Make sure to congratulate Versailles on their promotion from c-mod in training to fully fledged chat moderator! They've worked very hard, and we can't wait to see where they go from here!
He had anticipated a startled lashing out, perhaps a yowl to the heavens for the cruelty of the forest, or maybe just a simple grateful remark from Dovefluff; what he hadn't anticipated was the grey queen next to him to crumple and burying herself into his long golden pelt as she wept.
Stiffening for only a whisker of a second in surprise, Lioncrest quickly softened and curled his tail around the grieving she-cat as she lamented the pain and unfairness of her situation. She... found him to be worthy of protecting her at her most vulnerable point... A flame of pride burst to life in his chest as those pieces clicked into place. He was now a protector; charged with a new and sacred duty to this queen.
"I know Dovefluff... I know..." he rumbled, gently resting his chin atop her head against his side. He had been chosen, and he would fulfill whatever this queen required of him to the fullest of his abilities."You did everything you could... shhhhh... I am here. I will not leave you to bear this sorrow alone."
His feathery tail brushed tentatively up and over the queen as he attempted to comfort her with soothing strokes against her back. He was as solid as a mountain; no force would move him from this spot until Dovefluff sent him away.
"Echokit was well loved and cared for. All of your kits were... Sometimes the way of the forest is simply not kind to those so pure... Sometimes kits must find their own way, wherever they may go..."
[ So sorry for the wait!!! ]
~Lioncrest~
A rumbling hum of understanding emanated from the golden warrior's chest.
"It certainly is odd to have to start over again," he agreed. "But I can certainly agree that we have gained a few moons of respite from our neighbors' aggression at the heart of our home. Staying secretive about this change will do Thunderclan some good; it gives us a chance to solidify our position and strengthen our members in peace without the threat of surprise invasions."
Shadowclan and Riverclan had lodged sharpened claws into the heart of Thunderclan, and while it had been a few moons since the most recent threat there was never a constant guarantee of peace and quiet while those two groups knew the exact location of their kits and vulnerable cats. No, the sudden sinking of their previous camp (while heartbreaking) seemed to be a blessing in disguise from their ancestors among the Stars... But enough about that.
"Are you training an apprentice at the moment? You certainly seem to be a capable warrior; Thunderclan's youth would have a solid chance at Warriorhood with you shaping their training."
Dovefluff
"I'd do anything to have them back. I don't know what to do... I don't know if I'm a queen or a warrior now, I just want my kids back." She sobbed, words muffled. Why did they have to be taken from her? They were just children. Her children. And how would she talk to Hawkbite at the gathering? her only friend from ShadowClan, surely he would ask about her kits. What did she say? How could she explain it?
The queen wept, unaware that perhaps she should've been more careful with her actions in her grief filled state, face pressed into the fur of the kind tom who had offered himself as the cat to comfort her. She wanted Morningcall. She wanted her best friend, but she wasn't here. So Dovefluff just melted into the comfort that Lioncrest offered her, her loud, heart wrenching sobs eventually subsiding into hollow sniffles as the gentle strokes of the other cat's tail lulled her into broken, silent calm. Like the calm after a hurricane, the silence, and the molly just stared off into space, numb.
Gently pressing her nose into his side, she wiped her eyes and nose. "Thank you." She whispered hoarsely, with a certain tone of defeat and numbness that only came with a parent losing their child. A broken cat, breaking more and more but somehow still holding themselves together after such a painful loss. She had been so sure that the grief would kill her, so how was she still standing? "Will you help me bury her?" She choked out, voice shaking and hollow. No one new had come over, and she assumed it would be... time.
The mere thought of burying her child, the final goodbye, made her want to vomit, but she miraculously didn't, sliding back to rise to a sitting position, legs shaking. She was shocked to realize that she was able to stand. That she was able to still breathe after the agonizing death of her daughter. That she could still function.
Crazy how the world kept turning even when you think it should stop.
(we can move this to willow's rise either with your next post or mine, just so the burial can take place butterflypost is coming out tomorrow!)
Sweet greenleaf afternoons, oh how Alderstep had missed those. If he closed his eyes, he could pretend everything was still the same. Creamcloud would be in a corner munching on some prey after a long day hunting, her pale fur reflecting the sunlight glamorously, and his not-friend Rabbitchatter would probably be playing with some kits. Alderstep opened his eyes with a huff. He really should be done with being sad or whatever this was. Those cats disappeared some time ago (well, not Rabbitchatter. He was more like a moon ago.) He was being too clingy.
The tom turned his gaze onto the clearing, shifting to get the sun out of his narrowed eyes. There wasn't much activity going on, or so it seemed. While every bone in his body demanded that he leave camp and go hunting and enjoy the territory, Alderstep stayed rooted to his spot. It was something about keeping an eye on the clan. And as much as he hated to talk to cats (especially the incessantly annoying ones), he supposed he should make himself available should anyone need him.
For now, though, he was a rock in the camp. Still and inanimate in every way except for his green gaze constantly shifting or the occasional twitch of his ears.
Perhaps he should send out patrols? No, it hadn't been much time since Spiderthroat's herb patrol. He'd give it another day or so, besides, he'd just become deputy. It felt like a breach of everyone's autonomy if he jumped in and started ordering cats about immediately. He'd let them get used to his existence first, if that was even possible.
He tried to recall how the past deputies had been. How Thrushstar (or was it Thrushfur now?) acted, and how Bumblestar was as a deputy. Was he doing it right? Hell if he knew, he clearly had no idea what to even do. Despite his strong "do-it-myself" resolve, Alderstep could really go for a shoulder to lean on. He supposed he could lean on his own shoulder, but it wouldn't be the same as some other cat yelling at him when he made a mistake.
Then again, nothing could really be the same again. New camp, or really, back to the old one. New apprentice. New rank. Everything was like a new start. Alderstep sure hoped he wasn't the only one who felt like this. He'd feel pretty dumb if he was.
Sweet greenleaf afternoons, oh how Alderstep had missed those. If he closed his eyes, he could pretend everything was still the same. Creamcloud would be in a corner munching on some prey after a long day hunting, her pale fur reflecting the sunlight glamorously, and his not-friend Rabbitchatter would probably be playing with some kits. Alderstep opened his eyes with a huff. He really should be done with being sad or whatever this was. Those cats disappeared some time ago (well, not Rabbitchatter. He was more like a moon ago.) He was being too clingy.
The tom turned his gaze onto the clearing, shifting to get the sun out of his narrowed eyes. There wasn't much activity going on, or so it seemed. While every bone in his body demanded that he leave camp and go hunting and enjoy the territory, Alderstep stayed rooted to his spot. It was something about keeping an eye on the clan. And as much as he hated to talk to cats (especially the incessantly annoying ones), he supposed he should make himself available should anyone need him.
For now, though, he was a rock in the camp. Still and inanimate in every way except for his green gaze constantly shifting or the occasional twitch of his ears.
Perhaps he should send out patrols? No, it hadn't been much time since Spiderthroat's herb patrol. He'd give it another day or so, besides, he'd just become deputy. It felt like a breach of everyone's autonomy if he jumped in and started ordering cats about immediately. He'd let them get used to his existence first, if that was even possible.
He tried to recall how the past deputies had been. How Thrushstar (or was it Thrushfur now?) acted, and how Bumblestar was as a deputy. Was he doing it right? Hell if he knew, he clearly had no idea what to even do. Despite his strong "do-it-myself" resolve, Alderstep could really go for a shoulder to lean on. He supposed he could lean on his own shoulder, but it wouldn't be the same as some other cat yelling at him when he made a mistake.
Then again, nothing could really be the same again. New camp, or really, back to the old one. New apprentice. New rank. Everything was like a new start. Alderstep sure hoped he wasn't the only one who felt like this. He'd feel pretty dumb if he was.
[open]
The fluffy gray queen had been lounging in the clearing, grooming herself for the first time in the few days since her daughter's death. Her chest still ached with the loss, but she was trying to pull herself together best she could. Dovefluff noticed the deputy of the Clan nearby, and after she finished grooming (only now noticing that this was very Lioncrest-esque of her)
Rising to her paws, she padded over to where the ginger tom sat, nodding to him and sitting down nearby. Granting personal space, of course, but close enough for a potential conversation. Deep lapis eyes weren't as bloodshot as they had been at the meeting, luckily, since she finally slept for the first time in days. Progress. "Hello, Alderstep. How's the new rank treating you?" She offered a friendly smile, flicking a stray piece of moss from her fur as she spoke, watching as it landed a few paw steps away, before turning back to the new deputy.
[ short bc i wanted to claim this i pinky promise my posts will get longer!! ]
• Springpaw •
long-furred, oriental-shaped, gray-and-orange calico molly with blue eyes; torn right ear
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The warm rays of sunshine in greenleaf were one of Springpaw’s personal favorite things. The seven moon old newly-made medicine cat apprentice has been currently exiting out of the medicine cat den, eyes quickly narrowing from the bright light of the sun landing abruptly on her gaze. Geez. How long has she been in there? Well, however long it was, it was certainly long enough that her eyes felt like they burned from the bright light that shone from the sun. Blinking her eyes, she let loose a light exhale as she thought about how different this felt. She was a medicine cat apprentice, and practically bringing a heavy role for this clan. Worry had been prickling at the corners of her mind ever since she had been set for the role. What if she wasn’t good enough? What if she failed being a medicine cat apprentice? What if she let Bumblestar down?
A quiet huff escaped her maw, Springpaw quickly shaking her head to clear away the impulsive thoughts. She promised herself that she wouldn’t fail. She promised Dovefluff that she would make her clan proud. A brief, short smile drew across her maw as she shut her eyes, subtly nodding to her conclusion. Yeah. She won’t fail… at least she hoped she wouldn’t. Her smile faded and was replaced with a slightly irritable sigh, drawing a paw across the dirt ground. Why was decisions always so hard to make? No, why was everything always hard to come by with? How was she espoused to travel to the other clans to gain knowledge of herbs? Sure, there was Roseraven, but she had initially no idea where Cinderpaw was. Cinderpaw was the former medicine cat appprentice, she could help her at least learn something or two.
Springpaw let in a deep, irritable intake of air as she began to trot her way through the clearing, her eyes glancing around occasionally as she watched as cats went on with their days. A slight frown formed on her maw as it remained her of when she had first met her old mentor, Rabbitchatter. He had been sitting in the clearing, she stumbled out and met with him. Then… they did their first hunting trip together and brought back a mouse in victory. The memory was a breeze to think about at least, but it just just to think of her former mentor without feeling a pang of guilt that he had left her. Did he go back to the city that he told her about? She didn’t know. During the midsts of her thoughts, the young molly’s blue eyes caught sight of two familiar pelts; Dovefluff and Alderstep.
A brief smile drew across the calico’s maw as she faintly remembered Alderstep, but Dovefluff was more prominent to her memory. Maybe they wouldn’t mind if she said hi to them? Well, hopefully they wouldn’t mind, that is. The medicine cat apprentice had quickly began to trot her way towards the duo, nodding her head respectfully at Alderstep as she came close enough to them both, but not close enough to interfere with personal boundaries. She knew better than that. “Dovefluff, Alderstep,” she greeted them, casting a short smile at both of her clan-mates and sat down, curling her tail close to herself. “How are you both doing? How’s the deputy role doing for you, Alderstep?” Springpaw cranked her head in the russet toms direction as she spoke about him, oceanic blues tinkering with curiosity as she looked in his direction.
━━━━━━━━┛ ✠ ┗━━━━━━━━ “You're either living or you're not. You ain't little, you ain't a girl, you ain't a boy; you ain't strong or smart. You're alive.”
⊱ my carrd ◦ future roleplay tracker ◦ future character bio ⊰
━━━━━━━━┓ ✠ ┏━━━━━━━━
Here comes one now. Alderstep straightened up as he caught someone moving toward him. Oh. Dovefluff. One of her kids died. She still looked emotionally wrecked, but not the mess he'd seen (in passing glances) at the meeting. He supposed that was good. Stars help him if she'd come over expecting consoling or some other emotional comfort. He'd made it pretty obvious he was crap at that when he tried to comfort Rabbit's old apprentice. Who happened to be the new medicine apprentice.
Alderstep blinked off the realization, turning to look at Dovefluff head-on. He nodded in greeting, his eyes tracking the bit of moss for a moment along with the queen. "It's going," he said, not intending to let on his internal panic and disarray. He really shouldn't worry the clan about that sort of thing. Who knew what would happen if the clan realized they had a complete and utter buffoon for a deputy. Besides, it was embarrassing to admit his worries to a cat he barely knew.
He tilted his head, racking his brain for something to say back, because deputies couldn't just be soulless and blank slates. That'd be concerning. "And you?" Oh, wait. That broached into emotional territory. Well, there's a wonderful mistake for Alderstep. "Do much today?" he asked in an attempt to fix it. Oh, and now he was calling Dovefluff lazy. Normally, he wouldn't care if he did that, except this was a queen. Who wasn't lazy. Who was grieving a dead kit.
Thankfully, some other cat approached the duo. Turning somewhat sharply, his movements jerky with his discomfort, Alderstep took in the sight of none other than Springpaw trotting on over. The deputy repeated his greeting nod. Unfortunately, his savior fell from her greatness rather soon. His eye twitched at the almost replica question. Great cats, that was the question of the age for him, wasn't it? As much as he wanted to hiss something out in frustration, he knew better than to do that to Springpaw. He'd never forgive himself for lashing out at Rabbit's old 'paw.
"It's going," he chose to repeat. Yep. Nobody was going to pull any information from him. Alderstep eyed Dovefluff. If he predicted things right, based on his observations on how close those two had gotten ever since the old camp's collapse, the grey queen would ask about how Springpaw's new rank was going so that he wouldn't have to. And Dovefluff would know how to ask it in a sensitive, aware way.
Observing the two was much easier than being emotionally sensitive, so Alderstep fell silent and reveled in the feel of a soft breeze (greenleaf could be warm, but he lived for the season's winds) brushing his fur. Seeing the dynamic duo (because what else would they be?) reminded him all too clearly of the evacuation a moon or so ago. He winced, suddenly wondering how Springpaw had taken the loss of her mentor. Alderstep fixed his green gaze on the young cat, searching her for any signs of grieving. She only looked a bit worried or perhaps stressed. He looked away. Maybe it was just him.
He could skip out now. He could stand and claim he had duties and walk away and escape this awkward feeling.
What would they think of him, when he did that? How would it turn out for him, to show up as a socially inept cat? And what if these two had something to tell him that pertained to the safety of the clan? He'd be irresponsible for turning his back on his clanmates.
Alderstep took in a slow, satiating breath and took to studying Dovefluff again. She seemed at ease, undistressed, so perhaps there was nothing to worry about there. He was a smart cat, wasn't he? He could understand that nothing was going to happen if he sat here and offered some small talk. It was just that small talk was incessantly annoying.
He'd be fine. Hell, if these two cats, who were struggling more than he was, could sit here and talk together, he could. And so, he kept his ears perked for whatever these two wanted to talk about.
• Lambkit •
long-furred, round-bodied, dark brown flame-sepia point tom with icy blue eyes; singular white spot on chest
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Lambkit was bored. He wanted to hang around with someone. Being the youngest of his almost all-girl litter, he had practically been a bit lonely having no one to hang out with as his older sisters were almost always busy. The long-furred tom stumbled his way out of the nursery, letting out a little ‘mrrp’ as he shook his little round head. Due to him being a little clumsy ball of fluff, he always tended to almost fall on his side when he tried to make his way towards someone. Not like he could help it, it just happened out of the blue. Lambkit’s icy-blue gaze caught sight of a molly messing with some sort of stick and his jaws quickly opened in a silent awe, making his little body towards the figure. He didn’t have anything to give, unfortunately [maybe except for the herbs shoved into his coat, but he didn’t want to give those away unless he wanted to] so he just looked up at the newcomer and twitched his little ears.
Maybe the newcomer would like cuddles? With the thought suddenly in mind, the small tom lifted himself up by his back legs [while on his haunches, luckily] and opened his little arms, tilting his head in a questionable manner. He also blew his tongue out for a little bit at the newcomer, but he’s a child, so it wasn’t like he was going to understand much.
━━━━━━━━┛ ✠ ┗━━━━━━━━ “You're either living or you're not. You ain't little, you ain't a girl, you ain't a boy; you ain't strong or smart. You're alive.”
⊱ my carrd ◦ future roleplay tracker ◦ future character bio ⊰
━━━━━━━━┓ ✠ ┏━━━━━━━━
Back arching as the red and white molly stretched, the tips of her claws peeking out of her paws as her front limbs reached out in front of her, Mapleface stepped out of the Nursery with a yawn, jade hues ringed by shadow. Skies, she was just glad to be out of that cramped den. One of these days, she was going to wrangle Cracklepaw into kitsitting her kits.
Green gaze traversing across the clearing for some company, Mapleface's eyes settled on a solitary feline. Without another moment to waste, she started off in that direction - only to halt midway with surprise as a kit, Lambkit [@/ares ], skittered past and up to the warrior. Ah, in that case, she wouldn't bother them.
With a quiet huff, the tortoiseshell-point queen settled in a deserted corner of the clearing to sun herself.
Re: ThunderClan Clearing
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