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Post by Fawn on Nov 19, 2016 23:26:55 GMT -5
blinded by the light of a new sun
take it to the world, gonna sing it like an anthem
The frost stung his paws, an icy reminder of what was to come within the next quarter moon. Regardless of the impending winter, however, patrols and hunting parties carried on as usual; with Gorsetail in charge of camp, and Falconstorm & Bluejay sorting through their leaf-fall stock of herbs, Lionstar had stolen a moment to himself.Well, not entirely to himself.He had asked Honeysong to go for a walk with him and, just as he'd hoped, she'd accepted. That snake-and-driftwood fiasco seemed so far behind them, thanks in no small part to Honeysong healing quickly from both injuries. Her nightmares had not persisted (at least, she hadn't said anything further to him), though he kept her on light duty to make sure the senior warrior didn't overwork herself.Walking step for step beside the lilac-furred she-cat, Lionstar's breath escaped him in cool clouds as he spoke. "Won't be long now before any border patrols are spent running, just to keep warm." The snowfall was always very heavy in their forest; he could imagine how LightningClan coped with their almost entirely open territory. They must have had no choice but to shelter from the poor weather in their rabbit warrens and fox holes.No thanks.Give him a nice fallen tree any time of year, and he'd find it preferable to living in a hole in the ground. Lionstar's gaze raked over the horizon, staring with narrowed eyes across the scent border to see if he might spy any more LightningClan warriors sneaking over. A moon ago, two LightningClan cats had crept into TreeClan territory (thankfully not far), and it had been Meadowleaf's patrol that had chased them back onto their own lands. As much as Lionstar wanted to believe it was only two young warriors having a bit of rebellious fun, he hadn't lived this long by blindly trusting his neighbors. It could have been a test, for all he knew, to see how closely patrolled the open woods were.Thoughts of strategy and conflict were swiftly cast aside, however, as he turned his focus more locally - upon the happenings off TreeClan. He turned to his Clanmate, smiling gently. "How is Falconstorm adjusting to his new role? I know it was quite a shock for him." It was going to be hard to forget the expression on the young tom's face when Bluejay had made her announcement before the whole Clan.leader of TreeClan |
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Post by Justice on Nov 20, 2016 0:20:46 GMT -5
Honeysong We'll forget the sun in his jealous sky
As we lie in fields of gold58 Moons, Senior Warrior of TreeClan It had been a suprise, being asked to take a walk with Lionstar. She'd patrolled with him before, in the past, but he seemed so busy that something so simple baffled her. Not that she was complaining, it wasn't every cat that could say they got to have the complete attention of the leader of TreeClan for a significant amount of time. The leader part didn't matter to her. All that mattered was that it was Lionstar, he was at her side, and neither of them were in distress. For once.
She padded along on quiet paws that were now strong and free of the swelling and pain that had come from driftwood and snake bites that had laid her out for several days. Such an embarrassing way to get taken off duty for even a short time. It had forced her to pay even closer attention to her surroundings. She didn't want to be brought home mostly unconscious again, didn't want to be the source of Lionstar's worry. Or anyone else's, for that matter.
Honeysong smiled at him, head tipped as her ears shifted around to keep track of the world around them. "Soon the forest will be blanketed in snow." The air was crisp and the first promise of leafbare was on them. It wouldn't be too many more days and the season would change, and hunting would be the priority. Hunting and protecting. And StarClan help anyone that got in the way of that. They had a nursery full of kits and queens that had to be fed, after all. "As fluffy as your fur is, Lionstar, I doubt you'll have to do much running." Her tone was light, teasing the big tom at her side.
The lilac warrioress headbutted her leader in the shoulder affectionately, letting him know she was only teasing him. "Falconstorm spent the last two nights in my nest with me. He hasn't done that since he was still an apprentice. The first time, I mean. He's so confused and so lost, but I think he's happier this way. He wants so desperately to help, and he spends more time in the nursery with the queens and kits than he does doing most everything else. He's happiest that way."
She took a breath, noting how it fogged on the air, before continuing. "I'm worried about him. I may not have given birth to him, but he is still mine. So you can imagine, even hurt as I was, how surprised I was to hear him come to me and ask me if he was doing the right thing." She sighed, evening out her pace. "I told him that StarClan wouldn't lead him astray, and neither would Bluejay. I told him to trust in himself and that the rest would come with time."
She loved her grown-up foster kits, though now they were all far from being kits. She'd done well by them, and that was important to her.
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Post by Fawn on Nov 24, 2016 0:23:04 GMT -5
blinded by the light of a new sun
take it to the world, gonna sing it like an anthem
Lionstar sympathized immediately with the young tom. "You gave him good advice, Honeysong. It's... terrifying, at first. Knowing that some day the lives of your Clanmates will depend on you, on your knowledge, your skill, your ability to handle pressure." He remembered that feeling of exhileration and fear in his chest when Distantstar had announced him, then Lionstep, as deputy of TreeClan. That crippling fear had been beaten back by a burning sense of purpose, a need to protect his Clan; not so much to live up to his father's legacy as it was a way to forge his own for the good of TreeClan."But it's rewarding. Despite all the stress and the uncertainties that come with it." Lionstar smiled a little ruefully. "I wish I could say I never regretted becoming leader, but sometimes I wonder how much simpler my life would be if I'd just stayed a warrior. I would've settled down with a nice she-cat, had a litter or two. Never worrying about patrols or border disputes."Slowing to an eventual stop, Lionstar flicked an ear towards the faint sound of retreating hooves - but did not react more than that. Deer were not something Clan cats could hunt; though it was a source of food for Demon, his warriors had not reported seeing any signs of the monster lynx for a while. How different would his life have been, to have simply stayed Lionstep? He could picture this alternate version of himself with surprising clarity; taking on a role not unlike his deceased mentor, Sagefur, he could picture Lionstep trying not to trip over a litter of excited almost-apprentices, putting up with their questions and sometimes giving a cheeky answer.Instead of a family, however, Lionstar had been given apprentices. Many apprentices that he was tremendously proud of, each and every one. With a faint exhale, Lionstar shook himself out of his musings, sorry to get lost in thought while he was in the company of a good friend. "What about you?" He mewed, eager to turn the conversation away from himself; it made him uncomfortable to let even a dear friend know that he had regrets. He wasn't allowed to have regrets, or think 'what if's'. He had to be the foundation for this Clan, regardless of how much it wore on him like wind and rain on an old log."You're still plenty young, going to settle down before we end up in the elder's den?" He hadn't been curious about this until now. Truthfully, he hadn't given it any thought until now; why the sudden interest? Lionstar assumed it was leftover caretaking from her time in the medicine cat's den, and the incident many moons prior; he felt the need to keep an eye on her.Which apparently meant asking personal questions. Lionstar could no sooner take his words back then he could stick the leaves back in the trees, so he waited for her reply - accepting backlash or a topic change if she wanted.leader of TreeClan |
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Post by Justice on Nov 29, 2016 0:03:20 GMT -5
Honeysong We'll forget the sun in his jealous sky
As we lie in fields of gold58 Moons, Senior Warrior of TreeClan "Any time I have an apprentice I wonder if I will do right by them, if they will grow up into good cats that'll be helpful to the Clan. There are different levels of responsibility, Lionstar, each of us experience it as we age and grow within our Clans. A good teacher, a good mentor, will do well by their apprentice. A bad teacher will possibly ruin any apprentice they are tasked with. It all depends on the cats that are paired up. But I get what it is you are saying." She butted her head against his shoulder, feeling pretty bold for some reason. Perhaps it was because she'd fallen asleep against his side before, or maybe it was just that they had known each other for so long that she knew he wouldn't mind the small affection. Either way, she completed the motion and started walking again.
She followed his lead in so much, and wondered if he realized that. It had always been that way, even back when they were apprentices. She had followed his lead in most things, and often got into trouble for it. Honeysong was mild mannered, and hadn't known any better until she was much older. Even now, as a senior warrior, she craved affection, the closeness of the family she'd never had. Perhaps that, rather than anything else, was why she'd followed Lionstar for so long. She hated being alone, and her leader was drowning in family. Perhaps, if she stayed around him long enough, her own family would somehow appear and wish to know her too. But those were the fanciful yearnings of a kit, of a very young cat. She was well grown and knew better. Now it was the simple comfort of a long time friend.
"Me?" Her ears flicked towards him even as they came to a stop. Pain flew across her features, amber eyes going to the ground for a long moment before she was able to answer. "I'm not sure I can have kits anymore, Lionstar. Not after what Dustburrow did to me, and then Demon." She'd lived, but could her body really contain life inside it any longer? She didn't know, and that fear had kept her from really letting any tom court her.
"I would love to have a family of my own, its my dream. I don't know if you know this about me, but my parents abandoned me right after I was born. I was raised by a wonderful queen that took me in and treated me as her own. But I don't know of any family of mine, or if I have brothers and sisters. I just don't know. So kits of my own, and a doting mate, is my deepest and most fond dream."
She had the slightest smile as she sat where they'd stopped, curling her fluffy tail around her paws. "I'd happily give up my remaining moons as a warrior if it meant I could have even one kit of my own."
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Post by Fawn on Dec 1, 2016 20:22:52 GMT -5
blinded by the light of a new sun
take it to the world, gonna sing it like an anthem
If he could have given up a life so that Honeysong could have her dream realized, he would've; these lives had been given to him so that he might look after his Clan in any way possible, to Lionstar, this seemed to count. Always of the mindset to fix anything that seemed broken, or find a solution to a problem that persisted long after it should've, Lionstar gently pressed his nose to her lilac-hued ear. "You should speak to Bluejay. If she doesn't have any answers, StarClan might."For all the good these extra lives did him, he was unable to help one of his dearest friends. The small headbutt to his shoulder hadn't gone unnoticed, either; she had gotten more affectionate with him, and he was perhaps more surprised to find he didn't mind than anything else. It was as if, after every tragic thing that happened in their lives, they were somehow drawn even closer together. In an attempt to lighten the mood, Lionstar smiled, whiskers twitching as he spouted a promise without really thinking about it. "Tell you what, Honeysong. If neither one of us finds mates by next Greenleaf, maybe we'll take it as a sign that we're stuck with each other instead."Obviously they weren't stuck with one another; he loved her company, and Lionstar felt that Honeysong's opinions were the same. They had been friends for so long, from apprenticeship onward, he couldn't imagine her being absent from his life. Not after so many moons together. StarClan had a funny way of keeping things hidden from him; Willowfur being alive after all this time, Gorsetail being the ideal deputy candidate... He understood that his ancestors wanted him to reach these conclusions himself, yet sometimes a little hint every now and then wouldn't hurt. If StarClan was hinting at something here, then Lionstar wasn't looking hard enough. Watching Honeysong with an enigmatic look in his eyes, his smile fixed though his thoughts were following a tangent he hadn't really considered before, Lionstar broke out of his trance. He brushed a twig from her flank with his thick black-and-golden tail, seeing his breath mist out before him. Maybe...leader of TreeClan |
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Post by Justice on Dec 3, 2016 16:50:37 GMT -5
Honeysong We'll forget the sun in his jealous sky
As we lie in fields of gold59 Moons, Senior Warrior of TreeClan "I may just. After all the care she's given to all of us since we lost Littletimber I know I can trust her with this. I just don't want my fears all over the clan. No unnecessary worry for my grown fostered kits, thank you. I know you wouldn't tell anyone without asking me first, and neither would Bluejay." So that wasn't her worry at all, and she was glad they were out away from the clan for awhile. Nosy clanmates spread rumors, and that was the last thing she wanted for her clan. "I used to wonder if StarClan was punishing me through my unborn kits and the guilt I still carry from losing them. Now, I think they were just trying to help me understand that I could get through the pain, that better things were in store for me. Does that make sense?"
The she-cat giggled when his nose pressed against her ear, flicking them at the large golden tom. "Stop that, it tickles." She ducked her head to get away from the sensation then tipped her head as he spoke to her again. Her amber eyes went wide then narrowed as she tried to decide if he was teasing her or not. She had once followed his shadow just hoping he'd notice her, that he'd realize the she-cat that stayed at his side was better than the one that was of age with him but didn't give him the time of day. That had been ages ago, and she'd moved on from the silly grush of her younger moons. Still, his comment made her regard him with new eyes. Or old ones, she supposed. He was still gloriously handsome and a strong tom, and his status of leader made no difference to her. All she'd ever wanted was someone strong enough to protect she and any kits she ever had, someone that cared for her and wished for her happiness.
Old friends, the two of them. But...was there the potential for more? She wanted to believe that there could be, but she'd tread these waters carefully. "It is never simply, 'stuck with' when someone is dear to your heart, no matter the form that affection takes." She leaned against him for a moment then started straightened back so that they could see each others faces. Honeysong gave him a shy smile, sipping her head slightly.
When he flicked a twig off her flank the she-cat tipped her head to look up into his eyes again, considering something. "StarClan knows, and leads us on the path to find one another. When two cats are meant to be together, then I believe they will always find each other again, no matter what life may bring to them."
Word Count // Fawn // Notes |
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Post by Fawn on Dec 11, 2016 20:36:58 GMT -5
blinded by the light of a new sun
take it to the world, gonna sing it like an anthem
Humbled by Honeysong's wisdom and her strength of spirit, Lionstar purred, looking back at that shy smile on her face. Even if looks were not at the top of his list when he thought of 'ideal mates', he wasn't going to pretend she wasn't a beautiful she-cat. Very aptly named, both in terms of outside and inside. Despite some rough patches, Honeysong had maintained her sweet, charitable disposition; he was lucky to have her in his life. The only question was... could they be something more? I'm willing to try. But... was she?The last thing Lionstar wanted was to put a strain on their friendship. He couldn't bear to see such a deep bond destroyed by a failed romance; yet at the same time, they weren't silly, young warriors anymore. If they could be mature, and respectful, and compassionate with one another - whose to say it would fail? But he was getting ahead of himself. "Then we'll see what the future holds." These words were spoken gently, but there was encouragement in his eyes as if he found no problems at all with those brief affectionate gestures or the sweet smiles she sent his way. One step at a time. The best thing now wouldn't be to overthink their friendship. Breaking it down and trying to analyze every piece, every nuance, was just a way to get a headache and stop acting like themselves. Instead, he would do what he always did - serve his Clan. "Do you feel well enough to hunt, Honeysong?" The frost was packed down where the golden tom stood, though he felt a little of the chilly ground trying to sneak between the fluff growing on the undersides of his paws. It seemed as though his 'snow shoes' were starting to come in a bit early; claws flexing, he enjoyed the sensation of cool earth and grass blade, his senses expanding to encompass not just Honeysong. Lionstar's ears swiveled quickly towards the thinning treeline. "I smell rabbit." Whispering, the tom stalked forward like his namesake, dropping into a hunter's crouch. leader of TreeClan |
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