THE WIND THAT TURNS THE TREES
MADE ME SWAY, MADE ME SWAY
── ⋅ ⋅ ── ❖ ── ⋅ ⋅ ──
WHITERABBIT . 19 MOONS . SHE/HER . WINDCLAN QUEEN
Oh, phew, look at that. Whiterabbit diverts course as soon as Blossomkit calls out for Crowfade. She's not too sure what the deal is with a warrior caring for this kit, can't fathom why anyone would do that willing, but it's not a matter that Whiterabbit's going to dig into right now while she's still worried about closing the loop on the Goldensky thing.
"Hey, Crowfade, this one's yours, right? I just caught Goldensky trying to take her out of camp—do you know anything about that?" She chimes, inquisitive.
This last moon had been murder on the senior warrior's heart, a fact that was obvious to anyone who laid eyes on her the moment she stepped out of the warriors' den on most days after her daughter's death - third time she'd lost her, at that - her pelt dull and ungroomed. Eyes blank and unseeing. The first time she had been devastated, to have lost her daughter so suddenly. She had known Bravebird had been looking... strange. Ill. But the medicine cat had made no move to heal her. And her daughter had paid no mind to it either, and so with pride similar to Dapplebreeze's herself, the young warrior had passed away. Alone while out in the territory.
The second time had been even worse. To have had her daughter come back from the dead without memory... only to lose her to the fire that had devastated their previous territory the moment she had looked upon her face and recognized her as kin. A mother could only guess that StarClan sought to punish her for crimes untold. It had forced her to relook at her life. At her choices. At the beliefs she'd carried so adamantly throughout her entire life. True, there was a potential that her daughter had still been alive, but she couldn't see the silver lining in the sky after losing not just her but her darling Ryepaw and Moorpaw as well.
Whoever had come up with the phrase third time's the charm had obviously never felt the despair of losing one's same kit not once, not twice, but three times. Stars alive, she wished she could say that this third death had been better. That she had been stronger. But truth be told, she was barely holding on. For a cat to survive the same daughter thrice... to survive her two sons as well... To be the only kin remaining save the once estranged grandson her daughter had ensured to fix the rift with before leaving this world... It had been difficult to care.
Today would be different, however. She could feel it in her bones. Her heart slowly on the mend after the sight she'd witnessed yesterday. Her apprentice hosting a small event for the cats of the clan to participate in, and her great-grandkits finding the strength to tumble out of the nursery at less than a moon of age to cause trouble and mayhem... just like her little bird. Silverpelt above, their bravado had been so similar to that of Bravekit and Whisperkit when they had been young. Something within her had stirred. Had reminded her that life carried on. That her daughter had ensured she would still have family left even after she was gone. Family that would have never known of their connection had she not lived up to her name. Had she not been the bravest cat and found the courage to do what Dapplebreeze never could.
And so, here she stood. Fur recently groomed. Eyes still dull and lifeless but determined all the same. Because if her darling bird had shown such compassion and courage during her final moments, then it was her job as her mother to carry on with the that same courage. Tending to those that needed tending to. Birchpaw, in this case. An apprentice that she allowed to go unattended for too long as sorrow had made her listless. Unmoving. But no more. That ended here. Today. Perhaps not completely... but she would never move on if she did not dare take the first step out of that nest of misery she had laid for herself.
"Birchpaw, darling! What do you say to some training, my dear?" the fury called, dulled eyes sweeping the clearing as she slowly padded towards the entrance, wishing to put as much distance as she could between herself and the warriors' den; lest she feel the temptation to return to her debilitating slumber.
NOTICE: I will be on semi-hiatus from August 19th - 24th due to family vacation. I may pop in to give replies, but Im not sure. Thanks for understanding!
Mistykit padded outside the nursery and into the clearing. She looked around a bit, her bright blue eyes adjusting to the sunlight. She quietly padded over to the fresh-kill pile, feeling hungry. With a swipe of her paw, she used one of her claws to take out a small grey mouse then headed to a small spot to eat her meal.