private Don't misread the joke ❧ Silversmoke

[Florabreeze]

It’s a little daunting to be a member of Orangestar’s council, she’s excited for the opportunity and grateful that the leader had considered her. It was nice to be a representation of the clan, and in part a representation for daylighters. Florabreeze had to admit that she was letting it intimidate her, she wanted to do a good job and step up to the title. Not necessarily a total transformation of herself but just working every day to be a little more reliable, she wondered if there’s anything she should be doing in particular. Surely not, the SkyClan leader would have made it clear if she had any lingering expectations.

The maine coon couldn’t help but grow concerned over it, wanting to make sure that she did a good job. She made sure not to show it though, still walking with a pep in her step and a wide swing of her tail as she strolled into camp this morning. The glare of the sun blocked by a large gathering of clouds, it was a dreary day all things considered but she wasn’t going to let it ruin her mood. She had realised overnight that she could simply ask for advice, embarrassingly the idea hadn’t crossed her mind until now. Her first thought was to seek out Silversmoke, sure there are other leads past and present that she could ask but she considered him a friend. That brought its own appeal, and she knew that he would be pretty blunt with her about it, it really seemed like a decent combination.

She kept busy until she noticed his return from a patrol, he didn’t seem to be in a bad mood which was a great start. “So how was the patrol?” She falls into step with him easily, raising her tail in greeting, skipping past good mornings as she figured that much was implied when she approached him. With a hum she debated on how to broach the subject “you were lead warrior for a while, right?” As she spoke she hadn’t considered that this may still be a sore subject. She just had to faith that this wasn’t the case “do you have any advice? Is there anything I should be… I don’t know, doing?” She smiled with a flick of her ear, not too sure if she should be anymore specific.

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  @SILVERSMOKE
  

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  FLORABREEZE 𖧧 She/her || Daylight Lead Warrior of SkyClan || 36 moons
  ❥ A large black tabby maine coon with low white and bright green eyes, always wearing her mushroom print collar if she can.
  ❥ Mentored by Sorrelsong ／Mentoring Jellypaw & Sfogliatella
  ❥ “Speech”, thoughts, attacking
  ❥ Penned by Juice ⏐ouijeejuice on discord {open to being dmed for plots}
  

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[SILVERSMOKE]

With his head held high and tail pointed towards the clouded sky, the white-pawed tom entered camp feeling renewed. His turn was swift as a familiar voice interrupted him, the bristle of his fur insinctual and followed by an apologetic glance. He nodded his head towards the tabby, the faintest smile appearing on his muzzle. "Peaceful," he replied amicably. "It often is when I don't have an apprentice." Even if he loved his little proteges, it was nice to spend a morning in blissful silence with nothing but his thoughts as company. Silversmoke doubted it would be long before he had another apprentice though, not when SkyClan was always alive with kits and newcomers. The conversation quickly moved on from small talk however as Florabreeze changed the topic.

He blinked rapidly as if expecting the maine coon to crack a smile and proclaim she was joking. Though the days and moons had easily merged into one, the spotted tabby could say with the utmost certainty that he had been a Lead Warrior longer than he hadn't been one. For a time, his rank had been all that anyone had known about him, that, and a scathing reaction to any mention of Daylight Warriors. Flora was still new by his standards, and upon realising it, her naivete suddenly made sense. "About eighteen moons... before a Twoleg snatched me." He was not bitter about losing his rank (an absent warrior didn't deserve to represent the clan), he was only bitter about how he'd lost it - overcoming Twolegs was a challenge no one could succeed it, to fail because of them almost felt like an insult from the forest.

Yet even that anger felt... muted, unimportant, a gnat on one's mind rather than a full swarm. He still had his clan, his body and his love, he could make peace with StarClan's prank if they allowed him to keep what truly mattered to him. Silversmoke reclined on his haunches as Flora asked her questions, his tail lashing as he tried to think of something to say other than 'yeah, your job'. Being a Lead Warrior had become something as natural as breathing, his brows knitted as he tried to remember his struggles with it, things that Florabreeze should watch out for. All the spotted tabby could recall was fighting with Slate and expressing so much resentment over other Lead Warrior choices that he'd ruined Chrysaliswing's ceremony.

An ear twitched uncomfortably. Florabreeze had never struck him as the hateful type, he didn't doubt she'd be mortified if he'd shared all he'd said on Blazestar's council.

"As a Lead Warrior, you are an extension of Orangestar's justice and an enforcer of both the Warrior Code and SkyClan's rules. That's not to say you should go around being... well, like Cherryblossom, but your relationships with your clanmates will have to change somewhat." A warning, but spoken without an ounce of unkindness. "You have power over them, even if you don't think you're using it, it'll always be there. Just try not to let it get to your head. Laws work because they can't be biased, cats can and often are."



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[Florabreeze]

"It's weird not seeing you with one" any time she's ever seen Silversmoke there's usually an apprentice by his side, though she's sure there have been fleeting moments where he's by himself. That's usually when she strikes after all, the point still stands. Though it won't be long until she sees him alongside another apprentice sometime soon, she would assert that he's pretty reliable and that reliability shows that he is always ready to have an apprentice. She doesn't dwell on the topic too long, skipping along to the main thought in her head. She hopes that the subject change wasn't too disruptive but she was fairly well known to be impulsive like that.

"Oh wow" she knew that he was a lead warrior for a while but to hear that it's been for longer than she expected was a surprise. Perhaps just gasping in awe isn't the best reaction. "Sorry that happened, I'm glad that you're back" she hoped that he was at least taken by nice Twolegs, though it's hard to attribute nice to a cat snatcher. She's sure if the experience was particularly terrible then it would be something she would have heard about. She probably didn't need to express that she was glad for his return but she felt terrible that she wasn't able to let him know until now. Silversmoke is a friend to her, in her eyes she's been a pretty lousy friend by not at least checking in on him.

That concern can wait another day she supposes, not wanting to take him off topic onto another subject again. When he speaks she listens with rapt attention, like she's a shadow again and asking him about the other clans in an attempt to have a better grasp before her assessment. She stifles a laugh at the remark about being like Cherryblossom, she's sure that this wasn't meant to be some kind of joke but it's so easy to find the humour in it. So Florabreeze opts to cough instead, nodding and gesturing for him to continue.

"I see, so be me but be aware that I have power over the others?" She repeats carefully, trying to make sure that she was actually understanding what was being said. "And understand that I'm an enforcer of the Warrior Code and SkyClan's rules" Muttering to herself she nods once again, feeling a little sick from all of the nodding she's been doing lately. That sounds doable, something she could handle just fine. "Were you nervous when you were first made lead warrior?" She tries to picture Silversmoke as nervous, it's a little hard to do so.

‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎Somethings coming ﻬ𖧧ﻬ So out of breath ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎

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  FLORABREEZE 𖧧 She/her || Daylight Lead Warrior of SkyClan || 36 moons
  ❥ A large black tabby maine coon with low white and bright green eyes, always wearing her mushroom print collar if she can.
  ❥ Mentored by Sorrelsong ／Mentoring Jellypaw & Sfogliatella
  ❥ “Speech”, thoughts, attacking
  ❥ Penned by Juice ⏐ouijeejuice on discord {open to being dmed for plots}
  

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[SILVERSMOKE]

He rolled his shoulders at Flora's exclamation at his lack of apprentice and then at her relief that he was back, his ears further swiveling undecidedly when they grew warm. It was inevitable that one of two things would have happened, either he got back to SkyClan or he let pride kill him in a Twoleg's nest. With how much he had learned and gained since his return, he could thank the Stars every night for the small mercy of getting him home safe. The tom relaxed again as the conversation moved on to the duties of the Lead Warriors, watching Florabreeze for any signs of confusion or a slip of attention. They had long since moved past the point of newcomer and senior warrior, she outranked him now, yet her questions were still a reminder that she had a lot to learn about clan life.

Still, he didn't think Orangestar had been too hasty in promoting her. The spotted tabby had thought he'd known it all too until three overly-social Daylight Warriors chose to break down his walls and reveal to him that not everything was as black-and-white as it seemed.

"Yeah. I don't mean to scare you, but you're not an equal anymore, not to me or any of your friends. For right or wrong reasons, cats may feel more obligated to do things for you, listen to you, and... if you're not doing what you're supposed to be doing, admonish you. Just put your paw down when necessary and let your actions do the talking the rest of the time."

'Especially because you're a Daylight Warrior.' His stomach knotted, too guilty to remind her that her choice to live with Twolegs put her at an obvious disadvantage to the rest of the Lead Warriors who could be around any time of the day. It didn't mean she shouldn't be one, yet... he cannot help but recall his outburst at Johnnyflame's promotion, the way he stormed away and completely forgot about Chrysaliswing's warrior ceremony. Almost nervously, he made small kneading motions against the earth, though whether Flora noticed or not, she had asked a different question that gave him some respite.

Silversmoke considered her question carefully, turning his skull away from her to search the depths of his mind for any memory of the day he was promoted. It had been so long ago that he had been a different cat then: bitter, resentful, cold. In many ways, he still felt he was, but even the tom could recognise he was not as hotheaded as he'd once been. When he turned back towards Florabreeze, he shook his head. "...No, I don't think so. More than anything I was confused. I'd been given something exceptional for merely doing my job it wasn't like I pushed myself any harder than I normally did. I don't know, maybe I didn't feel as if I deserved it, but it was Blazestar's wishes. I did my best to honour them."

"And yourself? I didn't get a glimpse of your face at the meeting."
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