100 HEADLIGHTS ♡ SCALEJAW

[MIRESTAR]

Shame is, somehow, more fervent than the onslaught of emotions that had initially caught Mirepurr; held them up, tossed them around, rattled everything that is inside their fleshy prison. Now in its wake, they are left impossibly fatigued... but they need to do one more thing before allowing them to collapse within their nest.

Scalejaw entering into the leader's den had been an unaccounted for variable- but then again, Mirepurr hadn't creeped into that solitary confinement with anything concrete planned. Still. They should have expected the curiosity of their Clanmates... the well-intentioned curiosity, of course, for Scalejaw's appearance had been far from strictly self-serving.

They see the fear in ShadowClan's eyes, but they see the concern too — concern for them, care for them. It is decisively humbling.

So, knowing they had trailed off from their usual self way too much to simply shove it under the rug, Mirepurr seeks out Scalejaw. They do it like clockwork; despite their mentor-apprentice relationship having ended seasons ago, her general wisdom is still something they endlessly appreciate. The experience — and perhaps the sobering effects that come with a stern, disapproving gaze — is exactly what they need now.

"Scalejaw, I..." they mutter, coming face to face with her as soon as they leave camp. The two nearly barrel into one another, and Mirepurr gingerly extracts themself from her private sphere, stepping backwards as they address her. "Please." A graceful lash of their tail and a dip of their head; an invitation to speak in private before they go back home.

Wordlessly, they chew through what they ought to say to her. Mirepurr had been caught like some sort of naughty kit, paws still deep in the "mischief" they had done... except is it less mischief and more disrespect. "I'm sorry. You shouldn't have seen me like that- no, I shouldn't have reacted like that." She isn't in the wrong. "You are right. It really wasn't necessary." Did the sight of them prove as a disillusion for her? However she responds will answer their question in more ways than one.

@scalejaw

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[scalejaw]

★ She had been on the way back since she exited camp- anger poured through her veins, vitriol and ashen tasting. She wasn't sure how far she had made it before she stopped, took a long breath, and turned to step back to camp, eyebrows drawn low over shimmering-coal eyes. There was a lot in her mind, and with her eyes on her feet, she barely noticed Mirepurr before camp before she all but barreled into them. A soft curse left her, both in the lack of attention and Mirepurr of all cats in front of her.

They stutter her name out, and feathered ears lay backwards. She moves to step around them just as Mirepurr steps backwards, and the please is halting. Orange eyes sweep towards Mirepurr, and she inhales slowly. Anger ebbs yet, but the flow is halted. Tone alone has made her simmer instead of boil, and she waits patiently for Mirepurr's explanation. When it does come, she is slightly surprised- her apprentice has grown up, but there's no reason they should have had to that fast.

Eyes soften a bit, something minimal that those who were close to her wouldn't recognize- but to any former apprentice, to family? It's an indication that her anger is crumbling away. ".. Your apology is appreciated- even if it is better given to those possibly gone." Scalejaw says quietly. It's a very real possibility, that Smogm- Smogstar was gone, one that makes her chest ache with no explanation. And to see Mirepurr taking the responsibility of admitting their faults without being driven beyond a single, scathing accusation in the leader's den earlier today? Scalejaw bites her tongue for but a moment, orange eyes closing for a long breath before they answer once more.

".. Do you have any kind of plan, Mirepurr?" She asks- quieter then before, a warmer tone. She has swallowed her anger and locked it in a box far hidden in the depths of her heart. Maybe she wasn't ever angry at Mirepurr- maybe it was another cat she was going to be eternally rageful at, with no answers as to the question Why?. "Salamandersnap was intent on trying to paint you in a bad light." She murmured, head dipping gently to look them in the eye. ".. But above all, they are all worried about you."

‎‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎┌── MESSES WITH YOUR SANITY ⋅❁⋅ TWISTING ALL YOUR THOUGHTS AROUND ──┐‎

• "speech"
  

• 

• SCALEJAW 🌧 she/her, warrior of shadowclan, sixty five moons.
  ★ A SH black/LH blue smoke chimera with glowering orange eyes, tufts of fur that make her look dragon-akin, and scars that she wears with pride. motherly and stern attitude, with a warm streak for clanmates and a cruel streak for enemies.
  ★ mentoring no one
  ★ padding after no one / / mother to bonerattle, nightwhisper, and shadefall
  ★ peaceful and healing powerplay permitted / / underline and tag when attacking
  ★ penned by dallas ↛ dallasofnines on discord, feel free to dm for plots.
  

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[MIRESTAR]

Mirepurr would not be surprised to see the lack of forgiveness within Scalejaw's gaze; expects it, even, if they do not get further wrath from her instead. It would be wholly fitting as "punishment", something akin to StarClan's divine intervention.

Instead- there is the minute shift within her eyes. A certain softness that Mirepurr seldom sees her harboring for others, but gives to them now, when she has every right to remain furious with the unprofessional behavior of a soon-to-be-leader. She appreciates their apology — and Mirepurr all but sags as the unrecognized tension leaves their body.

Their whiskers droop in tune with the truth in Scalejaw's words. Smogstar deserves an apology... and Mirepurr would give it to him, if only he was here. Perhaps silent prayers will have to do.

"I'll see what I can do about that," they promise.

And then, Scalejaw grips Mirepurr's attention again, with that sort of commanding attitude they've always known her for. "A plan?" The word feels foreign on their tongue. They only acknowledge the way she points Salamdersnap's words out with a flick of their ear; they ought to talk to her, too, though they cannot expect her to change her views on them so abruptly. "I... I know what I should do. I just don't know if it's the right thing. I feel like I should wait for him, but what if he-?"
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[scalejaw]

★ She can see it now- the weighing responsibility about to crush Mirepurr. Her eyes narrowed briefly, but it's gone before Mirepurr could possibly decipher it. The way their body droops is telling enough that Mirepurr hasn't even bothered to talk to the council yet- or if they have, Mirepurr never came to a conclusion. The promise to apologize to Smogstar has her ear twitching briefly. She refused to let her eyes mist like they demanded of you.

A plan? Scalejaw lets a huff leave her maw as Mirepurr all but rambles, and she clears her throat to interrupt the waterfall of words. "... You know I'm going to tell you the bitter truth, Mirepurr. I don't sidestep these things." She responds quietly. The same words she had said to Salamandersnap just before entering the leaders den went both ways- he could be dead, he could be alive, but either way there was no point pussyfooting or gossiping about it. "We- you, have a clan without a leader." She says, vision cast towards camp.

Scalejaw hadn't ever lead something in her life, beyond apprentices and other warriors on trainings and patrols. "I can't pretend to know how to lead a clan. Smogstar was going to teach you that. But Mirepurr?" Glowering coals for eyes shifted back towards Mirepurr as she called their name. When she speaks next, it's a phrase she had told them once or twice in apprenticeship- one that she continues to preach. "Hesitance means death." Her tone is quiet but not soft. "You cannot afford the deaths of your clan on your paws."

The chilling phrase was now in the air- Mirepurr's stagnation, in Scalejaw's opinion, could leave Shadowclan undefended like a bleeding wound. Without cobweb or poultice to heal it, they would fall behind, become something weak and available for the taking. Windclan's fangs, rogue's claws, a bear's promise of death... there was only so much to be done without a leader. "Have you talked to Starlingheart?" She asked.

‎‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎┌── MESSES WITH YOUR SANITY ⋅❁⋅ TWISTING ALL YOUR THOUGHTS AROUND ──┐‎

• "speech"
  

• 

• SCALEJAW 🌧 she/her, warrior of shadowclan, sixty five moons.
  ★ A SH black/LH blue smoke chimera with glowering orange eyes, tufts of fur that make her look dragon-akin, and scars that she wears with pride. motherly and stern attitude, with a warm streak for clanmates and a cruel streak for enemies.
  ★ mentoring no one
  ★ padding after no one / / mother to bonerattle, nightwhisper, and shadefall
  ★ peaceful and healing powerplay permitted / / underline and tag when attacking
  ★ penned by dallas ↛ dallasofnines on discord, feel free to dm for plots.
  

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[MIRESTAR]

Just like that, she has them at attention. Scalejaw demands focus, for every single word out of her mouth is valuable and something to remember. Mirepurr has learned that the hard way; not because they had ever been unruly as an apprentice, but because a 'paw does not usually know the true depth to a warrior's wisdom.

They know it now, more intimately than ever.

Hesitance means death — something that had been drilled into their mind, again and again, while they struggled with combat. She is right, of course... but hearing such a possibility from someone else like this is terrifying. Mirepurr's eyes widen; as if the image of their inaction leading to death and turmoil hadn't already been repeating behind closed eyelids.

"...I know." If Smogstar hadn't risen up to succeed Chilledstar, ShadowClan would have crumbled on the spot. They cannot be the one to let it fall, not when so many leaders have given their blood for this. "Not yet. I will." It is a pledge once more. Going against Scalejaw would feel almost blasphemous... and it is then that Mirepurr realizes how she had been the first cat they approached, instead of their own council. They are all perfectly fine; Lilacfur for more reasons than one, Forestshade for her vast experience, Sharpshadow for that different point of view... and yet, it had been their former mentor whose advice they sought instantly.

Fear still thrums within them, but Mirepurr is able to hold their chin that much higher. Scalejaw had told them the cold, hard truth, like she had promised; and in turn, Mirepurr is promising something else. "I won't let this Clan down, Scalejaw."
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[scalejaw]

★ Her words seal a fate, for not only them, but for Scalejaw- she must hold them to it. A responsibility of her own. A breath follows, because she knows if they do not aid Mirepurr, if they do not aid Mirestar, the Shadowclan as a clan will fall. Her ears twitch, and her campfire eyes close for a long moment. She listens to Mirepurr's words, the way they become unspoken promises. She knows they will follow through- they always have.

Her eyes open once more, focusing on them. "Then I won't allow them to let you down, either." She confirms, chin dipping at her head nods once. "We have a responsibility as much as you do." Scalejaw speaks again, and when her vision shifts towards that of camp, there is a step in realization. A breath inhaled, then exhaled. "Go now. Make your plans- take Shadowclan further now then before." She bids her former apprentice, and when they turn away, it is her that is suddenly struggling to breath.

‎‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎┌── MESSES WITH YOUR SANITY ⋅❁⋅ TWISTING ALL YOUR THOUGHTS AROUND ──┐‎

• "speech"
  // was gonna end with that on my side of things!!
  

• 

• SCALEJAW 🌧 she/her, warrior of shadowclan, sixty five moons.
  ★ A SH black/LH blue smoke chimera with glowering orange eyes, tufts of fur that make her look dragon-akin, and scars that she wears with pride. motherly and stern attitude, with a warm streak for clanmates and a cruel streak for enemies.
  ★ mentoring no one
  ★ padding after no one / / mother to bonerattle, nightwhisper, and shadefall
  ★ peaceful and healing powerplay permitted / / underline and tag when attacking
  ★ penned by dallas ↛ dallasofnines on discord, feel free to dm for plots.
  

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