A CHARMED LIFE \ wolfwind

[BERRYHEART]

She was alive, and would live. That was the message he had spread to anyone who craned their neck inside; in gravelly tones and level certainty, he assured them his niece would be safe. Through the soothing words to every worried eye that peered within, though, Berryheart had not found the time to speak to her much himself. Of course, he'd assured her of her safety as he would any patient, but the true admiration he held for her act had gone yet unspoken. In newfound stillness, as cats in camp began to settle to bed, Berryheart at last found his opportunity.

"You're one of the bravest cats I know." It was rather a strong beginning, but he meant it- spoke it through the subtlest and sincerest of smiles as he settled at her side. He was no liar, not prone to exaggeration- by now she should know that. "Never have I been prouder to call you my kin."

His voice was hushed and level, smooth as a river. Pride spilled from his words and his eyes. "You'll leave the den soon," he assured her, knowing she would be growing restless- undoubtedly. A warrior as endearingly clamorous as she would surely be bursting at the seams- and her spirits were, surprisingly, undampened by her scrape with the stars. "Don't return with haste, please."

\ @WOLFWIND retro to illness B)​

PENNED BY PIN ☾​

 

[WOLFWIND]

Within the past moon, or maybe less - than, Wolfwind has come to expect clinical efficiency from Berryheart. Her uncle and clanmate, yes, but one with much at his paws. With an apprentice, a leader, a clan to guide. And all without needing to raise or claw, or recieve nine lives before StarClan. It's something she's never quite realized, until now, all that he did, all that he had done, all that he would go on to do. Had she been the one whose name was revealed in the moonlight back when she was little, she would've hated nothin' more.

She thinks it takes maturity, to realize Berryheart was so much more important than all the rest of them. He's saved far more lives than Wolfwind ever could in her life. She's nearly jealous.

It takes her by surprise, when his mutterings have nothing to do with the plasters on her arms, or mumblings that she would be okay. And inwardly, Wolfwind would sigh, I know, I know. She knew she'd be okay, even if their definitions weren't all the same...

And his words are something no cat is treated to often. Kindness and sincerity somehow bleeding into the monotonous tone he drawled. Wolfwind was no mind reader, no. No lip reader, neither. Nor thoughts or feelings, but she sees this spark. Sees it with her lone eye, that she'd love to see in the face of hundreds more. Wolfwind perks at once, chest welling. It lacks subtlety, coyness— and she'd never cared for any of that often. Brave. That's just what she wanted to be. Braver than anyone has seen her in moons. Someone to be proud of, that too.

She has long since been an adult, and yet, under the praises of her kin, she preens like a kitten. Quiet finds her easily, so that she could hear it all. It's all she wanted to hear for the rest of her life. Not cause she was vain, but cause it'd be true.

" Aw, shucks... " she says, all quiet - like. And her smile is cheeky, cause she means it, even if it sounds an ironic reply.

She can't make those sorts of promises. Not really. But Berryheart was so smart— he probably knew that already. If he ever worried about his stock, she would never make herself a top priority. She wouldn't do it for glory, she'd do it for good.

" Nor have I been prouder of you, " she admits. And, ah— it probably sounds strange. What is she, compared to him? And, it's not as if this were some trade of compliments, or at least, it wasn't meant to be... But she says it, because she wants to. "I mean, you do good work. Brave work. I get it now. I get it good. " And with a sharp smile, she leans closer, tail curled into a happy hook. " Does it make you as happy as it makes me? " Hardly does he smile, but surely, it must.

and we're on our way to glory ⋆ ( where the show wont ever end )

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• [ AND THE ENCORE LASTS FOREVER . . . ] WOLFWIND THUNDERCLAN LEAD WARRIOR! LITTERMATE 2 LAKEMOON; KIN TO MANY.
  
  

  SHE / HER, CONFUSED BY BUT NOT OPPOSED TO THE USE OF OTHERS
  CURRENTLY 26 MOONS OLD AS OF 1.17.2024. AGES EVERY 1ST.

  
  FRIEND TO MANY! UPBEAT AND UPFRONT. MOVES THROUGH LIFE WITH AN UPBEAT EXTERIOR AND BRIGHT EYES. MAKE NO MISTAKE! TAKES HER JOB VERY SERIOUSLY. THERE'S IMPORTANCE IN SAFETY, RECKLESSNESS ONLY GETS YOU SO FAR. ONCE A FOOL, BUT NO LONGER.

​

 

[BERRYHEART]

It was true- even with his kin he was cold when performing his duty. As reliable as a stone, but as emotional as one, too. Maybe it was not the experience that some should flock to the den for; perhaps they expected soothing words, the finest prey... but he was happy for no one to flock. After all this time, the tang of blood still made him unsteady on his feet. It had been through steeling herself, and hunching a little weight against the wall, that he'd managed to staunch the mangled flesh on Clamours' face.

It was better now. Gauzed, knitting itself back together, forever to remain exposed tissue but at least not the sort that would get infected.

Nor have I been prouder of you. A look of small surprise crossed his face, still statuesque, the tiniest quirk of movement- he looked over to her, mossy-green eyes settling upon her for a few long moments. As ever, Berryheart would listen. Listen until certainty came. He was prepared to refute her claim, willing to claim it was as simple as his duty, but... something within her seemed to understand that, as she spoke. Does it make you as happy as it makes me? A sense of nobility, of doing what was right, knowing that one's job could drive a different cat to despair.

"Yes." A simple answer indeed. Crooked jaws took in another breath, blooming forth the intent to elaborate. "Though I must admit most of the joy comes from teaching, rather than doing. Wounds heal and my influence fades, but the knowledge I give is forever."

The tip of his dappled tail flicked. He looked to her, then. Would that be a surprise? She seemed a cat who enjoyed the act itself, rather than speaking of it. ​

PENNED BY PIN ☾​

 

[WOLFWIND]

Yes. That's what made them both blood and water— kin and ThunderClan. Happiness in keepin' the peace; in makin' things their business. Wolfwind's reach was here, her clan, only. Berryheart and Howlingstar both had the lucky opportunity to carry every clan. StarClan knows the foxes atop Fourtrees would eat eachother alive, if not for Howlingstar. She wonders if berryheart guided the Medicine Cats the same way, with unmatched neutrality and an eye for the wise... She looks to her uncle keenly.

The joy comes from teaching, rather than doing. Did Wolfwind like being a mentor? What had she told Burnstorm... it was fine? It was alright? Wounds heal and my influence fades... But did it really have to? Berryheart could surely stay here forever, if he wanted to. A lot longer than her, anyways. Like a kit presented with the idea of death for the first time, Wolfwind shies away. Her eyes narrow to sun - lit slivers. " Naw, not for some time, it won't, " like an idiot, she says, because surely he knew more than she ever would.

She breathes, and she tries to listen. So— it was immortality, then. A thing that would evade even a nine - lived beast, a thing that would evade her, certainly. As coveted as it could be, she couldn't blame him for that pursuit. Did mortality scare him, or was he just curious?

Probably the latter. Well, maybe she feared it enough for the both of them.

She couldn't teach the way Berryheart does. Teach her apprentices how to save others, because then, what would happened to them? That was her job, nothin' for them to worry about, really. She'd teach them to save themselves. Teach her to save herself. Not cause' Wolfwind wouldn't be lookin', because surely she would be.

" Guess we can't be all the same, " she hums. " N'... That's good. The world needs teachers. " She wonders what Emberpaw was doin' right this moment. Twiddlin' his paws? Or maybe shuffling after some other warrior... Wolfwind fights a frown at the thought. How much has she missed? " Guess it'd make ya real happy to see Hailstorm teachin' what you taught him. " Presumably it would be him, but with what happened to Lichenpaw...

Well, the point is that Berryheart would be there, f'course.​

 

[BERRYHEART]

Not for some time, it won't. Berryheart blinked softly, looking over to her with a silent flicker of knowing. "Eventually." It was not pessimism- it was simple fact. Eventually, the cats whose wounds he healed would die- he would pass to the stars, someday, and his paws would no longer sew souls back into their bodies. But what he taught Snowy would live within his apprentice forever- and what Snowy taught his apprentice would bleed through, a palimpsest of knowlege that would live on forever.

It was immortal. And Berryheart himself did not care much for being immortal, but its timelessness was what made information so precious.

Guess we can't be all the same. He nodded in solemn, silent agreement- the world needed teachers, but it needed those who would act just as much. The optimism in Wolfwind's sentiment warmed him from within- he blinked slowly again, settling on her words. A gradual nod moved his head, as thoughtful as ever. "It would mean the world." The quiet of his tone betrayed a whispery grief. For what had been lost, for Freckles... in some world, some kinder world, there was a future where he, Freckles and Snowy would have worked as a trio of healers. He would see his teachings blossoming from the maws of both of them...

And it was always both of them. Never one or the other. "Would you not feel vindicated, to see your apprentice win a fight with a move you taught them?" Curiosity tinted his tone. He meant it not to sound interview-like- and indeed, there was something soft about his tone, a distinct affection. ​

PENNED BY PIN ☾​

 

[WOLFWIND]

Eventually. Of course she knows that. She's grown. Her smile isn't all sunshine. " ...Yeah. "

It's somethin' special, the way he admits it with reverence and regret. The how and why comes to her late. It dims her smile, some. " You'll get it — see it. Soon. " clumsy reassurance, something Berryheart likely didn't need... but she wanted to, anyways. Her life wasn't built of the sturdy tree - wood that would give her so much time to hesitate. Now or never.

And she breathes, " I guess I would, " she says. She couldn't know for sure... Morningpaw hadn't lived long enough. Sparkwing outgrew her quickly— he got far enough throwing his weight around than he did doing anything she taught him. She supposes, if she imagined it, she'd like it well enough. It's not a dream though, just a memory, to recall Morningpaw and Sparkwing within those battles, and simply wishing they hadn't been there at all.

Maybe that made her a shitty mentor; but she'd be a good lead warrior, at least. She dips her head. " I guess I just wished... we lived in a world where that wouldn't have to happen so much. " Not that she wanted every clan to dance beneath fourtrees and hold paws... Just that the gruesome stuff should be left to those that can take it. " F' course, it's not that simple... " she knows that. She understands.​