Ospreypaw felt a small rush of heat of embarrassment under his pelt, as he ducked his head slightly, softly kneading the ground, "I-uh, wanted to get you something for being such a cool leader and giving me the best mentor." His voice was quieter than when he had first came into the den as he was incredibly awkward at giving gifts at times. He also didn't want to mess up in front of Sparrowstar the leader! They would just be a disaster for him! Though he brought his gaze back up to the leader to wait for her response, ears slightly down in the embarrassment he still felt.
Brown ears perked up as the young tom turned sheepish and explained his reasoning.
He thought she was... a cool leader? And she had assigned him a good mentor?
Chest puffing up slightly as her eyes sparkled at his awkwardness, a low purr hummed in her throat.
"Well thank you Ospreypaw," she stated, pride and thankfulness clearly colouring her voice. "Now come, show me what it is you've brought in your little bundle here."
This was an unexpected delight, so she intended to enjoy every second of it.
Quote:
Originally Posted by Spotty
Batblood
He shook his head slightly at Sparrowstar's question. "You'd see more fur and blood between my claws if that was the case." He mewed drily. "No, this isn't about that. I was practicing out in the forest, and as I neared the border with Windclan I found Rainpaw there, alone, but that's not what I came to talk about."
"I talked with him and it seems he has some issues with his family, nothing major, but still something I'd like to keep an eye on. And maybe have a talk with his parents and mentor, we'll see about that."
Well, she certainly hadn't pegged Batblood to be so attentive to the interpersonal conflicts of his peers. Giving him a slow nod as she mulled over his words, the tan molly flicked her tail around her paws as she thought.
"I certainly saw some friction at the last meeting, although I'm not entirely sure if it was caused by the recent change of his mother returning to warrior duties or if it was a build up of several issues."
Green eyes drifted to the entrance of her den as she debated how entangled she wished to be in the issues of a family that seemed to be in a bit of a messy spot.
"If you see anything else that's concerning, please let me know. I should hope that they are able to sort this out amongst themselves, but if it ever starts to escalate perhaps Sundust, Copperfire, or myself will have to step in."
Gaze snapped back to the young Keeper and a tired sort of look entered her eyes.
"However, since you're here I do have a question for you," she stated, adjusting her paws slightly as she spoke. "As you are aware, several of our Keepers have gone missing. I will be appointing a few replacements shortly, but are there any cats you'd like to recommend or avoid in my choices?"
This young warrior was one of her most active Keepers, so she certainly didn't want to cause any issues in that rank. She had already conferred with Copperfire, so it couldn't hurt to garner a second opinion.
Quote:
Originally Posted by Estelle
Nervously awaiting the leader's response, paws shuffling and twitching as she fumbled with a stray pebble, the older apprentice's shoulders dropped when Sparrowstar spoke. Relief washed over her face, and Dandelionpaw couldn't restrain the breath that escaped her. Her paws' fumbling stopped, her overall body language relaxed and slowly began nodding along to what the tan leader was saying. "N-no... It was just, uhm that.
She shook her in response, glancing to the side for a moment before returning her gaze on Sparrowstar. Opening her maw, closing again, then pulling a smile the leader's way. Sparrowstar was nice after all. "Uhm... thank you. Like, for understanding and.. Such. Thank you."
Wasssss she supposed to go now? Dandelionpaw rose to her paws after a moment of silence, glancing to the den's exit as if asking permission leave - or was that rude too?
Dipping her head in response to Dandelionpaw's thanks, Sparrowstar's whiskers twitched in amusement as the younger cat seemed torn in how best to leave her den.
"You are quite welcome Dandelionpaw," she purred, tail flicking towards the entrance in polite dismissal. "Please feel free to come to me with any other concerns, or if you just need to chat. This den can feel a bit empty with only me in here."
Quote:
Originally Posted by SplashyLumi
@Jayvines
Vineglow stepped a few pawsteps into the den. “Sparrowstar? Are you busy or may I talk to you?” She called, hoping to disturb anything.
Practiced paws kneaded a fresh bundle of moss into shape as Sparrowstar remade her nest. No matter how hard she tried she could never quite make as comfy a spot as Roosterflame had created, and since the polite tom hadn't been seen for quite some time she doubted she'd be able to ask him for tips.
Vineglow's call pulled her attention from her task, and she quickly returned the call with a brief hum.
"Come on in Vineglow," she stated before sitting up to groom the few bits of moss off her pelt. Best to maintain a professional looking pelt when acting in her duties... At least thats what she had been taught.
__________________
“All we have to decide is what to do with the time that is given to us.”
Streamtail smiles and curls up in her nest beside Rainflower, "Lotuskit! its time for a bit of a nap, come on."
Lotuskit sighs, "Oooookkkaay, fine."
They curl up together and go to sleep. "Good night Rainflower," Says Streamtail.
a curious Creek'kit peered at thee two cats from the entrance of the den...
(finally got Creek accepted)
This was only a kit... This was only a kit, they didn't know better...
Gritting her teeth as she resisted the urge to rebuke the young cat for their brief 'woe is me' rambling, Sparrowstar channeled her irritation back towards twitching her tail as she debated her options. This kit had been abandoned at her borders; by code she was required to offer some assistance, but the incoming threat of leafbare weighed heavy in her mind. She was going to have to start turning cats away soon... But perhaps one more small mouth wouldn't hurt.
"Perhaps," she stated, tone blunt as she turned back towards camp. "But the life of a clan cat is difficult. You will not be able to afford seeking handouts or wallowing in self-pity; you will be expected to work. Now come, let us see if any of the queens will keep an eye on you."
[ Done! Creekkit will be added to the allegiances. ]
A frown creased her muzzle as the returning molly explained herself.
"You were bested by a rogue, chased out of our territory, and got lost?" she reiterated, left ear flicking in frustration as she mulled the (frankly disappointing) information over. "Why, stars tell, would you not run to camp if you were being overcome in a fight? There is no one to help you in twoleg place and an entire camp of warriors here awaiting the chance to defend their territory."
This was either a grave misjudgement on her part, or a moment of utter incompetency and Sparrowstar wasn't entirely sure which she'd prefer from one of her warriors.
And she had a clan-style name... but she wasn't a clanborn cat? If Sparrowstar could squint any harder without closing her eyes, she absolutely would. Not only was this cat odd, they brought with them a threat of retaliation from outside rogues; a problem that she was already dealing with and certainly didn't need further antagonizing.
"I am sorry to hear of that, however," she stated taking a pawstep back from the stranger that had been dropped into her territory. "I am going to have to ask you to leave. I will catch you another mouse for your journey, but I cannot risk taking you in with leafbare approaching and my resources already spread thin."
She felt sorry for this molly, she truly did, but she could not afford to take on a liability.
"Come, I will escort you to the border."
She would offer assistance and guidance out of the territory, but if her gesture of good faith was refuted or threats were issued she would not hesitate to utilize her claws.
A slightly unfamiliar voice cut through the still air of leaffall, and Sparrowstar was quick to move towards its origin. This cat was making no efforts to hide their presence, and seemingly approached them without hesitancy, so while she remained alert her claws stayed firmly sheathed.
Recognition blossomed as they stated their name and business. Cardinalpaw... Stars, they had been missing for quite some time now.
"I am Sparrowstar," she introduced, tail flicking behind her as she surveyed the returning tom and his polite greeting. "Tell me Cardinalpaw, where have you been for the last several moons? You are certainly behind in your training."
It was getting brisker these days. The temperature was slowly beginning to drop more and more during each of her morning runs, and Sparrowstar dreaded the day that snow would pile too high for her to partake in her treasured daily stress-relief. However, even she could not deny the beauty that came with sunrise filtering through the multi-coloured leaves that leaffall brought to her home each year.
Perhaps it was her distraction that failed to alert her of the second presence in this forest, or perhaps it was the ever present list of things to do that called her mind away, but whatever it was it left the thin molly unaware of a familiar cat until a hoarse sounding word escaped their lips.
Leaping almost a full fox-length into the air at the sudden shock, Sparrowstar's short furred puffed up as she dropped back into a readied battle stance. Green eyes quickly scanned the clearing before settling on a dirt-stained pelt and a familiar set of eyes that seemed to rest on the brink of exhaustion. Shocked silence settled over the young leader as she forced her fur to lie flat and began to process who exactly was standing before her.
"Cinderpaw?..."
Several emotions flitted across the tan molly's eyes; shock, confusion, hesitancy, and the smallest flash of jealousy visible for a fraction of a second before she re-sheathed her claws and took a step towards the previously deceased apprentice. It certainly didn't look like their opinion of them had changed much at all, but perhaps...
"I'm still here, yes." she stated, tone blunt, slightly shaken as she tried to regain the mantle of professionalism that she so desperately clung to as she preformed the duties required of her. "Did... Are you?... Will you be returning to Thunderclan?"
A quick evaluation of the once fiery apprentice's body left Sparrowstar with... several questions. Aspenstrike and Buckbranch hadn't returned in such a state. Was this just another way for Starclan to show their disapproval? By sending a cat back to their clan in a broken body instead of one that was whole?
"Stars above, what have they done to you..."
``I'm so sorry..I didn't mean to...`` Blushface crouched down, wincing away from her disappointed tone. She was truly frightened by the large tom that caught her off guard. ``I'll do better...`` The she-cat promised. She'd rather run than be shredded alive and end up being a burden, especially with her small round build...her fighting skills were never that good in the first place..
Last edited by Softspoken; October 18th, 2022 at 06:08 PM.
Re: ThunderClan Clearing
