[Hellion]

Swanfeather

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Conflict buzzed about in the thought of one certain medicine cat. The mundane task of sorting bad and good herbs had her mind wandering. Sandstar had died quite a few moons ago, the loner raised RainClan had taken his place. Never in a million moons would Swanfeather thought she'd see the day. Loyalty to her clan held back her dislike of Razorstar for his first few moons of leadership, but the nagging feeling in the back of her head had her uneasy in her paws. Did he knew the extent of involvement with StoneClan's exile. Could he be truly trusted to lead the Clan that was her own home?

Her focus was taken back by the change of shadow in front of her den. Flexing her soft muscles from seasons in a herb filled den, Swanfeather rose up to her paws to follow the shape. Despite the herbs having such a strong smell her nose had grown a used to it and in a sense made her nose sharper and quick to identify the passing cat.

Three flicks to her fur on her chest and shoulder, Swanfeather poked her head out of her den to see the tail end of Razorstar disappear into his den. Now was the time, she'd need to discuss two things with Razorstar for the sake of her own sanity but also her continued faith in StarClan. Crossing the distance from her den to his she paused just before the entrance and called out to the leader within. "I would like to talk with you Razorstar." Despite their difference in rank, Swanfeather's words carried no room for dismissal. She would wait outside his den if that is what it took, she was not going to allow him to ignore her if that was what he wanted.

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Give me love like never before,
'Cause lately I've been craving more,
And it's been a while but I still feel the same,
Maybe I should let you go,

Word Count:: ---
Tag::@Insidious
Notes:: ---

[Insidious]

R A Z O R S T A R
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No sooner had he entered the quarters of his den then had someone from outside called for his attention, ears flicking to identify with the sound of the distinctly feminine voice before he beckoned the RainClan medicine cat inside with a firm, “You may enter.”

Rarely was he known to spend time in the company of their Clan’s qualified, respectable medicine cat, which made it rather simple for him to discern that, whatever she sought to talk with him about, was likely professional and business-oriented in its entirety. He considered whether or not there had been a recently sick and/or injured cat placed into her care, hoping that, if such were the case, she did not have any bad news to deliver. There was a variety of reasons that she could be seeking him out, desiring to speak with him somewhere that they would be the least likely to be overheard or disturbed. Whatever her reasoning was, he was anxious to be informed.

Razorstar waited patiently for Swanfeather to make an appearance, observing her movements carefully as she came to rest a fair distance away from him within the den - comfortable for talking. Silence persisted for a few moments longer than was necessary, the leader shifting his forepaws in mild discomfort, before he imposed her with a question: “What did you want to speak with me about, Swanfeather?” Having recently been informed of Roselight’s pregnancy, he was uncertain of how much more significant information his brain would be able to handle without a good night’s rest. He prioritized RainClan, of course, and would always ensure that he made time to handle whatever matters arose and called for his inspection; he had not been a leader for very long yet, and was still adjusting to the amount of orders he was required to issue, how many lives could be risked if he made a mistake, but he was meeting the challenge gracefully for someone of his size and notable aggression.

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Tags: Hellion
Word Count: 330.

[Hellion]

Swanfeather

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His question rang loudly in her ear as a flicker to doubt crossed her face. She knew that she had every right as medicine cat to confront her leader, but it was the nature of doing so that had her pausing for a moment longer. She had been there when Razorstar was brought into camp as a young kit, the memory was faded but she looked after him, checking for any aliments before giving him to another queen and her duty to her Clan done unwillingly.

It wasn't that Swanfeather hated kits, or wished one an early death, she just didn't understand at the time why RainClan needed to bring in non-clan cats. In her blue eyes it was important that RainClan remain pure as possible and over time Swanfeather had grown to accept loners and random kits, an example was Bravebird, but never could she accept Timberwing.

The orange she-cat had been of NightClan breeding and not rotten herbs. It was those choices that had Swanfeather having difficulty following this new leader. With a clean frame of question, Swanfeather cleared her throat and started.

"You know my feelings towards that are half-clan. I know I have made myself clear and while I have accepted you as leader to RainClan because Sandstar picked you I can not support you with your own choice of deputy. Swanfeather paused, flicking her tail back and forth taking a moment to ensure her hatred in NightClan was kept at bay. "I do not understand how you can allow a former NightClan cat to be of any rank in this class. I understand it was Deadstar that allowed her to join RainClan so many moons ago, but it was your choice to give her the rank of deputy. Have you forgotten what they have done to us? What we have lost?" A growl filled her throat at the mention of what they have lost, a faded and broken memory of Frostfang came to her before she forced herself to push it aside.

Swanfeather wanted to add more but she couldn't find the words and instead kneaded the ground and waited for his response.

---

I had a dream my life would be
So diff'rent from this hell I'm living
So diff'rent now from what it seemed
Now life has killed the dream I dreamed

Word Count:: ---
Tag::@insertname
Notes:: ---

[Insidious]

R A Z O R S T A R
- - - - - -

The medicine cat appeared tense, like whatever was on her mind weighed heavily as a burden. It was his wish that he could be there for the members of RainClan when they needed him, that he could soothe their worries and frustrations, and make them see as he did. It was a lot more difficult when the feline inside of his den was also of considerable standing, because Swanfeather arguably had as much influence over RainClan as both Timberwing and him did as well. Her and her new apprentice, Ottersplash, were full-blooded RainClan cats, which made it a lot easier for the rest of the Clan to accept them in their positions. Her words were not entirely unexpected, because lately he had received a lot of inquiries about this very thing, though more often than not the focus was on him and not his NightClan-born deputy. The tip of his tail twitched, resisting the immediate urge to jump to Timberwing’s defense so that he could instead listen to what Swanfeather was trying to communicate and form a better understanding of where she was coming from. It was true that NightClan had done a lot to RainClan in the past, and due to their recent conflicts, it was sensible that a few Clanmates would look at Timberwing with disdain in their eyes. Nonetheless, Razorstar lifted his chin in defiance, his greenish-gray eyes steady within Swanfeather’s own as he responded with complete confidence.

“I appreciate that you have come to accept me in my position,” his words rang true, wanting to ensure that Swanfeather knew how much he appreciated having her support before he continued. “And I realize that I cannot expect everyone to agree with the decisions that I make. However, there is no part of me that regrets the decision I made the day that Timberwing was announced the deputy of this Clan.” He had more to say on the matter, but he chose to pause briefly, letting the weight of his words sink in regardless of how much Swanfeather would seek to counter. He trusted Timberwing wholeheartedly, and he wanted to make sure that everyone saw that with their own two eyes; if she would not have everyone’s trust, she could know that Razorstar would always be at her side. “I share your repulsion for NightClan. Recent conflicts have stirred between our Clans, as you know, and I want nothing more than to make them suffer for everything they have taken from us. Even though Timberwing’s background resides within the ranks of our enemy, her heart and soul resides with us, here in RainClan, and I see that clearly everyday that she stands beside me, beside this Clan, and beside those who do not approve of where she comes from, even when we are pitted against the Clan in which she was born - not once have I looked to her and had to wonder to myself whether or not her loyalties are split, because I know with absolute certainty that they are not.” Perhaps he wouldn’t be able to make Swanfeather see as he did; he knew that his medicine cat upheld purity, and that it had been hard for her to overcome her beliefs and accept him as the leader of her Clan. She had succeeded, nevertheless, and he hoped that she would one day be able to view Timberwing in the same way as Razorstar did because, if one day he passed and she was the new leader of RainClan, then he would hope that she would have the support that he did in the face of those that would never be able to accept impures. “I want you to understand that I would never do anything to hurt RainClan, that I would never allow its prosperity to be compromised, and if I ever doubted for even a second that Timberwing no longer shared what it is that I hold in the highest regard - this Clan - then she would, in turn, no longer have the position that she does. She is my deputy, Swanfeather, because I see a loyalty to RainClan inside of her that is so bright and so true, because even though there are still cats, much like yourself, that find it difficult to accept her, everything she does is for this Clan.”

Razorstar didn’t so much as flinch throughout the entirety of his speech, his gaze locked, his lip tight, appreciative that Swanfeather would come to him to voice aloud her concerns, but no less driven to stand by the faith that he had placed in Timberwing. “I have not forgotten what NightClan has done to us, but neither has she. I cannot force you to support our deputy, and I would never think to try, but in my eyes she has earned the right to be exactly where she is.” Satisfied with everything he had said, the leader concluded with a hefty sigh, refraining from dismissing the medicine cat because, although he did not particularly like listening to his trusted deputy be questioned, he was interested in hearing Swanfeather’s rebuttal. She was as much a part of this Clan as he was, as Timberwring was, and if she had any reason other than the fact that Timberwing had been born in NightClan to have him seeing her as deserving of demotion, proof that she wasn’t as loyal as Razorstar had believed her to be, then he wanted to be informed of that at once.

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Tags: Hellion
Word Count: 911.