[Hellion]

Death doesn't discriminate
Between the sinners and the saints,
it takes and it takes and it takes

Tucked back into the threshold of the warrior's den, Sunnyheart stared at the nursery. He was technically an uncle but he hadn't made an effort to make his presence known. Sure he saw them when they were first born but not since. Unsure of so many things, Sunnyheart felt lost. Cloudyfeather was a mother, Galestorm seemed determined as ever to make LightingClan proud once she got her first apprentice. His little brother Niko, was out doing his own thing. Sunnyheart forced himself to be happy for his brother but there were nights he missed him to the point he'd sneak out of camp to try and find a scent trail. Anything to show that Niko missed him just as much. 

Momentarily distracted by the thoughts of his siblings, Sunnyheart saw a fleeting glimpse of one of his sister's kits. He knew their names but they were so small when he first saw them he wasn't confident that he could say who was who. Flicking his tail Sunnyheart moved out of the warrior's den, he fully intended to go re-introduce himself to them but stopped only a tail length from the den. 

What could he say? "Hi, I'm your uncle, sorry I didn't come around much. It's just kits scare me. You guys are so small I could step on you," Sunnyheart knew his inner monologue was stupid. He had no experience with kits. In theory, he could wait until they were older to talk to him, wait until they were closer to Larkflower's size. She was on the small side but not too small that he feared she'd get hurt when they hunted together or lounged around the camp on too hot days. 

It was decided, he'd wait. They needed to get bigger. But somehow his heart wasn't accepting that choice. He wanted to know them but he'd hate himself forever if one of them got hurt while around him not to mention how painful it would be to see his sister sad. It was hard enough when their adoptive fathers died. He didn't want to hurt anyone he cared about. He wanted everyone safe.  

Sunnyheart

background image | Justice| table by phoenix

[Justice]

She watched him from her own nest, contemplating his large form without going near him. It seemed to her that Sunnyheart was always holding back, always afraid or unsure. She didn't really blame him with how much bad had happened in his life, but she hoped eventually someone could help him through it. StarClan knew she was trying. Finally she rose and padded over on quiet paws, butting her head in against the tom's shoulder to catch his attention so she didn't have to squeeze past him. "Good morning Sunnyheart!" She called happily, purring her words while she came to stand where he could see her.

Larkflower followed his line of sight and realized what the problem had to be. She sighed. She didn't know exactly why, but he was hesitiant to approach the newest members of his family group. She wondered if it had something to do with his size. And if so, she'd been around a tom with that worry.

"Why don't you go and talk to them?" She asked softly, voice lilting the slightest bit.

Hellion

[Hellion]

Death doesn't discriminate
Between the sinners and the saints,
it takes and it takes and it takes

Good morning Sunnyheart,

Had quickly become one of his favorite phrases spoken by his favorite clanmate (outside of family). He couldn't pinpoint the moment it started happening but it enjoyed it nonetheless. Turning to allow her to pass by him, Sunnyheart let a soft purr escape him. Larkflower had quickly become one of his closest friends. The rumors around her lineage were often the topic of gossip in the Clan, Sunnyheart didn't bother to care. He knew Larkflower as a Clanmate who just so happened to have been adopted into the Clan like he had been. They had a lot in common, which made their friendship that much easier.

He had expected her to suggest they go hunting or maybe head out to check the borders but instead, she suggested the one thing he was avoiding. Realizing she had read him like a storm cloud, he knew his cheeks had heated and his ears flicked backward.

"I wouldn't know what to say. Besides I'd probably be in Cloudyfeather's way," He told Larkflower looking away from the nursery entirely. "Why don't we do something? The wind is starting to pick up and I think there is a storm coming. We could hunt for a bit," His redirection wasn't subtle at all as his nervous energy came out by his paws kneading the ground.

Sunnyheart

background image | Justice | table by phoenix

[Justice]

She gave him the weight of her gaze, eyes that matched the clan leader's exactly. "Hello usually works out well." She sighed. "Do you know Wildstripe? He's big like you, and when I was small I thought he was the biggest tom I'd ever seen. You remind me of him, you both make me feel like I'm safe as long as you're at my side. And to a kit with no family in a clan this size, that was everything. And now I'm grown and I have you to help if I ever feel like I'm not safe here. The point is, kits love big cats. They can climb on them and roll on them and they have big paws for pouncing and tails for hiding under." She looked up at him again, her smile sweet once more. "All you have to do, Sunnyheart, is let them love you. Kits love everyone, its one of their charms. You plop down among them and let them roam all over you. A playmate, pretending they can take down a warrior so large and powerful, that's the way you make friends with kits."

Larkflower stopped, didn't want to push him too hard. "If it rains we'll want to be close to home in case lightning hits the trees." Another fire after the last one was barely healed on their lands would be catastrophic. She remembered those days too well, and the fear of the clan and the stink of smoke on everyone's fur. "We can hunt if you want." She beamed. "I finally figured out how to trip the hares."

Hellion

[Hellion]

Love doesn't discriminate
Between the sinners and the saints,
it takes and it takes and it takes

There was a quiet sense of relief when Larkflower pointed out Wildstripe. The aged tom-cat who had conqured so much in his life was a feline he admired, but Sunnyheart still held back. Larkflower had a solid argument but that didn't shake away his nerves. They were just so tiny, he'd easily step on one if he wasn't careful. He couldn't risk it even if he wanted to be in their lives.

Glad that she didn't push him further, Sunnyheart agreed with her about staying close to home. Hearing she had finally learned to trip hares made him chuckle. He preferred to hunt birds or small voles in the tall grass. He lacked the speed of his average clanmates and relied on his strength and stamina in hus hunting. Then an idea struck him. "What if we caught the kits a hare. That way I can still say hi, give them a meal and stay out of the way,"

Sunnyheart

background image | Justice idea: we move on to the hunt, they catch it then we end the thread with sunny bringing it to them with a sorta cliff hanger ending.
| table by phoenix