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Post by Deleted on Sept 7, 2017 22:44:23 GMT -5
I'm feeling careless with your fragile little heart...
The day was chilly, a rather welcome change after the heat that had pervaded the greenleaf season. It was a good day for being active, and the chill meant prey were likely to be planning for leaf-bare, they should be out looking for food to stock up on. A good day for hunting, one that shouldn't be wasted. However, Magpiewing did not intend to hunt alone. He had gotten caught up with his mate several days ago, but he had yet to have a one on one with his kits since his return to TreeClan.
Owlpaw was already out training with his mentor, if one could call it training he supposed. It really gave credit to Owlpaw's acting ability that Lionstar thought his featherbrained sister was a good match for his son. For the persona that his son wore, perhaps she was a good match. But she was sorely lacking for the real Owlpaw. He was certain Mockingbird had been giving their son plenty of supplemental lessons to make up for it, however, and was also confident in Owlpaw's ability to learn to become a proper warrior despite the shortcomings of his mentor. Owlpaw had gotten the best of both of his parents and quickly earned Magpiewing's favor.
Though he had to admit, Ravenpaw was more interesting in the long run. Owlpaw played along with their game flawlessly, while Ravenpaw had the capacity for it, but seemed entirely uninterested. He was sure Owlpaw would continue to play the game, unless a time ever presented itself where it was safe for the three of them reveal their true natures, which was highly unlikely unless one of them managed to wrest control of the entire Clan from Lionstar's grasp, one way or another. Magpiewing had no designs on becoming leader, and the suspicion most cats had for Mockingbird meant it would likely never fall into her paws either. Owlpaw, though?
If he kept up his act, he could worm his way into the hearts of his Clanmates, he could earn their trust despite his link to his grandfather Grayowl. It mattered little to Magpiewing, in the end, if Graypaw ever gained a leadership position in the Clan or not. He did enjoy the game, after all, and if he had to play it his whole life, that would be just fine. But Ravenpaw had the potential to end the game in a completely different manner. There was something unpredictable about his daughter, and it thrilled him. There were few cats that Magpiewing could not accurately read and predict, and for his own daughter to be one of them, well... it was exciting. There was no cat more potentially dangerous to the game he played than Ravenpaw.
It was with these thoughts that he sought out his daughter, padding leisurely to the apprentice's den and ducking his head inside for the familiar black pelt. His tone was pleasant, full of affection, as was appropriate for a father when he spoke to his kits, “Ravenpaw? Would you come hunting with me? I'd love to catch up after being gone so long.” He withdrew, flicking his tail behind him with careful eagerness to spend time with his daughter as he waited for her to emerge and follow him out of camp. “How is your training coming along?” he cast a yellow gaze back at her briefly, honestly curious, “Your mother told me you were having... issues with your old mentor?” Not that Magpiewing was entirely approving of the new mentor Lionstar had assigned her either, but he was at least an improvement.
I'll only let you down, I'm fucking sick, believe me. Silver
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INVENTORY
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Post by Silver on Sept 14, 2017 0:09:18 GMT -5
 Warrior Apprentice of TreeClanShe scented him coming, of course she did, she always kept alert to any of her family coming anywhere near her. Orange eyes narrowed on the large figure of her father as he approached her and she could hear the falseness in the tone of his words. It rubbed her fur the wrong way. She growled lowly in irritated frustration before rising gracefully to her feet and following the older tom out into the camp. She realized as she walked beside him just how much taller she had become in the last few moons. Her father used to tower over her like some overwhelming looming presence. Now though, he was still taller than she was was no longer made her feel like her life was in immediate danger.
Unfortunately, he also still held the power to make her heart ache with sadness about just how little he actually cared about her; how much any of them cared about her. None of that showed in her expression or body language however, she wasn't stupid as to give him such power over her. He didn't matter, so she kept her aloof angry facade firmly around her and acted like she knew he was expecting her to. Fool. She heard the genuine curiosity when he spoke about her new Mentor and she could only huff in annoyance. She figured a single word answer would suffice then, though more came out than she meant to say. "Anything is better than that...idiotic she-cat that Lionstar had no place in assigning to me when she clearly couldn't even handle her own four paws let alone attempt to train an Apprentice. Zephyrfang is a great improvement in that regard. Though it doesn't excuse our esteemed leader's clear case of misguided stupidity."
She took a deep, calming breath and forced her emotions under control once more. Deciding she was done playing her father's game, she moved ahead of him in a sudden burst of speed and stood in his path; her orange eyes narrowed dangerously and locked onto his yellow ones. Her tone was low and cool, different from her usual burning anger and disdain for those around her. Ravenpaw realized quietly that she had been spending too much time around her mother again. Oh well. She waited for him to stop and once he did, she spoke to him words that were only for him. "I indulged your question about my training because I can tell you were curious. The rest is just for insulting. So kindly, dear father, do tell me what you want and save us both the trouble of pretending we really care two scraps about each other."
She wasn't sure what he was up to, but she wanted no part in this game of his; especially if he thought she was to be involved. Tags | @zen |
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Post by Deleted on Sept 14, 2017 1:00:14 GMT -5
I'm feeling careless with your fragile little heart...
He listened to his daughter's explanation with some amusement. She had grown into a fine young cat while he was gone, her sharp intellect clear in her words. It was sad, really, that he missed an entire season of her life. An entire season of watching his family grow and develop, gone. That had been rather the entire point of having a family, that and the charade of appearing just like any other TreeClan cat. But the chance to witness and influence a young cat's growth into adulthood... that had been the main draw for Magpiewing.
Suddenly Ravenpaw forced herself in front of him, forcing him to a stop. He purred in amusement as she demanded truth from him, his mask falling away now that the two of them were far enough away from camp. His tone was truly genuine when he spoke, “I honestly just want to catch up with my kits. An entire season has gone by and I was entirely absent from your lives. I want to make sure I haven't missed anything terribly important.”
He tilted his head slightly as he gaze down at her, his yellow eyes bright with interest, and leaned down almost conspiratorially, “I would never mean to insult you, my dear. The collective intelligence of this Clan doesn't measure more than a mouselength when you count out our family, and you know the show is all for them.” He studied her a moment, “I would much prefer we could all be ourselves as we pleased, but we all know the Clan simply cannot handle that.”
He brushed past her, but paused a few steps along to look back at her, “Do you truly despise my company so much? I certainly won't presume to try to keep you, if so. Soon enough you'll be as dangerous as your mother... and won't that be exciting?” His yellow gaze glittered with amused anticipation before he turned and kept walking, whether she followed him or not, his plumed tail flicking behind him, “You don't enjoy our little game, and it leaves me wondering just what you do enjoy in this life...? What a terrible existence it would be, to have nothing to enjoy about it.”
I'll only let you down, I'm fucking sick, believe me. Silver
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INVENTORY
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Post by Silver on Sept 16, 2017 2:02:34 GMT -5
Warrior Apprentice of TreeClanDelicate shoulders dropped at the unexpected question from her father and for a moment Ravenpaw forgot herself. Her ears went back, her tail dropped, and the confidence she normally exuded disappeared for a moment before she pulled herself back together and mentally berated herself for the weakness shown. He would use it against her! She took a deep breath and started walking next to her father; trying not to feel sad at just how different her family was.
She kept her eyes forward on the path before them and let silence fall around them for long moments while she settled herself. Her father was so difficult to deal with. When she finally did speak, her tone was distant but honest; probably giving away more than she really meant to. Especially with her shift of terms from polite to affectionate. "You've really missed a lot of things, Papa. All of you have. You, Mama, my brothers; you all miss the same thing. You play a game for the entire clan, but to what end? They still don't like you. My brothers...they are more accepted because they act more like other cats think they should; but me?"
She sighed and shook her head, continuing to move forward but expression gone thoughtful. "Me, I'm much to harsh for them. Rebellious and dangerous; I'm the one they all worry about causing trouble. Since we're not playing games right now, I'll be honest. I put on just as much of a show as the rest of you do, but even you don't see it. I know the game, and I can play it the way you do. I just don't see the point when I'm already playing a game of my own. When all they see is the rebellious and angry offspring of two of their least trusted, why would anyone think to look passed that? After all, I didn't want Honeysong to be my Mentor. So when I was the mature one when she passed out, I got what I wanted and have a more competent Mentor now."
She smirked at that, still proud of herself for that particular situation. She'd been outright hostile towards Lionstar about Honeysong, and she'd been outright rude and hesitantly polite to the she-cat when they finally met face to face. Then when the she-cat had passed out she returned her to her den and informed Lionstar of the illness of his new favorite person. The result had been being removed from Honeysong as the she-cat's Apprentice and being given to Zephyrfang. The tom was competent and no-nonsense and she sort of enjoyed that about him. It was refreshing, after dealing with everyone else in her life.
She shook herself again, pulling her barriers back around herself like a well-worn shield. It made her eyes harder and colder and her stance more fluid and less vulnerable. "I know how dangerous my behavior is to your little game; it's part of the reason I behave that way. It's why I made sure they were always looking for me, instead of watching my brothers when we were kits. Owlpaw learned to play the game, while I learned to sneak out of the Nursery undetected by most of the feather-brained masses." Her other brother wasn't worth mentioning in her opinion; considering he'd snuck out and nearly gotten himself killed.
She wondered if he'd picked up on the implications of her words. He was certainly clever enough, but who knew with her father. She forced the confidence back into her step and lengthened her stride so she could walk alongside her father. She considered her next words carefully before finally deciding for truth. "I will say this. You haven't done anything to make me despise you. More that your antics are tolerated because Mother would skin me alive if I ruined all your careful plans. And also, I may find it a tad...curious that even you and Mother, for all your games, don't realize how much of what I do is real and how much is just to keep them from seeing what's really in front of them."
She shrugged then about the mention of things she enjoyed and decided to humor him. "When I was younger, it was fun to sneak out of the Nursery and see how long it took them to figure it out and find me. I knew you and Mother always knew, but the rest of them? Not a chance. Lionstar only found me that day because his den smelled like something had died in it and the stench was offensive to my nose and I had to go and tell him so. Now though...it's hard to find much to enjoy when there are very little of my clanmates anywhere near my speed. I don't enjoy mindless conversation, after all. Nor silly flirtations. I suppose I'd enjoy myself more if even one of them presented me with a challenge. Honestly, watching you and Mother has set a pretty high standard for me as far as intelligent conversation goes."
She shrugged as if the topic wasn't an important one, though it honestly was. Ravenpaw could never just drop her pretenses and be herself; even around her family. Her family would use it against her, and her clanmates wouldn't be able to handle it. She needed someone to challenge her; like her parents challenged each other. Even if it was just one cat; it would make all the difference in the world to her.
Tags | @zen |
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Post by Deleted on Sept 17, 2017 20:00:35 GMT -5
Now tell me all about your pain, down to the detail...
She followed. Wasn't she just full of surprises, his daughter? His inability to get a good read on her was what made her so incredibly interesting. There was nothing to do but be himself around her, for he had no mask tailored to what she required, for he didn't know what she required. Perhaps it was simply the honesty of who he was. His sharp eyed little raven could spot the tiniest of cracks in his many masks, after all, so best not to wear one at all. He listened with interest as she started to speak. While he had spent some amount of time with his kits while they were in the nursery, he had not had much of a chance to spend time with them after they became apprentices, and so this would be the first real mature conversation he had ever had with his daughter. He was eager to see just how it went.
He listened intently, the gaze he trained on her automatically gone soft and nonthreatening from seasons of practice. After all, observing a cat grew difficult if they started feeling awkward and uncomfortable under an intense, analyzing gaze. He did not mean to put on the show of it for his daughter, it was something he simply fell into without realizing it anymore. To put the cats around him at ease even as he picked apart their every movement and quirk, the lilting tones and minor inflections in their voice, and worked out just how they all fit together to paint a picture of deeper truths. There was much to be learned about a cat from even the simplest of conversations, if one knew what to look for.
His whiskers twitched with some amusement as she explained that she was playing her own game. He mused on that, studying the black furred she-cat at his side, “There are many ways to play a game, and beyond that many games to even be played to begin with. What and how you choose to play yours is entirely up to you, of course. I don't doubt your capacity to play it the way your mother and I and Owlpaw do, I know very well you could.” His tail waved excitedly behind him, “It's that you choose not to that interests me so. And here you are, making your own game, and I ask you to what end? Show them what they expect, that I can understand, for it so easily hides anything deeper. Cats will see what they want to see, and they tend to give angry rebels quite a wide berth.”
He scrutinized her further, his yellow gaze narrowing in the slightest. He wasn't at all sure what her end game was. Was it merely some sort of test? To push away all the cats not worthy of her time and weed out the few that might be? Why else present such an unpleasant personality? Why alienate herself further? What other plans did his daughter have, exactly, that she wanted others to pay her no mind so she could slip away without care or notice? She had always liked sneaking around, ever since her kithood. Back then, Magpiewing supposed she was just pushing her boundaries, testing her limits, and those of the cats around her. But now? An apprentice that was nearly a warrior could come and go as she pleased without having to sneak about. Why the need to keep others out?
He noticed the shift in her gait, the way the look in her eyes changed as she spoke again. He wondered at how he had no idea just what drove her, what motivated her. There were very few cats who could claim that. Amusement flickered through him as she referred to his actions as 'antics'; her choice of wording there told him plenty. And then she revealed quite the little truth. She was lonely. There was a time he could never have related, never understood. Before Mockingbird, he had been content to live a solitary life in TreeClan, so sure he would never meet a single cat he could see as an equal. It didn't matter, he could still have fun.
But then... why had he leapt so readily at the chance to use Pinkcloud for such personal entertainment? Had he been lying to himself? Perhaps he had been. Perhaps he had been lonely and simply buried the useless feeling and told himself he was fine. Considering how much Mockingbird meant to him now, he considered that a more likely fact. He spoke honestly, a soft laugh escaping his muzzle as he thought of how stereotypical his first words were going to be, “When I was your age, I was certain I would never find another cat to be my equal. I realize now that was youthful arrogance. No cat anywhere is entirely special or unique, not you, and not me. We may be a rare breed, but we are not unique unto ourselves.”
He paused as he leapt easily over a fallen branch, “But I think I may have met a cat who was far more than he seemed in RainClan, and I'm certain there are more out there than any of us might realize.” He turned his yellow gaze back to her, giving credit where it was due, “After all, I never realized the depth of you either. I am confident in my abilities, but I've never claimed to be foolproof. There are others hiding in plain sight. Perhaps the challenge of ferreting them out will be enough for you for now. And if you cannot find what you seek in TreeClan, there is a whole valley full of cats. You may find your happiness beyond TreeClan's borders.”
He wondered briefly what Mockingbird might think of that suggestion. It wasn't as though either of them had any deep loyalty to TreeClan, but giving their daughter an idea that might lead to her leaving them might not sit well with his mate. It didn't much matter if she never took it, however, she he supposed there was time enough to deal with any possible consequences. He came to a stop, and this time stepped in front of her so that she could see this was no game, a flicker of some deeper emotion escaping through his bright gaze, “A partner in this life is invaluable. I truly hope you find one, Ravenpaw, no matter where your game leads you.” Even if her game led her to an opposing ending to his own, it didn't matter. It would only serve to make things more interesting.
Don't say it's love, your fragile heart feeds my contempt.
Silver
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INVENTORY
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Post by Silver on Oct 2, 2017 23:54:36 GMT -5
Warrior Apprentice of TreeClanRavenpaw walked alongside her father quietly, ears tilting forwards at his sudden bark of derisive laughter. She knew why he had done such a thing when he spoke next and she couldn't help but roll her eyes as she followed him and jumped over the fallen branch to stay with him as they walked onward. She couldn't stop the scoff that left her at his words, and she shook her head immediately after. "I would hate being so unique as to have none like me. Also that would make me very arrogant to believe there were none like me. That has never been my problem."
She sighed and stopped walking for a moment, her expression full or true sorrow for a moment before she pushed it away and snarled lowly at herself for showing such weakness in front of one that could use it against her. It didn't stop her words though. "My problem was always finding someone that could see me; that wanted to see me. Like Mother has always seen you, I want that." She fell silent again as her father broke in front of her and suggested impossible things and offered her his own truths. He didn't understand!
Her ears went back and her tail dropped as her confidence dropped away for a moment under the honesty from her father. Her gaze held his own for a long moment before dropping away; looking for all the world like something had defeated her. This was a glimpse of Ravenpaw at her weakest, and it was a rare occurrence. Her words were low but didn't exactly match her stance. "I swear by StarClan if you try and use any of this against me I will find a way to kill you and I promise you no one will ever find your body. It might make Mother upset with me, but at this point I can't afford to care."
Orange eyes lifted and there before her father's eyes Ravenpaw rebuild herself until she stood calm and confident once more. Her gaze was icy, but still flickered with deeper emotions for one that knew how to look. She considered her father's words again; seeking the deeper meaning in them. Finally, she let out a tired sigh and tried to stay honest no matter that it was very hard to do in front of her father.
"I...I think I worry that they'll always be the same as everyone else. Those that only see what's in front of them and can't see the deeper meaning. Those that think they understand and then are offended or upset when they've no reason to be. It's a trait I hated so much in Honeysong and so many others are this way as well. They don't look at me and see a young cat about to become a Warrior for the clan. They just see a kit of two of their least trusted. They see my violence and rage and shy from it, never questioning. It's always the same everywhere I go, even when I'm not being cruel to them."
She shook her head before continuing while she still had the courage to. "It's always the same everywhere I go. Everyone expects something from me. Be this way, Ravenpaw. Give it a try, Ravenpaw. Stop being so harsh, Ravenpaw. But none of them see and they certainly don't listen. It's...frustrating. And I can't help but wonder if I'll always be looking for someone to just...see. Even just one cat for just a moment." She finally fell silent, no longer willing to make herself so vulnerable before her father. She didn't know what he'd do with what she'd said to him, but she was prepared to make good on her threat to kill him if he tried to use it against her somehow.
Tags | @zen |
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Post by Deleted on Nov 13, 2017 11:52:17 GMT -5
Now tell me all about your pain, down to the detail...
“I swear by StarClan if you try and use any of this against me I will find a way to kill you and I promise you no one will ever find your body.”
He swallowed the laugh that attempted to escape his muzzle, only his whiskers twitching to betray his amusement at the threat. Those words sounded so very familiar. Mockingbird had threatened him much the same way when he had discovered her deep, dark secret; the truth of who she really was. There had been no particular passion his mate's voice when she'd threatened him, it had been a matter of fact statement, stark in the truth of its promise. She would kill him to protect herself, nothing personal. His whiskers twitched again in his amusement at the memory.
His tail flicked lightly against her flank, playful, “You really are so much like your mother sometimes, you know?” Whether she liked the comparison or not, it was there. But she was also very different. He purred, “You will likely meet your partner when you least expect it, my dear... a pleasant surprise in a world that has treated you so unfairly.” He mused about his relationship with Mockingbird briefly, “Your mother and I did not always see each other, Ravenpaw. We both hid from each other in plain sight until I happened upon her visiting her father one day. He'd already been exiled. It was quite a dangerous predicament for me.”
Despite saying that, his voice took on a surprisingly excited undertone, “I had never thought her anything more than what she presented to the Clan. I for one ought to know that who your parents are doesn't have to mean anything at all about you. My parents are simple warriors, and yet here I am. So Mockingbird's murderous father did not seem to be terribly important when it came to judging her, though it seems I was the only one who felt that way.” He laughed outright, that he had been the only one to view her as nothing more than a normal, boring cat when in reality, everyone else's rumors and whispers and suspicions based entirely on her relation to Grayowl were absolutely correct. It was funny how that worked out.
“She threatened to kill me. It took some convincing on my part to persuade her otherwise,” he looked over at his daughter with bright, amused eyes, “Your partner may very well be hiding in plain sight as well, unable to see you just yet, until some chance encounter reveals the truth to one of you. I hope you find one, I really do. Life is so much more interesting with a partner.” And what would Ravenpaw and her future partner do together? He couldn't wait to see.
Don't say it's love, your fragile heart feeds my contempt.
Silver (this can be the end if you want, unless you'd like to get one more post in?)
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