Time to Speak, Time to Listen (Sweet/Cherry roleplay) [p]

[Tiabirb]

Sweetsong
34 Moons
She/Her
[Pretty, pale ginger and white tabby she-cat with soft green eyes.]
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Her heart was breaking. Not for the losses, not just for them. But for the discord and chaos that had swallowed RiverClan into a dangerous time of struggles and confusion. Sweetsong had been hiding in the warrior's den, listening in silence to the meeting. When it was over, she had slipped out of the den and stared about the clearing like a moon-blinked owl. Uncertainty was building inside of her, but somehow, she could tell it wasn't hers. At least, not hers alone.

Green pools swept over the cats, until one in particular stood out. Cherryswirl. She had been vocal, and so had a friend of hers in her defense. Sweetsong hadn't seen much, but she had heard most. Her eyes flicked to a butterfly that dared to ventured to close to the camp, and Sweetsong found herself admiring the beautiful patterns momentarily. But it didn't take away from the gnawing feeling that someone needed her, that Cherryswirl might need her.

The butterfly had given her a boost in confidence. Even the darkest and unruliest of times could give way to a beautiful future that all aspired to reach. At least that was how she interpreted it. She wasn't a medicine cat -oh how she wished-, but she had learned a long time ago to see things beyond her whiskers. So with a friendly smile, she padded over to Cherryswirl, mewing, "I don't mean to perturb you, but darling you look so very upset.."
Her voice was soft and warm, and she tilted her head to one side, "I may not be the toughest or roughest..but sometimes that is so overrated. A shoulder and an ear often helps more than sharp words or itchy claws.." She held a humor in her tone, which was reflected in her eyes. "So what's the matter, hun? Don't be shy now."

She held her gaze level with Cherryswirls when the two would eventually make eye contact, her ears pricked forward, and a patient smile on her muzzle.

@Dust

[Dust]

[ Cherryswirl - 52 Moons]

She/Her | Chaotic Good | Lionheart
Go With The Flow [Active]

Emotional exhaustion weighed heavy on her features. Finally, after what seemed like eternities, she could escape the scrutinizing stares and sharp words of the meeting. It was all starting to settle in now. The emotions she had suppressed, in an effort to appear confident and balanced started to wear on her legs. It felt like she was trudging through thick, deep mud as she began to make her way to a quieter part of camp where she could begin to process her emotions. Though, it appeared that fate had something else in store for her. Hardly realizing her gaze had been stuck to the ground, golden eyes rose to meet welcoming green. Just seeing the friendly face made her shoulders untense. And she smiled back,

"Guess I wasn't hiding it too well, huh Sweetsong?" Cherryswirl mused softly, letting a long drawn-out sigh escape from her jaws. "It's just been a rough meeting is all. A lot of faff, a lot of shouting... I'm sure you heard." Well, if she was offering, Cherry wouldn't pass it up! Shuffling beside the other, Cherry slowly lowered herself onto her belly scooting closer until she was pressed up against Sweetsong. As she spoke this time, her voice was slightly muffled as Cherryswirl rested her head against Sweet's shoulder,

"I'm going to borrow both of them then... Only for a bit if it's ok." Cherryswirl tilted her head, her eyes slipping upwards to side-eye Sweetsong for a brief moment. After a short moment of silence, Cherry's body finally relaxed completely.

"I suppose... I thought I had been doing alright. I was just so... surprised when Fishfreckle got his warrior name that I couldn't process it completely. We didn't even get to do his assessment, ya know? I felt robbed of a great experience with my apprentice..." Her gaze shifted downwards, though she stayed put, "I ended up staying in my nest and really shirked my responsibilities off... I wish I hadn't done it, but it's not like I can go back and change it now. It's left me feeling so... responsible for everything that's happened - like I could have prevented Tansy from leaving the way she did."

Cherry definitely didn't seem done, but she wiggled in her spot, remaining silent for a brief moment. Waiting for a slap on head? Confirmation? Someone to tell her to get over herself?

[ @Tiabirb ]

[Tiabirb]

Sweetsong
34 Moons
She/Her
[Pretty, pale ginger and white tabby she-cat with soft green eyes.]
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Sweetsong smiled gently when her offer of comfort was accepted, and as Cherryswirl repositioned and found her comfy spot, Sweetsong took a seat, settled down onto her belly as well. Her thick pelt pressed close to Cherryswirl's, and she twisted her head around to stroke her tongue in slow, gentle rhythms over the ginger fur on Cherryswirl's neck and shoulder. "Oh yes, there was indeed a lot of shouting," The pale ginger tabby mewed and paused her grooming, "Very unproductive, no one gets anything accomplished when they shout...and it's not good for the kits to see such things..they're so very impressionable." And back to grooming she went.

Fishfreckle had been named a warrior quite suddenly, then. Oh gosh, she could see how that might make Cherryswirl feel a tad cheated. And this had led to a depression. That was what it sounded like. Sweetsong halted her grooming once more, her eyes closing as she purred, "It sounds like you care deeply for Fishfreckle. I'm sorry such an opportunity was unfairly taken from you...but it has been done." She opened her eyes again, "There are other experiences you can have with him. He still has so much to learn, and deep down, I think you both kind of know that. He must feel so...disoriented. Any cat being thrust into a role they were not quite prepared for can feel overwhelming.... for him, for you...maybe the same could be said for Larkstar, and even Tansypaw?"

"Life is about experiences. Good and bad, love and loss...even when the rose blooms to it's full beauty in newleaf, it knows it is doomed to wilt and wither away. That rose doesn't know when or what kind of experiences will come. Only that it knows its time is limited. So it makes the best of every day it gets to bloom." Sweetsong murmured. Though she quickly realized her rambling about roses might not make much sense, so she decided to stop on that note, switching to a new one.

"But do elaborate; Why do you feel responsible for Tansypaw's departure?" The question came from a mixture of curiosity and worry. Did something really make Tansypaw leave, or was the decision just as spontaneous as it looked? But that didn't explain why Tansypaw destroyed the herb stores either.

@Dust

[Dust]

[ Cherryswirl - 52 Moons]

She/Her | Chaotic Good | Lionheart
Go With The Flow [Active]

Cherryswirl listened to every word, the stress from her body nearly melting away with each lick. It had been a long while since she had been able to share tongues with someone. With the go go go of everyday life and her sudden isolation, a moment like this was enough to bring her to tears.Though, as Sweetsong starting going on about roses, Cherry blinked open her eyes remaining silent as she slowly shifted her head to gaze at Sweet. It seemed like she realized when was rambling, though Cherryswirl was already corner to corner smiling, a soft laugh escaping her maw. How silly! It didnt make a whole lot of sense, but Cherry understood what she was trying to get at. Though as the conversation shifted, she took a moment to respond,

"I don't feel responsible for her leaving... more so responsible that I could have done something to prevent her from going." Cherry hummed softly, "I've never known any medicine cat in any clan to deny their clanmates care. They've left, they've died or disappeared, stepped down. But how much had she been pushed to take the herbs and leave? Its... its leaf-bare," She sounded saddened by the thought, "I remember when she was just fresh in the clan... taken in and then treated so poorly. Clanmates for sure spoke out against Larkstar, but I hate that I have no idea what had been done to make her leave." Cherry shook her head with a sigh.

"I retreated into myself and isolated. I should have been there as a friend if nothing else. I dont ever want that to happen again, to any of our clanmates... it was... Talonpaw who opened my eyes to it. Why are we only alert when our high ranks go missing? The fact that kits or apprentices manage to leave camp without anyone even noticing... despite the rules we have in place. Hell, we had a clanmate who was trying to poison another clan but what if that backfired on us?! More vigilance... more engagement... We have to come together as a clan to combat these things. Ya know?" Change was needed... on a larger scale. Would the clan be on board? Even now, just chatting with Sweetsong had her head swirling with ideas.

[ @Tiabirb ]

[Tiabirb]

Sweetsong
34 Moons
She/Her
[Pretty, pale ginger and white tabby she-cat with soft green eyes.]
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Sweetsong was quiet while Cherryswirl spoke, and she nodded along, moving her grooming down to Cherryswirl's shoulder to ease the tension there for the time being. She continued to purr the way a queen would when she comforted her kits, soft and soothing like. She did not allow her mind to wander with too many questions. Instead she allowed Cherryswirl to speak, and when she was done, Sweetsong pulled away, her eyes soft and glowing with a strange pride.

"You have courage to admit your mistakes, and the honor to want to make them right. We cannot worry over what has come and gone. We cannot change what has been, but we can control what will be. Very loosely, of course, but the power lies within us, right here," She smiled warmly, placing a small, delicate paw on Cherryswirl's chest with a touch like velvet. "Our hearts are capable of so much love and hate...but it beats and gives us the energy to put that love or hate to use. You love RiverClan, I can hear it within every word you speak, and I see it in your eyes. Use that love for RiverClan, for your Clanmates, and we will be stronger when our hearts beat as one once more."

She bent her head and gave Cherryswirl another comforting lick to her ear, chuckling softly, "I can sense your mind is working now. Your passion is shining through. You can and will do great things for RiverClan, darling. I know it."

@Dust

[Dust]

[ Cherryswirl - 52 Moons]

She/Her | Chaotic Good | Lionheart
Go With The Flow [Active]

If cats could blush, Cherryswirl would be red as a poppy flower, though she could feel her pelt heating up with a mixture of pride, appreciation and flattery as a purr rumbled deep in her chest. She could stay here like this for ages. Under the comforting aura of Sweetsong as she spoke - truthfully, it had been a long long time since Cherry had the opportunity to spend close time with another clanmate like this... It reminded her of cold leaf-bare nights snuggled up with her mother and brother in the nursery while being nuzzled between the ears until she fell asleep... Was she? Falling asleep? Jolting slightly, Cherryswirl perked up unaware that she was starting to doze off. It felt like moons of stress had been lifted from her. Blinking away the sleep, a small puff of laughter escaped from her maw,

"I promise I wasn't trying to fall asleep Sweetsong..." Shaking out her fur slightly, but still staying put, the warrior stretched her front legs out with a relaxed grunt, "I'm happy you said that though... It makes me feel motivated to keep doing better... for you, for our clanmates. When did you get to be so wise?" She paused momentarily, "I was thinking about hosting a get together for our clanmates to air some worries or grievances freely. Things that we can look to change or make better... Would you be interested in attending something like that, Sweet?"

[ @Tiabirb ]

[Tiabirb]

Sweetsong
34 Moons
She/Her
Purrk(s): Herbal Knowledge T1
[Pretty, pale ginger and white tabby she-cat with soft green eyes.]
-----------------------------------------------

She was falling asleep. Sweetsong wondered how much rest Cherryswirl had been getting lately. Had anyone been sleeping well since the disturbances began in their lives? She made no move to rouse Cherryswirl on her own. Sweetsong tucked her paws beneath her chest and settled down, her eyes closing in preparation to wait. But the wait wasn't needed, and she slowly opened her soft green gaze when she felt Cherryswirl jerk just a little.

The ginger she-cat beside her was..apologizing for dozing off? Oh how precious, she thought to herself. "Oh hush now," Sweetsong smiled, feeling herself blush a little at being called...wise. "I'm not that wise, darling. Only a cat who cares very much." She chuckled. "A worried mind is a weary mind. There hasn't been much to give one a true peace of mind these days." Cherryswirl then suggested hosting some sort of group meeting, where cats could vent their frustrations. She wondered for a moment, if this was a good idea. But seeing how closed off and lonely her Clanmate was, how many seemed to be, Sweetsong found herself nodding while giving Cherryswirl a more serious look.

"If we do something like that, then ground rules will be in place; No one raises their voice. No use of foul language toward anyone. No insults or name-calling... If one becomes too angry, they will leave to calm down and come back if they choose." She said hesitantly with a frown. "Cats have grown too comfortable hurling voices and insults at each other, and it is absolutely disgusting to me. It solves nothing but make tensions worse." She looked down at the ground, her ears folding back. "I cannot stand to see them act like...like everyone else but themselves is meaningless..." A look of genuine sadness crossed the pale ginger she-cat's face, and she pressed close to Cherryswirl, seeking the other's comfort this time.

@Dust

[Dust]

[ Cherryswirl - 52 Moons]

She/Her | Chaotic Good | Lionheart
Go With The Flow [Active]

She gave a thoughtful hum, more or less agreeing with Sweet's sentiment about the extreme lack of peace. Cherry was still convinced that Starclan was cursing them in some weird, potentially not even real type of way... Her faith had been wavering these last couple moons to say the least. That was a conversation for another day though...

"Oh, there will be some ground rules in place. With how confrontational the meetings have been lately... I want to make sure that frustration is channeled into something positive. Words spoken in anger always have a reason, ya know?" Her brow furrowed as she seemed to become more contemplative, though feeling the warmth of Sweetsong beside her - as the other pressed up against her - seemed to pull her out of the lingering sadness and worry. Pressing back up against Sweet, it seemed like it was Cherry's turn to provide some comfort. A rhythmic purr rumbled in her chest as she began to slowly rasp her tongue between Sweet's ears in a comforting manner. It was something her mother used to do for her when she was younger - it made her feel better, so hopefully it would help. After a few minutes of quiet grooming, Cherryswirl finally meowed,

"With all that's happened, I'm trying not to hold everyone to their current behaviors. After so long of our clan suffering through the hardships... the destruction.. the death... unstable leadership - they're angry or scared, they need structure and somewhere to feel safe. It's easy to feel unsafe in times like this. It's all our responsibility to help get back on our feet and when we see our clanmates who are having trouble standing, we support them until they are ready, yeah?" Hopefully that made sense. Maybe she was just yapping now, but as she finished her thought, Cherryswirl went back to grooming around Sweet's top of head and ears.

[ @Tiabirb ]