[Silver]

A pale golden form dashed on silent paws away from the clan meeting area. Just as soon as she'd been able to get out of there Squirrelpaw - normally so very shy and sweet - has pushed her way passed many a clan-mate in her hurry to escape. A low snarling growl was coming from her lean form and her tail lashed around behind her in a clear show of her opinion of what had just transpired. She was just so angry and wanted to swat Dimstar in his thick head a few times to see if that didn't knock some much needed sense into him. For him to decide that Night Clan needed a few restrictions to breeding was fine, and she even agreed with some of what he'd said, but to outright ban healthy cats and then determine for them who they were best suited for was just the height of stupidity. What in Star Clan's name was Dimstar thinking?!

She finally slowed down once she was far enough away and merely padded along in the continuing night with swift, sure steps at odds with her normal timid movements. She was well and truly irate with things as they stood. And for goodness sake, they were trying to determine parings for Apprentices as well; including her sister Cardinalpaw. And her poor Mentor, Squirrelpaw was certain that Tinytail wasn't interested in any of the toms of the clan just now. Not to mention that some were outright banned, she just didn't think it was fair at all! Why would Dimstar do this to them? Yes the clan needed to expand and now during this time of strength was as good a time as any; provided prospective queens had the sense to wait until their kits wouldn't be born during leaf-bare, but to outright have to be approved just to bring new life into the clan, what a farce!

This wasn't leadership, it was outright dictatorship and if she wasn't so ridiculously shy maybe she could have spoken up against Dimstar's ill-conceived edict for the clan. If anything, it was going to discourage breeding in the clan instead of encouraging in and the thought of what she herself would have to do if ever she was interested in a male made her ears flatten to her skull in rage and frustration. What could someone like her do though, it wasn't like anyone really listened to her. It just...wasn't right!

--

Words | 408
Tags | Fawn

[Fawn]

33 Moons. Tom. Narcoleptic.
~~~~~

Hazeheart had always known, as soon as Dimstar succeeded Ravenstar and Slatenose that he was always somehow lesser in the tom's eyes. He doubted Dimstar meant to be cruel or to make him feel as if he wasn't worthy of bearing the rank of a NightClan warrior, but Hazeheart couldn't shake the feeling that Dimstar saw him as half the value of his Clanmates.

His apprenticeship had taken an embarrassingly long time, not only because he had effectively gotten himself lost and trapped in the mountains for no small amount of moons, but because it had taken him and Nettlefur a while to ... get his condition under control.

Despite knowing what Dimstar thought, and despite knowing the truth about himself, that Dimstar had banned him from breeding for fear of passing on his strange illness, still cut the tom's heart to the quick. With a shuddered breath and his chest tight with melancholy, Hazeheart had distanced himself from the meeting, slipping outside as quietly as a tom with a tortoiseshell coat could.

Now more than ever he wanted to run to the deer path, he wanted to leap over the border and find Littlestep, where he could bury his face in her fur and know that she did not think of him as half a warrior. Why, StarClan, did the things he wanted so badly have to be against the Code?

Not expecting to find anyone else out here, Hazeheart let out a soft noise of surprise as he nearly bumped into an angry looking she-cat pacing outside of camp. "Sorry Cardin--Squirrelpaw?" In her ire, he had mistaken her for her sister (the two had similar coloring), but Hazeheart was quick to correct his error. It was sad to see the apprentice so riled up--especially about something no cat but Dimstar could change...

"It's not so bad," Hazeheart mewed gently, trying to provide some comfort, if not just for her but for himself also. "At least he's letting us argue or suggest better pairs, nothing's been scratched into stone." It was a sorry kind of consolation, but it was better than absolute rule. It took effort to say us when every cat knew he had no part in any of this; Dimstar had deemed him unfit to have a family. Hazeheart had privately agreed with him well before this meeting, but there was a certain amount of heartbreak over being treated like he wasn't good enough.

Like his branch of the family tree deserved to rot and fall off.

~~~

Word Count: 407 Words
Tags: Silver
Notes:

[Silver]

Squirrelpaw froze, her tail sticking straight out in surprise as she ran across another cat in her place of supposed solitude. Her body vibrated and she released another low hiss of sound at the mix-up with him thinking she was her sister because she was angry but she let that go for the bigger issue. This was Hazeheart, he was on the list of those that couldn't breed because of the strange illness he had. She turned to the older tom and marched herself right up to him, not caring for once that she was near someone she didn't know well. In no way was any of this right! "How can you of all cats say that Hazeheart? It is that bad! Just because a cat isn't perfect doesn't mean they shouldn't have kits. It's just as likely they won't be the same as you as they will, and even if they are the same you did just fine didn't you? You should have the same right as the rest of us to have kits with a she-cat you love!"

Her tail started lashing around behind her again, dark amber eyes blazing with her strong emotions. She didn't know Hazeheart overly well, but she felt that every cat deserved to feel the joy that came with having kits with a cat you loved if they wanted to. It was a basic right all cats should have and it made her furious with Dimstar all over again just thinking about it. The more she thought about this thing the more riled she felt and no attempt at calming herself seemed to be working. So what if she was just a shy Apprentice that everyone overlooked because she wasn't like her bold sister? It didn't matter and now that she'd started talking about it she couldn't bring herself to stop. "Hazeheart, you're a good Warrior. You care about this Clan and the cats in it, and you are just as deserving as any of us to have kits of your own if you wanted to. I don't care what Dimstar says, this is wrong. He's wrong!"

Her tail lashed harder up behind her and the low growling was coming from her almost consistently, but it wasn't really directed at poor Hazeheart. She just didn't like this entire mess, not at all!

--

Words | 389
Tags | Fawn

[Fawn]

33 Moons. Tom. Narcoleptic.
~~~~~

Squirrelpaw's outburst pinned Hazeheart's ears back, and he stared at her in amazement. She was so riled up! He didn't know her very well, but it was almost as if the shy, uncertain kitten she'd been a moment ago had all but disappeared, swallowed up by the new, angry, fiery Squirrelpaw.

That she was fighting harder for him than he was himself had his smile turn sheepish, depreciating. "I wasn't always such a good warrior, Squirrelpaw. Before you and your siblings were born, I was an apprentice too—but not a very good one. If it wasn't for Smokefur discovering goatweed, I think Dimstar would have made me retire to the elders' den, I just couldn't stop falling asleep without warning. My being forbidden to have kits is for the good of the Clan, the way Dimstar sees it."

It was a sad thing, to have the mind and spirit of a warrior, but a body that was more suited to the quiet life of--of a kittypet, like the ones the elders spoke of from time to time. Hazeheart would freely admit that Squirrelpaw had a point, that there was a chance his kits wouldn't turn out like him. "Thank you for sticking up for me." The tortoiseshell tom blinked warmly at her, touched by how much emotion and loyalty and compassion had been hiding under so much shyness for so long. "I think if enough cats complain or tell Dimstar his idea isn't a good one, we might be able to do away with these regulations." But with Leafbare coming... he understood Dimstar's reasoning.

That didn't make him feel any less guilty for loving Littlestep, or any less ashamed of himself for having been born so... so tired, though. Hazeheart thought of Brightmoon and Darkblaze, aware that they were likely to be just as upset by his exclusion as Squirrelpaw was; he didn't want them to argue with Dimstar on his behalf. They had to know that... having kits with a NightClan she-cat was the last thing on his mind. If there was someone here that he'd loved as dearly as he loved Littlestep, then his reaction to this news would've been different. It might've even been in the same vein as Squirrelpaw's.

But he did love a she-cat from another Clan, and he did have a condition no cat could explain or fix. Hazeheart hadn't been a beacon of Clan loyalty lately, he knew that every time he went to go see her... This... felt like an appropriate punishment.

~~~

Word Count: 420 Words
Tags: Silver
Notes:

[Silver]

Squirrelpaw sighed, trying to reign in the fury that filled her lean form. It wasn't just Hazeheart's predicament that had her so rile. If that was it...well then her issues would hold no weight in the grand scheme of things as far as Dimstar was concerned. "Hazeheart.....it's not just you. I mean, this entire thing overall isn't really right. Maybe I'm not understanding things all the way, but from what I can understand it's just...I don't know...it's just restricting things way too much. If he had to do something like this for everyone because of the coming season or for the health of the prospective queen in question, I could understand that. But he's also banning a select few for entirely stupid reasons! I think...I think I'm going to take him up on the offer to speak to him about this. Because someone has to. This clan...how can they just accept it? I don't...I don't get it!"

Her tail lashed out behind her again before she forced herself back into a semblance of calm. Being riled up like she was wasn't going to help anything be made better. She looked out over the sky overhead and thought long and hard over what action she should take. Finally conviction settled in her heart and she turned back to Hazeheart, a thoughtful look to her dark amber eyes. "I think...I'm definitely going to speak to Dimstar about this. I have to...I have to understand why." Her tail tilted upright in a gesture of calm confidence in her choice. It was out of character for her, but she had to try. If she just left things as they were...well nothing would ever change now would it?

--

Words | 293
Tags | Fawn

[Fawn]

Hazeheart

33 Moons. Warrior. NightClan.

If there was one good thing that came from this, it was that it was inspiring the quieter members of the Clan to finally make sure their voices were heard. She may not have been his apprentice - it seemed as though Tinytail's tenacity was starting to rub off on the ginger apprentice - but he felt proud of her anyway. The tortoiseshell tom blinked warmly, nodding with gentle support. "I hope you find your answers, Squirrelpaw."

A question was nearly out of his mouth before he stopped himself. Do you want me to go with you? Talking to Dimstar was a daunting task even for some warriors; Hazeheart's own chest tightened as if in a badger's embrace just at the thought of holding his leader's attention for longer than five heartbeats. But that was him. Squirrelpaw was a different cat entirely, and Hazeheart, young as he was, could exercise a little 'wisdom' in the right moment.

If she could face Dimstar on her own, then this impassioned little she-cat could handle anything. Self-confidence was so important in a young cat; it was especially important that, if given the chance to find it for themselves rather than have another warrior always there encouraging them, they discovered their true strength on their own.

Hazeheart smiled, wishing her luck with the touch of his tail against one of her ginger ears.

Don't Give Up. Great Things Take Time.

229 Words // Silver // Notes: Thread over?