A Fox in the grass.

[Exis]

Foxblaze smiled a bit sadly, her baby. “You’re all grown up...” She mewed tearing up. He was doing grown things and a part of a world she’d never understand... oh how he loved her little on but oh how she missed him being small and asking her questions.

Greyclaw. Now that was a question. “No... no I didn’t see him while I was out. I wasn’t really looking.”
@Rani

[Rani]

"Well than.... What were you doing?" Snakepaw asked hesitantly asked looking unsure if he even should be asking. Or if he really wanted to know the answer. What child wanted to know why their parent disappeared after all, even if they came back. "Im. Im not gonna tell Lionstorm or Sootstar you know. I may be a medicine cat apprentice but I dont exactly get along with them. You.... You can tell me why."

Sure Snakepaw was aware he was probably over thinking this but he was young and all too surrounded by death for his age, it was only natural that his mind went to the worst possible idea.
@Exis

[Exis]

Foxblaze smiled, “Smelled a Shadowclan cat with lots of fear, had to track me down and make sure we weren’t in danger and that they were ok. Blackhaze or something.” her boy, her precious boy is around again. “What’s wrong with Sootstar.”
@Rani

[Rani]

Snakepaw, for lack of a better term, sputtered "W-what do ya mean whats wrong with Sootstar, nothings wrong with Sootstar. He's just the leader isnt he? You could get in trouble or something... Well anyway Im glad you weren't attacked, injuries untreated are dangerous and so is shadowclan. Ive met their medicine cat and he's pretty weird, he seems nice and cool but theres something about him that puts my fur on end." His view was... slightly immature but it was his opinion and was just not gonna change.

Flopping over Snakepaw indulged a spot of fun he'd not done in awhile, batting at his mothers tail absentmindedly as he continued to update her about the clan "Well you missed a ton of weird stuff. Cats were exiled (or executed I don't know) and of course Lionstorm stepped down which no one expected and he did it by being utterly sickening with poor Soot on top of the streamstone (bleh old cats are sickening). And no ones talking about how winter is coming but Im actually really concerned about it. We've not done any stockpiling and its getting really cold!" A sulky grumble "I dont like the cold...."

@Exis

[Exis]

Foxblaze watched her kit bat at her tail and smiled, so this is happiness. “Why don’t we gather some cats to stockpile. We’ll stock herbs and food. We can each run a thing. Oh we could ask Sootstar about it!” Foxblaze mewed happy at the thought he’d boy could be in charge of something. “And maybe you could consult Starclan about herbs. I’m sure medicine cats have died before.” Oh this would be fun she was sure. All they’d have to do was learn. Maybe she could help? Well she didn’t want to be a medicine cat she liked plants sometimes. She’d always found catnip on her journey and had learned what spiderwebs do.
@Rani

[Rani]

"Yeah that sounds like fun. Id like to learn some hunting skills from you again I mean the last time we did anything like this I was a kit." The tom chirped looking, for once, eager and excited for an idea. Foxblaze would have to be the one to pitch the idea but he didnt see why Sootstar would refuse especially to the two of them.

And then there was the other idea. Oh boy right he'd never talked to his mom about his doubts about starclan or the disaster at the starcave when he visited... No starclan was a comfort to a lot of cats Snakepaw wasnt going to potentially hurt his mom by telling her his evidence that starclan didnt exist. Like he was a medicine cat, one of the group meant to talk to starclan and if he couldnt, if there was nothing, well it was just another proof to the tom that there was nothing. Move on the conversation, move on man! "R-right yeah! lets go ask Sootstar now yeah?" He stammered borderline sweating as he tried to wiggle out of Foxblazes grasp.

@Exis

[Exis]

Foxblaze stopped as she allowed Snakepaw to get away. she knew her boy to well for any of this foolishness. “Now hold on a second young man, whatever is on your mind you’d better say it right now.” She mewed looking at him sternly. He had to know she’d love him forever. Even if he was one day like Icestar, she’d still hug him and kiss him everyday. “I love you forever and nothing will change that. So how about we sit down and talk about whatever is on your mind. Sootstar can wait my love.”
@Rani

[Rani]

Only a fool would doubt that Snakepaw loved his mother above all else and held her opinions and ideas as the hight of wisdom to the point where he'd happily follow along with all her ideas as happy as a ducking but........ Yeah it was time to be a brat and bolt. "Well Mom you see..." and his paws were scrambling over the ground, long tail fur feathering in the wind as he did his best to get away.

Problem was, he wasnt a really fast cat and even if his mother didnt grab him, he tripped. Welp that plan failed.
@Exis

[Exis]

Foxblaze bolted in front of Snakepaw, silly lil snake. “Alright hun, we’re going to work on your running but after you fess up. What’s eating you?” she mewed with a cocked eyebrow. A bit of her younger, more defiant, self showing through.
@Rani

[Rani]

"Aw come one Mom..." Snakepaw softly whined as he picked himself up spitting out a little bit of dirt as he did but he caved never the less. "Mom.... I dont think starclan actually exists. I mean I know the leaders and other medicine cats swear it does and theyve interacted with it but I dont think its real. I mean I did the same thing they did and just, nothing I literally just dreamed. I dont think theyre all lying because it benefits them (Frostbreeze defiantly would though) but a bunch of cats all fuelling the idea and a few dreams that could slightly misinterpreted as starclan given would be enough to convince most anyone. I'm not gonna argue with anyone about it but Mom I seriously dont think starclan exists even if I am a medicine cat." If he was being harsh and cruel the entire thing stank of a ploy for the leaders of the clan to have more power then the average cat by taking advantage of the hopes of the clan or (slightly more favourably) a mass delusion. Snakepaw had not seen one single proof of starclans existence despite ample opportunities to and at this point simply found it more rational to believe that there was in fact nothing. His young age did not matter he was already becoming a cat with strong controversial opinions.
@Exis