[williams]

The sky raged above Nightclan's camp, rain falling in sheets that made even the keenest eyes squint with effort. It was loud, and frustrating weather to deal with. Briarthroat found himself standing aimlessly in the entrance of the warrior's den. He didn't want to venture out into the forest without a purpose, and knew Scrap-paw would resist any offers he made to get her outside. Instead, he asked her to stay in camp and practice her forms in the apprentice den to stay out of the rain. It wasn't an ideal solution, but he didn't want to risk either of them getting sick. It was bad enough he had to send others out in the rain at all. Quick missions, He told himself, trying to feel better about the tasks he gave the warriors. It's not fun to be out in the rain, but we need to keep the dens sealed and the borders checked.

I should see how Foxstar is doing, With that sudden thought in mind, the tall warrior nosed his way out of the den to cross the clearing. "Foxstar?" He called into the leader's den, paws moving in place to keep his blood circulating. As soon as he heard a reply, he slipped into the den. "Apologies for getting your den wet, but I wanted to check in with you, see how you were doing." Briarthroat smiled sheepishly about the rain, sitting as far as he could from the moss. 

notes: mobile posting so no table, apologies on taking so long to get this thread goin'!! 
words: 245
tagged: Silver @fawn (scrap mention)

[Silver]

"There’s a lot of things you need
to get across this universe.
You know the thing you need most of all?"

A large, fluffy frame shifted at the sound of the tom calling for her. Foxstar hated the rain, it made her body ache in a way few things did. The injury to her leg, done so long ago, ached in a way she knew nothing but time might see ease again. So rising had her wincing and releasing a low hiss of sound before she could stop herself. She had to hope her Deputy hadn't heard that, as she needed to seem unflappable to her clan. They'd been through so much and she struggled, even now, to keep things level just so everyone could continue their lives the way they were meant to. It was stressful, to be honest, but it was as it was and she couldn't change that.

So she forced herself to her feet and made her tone light and curious as she went to greet her Deputy. "I'm here, Briarthroat, and it's fine. It's only water and it'll dry." She smiled faintly at the consideration the tom was showing her - he was that way to everyone - and realized once again she'd made a great choice for her Deputy. He really was a good one, was Briarthroat. Shaking herself until her fur settled back into place. She pushed the moss that made up her nest as far back as she could to keep it dry before moving to stand before her Deputy so they could talk. He was...checking on her? Her head tilted to the side curiously, amber eyes confused for a moment before she shrugged to herself.

He was checking on her because that was just a part of who he was. Yes, she'd definitely chosen a fine Deputy. She let out a warm purr and a gentle smile before speaking to him again. "I am well; though I do admit to disliking the rain greatly. I went out earlier to check for any serious flooding and everything seems to be holding up well so far. We'll still have to reinforce a few places once the rain lets up but we should be able to get by until then." Her mind, as always, was on the clan rather than how she personally was actually doing. It was how she was, and she knew she couldn't afford to be any other way. That was fine, it didn't matter anyway.

"You need a hand to hold."

Tags | williams

[williams]

Briarthroat listened patiently to Foxstar, replying to her purr with a gentle smile that reached even his eyes. He nodded at her suggestion, thinking about who he assigned to check the dens. ”I sent a couple warrior pairs to get some ferns for den reinforcement, I’ll make sure they stop by to check the places you noted.” Wrapping his tail around his damp front paws, Briarthroat continued. ”There are good patches close by too. I don’t want anyone to get sick so close to the end of the season.” He glanced away, eyes soft at the thought of his apprentice as a laugh bubbled up at the recent memory. ”I couldn’t even budge Scrap-paw today, she was just a speck in the apprentice den. She understands your dislike quite well.”

The noise faded to just the rain as Briarthroat thought, always comfortable with the silence but aware that he came for more than just to talk about the clan. Foxstar was the second young leader to step up and lead Nightclan in his recent memory. And here he was, his own paws stepping into the deputy role to support her. It was a great honor to be chosen of course, but it was also terrifying. They were leading their clan into their next age of greatness, would they succeed. The lanky tom frowned at himself, voice soft so only Foxstar inside the den could hear. “I am glad for the rain though. I am honored of course to be your deputy, but it’s not easy. The clan deserves their greatness, and some days it feels like I am climbing through pawsteps of much larger cats to reach that mountaintop.” He admitted with pure honesty, not asking to step down, but admitting a quiet fear he knew few would understand. "How are you, Foxstar, truly? I know the rain aches your injuries, as it does mine. Are you faring well despite the old aches? Is there any job we need to split better? I'd like to be a balanced team with you."

Tagged: Silver

[Silver]

"There’s a lot of things you need
to get across this universe.
You know the thing
you need most of all?"

Foxstar couldn't help the snort of amusement that left her at the mention of Briarthroat's rather...interesting Apprentice. "Why does that not surprise me in the least? It's probably for the best to keep everyone inside the dens during a day like this anyway. I haven't even been able to get out long enough to get some training done with Brindlepaw either. The rain makes seeing difficult and I don't want him to get sick besides that." Speaking about her Apprentice made Foxstar smile in spite of herself. He was trying so hard to do right, and it amused her to realize that the young tom didn't see the potential in himself that she did. Then again, that was what a Mentor was for, was it not?

Silence fell between them then and it was a comfortable one so she didn't feel the need to break it. Instead she took a deep, steadying breath and settled to sit back down; her fluffy tail winding around her lean body to settle around her feet much like Briarthroat's had. When he broke the silence with quiet concerns about his place as Deputy, Foxstar had to smile and shake her head, offering the tom a quiet, reassuring purr of sound before she sought to speak to him. "I was the same way when Pinesta-...Pinewhisker...chose me, if I'm honest. Except I was thinking, 'How can I do this? How can I be what she needs me to be? Do I even deserve this?' I was honored that she'd chosen me, but I was scared to death."

She went silent again, remembering her terror and rage when Pinestar had been badly injured during a fight none of them had seen coming. She still blamed herself for not being there when her leader had needed her most. Sorrow and guilt and pain and frustrated anger crossed her normally calm expression and the words came out before she could stop them. "I never expected...when I became Deputy...I never thought...She was so strong and she hadn't been our leader for very long. I never thought something so horrible would happen and she'd be forced to step down. I wasn't...I wasn't ready to lead this clan. I wasn't even settled into being the Deputy and then...then suddenly I was told what happened to her and....and then we were travelling to Moon Tree and everything happened so quickly."

She went silent and shuddered, remembering that day vividly; and the lessons she'd been forced to learn as each of her lives was given to her. She looked away from her Deputy after that, amber eyes focused on the rain outside as she made herself calm down and focus. She couldn't afford to do this now, she couldn't let herself fall apart even for a moment. NightClan needed a leader that was strong. She had to be strong. It made her words come out strained but mostly calm as she finally spoke again. "Never mind all of that, I apologize. As for you..." She turned her gaze back to the tom before her once more; offering advice as she always had. "You are going to be a great Deputy, Briarthroat. You already are and that's while you're still getting used to it. NightClan couldn't be in better paws. You are going to be amazing, never doubt that. I never would have chosen you if I didn't believe that. I have the utmost faith in you, and I'll walk this path at your side so you don't feel lost. And even if you do get lost, I'll always lend an ear. It's what we do, it's what we are. Never forget that."

She went quiet again for a long moment before she heard Briarthroat ask after her personal well-being. She smiled faintly at him once more before giving him an honest answer. "It's always going to cause me pain to be up and about on days like this, but that only serves to remind me that I'm alive. It hurts, yes, sometimes so much I don't want to ever move again, but I manage just like all of us do. Don't worry, if I thought it was too bad, I'd ask you to take over for the day and let me rest." And she would, because she had to keep herself healthy if she was to take care of NightClan. If she was to follow in the legacy left by those that came before her, she had to take care of herself.

"You need a hand to hold."

Tags | williams

[williams]

BRIARTHROAT

Ah Brindlepaw, Briarthroat smiled at the name. The fluffy tom cat would have been miserable in the rain, long fur soaking up every droplet like a fresh bit of moss. He turned his attention fully to Foxstar when she spoke of her concerns, ear pricked in surprise. Of course she shared his fears, but hearing it said allowed uncurled a knot of tension in his shoulders he hadn’t realized he was holding. He felt relief fill his chest, before it tightened with full force as Foxstar continued. It had hurt to see Pinewhisker come back to camp hurt, to step down after being granted so much. Silence fell over the pair before Briarthroat realized what had happened, his eyes focusing back on his leader. She had gone through so much in so little time. Noticing her expression, he followed her gaze out to the rain. It was heavy, leaving noticeable puddles outside that he knew would be troublesome till the sun came out. But, it was calming too. The constant rhythm was soothing, and reminded the tom that they could just sit here and not be pressured to move.

"Never mind all of that, I apologize. As for you..." Briarthroat flicked his ears back to Foxstar, his gaze returning. His smile at her praise was soft and genuine, crinkling up his eyes with full appreciation for the cat across from him. ”Thank you Foxstar, your words soothe my heart. I am grateful to be on this team with you. Nightclan does not know how lucky they are to have you. “ He replied. ”I hope you are able to realize that. You have me and the other senior warriors should you need it, but you are doing good work for this clan. You were chosen to be deputy, and even if your jump to leadership came too soon, you are holding strong. The tom shifted his paws, settling into a more comfortable position as his fur dried and the ground below him took the moisture away.

”I manage just like all of us do.” Those words stuck out to Briarthroat, tilting his head curiously at what they mean to him. Yes, they did have to deal with their aches and pains, as many older warriors did. But again the tom was reminded of the peace they could reach today with the rain pausing the day's routines.

Finding his words, the warrior spoke up, ”I do not doubt that you would ask for my assistance, thank you for letting me know. You know, with the rain, you’ve been given a free pass to rest. No one wants to leave the dens today, though their loyalty has made sure we are all fed and dry.

Earlier you said to set aside your concerns but, you have them, and you deserve rest today too. Even leaders get a break now and again, that’s why Starclan gave you so many lives right? To look over the clan for longer than an ordinary lifespan.”

500 | Silver | notes

ulla

[Silver]

Amber eyes regarded the tom before her for long moments in silence before she turned again to the rain outside. This was why she'd chosen Briarthroat for her Deputy, but his patient observations still made her slightly uncomfortable. He meant well, but she needed to not dwell on things or risk losing herself to the rage that simmered just underneath her practiced veil of calm. Besides, she couldn't be certain how he'd react if she told him the truth. She could rely on her clanmates, yes, but it was deeply ingrained into her through fire and pain that she couldn't always trust those around her. They had her back, she could trust in that, but she had seen and done and been through so much that it made it hard for her to simply trust others during quiet moments like this. She would give her life for her clan, and she knew they'd do the same for her, but speaking about things that bothered her...that was a lot harder for Foxstar than any of them realized. 

She felt a sharp pang of loneliness strike through her, making her chest feel tight and her eyes burn just all of a sudden. She was grateful not to be facing her Deputy at a time like this, but she knew why she hurt. He meant well, but it just brought with it more things than she'd ever allowed herself to really deal with. She was doing things she never thought she would, after all. Making deals with other clans, allowing rogues into the clan, going to war against an entire clan just for revenge against one of them. It all made her dizzy and sick at heart to think about. Yes, the other clans weren't her responsibility, but StarClan never meant for them to take the lives of others for such selfish reasons. Sometimes it couldn't be helped, but it hurt her heart to think about. Taking a deep breath, she spoke out again and she had to hope that all the negativity she was feeling didn't show up in her voice. "I am...glad I was able to help you feel more at ease in all of this."

She shook herself and had to resettled her fluffy tail against herself after letting it lash out to vent some of her pent up emotions. Why was this so hard? He'd called her strong...he had no idea how much of that was an untruth. She was physically strong, yes, because she had to be. She never let anyone see a weakness in her because that was what they needed from her. But she...oh she...sometimes she wondered just what Pinewhisker had been thinking that day she'd chosen her for Deputy. She would never wish to step down, NightClan needed her and she'd never do that to Briarthroat, but sometimes she wished...Well it didn't matter because Lionstar had seen to it that Pinewhisker would never lead NightClan again. So that left her, and she'd keep doing her best.

Briarthroat's voice brought her out of her dark musings and she turned a small smile towards him, relieved to have something else to focus on. "I always enjoy the rain, even if it makes my body ache at times. It's...soothing to just sit in my den and watch the rain fall and know we are all safe and the clan is fed and happy. It reminds me time and again why I do this each day, and why I fight so hard to keep things as they are. Time will change all things, as it's meant to, but at least I know that I have days like this to sit and remember why it is always going to be so very much worth it." She let the moment fall to silence again as she let herself settle once more into the quiet of the rain.

--

Tags | williams

[williams]

Briarthroat, though not keyed into Foxstar’s exact feelings, could feel her mood shift with his words. It was tense, something that he could almost physically see settle on her shoulders. He let the silence take over the den as his leader looked out to the rain. There was no sense pushing whatever she was struggling with inside. Pushing it would only result in her locking it up tighter. He wanted to know, to help as he had helped his siblings in the past, to help as he did with Scrap-paw when she struggled. But, a thought reminded him, some battles he could not fight for others and as he watched Foxstar think, Briarthroat knew this was a battle he would not win if he tried to fight it for her. Internally he sighed at the thought, knowing it was right but still wanting to rebel against it.

He nodded at her words, giving her a gentle smile. The rain became their focus again and he was honestly glad to think about it. It was heavily falling still, a faint rumble of thunder at the far reaches of his hearing. The camp itself was quiet, and Briarthroat strained to hear any chatter over the noise of rain fall. Something about that combination was comforting, as he had said before, but fully listening to it was another reminder. ”It is always worth it,” Briarthroat agreed, voice growing soft as he thought. ”Today, we can rest with this rain. Wake up tomorrow and think of plans to help Nightclan grow. We have strong apprentices, and young warriors ready to step up as the next generation.”


--
Silver