Closer Yet Farther

[Quietheart]

Wavebreaker

|44 Moons|

Wavebreaker followed his daughter closely, as they meandered through the throng of cats present at the meeting. He had his eyes carefully pinned to her signature pelt, its light brown patterns parading over the familiar silver. Thank goodness she is so easy to follow, he thought gratefully. The toms thick blue lenses were plastered to her form, focused on figuring out what was bothering Kitepaw. As she ducked and weaved past cat after cat, the warrior felt no closer to discovering the truth. If anything he was starting to get a bit dizzy keeping track of all the twists and turns, he was still unfamiliar with the new space after all. The Clan had not been in the new camp for very long. In his gut he could not deny how synonymous his situation had become with the way he had felt looking for his camp after he had been abducted by that owl, or returning back from patrol to find his former camp destroyed and littered with new scents. Those same uneasy unsure monstrous emotions were gripping at his fur, muddling his senses.

He followed silent and strong, not wanting to unnerve his daughter, who already seemed rattled by something. But also glad she wasn't yet looking in his direction. The daddy daughter duo finally popped out from the fabricated undergrowth of tangled fur and paws into a proper clear space. The wind was blowing in his direction and pressed itself firmly against his leathery black nose, offering up scents it had carried haphazardly. His tail perked up initially when he recognized Irisdream's scent hung upon the breeze, but gradually it began to bend from the top down as the realization that his daughter was heading right for her scent forced its way unpleasantly into his mind. He could just make out his former mates tail as it peeped from behind one of the dens. Her body was largely obscured by its earthy surface. He overtook his daughter and quickened his pace, knowing now her destination. Was she okay? By the looks of her tail she is standing normally. What if she has something important to tell me? But why would Kitepaw interrupt my ceremony for a few words?

As his brain rattled off several possibilities, Wavebreaker began easing his pace. I don't want to spook her. He gave a glance back at Kitepaw and dropped a paw down low and slow to indicate she should do the same. Through his minor huffing the black tom began to take notice of a scent he had not been aware of before, it was faded somehow. With so many things going through his head though, he could not place it. He casually rounded the back of the den "Iris-" The words felt stuck in between his teeth, and his jaw was full of slack as he failed to verbalize his distress. He didn't need to though, Wavebreaker was certain his displeasure occupied the whole of his face right now. Stale blood had been the scent evading his detection, and it now painted his former lover in an unwelcome manner. WHAT HAPPENED?! His thoughts felt loud, and uproarious. Like white noise that drowned out his surroundings. Furious energy crackled through him, and simultaneously the weight of it kept him rooted to the spot in silence. WHY HAD NOBODY TOLD HIM?!! WHAT IN STARCLANS NAME HAD HAPPENED? The frazzled and surprised tom managed to move a weighted paw forward far enough that he tried reaching out to Irisdream's mangled ear. "Y-your ear, your face. Please tell me you've seen Berryshine, there must be something she can do?" His concern for Irisdream pierced beyond the anger in his voice.

New scabbed markings occupied the back of her head, and overlayed the brow above her left eye. It was a shock to see his picture of perfection, with all her tediously cared for affects married so egregiously to these new wounds. The low gravely growling in his voice was followed quickly by a forest of pitch black bristling fur. "Who did this to you, I'll kill them!." Wavebreaker was seeing red now as he locked onto Irisdream, overcome by the sudden swell of emotions like he had never before been in his lifetime. He had been angry for sure, but never this angry. He could feel his paws churning up the dirt below him, ready to tear into the next thing that even remotely dared to offend him.

@Luna16

[Luna16]

Kitepaw could feel her father following behind her. She didn’t dare turn around to check, she didn’t want to take her eyes off her mother’s form. She had spotted her hiding among the undergrowth edging the clearing during the meeting, and was already starting to retreat. No! Stay there! Please stay! Kitepaw’s desperation gave speed to her paws as she instinctively darted between her clanmates like a snake slithering in the grass. Immediately after Stormstar dismissed the meeting, she made a beeline for her mother. The thing was, other cats were getting to their paws to go about their business too.

Then, the worst case scenario. Kitepaw had kept her eyes so transfixed on her mother’s form, she didn’t notice that Irisdream must have sensed it. In a heartbeat that felt like it lasted for moons, their eyes locked. Kitepaw watched in terror as her mother’s eyes widened in…fear? No! As Irisdream darted to hide, Kitepaw hurried her paws harder. In that moment, her father overtook her. He must have noticed her! Relieved, she was already slowing her pace when her father indicated to do so. Seeing Irisdream’s crouched figure now, up close, was… Kitepaw averted her gaze, wincing as her father lost his temper. She couldn’t bring herself to watch the scene unfolding before her, not because her mother’s wounds horrified her in terms of ugliness, but because she was scared that her mother was so badly hurt! And…and she didn’t tell us! Why?! Kitepaw felt…something different bubbling under the surface. Overtaking her fear. Was this…anger?

Irisdream rose to her paws when Stormstar dismissed the meeting, turning to go…somewhere else. She didn’t really care where. Ever since she fought for her clan against the dogs, she felt lost. Talking with her father, getting clean, helped. Though there were still some blood stains on her light-colored fur that refused to release their grip. Maybe another dip in the stream is warranted. No doubt her fur was stained, she only hoped she could get it out fully soon. In the meantime, she didn’t really feel like socializing. She knew that was…disappointing to Pebblestorm’s spirit. But she didn’t really care. Between these injuries and her most revealing interaction with Wavebreaker earlier, she could feel herself going through a type of metamorphosis. She was changing, to become her true self or become her mother, remained to be seen.

Is somecat…watching me? A warrior’s senses gave her pause. Her fur felt prickly in a particular direction, she could feel another cat’s eyes on her. Instinctively, casually, she turned to sweep her deep blue icy hard gaze over the gathered crowd. Who is…oh stars no! Her eyes widened, grief and despair rushed through her body and turned her blood to ice like a frozen river. Kitepaw! And Wavebreaker was close on her tail. Irisdream tried to dart behind the warrior’s den, figuring if she could get out of their line of sight she could sneak off. But it was too late. She froze mid-step when she heard Wavebreaker’s voice. After a heartbeat, or maybe it was thousands of heartbeats, she slowly turned her gaze to face her stunned former mate. The look on his face…it shattered her. Almost as much as the fact that her daughter couldn’t look at her at all.

Irisdream bristled, grief overtaking every other emotion. I am truly hideous… My usefulness has come to its end… She flinched at the tone in Wavebreaker’s voice, looking up at him almost like a kit looking up at Pebblestorm again. But the image faded quickly, this was Wavebreaker, not Pebblestorm. “You don’t have to go through that trouble.” She mumbled, flattening her ears, or one full ear and what was left of the other, against her head as she averted her gaze. “I didn’t want to trouble Berryshine over these… They’re not infected.” She added. “My fur is…stained. It…it looks worse than it is. And besides I…” Her voice trailed off as she came to the end of her sentence. I don’t want anycat to see me like this if I can help it…

[ @Quietheart ]

[Quietheart]

Originally Posted by Luna16

Kitepaw could feel her father following behind her. She didn’t dare turn around to check, she didn’t want to take her eyes off her mother’s form. She had spotted her hiding among the undergrowth edging the clearing during the meeting, and was already starting to retreat. No! Stay there! Please stay! Kitepaw’s desperation gave speed to her paws as she instinctively darted between her clanmates like a snake slithering in the grass. Immediately after Stormstar dismissed the meeting, she made a beeline for her mother. The thing was, other cats were getting to their paws to go about their business too.

Then, the worst case scenario. Kitepaw had kept her eyes so transfixed on her mother’s form, she didn’t notice that Irisdream must have sensed it. In a heartbeat that felt like it lasted for moons, their eyes locked. Kitepaw watched in terror as her mother’s eyes widened in…fear? No! As Irisdream darted to hide, Kitepaw hurried her paws harder. In that moment, her father overtook her. He must have noticed her! Relieved, she was already slowing her pace when her father indicated to do so. Seeing Irisdream’s crouched figure now, up close, was… Kitepaw averted her gaze, wincing as her father lost his temper. She couldn’t bring herself to watch the scene unfolding before her, not because her mother’s wounds horrified her in terms of ugliness, but because she was scared that her mother was so badly hurt! And…and she didn’t tell us! Why?! Kitepaw felt…something different bubbling under the surface. Overtaking her fear. Was this…anger?

Irisdream rose to her paws when Stormstar dismissed the meeting, turning to go…somewhere else. She didn’t really care where. Ever since she fought for her clan against the dogs, she felt lost. Talking with her father, getting clean, helped. Though there were still some blood stains on her light-colored fur that refused to release their grip. Maybe another dip in the stream is warranted. No doubt her fur was stained, she only hoped she could get it out fully soon. In the meantime, she didn’t really feel like socializing. She knew that was…disappointing to Pebblestorm’s spirit. But she didn’t really care. Between these injuries and her most revealing interaction with Wavebreaker earlier, she could feel herself going through a type of metamorphosis. She was changing, to become her true self or become her mother, remained to be seen.

Is somecat…watching me? A warrior’s senses gave her pause. Her fur felt prickly in a particular direction, she could feel another cat’s eyes on her. Instinctively, casually, she turned to sweep her deep blue icy hard gaze over the gathered crowd. Who is…oh stars no! Her eyes widened, grief and despair rushed through her body and turned her blood to ice like a frozen river. Kitepaw! And Wavebreaker was close on her tail. Irisdream tried to dart behind the warrior’s den, figuring if she could get out of their line of sight she could sneak off. But it was too late. She froze mid-step when she heard Wavebreaker’s voice. After a heartbeat, or maybe it was thousands of heartbeats, she slowly turned her gaze to face her stunned former mate. The look on his face…it shattered her. Almost as much as the fact that her daughter couldn’t look at her at all.

Irisdream bristled, grief overtaking every other emotion. I am truly hideous… My usefulness has come to its end… She flinched at the tone in Wavebreaker’s voice, looking up at him almost like a kit looking up at Pebblestorm again. But the image faded quickly, this was Wavebreaker, not Pebblestorm. “You don’t have to go through that trouble.” She mumbled, flattening her ears, or one full ear and what was left of the other, against her head as she averted her gaze. “I didn’t want to trouble Berryshine over these… They’re not infected.” She added. “My fur is…stained. It…it looks worse than it is. And besides I…” Her voice trailed off as she came to the end of her sentence. I don’t want anycat to see me like this if I can help it…

[ @Quietheart ]

Wavebreaker |Perks: Go With The Flow/Spiritual Encounter

|44 Moons|

As Irisdream responded to him he fleetingly took note of her posture. This managed to quell some of his bubbling rage, her defeated demeanor brought him more questions than answers and had thrown him off course. He wasn't thinking clearly and even when he saw the damage to her, it was as if his mind couldn't comprehend that it had actually happened. I don't need to trouble myself? What? All he could see were images of his mother Ripplestep flashing through his mind. Her dark blue eyes never did meet his whenever she had some lie to offer him about how she had received her latest injury from Leapingfang. His mothers head forever facing away while revealing the new scratches or bruises adorning the brown and white fur that framed her face. "Reaaally its no trouble, because if I find them before you do I'm going to make them regret ever being born." Wavebreakers teeth clicked heavily together as he spoke, gnashing into each other without restraint. Having no outlet for his fury the toms words were harshly pointed. He could barely keep himself in place, as his ringed tail coiled and bobbed through the air like an upset adder waiting to strike the first passing cat unfortunate enough to step near it. In his current state the battle lusting warrior couldn't make heads or tails of Irisdreams situation.

His focus was entirely on finding who was responsible for her injuries, at least until she let fly her next baffling installment. His face scrunched with concern and torment at the willful disregard of her own safety as she downplayed her injuries. "Irisdream!" Her name left his lips coated in disbelief and worry. He hadn't meant to shout, but he could feel himself trying to pull her out of whatever mental space she had allowed herself to slip into. "You are missing an ear...and you don't think that warrants immediate attention?! And yeah, maybe it's not infected yet but it could become that way." It took all he had to not to point out the fact that she wasn't a medicine cat, he knew that would hurt more than help, even if he felt like saying it. He was leaning forward now excessively close to her, almost towering over her as his physical language was imploring her to see reason. His pelt shivered with tension as he felt sickened by waves of distress raking through his being. He was deeply hurt by the fact that Iris was avoiding him somehow, even if he knew he shouldn't be entirely surprised. Normally he would have found grace in her pride, but his thoughts were muddied at the moment by his anger. "Your are going with me to see Berryshine."


His voice was stern and matter of fact, as if this were the only outcome possible. With the statement he could feel his mouth curling into a frown, his past experiences leaving him automatically anticipating a negative response from his former mate.
@Luna16

[Luna16]

Irisdresm tilted her head, confusion in her body language. Had she been too cryptic? She shook her head at Wavebreaker’s insistence. She didn’t like how Kitepaw might interpret this, but apparently she needed to spell it out for him. “That’s not what I mean.” She mewed, lifting a small, delicate paw and placing it just barely on Wavebreaker’s chest. Just enough weight to get his attention, but barely present. “I mean…I took care of it.” She tried again, lowering her voice and glancing at Kitepaw. Yes, her daughter was training to be a warrior. Yes, that would death and fighting was something Irisdream could not protect her from. But that wouldn’t stop her from trying.

Her father’s words echoed in her mind for a moment. Oh the irony. She sat back again, wrapping her tail neatly and tightly around her paws. Partly to cling onto what she could of her former grace, and partly to steady herself. “I received these injuries in the battle against the dogs to reclaim our home. The dog that caused this,” she shakily flicked her tail towards her face, her eyes growing dark with nothing but pure hatred, “is dead. I helped kill it, Stormstar delivered the final blow.” And thank StarClan for that. She definitely couldn’t have taken down that beast alone, but she was grateful she didn’t need to fear it coming back for more.

She flinched at Wavebreaker’s tone, again glancing at their daughter behind him. She narrowed her dark blue eyes at Wavebreaker. She wouldn’t scold him in front of Kitepaw like he was doing to her now, but she hoped he would read the irritation in her eyes and the slight prickle in her pelt correctly. Don’t you dare talk to me like I’m a kit! Especially in front of Kitepaw! Ears - ear? - flattened against her head now in defiance. Chin lifted like a kit being told they couldn’t go outside yet. One thing she absolutely could not stand was being underestimated and treated like she was helpless. Being spoiled? Fine. That was always acceptable. But not being scolded like a child.

“You think I can’t tell when an injury requires medical attention or not?” She snapped, her fur bristling more noticeably now. “It’s basic triage. There were warriors with far more severe injuries than mine - one of my patrolmates was murdered by a former clanmate if you recall. Berryshine had her paws full as it was.” Her own tail was now lashing, lips drawn back over her white teeth in a nonverbal snarl. But then, in a moment, her visage relaxed. Or rather…it sank. “I can go and see her later. Not right now…” Exhaustion washed through her like a wave - hah.

She found herself leaning against Wavebreaker slightly, as though the wind might pick up strength and blow her over. She exhaled a deep breath, and as though letting go every last bit of who she was with that breath, she shrank against her…former mate. Although, she had to admit to herself that he didn’t feel like a “former” mate to her anymore. But that was an issue for another time. “Please…just let me rest.” Her voice quivered with her meekness. She knew the wound was fine for now, and besides…she wasn’t that important. Berryshine had a new apprentice and new den to adjust to. A lowly being such as herself could wait for an injury that was not yet turned sour.

An urge to bury her face into the familiar dark speckled fur crawled through her pelt, but her stubbornness resisted. She wasn’t going to be the first one to make such a move, even if Wavebreaker had been…far too close for a former mate. To say nothing of the whole “no longer worthy” issue. And I was barely worthy before. Now… Now she was nothing. Wavebreaker was a beloved warrior of the clan, he’d find his place. And…another mate. As much as it would kill her to see him with another cat…which she knew all too well was something she was realizing far too late. She was scarred and ugly now, and she was the one who broke up with him. She had no right. She started to pull away, only now realizing that Kitepaw had fled. Irisdream heaved a sigh. Still not able to bring herself to meet Wavebreaker’s eyes, too terrified of what she’d find there, she began to turn away.

“I know I shouldn’t have hid this from you…and I am truly sorry.” She murmured, her voice sincere. “But…I just couldn’t bare for you and Kitepaw to…see me like this...defeated and…” She couldn’t bring herself to say what she was thinking. Broken? Deformed? Her voice shaking, she turned away from Wavebreaker. Though something in her shattered to turn her back to him right now, she just couldn’t face him. “I truly am…such a coward…” She murmured, her voice no louder than a soft breath.

When Irisdream had started to explain, the speckled silver she-cat started to feel something prickle through her pelt with friction. Fear? Guilt? Despair? Anger? There so many things she was feeling…but looking at her mother’s defeated body language, a cat who once carried herself with such utter confidence, she knew one thing she felt Pity. She also got the increasingly strong sense that she shouldn’t be there.

As Irisdream started to show vulnerability to them, Kitepaw exchanged a glance with her father. She may be young, but she wasn’t stupid. This seemed like something that should only be between the two of them. The apprentice slinked off, body close to the ground like a snake, and crept the other side where neither parent could see her. Angling her ear to listen to her mother, what she heard made her heart feel like it shattered.

Did Irisdream think that little of her? No…she avoided them in part to protect her. Kitepaw felt frustrated with herself. Why was she so weak? Enough! She couldn’t eavesdrop any further. She heard what she wanted, her mother’s reason for hiding. Satisfied, she continued to creep away, giving her parents some space. She would have her moment with her mother later, seemed that her parents needed some time to themselves first.

[ @Quietheart ]