RiverClan Leader's Den

[Quasar]

Minnowpaw
____________

Small paws swifly carried the short dappled she-cat into her mentors new den, teary periwinkle eyes lowered. After the events of the most recent meeting, her mind had practically spinning, and at that moment the only cat she really felt comfortable talking to was Kestrelstar. A moment of silence came after she stopped in front of him, wide, panicked eyes searching his face for any signs of comfort. "...Kessy?" she quietly mewed sitting down in front of him, "Everythings going to be okay, right...?" the she-cats voice cracked near the end as she fought to keep the tears from falling, just barely holding on. The molly wanted so desperately to embrace him in a hug, to feel safe, but she held back. She knew he didnt like it when people touched him, and she respected that. But...there was still a sense of longing she felt.

// @spade

[BristleFrost]

Riverkit walks into the leaders den. He mews, "Kesterstar, can I be an apprentice, I'm 6 moons?"
@spade

[spade]

Originally Posted by Jackpot

Minnowpaw
____________

Small paws swifly carried the short dappled she-cat into her mentors new den, teary periwinkle eyes lowered. After the events of the most recent meeting, her mind had practically spinning, and at that moment the only cat she really felt comfortable talking to was Kestrelstar. A moment of silence came after she stopped in front of him, wide, panicked eyes searching his face for any signs of comfort. "...Kessy?" she quietly mewed sitting down in front of him, "Everythings going to be okay, right...?" the she-cats voice cracked near the end as she fought to keep the tears from falling, just barely holding on. The molly wanted so desperately to embrace him in a hug, to feel safe, but she held back. She knew he didnt like it when people touched him, and she respected that. But...there was still a sense of longing she felt.

// @spade

Guilt. That was the one emotion that poured down over Kestrelstar's head. Between the cats that had just walked out of the meeting and his own sadness over the death of two of RiverClan's finest, the tabby felt as though his leadership was crumbling before it even had the chance to begin. Why was it so hard for his Clanmates to see that ThunderClan had a paw in this? Why did they resist to see the truth? The scent was all there, the marks, the wounds, the blood... Anger reared up to clash with the guilt and Kestrelstar let out a snarl, accompanied by a rather startling lash of his tail.

Hearing a voice at the entrance of his den the leader swung his head over to see Minnowpaw, and forced himself to relax. She was scared. Nervous. The fear in her eyes made the guilt beat down that much more, and Kestrelstar sighed a bit. "Yes, everything will be fine," he replied, forcing his legs to seat himself in front of her. Yellow gaze watching her closely, he blinked once. "Minnowpaw..." Was it even right of him to ask this? The temptation was too much. "What... Do you... Am I doing a good job?"

Stars he hated how weak his voice sounded. How pathetic it was. Was he really seeking validation from his apprentice???

// @Jackpot

Originally Posted by BristleFrost

Riverkit walks into the leaders den. He mews, "Kesterstar, can I be an apprentice, I'm 6 moons?"
@spade

Irritation crossed his gaze as Kestrelstar noticed a kit entering his den. How... annoying. "Hairball," he spat, looking down at the youngster. He wasn't even aware of the kids name - and didn't care to know. "You will be an apprentice when I call the ceremony to make you one. Got it?" He gave a flick of his tail as he watched the kit.

[Ziera]

// @spade

Stormtalon gave RiverClan's leader a day to mourn, process, and collect his thoughts. Now, however, enough time had passed. Now he wanted Kestrelstar's side of the story.

Perhaps his clanmates didn't need anything more than to see bodies. Lionstorm and Fawnsqueak were dead at the claws of ThunderClan, and that knowledge satisfied at least some of them enough to parade their half-baked opinions on war and peace, bickering with one another until interventions were necessary.

Since that chaotic mess of a clan meeting, Stormtalon could only think about one thing: facts. Kestrelstar revealed bodies at streamstone; the facts were missing. Whether this was an intentional move or an emotional oversight remained to be seen.

"Kestrelstar?" The charcoal tabby peered inside the leader's den, green eyes sharp. "If you have a free moment...I'd like to ask you some questions."

[-Ash-]

@spade

Nightkit made a pouty face at Kestrelstar not knowing who he was. Sure, they had never interacted, but he was the leader!! That made him super smart, right? Unless Kessy as secretly stupid...

"But the nursery's boring!" He didn't mention how he didn't exactly fit in there, and he didn't have any friends, instead just left it at that. Kestrelstar was someone he loked up to, maybe he'd listen and not just make him leave the Clan.

[BristleFrost]

Irritation crossed his gaze as Kestrelstar noticed a kit entering his den. How... annoying. "Hairball," he spat, looking down at the youngster. He wasn't even aware of the kids name - and didn't care to know. "You will be an apprentice when I call the ceremony to make you one. Got it?" He gave a flick of his tail as he watched the kit.

"Oh, sorry," Riverkit mews, then runs out.

[spade]

Originally Posted by Redtalon

// @spade

Stormtalon gave RiverClan's leader a day to mourn, process, and collect his thoughts. Now, however, enough time had passed. Now he wanted Kestrelstar's side of the story.

Perhaps his clanmates didn't need anything more than to see bodies. Lionstorm and Fawnsqueak were dead at the claws of ThunderClan, and that knowledge satisfied at least some of them enough to parade their half-baked opinions on war and peace, bickering with one another until interventions were necessary.

Since that chaotic mess of a clan meeting, Stormtalon could only think about one thing: facts. Kestrelstar revealed bodies at streamstone; the facts were missing. Whether this was an intentional move or an emotional oversight remained to be seen.

"Kestrelstar?" The charcoal tabby peered inside the leader's den, green eyes sharp. "If you have a free moment...I'd like to ask you some questions."

Exhaustion still weighed heavily on Kestrelstar’s shoulders as the leader sat in his den, yellow gaze fixed in a blank stare on the wall. His thoughts we’re running rampant in his mind, kicking up clouds of dust over what was real and what was fake. Lionstorm. Fawnsqueak. Firehawk. Stars, when would those names leave his head?

The grief that he thought to be subsided by now only hardened, twisting a bit into a need for vengeance. A need to make ThunderClan pay. To make anyone who was not RiverClan pay. He needed to sink his claws into something, anything.

He had to get out of camp.

But just as he got up to do so, a voice announced their arrival at the entrance of the den. ”Stormtalon,” he muttered, silently cursing his paws for not moving fast enough. He wasn’t sure which side this warrior would be on, and if he was going to berate him with doubts of his leadership. ”What questions do you have?” How long until you kick the dust? How long until RiverClan gets a leader who doesn’t get emotional and is just a robot? How long until you’re not an emotional wreck? Rampant thoughts.

Originally Posted by -Ash-

@spade

Nightkit made a pouty face at Kestrelstar not knowing who he was. Sure, they had never interacted, but he was the leader!! That made him super smart, right? Unless Kessy as secretly stupid...

"But the nursery's boring!" He didn't mention how he didn't exactly fit in there, and he didn't have any friends, instead just left it at that. Kestrelstar was someone he loked up to, maybe he'd listen and not just make him leave the Clan.

A sigh left Kestrelstar as he realized that this kit would not be as quick to leave as Riverkit had been. He wanted to assign someone simply to deal with all the kits so they would just leave him alone. ”Well, it’s where you have to stay until you’re able to be out on your own,” he muttered, not bothering thinking up some elaborate reasoning other than the truth.

Giving a flick of his tail, the leader studied Nightkit. Who was his mother? We’re any of the queens watching the kits? ”The leaders’ den is no place for a kit. There are plenty of kits in the Clan; find one and go bother them,” he quipped, narrowing his eyes ever so slightly.

[Ziera]

Originally Posted by spade

Exhaustion still weighed heavily on Kestrelstar’s shoulders as the leader sat in his den, yellow gaze fixed in a blank stare on the wall. His thoughts we’re running rampant in his mind, kicking up clouds of dust over what was real and what was fake. Lionstorm. Fawnsqueak. Firehawk. Stars, when would those names leave his head?

The grief that he thought to be subsided by now only hardened, twisting a bit into a need for vengeance. A need to make ThunderClan pay. To make anyone who was not RiverClan pay. He needed to sink his claws into something, anything.

He had to get out of camp.

But just as he got up to do so, a voice announced their arrival at the entrance of the den. ”Stormtalon,” he muttered, silently cursing his paws for not moving fast enough. He wasn’t sure which side this warrior would be on, and if he was going to berate him with doubts of his leadership. ”What questions do you have?” How long until you kick the dust? How long until RiverClan gets a leader who doesn’t get emotional and is just a robot? How long until you’re not an emotional wreck? Rampant thoughts.

// Stormtalon

Storm didn’t notice his name so much as the wariness Kestrel said it with.

“Relax,” he said. “I’m not here to twist your fur.”

Not that Stormtalon blamed him for suspecting it. With tensions unearthing a wealth of extreme opinions in almost everyone, Kestrelstar had no way of knowing whether Storm agreed with his or not. From that point of view any potential questions could be triggering. Antagonistic, even, if Stormtalon had been one of the aggressive peace-keepers from that hellish clan meeting. He respected that Kestrel didn’t back down despite the possibility.

“Lionstorm, Fawnsqueak—I want to know what you found.” The tabby tom was nothing if not direct. When it counted, fancy introductions and flowery words only wasted time. “I want to know the whole story, if you’re willing to tell it.”

After a moment Storm’s tail flicked toward the den’s exit. When he’d padded inside, Kestrelstar’s momentum suggested he’d been walking out, at least till someone blocked him. “If you were planning on leaving, I can follow.”

It was less about being sensitive to Kestrel’s mental headspace and more about ensuring he wasn’t tempted to skimp on details if he had somewhere to be.

[Galaxy_]

Firetail walked into the leaders den "Kestrelstar where are those lost app. i need them I have a tick on my ear and my bedding is old!" Firestar croaked
@spade

[spade]

Originally Posted by Redtalon

// Stormtalon

Storm didn’t notice his name so much as the wariness Kestrel said it with.

“Relax,” he said. “I’m not here to twist your fur.”

Not that Stormtalon blamed him for suspecting it. With tensions unearthing a wealth of extreme opinions in almost everyone, Kestrelstar had no way of knowing whether Storm agreed with his or not. From that point of view any potential questions could be triggering. Antagonistic, even, if Stormtalon had been one of the aggressive peace-keepers from that hellish clan meeting. He respected that Kestrel didn’t back down despite the possibility.

“Lionstorm, Fawnsqueak—I want to know what you found.” The tabby tom was nothing if not direct. When it counted, fancy introductions and flowery words only wasted time. “I want to know the whole story, if you’re willing to tell it.”

After a moment Storm’s tail flicked toward the den’s exit. When he’d padded inside, Kestrelstar’s momentum suggested he’d been walking out, at least till someone blocked him. “If you were planning on leaving, I can follow.”

It was less about being sensitive to Kestrel’s mental headspace and more about ensuring he wasn’t tempted to skimp on details if he had somewhere to be.

It wasn't like with him stating it, it made Kestrelstar any less cautious of the questions Stormtalon planned to pose. He knew the older warrior to be rather quiet and observant, so the leader was certain that whatever he planned to say would capture his interest.

Lionstorm. Fawnsqueak. Firehawk. The whoosh of the three names was beginning to almost be expected at this point, and Kestrelstar just closed his eyes for a brief moment to rid his mind of it. Coming and going, knocking out every other train of thought in their way. "Very well," he agreed, taking a seat once more. So much for his solo walk.

When Stormtalon motions towards the entrance, the leader just shook his head, indicating that he was fine in the den. Less ears to pry and eavesdrop in his mind. "Snakeheart and I - we found them coming back from my leader ceremony," he began, narrowing his eyes as he recalled the tragic events of that night. "It appeared... that Fawnsqueak must've bene hit over the head with a rock of sorts, while Lionstorm's body was mutilated by many sets of claws." Each cut seemed deeper than the rest... "Both were laced heavy with ThunderClan scent, and there was... so much blood." The river bank, where their final resting place had been, had been stained with blood, marked over with ThunderClan scent coming from mainly Lionstorm, but a bit from Fawnsqueak as well.

Returning his gaze to Stormtalon, Kestrelstar let out a sigh. "We didn't check to see if there were any ThunderClan cats in the area, though. We... couldn't." Did he really want to elaborate on that? Not really. Telling a Clanmate he had collapsed under the weight of grief? Of sorrow? No, he'd never allow himself to be seen that weak.

"By the time we got... collected, we immediately brought them back to camp."

Originally Posted by Oakpaw1

Firetail walked into the leaders den "Kestrelstar where are those lost app. i need them I have a tick on my ear and my bedding is old!" Firestar croaked
@spade

Twisting around in his chest from where he'd been fixing a rather stubborn piece of moss, Kestrelstar blinked. "Firetail, to what do I owe the pleasure," he muttered sarcastically, though it was under his breath. She was known to be a bit of a grouch, as was obvious by her demands. Kestrelstar wasn't a big fan of elder duty himself - he'd much rather have apprentices out and training - but restrained himself from saying so here.

"There are plenty of apprentices in the Clan, all you have to do is call for one," the leader informed her, stepping past to the entrance of the den. "Nightpaw!" [ @Kunaiskrill ] he called, spotting his apprentice in the clearing. "Come here."

Stepping back inside he shot a glance to Firetail. "I'll have my apprentice take care of it for you," he told her, turning again to wait for Nightpaw.