatever it is that drove you to those lengths, I'm not sure I can comfortably allow you back into my clan on good conscious, lest it happens again."

[ @Xmas Bliss ]