Does Sound Reasonably Glorious | Fernpaw

[Mosspool]

Mosspaw was not ready to face her family. Not yet. She did not want to hear what her mothers would think of her choice, or even her siblings. Now that the moment of her decision had passed, the fact that she would be leaving home for the first time in her life was beginning to set in on her. The weight of the journey she was about to take was settling slowly onto her shoulders. It was an uncomfortable feeling, a responsibility unlike anything she had ever known.

Quickly, she slipped away from where the announcement had taken place to collect her thoughts.

Then her gaze fell upon Fernpaw.

Fernpaw would not have been her first choice for this journey. He would not have been her second either. Not that she had anything against him personally, of course, it was just the facts. When considering which apprentices were qualified for this endeavor, he would never have occurred to her. She, however, did not have the star-blessed wisdom of their leader. Cicadastar could have turned him away if he thought the apprentice unfit, and yet he did not. Surely that meant that their leader saw something in him that she did not, and his judgement meant far more than her own. She padded toward Fernpaw.

"Hello." Her greeting was soft and without ceremony. "Would you mind if I sat with you?" She asked as though it were any other day, as though both of their lives weren't about to change forever.​

 

[FERNGILL]

As ever incapable of dislike- or much negativity at all- Fernpaw had never formed much of an opinion on Mosspaw. What little he thought of her was positive, at least; he knew she was a talented apprentice, under the tutelage of Aspenhaze, and they had never fought. Doubtless, she was brave- there had been hardly a blink of hesitation when she had volunteered for the journey. Still, despite these non-negative thoughts, Fernpaw was a little shocked when she wandered over to him, soft-voiced. A verdant eye kept her in his limited periphery, an instinctual thing by now.

"'Course not," he hummed, silken tail beckoning her to the empty space beside him. Both of them, apprentices facing a journey that would be difficult for a warrior. Fernpaw wondered if she thought he was simply doing it to prove something. In truth, he wondered the same about her. But- equally, both of their mentors had been struck with yellowcough. He'd be unsurprised to learn that she had a similar motivation. After a moment, he spoke. "Did you think more apprentices would have volunteered?"

Maybe a pointless question, but... it hung in the air, regardless. What made them different? ​

✦ penned by pin ✦​

 

[Mosspool]

Mosspaw nodded in thanks to the other apprentice, taking her seat beside him and wrapping her tail around her paws for comfort.

Fernpaw's question made her blink. She had not really considered his question. In the moment she had been too enraptured to think of it, and afterward the weight of what she had offered herself up for had pushed all other thoughts out of her mind. It was an interesting question though, and she tilted her head thoughtfully as she considered it.

"I did." Mosspaw decided. "In truth, I think I thought everyone would volunteer."

Not literally everyone, of course, but near enough so to make the difference meaningless. She had thought that Cicadastar would have his pick of who he wanted to go. Instead, she had been one of a select few who volunteered. That had surprised her. Given, she understood that not everyone felt the same calling from the stars that she did, but still. When the leader himself asked for cats to save the clan, was it not everyone's duty to step forward?​

 

[FERNGILL]

A smile, half-hearted but genuine in that half, curved his lips as Mosspaw agreed with him. Everyone. He, too, thought everyone capable would have volunteered, and Cicadastar would have had to sort through them all. Maybe it was a good thing he didn't, though; he was sure he would not have been a choice, if so. Unlike with the fox, though... Fernpaw didn't see this as a mere chance. Some notion to prove himself. This was something he wanted to do, believed he could do- Steepsnout and Mudpelt needed him, and at last he felt strength in his paws. Not the strength that could bowl a cat over, but the strength of perseverance, a trait he'd only recently been able to accept.

"So... why didn't they?" he said, eye flickering to the sky, the purling clouds. "Or maybe it's more important to think... why did you?" What separated Mosspaw from her siblings, her peers, even much older warriors? Was it her mentor that spurred her forward- or was it something else? Fernpaw couldn't say for certain unless she told him, but he meant it when he said, "You don't have to say, if you don't want."​

✦ penned by pin ✦​

 

[Mosspool]

Why hadn't more cats volunteered? Her ear flicked at the question, as no answer came to her. Their responsibility to their clan was no less than her own. For some, the warriors, it was greater. And yet she spoke up where many a warrior did not.

Her reason for volunteering though, that much she knew. She gave him a glance as he told her that she did not need to say it. A quiet moment passed between them. It was only right that she should share it with those accompanying her on this long journey, she decided. "Every night since Aspenhaze got sick, I prayed to the Starclan to save him." Mosspaw admitted softly, her gaze lifting toward the sky. "Now Cicadastar tells us that Starclan's whispered guidance has lead the clans to undertake this journey to find the very thing that could save my mentor." The words made her smile gently. "It is an answer to my prayers. I am being called. I cannot refuse." Her statements were matter of fact. It was a message from the stars, she was certain of it, and one did not refuse when called from on high.

Her gaze drifted back down to Fernpaw. "What about you?"​

 

[FERNGILL]

A secretly superstitious cat, Mosspaw had picked a receptive companion in Fernpaw. he couldn't reasonably doubt what she said- that prayers to StarClan had been answered. It was an opportunity on a silver platter for Mosspaw to save her mentor, just as she wanted to do- he nodded as she said it, enthralled by the tale, without even the ghost of doubt in his eye. "Wow, Mosspaw," he purred in earnest, blinking at her in surprise. It had been a much more complicated reason than he had pictured, but one no less noble than any other. "StarClan must have heard you," he rationalised, clearly amazed.

Maybe he should have expected she'd turn it back to him- it was a good thing that his answer was a simple one. "I just know I can do it," he said, storming through his doubts. He'd finally shatter them to pieces on the journey, hopefully. And if he got hurt, he'd live- he'd adapt, just like he'd done once before. He was no longer afraid of being anything less than a hero. "And I can't just sit here while Mudpelt and Steepsnout are ill. All that'll happen is I'll get sick too. I have to go." ​

✦ penned by pin ✦​

 

[Mosspool]

"Ravensong said they hear us all." Mosspaw said, dipping her head humbly. That they had heard her prayers was of no great significance. Still, she couldn't help how her chest puffed up in pride at his amazement. It was only right that she was proud, she rationalized, anyone would be to get a message from the stars as she had. Starclan might hear everyone's prayers, but clearly they did not respond to them all. It was a great honor that they had for her.

She looked up to hear Fernpaw's reason for undertaking the journey. He simply said that he could do it, and for that reason alone he had to. After all, he couldn't stand by while so many cats were ill. She nodded in understanding, thinking of Aspenhaze. It was a no less noble reason than her own. "Good" Mosspaw said simply. "Then I'm glad I will have you at my side for the journey." She had full faith in the confidence he expressed, after all, Cicadstar seemed to.​