[Doom]

CROWPAW | THEY/HIM
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When Cinderstar spoke up again, Crowpaw sniffled. They wiped their damp cheeks on their paws and finally lifted their gaze. Originally, they were going to look up at their leader, but when Echosong’s beckoning tail caught their eye, the little apprentice immediately stood and darted over to her. Oh, thank Stars that she was there! Crowpaw did NOT want to spend this sad meeting alone! Once they reached her, they buried their head into her stomach fur, wiping the last of their tears away. The heavy feeling in their chest still lingered, but it got oh-so-much lighter with her by their side. The young apprentice said not a word to their mentor. They simply let her hold them as Cinderstar continued the meeting.

“Being a Clan warrior comes with risks. It comes with danger … I encourage you to come together as a Clan now, and be there for one another. Lean on each other in this moment.”

The whole situation was so foreign to Crowpaw. They struggled so much with the idea of calling themself a Clan cat ever since the day they joined, but at this moment, they were surprised to find themselves grieving in unison with their Clanmates. They didn’t know the cats who died…but they felt the pain of what it was like to lose a member, regardless of if they knew them or not; and that was enough to make Crowpaw cry. It was…also enough to make them feel less alone. They were overwhelmed with a multitude of emotions in this moment, but they made note of how warm and safe they always felt among their Clanmates. It may be dangerous living the Clan lifestyle, but something about it made Crowpaw feel stronger as a feline. And as much as they enjoyed making fun of the weird laws, names, and traditions with their sibling…they really loved how it felt to be a ThunderClan member.

If only Raven was here to feel it with them…

The whole section where Cinderstar spoke more on Skystar and RiverClan was subconsciously blurred-out in Crowpaw’s mind. They just wanted to move on from the sad topics, but still tried hard to focus on the meeting. At the mention of a new rank, Crowpaw’s ears perked up. What?! They finally lifted their misty gaze toward the Thunderwillow, sadness fading. “ThunderClan’s Keepers…” Crowpaw quietly echoed the title in awe. They sounded so…cool and important! Six cats were named, none of which they had formally met yet, and Crowpaw knew that would have to change. I HAVE to meet these Keeper Cats!!

As a few of their Clanmates chanted the Keeper’s names, Crowpaw decided to join in, hoping to help clear the air of all this sad, tense, and negative energy. “Moosecrash! Batblood! Nectarflame! Birchheart! Sunshadow! Bumblebreak! WOOOOHOO!” They stood on their hind legs so their voice could carry better, but inevitably fell backwards at Echosong’s side. Quickly squirming back on their paws, Crowpaw shot a sheepish smile at their mentor, then quickly glanced back at the new Keepers. Hope no one saw that...!

Wow. These cats were really lucky to be this adored and needed by the entire Clan. Wouldn’t it be great if…one day…Crowpaw became a cat this important to ThunderClan? Maybe that should be their goal in life (other than collecting things, of course) — to become a strong and admired cat in their Clan! Crowpaw puffed their chest at this decision. One day, these cats will cheer MY name! And I'll protect ThunderClan with ALL my might!

// @Rockfall \\