"What? No-" Mountaintalon was a little baffled at first, and then grateful that his daughter corrected herself. He wished the brat was deceased. It would make things so much easier for him.
He blew out a heavy sigh as his daughter protested. See, this was part of the reason he wanted her away from that tom. She used to be so... eager to listen to him. Now it felt as if he were fighting tooth and claw for a little obedience.
"You are nine moons old," he countered. "The last time I checked, that does not equate to being an adult-"
'-and he's not so bad, I promise, he helped a little with my training—'
Mountaintalon's pupils constricted as he stared.
How had he not been aware of this? Was this why she was suddenly so difficult to speak to? What sort of ideas had that insect been putting in her head?? His claws threatened to sink into the dirt and he was only barely able to keep them sheathed.
"I suppose your... connection with him is my own fault for not keeping a better eye on your training," he rumbled out, "but that does not mean I want it to continue further. I'm aware of his current sickness and that is not what I'm referring to, although I'm not discounting it. I'm talking about every other time before now that he's been in and out, in and out of that den." He jabbed his muzzle in the direction of the medicine den. "I know you've noticed; it's impossible to not have! He is ill, perpetually. It hits him far easier than it hits the rest of us, it leaves him useless for longer, and it happens far more often than it should. Whatever infection he picked up from his mother, I do not want passing on to you!"
His voice had risen. He closed his eyes, exhaled, and turned his head to the side. "Daughter, you are the most important thing in my life right now. Your siblings are gone, and I lost your mother a long time ago. If I were to lose you, to something like that... No, I do not want you around him any longer. It's too large of a risk."
Shockhoney stopped short midramble as she registered the look on her father's face. It was... it was... a... for the first time, Shockhoney found herself struggling to pinpoint the expression on his face. She couldn't dissect his emotion. Couldn't tell... what he was thinking. Worry washed over her as she searched Mountaintalon's expression, beginning to sweat slightly.
Her maw remained sealed shut as he began to speak. She didn't think she'd be able to talk anyway even if it was open - what with the way her throat felt parched as if she had not drank water in moons.
'I'm talking about every other time before now that he's been in and out, in and out of that den.'
A distant part of her felt hurt on Wolfhive's behalf. So what if Wolfhive got sick easier than other cats? That didn't mean he was any less than the other cats in ThunderClan - it didn't mean he lacked anything. In fact, Wolfhive did more than Shockhoney had seen most cats do... and that explained why he was the Head Hornet. Sure, she'd noticed that he got sick often... but that little part of her still felt indignant that somehow, because of his penchance to get sick, he was inferior.
But when she puffed up with all these thoughts swirling in her head, wanting to tell her Papa what she thought was just a mere misconception, the young warrior only ended up deflating at his final words. They crushed her into the dirt beneath her paws.
'Daughter, you are the most important thing in my life right now. Your siblings are gone, and I lost your mother a long time ago.'
Because the majority of her felt ashamed. Of herself. For making... friends... with a cat she'd so clearly been ordered away from. To not interact with. Disgracing herself in front of her father, disgracing herself in front of her mother's memory, first with her name change, now with this. Could she truly die just from being around Wolfhive. Talking to Wolfhive? Mountaintalon was right. She was only nine moons. She wasn't wise, or smart, or... capable of making good decisions. The owl incident proved that. She hadn't thought...
...She hadn't thought, period. It was all her fault, even Papa knew it, that's why he was telling her this. He said she was the most important thing in his life, and she'd barely reciprocated that. Eyes welling up with glistening droplets of tears, Shockhoney hung her head, shoulders slumped. "I'm... I'm sorry, Papa. For not listening to you. I'll... I'll be better from now on." She sniffed, voice hideously wobbly with sadness. "I love you, and Mama too."
Splitpaw walked out of the apprentice den and into the clearing, her blue and green eyes traveled around the clearing at all the other cats who were either sitting around relaxing, eating or just cleaning themselves up. She sat down for a minute taking her new still new life, appreciating her clan. Suddenly her tummy started to growl, she looked down and frowned. I should eat something....mmm I should see if the elders or queens have eaten first she thought
Re: ThunderClan Clearing
