Twilightstar nodded her head lightly in response to the thanks. It was rare she got thanked for merely doing her job, but it was appreciated, nonetheless. As the molly dove into her concerns, the leader listened to silently before working on a response.
"There is no need for you to feel guilty about Firestorm. She's not in trouble for not training you, I probably should have thought about it a bit more before assigning you to her. She is ambitus, and driven, but young. It seemed that I forgot just how young. I figured she could handle an older apprentice, but she has quite a lot on her mind I believe."
The molly's been through quite a bit. Granted, that didn't excuse her from her duties to the clan, but Twilightstar supposed that taking care of an apprentice was just a bit too much for her. Perhaps she still needed more time to grow.
"I'm glad to hear that you and Vixenstare are getting along well. Vixenstare is a fine warrior, a bit headstrong, but loyal without a doubt. I know she'll turn you into a great warrior for WindClan." Twilightstar praised.
( how dare other warriors be disrespectful to twilightstar and not tell her thank you >:0 /j )
That Bravebird and Dapplebreeze didnt like the new leaders den really was only more proof for Crowtooth that the den was no good and Twilightstar should move into a proper den. They werent squirrels after all and Crowtooth would happily create it. Not that he was gonna do so until Twilightstar showed desire for it.
Ah but even with his 'good taste' confirmed Crowtooth was never to get anything in life without disappointment attached. Even Twilightstar had no clue what was going on. The tom slumped face down into the dirt to wallow in his own frustration for a moment, though now that he wasnt the only cat shouldering this burden he felt lighter. So it was more of an exasperated frustration then anything, and with an almost whiny rasp the tom whinged. "So ya don' even know as leader? No tips from above or anythin'? Damn."
A wane grin crackled his muzzle as he twisted to still be slumped on the ground but could look at the leader. "I dunno about 'fond' though... 'td feel more fond 'f this thin' came wit' instructions."
He poked the rabbit. "This kinda whoops has been happenin' a lot tryin' ta figure this out. Miracle 've not hurt myself an' the only casualties have been some prey an' tunnels.... Least I got a hand on 't now."
The mention of another cat with a gift got a furrowed brow as the tom wracked his brain, trying to think about how that name clicked until he drawled, confused. "Fernpaw... Aint he Bravebirds old apprentice? An' somethin' skys brother... Don' remember well but kid had a string o' bad luck didn' he?" A sad sigh and a tail flicked around to rest against the leader, having a hunch on what happened to the kid. Clan life sucked in some ways. "Shame I suppose, wouldve loved ta pick his mind on all o' this... Had some tips from a cat who's lived it fer awhile."
Crowtooth took a moment to take a few bites as he thought as the moment, nodding at the advice to keep mum about the development, nudging the rabbit to her. "Suppose I could tell Lightningstorm? 'm hopin' she might have some advice on the starclan side an' she's trustable an' all." Everyone else? Well Bravebird was probably the only cat the tom considered telling but she'd been.... Not very present of late. Maybe if his friend rolled around again the tunneler would consider it.
A thought for another time, for now he had another question. "Mind 'f I ask whats goin' on wit' riverclan? I... I got some ideas ta help us prepare an' get a step up on em or thunderclan 'f thats the path but 'f we're ta leave sleepin' bears lay Ill shelf em."
Ivysnow´s dappled silver, gray, and white form entered the leader´s den. She padded in slowly, uncertain about whether or not she should have asked Twilightstar for entry first.
´´Twilightstar?´´ The warrior mewed softly. ´´I´m deeply sorry for bothering you, but it´s about my apprentice, Nettlepaw.´´
Sitting down, Ivysnow´s amber eyes glittered within the gloominess of the den.
´´I caught her bullying and bossing around Bristlepaw just a few moments ago. I wanted to let you know that I confined her to camp for a half moon and told her she has to take care of the elders daily, and change their bedding for the two quarter moons that make up the half moon,´´ She meowed. ´´I also told her that Lightningstorm should have some extra moss, but if there is a day that Lightningstorm doesn´t, Nettlepaw is to come get me and I will take her out to gather fresh moss - but only if there is a day our medicine cat does not have any extra.´´
´´I didn´t demote her because I know that isn´t my place, and I wanted to leave that decision to either you, Fallownose, or Lightningstorm. I told Nettlepaw to count herself lucky if none of you punish her any further.´´
Orangepaw poked his head into his leaders den. His bright fur pricking with nervousness. "T-twilightstar?" Orangepaw stuttered. Turning his head outside to cough a few times. Glancing around the dark den Orangepaw waited for his orange gaze to land of his leader.
__________________
lio lurked here
hope dropped a bundle of chocolates here
I love Seonghwa to Mars and back. I love his smile, his laugh, his amazing genderless, sleek style. I love everything about this man and nobody can change my mind. Park Seonghwa my joy I love you <3
That Bravebird and Dapplebreeze didnt like the new leaders den really was only more proof for Crowtooth that the den was no good and Twilightstar should move into a proper den. They werent squirrels after all and Crowtooth would happily create it. Not that he was gonna do so until Twilightstar showed desire for it.
Ah but even with his 'good taste' confirmed Crowtooth was never to get anything in life without disappointment attached. Even Twilightstar had no clue what was going on. The tom slumped face down into the dirt to wallow in his own frustration for a moment, though now that he wasnt the only cat shouldering this burden he felt lighter. So it was more of an exasperated frustration then anything, and with an almost whiny rasp the tom whinged. "So ya don' even know as leader? No tips from above or anythin'? Damn."
A wane grin crackled his muzzle as he twisted to still be slumped on the ground but could look at the leader. "I dunno about 'fond' though... 'td feel more fond 'f this thin' came wit' instructions."
He poked the rabbit. "This kinda whoops has been happenin' a lot tryin' ta figure this out. Miracle 've not hurt myself an' the only casualties have been some prey an' tunnels.... Least I got a hand on 't now."
The mention of another cat with a gift got a furrowed brow as the tom wracked his brain, trying to think about how that name clicked until he drawled, confused. "Fernpaw... Aint he Bravebirds old apprentice? An' somethin' skys brother... Don' remember well but kid had a string o' bad luck didn' he?" A sad sigh and a tail flicked around to rest against the leader, having a hunch on what happened to the kid. Clan life sucked in some ways. "Shame I suppose, wouldve loved ta pick his mind on all o' this... Had some tips from a cat who's lived it fer awhile."
Crowtooth took a moment to take a few bites as he thought as the moment, nodding at the advice to keep mum about the development, nudging the rabbit to her. "Suppose I could tell Lightningstorm? 'm hopin' she might have some advice on the starclan side an' she's trustable an' all." Everyone else? Well Bravebird was probably the only cat the tom considered telling but she'd been.... Not very present of late. Maybe if his friend rolled around again the tunneler would consider it.
A thought for another time, for now he had another question. "Mind 'f I ask whats goin' on wit' riverclan? I... I got some ideas ta help us prepare an' get a step up on em or thunderclan 'f thats the path but 'f we're ta leave sleepin' bears lay Ill shelf em."
Twilightstar felt this seed of disappointment bloom within her chest as soon as she took in Crowtooth's crestfallen face. He made her wish she had all the answers that he wanted. For some reason, whether it was age or rank, cats tended to assume that she had answers to their problems or at least her clanmates did. Crowtooth's response simply had her chuckling softly. "Sorry, StarClan doesn't talk much to me." If ever, Twilightstar hasn't spoken or even heard from the stars since she became WindClan's leader. So literal seasons. Her faith in the stars has waivered immensely since then and will most likely continue to.
"Instructions? That's not the way of the stars." She chuckled. Twilightstar stretched lightly and plopped down beside Crowtooth. She leaned over to give his dirty fur some licks, grooming the tom to entertain herself while she listened to him talk. "Everything new takes practice, though I'm glad to hear that you haven't killed yourself or broken a bone or your head." She purred.
She supposed with such an interesting gift she should be pleased he hadn't killed his clanmates either. Her mind shifted to a dark place, memories of a broken-hearted Cowtuft, but she forced them from her mind always worried about falling into a sea of depression that she couldn't swim through. Can't dwell on stuff she couldn't change. Lest she get crushed by the burden that came with leadership as past leaders have.
"Yes, Fernpaw was Bravebird's former apprentice and Eldersky's younger brother." The mention of his luck had her thinking back. "No, I suppose he didn't have the greatest luck. Perhaps that had something to do with his odd ability." She replied thoughtfully. "Compared to your wind-based gift, you got off easier than what the stars bestowed upon Fernpaw." More of a curse than a gift. "Maybe he'll return to the clan one day, I can only hope. Twilightstar always hoped those missing returned somehow some way. But more often than not she lost more than she gained, her kin amongst them.
As the rabbit was nudged in her direction, she leaned in and took a few bites. She didn't feel all that hungry, the prey was a bit chew, but chew and swallow she did. She never felt all that hungry when her mind was preoccupied, or her emotions ran high. Even though she wasn't hungry, she still took a couple more bits before nudging the rabbit back to the black and white tunneler.
"Lightningstorm, I suppose you could try her. She's not going to run around talking to anyone. She's been rather isolated from the clan since Cowtuft left. I don't think her faith in StarClan has been all that strong with everything that's gone on, but you can try."Twilightstar wouldn't say she and Lightningstorm were nearly as close as the leader and the former medicine cat had been, but from what she perceived of the molly was that they shared a similar and somewhat cautious mindset.
Twilightstar had a valid reason for not trusting in StarClan, and so did Lightningstorm now. She wouldn't be surprised if the molly's faith had wavered in the dead as Twilightstar's had. Still, she wasn't going to discourage Crowtooth.
"If needs be, you could take a trip to the Starcave with me. I haven't been there in forever. See if you can get answers from ancestors yourself." She suggested, returning to grooming the tom. She leaned up to lick behind his ears.
"RiverClan? As of late, they've been quiet. Same as ThunderClan. But over the moons, they've been overly troublesome for no reason. Unprovoked trespassing, attacks, and kills from them. Unreasonable and uncalled, it's left me on edge with both clans. If you have plans, whether we use them now or later, it doesn't hurt to hear them."
Quote:
Originally Posted by paris
Ivysnow´s dappled silver, gray, and white form entered the leader´s den. She padded in slowly, uncertain about whether or not she should have asked Twilightstar for entry first.
´´Twilightstar?´´ The warrior mewed softly. ´´I´m deeply sorry for bothering you, but it´s about my apprentice, Nettlepaw.´´
Sitting down, Ivysnow´s amber eyes glittered within the gloominess of the den.
´´I caught her bullying and bossing around Bristlepaw just a few moments ago. I wanted to let you know that I confined her to camp for a half moon and told her she has to take care of the elders daily, and change their bedding for the two quarter moons that make up the half moon,´´ She meowed. ´´I also told her that Lightningstorm should have some extra moss, but if there is a day that Lightningstorm doesn´t, Nettlepaw is to come get me and I will take her out to gather fresh moss - but only if there is a day our medicine cat does not have any extra.´´
´´I didn´t demote her because I know that isn´t my place, and I wanted to leave that decision to either you, Fallownose, or Lightningstorm. I told Nettlepaw to count herself lucky if none of you punish her any further.´´
As the she-cat entered the den, Twilightstar brought her gaze to her. "Ivysnow," She greeted kindly, wondering what worried the molly. At the mention of Nettlepaw, she tilted her head inquisitively and listened as the warrior explained. Bullying was never something she wanted to hear about but she was glad that Ivysnow brought it to her attention. Far too often it was overlooked.
"Your punishment sounds suitable." Twilightstar meowed, harsher than anything Twilightstar would have given but not harsh enough that Twilightstar felt like it was too much.
"I would also talk to Nettlepaw, ensure that she knows why she is being punished, and try to make sure that she understands how hurtful bullying is to Bristlepaw. If you merely punish her without ensuring that knows what she's done is wrong, it might make it worse for Bristlepaw. Especially if Nettlepaw starts bullying her out of sight. Perhaps see about having her catch prey and offer Bristlepaw a proper apology."
It would be nice if the two could patch things up. They didn't need to be the best of friends, but they were clan mates.
Quote:
Originally Posted by SeonghwasBunnyEars
@Moonraven
Orangepaw poked his head into his leaders den. His bright fur pricking with nervousness. "T-twilightstar?" Orangepaw stuttered. Turning his head outside to cough a few times. Glancing around the dark den Orangepaw waited for his orange gaze to land of his leader.
The lilac-gray she-cat looked to the opening of her den at the call of her name. She made out the silhouette of the apprentice. Rising and shaking out her pelt, she padded forward and greeted Orangepaw with a nod of her head.
"Orangepaw, what can I do for you?" She asked, green eye gleaming with concern at the coughing. Was he sick? It was getting warmer, she was hoping illness would lessen with the newleaf arriving.
Twilightstar felt this seed of disappointment bloom within her chest as soon as she took in Crowtooth's crestfallen face. He made her wish she had all the answers that he wanted. For some reason, whether it was age or rank, cats tended to assume that she had answers to their problems or at least her clanmates did. Crowtooth's response simply had her chuckling softly. "Sorry, StarClan doesn't talk much to me." If ever, Twilightstar hasn't spoken or even heard from the stars since she became WindClan's leader. So literal seasons. Her faith in the stars has waivered immensely since then and will most likely continue to.
"Instructions? That's not the way of the stars." She chuckled. Twilightstar stretched lightly and plopped down beside Crowtooth. She leaned over to give his dirty fur some licks, grooming the tom to entertain herself while she listened to him talk. "Everything new takes practice, though I'm glad to hear that you haven't killed yourself or broken a bone or your head." She purred.
She supposed with such an interesting gift she should be pleased he hadn't killed his clanmates either. Her mind shifted to a dark place, memories of a broken-hearted Cowtuft, but she forced them from her mind always worried about falling into a sea of depression that she couldn't swim through. Can't dwell on stuff she couldn't change. Lest she get crushed by the burden that came with leadership as past leaders have.
"Yes, Fernpaw was Bravebird's former apprentice and Eldersky's younger brother." The mention of his luck had her thinking back. "No, I suppose he didn't have the greatest luck. Perhaps that had something to do with his odd ability." She replied thoughtfully. "Compared to your wind-based gift, you got off easier than what the stars bestowed upon Fernpaw." More of a curse than a gift. "Maybe he'll return to the clan one day, I can only hope. Twilightstar always hoped those missing returned somehow some way. But more often than not she lost more than she gained, her kin amongst them.
As the rabbit was nudged in her direction, she leaned in and took a few bites. She didn't feel all that hungry, the prey was a bit chew, but chew and swallow she did. She never felt all that hungry when her mind was preoccupied, or her emotions ran high. Even though she wasn't hungry, she still took a couple more bits before nudging the rabbit back to the black and white tunneler.
"Lightningstorm, I suppose you could try her. She's not going to run around talking to anyone. She's been rather isolated from the clan since Cowtuft left. I don't think her faith in StarClan has been all that strong with everything that's gone on, but you can try."Twilightstar wouldn't say she and Lightningstorm were nearly as close as the leader and the former medicine cat had been, but from what she perceived of the molly was that they shared a similar and somewhat cautious mindset.
Twilightstar had a valid reason for not trusting in StarClan, and so did Lightningstorm now. She wouldn't be surprised if the molly's faith had wavered in the dead as Twilightstar's had. Still, she wasn't going to discourage Crowtooth.
"If needs be, you could take a trip to the Starcave with me. I haven't been there in forever. See if you can get answers from ancestors yourself." She suggested, returning to grooming the tom. She leaned up to lick behind his ears.
"RiverClan? As of late, they've been quiet. Same as ThunderClan. But over the moons, they've been overly troublesome for no reason. Unprovoked trespassing, attacks, and kills from them. Unreasonable and uncalled, it's left me on edge with both clans. If you have plans, whether we use them now or later, it doesn't hurt to hear them."
As the she-cat entered the den, Twilightstar brought her gaze to her. "Ivysnow," She greeted kindly, wondering what worried the molly. At the mention of Nettlepaw, she tilted her head inquisitively and listened as the warrior explained. Bullying was never something she wanted to hear about but she was glad that Ivysnow brought it to her attention. Far too often it was overlooked.
"Your punishment sounds suitable." Twilightstar meowed, harsher than anything Twilightstar would have given but not harsh enough that Twilightstar felt like it was too much.
"I would also talk to Nettlepaw, ensure that she knows why she is being punished, and try to make sure that she understands how hurtful bullying is to Bristlepaw. If you merely punish her without ensuring that knows what she's done is wrong, it might make it worse for Bristlepaw. Especially if Nettlepaw starts bullying her out of sight. Perhaps see about having her catch prey and offer Bristlepaw a proper apology."
It would be nice if the two could patch things up. They didn't need to be the best of friends, but they were clan mates.
The lilac-gray she-cat looked to the opening of her den at the call of her name. She made out the silhouette of the apprentice. Rising and shaking out her pelt, she padded forward and greeted Orangepaw with a nod of her head.
"Orangepaw, what can I do for you?" She asked, green eye gleaming with concern at the coughing. Was he sick? It was getting warmer, she was hoping illness would lessen with the newleaf arriving.
Orangepaw gave a gentle sniff. Seeming out of breath he gave a respectful dip of his head. "I have something to ask... and kind of tell you about." Orangepaw mewed. "....I don't think I can be a warrior" Orangepaw told his leader with a hint of regret and sadness in his raspy meow.
Orangepaw took his extremely long tail and gently brought it down to the floor, it trailing a small bit out of the den. "I....I've had trouble with my breathing ever sense I was a kit... it's gotten worse as an apprentice, I exercise all the time to try and just.. make my lungs work but they won't.... just me walking from my den to your den has me a bit out of breath... I can barely ever train... I want to... I really, really want to but.... I just don't think I can." Orangepaw said gently, his mew was filled with grief as he though about how proud his father and mother would be if the called out his warrior name.... but he would just be Orangepaw forever. Orangepaw gave a deep breath to control his anger, the harsh lash of his long orange tail giving away his frustration. "I even got Juniper berries, every day I get one or when needed from the medicine cat den... but I just can't breath.. they don't work and I'm....I'm sure i'm more of a use in the elders den." Orangepaw finished with a regretful glance at his leader.
__________________
lio lurked here
hope dropped a bundle of chocolates here
I love Seonghwa to Mars and back. I love his smile, his laugh, his amazing genderless, sleek style. I love everything about this man and nobody can change my mind. Park Seonghwa my joy I love you <3
Gently the toms head cocked as he listened to the leader, careful not to move enough to shake her off of the grooming Twiligthstar was doing. Starclan didnt talk to her? The tunneler had been certain if there was anyone the stars would communicate to it'd be the leader and the medicine cats, there was no way they of all cats would be undeserving. ....Something had to be wrong with starclan, yep. Reaching the kinda correct conclusion in the most bullheaded way the tom resolved to move on to not distressed the older molly and instead glibly joked "Aint no breeze that can break my head, even starclan driven. 'sides the tunnels already did that."
Crowtooth's skull had a nice dent even now under the scar that'd robbed his memories so long ago now so while it was a bit of dark joke it wasnt inaccurate.
He winced a bit, realizing he'd stumbled into a rough topic, of cats not sticking around for Twilightstar as they should and, gently in an attempt to draw her out of her dwelling, he nudged his shoulder against hers. "Well weirder stuff has happened. I came back, so did our favorite birdie maybe he will too."
It was a thin hope perhaps but it was one that needed to be held to maintain ones good view of the world. And even if it was unspoken Crowtooth hoped his steady gaze conveyed the promise that when he went to starclan it'd only be with her waiting, even if he didnt know how to say it out loud.
Ah but it was hearing of Lightningstorms troubles that drew that rare clever narrowing of the eyes and a mischievous grin. "Weeeeeeell I can' help wit' starclan, aint my forte, but 'f she needs a cheer up I can give 't my best shot. I dare 'er ta be all sad when she hears aaaaaaalll the clans embaressin' little tales~ Twi, wit' my memory 've realized I got dirt on everyone; Wolffang, Fallownose, Bravebird, Dunecall, Silverpaw, everyone. They think 've forgotten but I remember and boy howdy 's everyone 'n this clan are dorks."
Of course he wasnt exempt, Twilightstar probably remembered clearly some of his more stupidly bullheaded moments so he had no room to talk but Crowtooth was gonna anyways. Try not grinning when hearing how Bravebird slid down a muddy hill in front of Breezefeather he dared you and if someone turned him into a throw rug for it it was worth it.
In fact the tom was still playfully snickering to himself over the idea of spilling all the tea to Lightningstorm when the proposal to go with her to the starcave came. "Me? Really? 'm flattered but I doubt the stars will 'ave much ta say ta me." Crowtooth was just.... Crowtooth who while pretty devout wasnt that special. " 'f ya wan' company fer a trip 'm up fer 't I suppose though." Maybe what was wrong with starclan meant they werent walking in dreams not directly connected to the cave and all the leader needed to do was visit. That'd be a nice easy solution to one worry.
Another worry however was less simple and required work. "Ah, my worry 's wit' how quiet theyve been the clan 's gonn' forget how those clans can be. Windclan's reluctant ta fight at best but spirit wins wars.... I was gonna propose I keep tellin' history o' how theyve wronged us, as reminders ta keep em cautious. Dunno 'f thats temptin' border fights though..."
He was looking for input on that one.
The others however... Were more weapons for Twilightstar to keep in the back pocket. "I was thinkin', when 'n the tunnels I try ta keep near where I think windclan's land 's but they go further. Even 'n ta the other clans. We could have an emergency route inta a clan ta attack their core without warnin' just 'n case. Or even defined routes through our land so 'f we're attacked a force could travel under the enemy and blindside them from behind.
Or, 'f desperate we could dam riverclan ta starve an' weaken them, undamn 't 'f they promise peace.
Or, we don' take advantage o' our speed enough. The larger slow frontliners take the first wave o' a raid an' the faster herd and separate the enemy ta take em out. We allow ourselves ta be dragged inta fightin' like the other clans an' I worry we get hurt fer 't...."
It was hard to know what ideas might help in this time of peace but there had to be something Crowtooth could do before times got tough to prevent the death toll.
...She really shouldn't do this. It was pathetic and whiny and all of the things that Bravebird vehemently despised being. Standing at the foot of the Galewood though with her neck craned upwards, she knew she needed to. Her presence in the Clan since her return had been dismal at best, and after the night spent at the Starry Meadow next to the "grave" she had made for Fernpaw, she felt compelled to seek the advice and council of the cat she admired most outside of her mother; Twilightstar.
Despite the beating heart that tried to will her away, whispering that she didn't need to burden her leader with such trivial matters, Brave leapt onto the base of the tree. Her claws found purchase and she scrambled her way up awkwardly, eventually making it to the mouth of the leader's den. Blue eyes gazed in curiously, albeit apprehension kept her paws rooted in place. This was so... stupid, really. "Get it together," she huffed to herself, shaking her head in displeasure. Frankly Brave knew she was acting like a kit with these worries. It was just... difficult to shake them.
"Twilightstar?" she called from the entrance as she padded in slowly, allowing her eyes time to adjust to the gloom. Her injuries from the mink attack had slowly been healing, her eye getting better. Still a fresh scar cut down across it, a reminder of the patrol-gone-wrong. "...If you have a moment, I'd like to speak with you." Once again pushing down her fears and worries the lilac lynx-point turned her gaze to Twilightstar.
[ @Moonraven trying to get back into the feel for brave's character and who better to have her turn to for some advice than the cat she respects most outside of her mama? ]
Orangepaw gave a gentle sniff. Seeming out of breath he gave a respectful dip of his head. "I have something to ask... and kind of tell you about." Orangepaw mewed. "....I don't think I can be a warrior" Orangepaw told his leader with a hint of regret and sadness in his raspy meow.
Orangepaw took his extremely long tail and gently brought it down to the floor, it trailing a small bit out of the den. "I....I've had trouble with my breathing ever sense I was a kit... it's gotten worse as an apprentice, I exercise all the time to try and just.. make my lungs work but they won't.... just me walking from my den to your den has me a bit out of breath... I can barely ever train... I want to... I really, really want to but.... I just don't think I can." Orangepaw said gently, his mew was filled with grief as he though about how proud his father and mother would be if the called out his warrior name.... but he would just be Orangepaw forever. Orangepaw gave a deep breath to control his anger, the harsh lash of his long orange tail giving away his frustration. "I even got Juniper berries, every day I get one or when needed from the medicine cat den... but I just can't breath.. they don't work and I'm....I'm sure i'm more of a use in the elders den." Orangepaw finished with a regretful glance at his leader.
Twilightstar observed the apprentice as he went into detail about his visit. A hint of surprise touched her eye after his statement. Couldn't be a warrior? She's never had anyone say that to her, not in her many seasons as leader. As troubling as it was, the lilac she-cat heard the apprentice out as he went into an explanation.
"Hmm, so you have trouble breathing... sounds like something similar to what Crowtooth has." Twilightstar meowed thoughtfully. She wasn't keen on retiring cats early, especially ones so young like Orangepaw, but she wasn't interested in pushing him if he was set on not being a warrior. However, she didn't want to give up just yet.
"If you've been taking juniper berries, I'm assuming you've informed Lightningstorm of this issue? Did she offer any advice?" The leader quired, faintly wondering if she should see about speaking with Crowtooth about this. He had gotten through his training even with his breathing issues. She wasn't certain if Orangepaw and Crowtooth had the same problem, but it wouldn't hurt to look int it.
Gently the toms head cocked as he listened to the leader, careful not to move enough to shake her off of the grooming Twiligthstar was doing. Starclan didnt talk to her? The tunneler had been certain if there was anyone the stars would communicate to it'd be the leader and the medicine cats, there was no way they of all cats would be undeserving. ....Something had to be wrong with starclan, yep. Reaching the kinda correct conclusion in the most bullheaded way the tom resolved to move on to not distressed the older molly and instead glibly joked "Aint no breeze that can break my head, even starclan driven. 'sides the tunnels already did that."
Crowtooth's skull had a nice dent even now under the scar that'd robbed his memories so long ago now so while it was a bit of dark joke it wasnt inaccurate.
He winced a bit, realizing he'd stumbled into a rough topic, of cats not sticking around for Twilightstar as they should and, gently in an attempt to draw her out of her dwelling, he nudged his shoulder against hers. "Well weirder stuff has happened. I came back, so did our favorite birdie maybe he will too."
It was a thin hope perhaps but it was one that needed to be held to maintain ones good view of the world. And even if it was unspoken Crowtooth hoped his steady gaze conveyed the promise that when he went to starclan it'd only be with her waiting, even if he didnt know how to say it out loud.
Ah but it was hearing of Lightningstorms troubles that drew that rare clever narrowing of the eyes and a mischievous grin. "Weeeeeeell I can' help wit' starclan, aint my forte, but 'f she needs a cheer up I can give 't my best shot. I dare 'er ta be all sad when she hears aaaaaaalll the clans embaressin' little tales~ Twi, wit' my memory 've realized I got dirt on everyone; Wolffang, Fallownose, Bravebird, Dunecall, Silverpaw, everyone. They think 've forgotten but I remember and boy howdy 's everyone 'n this clan are dorks."
Of course he wasnt exempt, Twilightstar probably remembered clearly some of his more stupidly bullheaded moments so he had no room to talk but Crowtooth was gonna anyways. Try not grinning when hearing how Bravebird slid down a muddy hill in front of Breezefeather he dared you and if someone turned him into a throw rug for it it was worth it.
In fact the tom was still playfully snickering to himself over the idea of spilling all the tea to Lightningstorm when the proposal to go with her to the starcave came. "Me? Really? 'm flattered but I doubt the stars will 'ave much ta say ta me." Crowtooth was just.... Crowtooth who while pretty devout wasnt that special. " 'f ya wan' company fer a trip 'm up fer 't I suppose though." Maybe what was wrong with starclan meant they werent walking in dreams not directly connected to the cave and all the leader needed to do was visit. That'd be a nice easy solution to one worry.
Another worry however was less simple and required work. "Ah, my worry 's wit' how quiet theyve been the clan 's gonn' forget how those clans can be. Windclan's reluctant ta fight at best but spirit wins wars.... I was gonna propose I keep tellin' history o' how theyve wronged us, as reminders ta keep em cautious. Dunno 'f thats temptin' border fights though..."
He was looking for input on that one.
The others however... Were more weapons for Twilightstar to keep in the back pocket. "I was thinkin', when 'n the tunnels I try ta keep near where I think windclan's land 's but they go further. Even 'n ta the other clans. We could have an emergency route inta a clan ta attack their core without warnin' just 'n case. Or even defined routes through our land so 'f we're attacked a force could travel under the enemy and blindside them from behind.
Or, 'f desperate we could dam riverclan ta starve an' weaken them, undamn 't 'f they promise peace.
Or, we don' take advantage o' our speed enough. The larger slow frontliners take the first wave o' a raid an' the faster herd and separate the enemy ta take em out. We allow ourselves ta be dragged inta fightin' like the other clans an' I worry we get hurt fer 't...."
It was hard to know what ideas might help in this time of peace but there had to be something Crowtooth could do before times got tough to prevent the death toll.
Twilightstar scoffed lightly under her breath at Crowtooth's sense of humor. He didn't dwell long on the bad and didn't seem to let anything keep him down long. She wished more cats his persistence. She smiled softly at reassuring words regarding their missing clanmates.
"I lose more than return, but I do consider those who find their way home a blessing, like you and Bravebird. I can only wait for their return, and hope that where they are they're safe and happy." Twilightstar replied with a heavy sigh. It wasn't much but it was something, and it was nice to hear someone shared her hope. It was reassuring in some way.
"I'm sure that Lightningstorm would appreciate a reason to smile. I dare say your memory is better than mine, I don't remember every foolish thing our clanmates did in their youth, but I do remember the ones that caused concern, like the time you decided to pick a fight with your mentor." That was one of her most vivid memories because that was her first time having to sort a dispute between a paw and mentor. Perhaps that was because she was so stuck on the bad it was harder to retain the good. Most of her memories revolved around problems. She looked to the past to learn how to better the future. She was fine with that though, she'd leave the silly antics to Crowtooth. "Do go pester her though, preferably when she's not busy, she could use a laugh." Twilightstar purred.
The leader was a bit surprised that no one in starclan had or has bothered with chatting with Crowtooth. "They've given you a second chance at life, and granted you some odd wind gift, I don't know what it is about you, but StarClan seems to favor you, in my opinion." Not to show a lack of appreciation, but as much as she adored this optimist hairball, Twilightstar didn't understand what made StarClan give certain cats second chances and others none. Why did Crowtooth get to defy death and a gift as well? Now that she thought about it, she could see how this 'why me' could drive a cat crazy. "I've no interest in talk to the stars if I don't have to, although if you don't find the answer you are looking for from Lightningstorm and it continues to bug you, my offer will always stand." She meowed kindly
After what happened to Cowtuft and the seven dead the clan lost, she'd rather avoid the stars as much as possible. Twilightstar quickly latched on to the change in topic when Crowtooth mentioned history lessons.
"That sounds like a wonderful idea, it sad how quickly history can be forgotten once a few seasons and new generations come about. Reminders never hurt, although I'd tell them to not start border disputes if it's not in defense, I don't want to deal with them." Every problem they caused always became Twilighstar's. If they weren't defending the borders, no blood should be drawn. She would have to rethink lessons if her clanmates proved too hot-headed to handle them.
At the mention of expanding the tunnels, Twilightstar shifted her front paws a little unease. "I like the idea of pushing into other territories using the tunnels, but it could be problematic if discovered. We'd have to make sure that WindClan's scent can't be traced or detected, and that they'd be hidden well enough that none of our enemies stumble upon the tunnels." That could be a double-edged sword.
"Using them for defense could work if you have a tunneling force or warriors competent enough to use them. As for the starvation idea, that would be a last resort, RiverClan has yet to cause enough trouble to warrant such a tactic." It's not just the warriors that would suffer from starvation. She'd hate to hear that RiverClan lost kits from starvation. It was an agony to live through that.
Quote:
Originally Posted by talle
...She really shouldn't do this. It was pathetic and whiny and all of the things that Bravebird vehemently despised being. Standing at the foot of the Galewood though with her neck craned upwards, she knew she needed to. Her presence in the Clan since her return had been dismal at best, and after the night spent at the Starry Meadow next to the "grave" she had made for Fernpaw, she felt compelled to seek the advice and council of the cat she admired most outside of her mother; Twilightstar.
Despite the beating heart that tried to will her away, whispering that she didn't need to burden her leader with such trivial matters, Brave leapt onto the base of the tree. Her claws found purchase and she scrambled her way up awkwardly, eventually making it to the mouth of the leader's den. Blue eyes gazed in curiously, albeit apprehension kept her paws rooted in place. This was so... stupid, really. "Get it together," she huffed to herself, shaking her head in displeasure. Frankly Brave knew she was acting like a kit with these worries. It was just... difficult to shake them.
"Twilightstar?" she called from the entrance as she padded in slowly, allowing her eyes time to adjust to the gloom. Her injuries from the mink attack had slowly been healing, her eye getting better. Still a fresh scar cut down across it, a reminder of the patrol-gone-wrong. "...If you have a moment, I'd like to speak with you." Once again pushing down her fears and worries the lilac lynx-point turned her gaze to Twilightstar.
[ @Moonraven trying to get back into the feel for brave's character and who better to have her turn to for some advice than the cat she respects most outside of her mama? ]
The leader's full ear swerved towards the cat that entered her den. Her single eye followed closely as Bravebird stepped into her line of sight. She offered the she-cat a warm smile, always happy to see her. The new scar on her face was a sore reminder, but she had yet to hear any news that Bravebird was losing sight in it. Twilightstar had her own new set of scars, but with the numerous ones she always bore, it wasn't easy to tell the new from the old. "Bravebird," She purred sweetly. "Of course, I'll always have a moment for you. What's up?"
[Aw, that's so sweet! Glad that Twi's had such a positive impact on Brave's life. ]
Twilightstar observed the apprentice as he went into detail about his visit. A hint of surprise touched her eye after his statement. Couldn't be a warrior? She's never had anyone say that to her, not in her many seasons as leader. As troubling as it was, the lilac she-cat heard the apprentice out as he went into an explanation.
"Hmm, so you have trouble breathing... sounds like something similar to what Crowtooth has." Twilightstar meowed thoughtfully. She wasn't keen on retiring cats early, especially ones so young like Orangepaw, but she wasn't interested in pushing him if he was set on not being a warrior. However, she didn't want to give up just yet.
"If you've been taking juniper berries, I'm assuming you've informed Lightningstorm of this issue? Did she offer any advice?" The leader quired, faintly wondering if she should see about speaking with Crowtooth about this. He had gotten through his training even with his breathing issues. She wasn't certain if Orangepaw and Crowtooth had the same problem, but it wouldn't hurt to look int it.
Twilightstar scoffed lightly under her breath at Crowtooth's sense of humor. He didn't dwell long on the bad and didn't seem to let anything keep him down long. She wished more cats his persistence. She smiled softly at reassuring words regarding their missing clanmates.
"I lose more than return, but I do consider those who find their way home a blessing, like you and Bravebird. I can only wait for their return, and hope that where they are they're safe and happy." Twilightstar replied with a heavy sigh. It wasn't much but it was something, and it was nice to hear someone shared her hope. It was reassuring in some way.
"I'm sure that Lightningstorm would appreciate a reason to smile. I dare say your memory is better than mine, I don't remember every foolish thing our clanmates did in their youth, but I do remember the ones that caused concern, like the time you decided to pick a fight with your mentor." That was one of her most vivid memories because that was her first time having to sort a dispute between a paw and mentor. Perhaps that was because she was so stuck on the bad it was harder to retain the good. Most of her memories revolved around problems. She looked to the past to learn how to better the future. She was fine with that though, she'd leave the silly antics to Crowtooth. "Do go pester her though, preferably when she's not busy, she could use a laugh." Twilightstar purred.
The leader was a bit surprised that no one in starclan had or has bothered with chatting with Crowtooth. "They've given you a second chance at life, and granted you some odd wind gift, I don't know what it is about you, but StarClan seems to favor you, in my opinion." Not to show a lack of appreciation, but as much as she adored this optimist hairball, Twilightstar didn't understand what made StarClan give certain cats second chances and others none. Why did Crowtooth get to defy death and a gift as well? Now that she thought about it, she could see how this 'why me' could drive a cat crazy. "I've no interest in talk to the stars if I don't have to, although if you don't find the answer you are looking for from Lightningstorm and it continues to bug you, my offer will always stand." She meowed kindly
After what happened to Cowtuft and the seven dead the clan lost, she'd rather avoid the stars as much as possible. Twilightstar quickly latched on to the change in topic when Crowtooth mentioned history lessons.
"That sounds like a wonderful idea, it sad how quickly history can be forgotten once a few seasons and new generations come about. Reminders never hurt, although I'd tell them to not start border disputes if it's not in defense, I don't want to deal with them." Every problem they caused always became Twilighstar's. If they weren't defending the borders, no blood should be drawn. She would have to rethink lessons if her clanmates proved too hot-headed to handle them.
At the mention of expanding the tunnels, Twilightstar shifted her front paws a little unease. "I like the idea of pushing into other territories using the tunnels, but it could be problematic if discovered. We'd have to make sure that WindClan's scent can't be traced or detected, and that they'd be hidden well enough that none of our enemies stumble upon the tunnels." That could be a double-edged sword.
"Using them for defense could work if you have a tunneling force or warriors competent enough to use them. As for the starvation idea, that would be a last resort, RiverClan has yet to cause enough trouble to warrant such a tactic." It's not just the warriors that would suffer from starvation. She'd hate to hear that RiverClan lost kits from starvation. It was an agony to live through that.
The leader's full ear swerved towards the cat that entered her den. Her single eye followed closely as Bravebird stepped into her line of sight. She offered the she-cat a warm smile, always happy to see her. The new scar on her face was a sore reminder, but she had yet to hear any news that Bravebird was losing sight in it. Twilightstar had her own new set of scars, but with the numerous ones she always bore, it wasn't easy to tell the new from the old. "Bravebird," She purred sweetly. "Of course, I'll always have a moment for you. What's up?"
[Aw, that's so sweet! Glad that Twi's had such a positive impact on Brave's life. ]
Orangepaw looked at his bright orange paws. "I've... kinda of talked to her? I mean she knows about it......" He mewed a bit guilty as he gave a small cough. "I don't know if there's any other cat with this..... breathing issue. But I don't want to slow down Redstrike.. he's such a great mentor but I see the flash of disappointment everytime I catch only one or two pieces of prey..."
Orangepaw's eyes widening a small bit he mewed. "Oh um..... also... I know this is off topic but.. Redstrike and me got attacked by a Hawk on the moor... and we ended up killing it. It's a decent sized one but I could tell it was young... I couldn't drag it all the way back so its a tail length or so from the entrance.."
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Last edited by SeonghwasBunnyEars; March 25th, 2024 at 06:05 AM.
Re: WindClan Leader's Den
Re: WindClan Leader's Den
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