Cats in the Cradle [P]

[Poprock]

Moonpaw
Apprentice || He/him || 9 Moons || Purrks: Chill of death || Silver tongue

A moon and a half. Much longer than he would've liked to stay away from Momma and Pops and Greemaw, but in all his pretending to get lost in the territory... Moonpaw actually got a little lost. Oopsies! After leaving behind the blood pile that was Goopywhisker, Moonpaw trekked further into abandoned lands and made himself a little hide out. Far enough away that Shadowclan patrols wouldn't find him, but close enough that he could find his way back to the scent markers. Until then he could practice his fighting moves, talk to himself, plot the Leech's demise... all sorts of fun things!

Being a rogue was fun for about three days, until Moonpaw realized he was completely unequipped to live alone.

He knew very little about hunting - only surviving the last moon and a half on toads too stupid to notice a cat racing up behind them. Maybe once or twice he tried a bite of crow-food but no one could prove that. Nothing was as good as food from the prey pile, but that was probably because that stuff had already been caught for him.

It was all thanks to the will of Starclan that he was still alive today. Every night before bed he sent a quick goodnight prayer to Smoke and Wolverine, knowing that they would never allow him to perish before his prophecy was fulfilled. Moonpaw wasn't sure if it was his excellent nose that led him home or his starry pelted brother.

---

The second he was welcomed back into Shadowclan, amber eyes searched for one cat. The only cat whose greatness rivaled his own. Whose brilliant silver fur shimmered brighter than all the stars in the sky. The one who held the kindest heart in the forest (even if Moonpaw thought it was a bit too big.) Momma. Finding her and wrapping himself up in her arms would make the memories of this last moon and a half vanish in an instant. All the fear and panic and hatred he felt would be gone. Everything would be normal and good and fine and no one would be suspicious of him for anything ever.

But his paws couldn't carry him much further than the fresh kill pile, immediately diving mouth first into the first toad he could reach. Oh stars he had been so HUNGRY. And food caught by someone else was oh so yummy.... om nom nom.....

The toad was almost completely inhaled by the apprentice when a dark figure caught his attention. It wasn't Mama, but that was ok. For now.

"Pops."A lazy paw waved in the air, too stuffed to get off of his tummy. "I missed ya Pops. Did you miss me? I uh-" A final big chomp to the toad, unsure of how much he wanted to reveal about his moon long disappearance. "- Did I miss anything?"

@Dark

[Dark]

Darkfall: "The Spectre"

Shadow Fiend: Inactive | Killer Aptitude (T3) | Ultimate Predator: Inactive | Hulk SMASH! [Inactive]
___________

CW: Dissociation

The Spectre’s grasp over the dark tabby’s consciousness had grown weaker, waning to the point where Darkfall was the one accomplishing many of the tasks nowadays. The latter of the personalities was unsure of how to feel about this. On one hand, he had freedom from his mental cage, but on the other, he was once again subject to the pain of the losses that were ever so present in his life.

Lostspark was hanging around some tom lately, and it rubbed him the wrong way. Like… a lot. That was not to be addressed at the moment though. The real issue was the conversation that he and his former mate had. She had asked him how many more they would lose before it all stopped. A list of all of their deceased or missing kits and then Silverlark… Poor Silverlark…

So, that’s what filled his mind lately. The cats that made up their family that were no longer with them. Speaking of… was that…? It was!

Padding over, the dark furred tom approached his son who appeared to be gorging himself on what he could find in the freshkill pile. Moonpaw looked… skinny. Quite frankly, his son was skin and bones compared to what he had been before, a stark contrast to his siblings that had remained in the camp up to this point.

It was during this analysis of his son that the young tom lazily waved a paw with a short greeting. His eye twitched out of frustration. Was that it? Was that all he had to say for himself? Resiting the urge to cuff Moonpaw over the ears, Darkfall took up a seat next the amber-eyed apprentice, gently pressed himself against him, unable to stop the purr that erupted. Out of all of his kits, he had been particularly fond of Moonpaw – perhaps because the tom didn’t seem to hate his guts.

”I did indeed miss you. We can get to what you missed later. You look like a wreck, honestly it’s quite unlike you, what happened?” He asked in a gentle tone. Initially he was gong to be stern and mentioned how he couldn’t just leave, say nothing, and then gorge himself on prey he didn’t contribute to, but he’d leave it alone. At least for now. Gently touching his forehead to the other tom’s flank, he smiled softly ”I’m glad you’re safe. Welcome home.”

[ @Poprock ]

[Poprock]

Moonpaw
Apprentice || He/him || 9 Moons || Purrks: Chill of death || Silver tongue [ACTIVE]

He scooched himself as close to his Pops as Darkfall would allow; a purr of his own harmonizing with the former enforcer's. Moonpaw wouldn't admit it, but having Darkfall's pelt pressed up against his own was more comforting than he could've imagined. The apprentice relished in the warmth of another living being. All he had had to cuddle with during the past moon and a half were rocks, dirt, and crowfood. None of which were soft and comforting like his parents. For the first time in long while, Moonpaw could let go and relax.

'I'm glad I'm home too. 'Twas lonely out there..." He murmured back, eyes suddenly feeling very heavy. Now that his tummy was full and his pelt was warm, his body was ready to crawl into Mama's nest and sleep the next moon away. Heck, if he wasn't careful he'd slump over on Darkfall right here right now.

Self! Pops asked you a question! He jolted awake at his mind's sudden intrusion, immediately back on edge. You can't just not answer him!!! You'll look suspicious!!!

He wiggled away with sudden urgency, amber eyes looking anywhere but at his father. It would be a lot harder to lie to him if the two were still so close. You can't let your walls down, Self. Not even for Pops. The prophecy comes first.

Pop's wanted to know where he had been. Naturally of course; it wasn't often your favorite and best child disappeared. But what would be a good enough excuse to give to a former enforcer?? He couldn't just say: I went out into the territory by myself - completely against Greemaw's rules mind you - with the intent of killing someone and bringing their pelt home. Why? OH well because I tried to lead the leech out to the territory while we moved camps and my idiot traitor sister ratted me out and got me in trouble! Anyways what's new with you?

If only he had spent all that time in the outskirts thinking of something other than hatred.

"Didn't wanna just blend into the crowd." He began with a shrug. It wasn't a lie, not really. "Greemaw and my sisters were so concerned about their precious blonde baby that they all turned on me. Accused me of horrible things, when all I was tryna do was help." He wanted nothing more than to seethe with hatred for his traitorous sisters who had started this chaos. Quiet and Mire were no kin to him, and if he had it his way he would purge them the way Smokekit asked him to. But he would have to be strategic. If Moonpaw wanted to stay in Shadowclan permanently, he needed Pops on his side.

Tears flooded his amber gaze, which now turned to look up at his father. The poor guy had been through so much. Mama blamed him for so much and left him broken hearted. Greemaw demoted him. Smokekit up and died on him. Surely such a fragile heart wouldn't be so hard to sway? "I couldn't sit back and let 'em walk all over me! I want to be special. I-" He huffed, struggling to contain the very real feelings that suddenly made themselves known. Woah, so maybe his very fake reasons for leaving weren't too far off base.

"I didn't wanna be just another kid to you and Mama. But after everyone turned on me so fast I- well I panicked! What if you two turned on me too? So I ran... lived alone for a while. I dunno, I just kinda lived as a loner. Thought about... stuff." Another shrug, lowering his gaze to Darkfall's paws. Nearly four moons ago he had scurried underneath those mighty paws to hide from Mama's cruel words at the family meeting. Pops wouldn't betray me too.... right? The apprentice remembered thinking. It seemed like nothing had changed. Moonpaw still relied on his father to destroy the leech that broke their family forever "I just don't wanna be the bad guy to them."

Self, you need him. You always have.

Maybe he would let Pops in on the prophecy. Let him know his eldest son was actually just fine; thriving with Peepaw up in the big batch of stars in the sky. Doing so well in fact that he dealt out a prophecy to the great Moonstar - one that he intended to follow through on.

But that was for another time. Moonpaw was too skinny to do any serious damage to the unpure. He was too disliked by too many to get away with anything either. So all the apprentice could do now was pray to Smokekit that Darkfall believed him. Believed in him.
@Dark LOL SORRY IDK HOW THIS GOT SO LONG