[Deleted]

STORMHEART

Exhaustion had paced underneath Stormstar's skin for the last few days, his sleep plagued by horrors he did not understand, and his side twinging from the scar it held in memory of his lost life. Now he felt compelled to leave camp at least enough to pace along the outside, where he could still hear voices and scent the amalgamate of Rainclan scents. He took a moment to just open his mouth and breathe, allowing the scents of his clanmates, the river, and the chill air mingle in him. This was home, this was life.

The large tom brushed aside any bits of frost remaining as he looked up into the warming lightening sky, at the sun which had so rarely shown its face these moons. He finally began to relax allowing the fears and worries of his dreams and concerns to wash away in the warmth and renewal of the sun's rays.

Cool air whispering up from the chilly bubbling river caught his attention and he dipped his head to get a few mouthfuls.

A rustling came from behind him, but so did a clanmate's scent, and the leader lifted his head, licking his whiskers free of any drops.

"Good Morning."

I'm not standing still. I am lying in wait.

background image | 219| Fawn | table by phoenix

[Fawn]

30 Moons. RainClan. She-Cat.

"Good morning, Stormstar." Replied the plush tabby she-cat after she had set down the fish in her mouth. Picking it up again, Bitternwing quickly returned to camp, set it on the pile, and then hastened back to the gray-furred tom's side. She had wanted to speak to him again, but there was usually never any time. Leafbare kept every able set of paws busy, and Bitternwing had put all her focus into making sure the Clan was fed.

"I hope I'm not intruding." She mewed gently, reappearing near the towering Clan leader's left flank. With twitching whiskers, Bitternwing looked skyward, appreciating the strong rays of sunlight that seemed to be trying to thaw the valley. "I think we're nearly through with leafbare." Optimism crept into her voice then, Bitternwing daring to believe that they had escaped this season without too much death or disease or starvation.

Nature saw fit to spare them, perhaps after the mess that had been their civil war. Speaking of...

Doubts rose to the surface of her mind like dead fish, and she tried to guiltily brush them away. He had enough to worry about, he didn't need to keep coaching her on how to ... deal with the former Purists.

Word Count: 204 Words
Tags: @dreamer
Notes:

[Deleted]

STORMHEART

Bitternwing replied to his greeting warmly, and Stormstar waited while she disappeared into camp for a moment before she returned to join him.

"You're not intruding. Im just taking a moment to breathe."

He watched her thoughtfully. He had never gotten the chance to ask her how she was doing after their last conversation. As they sat there in companionable silence, Bitternwing mentioned the weather, and Stormstar glanced back up at the now mostly blue and sunny sky.


"Thank Starclan. Newleaf will be good for the clan. Hopefully it will mean some new warriors and some apprentices as well." He glanced sidewyas at Bitternwing. "Perhaps even some new kits.


He sighed slightly, shaking out his gray and white fur, before returning his gaze to the she-cat.

"In your opinion, are the Purists settling  back in again well? Do you think that most of the distrust has begun to fade? I know Lizardleap has made it very important with her kits to not tell them who were purists, so that the kits dont have anyone to hate. DO you think the rest of the clan is trying to do so as well?"

It was good to ask a younger warrior, since they would be more closely involved with other cats, in a way that did not evoke the respect, or caution that an authority figure possessed.

I'm not standing still. I am lying in wait.

background image | 241 | Fawn | table by phoenix

[Fawn]

30 Moons. RainClan. She-Cat.

The mention of kits and the sideways glance from Stormstar had the she-cat blushing mercilessly beneath her pelt. Oh! I hadn't... I hadn't realized he'd noticed that Rushwhisker and I were... They weren't mates, but they were showing a mutual interest in one another, and she made an effort to see him as much as possible - Rushwhisker's duties as a deputy and mentor allowing.

Fortunately for Bitternwing, the subject changed. Equally unfortunate, though, was what the subject had changed to. Feeling a little as if she had failed him, but adament about telling the truth, Bitternwing looked at her paws. "I think the Clan is beginning to move on. Crowblaze has stopped giving the former Purists mean looks, but I don't know if he'll ever forgive them." Bitternwing's downy ears folded, able to picture quite clearly her aggressive, hot-tempered brother never fully letting go of the hatred in his heart for the Purists' role in their father's death.

Aware that Stormstar would ask for more personal answers, Bitternwing sighed, the sound a breezy exhale, as if a little of her spirit had just fled from her bones. "It's still difficult for me to sleep in the warrior's den near some of the purists, but I'm trying to let everything go back to normal." Her whiskers twitched into a subtle frown. "Or as close to normal as the Clan can get now. I really admire Lizardleap's efforts to make sure her kits grow up without hate. It's very noble of her, after everything she's been through." Can I be so pure of heart? Bitternwing didn't have the answer to that. All she had was the reassuring thought that she was trying. That would have to be enough for now.

Word Count: 287 Words
Tags: @dreamer , @zen (Rush mention)
Notes:

[Deleted]

STORMHEART

The leader caught her surprised look at his mention of  kits, and his whiskers twitched with the hint of a smile. He had not been wrong then at the glances he had caught between the two of them. No wonder Rushwhisker had been... distracted.

He was however more interested in her next reply. He could tell she was uncomfortable discussing the topic, and so tried to affect a less harsh expression. Stormstar knew when he was tired that he looked like he had ingested a sharp rock, and he did not want her to feel like he was judging her for anything.  Well at least Crowblaze had stopped being antagonistic at least.

"I dont expect him to forgive them, not yet anyway. But he also needs to see them as our clanmates, or else we risk breaking apart again... and I know no one would want that."

He was not surprised at how she felt about it, and he nodded sympathetically.

"So long you are civil I can understand your hesitance. Try if you can though to befriend the apprentices who were born at the wooded cove. It was not their choice to be a part of it, and they are more likely than the other purists to need help and support, friends among their new clanmates. Same for any new kits that come from the Purists in the future. The only way to bring about trust is to grow a new generation with respect for others, no matter what their blood may be."

I'm not standing still. I am lying in wait.

background image | 270 | Fawn | table by phoenix

[Fawn]

30 Moons. RainClan. She-Cat.

Stormstar's wisdom was received by an open heart. Bitternwing felt some of the tension she'd unwillingly been carrying begin to loosen; like mud that had been stuck to her pelt was finally washing off. I'm so glad StarClan chose you as our leader, Stormstar. The Clan would've been lost without the sound guidance of someone so willing to forgive. Someone who had experienced pain and loss and difficult situations and managed to overcome them with dignity and reason.

"I will try my best, Stormstar." Fortunately, they seemed like nice apprentices even with their unusual upbringing. Goldpaw was a little... She didn't want to say conniving but that was the first word that popped into her head. She'd come up with it for a reason. As for Frogpaw and Berrypaw, the other two in the litter of three seemed so normal. "I'll talk to Poppyflame too." Bitternwing added. It would be good to interact with the kits' mother; sometimes change had to start with the parents before it could reach the offspring.

I can do that. I can be polite. We have nothing in common, though. This was going to be a little more difficult than she'd initially thought, but Bitternwing wasn't going to shy away from the task she had set up for herself. Bitternwing's soft eyes returned to her leader's, and she hesitated. Was it her place to ask him about his health? Maybe Rushwhisker had already asked, and it would seem like nagging if she mentioned it at all. But... But what if no one had asked, and he had forgotten to take care of himself in the midst of all his responsibilities?

Bitternwing's tail twitched with uncertainty, but she bolstered her courage. "What about you, Stormstar? Are you well? You seem a little tired, if you don't mind me saying."

Word Count: 303 Words
Tags: @dreamer
Notes: