ThunderClan Stormcrest - Page 221

***iliri*** · #**2201** May 26th, 2024, 09:05 PM

Just as Bumbles began speaking, the calico began to intently listen to what her leader needed to say. It was a little surprising that this meeting wasn’t going to contain any specific ceremonies, but Springlight suspected that, to be fairly honest. Kits wouldn't want to get themselves caught up in this mess this early in the morning. Then again, neither would she, she wasn't someone for wanting to cause unnecessary drama unless it was for her capability to defend herself. Most of what Bumblestar had to say was news that Springlight was fully aware of, and it was news that left her feeling pitifully sick to her stomach. The entire event of Fallownose’s murder was just sick and twisted in general. RiverClan had no right to downright murder a deputy with cold blood, and Dusklion with her huge ego, Springlight wouldn't be surprised if she went out and committed another murder again. It didn't help that Fadingsun did not even bother to stand up in defense of the deputy after she was called out. All it did was just show how truly disoriented the clan had truly come to be. It was saddening, really. The clan could've been something great in the past, only to be nothing but a group of rogues messily keeping themselves together with what little remains they have left in their destroyed hierarchy.

What really caught her attention was the reason why Bumblestar had to stay behind to speak with both Dawnstar and Twilightstar. What the calico had heard wasn't something she was awfully surprised about. Driving RiverClan out of their own territory seemed rash, but given how they have been, it only felt necessary for them to learn how much of a pain in the tail they have been for the last few moons and longer. Consistent murders, zero remorse, all they have been doing is consistently hideous encirclements of crows pecking away at flesh and bone. Murder, though it has no tongue, will speak with the most miraculous organ. It was a complicated statement, but it was undeniably true given the scenario that they were in. Bumblestar’s rage for what RiverClan has done was reasonable, and the fueling rage for the otter-dwellers on what they’ve done only grew by the passing second. Springlight could only think of the gathering before she left. She had gotten a brief look at Dusklion’s face before her departure. After Twilightstar had called her out, she had looked incensed. Would an innocent cat have looked that way? Maybe so for being wrongfully accused, but her pitiful attempts at defending herself didn't cover up the fact that she had truly murdered Fallownose. No motive had been revealed, only for just the doings of a cat with a blackguard heart. She held no guilty consciousness, and that was that.

Regaining Cattail Pond again felt fairly odd given that they had just given the piece of territory back to RiverClan, but she suspected that would be a good thing given the piece of territory was useful during the time it was in ThunderClan’s paws. A good portion of herbs were common there, and she wouldn't mind sending herself or a group of warriors over there to collect the herbs she required. Even with the pros out of the way, there were still cons. She felt suspicious wanting to go over there if the badgers were still roaming the area. Hell, she never actually encountered a badger before in her life, and she never planned on doing so. If it was going to be a brief keeping of the piece of territory, she hoped that some usage would be coming from it. Hopefully, RiverClan would start actually learning their lesson during this moment of rethinking and organization. They needed to stop swallowing themselves in their own ego and start opening up their eyes. If they didn't, then all they were going to do was keep falling down that rabbit hole that they had seemingly dug themselves into. All Springlight could do was hope that they could actually get themselves out of that sinkhole they got themselves in. She knew full well that she was going to be participating in the battle to assist her clan in healing the wounded. There wasn't any way in hell that she would allow herself to not bother coming along with helping her clan. If cats wanted to stay behind, fine, but she wasn’t allowing herself to stay and have her clan-mates come back scathed.

Hearing they might be taking in cats of RiverClan who don’t find their home suitable to live in didn't really seem like a horrible idea. Even with Bumblestar giving out the idea, the calico could already sense the horrible responses that may withstand the idea due to the already heavy tensions with RiverClan. Before she could suspect the worst, she overheard Mudhound beginning to speak up, trying to get everyone to listen before making any decisions that they would obviously regret. She ignored the fact that Mudhound clearly had ShadowClan in their bloodline, as the medicine cat herself didn’t see bloodline as something that changed who they were. They were correct about the fact that kits and apprentices were innocent due to being born in a clan that was bad, and it wasn’t their fault because of it. To add to it, she had only recently learned from a dream visit from her own biological mother that her father was a RiverClan cat, let alone him being Falconfeather. Springlight felt bitter thinking about it, but she herself was half RiverClan herself, even though she was a priority ThunderClan. She didn’t want to believe it at first, but after putting two to two of how gradually similar they both have looked, and she did contain some barely notable features that aRiverClan cat would have, she found herself giving in to the fact. She gave the tripod a smile, not knowing if they would notice it or not, to give her own agreement towards their statement. Any member of another clan would find their belonging here if their own clan wasn’t the one they felt belonged in.

Her thoughts about the Hornet’s words died as soon as she heard Lioncrest begin to voice out his own opinions, the calico noting both his presence alongside her mother. The sight of Dovefluff made her stomach curl uneasily, and she wasn’t certain of the reason why. It could be just the fact that she hadn't been necessarily bonding with her mother as much as she wished to. She had been far too focused on her duties to take into account family bonding time. It was something that was needed, as she missed the comfort within her mother’s grasp, but she had been so focused on being a medicine cat that she hadn't held any time to spend with her family. Was it an act of selfishness? She didn't think so. Shaking her mind off the thought, she focused more on the words pouring out of Lioncrest’s maw and found herself surprisingly in a mix. While she agreed with some of his indictments, the rest was something she found herself turning her nose away from. RiverClan kits and queens deserved to be sheltered within the same den as their own and to be treated as if they were ThunderClan clan-mates, not as outcasts. Apprentices and warriors being set to do extra tasks felt rather… rash, but she could see why he said it in that light. They probably aren't trustworthy and could go behind their backs like how Thrushkit had. The herbalist found herself sinking her claws into the depths of the soil beneath her paws to try to accumulate her storming emotions. If any of the cats they took in behaved like that, she surely wouldn't allow them to stay, an act of mercy or not.

Springlight focused back up towards Bumblestar, reading her expression after she listened to her clan-mates bickering. She chose to ignore the final statement that Lioncrest spoke towards her mother as all it did was make her stomach swirl uneasily with guilt and jealousy. Where did it come from? She didn't know. Was it for the fact that she didn't spend as much time with her mother anymore? Maybe. It was all confusing and conflicting, making her head churn itself around in consistent circles. She chose to shake her head to ignore the impending thoughts looking over her head, only casting a small glance towards her mother before locking back towards the ThunderClan leader, making her ears fully erect to listen to what she was to say of her clan’s decisions. She agreed with the terms of kits and apprentices being allowed into ThunderClan, given that they were just young and wouldn't do any possible harm. Then again, Springlight didn't know. Her trust in others was relatively slim, especially after the whole incident with Thrushkit. Other than that, it seemed that they may also be taking in younger warriors, which would be a job handled by Wolfhive. Not that she was surprised, he was a reliable warrior, after all. It wasn't surprising that Bumblestar was against Lioncrest’s idea of having the queens and kits in a completely separate den. It just sounds like a complete waste of time and materials. At least Bimblestar was considerate of her decision to let the queens and kits stay in the nursery even if she didn't bear any trust in them, which Springlight felt made sense.

The next set of information was stuff that Springlight felt was expected. All it was was just information about who was going to be accompanying the battle and what was to be expected. It was obvious that apprentices bearing very little battle training or younger than six moons would stay behind while any apprentices who had battle training would participate. What did surprise her was Bumblestar allowing anyone to target their medicine cats. Wasn't that what caused a whole ruckus at Herondive Hollow with Ivysnake’s death? Then again, the more that the calico thought about it, the more she understood. They attacked both herself and Drizzlecloud, and they didn't show a single ounce of remorse for their cowardly actions. She supposed it would be necessary for them to get a taste of their own medicine. Maybe some cats could snag a few herbs or so? It was a grim and a big low blow, but if they were targeting their herb storages, then that would be its upbringing. Enough to pay back for stealing Drizzlecloud’s herbs after she was down, that's all. Moving on from that, the calico perked her head up in surprise to hear that guards would be placed on herself and Drizzlecloud at all times. She felt faintly curious about whom they may be until her answers came quick and clean.

Drizzlecloud will be guarded by both Nightgaze and Snakepelt, while she is guarded by Sproutfleck and… Orangeblossom. She wasn't certain of why, but she swore she felt her paws go light and her heart jump to her throat as soon as she heard his name. She held no envy against the tom, but just the fact that she was going to be around him felt odd. Maybe it was just from his demeanor? His overall personality? It was all questionable, yet Bumblestar’s words fell on deaf ears as she faintly heard her tell the guards what to do during the battle. They would need to be by their side, without leaving them unless necessary. Springlight forcefully swallowed down the thickened bile in her throat as she looked around the crowd, looking for the familiar shades of ginger and brown from Orangeblossom’s curly pelt. There wasn't a lot for Bumblestar to say soon after since she stated that they would scout through RiverClan territory and reclaim Cattail Pond and any other piece of territory they felt suitable. The herbalist would’ve been curious about it, but her curiosity for the new temporary pieces of territory, but found herself more focused on seeing the tom after the meeting was over. She felt bad, really, but she was more focused on seeing him listening to what was needed.

Thankfully, her moment of guilt deteriorated as Bumblestar called off the meeting, the calico nodding towards the tabby briefly before weaving her way through the departing crowd. Focusing her blue gaze onto Orangeblossom’s emerald green, she found her chest twisting momentarily as she found herself letting out an amusing purr as she bumped her head lightly against his. “Well… well… well… Orangeblossom… you are… gonna be… with me… how do… you feel… about that?” She purred teasingly as she sat down next to him, cocking her head sideways as she focused on his green gaze, trying to ignore the weird feeling within her chest. “Say… I didn't… see you… during a… good portion… of the… meeting… where have… you been?” It was a hypothetical question after all, and Orangeblossom could answer if he wished, but she would know that he most likely would.

[ @poppy @Jayvines (brief mentions of both dove and lion) @Rani (spring’s reaction towards their words) @Dolomedes @Blaze! (mainly focused towards orange the lil sillies ) ]

**kittycatburmise** · #**2202** May 29th, 2024, 01:52 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by BEAR.

The meeting was over.

Details felt like a blur to Wolfhive, who was still... hmm.. he was just uneasy. Violetfreckle was a great cat, but other fish? It took a lot of time for him to adapt to her, and it'd take a lot more for new cats. He was distantly aware of Bumba addressing him and only shortly nodded.

Then Mallowpaw was moving. Wolfhive took a breath and opted to join her, if just briefly. "If you're not too tired, come join me out of camp." An offer for training, if she felt up for it. Bumba had called the meeting at an odd time and Wolfhive could always take her when she was rested. He just... wanted a better reason to get out of camp.

[ @kittycatburmise ]

Mallowpaw
67/100

She had only taken a few steps when Wolfhive joined her, asking if she wanted him to take her out of camp. He was offering her training. Mallowpaw' days in the past moon had consisted of lurking around camp, gazing at the playing kits and the warriors taking their apprentices out for training with wishful eyes. She had no-one to talk to, so her only option was to wallow in misery, to let the negative thoughts crowd her mind, to convince herself that she was going to be stuck in this rut forever. But Wolfhive was here, helping her pull herself out of it and finally get on track. "Yes," she told him. It was early, but Mallowpaw could handle that. She would have been conditioned to it by now if she had received the early-morning training most apprentices got. But she would get conditioned to it soon enough.