krazykitty00 wrote:After the drama of the afternoon, everyone moved to do as they needed to do, the hunting patrol heading out while the border patrol waited a bit. Though of course, whispers were spreading about what had occurred. Surely what had happened wouldn't be forgotten. Except by Tinypaw of course who really didn't care at this point. She just became an apprentice! Who had time to care about such a thing when she was already four paws closer to becoming a warrior! The little apprentice dashed through the crowds, weaving her small form through the cats until she made it to where her mother sat beside Brackenfern. They too were talking but the instant Tinypaw, they stopped and grinned their proud smiles down at her before Doeheart stepped forward and showered her with licks and kisses. "Oh I'm so proud of you. I knew when you when you were born that you'd be amazing, but just looking at you shows you've far surpassed that." "Thank you so much Mom." Tinypaw purred, nuzzling into her mother happily before she looked at Brackenfern expectantly.
The tom pretended to be uninterested, looking away from her and fighting back a grin. Tinypaw giggled before she pounced on him, knocking him back until she was sitting triumphantly on top of him with a smirk. "As if you could ignore me. I may be small but I emit a HUGE presence." She bragged making Brackenfur chuckle before he licked her cheek from his position and smiled. "Congratulations. You're going to be no less than great, I'm sure." He purred before feeling Tinypaw return it as she crouched to nuzzle under his chin. "Thank you.. for everything I mean." She said before dropping her voice to a whisper so that only they could hear. "Now you do something great and become my dad already." she smirked, casting a quick glance at Doeheart before giggling at Brackenfern as he blushed. She jumped off of the older warrior and grinned one last time at them and went into the nursery to brag to her friend about her new rank.
Brackenfern watched the little molly run off, still looking a bit flushed at herdeparting words. Doeheart hadn't heard but she certainly noticed that baffled look on the tom's face. "Is something wrong Brackenfern? Did you fall too hard?" She asked, stepping over to help him back to his paws. His attention turned back to the molly, relaxing into a smile, allowing her help before shaking his head. "No, I'm fine. I'm just a little emotional you know. I've been with her since she was born. She's small sure but she still grew up so fast." He said looking back to where Tinypaw had disappeared to fondly. Doeheart purred as she say the vast amount of affection that coated the tabby tom's face and she stepped over to stroke her head under his chin. "Indeed she has. We've done a great job raising her. Thank you for being there." She said before placing a small distance between them again. "I didn't do much really. I believe her beauty and wonderful personality all strings from you Doeheart. Had she shared your pelt I'm sure I would have a hard telling you apart." The shy tom admitted bashfully as he looked to his paws, thinking.
Maybe he would take Tinypaw's advice now. It may have been far past late from when his feelings first developed but, better late than never right? "You're such a sweet talker Brackenfern." "A-Actually, I believe that sweet talking another simply strings from a friendly need to compliment someone.... but my uh, sweet words aren't like that... I say these words in hopes of conveying just how much I feel about you." He said, his paws now cuff in the ground beneath him, hoping to keep strong with his confession. "Wh-What I'm trying to say is... I love you Doeheart. You and Tinypaw. I love you both. Raising her with you made me realize how much I wished she was mine, my kit, our kit.. And how much I wished you were mine too. To love and hold.... I love you Doeheart.. will you be my mate?" He asked, finally lifting his gaze from the ground to look into the pretty eyes that he's fallen for over their moons together.
Doeheart looked stunned, eyes wide as she stared, making Brackenfern a bit nervous. Had he been too direct? Maybe now wasn't the right time? Or maybe- "Bear..?" The molly suddenly whispered. "What?" "Oh my goodness. It's really him." Doeheart said in true awe as she dashed past Brackenfern without another word. Confused, Brackenfern turned to follow her with his gaze. The she-cat ran over to join the returning patrol group who seemed to have a new member with them. But that new member was who Doeheart seemed to beeline for. The tom decided to follow after her, mainly because he was worried that his confession had fallen onto deaf ears. When he arrived Doeheart was eager to introduce the two. "Brackenfern! You wouldn't believe who this is. It's my mate and Tinypaw's father, Bear!" She purred nuzzling into the large tom, Bear's, side. Funny how in less than two seconds, a heart filled with a waterfall of love could dry out to something so brittle that it breaks. Funny indeed. "M-Mate?" He asked with a shaky smile, looking between the two. "Yes. You look like a nice enough tom. Thanks for taking care of my molly for me. Takes a true friend to do that." Bear spoke, Brackenfern's forced smile attempting to widen. "O-Oh y-yea yeah, yeah.. f-friends. Totally friends. Nothing m-more." He laughed awkwardly, not at all missing the look of confusion on Bear's face nor the gears beginning to turn in Doeheart's mind. "Con... Congratulations on finding each other. You're daughter is lovely..." He said backing away slowly as he could feel his eyes water. "Wait Brackenfern-" "Oh no, my patrol's leaving. Gotta go, bye!" He said in a quick stutter before running past the two and out of camp. Doeheart's gaze followed after him, immediately feeling empty without him around. And she knew she had heard him say something.. say 'I love you'...
In the medicine den, Blackstreak relayed what had happened at the clan's meeting to Russetfall. His mate had been confined to the medicine den after being check by Hearthflame to avoid opening his wounds doing his duties as as warrior. Though the dark tabby tom hated it, his days were made bearable by Blackstreak never failing to visit him and shower him with love. "Mistepaw- Ah, -leaf seems to really have it out for Jaystar. And Jaystar... well I worry about her." Russetfall said, ears flat as he thought of the harshness Mistleleaf's words. It must have truly hurt Jaystar. But who was have to say. "I agree." Blackstreak said simply, licking Russetfall along his head, not liking to see his mate upset for anything. "But I say we forget about it. We've all had our bad days. This was just hers." Blackstreak continued to say to which Russetfall nodded in agreement. A comfortable silence fell upon the two lovers as Blackstreak continued to rasp his tongue across Russetfall's head gently, making the tom purr.
It wasn't long though before the tabby found more words to break the silence, a curious and wondered look in his eyes as he asked, "How are the kits?" "What kits?" Blackstreak stopped to asked, confused as to when Russetfall became delusional with the thought of them bearing kits somehow. The tabby chuckled, knowing what his mate was thinking and shaking his head. "Your sister's kits, Silverkit and Cloudkit? I haven't been able to visit them like I used to so I was wondering if you've seen them lately." Now it was Blackstreak to flatten his ears and look downward, both guilt and anger flaring in him. And like a true mate, Russetfall didn't miss it and narrowed his eyes at the green eyed to before him.
"Are you seriously still holding on to such useless anger? Your sister broke the code. So what? And Smokeclaw even left his clan to come to her so that they wouldn't be truly breaking anything and yet you still grudge? It's stupid Blackstreak..." Russetfall scolded his mate gently, words biting but not to much so that it hurt him in anyway, except the part of his mind that believed that hating his own sister was ok. When his quiet tom said nothing, the tabby continued. "You can't ignore her for the rest of your life over one mistake that they corrected before too much damage occurred. You've met those kits twice if I'm right and ghetto second time, I could see so much love in your eyes that it made me jealous." It was clearly an overstatement but it did remind Blackstreak of the intense love he had felt when Silverkit and Cloudkit had tumbled into him with Tinykit back then. He stayed and played with them until he had to go. It made his day truly but he couldn't bring himself to go see them again. Or to see Whitenose again. "Tell me love... why are you so crossed with your sister?"
Meanwhile in the nursery, Whitenose leaned her tired head in her mate's back as he laid before her, the two parents watching with amusement as Tinypaw bragged to their son about her new suffix. "I'm just saying, now that I'm an apprentice, you've got some catching up to do." "As if." Cloudkit scoffed playfully jabbing at the apprentice before sticking up his nose. "No matter what rank you have, dearest Tinypaw, you'll always be the catching up as you say. You'll never be as cute as my sister dearest. Show her Silverkit." "O-Oh no no, don't bring me into this..." The silver tabby said shyly, never really getting involved when the two bickered except when she believed her brother has gone too far. "And besides, you're still small." He taunted, earning a growl from the apprentice before she pounced on him, claws sheathed and a smirk on her face as she tackled him time the ground. "I'll show you that size isn't everything, you dumb kit." She hissed before the two cats became a ball of fluffy fury. "Hey! Y-You two shouldn't be fighting in here! What if you hurt one of the younger kits!?" Silverkit panicked, to which Poppykit replied "Kick him while he's down!" Raising a chorus of laughter from the queens in the nursery. It was no mystery that without Tinypaw in the nursery to bother Cloudkit, it was going to get a bit dull in here.
Smokeclaw laughed alongside Whitenose, though the tom made sure to warn the two to be careful before he looked at his mate. There was alongside sad look in her eyes as her head rest on his back, immediately making him worry. "What's wrong Whitenose?" He asked quietly, giving her a lick on the cheek. The white molly shook her head, turning her blue gaze onto Smokeclaw with an equally sad smile. "I was just thinking." "About what?" "About how Blackstreak missed them growing up. I've been thinking about that since Silverkit mentioned the day Blackstreak played with them and taught her a few things. I know my brother likes kits and it was clear that he likes ours. But he's never directly come to see them." She spoke, glancing at the kits tumbling around. "Do you think he's still mad at us? At me?" She asked Smokeclaw, ears flat against her head sadly.
Smokeclaw sighed in sympathy and went to say something to ease his mate's pain, but it was lost when the kits seemed to stop fighting when a large black figure stepped inside. "Uncle Blackstreak!" Silverkit and Cloudkit said in unison as they ran to the warrior's side and began to bounce at his paws with desires of getting him to play with them. Sootwhisker stepped in after him to see his kits and mate before taking Tinypaw out for her first training. "Sorry you two. I can't play right now. Maybe some other day." "Aww, but Uncle.." "It's been far too long since you've blessed us with your presence." "Yea." The two kits pouted, Blackstreak giving an apologetic smile before shooting them down once more. "I'm sorry. Next time, I promise." And with that, he turned a sharp green gaze onto Whitenose, making his sister tense under his stare. Blackstreak gestured with his head out of the den before turning to leave, gesturing with his tail for her to follow. "Looks like you are about to find out." Smokeclaw murmured softly. "W-What should I do? He didn't seem too happy..." "Just go, try and fix this. I'll watch the kits. Come back to me when you're done. Take my love, be smart, make me proud hun." Smokeclaw purred, giving her one last affectionate lick before leaving out the nursery after her brother.
Each step was hesitant as she was as Whitenose followed Blackstreak out of camp and towards the catmint fields, a place Aspenleaf was forced to grow due to her excessive catmint obsession. It was such a lovely place and it felt great on her strong nose but at this moment she dreaded it. Blackstreak halted and turned to look at her, his expression not at all matching how he looked at her kits not too long ago, nor his over-protective and loving gaze of their kitten years. It was a painful look in her opinion, for it hurt her so much. He sat down which in response caused her to sit. Then there was silence. Silence that was only filled by the rush of the wind and the chirping of birds. Whitenose use to be able to withstand such silence. Blackstreak had been a silent tom for quite a while and she had grown accustomed to being the only one talking. But talking at this time would be a bad idea, she felt, thus making this silence unbearable.
Luckily she didn't have to wait too long in the silence before her brother finally spoke. "Whitenose... I'm sure you've noticed my behavior towards you has, for lack of a better word, changed." He said, gaze even and revealing nothing about which direction this would take. "I-I have..." She gulped. Whitenose rubbed the claw scars under her eye out of the usual nervous habit she had. Blackstreak only nodded, looking to his paws fora moment as if asking for help. The silence was shorter this time as he gazed up and flattened his ears. "I'm truly sorry." He spoke softly, genuine emotion finally showing in his once expressionless eyes. "My anger and distaste in you was all stupid, so very stupid. Selfish really, for I was upset. Upset that, as the brother who's been with you and protected to since we lost our parents, you didn't trust me enough to tell me that you found love elsewhere and that another tom was coming into your life to which you would rely on and look to for support. I was jealous and angry and I blew up at you because of something so petty. I've been battling it ever since, ignoring you out of anger, ignoring my lovely niece and nephew out of envy. But mostly out of mostly guilt for not even trying to listen to you that day. I'm so sorry Whitenose. It hurts hating you. I hate hating you. I'm so sorry." He said, hunching over sadly but keeping his eyes on his sister's blue ones.
He knew Whitenose was the kind forgiving type who was all for second, third, infinite chances, but he didn't expect much this time. Moons have passed since he's even given her a glance. It was understandable if she didn't forgive him. But Whitenose, lucky for him, never changes. Truly an angel for she simply beamed that glorious smile at him. "Oh Blackstreak you don't know how long I've been waiting to hear that from you! I forgive, by the stars I forgive you! Oh dear flowers I thought you were going to hate me forever." She purred wildly, rushing to his side to tackle him into the catmint and cuddle into her brother. "I'm sorry for making you suffer Whitenose." Blackstreak said softly, nearly choked up by emotions of feeling his sister once again. But Whitenose only giggled and pressed her nose into his jet black fur. "Just shut up and cuddle me. We're making up now." She continued to laugh until Blackstreak was soon joining in alongside her. He had to make sure to thank Russetfall later for pushing him through his guilt to do this.
Back at camp, Thistlethorn parted ways with Nettlefoot who was placed on patrol that morning. She decided to take Shiverpaw our to teach the young molly to sharpen her claws more. She'll be using them a lot in the coming moons. Her shaky apprentice wasn't too far away thankfully, avidly talking to Bouncepaw about heavens knows what. Once the two saw Thistlethorn though, they greeted her with smiles before Bouncepaw left to join Nettlefoot, since they too planned to train after they were done. Once Bouncepaw had left, Shiverpaw gave a soft sneeze before grinning at her mentor. "What are going to be doing today Thistlethorn?" She asked with an enthusiastic twinkle in her eyes that made the devious guilty for planning today strip away her future... nah. No it didn't.
"I was thinking of doing some battle pratice. We could even invite your siblings and their mentors and you guys could have some fun together hmm? What do you think?" She asked with a convincing smile and a tilt to her head that simply oozed the innocence that the clan believed she held. Shiverpaw still being amongst them. "That sounds amazing! Can we do that? Can we?" Shiverpaw asked. "Of course we can.." "Sweet!" "Though..." The warrior said sadly, catching her apprentice's attention. "What's wrong?" "Well, you see dear, I'm not sure if your siblings would want join us." "Why not?" She said pointing her tail to where Archpaw and Maplepaw sat with Tinypaw smiling and making the new molly feel welcome. "It seems they found a new friend." Shiverpaw looked at the small group feeling that usual envy rise in her. Maplepaw never laughed with her like that. Archpaw never offered to teach her a few things he's learned. They just smiled at her and went on to enjoy one another's company. But Tinypaw, a kit way younger than them, much much smaller than them, was easily accepted? In what world is that fair?
"I guess they would much rather be with someone who wasn't sick." "I'M NOT SICK! STOP SAYING THAT!" Shiverpaw hissed, her form shaking more than usual in her growing fury. Though the anger rolling off her apprentice was shocking, Thistlethorn didn't bat an eyelash. She simply cast her sympathetic gaze over Shiverpaw, tail returning to wrap around her paws. "I'm only repeating what I hear the clan say, what your parents, your family tells us all dear." "T-They do?" Thistlethorn nodded grimly, getting up to circle her runny nosed apprentice in a fashion that could almost seen sinister. "But of course. Though, maybe they are just worried for you? I mean, that's the only reason Gorsetail has been keeping you away from the gatherings. Oops... I guess that slipped." The warrior paused, innocently covering her maw with her tail. Shiverpaw's eyes went wide like saucers when those words 'slipped before her claws dug into the camp floor bitterly. "Father... that idiot I don't need protecting, or worries. I'm not sick! I'm not! I'll show you. Watch. My brother and sister won't mind my disadvantage. They'd be happy for some competition. My family is not as half-hearted and unfair as you make them seem!" Shiverpaw hissed slightly at her mentor before turning on her paws towards the three other apprentices.
The three were laughing as Archpaw was trying to push Maplepaw off of him after he failed to when their playful battle. The little ended the instant Tinypaw joined their side, a strained smile on her face in underlying hope. "H-Hey guys." "Hi Shiverpaw." Tinypaw was the first to say, the small molly more than eager to meet another apprentice. That was enough to make the apprentice relax a bit as she felt more welcomed. "What's up sis?" "Yea what's up Shiverpaw?" Maplepaw asked as she climbed off Archpaw to which the tom spoke after. "Oh nothing really. Thistlethorn and I were wondering if you guys would like to do as chowder bit of sparring with us. And your mentors of course. One on one on one! What do you say?" She asked, crouching into as chowder hunter's crouch and taking a jab at Maplepaw.
Though what she expected to happen was, she realized, was just wishful thinking. Instead of indulging her and running to their mentor to beg them for a day of figuratively ripping each other to pieces, her siblings cast doubtful glances at one another, having a mental conversation with one another that Shiverpaw was more than positive she would not like. "Are you sure about that Shiverpaw?" Maplepaw asked with a worried tilt of a head at her shivering sister. "Yea. W-Why wouldn't I be?" "Well..." Archpaw began scuffing his paws and looking Maplepaw's way once more before returning it to Shiver. "W-We don't want to hurt you, you know? Because you're si-"
The words barely made it out of the young tom's mouth before Shiverpaw was up him with claws unsheathed and and look of pure hatred on her face. As she clawed at her brother furiously. "Say it! Say it I dare you! Say I'm sick, because I'll show you just how sick I am you filthy tom!" She hissed over his wails of pain and futile attempt to push her off of him. Maplepaw was shocked, stunned and scared as she took a frightened step back from the flying fur as it tackled Archpaw. But she managed to compose herself enough to send Tinypaw to go grab someone to stop it. "Shiverpaw stop! You're hurting him! Stop!" She shouted at her sister, giving the angry molly a shove that managed to succeed to knock Shiverpaw away. But the former was not finished. She didn't care that her brother was a whimpering pile of blood in the camp center. She turned her hate filled glare upon Maplepaw who squeaked in fear and began backing away. But Shiverpaw followed, stepping right on and over Archpaw. "Do you think I'm sick too? Must I show you too Maplepaw?" Shiverpaw growled and bared her teeth as she stalked her sister down. Maplepaw shook her head profusely, still trying to back away from the scary sight of Shiverpaw. "N-No I do-" "Liar! You think I'm weaker than you! Ha! I'll show you!" She hissed as she pounced at Maplepaw.
A force collided with her before she made contact with her sister though, pinning her to the ground roughly. She hissed but stopped that it was none other than her father, Gorsetail, looking as if he was in just as pain as his son was thanks to his broken leg. "What do you think you're doing?" He growled down at her to which only glared back, remembering how Thistlethorn let it slip that he was the reason she hadn't been to a gathering. "Archpaw! Mama is he going to be ok?" She heard Maplepaw's voice ask, deducting that her mother Wrenshine was there too. "Only Hearthflame can tell. Tinypaw, can you go get him please. Maplepaw help me get him to his paws." Shiverpaw didn't bother to watch them, her glare never wavering no matter how much Archpaw cried out from pain or how many stares asked murmurs that were starting to form around the commotion. "Shiverpaw answer me! Why did you attack your brother?" Gorsetail growled once more. "He thinks I'm sick! He thinks I'm weak! You all do, I know it!" "That's no reason to attack him!" "That's no reason to keep me from the gatherings either now is it?" She hissed, raking a claw sharply along the leg of the paw holding her down. Gorsetail hissed as the pain laced through him, reflexively lifting his paw enough so that his daughter was able to slip out from under him. "You guys are the worst." She said, her voice a softer more saddened growl than before. "Treating me as if I'm nothing but a worrisome burden. Who would do such a thing? Sorrelwhisper can't even speak and yet he family loves her and treats her all the same." She continued, missing Ashfur and Firestrike as they cast glances towards one another. "We do love you Shiverpaw." Came Wrenshine as she came to her mate's side after Hearthflame and Maplepaw took Archpaw to the medicine den. "Lies! Just lies! I hate you! You're not family! You're awful. I hate you! I hate you!" Shiverpaw cried before running out of camp. Wrenshine began to follow her but Gorsetail stopped her with a anger snap of his jaws at the camp entrance. "Leave her be. No kit of mine would ever stoop so low. We don't need her. Archpaw needs us anyway." Gorsetail began to lead Wrenshine to the medicine cat den, limping on his broken leg as his mate followed with her ears drooped flatly, wondering what could have gone wrong with her favorite kit...
Meanwhile, Thistlethorn attempted to hide the vast amount of pride and amusement she got from the whole scene as she went after Shiverpaw. She followed her apprentice's scent and the rich, beautiful smell of blood all the way to Soulclan's river where the younger molly sat. "Ah Shiverpaw. I'm so sorry something so awful happened. Truly your parents, your family was being unfair to you." "They're not my family...." Shiverpaw hissed under her breath, a sneeze following her words, making her growl. It was because of this she wasn't loved. "Right. But such hurtful words really pain me you know." "W-Why?" "Haha, it's simple really dear. Because I'm your family." She said kindly, giving a loving nudge with her nose to her apprentice that manged to make her smile. "Yea. I forgot. You care for me. Sorry Thistlethorn... I really hate them though.." She added on with her head low and angry tears burning her eyes. This only made the dark molly smirk as she placed her fluffy tail on top of Shiverpaw's shoulder. "Why not make them pay? Show them their mistakes. Similarly to what you did to Archpaw." "Like.. Revenge?" "Yes indeed. A dish best served cold. And I can help you deliver. What do you say Shiverpaw. You already know what I can do. You know what my sister and I are capable of. We can help you show those fools why they should regret what they've done." Shiverpaw felt a chill run over her. She did know exactly what her mentor could do, she was interested in it too. But she never expected to become a part of something... evil. But the voice in her head, in her heart, in her soul wanted to make her family pay. And who better to do so than the Shade Sisters? "Yea. I'm in. Let's make them pay." "Excellent!" Thistlethorn giggled, a sound dastardly enough to scare off the birds in the trees above them.
[center]"I'll make red your absolute favorite color~"
[Border Patrol: Graystone, Amberstorm, Brackenfern, Cypressdawn]
[Hunting Patrol: Sandfur, Leopardpounce, Brookseed, Firestrike, Nettlefoot, Bouncepaw]
[Training: Hollowpaw ~ Tumbleshade, Bouncepaw ~ Nettlefoot, Shiverpaw ~ Thistlethorn]
[Herb Gathering: Hearthflame (Silverkit sneaks out to help him)]
[Now that her kit is apprenticed, Doeheart has begun her warrior duties]
[Bearpike is Doeheart's old mate and Tinypaw's father!]
[After Jaystar hears of Shiverpaw violent outburst, she has postponed the apprentice's chance to become a warrior until she sees she has earned it.]
Injuries
[*NEW* Archpaw~ Major Cuts All Over, Bleeding, Fear | Needs: ???
Thrushclaw~ Scratches | Needs: Dock ✔️
Graystone~ Large Bite, Scartches | Needs: Burdock Root ✔️, Dock ✔️
Blackstreak~ War Wounds | Needs: Cobwebs✔️, Horsetail ✔️
Amberstorm~ Bites | Needs: Burdock Root ✔️
Nettlefoot~ Slight Insanity | Needs: Chamomile ✔️
Gorsetail~ Broken Leg, Minor Wounds | Needs: Comfrey Root✔️, Rush ❌][/center]
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