☁ Cloudpaw (she/her) ☁ [ @Zesty Mango | @Kunaiskrill ]

➢ The small fluffy apprentice was silent as she watched Blizzardsky step forward to pay his respects now, having had his tail wrapped around her in a comforting manner only moments before. She closed her eyes and dipped her head, listening to the white-furred Riverclan warrior talk to Kestrelstar. This sacred vigil showed Cloudpaw that many cats cared for the clan leader, more than she could ever realize. It was nice to see that he was loved.

The young black-and-white apprentice gently placed a paw on Blizzardsky’s flank as a silent gesture of support. Her tears had finally stopped, but Cloudpaw still felt this heavy burden of loss and depression hanging over her head. Hearing Nightleap’s voice, the small molly opened her eyes, looking over to see the dark-furred Riverclan queen peering at her. She nodded gently to her words, feeling like anything she could say would not be enough to get her emotions across. The only thing the fluffy shecat could do was look on and console her clanmates as they all mourned together over the loss of their leader. Cloudpaw could only hope Kestrelstar was watching over them from Starclan right now. Would things get better for Riverclan? She didn't know, maybe if she believed enough.

❄ Snowleap (he/them) ❄ [ @poppy. ]

➢ The tall dark-furred Riverclan shield, who had been silently grieving with Raccoonear, Lynxfall and Shadepaw, soon took notice of young Birdpaw. He watched as the small apprentice padded towards Kestrelstar’s body, pausing for only a moment, and then buried her nose into his still gray fur. Snowleap’s gaze flickered over to the acorn that she had rested alongside the clan leader’s belly curve. It seemed like only yesterday the two of them were watching the sunset together and sharing their thoughts on the different seasons. Now both Birdpaw and Snowleap were here, grieving for their beloved friend who was taken from them too soon. Nothing made sense.

His long ears flattened immediately when the oriental longhair heard her sobbing. It was a harsh parallel to her adorable laugh that he had heard once. The sound destroyed him and shattered his delicate heart. There were many cats that came before her. Cloudpaw, Blizzardsky, Moonfrost, Raccoonear, even Shadepaw - all of them had shared tears of sadness for Kestrelstar. But Birdpaw’s was the one who broke them, even as she said goodbye and called the gray-furred tom ‘her bestest buddy’. Snowleap nearly stayed out of it, not wanting to disrupt the molly’s time of mourning, but after seeing Blizzardsky and Moonfrost comfort Cloudpaw as she had sobbed over Kestrelstar’s body, he knew that he had to be that person for Birdpaw. Standing up, the Riverclan tom glanced at his family members that he had been sitting with and then quietly padded over to where Birdpaw was. Her head was buried in her tiny paws and he could still hear her awful muffled bawling. Starclan, please have mercy.

As Snowleap sat down near his dear friend’s body once again, he watched her wail out for Kestrelstar to come back. At this moment, he wished he could bring the clan leader back. For everyone’s sake, including his own. The tall tomcat missed him and didn’t know what to do now that he was gone forever. The least Snowleap could do was console those who were still here with him, right? That’s what Kestrelstar counted on him for as a shield. Surely. Peering down at Birdpaw, who had burrowed herself against the leader’s limp body, Snowleap rested his tail on the young molly, silently letting her know that he was here for her in case she needed someone.

☁ Cloudpaw (she/her) ☁ [ @Kunaiskrill ]

➢ The small fluffy apprentice nodded swiftly to the Riverclan shecat’s offer to tell her a story. She’d love to hear more about Kestrelstar and know the tomcat that she would like to remember as her beloved father-figure. “Y-Yes, please.” Cloudpaw meowed, moving a little closer to Nightleap and peering up at her with a curious gaze.