Quote:
Originally Posted by The Cannibal
@ Charmer
Despite his current condition, Grousestar was fully aware of the pawsteps that shuffled into his den, his right ear just barely swiveling towards the location of the noise. A very mild twinge of curiosity poked at him, but not enough for him to lift his head and fully look at whoever it was that bothered to come to him. It was the growl that came from the cat as they padded in front of him that caused him to lift his head and fully stare at the cat that bothered to walk around and face him directly instead of talking to his back. It was the medicine cat, his medicine cat, Shinefang. A small flicker of anger ignited in him. This was a cat that had decided it was right to break the warrior code and rebel against him and their clan in the middle of battle just because they thought what he was doing was wrong. This was a cat that would likely do it again on any given whim.
The herbs dropped from the older toms jaws, but Grousestar stared solely at Shinefang. He had half the intention of sending this tom out of his den as unceremoniously as the tom had dropped the herbs. But he held his tongue. " You're right. What do you know Shinefang? Clearly not the warrior code. That part where the clan leaders word is the code? Or have you forgotten that? The choices I make are always with good intention for Skyclan, there has never been a time where I put myself before any member of this clan. There was no reason for you or others to suddenly distrust me, unless its been something you've been holding for a while. So is that in Shinefang? Have you always lacked trust in me, in my decision making for the clan?" Slowly the tom would stand up and despite there being anger and sharpness in his voice, there was pain in his eyes. He, at one point, wanted to consider Shinefang a friend. Wanted to consider him a cat he could trust, just as he did with Auroraflame. But now he was speaking his mind, speaking his fears. And it hurt him that he couldn't just forgive and forget what Shinefang did, just as with his former deputy. It could never be that simple, because there was always that thought. What if he did it again? What if Shinefang was still holding secret meetings, speaking with other clans? Plotting against him? How could you bring yourself to trust them again knowing he's already done it once? |
The old medicine cat narrowed his eye at his leader's remarks about his knowledge of the warrior code. Still, in spit of the grizzly tom's hot temper, he managed to keep his mouth shut and wait for his leader to finish speaking, honestly relieved he evidently still had the strength of spirit to do so. He wanted to let his tail bush and have his hair stand on end, but the pain in his leader's eyes as Grousestar spoke took the gnarled edge off his anger. When the brown tabby was finished, Shinefang waited for a long moment, then replied. "First of all, if you think I'm too old cuff the ear of a younger cat claiming that I don't know the warrior code, you might want to think again. I've been serving Skyclan since before your parents were apprenticed. Second..." he paused, weighing his words carefully. "Second, I'm sorry for breaking your trust like that. I did it for the same reasons you did. For Skyclan. I tried to tell you about my concerns, but I should have tried harder to make you listen. Not because I don't trust you. To answer your question, that has never been the case. I think you're a great leader to Skyclan. What I don't trust are some of these hot-headed clan leaders like Blazingstar and Fallenstar who would sooner battle than talk out their problems for a moment. You can trust someone immensely and they can still be wrong. I think you were wrong about Blazingstar. I still do. You're going to be wrong sometimes as a warriors, apprentice, or leader. You may not be a medicine cat, but you probably at least know what a death berry looks like and if I were to hand a cat one thinking it was a juniper berry, I'd want you to do everything in your power to keep that cat from eating that berry." The old tom paused. "I don't expect you to trust me again like you did. In some ways, that's good judgement on your part. Not because I'm plotting and scheming, mind you, but because I went behind your back once and you have the good sense to be suspicious of a cat who does that... but for what little it's worth, I am sorry."