[Fae Magic]

"Just because no one else can heal or do your inner work for you doesn't mean you can, should, or need to do it alone."~Wisteriakit

It had been a struggle. In the new land with new scents. The unfamiliar ground and stone beneath her paws reminded her of the trembling of the earth not so long ago. She wasn't over it. Although she pretended to be. She wanted to be strong and to look strong so that Whitehawk wouldn't worry about her. They'd make it out just fine. She know they would, she had faith that things would be better soon. Okay, perhaps not soon but in time things would fall into place. Others still mingled about asking those darn questions of what would happen now. Where would they go? How far would they need to travel to find themselves a new home? Picking up the pieces of the lost and broken was no easy task and the worry and anxiety still hung heavy in the hearts of others. Almost weighing down the young she-cat. She was happy to know that Whitehawk had been appointed temporary deputy and in a sense temporary leader of their clan. No one else was capable in her eyes but perhaps she was just bias to that opinion. Well perhaps Ebonyheart was one who thought so too. Everything seemed like in such a mess. She was tired; not having slept much or eaten much in the coming days as her anxiety hadn't allowed her too. She'd sensed the fright and uncertainty off of all the members of the different clans and it'd made her physically sick; she'd never admit it though or go to Ebonyheart, a little upset tummy was the least of their worries. 

She's stuck close to him though; to Whitehawk. As much as she could at least all things considering. He was all she had left. Her sisters were safe of course but they were very distant even now and there was no real sense of family around her. Perhaps that was partly for the upturn of their world or perhaps it was just her signalling herself out. Regardless. She'd taken it upon herself to stick close to her mentor and make sure he was okay. She could sense how stressed everyone had become including him. He had the whole world and worries of her clanmates on his shoulders. She'd taken it upon herself to curl up by him when he slept as a way to aid them both comfort in the familiarity of their bond and friendship in this struggling times. Tonight though as others restlessly slept she had that itch again that made her rise to her paws and pad a few steps over to where she knew her mentor would be. Being blind had it's advantages sometimes she guessed as the darkness of the cave around her did nothing to stop her exploration. She'd mapped out in her head exactly where he usually slept. While others restlessly slept or murmured in the dark to each other from lack of sleep the white furball nosed her way over until his familiar scent of his fur tickled her nose. 

She'd nosed right under his front paws without a second thought and plopped down leaning against him as her sightless eyes stared into the darkness ahead of her listening to his breathing and feeling his chest rise and fall against her frame where she curled up. "Are you scared?" she murmured into the darkness already knowing that he was awake. Sleep did not come easy for any of them at this time. "Are you worried about where we will go from here? You shouldn't. As hard as it is for all of us the clan will continue to thrive as long as we keep our spirits up right? Regardless of the odds...we choose our own path. We follow our hearts." she mumbled. "I think the problem is our resolve to survive is not as strong as our will to push forward...falling all of our fears on one cat will not reap rewards and results." she added more as if she spoke to herself. 

She paused and tipped her head up bonking Whitehawk in the chin in the process and looked towards him as if she could see him in the darkness. "Don't you think so?"

Word Count: #730 || Tag: Abyss || Notes: Sorry it's short, but I had the urge to have a post-Evac thread for White and Wisteria

~☣~~☣~

[Abyss]

It could never and would never be described in words how much honor he had felt that day. As Stoneclan fell on the already heavy shoulders of Ebonyheart, she had chosen him to take on the mantle of Deputy. Temporarily, anyway. The clan needed stability, they needed leadership, they needed answers. And as respectable and hard-working as the large black Medicine Cat was, it was completely understandable how the weight of healing clanmates, coordinating with the other Medicine Cats, and acting as the clan’s main authoritative figure could be stressful. She had chosen him, and he had vowed that he would do everything he possibly could. And he was holding up his end of the agreement, as best as he could.

But...it didn’t take long for the nerves to set in. It never did. In the past, Whitehawk had always been someone to try and help others. He was always concerned over the safety of Apprentices and other Warriors almost daily, even when he knew that it was not his responsibility. That on its own had brought on sleepless nights and long days. But now...the lives and well-being of Stoneclan itself rested on his shoulders. He wasn’t entirely alone; he still had Ebonyheart, of course, and he would turn to her if he did need help. But there was still that worry in the back of his mind. The worry that any decision he made over the course of the next...however long they stayed in the tribe, could potentially cost Stoneclan the health of his clanmates, or even any lives...this curse reached every nook and cranny of his mind each time darkness settled over the mountains.

He would not admit it to anyone, and he did his best not to show it. He was lucky that he only had a single eye that tiredness could show its face through. But he was tired. No, he had not been the temporary Deputy for very long, only a day or two. But this was not just a result of his new responsibilities. No, this began the day of the earthquake and had been there since. Constant worry and a touch of fear, both culminating into lack of sleep every night. He hadn’t gotten a decent night’s sleep since they arrived at the tribe’s cave. He was just lucky that the primary time that his dark thoughts found him was in the dark, as all of his clanmates slept.

Well...most of them, anyway. His head was raised, half-gaze looking around him without falter. From his sleeping clanmates, to the cave in which Skyteller slept, to the area the Medicine Cats had been resting, to those from the other clans who lingered inside, to the cave entrance and beyond. So many thoughts and not enough room in his mind to contain them.

Movement caught the corner of his gaze, though his head turned slowly to catch what it was. Her scent was mixed in with the rest of their clanmates, so he hadn’t sensed her approach by scent, but rather her bright white coat which did her no favors in the darkness. She came forth slowly, avoiding stepping on those who surrounded them quite well for someone who couldn’t see. There was a tiny swirl of pride in his chest, seeing her maneuver around an unfamiliar place as well as she was. He tried his best to let this feeling linger for as long as it could.

Her little nose pushed its way under his large paws and she pushed forward, slipping her way in between his front legs and curling against his chest. Yet again, there was another warm feeling that blossomed in his chest. Not too long ago the chances of being so physically close to Wisteriapaw was slim to none. But after the incident the day of the quake, she had been glued to his side, his clone, his little shadow. He still thought of when that happened sometimes, as he went through the day. Lifting Orioleflight up onto his back, the giant crack forming in the earth ready to nip at his paws, and in the middle of the chaos, spotting a tiny white shape in the distance. She had sought him out. That phrase still shocked him. But it was no less comforting. As the fluffy white she-cat pressed herself against his chest, he felt warmth travel through him. She had slept with him every night since they arrived at the Tribe, which he gratefully accepted. But, even as her presence comforted him, it was hard to say whether being with her made him feel better or worse. She was his Apprentice; he cared for her greatly and wanted her to succeed, he wanted to train her, he wanted her to grow into a strong and independent cat, and he wanted to be someone she could trust. It seemed that he had at least gained some of her trust in recent circumstances. But...with everything being so chaotic, him constantly working every day now that he had more to do, and things being so unfamiliar...when would he get the chance to properly train her? When would he be able to help her navigate a territory that was their own and not someone else’s? Was he abusing his mentorship with her? Was he letting her down? What would he do if he tried to train her in a place neither of them knew and something happened?

Though his mind clouded over, his yellow-green gaze still found its way down to her, and a little voice found his ears.

"Are you scared?"

There was a small frown that crossed his maw, though she couldn’t see it.

“You should be asleep...” His own voice contained unhidden flecks of tiredness, though there wasn’t really a way for him to force her to sleep, so there wasn’t really any actual command in his statement. She continued speaking in a low voice, going through a small inspirational speech about their predicament. On one paw, she did have a point. When it came to willpower and determination, the clans made these traits seem more like an identity. And in the situation that all of them were in, they couldn’t just rush forward into the valley and take over what once was theirs. This meant that they had to not only work together to provide for the sheer amount of mouths gathered in this one place, but they also couldn’t rush into action to take back what they knew. They had to focus on surviving together as a group, but pride and prejudice seemed to be a rather troublesome and current problem that often overtook that need to just...live.

He had to give Wisteriapaw credit; for someone with far more disadvantages than many of them, she seemed to be thinking positively. Or was acting like she was, anyway. It was often hard to tell with her, and it always had been. Then again, he wasn’t much better. So few of his clanmates knew of just how prominent anxiety and worry for those around him was in his life, all because he didn’t show it. In words, anyway. It could be played off as just being hard-working and helpful, which he often did. Perhaps that was something else he and his Apprentice had in common; they both hid their inner troubles from the world.

“I…..you aren’t wrong. No singular cat can carry the burden of the world on their back and still stand tall.” He wasn’t entirely sure what to say, if he was truthful. Where did he start? Perhaps this was a good place. Perhaps it wasn’t.

“But...even so...that doesn’t mean they won’t try. In a sense, the clans have done that for generations. We always look to our Leader to decide what they feel is best for us. Sometimes they make a good choice, sometimes they don’t. But...we are all dependent. We all seek stability and certainty. We always assume that our Leaders are there to provide those things to us. But…..when there is no Leader to turn to…..someone has to carry that burden…” His voice trailed off at the end, his gaze lowering and growing sad in the darkness. It was hard to tell who he was referring to: himself, or Ebonyheart. Maybe it was both. But it did apply to them both.

Did what he was saying or thinking about even answer anything she had said? He didn’t know anymore. Maybe his thoughts were starting to reach their flooding point, and this was just the beginning signs.

“I feel...I just...” He swallowed, legs tensing a tad. “I am worried. Then again...I’m always worried. Even I seek out that stability. I want to know where we will go, when we will go there, how we will get there, and what it will cost us to make it all happen. But…..when everyone else’s desire for that stability falls on yourself...it feels as though you have to look to yourself to find those answers. And if you don’t have them…..then it's only natural to wonder what they are and how to find them.”

He slowly lowered his head, placing his chin gently on the top of her head. “I want to help everyone feel safe. I want to answer all of their questions. I want to tell them that it will all be ok and that we will push through. And I do believe that we all can and that we will get through this. But...it’s the ‘how’ that gets me. They want to know what we will do, and how we will do it...but you can never know for sure what will happen tomorrow until tomorrow comes.”

---

1631 | Fae Magic

[Fae Magic]

"Just because no one else can heal or do your inner work for you doesn't mean you can, should, or need to do it alone."~Wisteriakit

He seemed tired and tense without even having to say a word. Those who had eyes to see often missed the obvious signs. For Wisteriapaw who didn't have such advantages held a different sense that took place for her lack of sight. She couldn't explain it really unless you did not have sight like herself. But she knew and could tell when Whitehawk and others around her were struggling with something. A scent, a feeling, a sort of energy comes off of that person that alerts her that something isn't quite right. Or perhaps Wisteriapaw prided in herself for being so attuned to others around her. Something she she hadn't gotten down before all of this chaos happened around them. She knew people around her felt lost, confused, scared, and second guessed the decisions being made around them. It was a great time of uncertainty for everyone but she was glad that at least the Tribe was kind enough to have their backs. She worried about Whitehawk with how much stress he must be going under. As a pillar to the clan that had no leader or deputy she couldn't image the kind of boulder that he held over his head unlike the other clans who still had some sort of leadership to guide them. Stoneclan did not have such luck but the lives of those sacrificed to save others during the earthquake would not go without honor or loss of memory. The small female did not exclude herself from those who had such worry about their future because frankly she feared the future too. With such uncertain grounds beneath their paws both physical and metaphorically she knew their struggle was an uphill battle that would cast much obstacles down at them during their journey to finding their home.

But, even in the uncertain times and the inner turmoil Wisteriapaw felt inside she knew that her mentor felt them much worse than herself. She could almost hear the gears turning in his head of all the unanswered questions and she wished that she could say something to help him. She was no hero and perhaps her presence meant little in the grand scheme of things. But even a pebble in a pile of stones holding back a river was a form of strength for the pillar itself. She felt the struggle just like everyone else...and she would not prioritize one persons feelings over another because everyone's opinions were valid in this situation regardless of clan's origins. She could at least be there for her mentor...at least make an effort to help strengthen his resolve and determination to continue going. He was the light that their clan needed right now even in times like this and although it was a struggling thought to handle at once he wasn't alone. Starclan help her she wanted to say so much to him to get him and others to understand but she knew no one would listen to an apprentice who looked as if she wanted to be the hero. She'd always been overlooked even in this troubling times. She'd watched out for herself; herself and Whitehawk. 

Her face pinched a little as his voice finally broke the silence and began speaking to her questions and she wanted to smack him in the face for his reluctance. She wasn't that mean though. She knew he was struggling. He confined in her though. Just a little to her words and she felt a little angry at his reply. Not at him for saying it but more for the injustice of the situation. Even if she took up a stand to speak with the leaders and deputies of the other clans they would brush her aside as if she was an annoyance. That's what angered her. Because she knew Whitehawk was partly right. The clans had always only looked out for themselves for centuries and generations because that's what they knew. But that wasn't the case here anymore! They had to see it. A hot fire burned in her chest and she dug her claws into the stone beneath feeling them strain a little at the pressure. 

"That's ridiculous!" she protested as she slumped under the weight of her mentor's head on hers. "Those tactics and laws won't work for us now can't others see that? They are looking at the future and the past trying to mold them together and feeling as if the present is a struggle for them while they really should be doing is looking towards the future and taking stock of the present! I'm not leader I know that but even an apprentice can see the flaw in their logic!" she stated firmly.

"Everyone is afraid of what's going on and can't find their footing. Leadership is what they are looking for and that's fine. I get that everyone needs someone to rely on. But as clans themselves...our home is lost and the new home we seek is somewhere out there...we can't ever go back to the old way of life can't they see that Whitehawk? Their priority is the clan...but we aren't monsters...we don't need to worry about the laws until we find a home. We need to strengthen ourselves together as a group of cats that lived in the same forest together. We protect each other and we seek our new lands. The survival of the feline population is far greater than the survival of the old clans that got run off their old lands." She was a fool. She knew those words were hanging in the air. The optimistic nature was frowned upon as if it was a curse when it should be praised in times like this. The clans needed a source of light and energy to help them in the dark times but they were so fed up in their own misery they didn't want to see the future that they could have if they only had hope.

"I know you have a lot of answers that are needed for the clan...I know you don't know how Whitehawk. Every new day is a struggle because we don't know what will happen. But that's the thing don't you see? It's right under our noses and they can't see it! Wounds will heal and they will still need to be licked clean. But we have the best experts of the lands that we are occupying...the tribe was so kind enough to shelter us...they know this land because they were hear before the clans were. Instead of gathering the bearings we need to work with the tribe; get to know their lands...listen to their stories and go from there...the world is vast and as we learned unforgivable...but it's time we stopped wallowing in self pity and fear of the unknown and face the day." she tilted her head up and bumped her nose against his chin.

"When we first began training the very first day when I had my internal struggles and fought with my own self worth you told me that at the end of the day I am responsible for what I do. Whether I quit and throw a pity party for myself to forge ahead and prove to others that I am strong. This is no different! We can't just sit back and wait for answers; we have to seek it. Look inside our selves and ask whether we want to fear tomorrow or seize it. I know I'm just an apprentice and no one willing to take me serious but sometimes...those who don't have eyes to see can see more than those with sight and I think it's time we as a group of clan cats need to start looking outside the box instead of having our noses buried in the ashes of the past that we cannot salvage." she stated firmly a fire of determination in her blue gaze that stared up somewhere into the darkness. 

She was tired of fearing for her life. She was tired of relying on others to provide for her. As kind as the Tribe were the clan cats needed to face reality and take tomorrow by force. To forge their own futures and stand strong for what they believe in. Believing themselves as clanmates and believing themselves as warriors and their capabilities. It was just a struggle that they face but it was a struggle that they face together. 

"Its time we stopped looking at ourselves as victims, Whitehawk, and start looking at ourselves as survivors. We will get through this even if we do not have all the answers we seek." she gave his nose a lick and rose to her paws to face his general direction.

"In the meantime, we will do what we have always done. You focus on getting plans for scouting missions and sharing information with the other leaders and I'll focus on my training so that I can better help you tackle this mission okay? Just cause your appointed as the temporary deputy doesn't mean you gotta fight it alone. Even Ebonyheart should not have to deal with such a burden. And if that fails you both; well then you just gotten bend together and push forward because from now on. We will not take giving up as an option." she said tipping her chin up proudly. She was a stoneclan cat. She was a survivor even from a young age with the world against her from the very beginning since her birth. But she would not give up; she didn't give up when she became an apprentice and frankly. Even the warriors have lost the meaning of what it means to be a warrior clan cat. 

Warriors weren't just those for hunting and patrolling lines. They did not mean fox dung if the warriors of the clan will act as if they were kits again just because the unexpected happened. They had to forge on or at this point they were no better then the kittypets over yonder and she refused to be looked down upon after all this time and hard work put into herself. Whitehawk needed to see that too; to see his own worth and be reminded just what kind of warrior he was. With renewed energy she reached out and bopped his head lightly with her paw and flashed a smile his way. "Look at this like a training assessment. We took all the care to train for this. We can't fail no matter what right?"

Word Count: #1792 || Tag: Abyss || Notes: Loooong post

~☣~~☣~

[Abyss]

That was one thing that Whitehawk had learned quite well over their moons spent together, no matter how emotionally distant they were in the past. For a cat so small, Wisteriapaw was filled to the brim with thoughts and ideas, and once she started speaking them, they kept coming, even if they were all in one giant jumble. He sometimes found this talkative quality cute, for it suited her quite well. When she was more open, anyway. But, in this particular scenario, and this particular conversation, it was not cute. If anything, it was deep. Meaningful. She held so much purpose and willpower in that voice of her’s, even as she spoke about things that neither of them could ever truly comprehend completely. That was one thing he enjoyed about Apprentices: they saw the world in a different light than adults did.

He let her go, and listened intently to what she said. Once or twice he offered a quiet ‘shh’, but beyond that, he allowed her to keep going. Everything that she said he found at least some truth in, and he too wished that many of those things could be applied to those around them. Whitehawk cared about all of those around him, even those from the other clans. Just as his Apprentice stated, they were all cats living in the same place and all with the same goal: survival. The Warrior Code, the laws of the clans, boundaries, territory disputes, all of them were meaningless in the grand scheme of things. But at the same time, it was hard to think this, for the Warrior Code and the creation of the clans and their ways were connected to the clans’ bond with Starclan. That was a whole other ordeal that he didn’t really want to get into, not right now.

For an Apprentice, it was quite surprising just how wise she made herself out to be. He knew that it was likely her young mind coming through with ideas about grand schemes of the world and the way things should work. But it was hard not to imagine….if this was how she was now, what would it look like when she eventually became an Elder? How many kits would she tell super long and intense and inspirational stories to? How many Warriors would she nag and poke at about ‘flaws in their logic’ and how things were different ‘back in her day’. It was an amusing thought, one that put a small smile on his face.

As she finished speaking, he felt a tap on his muzzle from a little light-footed paw. He blinked a few times down at the cat who nearly blended in with himself in the dark. And then he smiled, a small one, but it was still there. He couldn’t help it.

“You know, one day, when you are an Elder, you are going to absolutely talk the ears off of any cat that comes near you. Kits will never want to leave your side.” He chuckled lightly, giving her a light poke against her cheek with his nose. “Not that that's a bad thing. If you have grand thoughts like these at this age, I can only imagine what sort of old bat you would be.” He lifted a single big paw and rubbed it lightly against the top of her head, ruffling her coat playfully.

The light-hearted teasing was a nice little break. But he couldn’t just ignore or avoid anything she had said before, no matter how deep any of it was.

“Change...isn’t an easy thing. For anyone, no matter their personality, age, or background. From the most traditional, close-minded Elder to the most open and welcoming Apprentice, change will always be difficult, especially when it is something major that affects your way of life. The valley has never faced something as drastic as an earthshake before. We have faced predators, we have faced droughts and floods and harsh Leafbares and sickness. But, no matter how serious those things were, none of them ever required all five clans to come together to survive. We have always gotten through things on our own, sometimes with the help of say one other clan. And when you have gone your entire life believing that you must separate yourself from those who are not from the same place as you, suddenly being thrown into a big cave will all four of the other clans, plus a group that isn’t anything like us…..it is not a quick fix.”

He sighed, glancing at all of the cats around them. He could vaguely imagine it in his head. If all of the clans were open to change and cooperation, he could see cats from all of the clans dotted around the cave, sleeping, content, regardless of who they were next to. But alas, that was not their reality. “Even I wish that the clans could work together and be willing to collaborate so quickly and easily. But, as great as that would be, even if it did happen, it wouldn’t for a long time. The only thing that we can do is try and pass these ideas on to the next generation in the hopes that one day, when they begin to take control of the clans and become the next Leaders and Deputies, that these things will feel natural to them. That helping the other clans and working as cats, not as clans, is what must be done in certain circumstances.”

He found his gaze brought back to the she-cat. “That is why I enjoy training Apprentices so much. You are the next generation. As long as I try and pass down these sorts of things to you and everyone else that I train, I can only hope that one day they will spread, and eventually everyone will be taught these things. But even so, it will still take a very long time.”

It was only in that moment that he suddenly remembered something that she had said in her speech. A particular phrase, one that was meaningful, but also the tiniest bit funny. “‘Those who don't have eyes to see can see more than those with sight’, hm? You definitely make us seem like all-mighty seers, or the heroes of a story. Such an ironic statement, ” he chuckled.

“But...it is definitely a hard thing to think through. I do believe that we will get through this together and that we won’t ‘fail’, whatever that may entail. It’s just the process of getting to that point that will be and is difficult. It is to be expected, of course, and it will be a stressful…..however long we are here for. We just have to get through it one day at a time.”

---

1131 | Fae Magic

[Fae Magic]

"Just because no one else can heal or do your inner work for you doesn't mean you can, should, or need to do it alone."~Wisteriakit

Wisteriapaw knew that her ramblings were just that. A ramblings of an apprentice with too much to say and too many emotions that conflicted within her...She knew Whitehawk would listen whether she made sense or not. Everything she said made sense in her mind at least but once the words began to stumble out did they convey the message of how she felt in said words? Even if they had would he understand? Would there be anything to do about it by then though? She knew her mentor was only just doing what he thought was best in the current moment and she knew her young self just wanted everything to be okay. But nothing would happen over night and her speech could mean nothing to the others. She knew this even when she felt the need to speak them. When she'd finally stopped her long shpeel she turned her head towards him wondering just exactly he thought about what she said. She knew it was a lot to take in and she may have a wild imagination for someone who did not see the world for what it truly was. Perhaps she was shielded too much as a kit and her wild imagination was just that. But was there any sort of truth behind it? She could only just imagine the cringing face her mentor could be making right now. Well, perhaps not imagine it as she never had seen a cringe face before but the feeling behind the image was enough to make her feel almost embarrassed at her words. They would not solve their problems like magic. 

As Whitehawk began to speak her ears perked up at his words only to give a pout at his teasing. She wouldn't be that bad would she? She didn't think she was talking too much...someone had to say what she did but were too stubborn to do so right? But perhaps...she hoped she'd live long enough to be able to get that chance in the picture Whitehawk painted. Right now though, it'd be best to focus on just trying to get through this day and the next as they tried to stitch together the torn veil of their clan and old life to start anew. Her ears flattened slightly as his large paw rubbed her fur on her head and she allowed it because frankly she didn't care what she looked like when it came to her appearance. She couldn't see herself anyways to see if she was presentable. But his words as he began speaking again calmed her down a little as she sat down to listen.

"But it still doesn't make sense to me...why hold on with desperation to a law, a clan, or a past that no longer exists?" she protested with a frown. "I know it's probably scary to deal with while trying to figure out who we are but at the end of the day whether we are clan or not...we have formed bonds to live together. This...this disaster wasn't targeted for one clan so why can't we all just work together? Why is it so hard to realize our old lives aren't something we can just pick up and move on like that? Whether they want to admit it or not change will happen no matter if we are prepared for it or not... so why not just embrace the gravity of the situation and find a solution instead of fearing where we go from here? Action is what we need to take right now instead of bending to ourselves like a clan would have...we are clan cats sure but...at the end of the day we are all the same even if our beliefs and laws are not what they once where before the earthquake." she stated looking a little sad and a little resentful. She was angry to think they all this time when others were scared of what was going on there wasn't much action to move forward that she'd heard of. But again her beliefs maybe misplaced. 

Sighing a little she plopped herself back down against her mentor seemingly to sulk; looking the fire she had moments ago. Perhaps not losing it entirely but pushing it down for the time being as she did not wish to cause a scene. She knew Whitehawk was trying his best and having his apprentice mouthing off to him and spewing her ideas and beliefs would not ease his mind. Rolling over onto her back and pushing her paw absently up against his face as a kitten would have done while playing with her mother or sibling she began speaking her mind a little bit again just with a softer more thoughtful tone; like a child more than a theorist.

"If it makes you feel better Whitehawk. I think you're doing just fine the way you are going right now. Sure it's not easy and not a lot of people may trust you or fully believe in your abilities right now but your our best shot. Doesn't mean our worries will fall onto your shoulders all the time. But I think if anything being open with each other and listening to the clan's ideas will help in that. Not just in building trust and bonds again but in the grand scheme of things to get us back on our feet." she commented batting at his whiskers.

"When I was still a kitten I liked going to visit the elders to hear their stories...and I don't quite remember who told me this but it'd stuck with me for some reason; perhaps it was for this time right now. As silly as it sounds they told me "A clan is nothing without a leader but a clan is nothing without it's members either. Every role of the clan has a purpose like a stepping one in a mountain. Without one or the other the mountain will forever be unstable and a danger to itself and the lands around it. We may have lost our leader...and we may have lost our deputy but that does not mean that we will crumble because even with those two stones gone...they will make room for the future stones to be created to stabilize that mountain." she said before giving a large yawn and tucking herself against his chest and curling paws into herself. "I think we just need to be open with communication between the clan members so that they know that they are not alone in this and that we are in this together no matter what. We'll get this through this. If we weren't meant to then we would never have made it this far. But I'll shut up now...for the time being at least." she giggled tiredly and nuzzled into his fur. 

She was silent for the moment; breathing even and calm with eyes closed. One would think she had fallen asleep but in fact she was just relaxing right now. She maybe tired but sleep would not claim her right now. Not until she knew Whitehawk was sleeping too. Raising a paw she nudged his chin lightly to gain his attention and when she figured she had she spoke up again a little bit softer with a change of topic from the heavy scheme of the clan. "Are you okay? I don't mean in the big scheme of things of being a deputy and such. I mean like...are you okay?"

Word Count: #1289 || Tag: Abyss || Notes: Cuteness overload

~☣~~☣~