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**taillow** · #**17694** June 25th, 2022, 04:56 PM

Cinderstar
Confusion settled in as she picked up a little bit of... something from the young cat, but dismissed it quickly. "...Because as I and I am sure your mentor noticed, you disappeared right after. Now please, if you continue to lie about why you left the Clan to wander through the territory it will only continue to dig your hole." Her gaze turned from soft to stern as she continued to watch the she-cat. She liked to think of herself as a pretty lenient leader, but lying was something she had always particularly disliked.

Cinderstar
It was easy to distinguish the scent of lies when one had been alive as long as Cinderstar had. She narrowed her blue eyes towards Moonstep, her stub of a tail flicking side to side. There was no inkling of an idea as to the food excuse - their pile had been pretty well stocked during the times both of them had gone missing - and getting lost as full grown warriors was despicable at best.

"So you mean to tell me," Cinderstar began after they had both finished their stories, "that two full grown warriors who are perfectly capable of hunting for their Clan got lost?" Blue gaze shifting to Moonstep, there was a hint if disbelief. "And I am not sure what kind of cats you take ThunderClan for, but the territory was patrolled and the camp has been watched over. You did not fall asleep anywhere near the camp, let alone the nursery."

Cinderstar fell silent to allow her thoughts to sink into the cats before her. How did full grown cats, full grown warriors at that, get lost in their own territory? It made no sense, and something in her gut felt off about this - starting with how they had just padded back into camp expecting all to be forgiven. "One of the lessons that ThunderClan cats must undergo when becoming a warrior," she added, "is tree climbing. During your fox chase, did it not occur you to utilize this specific skillset?"

Quote:

Originally Posted by Estelle

[ I was hoping to age her a bit differently - since she was still pretty young upon disappearing, the transition of kid to full on adult just felt a bit too sudden. I was thinking of 15-16 moons? That way her age is doubled, but isn't quite yet fully grown - would that be alright? Also apologies for the ramble ]

Ooookaaayyyy. No one yet. That was fine. Completely fine. She'd just... Sit. And wait. Patiently. When suddenly. Fur prickling up just as her one ear, just as was going to allow herself to sit, Flamepaw heard a voice calling her name. It took a bit of digging and actually seeing to molly before she realised:
"Cin-Cindersky!"
With a squeaky voice the apprentice exclaimed. But what else did she expect? Her fur fell back flat and any tension from her shoulders dropped. And her head dropped further, as if trying to fold in on herself upon the inevitable question of her absence. Flamepaw tried to pull a smile, but that really just ended in an awkward expression of shame.

"um.. Well-- do you-- um..Do you know where Buckstar is..?"
She questioned instead, yellow eyes turning back to look at Cinderstar. Yet only a few moments were needed for her to realise. He probably wasn't leader anymore, was he? It'd be on point with ThunderClan's leader record. Any signs of an awkward smile fell from her face. Had death taken him? She shook the idea off. No no, no getting ahead.
"Ooorr... Is it no longer Buckstar..?"

That... Well then. She shuffled her front paws a moment before taking a deep breath. No point in stalling, might as well explain where she had been.
"Um.. So.. Where I was.. Well.. I don't- I'm not.. sure where to start, but.."

She took a deep breath. Better get it over with.
"Well.. It was. I think... My first.. Or no, second gathering. But I hadn't been shown the territory yet -- it is important to the explanation. You.. You see, I um- I'm not exactly sure what happened, it... It's blurry. Very blurry. But I guess I couldn't keep up and got lost..? Ei-either way, I didn't know where anyone was and-and I was really tired so eventually I fell asleep right, but I - I had this dream. Nightmare. ThunderClan.. was up in flames again. Everyone was burning and screaming and dying and I got scared. I thought.. I thought it was real - you know, that.. There was no ThunderClan anymore. That it was some sort of sign, so.. So I left? I-I guess I was too afraid to return to my home burned down and everyone dead so.. So yeah. I.. ended up with some twoleg that had a lot of cats. A bunch of them were... Weird. Just lay around, stunk, doing nothing.. I-I spend a lot time outside, behind the fence because of that. Or I guess that's not really important to what happened.. So-sorry, I..I get nervous. um- Well... Basically, I started feeling guilty. Very very very guilty. For not even checking, you know? And.. When at some point this cat came by and, and I spoke to them. They helped me realise I should go back. E-even if everything was burned down and dead and no one alive anymore and I was alone, even if it had been so long I should go back and check -- and, and I did. It wasn't immediate, but.. But I managed to leave and.. And I am here. Now, I am here. And.. And you are here. I.. Sorry. I should have checked in the first place.
I'm sorry I'm sorry I'm sorry. Please forgive me, e-even if I'm not allowed back, please. I know it was stupid, I've- I've learned my lesson so please, please please. I'm sorry."
Shutting her eyes she lowered her head, ears flat against her head. She didn't dare look now - not after such a ramble, not after admitting her shameful act.

Cinderstar
Her warrior name - it didn't shock her since the young cat before her had no way of knowing any recent events. The question about Buckstar only solidified that, and she softened her gaze. "Much has happened since you were last with us. Buckstar died, and ThunderClan went through a pawful of leaders and deputies, with the latest being myself. I'm Cinderstar now." Just as always, a little prickle of guilt trapped itself in her heart at the small lie. Sure, she was ThunderClan's leader - but it was only in rank and name. "He was sent back, however, and has returned to us as Buckbranch."
Hopefully that piece of news would soften the blow of his descent from leadership.

If one thing was clear from the apprentices' ramble, it was that she was genuine in her apology. Most cats weren't, and offered their 'sorries' as a way to win favor back into the Clan. Flamepaw had nothing else to gain her but acceptance back into her home, and with the turmoil that ThunderClan had faced for as long as she could remember, faulting her for mistakes made by warriors would be highly unfair.

Stepping forward Cinderstar attempted to touch her nose to the young cat's ear in a show of comfort. "It's alright, Flamepaw. There is no need to apologize. For many moons, the warriors of ThunderClan let fall their duties, and it is not your fault that your training slipped as a result." With things how they were now, Cinderstar knew it was unlikely to happen again.

"Luckily, fire has seen fit to stay far away from our Clan, and much has changed." She smiled, taking a seat as if to show Flamepaw that it was alright to relax a little. "Apprentice training is our Clans priority, and now if your mentor is unable to provide you the necessary tools we have warriors who are ready to step up to assist." A bit of pride in speaking of such things. With a flash of her blue gaze, she tipped her head to the side a bit. "We all make mistakes, though I am quite positive having to endure not knowing the fate of your Clanmates has been punishment enough for your absence."

[ That's alright with me, yeah!

]

Cinderstar
Having been pacing outside of the camp's entrance, Cinderstar scented the young kit before her presence broke through the undergrowth. Her gaze snapped over to take in the trembling form of Emberkit. Almost instantly her heart softened and she crouched down, a gentle smile unfolding on her face to encourage the young kit. "Emberkit, where have you been? We have all been worried sick!"