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Post by Deleted on Aug 1, 2016 23:26:45 GMT -5
I remember the days, new beginnings on an open page...
Never had Rushwhisker felt more thankful to be a RainClan cat than this greenleaf. The heat had been oppressive most every day, rain scarce. He couldn't imagine how dry the other Clans' territories must be when many of RainClan's own streams had all but dried up and the river was so low. His thoughts flitted to the forest, where Bluejay lived, hoping she and her Clan were finding enough water, enough prey. He hoped every Clan was, for when a Clan's survival was threatened, that's when battles became more common, as every Clan pushed for more. He worried for StoneClan and LightningClan especially, knowing that they had the driest territories in the valley. He wished he could know how they were, if they needed help. He wasn't sure what he would be able to do... it wasn't like he could make it rain, despite his Clan's name, or divert the flow of the river, but still... if there was anything he could do, he would.
He pushed to his paws from his spot in the shade provided by a cluster of reeds at the edge of camp. He felt restless. He wanted to do something. This greenleaf had been rife with stress for RainClan and it had his mind turning in circles trying to take it all in and find ways to make it better. He recognized when he needed a break. If he didn't take one soon, he was afraid he might fall into a negative state again, and he never wanted to go back there. His gaze traveled around camp, hoping to spot Russethawk's distinctive reddish pelt, but to no avail. Instead his gaze settled on Bitternwing. His ears perked slightly, hoping she might be agreeable to spending a little time with him. He had to surround himself, when he felt like this, to remind himself why he was alive, why he was still here, and that things would get better.
He trotted over to the she-cat, already feeling a bit better just thinking about spending some stress-free time with a friend. Assuming she wasn't busy and didn't mind coming along, anyway. “Bitternwing! Hey... I was thinking, maybe we could go out for a swim, maybe catch a few fish. No pressure or anything... not like a fishing patrol exactly. I just thought we... well I at least... would really like to take a little time just to relax. I was hoping maybe you'd like to come with?” He paused, wondering if he sounded like he was taking everything too lightly, “Everything has just been so serious lately. It would be nice to....”
Was he rambling now? He stopped, his ear twitching awkwardly. He wasn't normally so tongue-tied. He just didn't want Bitternwing to think he wasn't taking RainClan's problems seriously. After their misunderstanding over Bluejay, he wanted to be sure he was clear with her... but now he was just muddling things up. “It's not that I don't appreciate the seriousness of everything, it's just... everyone needs a little break now and then... right?” Hopefully she would understand that, at least. He looked at her hopefully, “So... will you come with me? It would be nice to have the company.”
With something to prove and nothing to lose, not a soul to betray. Fawn
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Post by Fawn on Aug 2, 2016 13:07:40 GMT -5
21 Moons. RainClan. She-Cat. She paid far too much attention to Rushwhisker on a day-to-day basis to be healthy, but when the tom who despite his best efforts wore his sadness in the droop of his whiskers and the look in his eyes, invited her to do something fun, Bitternwing jumped at the chance.
Her first reaction was relief, knowing he had invited her specifically, and knowing he was trying to look on the bright side despite their world seeming very dark indeed. When the surge of joy receded, it occurred to the long-haired she-cat that a swim in the river would be perfect. "That would be great! It's a shame the willow stream is so low, it would be nice to be in the shade on a day like this." Bitternwing pointedly ignored the fact that the willow stream was something of a romantic hotspot to the couples of RainClan.
That's not why he's asking me to spend time with him. You stop that right now.
Bitternwing gave herself a strong dose of common sense in the form of Bluejay, remembering the pretty medicine cat Rushwhisker had been enamored with. It almost made her shuffle her paws with unease, but determination to maintain her good mood won out. She just had to make sure she kept her head on straight. Just enjoy Rushwhisker's company for what it was—things had been pretty stressful lately. This break was just what they needed.
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Post by Deleted on Aug 2, 2016 16:13:15 GMT -5
I look ahead to all the plans that we made and the dreams that we had.
I'm in a world that tries to take them away, but I'm taking them back.
Breathing a sigh of relief as Bitternwing responded cheerfully, agreeing to spend some time with him, Rushwhisker gave her a genuine smile, “Great!” He shrugged as she mentioned the willow stream, “I'm sure being in the water will be enough to cool us down, shade or no shade.” He took into account her longer fur, then. “Oh... you'll be all right, won't you? Without shade? I mean, we could make the willow stream work if you wanted. There might still be a few spots deep enough to swim a bit....” The fishing would be far worse than the river, but he wanted Bitternwing to enjoy herself and not be roasting in her pelt. “And even just wading would be all right if nothing else. Either way it still gets us in the water to cool off.”
With the water levels so low currently, he had been planning on the river, but he didn't mind changing the plan if it worked better for her. They could have some fun no matter where they went. He didn't even think about the fact that mates tended to spend time at the willow stream, hidden behind the trailing branches that gave them privacy and peace. He hadn't thought about such things since the time he had wished he could bring Bluejay there, just to show her how pretty it was, to share a beautiful place with her. The willow stream was just a stream for him now, a place to fish on occasion, or get a drink.
Or visit the scratches he had made in the tree trunk to represent his lost family, to give himself over to his grief for them for a little while, and then to leave it behind again, with the tree that would forever remember them for him so he could move on with his life. It did not represent grief, he could go there without thinking about the tree that held his family's memorial, but neither did it represent anything more than what it was at face value. So he didn't mind going there with Bitternwing, if that's what she wanted.
Cause all of this time I've just been too blind to understand what should matter to me.
My friends this life we live, it’s not what we have, it’s what we believe in.
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Post by Fawn on Aug 3, 2016 19:38:15 GMT -5
21 Moons. RainClan. She-Cat. "As long as the water is cool, I should be okay." It was kind of him to change plans for her; Bitternwing watched him, seeing which direction the tabby warrior chose. When it became clear that the willow stream was to be their destination, Bitternwing's heart fluttered.
Don't get overly excited. This isn't THAT kind of ... outing. What did cats even call their romantic meet-ups? It surely wasn't patrolling, unless everything just fell under the umbrella term 'hunting' so long as they came back with prey. Bitternwing easily could've spent a few solid minutes deliberating over terminology, but her common sense snapped a mental rubber band against her concentration, pulling her attention back where it mattered.
"So how is training going with Frozenpaw?"
Bitternwing thought fondly of her own ginger apprentice, now a bright young warrior by the name of Glowflower. Always of the mindset to help wherever and whenever she could, Bitternwing smiled warmly at Rushwhisker. "If you would like an extra set of paws, I would be happy to help you with Frozenpaw." Bitternwing paused. "N-Not that I think you're doing poorly! I just meant that if you wanted the company or... or a cat with a different perspective, I could be of some use."
Trying not to drown any further in her own words, Bitternwing closed her mouth, hoping to cover up her error with a sheepish smile, ears spread out in a rueful expression. Hopefully he knew she meant no harm. Besides, perhaps speaking of Frozenpaw would offer enough of a distraction that Rushwhisker wouldn't mind; she really did mean well. Always. Especially when it came to him.
She always wished nothing but happiness and health for the tom who had lost and endured so much.
290 Words Tags: @zen Notes: |
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Post by Deleted on Aug 5, 2016 22:44:07 GMT -5
I look ahead to all the plans that we made and the dreams that we had.
I'm in a world that tries to take them away, but I'm taking them back.
Rushwhisker knew enough about Bitternwing by now that he knew she was a very easygoing cat, under normal circumstances. She didn't like to make waves, was always accommodating. So when she said she would be fine, he decided they would go to the willow stream anyway. She wouldn't have said anything about it before if she didn't have any desire to go there, and it made no difference to him where they spent their time. If she would rather spend it at the willow stream than the river, then they would. And there would be more shade for her. He had no idea what it was like to have such thick fur in this heat, so he would do whatever would make her more comfortable.
They padded on in silence for a short time. Rushwhisker set a leisurely pace, as they weren't in any sort of hurry, other than to get out of the sun. It was Bitternwing that broke the silence, asking about Frozenpaw. A soft smile came to his muzzle, “She's doing well when it comes to fishing, and she's becoming as good a swimmer as any cat in RainClan. I thought with the heat, it was better to focus on more water based activities for now, until it cools down again. She has longer fur like you, so I've been afraid of her overheating, especially since she wouldn't have a very good way to alert me to the fact that it was happening....”
Somewhere within him, he knew he was making excuses for not spending much time on battle training with her, but they were at least legitimate for the time being. Bitternwing offered her help, and seemed to stumble over her words just as he had earlier, trying to make sure he didn't take it the wrong way. He couldn't help but smile and shake his head. Neither one of them should have to be doing that. He would never think Bitternwing was belittling his ability as a mentor, and now that he wasn't so worried about it, he was sure she would never think he was blowing off the situation their Clan was in as nothing worth being serious about.
He let out a soft laugh at how they seemed to be tiptoeing around each other. Maybe it was just Bitternwing's nature to do so, he wasn't entirely sure. But it wasn't in his. He didn't like upsetting others, but he normally said what he meant and let every cat take at face value, because he knew there was no hidden meaning or motive in his words and if others wanted to think that then they would and he wasn't going to worry about it. He brushed against her, bumping his shoulder to hers in an act of friendly affection, “It would be great to have your help with her. After all, I'm not sure if there's any cat in the Clan right now who has ever trained a deaf cat, so the more cats that help, the better. Then we can all learn from each other, and if some other kitten is born deaf, we'll know better how to help them become a warrior in the future.”
He looked over at her, his eyes bright with the very idea of it, “Right now... I'm kind of just bumbling along with her honestly. I think we're doing okay, but I'm sure there's better ways to do things, ways that she'll learn faster, understand better. The more cats there are thinking about it, the more ideas there will be, the more things we can try, to see what does and doesn't work. It's probably not very realistic, but... I'd really like it if every warrior in the Clan would work with us at least once. Everyone's bound to have different ideas. And if we can share those ideas with more cats, we can pass on the things that work well to future generations, so we'll be more prepared, and the next deaf cat to come along will have an easier time of training... maybe one day the training would be done so well, because we figured out so much, that they could become a warrior within the timespan that hearing cats do.”
Cause all of this time I've just been too blind to understand what should matter to me.
My friends this life we live, it’s not what we have, it’s what we believe in.
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Post by Fawn on Aug 6, 2016 11:53:19 GMT -5
21 Moons. RainClan. She-Cat. He is everything that's good about RainClan. Rushwhisker astounded her, and she felt a swell of admiration and affection for the tabby warrior surge up like the tide. He was so compassionate, so kind, and the way he looked towards the future, already wanting to help any deaf cats that may come after Frozenpaw... Bitternwing didn't respond right away, pretending to be thinking of solutions while the lump in her throat receded enough that she could talk.
"She is incredibly lucky to have you as her mentor, Rushwhisker." Bitternwing's heart glowed as she smiled at him, forgetting where they were going, so caught up in the conversation. "Not many cats would think so far ahead, or try so hard to help her. I will ask Gullswoop for some advice, he always has a few good tips." And I'll ask around, too. If enough cats are willing to work with Frozenpaw, then we can all learn something from the experience. And, Bitternwing dared hope, perhaps they could feel more unity in their Clan if they all worked towards a common goal—the support and betterment of Frozenpaw's life.
Redsplash was Frozenpaw's mother, and the unusual she-cat had had a rough life, from what Bitternwing had heard. It was a shame in her eyes that Frozenpaw's mother was no longer around to see this, to witness the Clan coming together to help one of their own.
"Have you been working on her concentration?" Being deaf, Frozenpaw likely already had good focusing skills, but Bitternwing was curious. Rushwhisker's apprentice would surely benefit from a few training exercises that were centered around watching her Clanmates carefully. Watching for cues. Frozenpaw was deaf, but Bitternwing was absolutely certain she was not stupid, she just couldn't communicate like a regular cat could, that was all.
Surely it wouldn't be impossible to convey the seriousness of battle training, or what border markings meant. "She learns from visual cues, right?" Bitternwing's eyes brightened. "Wouldn't it be wonderful if we could teach our Clanmates the same signs to use? That way Frozenpaw wouldn't get confused. I'll bet the apprentices would catch on quickest." What was it like for Frozenpaw in the apprentices' den? She couldn't socialize with the others... Was she lonely?
The fluffy she-cat felt her heart sing for the deaf kitten. I'll talk to her when we get back. Maybe she'd enjoy the company?
With the sun shining down on her pelt, Bitternwing watched for the shaded patches, moving quietly out of the light until she was safely under the shelter of the tall willows, the low burbling of the stream catching her fluffy ears.
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Post by Deleted on Aug 15, 2016 20:48:45 GMT -5
I look ahead to all the plans that we made and the dreams that we had.
I'm in a world that tries to take them away, but I'm taking them back.
Rushwhisker looked over at her as she finally spoke after a brief pause. He thought perhaps she might have been brainstorming a bit, seeing if she might be able to come up with any suggestions for him right off the bat. His ears twitched at her compliment. He hoped what she said was true. He didn't doubt Razorstar's decision to make him Frozenpaw's mentor, he just hoped he could live up to the expectations Razorstar must have had for him, giving him such a challenge for a first apprentice. Razorstar must have been confident he could handle it, or he would have given her to some other cat, and that thought always made him feel better when he was unsure.
He nodded, happy she was including her brother in the brainstorming, “I'll be happy for any suggestions he can offer.” He tilted his head slightly as he thought about what she had said, in essence not many cats would do what he was doing, “But I think you're wrong. It's normal for a cat to want to help their Clanmates, those alive now and those to come. I don't think I'm some sort of special exception.” He looked at her and purred, flicking her playfully with his tail. Even if RainClan was split right now, he knew that every cat was only doing what they thought was right for the Clan and for the cats they cared about, no matter which side they were on. Even in Swanfeather's camp, every cat was only trying to help their Clanmates in the ways they thought best.
When she moved on to her own ideas for helping Frozenpaw, he thought it over for a moment. Frozenpaw's concentration...? He actually hadn't really thought about it. There was of course the practice of concentration when it came to fishing of course but just in general? No. He hadn't thought of that as something they could work on at all. "That's a great idea. I'll definitely try that." He turned his attention back to Bitternwing as she continued and purred again, “I've been thinking that as well. If every cat could learn the same way to communicate with her, it would make things so much easier. It's part of why I would like all the warriors to at least work with us once as well, so they can see some examples of how she and I communicate already. It would be best if every cat in the Clan could join us, but I think that's even more unrealistic.” He gave a soft laugh, his whiskers twitching, “Especially with everything that's going on right now.”
But he shook his head almost immediately, clearing those thoughts for now. He had asked Bitternwing to join him today to leave those matters behind for just a little while. He forced himself back to a more positive train of thought, “But who knows? Maybe when things are back to normal it will be possible after all.” All it once it seemed they had arrived at their destination and Rushwhisker paused before the trailing branches of a willow to glance around. Other cats might have had the same idea to come here for shade and water, but as he looked and angled his ears to listen for any sign they weren't alone, it seemed no one else had arrived so far. Oh well, it would still be fun with just the two of them.
With a quick glance at Bitternwing, he grinned and wove through the willow branches until he couldn't see her anymore, leaving her to follow and find him on the other side. They had arrived at a particularly good spot, it seemed, for when he arrived at the trunk, he found the tree clinging to the bank, the stream flowing under the branches, keeping this little patch of water completely sheltered from the sun. It would be perfect for Bitternwing. The water didn't look very deep, but they could certainly still cool off in it.
Cause all of this time I've just been too blind to understand what should matter to me.
My friends this life we live, it’s not what we have, it’s what we believe in.
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Post by Fawn on Aug 17, 2016 8:03:28 GMT -5
21 Moons. RainClan. She-Cat. Her heart grew soft (er) at his playful gestures, delighted to see the grin on his face as they approached the willow stream—but especially warmed by his positive reception of her suggestion. All she ever wanted was to help the tabby warrior, and to succeed made her feel better than she had in... moons? Maybe not so long, but it sure felt this way.
"We can always ask Bluewave? When things quiet down, of course. If the others see the deputy wanting to learn, I'm sure they'll follow suit." And Bluewave might become Bluestar sooner or later... It would be good of him to keep Frozenpaw in his thoughts. Amongst all the other important things he has to focus on, that is.
The spot Rushwhisker had picked turned out to be more than ideal, and Bitternwing audibly side, smiling as she waded into the cool, shaded waters. "This place is so nice. I... normally don't spend very much time here, usually, but... I'm glad I got to go with you."
He couldn't see her shuffling her fluffy paws under the water, couldn't see how she turned up the loose silty bottom of the stream, and she was relieved about that. Oh StarClan, was that too forward? Oh no, oh no. It was too soon after meeting Bluejay and learning about his feelings for her to be adding her own to the equation!
That wasn't fair to Rushwhisker, and she didn't dare hold her breath for him to return them. Just be a good friend to him, Bitternwing. That's what he's trying to be for you. Why should you expect anything more? If they just focused on Frozenpaw, or the Clan, or even made polite conversation, then her heart wouldn't get too carried away.
At least, that was her hope.
Oh, but what could they talk about? Bitternwing knew enough about him to know to steer clear of Whitewater and Eelpebble, and his siblings. What did they have in common? What did he and Bluejay talk about? Bitternwing winced, and played it off as though a fly had buzzed too close to her ear, swiping a soggy paw over her left one.
"So how is... How is Russethawk handling the situation with Lilystream?" Maybe it was the area, but Bitternwing found herself unable to stray too far from the topic of feelings. Oh, Silverpelt above, she was hopeless. Absolutely hopeless. The only thing she could pray for now was that he wouldn't catch on too fast.
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Post by Deleted on Aug 23, 2016 22:58:12 GMT -5
I look ahead to all the plans that we made and the dreams that we had.
I'm in a world that tries to take them away, but I'm taking them back.
Rushwhisker's ears pricked as Bitternwing suggested getting Bluewave involved. It really was a good idea, so long as Bluewave could find some time for them. He was practically running the Clan by himself right now with Timberstar sick. Maybe after Timberstar got better, then he would ask. His ears twitched uncertainly. Timberstar didn't seem to be getting better. He shook his head, ridding himself of such thoughts for the time being. Bitternwing was right, if other cats saw the deputy getting involved with Frozenpaw, they would be more inclined to get involved as well. If Timberstar wasn't ill, it would be great if SHE could spend a little time with Frozenpaw as well, that would really get cats motivated.
He watched Bitternwing wade into the water, looking content, and was glad they had come here instead of going to the river. He smiled and waded in beside her, “I'm glad we came here too. It was a good idea,” he nodded to her, giving credit where credit was due. It felt much cooler in the shade of the willow, even before he had entered the water. The thick cover of trailing branches did well to keep the heat out. Looking around, he chuckled, “RainClan should move camp here during the hottest moons. Every cat would stay comfortable then.” He thought of his many long furred Clanmates, and those with dark coats, and how much worse this greenleaf must have been for them than for himself, with his short, light colored pelt.
He waded in the stream a bit more, letting it splash up around him and leaning down to take a quick drink of the cool water. He lifted his head and turned back to Bitternwing with dripping whiskers when she asked about Russethawk. His ears flattened briefly as he thought about his mentor's heartbreak. “I don't understand what went wrong for them. He and Lilystream always seemed so close.... I guess it was never anything more than a close friendship for Lilystream.” He sighed and waded back toward her, “I hope Russethawk finds someone else. With Whitewater the way he is...,” he knew he didn't have to explain his father to Bitternwing, “Russethawk has been kind of part father, part older brother, as well as mentor for me. He would make a really great father. I hope he finds that one day... sooner rather than later. He deserves it.”
He settled himself down onto his belly in the stream with a contented sigh as the water seeped into his pelt, thinking about Russethawk for a moment longer. He had no idea how it felt to love someone like Russethawk seemed to love Lilystream, and not have them love you back, but he could imagine, with the pain his own love life had brought him. He looked over at Bitternwing, “I suppose he's dealing with it pretty well, considering the alternatives.... How would you handle it, if the cat you loved didn't love you back and was padding after some other cat?” He wasn't sure what he would do in that situation. There really wasn't much anyone COULD do. You couldn't make a cat feel something they didn't, no matter how badly you wanted them to.
Cause all of this time I've just been too blind to understand what should matter to me.
My friends this life we live, it’s not what we have, it’s what we believe in.
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Post by Fawn on Aug 25, 2016 18:34:29 GMT -5
21 Moons. RainClan. She-Cat. As she lowered herself onto her belly, feeling the water slosh against her chin and throat (sadly she did not have Gullswoop's height, though this had never bothered her) as it seeped down to the skin, Bitternwing desperately prayed that Rushwhisker had asked a rhetorical question.
Her heart having leaped into her throat, for one dangerous moment, there was the very real fear that she might confess the truth to him. He had been honest with her about Bluejay... But... What if he pulls away? What if the pressure to return her feelings was too much? What if she lost his friendship because of a silly, split-second decision to expose her heart to the tom she loved?
No. The risks were greater than the reward. If the only reward was complete and total honesty with Rushwhisker... Bitternwing's whiskers twitched, a hint of melancholia in her eyes that had nothing to do with Russethawk's situation and everything to do with her own.
"I... I would accept it. If I really, truly loved them," Bitternwing swallowed, burning beneath her pelt despite the contradictory cooling effects of the stream. "Then I would want them to be happy. I would wish them well with all my heart. And hope the cat they're padding after will return their feelings." So they wouldn't have to feel what I feel.
Bitternwing didn't have it in her to wish for rejection on any cat; her heart was as soft as her pelt. Anguish, grief, sadness and rejection—these were all emotions she'd sooner absorb like water in a wad of moss to spare her Clanmates the pain. To spare Rushwhisker the pain. He had wisely come to his own decision concerning Bluejay, but she could see that it had caused him no small amount of emotional torment...
To let go of the cat you loved was...
The she-cat looked away from him, her heart in her throat and words on her tongue that every impulse was telling her not to utter. Yet that little voice, that hopeful little voice trying its best to be heard above the echo chamber of her common sense... wanted him to know how she felt.
I guess I'm not so brave after all.
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Post by Deleted on Aug 26, 2016 13:03:54 GMT -5
I look ahead to all the plans that we made and the dreams that we had.
I'm in a world that tries to take them away, but I'm taking them back.
Relaxing in the stream, the flow of water over his pelt soothing as it seemed to wash away all his worries, he closed his eyes as he listened to Bitternwing's answer. His ears flicked as it struck him how similar of an answer he would have expected from Bluejay. He looked down into the water, thoughts of Bluejay and Bitternwing both filling his mind. His heart twisted. If only they had been in the same Clan. He was sure Bitternwing and Bluejay would have been best friends, they were really very similar at heart. He looked over at Bitternwing. She was looking at something else, though he wasn't sure what. How had he not noticed until now how much she reminded him of Bluejay? Was that what had drawn him to her in the first place? A flash of guilt bolted through him at the thought that he was trying to replace Bluejay, and how unfair it was to Bitternwing to put that on her.
Silence drew out between him and he shook his head. Maybe he should change the subject. It seemed this one was a little too heavy for the lighthearted day he had wanted. Surely there were plenty of things to talk about that would not make them melancholy. He glanced up into the willow branches, searching for an idea. Then he glanced back over at her, noticing she still wasn't looking at him. Well, since she wasn't paying attention, maybe he could catch her by surprise. He rolled to one side and kicked out, splashing water at her with his hind legs as a playful grin spread over his muzzle.
He laughed, hoping he had broken the sobering mood, and pushed to his paws, wading toward her, “So, how is Gullswoop then?” he asked, remembering how she had mentioned him earlier. Both of their families were messy and broken, but Bitternwing at least had a sibling she was on good terms with and a father who loved her. They could talk about that. And Gullswoop was mentoring Frozenpaw's brother. “Coldpaw should be a warrior soon. Is he excited to see his first apprentice become a warrior?” Kind of a stupid question. What cat wouldn't be excited in that situation? He couldn't wait for the day Frozenpaw was named a warrior and could only imagine how proud he would be.
Cause all of this time I've just been too blind to understand what should matter to me.
My friends this life we live, it’s not what we have, it’s what we believe in.
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Post by Fawn on Aug 28, 2016 19:49:31 GMT -5
21 Moons. RainClan. She-Cat. At first she took the splashing as a sign to 'wake up, you're getting too depressed and being poor company', but when the startled she-cat looked up and saw Rushwhisker's grin, she understood it for what it was. A subject change.
Purring, Bitternwing batted the water playfully, trying to flick a few droplets at him, her eyes glittering. It took effort to shake off some of those sad thoughts, but it was... difficult to stay too depressed around him. Wasn't it funny how a single cat could bring you so much joy but at the same time, make your heart ache?
"He's doing well!" she mewed, grateful to be on a topic she could speak about willingly and with happiness in her heart. "Coldpaw is a bit, well, cold compared to your little Frozenpaw, and my Glowflower, but I think he's still very proud of what Coldpaw's accomplished." A rush of good feelings, like a gentle rain storm, washed away the negativity as she dug through her memory banks and brought Glowflower's warrior ceremony up to the forefront.
Glowflower had been a kind little she-cat, who had managed to befriend two of the most hardheaded, aggressive apprentices in the Clan—Pikepaw and Coldpaw. Secondhand pride left over from the memory of hearing Glowflower's new name chanted by dozens of their Clanmates had her purring loudly. "It's a wonderful feeling, to see a cat you've tried your best to raise right become a warrior before your very eyes. It feels good to see your hard work and their hard work pay off so splendidly." How would it feel to be a mother and see your kits become warriors?
Now that was a kind of pride and warm, familial joy she could only imagine.
"And," she mewed gently, still smiling. "It's good to remind your Clanmates that you're a RainClan cat to the core, even if you have mixed blood." Training Glowflower had been a defining moment for Bitternwing. It had been proof that the higher ranked cats trusted her enough, believed in her, to be a good mentor; and she had fulfilled their expectations. It wasn't as glorious sounding as winning a battle in RainClan's name, but Bitternwing felt very good for what she had been able to accomplish.
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Post by Deleted on Sept 3, 2016 12:27:55 GMT -5
I look ahead to all the plans that we made and the dreams that we had.
I'm in a world that tries to take them away, but I'm taking them back.
Rushwhisker purred as Bitternwing happily spoke of her brother and his apprentice, and the joys that came with seeing your apprentice become a warrior. He hoped he would have the chance to train many apprentices of his own during his life. It was such a rewarding experience. He could think of no events quite as important in a Clan cat's life than training the next generation. Other than raising it, perhaps, but the duty of a queen was one he would never experience firsthand. His heart twisted a bit, wondering if he would ever have a family of his own. It was something he desired intensely, and yet the only cat he had wanted it with was beyond his reach.
He blinked over at his friend as she explained how training an apprentice had helped her prove herself in the eyes of others and his ears twitched back briefly in frustration, “You shouldn't have to remind any cat of that.” He thought of Whitewater and how terribly his father had treated Bitternwing as his apprentice, and he sighed. He leaned over to rasp his tongue over her ear, murmuring quietly, “You're more loyal than I am.” Bitternwing had never cast her gaze across the border for a mate, after all, despite being half-Clan herself. A cat's blood did not determine their loyalty one bit. If only the purists could see that.
He took a step back, feeling all the worries he had tried to let go come rushing back. Shaking his head, he turned, “Maybe we should head back now. I'm sure there's plenty to be done.” The Clan was split, every cat had to go on patrol more often as a result, though at least there were fewer cats to feed so the fishing workload hadn't increased. They had probably spent enough time relaxing now, enough time not contributing to the Clan. His ears flicked back, reminding himself that every cat still needed to take a break now and again and that he shouldn't feel guilty for it.
His whiskers twitched as he tried to bring back the cheerfulness he had been able to grasp only a moment ago, looking back at Bitternwing, “This was nice. Maybe next time we do this, RainClan will be in a better place and problems won't be hanging over our heads the entire time.” His pale gaze was apologetic; he recognized that this had not been quite as pleasant of an outing as he had hoped, but at least they had cooled off and been able to spend some time just talking together. It wasn't a total loss.
Cause all of this time I've just been too blind to understand what should matter to me.
My friends this life we live, it’s not what we have, it’s what we believe in.
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Post by Fawn on Sept 3, 2016 16:29:38 GMT -5
21 Moons. RainClan. She-Cat. She stopped breathing at the gentle rasp of his tongue over her ear, wanting to argue that he was just as loyal as she was, but... Her thoughts got tangled, the beating of her heart in her ears drowning out any other decisions. Fortunately, Rushwhisker was able to make them for her, and the tabby warrior suggested they head back to camp.
Bitternwing nodded, climbing out of the water, claws briefly unsheathing to give herself more traction on the wet grass as she walked up the stream bank. Once on level ground, Bitternwing shook herself vigorously, which did little to make her look less drowned, but most of the excess water had been lost. At least now she would not have to worry about the heat for a few hours, and by then, the sun would have sunken down under the horizon.
"Hopefully we won't have to wait until newleaf or greenleaf for the Clan to be..." What was a good word for what they needed? Unified? Well, even a pack of angry cats could be unified if they had a common enemy; that wasn't what she meant. That wasn't what she wanted.
"Healed." Bitternwing finished, nodding softly, finding the word choice appropriate. Healed of all these negative feelings and hateful judgments.
Not just because she was Half-Clan and the subject of much ridicule by the Purists, but because she genuinely hoped for a brighter future for RainClan that she held on tight to that word.
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