[Hellion]

i'm headed straight for the castle

THEY WANNA MAKE ME THEIR QUEEN

Firestar had left the camp alone her paws guiding her to the Star Field. Fond memories of the place filled her, but she pushed them aside. She didn't need to be distracted. Glancing toward the sky for a moment, she found that clouds blocking out most of what little sun they got in leafbare. While she had a simple understanding of what leafbare happened, Firestar still couldn't help but dislike the chilling season. She longed to feel the heat from the sun as it soaked into her calico-patterned fur. Only time would tell when the valley would be free of such a harsh season.

The reason the leader of LightingClan had ventured out into the fields was to find some sort of prey. Hunger pained her and forced her to work harder in hunting. She had lied to her mate. He had asked if she'd eaten, it concerned her for a brief moment how easy it was to lie about it. Instead she used the hunger pains to force her paws to be softer, eyes sharper and ears keen. It was importnat that she found some sort of prey even if it meant staying out all day.

FIRESTAR

background image | castle | table by phoenix | tag

[Deleted]

NIKO

you're always gonna fly away

just because you know you can

The coal-striped feline stalked silently through the tall, brittle grasses, eyes wide and jaw parted. His adopted fathers-slash-mentors were hiding out in the warriors' den, the chill of leafbare taking more a toll on their joints than they were willing to admit aloud. Niko understood, though, that the two toms were beyond their prime, and didn't begrudge them their rest. Instead, he decided on an attempt to make himself useful in a solo hunting expedition.

As he made his way through the territory, chasing faint whiffs of prey that blew away before he could trace them, the sort-of apprentice tried to keep his mind from wandering. He knew that, unlike his siblings, his place in the Clan wasn't quite set. His refusal to let go of the last memories of his mother and take a proper Clan name had seen to that. He tried not to heave a sigh as he remembered the glares and looks of disappointment he still got from many of LightningClan's members, remembering the disapproval of one in particular.

As luck would have it, even as thoughts of the LightningClan leader crossed his mind, the wind blew in her familiar scent. Niko stiffened, raising himself out of his hunter's crouch to take in his surroundings. In his musings, he'd wandered all the way to the star fields. He narrowed his eyes and focused on the scents around him, turning his head until he spotted the calico leader a short way off to the side. He hesitated, uncertain how she would react to his presence, pondering an escape before she grew wise to his appearance. But then the wind shifted, blowing his scent in her direction, and his shoulders sagged, knowing he wouldn't escape her now.

Hellion

never gonna learn there's no such

place as neverland, you don't understand

[Hellion]

i'm headed straight for the castle

THEY WANNA MAKE ME THEIR QUEEN

Firestar had just finished the killing bite to the nape of a scrawny mouse. The meal was meager but would provide some nourishment for a clanmate. Scrapping at the cold earth in order to bury the mouse, she sighed heavily as it took more energy then she would have liked.

Glancing behind her and listening for any sounds of rustling, Firestar continued on her hunt. Pausing every few pawsteps to scent the hair with the ever changing winds, she tried her best to find more food. As she kept moving stalking forward there was a scent that caught her attention. Turning her head toward it, Firestar saw the shape of Niko, Flashbrook and Burningleaf's adopted son. For a brief moment Firestar considered ignoring the tom-cat that refused to embrace the Clan's traditions, but pushed the thought away. She was a leader, not a bully.

Catching the air one more time to be certain there was no prey lurking in the grasses, Firestar made her way over to him. Her head dipping slightly in greeting.

"Are you out here alone? Or are you being tested by your fathers?" She asked. It was no secret that Firestar didn't like Niko, it was leses that he was loner-born and more that he refused to take a Clanname. His other siblings had. In fact, Sunnypaw was shaping up to be a fine warrior. A warrior that Firestar was proud to have in her Clan. She wondered if Niko would be like his brother and accept a Clanname to officially begin his training or was the tom content with being a slightly unwanted mouth to feed. LightingClan had old roots that dug deep into the valley's very core. Their traditions would stand the rest of time and last far beyond Firestar's life time and hopefully longer than Niko's as well.

FIRESTAR

background image | castle | table by phoenix | Amber

[Deleted]

NIKO

you're always gonna fly away

just because you know you can

"Are you out here alone? Or are you being tested by your fathers?"

Niko tried really hard. He did, really. But he still flinched slightly as Firestar's words broke the silence. He glanced toward the calico she-cat, not daring to meet her eyes.

"N-no, I'm alone. Father--Flashbrook is hurting today, so Daddy--uh, Burningleaf, is staying with him." He fell silent, his gaze dropping lower. His voice was quieter when he spoke again a couple heartbeats later. "I wanted to try hunting on my own, bring something back for the Clan."

He fell silent again, still gazing down at his paws. A worry gnawed at him, and he took a few deep breaths in an effort to control it. After a few moments of the feeling increasing rather than decreasing, he took another deep breath to steel himself and looked up to meet Firestar's gaze. 'Here goes nothing.'

"I know you don't like me very much, and I understand. My reluctance to completely conform to your ideals has got to be frustrating. But I feel like I need to say this, to try to clear the air between us if only a little." This las bit came out in a bit of a rush and he paused, closing his eyes and taking another breath to steady himself before meeting the leader's gaze again.

"I'm trying to fit in to Clan life, I really am. I'm training nearly daily with Dad and Father, and with others when they let me tag along. I like being here, surrounded by family and Clanmates. However...our mom was all we had at first. She tried so hard to keep us safe, and warm, and protected. She died wrapped around us, trying to give us that last little bit of comfort, probably believing we wouldn't make it through the night either.

"I know I was young then, but I remember her. Late at night when I can't sleep, I swear sometimes I can feel her warmth wrapping around me, luring me to sleep with her. The name she gave me is all I have left of her, that and the fading memories of her fur and her scent. I just..." He hung his head, voice dropping to almost a whisper. "I feel like I'll lose her forever if I give up the last thing she gave me."

He squeezed his eyes shut tight, trembling slightly with the weight of his sorrow. He hoped his confession would help clear up some of the tension between them and allieviate some of the negative feelings, only just now realizing how his words could be taken in a more negative manner and praying he wouldn't be misconstrued. He stood in silence, shoulders hunched and shivering, as he waited for Firestar's reaction.

Hellion

never gonna learn there's no such

place as neverland, you don't understand

[Hellion]

i'm headed straight for the castle

THEY WANNA MAKE ME THEIR QUEEN

Firestar's attention continued to remain on Niko as he answered her first question. She knew had been a hard season on the older cats of the clan. It seemed that Flashbrook had taken it harder than his mate, Firestar knew it was because of Flashbrook's old injury. She wondered if the blue-eyed tom was seeking Kindleflare's help with the pain. Perhaps there was a lot of pride that prevented him from doing so, resulting in his prolonged pain.

Realizing as he mentally rambled that Niko hadn't said anything beyond explaining why he was alone. Firestar opened her mouth to speak but shut it as Niko started to speak first.

It pained her to hear him say that he knew she didn't like him. It wasn't entirely true. She disliked the choice he made about his name and while it wasn't easy for her to explain, traditions were meant to be upheld. Niko was clearly breaking it by remaining defiant, not that it was grounds for her to hate dislike him. In fact she considered him a decent cat, just one that perhaps wasn't suited for Clanlife and no one was to blame for that. Firestar remained silent as he talked, her ears flicked toward to listen to every word.

Her heart ached for the tom-cat as he talked about how he enjoyed living in the Clan. She hurt even more as he talked about his mother. Firestar's own relationship with her now dead mother was strained, nothing compared to Niko's own memory of her. Firestar was a mother before she was ever a leader, closing the gap between her Niko, Firestar sat beside him. Attempting to keep her facial expression soft, to keep the situation under control and calm.

"You won't lose her Niko, she will always be with you. She in Sunnypaw everytime he tries to hunt the most prey. Also in Cloudypaw when she tries her best to be strong. Niko, your mother is inside you." Firestar paused, trying to find the words to comfort him and perhaps aid him on doing what he wanted.

"I can't make you take a clannamte but I have to respect LightingClan traditions. I also will never ask you to leave your family now. You are still young and growing. Life isn't fair and while we try our best sometimes its not enough," Firestar gently turned her head to press her muzzle to his cheek, a very motherly thing to do.

"As a mother I can tell you if I were to pass away and my kits had to change their name to surive I would be hurt but I would also understand. I also know that no matter moons go by you will always remember that name and you will always remember her. It might feel like she will be gone but one day in StarClan you will see her again," Firestar attempted to catch Niko's gaze for moment to offer him to more support in their emotional talk.

"I should also add, I don't dislike you Niko. I just happen to be a leader of a Clan and I have to view what is good for all not just for one or two. It's hard and I don't always like it but its a burden I have been given and I will proudly take on," Firestar paused again for a brief moment. Turning her attention to the snow covered area that is Star fields.

"If you want to take a Clanname you can become a warrior or you can keep your name and remain a honored guest of our clan. Either way you will be around your family, but I can not promise you anything more if you decided to stay our honored guest," She told him with a heavy heart. She disliked that this was what had to be done. She wanted with all her heart for him to take a clanname and be done with it, but she also understood the grief was a powerful motivator. He might never take a clanname and she'd have to accept that, even if it angered some of the older warriors. However, when the time came she would have to see to it that Niko found his own home, outside of the camp and perhaps out of the territory. She wasn't going to tell him that now, but when the time came. She didn't want fear to motivate him to make a choice he'd later regret.

FIRESTAR

background image | castle | table by phoenix | Amber