[Hellion]

StoneClan || Warrior || Tom

Removing himself from staring at the entrance to the medicine cat den, Valiantstride forced himself to look elsewhere. Beetlekit had recovered, decently consider the severity of his injury. There were days Valiantstide watched his son's breathing in fear it would suddenly stop. Sleep and hunger were forgotten functions when it came to watching Beetlekit's health. He trusted Dawnblossom and Sandblaze with caring for his little boy but still couldn't shake the desire to stay beside him at all times. After all, it had been his fault Beetlekit would now live with his condition.

Truth be told no one was to blame. It was the vile creature's who broke into camp and maimed his son but even with that knowledge he couldn't shake the guilt. His son's new gait was a harsh reminder of how he failed to protect his son, he didn't put his son before himself. Feeling the angst grow in his chest to the point he almost choked, Valiantstride moved away from the medicine cat's den.

He had been shooed out of the den to get someone to eat. Not that he could stomach much. Anger at himself prevented him from eating beyond what was needed to keep his own heart beating. Others deserved more, he had placed himself on a strict regiment of self-hatred and denial. What hurt more was that few cats noticed, he guessed that Skunkspots knew, but others just assumed it was leftover leafbare hardness keeping the tom thin. Perhaps StarClan was adding to it.

Continuing to wallow in his inner turmoil, Valiantstride spotted Smokestorm and without hesitation headed toward her. "I never got to thank you for saving Beetlekit, he will be alright thanks to you," He meowed in her direction, not bothering with offering any formal greeting to preface his statement.

"I can't bear the thought of losing him and thanks to you I can see him grow up, thank you again," He added this time his dipping low in a respectful bow of his head.

You're my end and my beginning, even when I lose I'm winning.
'Cause I give you all of me, and you give me all of you, oh oh

## - Taxx Fawn , beetle and skunk mention. - Notes

[Taxx]

Smokestorm

This gal right here's gonna rule the world
No, I won't sit still and look pretty

Smokestorm’s morning had been the usual whirl of patrols, both border and hunting, and with those over, she had an afternoon training session with Dustpaw to look forward to. Balancing her duties as deputy with those as a mentor wasn’t all that hard, really- she had hunted and patrolled the same way before she had been chosen as Hawkstar’s second in command, and taking him along with her was good experience. With any luck, he’d soon get his warrior’s name- he more than deserved it.

Valientstride’s approach caught her eye, and briefly her gaze flicked past him to the den where Dawnblossom and Sandblaze cared for the sick and injured. She’d done her share of asking after the kit in the earliest days of his recovery, carrying the weight of concern for the well-being of the young tom- and the guilt that she hadn’t gotten to the nursery faster. That she hadn’t been able to save him from the loss of his foot.

Words of gratitude pricked, but she knew the tom was genuine in his feelings- and oh, it could have ended much worse. Bad enough that it had gone as it did- three cats injured in the fox’s attack- at least no cat had died. Fallenleaf, though…

Blinking herself back to the present, Smokestorm dipped her head to the older tom. “I’m glad he’s recovering. I’m only sorry I wasn’t faster.” Alive, but permanently maimed. “How is he doing today?” she asked, sitting and tucking her tail around her paws, giving Valientstride her full attention as she waited for the latest update on the kit’s health.

Deputy of StoneClan

Tags: Hellion Notes: