- Dec 22, 2023
- 193
- 52
- 28
The night was cold and quiet, a stark contrast to the firestorm of emotions that had devastated the clan only hours ago. Stormywing sat beside her as the pair stood guard together. Silence weighed heavily in the air between them, though for Palefire, it wasn't out of anger or resentment. She was deep in thought, her mind unable to stay in the present. For her, she was brought back to the night of her warrior ceremony, where she had been charged with exactly the same responsibility.
Palefire had failed her clan that night. She'd chosen to chase after her mousebrained friends instead of sticking to her vigil, and as a result, the clan had no warning when the wolves had attacked. Sunfreckle had died, as had many more in the days that followed. That tragic mistake had haunted her every waking moment for moons, and only recently had she begun to forgive herself.
Now, she had been given the chance for redemption. The young warrior had fought with every ounce of strength she possessed to keep their territory from falling into Shadowclan paws, and now she was keeping them safe while they rested. Her leader trusted her again, and she felt a clarity about her position in Thunderclan that she'd never had before. It felt.... surreal, somehow, but still good.
"I... understand a little bit of how you're feeling." She finally broke the silence between them, shrugging awkwardly as her paws shuffled on the chilled earth. "Obviously not to the same extent. But I know how it feels to love someone you shouldn't." Palefire didn't have to say his name for the both of them to know exactly who she was referring to. She would never get his fiery amber eyes out of her mind, nor would she ever forget the feeling of betrayal at seeing him standing on the Highrock above their leader's corpse.
Skyclaw had broken something in her, something she would never be able to get back. Luckily for her, she didn't want that part of herself back. The experience had been impossibly difficult, and she still found it hard to trust her own judgement sometimes, but she was a better warrior and clanmate now than she had been before. The same could be true for Stormywing, if she let it.
"You… made a mistake. It was wrong, of course, but everyone makes mistakes. You also made a choice. You could've left us to be with them, but you didn't. You gave up your love and your family for us. You chose Thunderclan, and that matters." Was she rambling now? Hopefully, the silver tabby wouldn't take her words as condescending or haughty; she truly meant them. "They'll all understand that, sooner or later." She should know.
Palefire had made more than her fair share of horrible mistakes in her young life, yet her clanmates had found a way to forgive her. When Skyclaw had executed his mutiny, she could've joined him. Maybe, at a different time in her life, she would have. But she hadn't. The lynx-point had chosen her clan, her friends; she'd chosen what was right. The grey warrior sitting beside her had done the same. Palefire was finally making up for the hurt she'd caused, and one day, Stormywing would too. Of that, she had no doubt.
Palefire had failed her clan that night. She'd chosen to chase after her mousebrained friends instead of sticking to her vigil, and as a result, the clan had no warning when the wolves had attacked. Sunfreckle had died, as had many more in the days that followed. That tragic mistake had haunted her every waking moment for moons, and only recently had she begun to forgive herself.
Now, she had been given the chance for redemption. The young warrior had fought with every ounce of strength she possessed to keep their territory from falling into Shadowclan paws, and now she was keeping them safe while they rested. Her leader trusted her again, and she felt a clarity about her position in Thunderclan that she'd never had before. It felt.... surreal, somehow, but still good.
"I... understand a little bit of how you're feeling." She finally broke the silence between them, shrugging awkwardly as her paws shuffled on the chilled earth. "Obviously not to the same extent. But I know how it feels to love someone you shouldn't." Palefire didn't have to say his name for the both of them to know exactly who she was referring to. She would never get his fiery amber eyes out of her mind, nor would she ever forget the feeling of betrayal at seeing him standing on the Highrock above their leader's corpse.
Skyclaw had broken something in her, something she would never be able to get back. Luckily for her, she didn't want that part of herself back. The experience had been impossibly difficult, and she still found it hard to trust her own judgement sometimes, but she was a better warrior and clanmate now than she had been before. The same could be true for Stormywing, if she let it.
"You… made a mistake. It was wrong, of course, but everyone makes mistakes. You also made a choice. You could've left us to be with them, but you didn't. You gave up your love and your family for us. You chose Thunderclan, and that matters." Was she rambling now? Hopefully, the silver tabby wouldn't take her words as condescending or haughty; she truly meant them. "They'll all understand that, sooner or later." She should know.
Palefire had made more than her fair share of horrible mistakes in her young life, yet her clanmates had found a way to forgive her. When Skyclaw had executed his mutiny, she could've joined him. Maybe, at a different time in her life, she would have. But she hadn't. The lynx-point had chosen her clan, her friends; she'd chosen what was right. The grey warrior sitting beside her had done the same. Palefire was finally making up for the hurt she'd caused, and one day, Stormywing would too. Of that, she had no doubt.
- [ @STORMYWING <3 ]
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PALEFIRE ♡ she / her, warrior of thunderclan, 20 moons
⭃ lh lilac lynx point w/ low white and blue eyes
⭃ single, crushing on no one /npcxnpc/ sister to bluestride
⭃ mentoring meadowpaw & ivorypaw / mentored by nightbird
⭃ peaceful and healing powerplay permitted / all opinions ic
⭃ underline and tag when attacking
⭃ penned by limerence ↛ @limericks. on discord, dm for plots.
