Originally Posted by Dirtfur (Post 1264815)

Nodding, the once-dirt covered cat laid down and stared at Eelkit, and opened his mouth to tell all his thoughts that troubled him, the thoughts that made him visit here. He froze for a heartbeat, remembering that he was talking to a kit, but finally started to bring out words as he realized that the kit had been in StarClan for a long time; Eelkit knew how things work and likely can handle Dirtfur’s lonely thoughts. “I think I did the right thing to move on and accept my mistakes, but I still miss them, my family. And not just Skystar and Sunpaw; I meant every cat in RiverClan, formerly or not.”

The large StarClan cat looked up at the sky, finished with telling his thoughts. His aching heart no longer throbbed with pain. He felt like he just lifted a weight-full-of-fears off of his shoulders. “And you? What kind of thoughts are you thinking about right now?” It was not a question Dirtfur would ask. Normally he would leave others alone, not wanting to make them uncomfortable. However, he had thought that if Eelkit would share his thoughts, too, then maybe both cats would feel better instead of one.

Originally Posted by Ritsuka (Post 1264853)

Eelkit listened quietly as Dirtfur spilled out his thoughts to him, green eyes bearing into the bigger tom while he talked. Ah, he'd heard of that before. More often then not, a lot of StarClan cats often feel homesick or miss their family, even if they were also in StarClan, but it was something they had to deal with. Dirtfur most likely knew that was well, from the looks of it.

"Well, it's not bad to miss them," Eelkit offered, ignoring Dirtfur's question to him and his own plight and instead focusing on the former RiverClan tom. It was always easier talking to and helping other with their problems rather than his own, the kitten realized. "You can still watch over them, and you can also visit them in their dreams. And, even if their offers very little comfort, everyone ends up in StarClan at one point, right? Well, almost everyone..."

Originally Posted by Dirtfur (Post 1265424)

A proud smile formed on Dirtfur’s face as he watched Eelkit ignore his question and comforted him. The former deputy waited for Eelkit to finish before Dirtfur could assure the old kit. “I thank you for your generous comforts to help with my thoughts, but I must graciously decline your further attempts to soothe my mind.

“It is good to help others, but there is a time where you should take care of yourself and let someone else try to help with your thoughts instead of being the one helping others. Your mental health can be just as important as our peers,” said Dirtfur with a tone that echoed with experience from his time where he was a RiverClan warrior.

(Sorry about the colors, looking for a good color that fits Dirtfur lol)

Originally Posted by Ritsuka (Post 1265519)

"Perhaps..." Eelkit trailed off, his voice edged with uncertainty. He knew that: spending over one hundred moons in StarClan and watching over the Clans had gifted him with knowledge, whether he wanted it or not (and right now, he really didn't want it...). He knew it was much better for everyone involved to talk about his feelings... But he wasn't willing to give in just yet. And certainly not to a cat he had only just recently been talking to.

"I'm not too sure about talking about this, especially since it's in the past and already happened... But you've been here less time than I. Surely you've still got your own thoughts and regrets, right?"

Originally Posted by Dirtfur (Post 1268961)

His heart ached for the second spirit as Dirtfur once again faced a bashful Eelkit. He repressed the urge to open his maw again to get the kit to speak about his thoughts and instead went along with his questions. “I do, I do indeed. But I try hard not to dwell on them and talk about it with friends when necessary.”

Originally Posted by Ritsuka (Post 1269020)

"Trying to not dwell on them is easy, but it's not good for you. Facing it is hard, but better in the long run. Tell me: which do you prefer?" Eelkit said, not looking at Dirtfur. He stared out at the little area they were in for a few silent moments before he sighed, opening his maw to speak once more. "Talking to friends might help but, in the end, if you don't acknowledge or do anything about it, is it really helping? I doubt it, especially if it's a heavy topic. You better remember that."

Originally Posted by Dirtfur (Post 1273602)

Dirtfur hid his surprise at the kit’s wisdom, where his eyes are the only sources that betray this feeling. He tried not to act astonished to see a kit act like a wise elder, especially when the kit had been in StarClan for many, many moons. The former deputy stared at Eelkit and thought about the choice he would choose. When decided, he opened his mouth… but closed his maw when Eelkit started to speak again.

All Dirtfur could do was put on a sad smile. He wondered what kind of experiences Eelkit had experienced in his lifetime and in the afterlife. Well, I guess I won’t be able to do anything about my problems, he thought half-jokingly. “Well,” Dirtfur spoke up at last. “What about both? Talking with your friends while you do something about it, and better yet, the friends can help you by doing something that isn’t talking.”

Originally Posted by Ritsuka (Post 1273606)

Eelkit noticed Dirtfur's stunned silence but said nothing, only acknowledging it with a barely noticeable smirk on the corner of his lips. He had the body of a kit, but he had the wisdom of a senior warrior, or even an elder. He knew that, and he always relished the expressions on other cats when they realized that.

Once Dirtfur began to talk again, Eelkit hummed, tilting his head thoughtfully. The former deputy had a point. Both would do much better in the long run. "Well, it could, but you have to make sure you're doing the right thing, right? Can't have you decide to do something detrimental and have your friends support that, right? Or worse, have friends that urge you to do so. And really, when all's said and done, you might say that you'll listen to your friends but, deep down, no matter what you think or say, you'll just go with what you want to believe. Tell me: are you one to acknowledge and go forward, or to flinch and remained trapped? What kind of cat are you, Dirtfur?"

Originally Posted by Dirtfur (Post 1273641)

He listened again to another of Eelkit’s wise rambles. Dirtfur grew worried for the kit, thinking that he was thinking too deep, but at the end of it all, Dirtfur understood Eelkit. “I would say I’m more likely to flinch and remain trapped,” he admitted, remembering his past as a living cat. “What about you, Eelkit?”

Originally Posted by Ritsuka (Post 1273649)

"I'm not sure," Eelkit answered honestly, looking away from the older cat for a moment before flicking his gaze back, bright green eyes staring right at Dirtfur. "I've not been put into those sorts of situations too often, especially when I was alive," he added with a bitter smile, finding sudden interest in a random blade of grass. "But I'm not too fond of being trapped, whether physically or mentally. I don't think I'd be willing to submit like that."