[Rejected] Shellwhisker

[anika]

In their presence, any cat would feel small.

Keen eyes gaze at you, judging you for your worth. You know you are not the first cat to come here - nor will you be the last. But you've come with a mission, and all you have to do is sell yourself.

"What makes you stand out from the rest of the cats who want another chance?"

...

Shellwhisker
StarClan - Formerly RiverClan

Upon hearing the words of the council, Shellwhisker´s long, pointed ears perked up. The StarClanner stood up straight, her sleek, golden-brown-and-white tabby pelt glittering with stars. Icy hues (in a good way, that´s just her natural eye color) flicked between each council member, and the tabby dipped her head in greeting to each one with respect. ´´Hello. Although you haven´t asked, my name is Shellwhisker.´´

Lifting her head, Shellwhisker took a deep breath before speaking, her ice-blue eyes clear, head and tail held high. ´´I feel as if I have unfinished business back at home,´´ The StarClanner mewed. Shellwhisker blinked, her tail swaying behind her. ´´I know that I messed up whenever I was alive.´´

The warrior held her head high, her stance firm. ´´I would like to make amends with the cats I let down whenever I was alive.´´ Shellwhisker knew what the cats standing in front of her might say.

You can do that by visiting them in their dreams.

Shellwhisker did not wish to visit them in their dreams. She wanted to do it as a living, breathing cat. She had let her Clanmates down. She had let Goldfish down. The StarClanner wanted to make up for her mistakes. ´´I was not the best cat, I know,´´ Shellwhisker continued, sitting back on her haunches and wrapping her tail neatly around her snowy-white paws. ´´I would like to make up for things that I had done whenever I was alive, and I want to be able to do that back at home, back in RiverClan.´´

[finley]

d e w k i t ┆ ☆

she / her . starclan warden

a small, fluffy grey kit with blue eyes and a splash of white on her face.

└> . . . @anika ; shellwhisker - @/other wardens

dewkit quietly stepped out of the shadows, squinting at shellwhisker. wow. to anyone, she would look innocent, completely new to the world, but no one but the rest of the covenant of the stars knew how many moons she had been here. how many lives she had judged and dismissed, or begrudgingly let return to the world. light blue eyes sparkled with the light of starclan while simultaneously darkening. this cat was a pitiful excuse for a resurrection.

padding up to shellwhisker, though staying a good distance away, dewkit scoffed. ' you say you wish to return? for such a reason as unfinished business? for something as pitiful as making mistakes when you were alive? ' the kit straightened up, staring the dead warrior down with darkened eyes. ' you were killed by a fox, were you not? by a fox that killed you because you were in the outskirts after being exiled from riverclan. do you seriously think that, in such a small margin of a chance that we approve you and you return to life, riverclan would want you back? ' it was almost sad, painfully so.

dewkit shuffled on her paws, shaking her head slightly. ' shellwhisker, you did nothing but fail. i'm still willing to hear you out, but unless you give me a convincing enough reason to agree with you? my vote is a no. ' part of her vaguely felt bad. a small part. ' you come with the simple reason that you want to mend things. you want to fix things with the folks you think miss you, the cats you think you did wrong. but do they want you back? because riverclan sure as hell isn't. ' with that, dewkit sat back on her haunches, quietly waiting for the other wardens to show up and speak their thoughts.

⋅˚₊‧ ୨୧ ‧₊˚ ⋅

" you broke your own heart, but you’d never say that . "

[anika]

Shellwhisker
StarClan - Formerly RiverClan

You did nothing but fail.

Shellwhisker´s ears twitched, and she tried her hardest to keep the tears from falling at those words. Icy hues flicked over to Dewkit, and her voice was steady as she spoke. ´´Birdsnow exiled me for escorting two loners to the outskirts and you know that,´´ She frowned, her tail tip flicking to-and-fro. ´´If Springburst - Springpaw, back then - hadn´t gone complaining about it, then I wouldn´t have been.´´

Keep it together, Shellwhisker. Keep it together.

´´I know that I did nothing but fail!´´ Shellwhisker´s eyes flashed, but she didn´t lose her cool. ´´I agree with you. But,´´ The golden-brown-and-white tabby paused, gesturing with her tail. ´´you have seen how bad it is with RiverClan, Dewkit. Goldfish is a Lionheart now. If she decides she wants me back, then surely Stormstar will agree with her.´´

The StarClanner´s gaze flicked over the pond nearby, clouding. ´´Goldfish was my best friend. I let her down. I want to go back to my Clan and defend them. When I was exiled, I never stopped being RiverClan,´´ Shellwhisker´s voice was steady, despite her trembling form. ´´Even if I couldn´t prove my loyalty to my Clan face to face, I did it from afar.´´

Ice-blue eyes met the gaze of the Warden. ´´In the battle between ThunderClan and RiverClan, before the raid, whenever Birdsnow had lead RiverClan,´´ Shellwhisker mewed. ´´I fought in that battle. You saw me fight in that battle. That´s what I want to do. I want to prove that I want to be forgiven, Dewkit, and that means fighting, hunting, and patrolling for my Clan.´´

RiverClan may not need warriors like Shellwhisker, but if Shellwhisker was to be resurrected, then she´d provide them a valuable asset.

[ @finley !! // @/other wardens ]

[wilt]

Snowleopard
[ Ancient Thunderclan Medicine Cat | She/Her ]

Snowleopard pads up, joining Dewkit silently, but giving the Starclan kitten a nod of respect. The bengal cat holds back a sigh from leaving her maw. Shellwhisker had gone in circles and Snowleopard was growing the tiniest bit tired- although she was still willing to listen. As the Warrior spoke on their own faults, Snowleopard felt a pang of pity impale her own ideas. ‘Ah, we’ve been watching….’

But her eyes give no indication of this thought as Snowleopard finally speaks, making her mind organize her own wonders neatly in a matter of heartbeats. “Why return…? You wish to be redeemed by your actions but why not your words, through dreams? Maybe you would be able to find a purpose here…?” Snowleopard wasn’t truly asking, she was simply putting the ideas into the air for thought.

The shecat sits down, tail wrapping neatly around her paws. “You lived the life of a Warrior until your departure, that is true, but I am not inclined to believe you would do greater than what you have already done. Your actions reflect your real self and I do not believe that they are true, and not for selfish reasons like power, so I ask you this… What exactly are you willingly to do to improve, seeing as you were exiled as well, how would you prove to Stormstar you are worthy of returning to Riverclan?” She speaks lowly, as gentle as Snowleopard can manage, her own life was far from the greatest but one needed purpose, not their own reasons that everyone had stated before…

[ @anika , @finley !! , @gayvinegar ]

[anika]

Shellwhisker
StarClan - Formerly RiverClan

Shellwhisker blinked as Snowleopard appeared. Her tail swayed behind her, her long, pointed ears twitching. Dipping her head in greeting, Shellwhisker forced her fur to remain flat.

Snowleopard´s tone was nicer than Dewkit´s, that was for sure. Especially since the other warden had been blunt. She responded to the ancient medicine cat with a respectful, steady tone, just as she had with Dewkit. ´´I was afraid that you might say that I could make amends through dreams,´´ Shellwhisker mewed thoughtfully. ´´Since you must know, I would like to make my amends as a living, breathing cat. I let Goldfish down, I let the entirety of RiverClan down.´´

´´Goldfish named her son after me, and I would like for him to know the cat whom is his namesake,´´ The golden-brown-and-white tabby murmured softly. ´´As for proving to Stormstar that I am worthy of returning...´´

Shellwhisker´s icy hues narrowed thoughtfully. ´´I would take on any and every patrol that I could. I would go out hunting daily at least three times a day, make sure that the prey pile is stocked. I would help Berryshine and Cobwebfern replenish their stores,´´ Yes, Shellwhisker had been watching. She knew that Berryshine and Cobwebfern were now RiverClan´s Medicine Cat and Medicine Cat Apprentice. ´´I would fight to defend them. I would challenge any trespasser and bring them straight to Stormstar or Owltalon, no questions asked.´´

[ note that i will respond after every response ]

[ @fade // @finley !! // @gayvinegar // @/other wardens ]

[dino.]

[ Bogtumble is NOT a Warden. He's just here to stir up issues. ]

Another one, ooooo~ they just kept on coming!

The group was arguing, as per usual. Bogtumble slunk up behind Shellwhisker and gave the Wardens a cheeky, too-wide grin. "Sure, go ahead and go back!" he hummed, trotting around so he could face Shellwhisker fully. "What's the point of sticking around up here if you can't do anything, huh? I'm so sure RiverClan would take you back, too! They'd take carrion if it gave them a leg up at this point. Bye bye now, have fun!"

[ @anika @finley !! @fade @gayvinegar ]

[anika]

Shellwhisker
StarClan - Formerly RiverClan

Shellwhisker couldn´t resist the urge to roll her ice-blue eyes as Bogtumble arrived and started causing issues. Her tail began to sway behind her slightly faster, on the verge of lashing.

´´If I was a piece of carrion, Bogtumble, then I wouldn´t be standing here appealing for my life,´´ The StarClanner pointed out, her voice firm. ´´I´m sure that Dewkit and Snowleopard here would like for you to leave. And frankly, I don´t blame them, because I agree with them. Leave, please. Go back to the Place of No Stars.´´

[ @fade // @dino. // @finley !! // @gayvinegar // @/other wardens ]

[c1nder]

☆*: .｡. o Dustpoppy o .｡.:*☆

❧ Dark Forest Warden

She let out a soft sigh before creeping out of the shadows. "Bogtumble. If you do not get out of here within the next minute you're getting a fast ticket back to the Dark Forest." Dustpoppy peeled her lips back into a snarl.

She turned to Shellwhisker a sly grin painting her face, lies. They were being fed lies and Dustpoppy was surely not going to let it slide. "I'm hearing a lot of empty promises. Ones that would mean nothing to leaders. You lived. You thrived. That is far more of a chance than most get. You say you'll bring outsiders right to Stormstar, but based on what you've told us, that'll be until you find another one, weak and afraid that you'll let it go. Unless you give me a damn good reason I am inclined to say no."

- @anika @finley !! @fade @dino.

[anika]

Shellwhisker
StarClan - Formerly RiverClan

Shellwhisker´s ears lay flat against her head. Why wouldn´t the wardens get it into their head that her reasons were genuine? Exasperation flickered in her eyes for a moment. The StarClanner gave a sigh. ´´Dustpoppy, I assure you that my reasons are genuine.´´

The tabby met the wardens´ gazes. ´´If you three are inclined to believe that my reasons are ingenuine or that I am feeding you lies, then you are all incorrect.´´ Dewkit´s words rung in her mind.

You did nothing but fail.

Fixing her posture, Shellwhisker faced the council. ´´I may have done nothing but fail-´´ A glance at Dewkit. ´´-but I am damn willing to make up for my mistakes. I am damn willing to be a valuable asset to RiverClan. If you can´t see that, then I don´t know what to tell you.´´

´´My actions were wrong. As far as you all are concerned, my entire life was wrong. I let RiverClan down, I let StarClan down, and I let the Dark Forest down.´´ Shellwhisker´s icy hues flicked to Dustpoppy. ´´RiverClan needs warriors, and I am damn willing to provide them one. I was a RiverClan warrior, so I know their ways. I was a RiverClan warrior, so I know how to act.´´

Shellwhisker held her head and tail high. ´´I made a promise to Goldfish - that I would always be there with her,´´ Her gaze flicked between each warden. ´´I plan on keeping that promise, if you will let me.´´

´´I want to make amends. I want to help RiverClan become strong again. I want to make sure that RiverClan thrives. I do not want power. I simply want to be able to live my life and make up for my mistakes. I am not lying.´´

[ @gayvinegar // @fade. // @finley !! // @dino. // @ other wardens ]

[finley]

d e w k i t ┆ ☆

she / her . starclan warden

a small, fluffy grey kit with blue eyes and a splash of white on her face.

└> . . . @anika ; @fade ; @dino. ; @gayvinegar

dewkit scoffed loudly, rolling her eyes and sitting down again. she stayed quiet, watching the other two wardens (snowleopard, dustpoppy, and-) ' bogtumble.. out. ' --arrive. well. this was almost funny, all the bullcrap shellwhisker spouted. ' from what i've seen? stormstar would rather die than bring you back into riverclan. they don't need you, and they don't want you. riverclan is doing better. they don't require your "services." ' her voice absolutely dripped with sarcasm.

' you cannot do all the things you proclaim you will do. these are empty promises you are making. you say you will take on every patrol? you say you'd go hunting three times a day, every day? you will replenish the herbs, you will fight to defend the medicine cats, you will challenge every single tresspasser that steps a paw into riverclan's territory? you would never be able to do all of that. ' it was hilarious to dewkit, this pandering that shellwhisker somehow thought was going to work.

' if you returned, you'd be nothing but a worker drone for riverclan. ' while dewkit was bothered by bogtumble's appearance, she was more bothered by shellwhisker's reply to bogtumble. ' do not speak like that. you have no authority here, shellwhisker. ' her hackles raised, her voice sharp, dewkit was angry. a cooler kind of angry, but still angry. ' at this point, you are not able to convince me further. my vote is no. '

⋅˚₊‧ ୨୧ ‧₊˚ ⋅

" you broke your own heart, but you’d never say that . "