[Rose]

Mapleface
She/Her

"Give him to me."

The words seemed to burst out of nowhere .. a motherly instinct, she presumed. But Mapleface didn't take them back. No, she wouldn't back out of it now.

--- Hhhhhh, time to rewind to this post . and start from there because Rose replies very late, whoops. ---

Turning to look at Sharpclaw [ @Woodlow ] as he spoke out, Mapleface tamped down a flare of annoyance and bewilderment as the warrior took her words all wrong. In fact, at this point, he was putting words in her mouth. She hadn't- hadn't meant it that way! "I didn't say you needed to be replaced, Sharpclaw-" However, Mapleface cut off her words as Sharpclaw went on, brow furrowing as a spark of annoyance lit in her heart. He was taking this all wrong. She hadn't called him incompetent. She'd merely told Bumblestar [ @dino. ] that accompanying Sharpclaw and Blazepaw [ @Queen_Coral ] to the border was the best thing to do. Either that, or sending a Hornet with them. It was a way to show the Clan that you cared what happened to them.

Except, Bumblestar's answer was entirely saddening. The leader didn't seem to have seen reason, and Mapleface's mouth tightened at Bumblestar's blatant disregard for the youth who couldn't even hear to defend himself. One of these days, the leader was going to dig herself a hole so deep even her nine lives wouldn't let her claw her way out of. As much as Mapleface despised thinking bad of others... this... she truly didn't understand Bumblestar and her ways.

Shaking her head, the red and white queen didn't even say anything to her leader, instead turning her emerald gaze to Sharpclaw once more. "I'll-" A brief glance, here, towards her kits; Rosekit [ @xavier. ] and Redkit [ @jupiter ]. And then, to her half-brother, Cracklepaw [ @Leafí ]. "Crackles, watch my kids until I get back, will you?" She asked softly, and then moved towards Sharpclaw and Blazepaw. "I'll tag along, then. But not because I doubt you, Sharpclaw." Her voice softened considerably. This tom was only a moon older than her dear Crackles. She could ascertain the similarities. Both of them were stubborn as hell. "I'm joining the two of you because stars knows how many dangers lurk out in the wild."

And... well, it was time to address something else, since Stormpaw was practically begging Bumblestar to let Blazepaw stay. Which brought on the initial words she'd blurted.

"Give him to me."

"I'm a queen, I have kits, I know. But if no one else will step forward to try and mentor him, then I am required to. Give me a chance, let me try to train Blazepaw."