[Rejected] Lynxpaw

[Snips]

Lynxpaw
(Male-He/Him)
(7 moons)

Lynxpaw glanced around nervously at these cats. They probably know I'm a terrible cat, he thought, I'm probably the worst cat they have seen here. Looking up, and managing to appear at least half-enthusiastic, he spoke. "Uhhh… I want to go back because, well, I have-had-a long life ahead of me." Here he chuckled bitterly. "Seven moons and killed by an enemy leader. What a life. Plus, there are cats who care about me. Assuming she doesn't know already, Shadowlight is probably wondering what the heck happened to me. And Ghost-" Lynxpaw paused, but then realized they most likely knew already. "Well, Ghostpaw is dead too, and I suppose you know about her. I know I broke the code, and I messed up." Hanging his head, he continued in a sad voice, "Yeah, I messed up. I fell in love with a blasted ThunderClanner, and that got me killed." He stopped, feeling the tears well up in his eyes. "I'll do better!" Lynxpaw burst out. "I won't let this happen again. I'll work really hard, promise!"

(I know I broke the rules and that is part of how Lynx bit the dust, but I will actually keep that from happening again.)

[vellichor]

•° Dewkit °•
StarClan Kit

---

The young cat had taken an interest in this apprentice who stood before her, not much bigger than Dewkit herself. The gray she-cat felt sympathy tug at her heart for the cat, but only because they, like her, were young. As the cat cried, Dewkit seemed to materialize from thin air. She listened to Lynxpaw spilling out all his woes. Yet, the more he talked, the more Dewkit's feelings shifted.

He had a long life ahead of him. Dewkit nodded, holding in her own jealousy that she never got a chance like this. She would never be alive again, and she had had her whole life ahead of her, hadn't she? Pinning down those unwanted thoughts and compartmentalizing them for later, Dewkit stayed silent and listened.

Killed by an enemy leader. Dewkit had to stifle a low growl at that. What kind of leader would kill a young cat? She didn't know anything but what Lynxpaw was telling her. But what he was telling her was making her upset. There were cats who cared about him. Yes, everyone had cats who cared about them, and everyone eventally died. It was a cruel world. Dewkit had heard this reason enough times that it didn't really make a difference in any decision she had to make.

Ghostpaw. Broke the code. Messed up. Fell in love with a ThunderClanner.

Ahh.

Like delicate dewdrops exposed to the harsh morning sun, any sympathy that Dewkit felt for the apprentice standing before her evaporated. Dewkit, who had no experience with love, thought it all to be a terrible excuse to do terrible things. When cats came in crying about how their misdeeds were guided by love, Dewkit always scoffed. She didn't see how cats with a good head on their shoulders could justify doing things like breaking the warrior code "out of love". Barely holding back her temper, the small gray kit spoke, getting uncomfortably close to Lynxpaw's face.

"Why." Was all she growled, tail lashing. "You're a mere 7 moons old. Why? Why jeopardize it all for 'love'?" Hissing the last word out like it was poison, she backed down and spat at the apprentice's paws. Dewkit then began pacing and talking. "Your focus should have been training. Growing. Making connections in your Clan. You know you did wrong, but why? What compelled you to risk everything for something so... so stupid?!" Dewkit's jealous feelings were bubbling to the surface. "And now that you've gotten caught breaking the code, you think you should go back-- why? Because you messed up? You knew full well what you were doing! And don't you dare make the excuse that it was 'out of love' -- I don't care!"

"I felt sorry for you because I died young too. Obviously. But you did something so... so monumentally idiotic that you died because of it. You chose to risk your life, and it didn't work out for you. That was a choice you made.

"You deserve to stay here for eternity."

// @PhantomFeurSturm \\

[Snips]

@vex

Lynxpaw
(Male-He/Him)
(7 moons)

Lynxpaw winced at the kit's harsh words. He had heard them in his head a billion times, but hearing them come from someone else, especially the mouth of one so young, hurt him more than any battle wound. "Well," he managed to reply after a pause, "It's not really my fault she abducted me." He hung his head. "But yes, I should have done better. But when I woke up, she was hurt, and I… well, I got concerned. Both for her, and because me getting caught standing over a wounded ThunderClanner would have… ah, ended badly." He gestured around him. "Then she fainted, I helped her, and it went downhill from there so fast I barely remember what happened. And honestly, if I got here and told you I shredded up an unconscious apprentice, you would have still been really mad. Even if I tried to leave, she either would have hurt herself severely or clonked me out again." His voice was starting to sound hopeful again, and he tried to squash it down. Sound repentent, darn it! "If I can get back I'll do better. Yeah, I'd like to stay alive next time…assuming there is a next time." He looked nervously at the kit. Well, this is getting out of control. I'm about to get launched into eternal death by a kit!

[Pitou]

**Lichenflood**
Ancient Windclan Warrior - Dark Forest

@PhantomFeurSturm @vex

It was the tingle, the call of yet another soul undoubtedly begging repentance and another chance. Bleh. Cats had one chance to live, why was he now being stuck deciding on whether those who squandered it would get a chance to squander a second? It was unnatural. The large brown tabby tom stretched then padded into the little clearing, his green eyes locked on the pathetic soul, flickering only upon seeing the little Dewkit. Starclan. It seemed to him the starry warrior were always wanting to put their noses into everything, coming in here to give chances that didn’t need their input. He shrugged, really dealing with the young Starclan kit was a hit or miss experience. He’d hold his disdain for now.

Lichenflood sat back in his haunches and listened blandly as the just-barely-out-of-kithood-himself apprentice started in the usual begging and pleading. A long life ahead of him, Lichenflood scoffed. Hardly. Every kit or apprentice that died died with a long life ahead of them, but as such it wasn’t true, was it? Cats who cared about him…Well wasn’t that the crux of everybody’s story? He waited until Lynxpaw and then Dewkit finished up. His eyebrow cocked slightly. The little starry kit had some fire on this one it seemed, and quite honestly spoke many of the very words that pricked at his own tongue. He chewed over everything that had been spoken for a moment before opening his own mouth. But then it closed again with a a little huff as Lynxpaw spoke again, Such an impatient youngster. And then he was making excuses, or rather passing off responsibility and ”Ill do better! I’ll do better” Bah! He waited a moment again then spoke up, a small sneer on his face, ”You’ve told us how you squandered your life, in a disloyal act no less. So young and yet so quickly treacherous. And you’ve blown some hot air about lessening your own responsibility by blaming this cat you claim to have loved. But you’ve done nothing to say why you deserve to return. You know nothing of love if you’d so easily turn it away but yet even that farce was stronger than your drive and loyalty to your clan. I can hardly see reason to have mercy on you who forsakes any loyalty or consequence or responsibility.” He fell silent again, his look of disdain still resting on his face even as he waited to see what the apprentice would do with his words.

[Snips]

Lynxpaw
(Male-He/Him)
(7 moons)

Oh, great. Another cat showing up to yell at me. thought Lynxpaw sarcastically, turning to face this newcomer. Lynx's emotions were already boiling over, and this cat was about to blow any trace of the 'paw's patience. "I'm not blaming her. I'm just stating what happened. If you like, I could say I was a perfectly good cat who met a sad death. If I told you that, I would probably be back. But, I decided to be honest. Next thing I know, I'm being guaranteed a nice, long break from living." Lynxpaw's voice dripped with barely hidden venom. This cat rubbed his fur the wrong way.

@vex
@Pitou

[Alchemist Kitsune]

| Magpiewisp |
Ancient RiverClan Medicine Cat
Dark Forest

Oh how very dramatic this all was. So over the top, with love flitting through the air. He'd heard his sorry excuses in his time, but this apprentice was something else. And to think he had almost allowed himself to be excited at the prospect of a code breaker. One who had died at the paws of a leader for daring to defy the petty laws placed upon the do gooders of the clans. And then to have landed in StarClan despite all this? He had expected a juicy morsel. An entertaining affair.

Instead he was met with a brat that had fallen in love, if you could even call it that. Magpiewisp was a master of many talents, he wasn't shy about his accomplishments... but love was admittedly not his forte. And yet even he had his doubts. This apprentice had... fallen in love with his captor? From what he said, they'd been found the same day. So... he had broken the code, risked his life... all for some kit he'd met that very same day? If she had died as well, wouldn't he be happy to be here with her? Or was he not quite so foolish as to believe himself to have truly been in love, simply using it as an excuse to garner some clout? If so, it had been a foolish choice to make, but then, many decisions taken here seemed to have followed such a trend.

"Honesty... dishonesty... It all amounts to the same here. I suppose it is at least worthy of note that you did try to be... honest with us," the dark forest tom drawled, his blue eyes deadpanned upon the apprentice as he stepped forward, making his presence known. "Yet it does little to change the facts. You squandered your life away... not based on one mistake alone, but a few compounded one after the next. There were options available to you, paths you could have chosen that would have secured your life. And yet you seem to be blind to all of this from your words. I believe you are right on one count, though," the tuxedo mewed, his voice hinting the slightest of purrs. "You truly did guarantee yourself a nice, long break from living."

-

@PhantomFeurSturm [Lynxpaw] | @vex [Dewkit] | @Pitou [Leechflood]

[Snips]

Lynxpaw
(Male-He/Him)
(7 moons)

Lynxpaw didn't even bother to face this new cat. All three of them were right, even if Lynx didn't want to admit it. As the third cat spoke, his head dropped low and his morale plummeted lower. Still, even though this battle was an almost guaranteed loss, but he wasn't going down without a fight. "Y-yeah, yeah, you're right. I've done a bunch of stuff wrong. But there was stuff I did right. Excluding that…instance with Ghostpaw, I've done my best." With a pause, he managed to lift his head to meet the judges' eyes. "I know it sounds bad. I know I failed my duty. You demand proof of my honor. Well, let me show you. Let me back. Not like I can generate a lot of evidence from seven moons of living, can I? So give me a second chance. Let me prove myself." Lynx's voice slowly hardened as he spoke, becoming as emotionless as the river stones. Then, he waited for the response. He knew the one he wanted, but doubted it would be that one. @vex @Pitou @Alchemist Kitsune

[Snips]

Lynxpaw left, planning to return… once he could think up a better argument.

@vex
@Alchemist Kitsune @Pitou

[vellichor]

•° Dewkit °•
StarClan Kit

---

Before the kit could even open her mouth again, the rank stench of Dark Forest made her wrinkle her little nose. She was quick to sidestep the older, stinker cats as they too scolded Lynxpaw for his stupidity. As much as she didn't quite like the Dark Forest cats, she was glad they weren't undermining her. Dewkit may be, well, a kit, but she had seen moons upon moons of history unfold. She was just as experienced as them. The stink of the Dark Forest seemed to double, and as Dewkit turned around she knew why. Not one but two Dark Forest cats? Eugh.

Lynxpaw, for his part, seemed to be utterly defeated. As the kid turned tail and left without even hearing the final verdict, Dewkit found herself letting out an annoyed snort. What a waste of time. She side-eyed the Dark Forest duo before getting back to the safety of StarClan.

// @PhantomFeurSturm @alchemistkitsune @Pitou \\

[Snips]

Lynxpaw
(Male-He/Him)
(7 moons)

Deep breaths, Lynx. Deep breaths. Lynxpaw glanced around at the cats who surrounded him. Focus. Remember: it's not just about you. It's about everyone around you. And for StarClan's sake, don't mention Ghost! "Hello," he said. His voice was steadier then he had expected, considering this was his second go. "I assume you know why I'm here. I want…well, what every cat who comes here wants. Another chance I want another chance to help the cats I knew, to show them what I can be. They shouldn't have to grieve over me. After all, I didn't exactly live the longest life." He waited anxiously for the response of the cats, these beings who held in their paws the very power of life and death.