[P] the yarrow doesn't fall far from...the owl?

[Luna16]

As Yarrowpaw listened, she felt her heart plummet and twist. She hadn’t even considered threats like water. Some of her denmates learned how to swim, that seemed like the more logical solution to this threat than avoiding water altogether. But she thought better of saying that to her father right now. She reached forward when Owlthroat turned away, but jerked back when turned back to her with…aggression. Something she’d never seen either father direct towards her, only others. She blinked in shock, but then her ears flattened. She felt…frustration creeping up through her paws. Crackling through her long, thick fur like static. She could feel it travel through her body like a ripple.

Her eyes narrowed in defiance, prepared to lash out…but meeting her father’s eyes she felt it all drain out of her suddenly. Well…not all of it. “That doesn’t seem fair or logical, Owlthroat.” Whoops. Let some of her annoyance slip out. Using her father’s full name like that, she knew it was enough to earn her a cuffing. But she wasn’t done. She didn’t like where this was going…living in Auntie Olive’s shadow her whole life. And she had the distinct feeling that wouldn’t be what Olivepaw would’ve wanted for her anyway. “Wouldn’t it be better if I learned how to swim? So I stand a fighting chance in the water instead of just dropping like dead weight?” She countered, flicking her tail with a bit of arrogance.

She knew her argument was logical. Owlthroat’s expectation to avoid water didn’t make sense. It was emotionally fueled, which is understandable. But very unlike him. Besides… “How am I supposed to be the strongest if I hold back? If I don’t challenge myself!” Yars stepped forward, this time glowing with defiance. Her mind had been made up at this point, she’d learn to swim with out without her father’s assistance.

@Daragca - Owlthroat - hehehe the foreshadowing has been set! Do I see Yarrowcrash or Yarrowtide in our future?

[Daragca]

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Owlthroat
he/him | Shadowclan Enforcer | 48 moons
Killer Aptitude T3 - Just A Scratch - Silver Tongue T2
The Dancing Bird

Owlthroat hadn’t expected the challenge from her and he felt his anger slowly unravel then soften. The plea, desperate in both his eyes and his voice as he stared her down. ”No.” His voice was firm but almost begging. ”You MUST stay away from it, at all costs Yarrowpaw. It doesn’t matter whether you can swim or not, if it wants you it will take you.” His ears flickered and he shuffled his paws underneath him. He wasn’t taking the risk, he refused to tempt fate. To allow it to claim Yarrowpaw the way it did his sister.

”You will obey me on this, if nothing else.” He could deal with rule breaking and trouble making of course. But his heart couldn’t deal with loosing a daughter, it might simply shatter.

[ @Luna16 ]
[ I adore both of those names - very very fitting ]

[Luna16]

…wha? That literally made no sense! Yars could see the emotional conflict on her father’s face, and it felt like a claw twisting in her chest. She hated seeing him in such pain. But still…the argument made no sense. “With that logic, why bother learning to fight?!” She argued, her fur crackling as it bristled. Tail lashing. “If an enemy wants to kill me then it’ll kill me. That’s what you’re saying about water. But learning to swim is like learning to fight - so I can fight back!” Why couldn’t her father see that? Why was he being so stubborn about this?

The pain in his eyes as he pleaded…it made Yars flinch back momentarily. Her defiance losing its spark for a moment as she considered backing down. But…no. This felt too important. She didn’t know, but this felt like a challenge she had to meet. “Dawnstar says that apprentices are responsible for their own training.” She pointed her, her voice icy cold. She knew her father would understand her meaning, the veiled words. He couldn’t stop her. If she wanted to seek training with another warrior, or with Mistlewhisker, there was nothing he could do to prevent it. In fact, there was nothing he could do to stop her from trying to teach herself how to swim for that matter.

@Daragca - Owlthroat - lol these two are going to need family therapy.