[Deleted]

Now tell me all about your pain, down to the detail...

---

It hadn't yet been a moon since Magpiewing had finally returned to TreeClan with Pantherkit and Flamekit. While Flamekit had been excited at first, buying into his suggestion that he was a lucky little kit, getting to leave camp before he was an apprentice, the novelty had worn off quickly. Both toms missed Echoshade terribly. Pantherkit had stopped talking to everyone except him and his brother and the two of them were constantly trying to leave camp, with Flamekit wailing at the cats that took them back to the nursery that they wanted to go home. It was all very upsetting for the majority of the Clan. Magpiewing had been rather amused at first, but it was beginning to grow a bit old.

He kept up his visits to the kits, assuring them he hadn't abandoned them in this strange place they were forced to live. He kept them attached. It clearly wasn't enough to keep them TreeClan just yet, but that was to be expected. Kits were generally closer with their mothers at such a young age, and it was Echoshade they had lost. Not only her, but her two daughters as well, who the toms had viewed as siblings. Trading all three of them and getting to keep only him was hardly fair. But, for the time being, they would provide some amusement, upsetting the normal calm in TreeClan's camp with their antics, and as they got older the potential in them to cause trouble for TreeClan grew exponentially.

Even if they did finally settle, they could prove useful eventually. He would encourage Owlpaw to spend time with them, make them feel like family, get close to them. Mockingbird had high hopes for him, after all, and a few supportive, expendable followers would never hurt. He thought about finding Owlpaw as he padded back into camp after a hunt, jaws laden with prey, when Lionstar's sister bounced over to him rather unexpectedly. She followed him to the freshkill pile, informing him that Lionstar wanted to talk to him, before bouncing off on her way again. Magpiewing resisted the urge to roll his eyes after her, setting down his catch and turned to survey the ancient stump for a moment.

With a flick of his tail like a shrug, he made his way to the esteemed leader's den and paused outside, like any well mannered warrior, “Lionstar? Rowanberry said you'd like to speak with me?” He waited to be invited inside and then sat lightly before the golden tom, wrapping his plumed black tail neatly around his paws. He was rather certain this chat would have something to do with those kits, but outwardly he appeared curious and perhaps a tad confused, “What can I do for you, Lionstar?”

---

Don't say it's love, your fragile heart feeds my contempt.

Fawn

[Fawn]

LionstAr

blinded by the light of a new sun
take it to the world, gonna sing it like an anthem

Pantherkit and Flamekit had made their opinions loud and clear. There were a pawful of aggravated warriors who had escorted the kits back to the nursery more than once. To Lionstar's dismay (but not his surprise), Magpiewing had dropped the ball on one particular aspect of his assignment in RainClan; telling them about TreeClan. Reminding them of their mother and father. Magpiewing hadn't been close to Meadowleaf or Nightshade (as far as Lionstar knew), but for StarClan's sake, how hard was it to share their real heritage with him? Both kits believed they were RainClan cats - if not in blood, then in everything else.

"You could tell me why Pantherkit and Flamekit are so desperate to leave camp," mewed Lionstar curtly. "They're acting like we've abducted them. Didn't you tell them about Meadowleaf? That their stay in RainClan was only temporary?" He wasn't an idiot. It went without saying that separating from Echoshade would have been stressful and very sad for the two toms; she was the only mother they'd ever known. However... They were acting as if this information —that they belonged in TreeClan—had been sprung on them the night before.

What had Magpiewing been doing for a full season? Getting fat on fish and enjoying his time away from regular warrior duties. Magpiewing may have everyone fooled - that he and his mate, Mockingbird, were just ordinary members of the Clan, but Lionstar didn't trust them. Somehow, he gave each of them a chance to prove themselves - Mockingbird with an apprentice, Magpiewing with the two kits - and he was always left feeling...

Less than reassured. Maybe it was a gut feeling. Maybe not.

leader of TreeClan

277 Words | @zen | notes

so alive | background image | table by phoenix

[Deleted]

Now tell me all about your pain, down to the detail...

---

Casting his bright yellow gaze down to his white forepaws, Magpiewing's expression shifted to one of concern, with just a touch of shame, as he took a heartbeat to finalize his decision in how he wished to handle Lionstar's question. His ears flicked back, his posture taking on submissive cues, "I take full responsibility, Lionstar, but... it turned out to be a far more delicate situation than I anticipated."

He looked back up at the larger tom, "It isn't as though the situation is commonplace, thankfully. When I arrived in RainClan and the kits had been settled, I spoke at length with Echoshade... the queen that nursed them." He wasn't certain if Lionstar knew or remembered the name of the queen that had taken them in, so he helpfully offered the information.

"As I am not, nor will I ever be a queen, I trusted that what she told me was to be taken seriously. I had fully intended to tell them everything as soon as they were old enough to understand, but Echoshade told me the shock may end up being too much for their vulnerable little hearts to handle, and that they could stop eating," he paused to let that information sink in, "Seeing as I did not want to bring two starved bodies back for the Clan to mourn, I decided to wait."

His ears flicked back again, apologetically, "I told them of TreeClan at first... that I had come to RainClan to be with them, but... I did not tell them why. And the longer I waited the harder it became. They had grown so attached to Echoshade and her own two kits, and they to them, I was...." He let out a long sigh, eyes on his paws again, "I was only trying to be kind to them all, to let them have their happiness while it could last, but I waited too long. I'm sorry, Lionstar... you trusted me with this and I have let you and those kits down."

His expression was mournful as he looked back up at Lionstar, "I never meant to make this harder on them, but you weren't there, you didn't see them.... They had a family there, and I knew when they came back, no mother would be waiting for them. It was selfish of me, waiting so long it all fell onto their little shoulders at once, but it broke my heart to think of ruining what they had." He lowered his head, "You should have sent a stronger cat... one who could have done what needed to be done, even if it was painful. I never dreamed it would be so hard."

---

Don't say it's love, your fragile heart feeds my contempt.

Fawn

[Fawn]

LionstAr

blinded by the light of a new sun
take it to the world, gonna sing it like an anthem

Magpiewing went into a lengthy explanation of why he hadn't told Flamekit and Pantherkit the truth. It was the sort of thing any compassionate Clanmate would say - that they didn't have the heart to crush their little spirits, to upset the peace and happiness Flamekit and Pantherkit had in RainClan. Though Lionstar was grateful to Echoshade for all that she had done, he found it irresponsible of both the queen and Magpiewing to have held their tongues on this matter.

If starvation had truly been a concern... Lionstar understood, but the kits were nearly apprentice-aged. They weren't as fragile as Magpiewing had claimed. Not anymore. They were old enough to successfully sneak out of camp. "I admit that I'm disappointed." Lionstar mewed gruffly, wrapping his tail around his paws as he sat back to process all he had been told. "Your orders were very specific. It was a hard assignment, but one I believed you capable of doing."

But perhaps he was wrong. The way Magpiewing had avoided Nightsky as if the young tom didn't exist - evidence of a guilty conscience and a moss-soft heart, or something else? Something sinister? What if Magpiewing, for all his simpering and his presentation of normalcy, hadn't cared enough to bother? What if this was payback, for sending him away in the first place?

He had caused trouble for Magpiewing and his family, and Mockingbird's mate saw fit to return the favor. Lionstar pushed a rock in front of the flood of accusations, tired of the suspicions that arose every time he was around a cat with any connection to Mockingbird. To Grayowl.

"Do what you can to help them adjust," said Lionstar. "If that seems too difficult for you, ask Silentsong and Moonfeather for help." With their efforts combined, the experienced queens could handle the two unhappy toms. And perhaps reverse some of the damage Magpiewing's kindness had done. He dismissed the warrior with a nod, wishing that these suspicions would dry up like water in a drought. But they didn't.

leader of TreeClan

342 Words | @zen | notes

so alive | background image | table by phoenix