Dusk
 

Dusk paused. She wasn't really much different than the other cats up here. Despite the fact she was a loner in life, she still got to go to a cushy little afterlife like this. It felt humiliating, the way she'd died. She'd been murdered in cold blood by the Shadowclan leader Dawnstar, for trying to feed her kits.

Her kits.

Dusk's eyes widened for a moment. She had.. never really met them properly, had she? Moonfreckle always hid away Ash, and Dusk was always so exhausted from their constant arguments to pay any mind to Nettle aside from the bare necessities. This was what made her different. She wanted to meet her kits. She knew they weren't in Starclan — but what happened to them?

Dusk took a deep breath, and began to speak.

"My name is Dusk, and I was a loner in life. I may not appear to be much different from the other cats here, but in life I struggled greatly. My family was in shambles when I was alive. My mate had stopped me from looking after our kits - we argued all the time, and he stole one of them to raise himself - it was exhausting at the time, but I realise now that I have never been able to.. truly meet my own children."

She felt tears start to well up in her eyes, but she tried her best to push them back.

"I want to be able to see my kits again. Properly. I want to be with them - watch them grow. I want not only a second chance at life, but a second chance at motherhood. Can I not have that?" she continued, and she felt her paws trembling under the eyes of the Covenant as she tried to look strong.

Re: Dusk
 

[ Silverfox | He/Him | Darkforest | Formerly Windclan ]

The figure watched from a distance, with their chin resting on their paw and their tail slowly twirling around behind them, seemingly uninterested as the newcomer introduced themselves. The darkness of the afterlife obscured their full form, but those vivid orange eyes easily cut through it all, clearly displaying their eyes rolling back into their skull when she started her reasoning.

Lean legs moved and shoulders rose as she kept talking, with the tom not even bothering to let her finish before skulking down to meet her sorry soul.

"Should your kits have that?" Silverfox questioned, flicking an agitated ear. His expression read unimpressed, and his question seemed more like a demand. Not only did this cat lead a boring life while living, but they didn't even seem to fight for it. The only mildly captivating events they ever seemed to have was their argument with their mate, which was barely worthy of attention, and their 'fight' at the claws of the Shadowclan leader. Even then, that was only notable because someone died in the battle, being this lacklustre individual.

She was another sob story, if you could even call it that. Not much had really happened in her life, and Silverfox doubted more would happen for her. Even so, this process didn't just have to be a judgement of her past, it could also be a preparation for her future.

"I know you want this for your kits and all," The warden mewed, contempt for the weak cat replaced with a reassuring face. He came to sit beside her, as if having a heart-to-heart conversation. "But going back the same way will only spell out doom a second time, you know that." As quickly as he took a moment to slow down, the silver tom was back up on his paws again, an enthusiastic smile on his muzzle.

"You could hope for more, but that won't make it happen. There are plenty of other mothers here that have 'hope' no different to you, so come on, tell me- show me, what you'll do for your kits!" Silverfox mewed excitedly, as if motivated for the mother to return and reunite with her kits. Frankly, he didn't have a care about what happened if the mother returned, but if she was anything like she is now there was good chance that nothing would happen at all. How boring it would be to be given another life, and then not do anything with it.

( @kairosclerosis , @c1nder , @SuspiciousMindz )

Re: Dusk
 

Dusk grumbled as the dark spirit spoke. He had no clue what he was talking about. But he got one thing right — this wasn’t a time for a sob story, and Dusk desperately needed to find another way to convince the Covenant.
She paused, and exhaled, disgruntled, before giving the cats around her a glassy stare.
“Listen, you don’t even know a bit of what my life was like.” she hissed. “I had to fight to even see one of my kits, let alone care for him! I want- no, need a second chance, for me and for them. My kits may already be grown, but I want to be there for them. And that’s not all; I want to be able to properly, and I mean properly, care for them. I want to look into their eyes and tell them that I’m finally here for them, and that nobody can stop me.”
She flexed her claws in and out as she spoke. Of course, Starclan cats could already do this in their kin’s dreams and, at times, even appearing to them as ghosts. But it wasn’t enough.
“And i’m not the sad little loner she-cat who dotes on her kits you might think I am. No. It’s true; I never got the chance to watch them grow up. None of a lot of us queens did. And I think it’s unfair. If I should have to be killed just for trying my best to finally care for them after all the moons of them being locked away, and then never be able to see them again —“ she continued, before hissing out the next word.
“PROPERLY, cause I don’t care about these ‘spiritual encounters’ or ‘spiritual dreams’ — I don’t think that’s right. It’s the bare minimum. And just because I did love them with all of my heart, even in my dying moments, you’d better not think I’m only doing this for them, even if I do in fact care for them dearly, thank you very much, I want this for myself too. I want to live my life properly, even if I do know I’ll die again. When that happens, I’ll die happy. No matter what. Because I’ll know that I was finally given a second chance — that I made a real, real impact on those around me. I’ll die content with what I’ve done. But that’s not how I died before — I died unhappy and unfulfilled. It’s not right. And I need you to listen, listen real close: You all did things in your lives — great big things you got to see impact everyone else. But you can’t subject cats to an afterlife of false paradise, an afterlife of unhappiness and unfulfilment, knowing they could’ve done something great in this wide wide world and yet their lives were cut short.”
She paused to regain her breath.
“I might as well be one of those cats. Do you think that’s fair? Because I sure don’t, and I think anyone who disagrees with that might as well be rotting in the dark forest — oh wait, this guy already is! Who even let you in here?” she questioned Silverfox.

@Cloverspring (still open to other wardens)

Re: Dusk
 

Re: Dusk
 

Dusk’s calm expression, albeit slightly (well, no, EXTREMELY) poisoned with the anger from these cats seemingly not listening to a word she said, suddenly darkened further as Lichenflood spoke. Had he completely ignored what she’d been meowing about for the last few moments — the whole reason she was here? She’d already said she didn’t want to only see her kits grow through sporadic dreams and spiritual appearances in the waking world — it was like how her mate Moonfreckle had behaved when he was alive, only coming to see their kits every once in a while, if at all. Was this how Lichenflood wanted Dusk to be? She hissed to herself as she thought for a moment. And Moonfreckle? In what was basically his last sentence, the Warden had said he was all-knowing, but he still.. thought Moonfreckle was alive? This was ridiculous. Moonfreckle’s was long dead, and not even the main controller of his body! It was.. the Quasar.
Oh, Starclan. The Quasar.
It hated the Covenant. It hated it with a passion, and Dusk knew it. If it found out she was resurrected, what would it do? This was.. very concerning, but Dusk knew she couldn’t back down now. She needed to see her kits. She needed to live her life again, no matter the cost.
She took a deep breath through the deep growl rising in her throat, and looked around to the cats surrounding her with a new state of mind, and a new expression plastered clearly on her face. Indignance.

An anger inside her had been bubbling for a very, VERY long time.
Now, it had finally spilt out.

And she was ready to wage war on these cats if it meant she could return back to her life.

Dusk turned to Lichenflood specifically,
“Now listen here you little foxheart — do you really think you know everything? You’re wrong. You can’t even listen to a she-cat when she says she wants to be alive when she wants to talk to her own kits! Has your decrepit mind been filled with bees in your brain’s absence? It’s clear that’s the case, since everything I’ve said to you has apparently gone through one ear and out the other! Moonfreckle is dead, I’m glad for it, but I also don’t want to magically appear to my kits once every seven leafbares or whatever like their deadbeat father. I am willing to do anything to be resurrected. Anything to see my kits again. Properly. And I know they’ll want me. The days before I died, I was all they had. I protected them with my life. That’s why I’m here today.”
She paused for a moment. Had she.. really said all that? It felt good, yes, but she might’ve gone a bit too far. Reviewing her previous words quickly in her mind, she then shrugged momentarily. These mousebrains deserved it.

But now she needed to answer the warden’s question. Where would she go? Thinking for a second, she continued shortly after.
“I’ll try and join the Clans. I don’t know where they are right now, but I hope they’re safe. I know they’re not dead, I’d see them up here in Starclan or stars-forbid the Dark Forest if they were. But there’s one thing that’s for certain; I know they need me. Things are happening in the Clans. I’ve seen it. I have seen the Clans from time to time, and tensions are rising. The war on Riverclan, Quasar making its way to Thunderclan and terrorising the folk there, the constant chaos, the fear — my kits need me, even though they’re grown. And I need them. To be with them. To know, for once and forever, that they’re okay. That I can see them every morning until I die.. again. But I’ll die fulfilled. I’ll die content with what I’ve done.” She stopped, eyes narrowing.

“And I promise you that.”

@Cloverspring @c1nder

Re: Dusk
 

Re: Dusk
 

Dusk paused.
Oh. She was in trouble now.
Deep, deep trouble.
Maybe she should’ve held her tongue for a moment. Well, this was just how she acted. Maybe.. this was why her kits might hate her now. Did they hate her? Dusk had no clue. She just had to hope for the best. But right now she’d dug herself into a hole bigger than a badger sett. She was in DEEP foxdung.
She had to get out of this mess, and fast.
Clearing her throat, she quickly started to explain herself.
“Listen, listen- I’m sorry, I didn’t mean to be so harsh just a moment ago. But what I will say is that if you’re going to make claim as bold as ‘seeing almost everything that’s ever happened’ then you’ve got to at least get your facts right.” She began, an edge of her remaining harshness lingering in her final words.
“Okay, now I’ll get to the point; won’t keep you waiting much longer.” Dusk added.
“If you’re just gonna assume that I’ll be a clan hopper just because of my loner..ness.. then you’re wrong. I’m devoted to my kits, and wherever they go I’ll go. I’ll stay with them, and if they ever need my help, I’ll be with them every step of the way. I would be a good mother. Is it so wrong to care about your kits even when they’re grown? I don’t think so. So much for caring for your clan — caring for a family’s just the same, if not even more important if you get to that point. Grown-up kits still need their parents, and regardless I want to make up for lost time in general. They didn’t know me for very long, one of them even less than the other.” She spoke on and on, trying her best to prove her own point with.. as little rudeness as possible. She wasn’t doing a good job.
She just had to hope the Wardens could understand what she was saying, and see her in a (hopefully even slightly) new light.
“I have more I could say, but I don’t know if you’re all still accepting of my input.” She added.

@Cloverspring @c1nder @SuspiciousMindz

Re: Dusk
 

Re: Dusk
 

[ Silverfox | He/Him | Darkforest | Formerly Windclan ]

The warden had been grinning wildly the whole time... up until now.

Those ferocious outbursts were the exact kind of response Silverfox was looking for, and he had been had been deliciously relishing in them too. Watching as that intensity carried over to the next warden was thrilling as well. The way she ripped into Lichenflood, oh ho ho! The tom almost found himself cheering her on from the side!

But now? He glared down upon her begging- blubbering form, wondering if this was the same cat. What happened to that fury from before? That fire? That determination? Silverfox almost felt betrayed, in a sense. If her passion was as easy to extinguish as it was to ignite, then what's to say she wouldn't be the same boring cat again if she was sent back?

Still, her unpredictable actions had easily gotten a reaction out of Lichenflood and Daisypool, which isn't something to ignore. He just- hadn't been convinced of the whole 'fighting-for-her-kits' argument, if it was meant to be a reflection of her 'strong-will'. Out of her whole monotonous life, two intense screams of her motherly love didn't really seem to be much of a fight for her kits. It wasn't even a very interesting argument itself, if he were to be blunt.
But, there was always a possibility that this was all an act. If it was, then she was a poor performer, but she made for some interesting happenings. How curious of an idea, for this to all be for show. Maybe it was because she had a different plan for the living world, one she was trying not to reveal for fear of rejection.

Silverfox's enthusiastic grin returned, head tilting upward in thought and deliberation. The warden twirled his striped tail and flicked it forward, beckoning her to continue. 'You've already got one no, you might as well go ahead and spill.' He thought to himself.

( @kairosclerosis , @c1nder , @SuspiciousMindz )

Re: Dusk
 

They had refused. Not fully, but to Dusk, it felt full.

Well.. that wasn’t what Dusk was expecting. At all, really.
To be fair, she wasn’t at all expecting a full yes anyway. Somewhere in the middle would’ve been what she was thinking.
Yeahh.. maybe her standards were too high for this. A far contrast to her standards for living, hm? Well, it was over now.
But she was still a bit ticked off.
“Stupid questions get stupid answers.” she mewed softly. “If you’re going to say incorrect things while saying you see everything, why bother bluffing when you know you aren’t in the right? It’s almost as if you’re as dumb as the rest of us Starclanners. Maybe some cats here know their stuff. I know at least one cat who does. But certainly none of you do.”

Turning around with a flick of her tail, she began padding off without a word.
Suddenly, she paused, and calmly turned her head to face the Wardens once more.
“I’m willing to bet none of you deserve to be Wardens, to control other cats’ fates — you only got here because you’re all old and horrible to those you deem ‘unworthy’ of life, all because you’re too selfish to realise you’re just the same as the rest of us. Stuck in a fake paradise where we’ll never be able to see our families again, or worse rotting in a muddy ditch for the foreseeable future, like a couple of you I’ve seen here already. I’m not sorry for any of your mouse-hearted asses.” Dusk hissed, becoming ever harsher with every word.

“Moon- no, The Quasar’s right — the Covenant is just a dirty mass of fox-hearts with bigger mouths than brains.”
Her final sentence culminated into a fierce growl.
“You’ll all find yourselves back rotting in the Dark Forest in time.”
@c1nder @Cloverspring @SuspiciousMindz