As you wish {Hyacinth}

[Moonshadow]

ALL THE KING'S HORSES​

---

Life in Windclan was worlds different from where she had been born and raised. Lunaria still did everything she could to earn the trust of her leader and clanmates, but somehow it never seemed enough. Still, the black smoke molly would not let that discourage her. One day Sootstar and the others would trust her, she simply had to keep working.

Lunaria slipped through the gorse tunnel with ease, her feathery tail flicking at the end to ensure that she didn't snag it, as a hare hung limply from her jaws. It was a blessed catch, one she thanked the star cats she kept hearing about for providing her. Surely this was a sign that the ancestors of these clan cats approved of her being here.

The silent molly would make her way over to the nursery, wanting to ensure that the mothers of this clan were fed first, and then turned around to see if she could spot any others who may have use for her. Her sapphire gaze scanned the clowder that inhabited her new home and a soft warmth formed in her chest. This was home now, wasn't it? They had not cast her out and perhaps now was the time to begin making connections with those around her?

//
@hyacinthbreath
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[hyacinthbreath]

Becoming something in a Clan where you didn't originate from was hard, but apparently not too hard- seeing as Duskfire had risen quite quickly to the rank of Deputy and he hadn't even been here long enough to warrant himself that respect from Sootstar. She wondered, idly, if being ranked to Lead Warrior was just Sootstar pitying her- a thought that made logical sense, in her opinion. She was Deputy worthy, had all the needed traits- but she was too perfect. And that made her suspicious. At least, to Sootstar.

She lifts her head, waving away the thoughts as she sees the raven-furred she-cat in the distance. She blinks momentarily, standing up to waltz right over to Moonshadow- tired of waiting around doing absolutely fucking nothing other than patrols for once. She lowers her head in stoic greeting, lifting it only to speak quite briefly.

"Would you, uh.. Like to go searching for herbs with me? Honeytwist says she's out of dandelions and cobwebs." A lie, but she wouldn't admit to that. After all, what better way to talk to someone than to ask them to find something with you?​

 

[Moonshadow]

ALL THE KING'S HORSES​

---

Much to the black smokes' surprise, the first cat to approach her would be none other than one of the newly named Lead Warriors. Dipping her head in respect to a cat who held a higher rank than her own, Lunaria would blink slowly as the silver lynx she-cat asked for her help with gathering herbs for Honeytwist.

"Of course, Hyacinthbreath." Her voice was monotone, yet not cold or distant as one would expect from the reserved molly. She would wave her tail, an invitation for Hyacinth to lead the way and she would keep pace easily.

As they walked, Lunaria wondered if she should make an attempt at conversation. Surely being picked for a task such as this meant that she was a cat that was trusted and thus should really establish relationships with the others. So, with an uncertain ear flick, the black smoke would meow softly, "Excuse my ignorance if I am speaking out of turn, Hyacinthbreath, but I was hoping to ask you some questions about this land. There are...still many things I am unsure of and I hoped to find guidance from one of my clanmates." ​

 

[hyacinthbreath]

The dip of her head in response to Hyacinth's arrival surprised the silver lynx. She truly believed that those around her wouldn't willingly respect her, that she had to earn their respect. And she was fine with that, honestly. She'd earned Sootstar's respect and recognition already, she didn't truly need anyone elses by default. Still, it felt.. Nice. Empowering, in a way.

With her agreement, Hyacinth nodded awkwardly and turned- stiffly walking out of the camp to go look for the herbs mentioned. She didn't even know where to find these herbs, honestly- she hadn't thought this through, after all. She closes her eyes, scolding herself for not planning things better, for not-

Excuse my ignorance if I am speaking out of turn, Hyacinthbreath, but I was hoping to ask you some questions about this land. There are...still many things I am unsure of and I hoped to find guidance from one of my clanmates.

Hyacinth turns to look at the woman, tail gesturing for her to fall in beside her as she walked. Lunaria was bigger in size than Hyacinth, but she didn't seem to mind it- being this small made her quick, and a diligent fighter. With her own skills, it wouldn't be easy to take her down, let alone catch her. Her response rests on her tongue, but she rolls it around in her brain before she vocalizes it.

"Ask away, then. You are apart of WindClan now, and you're loyal. So I know you ask with good intentions. Are you curious about our customs, or the land itself?"​

 

[Moonshadow]

ALL THE KING'S HORSES​

---

Lunaria seemed to relax as Hyacinthbreath gave her the ok to ask her questions and she would nod softly at the Lead warriors' guess to the topic of her questioning.

"Correct. A lot of this is very new to me and, while i understand this...Clan stuff is new to everyone. I feel as though I'm still lacking any basic understanding of life in Windclan." She would look up at the sky for a moment, as if thinking about something before meowing in a nonchalant voice, "Are mates assigned here as well?"

The statement would be so calmly asked, almost as if it was something she believed was normal to ask. "And what of ranks, who becomes leader once Sootstar steps down? Will one of her kits come into power?" ​

 

[hyacinthbreath]

There's a warming feeling in her chest as Lunaria speaks with such intelligence, such understanding of the topic she speaks of. Her first question draws a nervous tail twitch from the lead warrior, and Hyacinth laughs it off- it wasn't like her homecolony. She had a choice here, to have her own mate of her own choice. She turns to Lunaria, a rare little smile on her lips as she responds.

"No, you can choose your own mate here." She responds bluntly, not disturbed by the question. She'd thought the same, when she met the Marsh and Pine colonies. Her eyes gazed back towards the feather at Lunaria's tail, and she wonders if that's an accessory or just something that she cared for, something that meant something to her. She wouldn't pry, though, for the next question came faster.

"Sootstar has nine lives, she won't be stepping down anytime soon. If something were to happen, then.. Duskfire would take over as Leader, next. It goes by ranks, after all. Leader, Deputy, and then Lead Warriors. Then, you have your Warriors, which you are apart of. Then, we have Honeytwist- our medicine cat, who heals the Clan. We've also got the Caretakers in the nursery, some we call Queens. Elders, for retired or disabled cats." Hyacinth responds with a nod of her head, shuffling through blades of grass to yank a yellow-petal flower from the ground. It definitely wasn't a Dandelion, but she did hand it over to Lunaria. A gift.

"We live with free-will here. Where I come from, we didn't have that option. These lands are.. much different." ​

 

[Moonshadow]

ALL THE KING'S HORSES​

---

The relief that Moonshadow felt was not shown on her face. Good, she would be able to choose her own path here. She would nod along slowly as Hyacinthbreath explained the rankings and the order of said ranks. Who would gain power should Sootstar fall, and what the other roles in the clan were.

It was helpful, as truthfully she only really understood that she was a warrior and that Sootstar was her leader, the bare minimum. She felt better gaining more knowledge as if she could at least attempt to speak more eloquently on the matter should she be questioned about it.

A splash of yellow would enter her field of vision suddenly, and her whiskers would twitch in surprise at the sudden gift. and her sapphire gaze would slowly move along Hyacinthbreath's figure before accepting the flower and sitting, per paws gently placing the delicate floret right beside her tail. It stood out against her black smoke fur and beside the blue jay feather that she wore, but she found she didn't mind it.

Hyacinths' next words would pull her gaze from her accessories to her companion and she meowed softly, "They are indeed...Tell me about your home." It wasn't asked as a question, and yet that was a lightness to it that wasn't common in her normal dialect, something there that seemed to reassure the silver lynx that she was free to say no. ​

 

[hyacinthbreath]

Learning your place in the world wasn't easy, she'd admit to that the moment she was asked a question like that. When she'd arrived in the colonies, she was a molly who didn't have any real world experience outside of the cult she was raised in. She blinks when Lunaria asks her question, eyes distant- as if staring at something that isn't there, watching it all play out. She's distracted, weakened for a moment to think on the home she came from.

Of what became of her family.

She shuts her eyes, inhaling a shaky breath of panic- the splashes of red and cream and the smell of vomit- she takes a moment to breathe, letting the memories dissipate over time. She wasn't in that place anymore, she was her own person now- she was safe here.

Finally, when she opens her eyes again, she gives Lunaria an apologetic look, a small smile- one that said I'm okay. before she begins to speak of her home, as brief as possible. "I lived in a colony a bit far from here. A tiny bit past ThunderClan's lands. Our way of living was.. Different than this place. It's new for me, even though I've been here for moons already. You never truly get used to groups ran like these, especially when you lived differently in them for a long time." She meows, pelt brushing up against Lunaria's own gratefully. She was warming up to this molly, and that thought scared her a bit.

Friends were a good thing, yet terrifying. She could lose them at any moment. Life was just that way.

Turning to look at the femme, Hyacinth decided to change the subject. "What about you? What was your home like?"​

 

[Moonshadow]

ALL THE KING'S HORSES​

---

Moonshadow notices the distance in her companion's eyes, the grief that now covers her form like a cloud. Her shaky breath causes her chest to tighten, in a way she doesn't quite understand, but she listens in respectful silence, and Moonshadow is surprised by how similar their upbringings sound.

A soft frown graces her maw while she listens, but it melts away into her usual look of reservation as Hyacinth brushes her pelt against her own. Moonshadow blinks slowly at the femme, a returned question of her origins leaving Hya's lips and it was the black smoke's turn to appear melancholy.

"Ah...my home..." Moonshadow would point with her tail towards the mountains beyond the moonstone, "My home was a kingdom...a large group that was lead by my mother and father. I was to take power should they ever fall. I trained all my life to be the perfect soldier for them, I lead battalions into fierce wars for territories, foolishly believing that we were doing good. That we were only sharing our Kindoms' wealth and protection with the world. But I was wrong..."

Moonshadow paused for a moment, looking back down at the feather that lay in her pelt, "A soldier under my command...I saw him murder a mother and her kits despite her pleas for mercy. He stated they were refusing to surrender...but I knew better."

She half closed her eyes, the memories of that day flashing through her mind as her ears ever so slightly folded back. "I reported the cruel act to my father, but he only stated that all wars had casualties. It was simply the price for the eventual peace we were bringing."

Moon would stop herself then as if the rest of the story was too much to continue for now so she looked at Hyacinthbreath, "My family was nothing but tyrants, so I left and found a new life." Her sapphire gaze would meet the silver lynx's heather blue, "And I'm glad I did."
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