pafp ˙ ˖ ✶ baby fly back to me ┊ pre-journey arguing.

[Cherryblossom]

For once, Cherrypaw is sitting quietly by herself. Lupinepaw and Crowpaw are both holed up in the medicine cat den, Edenpaw's probably back with their twolegs, and her siblings are all off doing StarClan-knows-what (probably just the dusk patrol). No wind, not even a faint breeze, disturbs the night. It's a fairly hot night for what should be Leaf-fall. Perhaps some parts of Greenleaf are still clinging to the forest, unwilling to relinquish the last of health to the blight upon their forests. The moon hangs low in the sky, round-bellied and brilliant; it's a few claw slices away from a full moon. For once, Cherrypaw ponders the future. The Gathering. The upcoming journey. Blazestar had implied that would be when they left—and where. Beneath all of StarClan's bright eyes, with a path lit just for them.

And what of SkyClan? Would they be watching over those they were leaving behind? They couldn't have all their eyes everywhere at once, but from what she's heard StarClan numbered so much more than those whose deaths Cherrypaw had witnessed. She stares at the finch between her paws, studying the clouded bead of its eye. Would it be Lupinepaw buried beneath the earth, like the gristle and bone of the finch, after she was done? Would it be Crowpaw, suddenly hit with a second wave of sickness? Or would it be her father, or one of her littermates? Or her mother, struck down right before their party even left, leaving them all bereft of her guidance?

Why is now the first time that she considered these possibilities? She just. She just thought if she did everything right, and everyone she loved did everything right, then they'd be okay. That there wasn't a sprout's chance in a fire that they'd get sick too. But Lupinepaw, even with all their precautions, still lay rotting in a bath of medicine.

Had it been...? "Oh, hi, Mama." Cherrypaw turns to face the sun-splashed molly, leaving her prey half-eaten. She had no doubt been swamped the past few days, delegating tasks to patch up the holes left by the journeying cats, taking care of everyday deputy duties, conferring with Blazestar about the worth of it all. With a silent pang, Cherrypaw realizes she hasn't gotten a good look at her mother's face in a while now. Is it just a trick of the moonlight, or does she look graver than usual?

ooc: please wait for @orangeblossom to respond!​

 

[Orangestar]

ORANGEBLOSSOM — tags​

Orangeblossom can feel stress settling heavy in the creases between her eyes, the furrow of her brows which truthfully feels permanent nowadays. Even with the leaders' decision to send a delegation from each Clan to search for the cure StarClan had promised their medicine cats, the toll of the sick around them drags at her paws with every step. There's less able hunters to send out, more of a strain on their patrolling groups and a certain wariness about them all that comes with knowing the patrol you've just met on the border might very well be the cause of a Clanmate's illness. Now, with a group of eight healthy cats leaving on top of all that ... Orangeblossom considers staying home, herself.

But this is her duty. As deputy, as a cat who is well, she should be at the forefront of the effort. This is, however, no place for an apprentice; and Orangeblossom's brown eyes settle on her daughter from the other side of camp with turbulent ambivalence. Not one of her kin have fallen ill and for that Orangeblossom is grateful to whatever or whomever may be controlling fate behind the scenes; but she doesn't want to tempt those spiderwebs of chance by allowing Cherrypaw to join them on the journey so far from home. Even if her mother and her mentor will be going (Orangeblossom has yet to unpack what Slate's motivations are to have volunteered, but she's pleased to see him do so), it's not safe.

The calico in question sits by herself turning a piece of prey over between white paws, which is odd on both counts; she's always been one of the social kittens, even more so among the apprentices, and when not talking she's quick to snap up her prey so that she can get back to grooming her immaculate pelt or chatting with her denmates.

Maybe now is the best time to confront this. Before it's too late.

Orangeblossom crosses the camp with determination in her gait, noting the way that Cherrypaw looks up rather belatedly as her mother sits down at her side. Plumy tail taps the ground a couple of times, considering, frown in perfect place upon scarred muzzle.

"You shouldn't go." She meows. Before Cherrypaw can protest, or even over the top of her daughter's complaint if she does, the white-and-ginger molly continues: "We don't know what's out there. If you get hurt - or killed, StarClan forbid - I will never forgive myself for not trying to stop you."

​

 

[Cherryblossom]

"You shouldn't go," Orangeblossom says, mouth set in a hard line across her blossom-kissed muzzle, eyes shaded the deep umber of unyielding wood. Cherrypaw opens her mouth, objections brimming on her tongue and fluttering against her teeth like butterflies, but her mother has already anticipated it. Orangeblossom tells her she loves in her in the same, goal-oriented way she faces down life. Her daughter glowers up at her, the tip of her tail flickering like a candleflame, soon to spill over into a lashing conflagration. The heart of the deputy's words fizzle against the sudden rush of heat from beneath her face. Indignance blooms across her cheeks, lifting her lips up into the shape of a bratty retort.

She knew she was going to say that, she just knew it! Her mother was nothing if not duty-bound, and like the hypocrite all adults were she didn't think Cherrypaw should share those same duties. Which was a pebble-brained idea, because how would Cherrypaw ever learn to do them if she wasn't allowed to do them? She wasn't a stupid kit either. It's not like she'd go leaping off of branches and making the adults catch her. Maybe all Orangeblossom wanted her kits to do was patrol, hunt, train, eat, make dirt, sleep, and mind their own business, like she was perfectly happy with doing until the end of time. Safe and sound like sitting squirrels.

The girl stands up. She's not yet at her mother's height, but she's drawing closer with every passing sunrise. "I won't get hurt or killed." The words are stubborn, rubbing red-hot against the stillness of the night air. "Blazestar picked me," she continues to insist. "He knows that I'm good enough to go." Blazestar had hesitated before saying her name in the list of chosen too, but she doesn't think about that. A beat of silence passes before yellow eyes lift up to hers, like sunflower petals turning towards the sun, and she adds, "Mama...please." Suddenly, her gaze is aflame. "I'm not a kit anymore."​

 

[Glimmersun]

When Glimmerpaw arrives back to camp from her task, she takes immediate notice of the fact that her mother and sister are having an argument. It doesn’t take a genius to figure out what it might be about. The question is, should she step in or not? Her words may hold some bias, but in general, having a fresh perspective might make the conversation more productive. With that in mind, she ultimately settles on intervening.

She hangs back for a few moments more, letting Cherrypaw air out all her grievances before she inserts herself into their heated conversation. “If I may,” she starts out with, “I understand where your worry is coming from, mama.” She really does, so she starts off with that, even knowing where she would ultimate end up siding. “But I think sis should go. You’ll be there with her, after all. And, she’s already proven herself to be a fully capable warrior.” More capable than even she is, of that Glimmerpaw is sure.

“Blazestar already selected her, plus you guys won’t have Howlfire with you anymore now that she will be nursing soon. And she’s right, she’s not a kit. No matter where she’ll be, there’s always danger around the corner. Let Cherrypaw prove herself!” Glimmerpaw hopes that her mother will comes to her senses, and realize that her child has a lot to live up to. They all do. This is just one way that Cherrypaw can show how special she truly is, that she knows her sister is. And she hopes Orangeblossom can see it too.​

 

[APPLEFROST]

Apple Stem had never been the kind of cat to get in between a parent and their child. In the circumstance for most, squabbles within a relationship such as that were in the balance of a dynamic she had not been in for quite some time. And for the opposite end such as Orangeblossom's, never at all. She did not view the younger of SkyClan's ranks in a motherly way even remotely. Not even those that had hardly opened their eyes and ears. Apple Stem was far more comfortable resting in the position of the dependable adult for affairs that didn't concern a parents guidance, and nothing more.

This was one such occasion that didn't need her input. Simply because she found herself agreeing with both she-cats. Cherrypaw was a fresh apprentice, even with the presence of her own mother and mentor, even with the supposed safety in numbers, the risks were undeniable. Cherrypaw could just as easily fall victim to the perils as any other, if not more likely because of her inexperience.

Yet, Blazestar had given his approval for her to go with them. With Howlfire unable to leave with them, they would need every volunteer they had to traverse the mountains. Cherrypaw wasn't a kit anymore, her safety was her mentor's responsibility first now. And if they were meant to follow their Leader's word, even his own deputy, she should trust in that decision, right?

The indecision is exactly what kept Apple Stem's maw shut tight in that moment. She only offered her sister a supportive nod as another of her own rallied for Cherrypaw. Their stubborn bravery sounded awfully familiar...

"They are certainly their mothers daughters."​