camp fickle thing ; moving dens

[DOEBLAZE]

Slowly, the cats populating SkyClan's medicine dens have vanished out of its yawning mouth. The three injured apprentices, Cherrypaw, even Slate's loathsome presence had all crept away, leaving her in stony silence with her son and Honeysplash. In her mind, they had faded from their nests like inverted ghosts, leaving a den that smelt of herbs and raw hurt and crossing the veil back into life. The days have stretched long and lonely, leaving too much empty space for thought. She had spent much of her time sleeping with swollen eyes or crying into crumpled white paws.

The grief had crashed and ebbed like the place that drowned the sun, far in the distance.

Today, it isn't so bad. She uproots herself from her faceless nest in the medicine den and thinks she catches elderberry on its stale and wafting breath. Fangs snag her lip and her eyes water until she wants to drop like a fallen deer, back into the nest, and stay here where it's safer. Where she doesn't have to work to hide from a world drenched in memories. Where she doesn't have to search for a purpose long lost.

She aims a hard swipe at it and turns her back on it with a lead weight in her chest, clambering out of the hazel bush with her eye squinting against the pearly dawn light. She nearly trips coming out into the waking camp and catches herself, hellbent on crossing to where the nursery nestles near the remnants of the tree that had felled Snowpath and itself. If she stops now, she thinks she might stop forever.

" Hello? " calls a rasping voice. Her head pokes into the nursery, wide and cautious green eye taking note of whichever queens and kits are sheltered within, counting them. White - dipped paws step hesitantly in, unsure of the distance to each unoccupied nest. This is where she'll be spending the next six - odd moons, then.

" speech "

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[SOFTPAW ♡]

While far too young to be a queen herself, she couldn't help but feel drawn to the nursery as she saw Bobbie peeking inside. Perhaps it was the part of her that held compassion for her clanmates driving her forward, or maybe a small part of her was nosy. Regardless of the reason, Softpaw was quick to trot over, offering a friendly smile to her clanmate as she peeked inside the den herself. "Goodmorning Bobbie! Do you need any help at all? I have the morning free so I don't mind helping if you'd like!" Hopefully, her cheerful attitude and willingness to help didn't put the queen in an awkward position. The last thing she wanted was to unintentionally upset her, and make her feel disrespected or poked at. Should she decline the help she would simply nod and move on. Perhaps bring her something to eat or drink, then leave her alone.
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"speech"​

 

[TWITCHBOLT]

Grief for Blazestar still squeezed at his throat- he could not imagine how Bobbie was feeling. The kind halo, welcoming and warm, that made her easy to talk to- it had been stolen away with SkyClan's leader. They were friends, the two of them- he thought so, anyway. And that made it all the more pathetic that he knew not what to say to her. Knew not whether saying could fix anything- whether doing could mend the wounds, even if the scars would be forever.

The terror of losing what you loved was hard enough. It had spurred him into a stupid confession some moons ago- yes, stupid, but blessed as well. One that ended well... it was what made the reality so unfathomable. That loss, before it happened, could be so agonising- so what was it like, after?

Softpaw was cheery, and- though he shivered as violently as ever, Twitchbolt remained a little withdrawn. In the shelter of the nursery, he searched fo @butterflytuft 's gaze; tried to tell her, without words, look after her. Butterflytuft was endlessly kind, a moons-long friend- Bobbie would need the support, for the while she was going to stay here.

Wide eyes fell to the white-spotted warrior, then. Or- queen, he supposed, now. "Let me- let me know if you need anything." He offered her a bow of his head, a withdrawn little movement, intentions flickering kind beneath it. He could... he supposed, arrange whatever she needed now. ​

penned by pin ✧​

 

[BLAZINGHEART]

YOU TELL ME THAT YOU NEED ME — Blazingpaw had been passing by when he noted the fawn freckled lead warrior step out from the mouth of the medicine cat den and he recalls their earlier conversation, the striped tom would flick his feathered ear to the side unsure if he should approach her and help with whatever she may need. Or maybe he had done enough already with his fiery words that were shared within the den that smelt heavily of herbs and raw wounds, the brief memory of it was enough for his big paws to move the other way not wishing to disturb Bobbie... He had done enough is what he thinks. Perhaps he'll gather softer bedding for all the queens later but as of right now, the russet tom didn't wish to approach the den with the last time he had interacted with Bobbie having been an unpleasant one, in his opinion, and it was best to give her necessary space now.

With a sweep of his feathery tail, the large apprentices departs from the scene casting one last glance over his shoulder to the nursery and his clanmates that had been within or gathered near the den. Softpaw had already offered to help the new queen so he felt that he's not needed any longer as he steps away to continue his duties.

/ out unless stopped !

YOU TELL ME THAT YOU LOVE ME 𓆩✧𓆪 AND I KNOW THAT IM RIGHT

• 

• 
  ✧ longhaired red tabby tom with green eyes
  ✧ 6 moons old; ages the 28th every month
  ✧ sexuality unknown; too young
  ✧ son of coyotecrest and howlfire
  ✧ brother to wolfpaw and hawkpaw
  ✧ currently being mentored by bobbie
  ✧ easy to befriend ; oftentimes quick to anger
  ✧ "speech", thoughts, attacking
  ✧ peaceful powerplay allowed

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[APPLEFROST]

Applefrost couldn't imagine how she may feel, being in Bobbie's position. Finding love in someone like Blazestar, facing the trials of judgement by her own Clan and taking the chance to become a parent again after all the chaos from the first time. That chance had been proven deadly in the end, and now she was alone...

She wondered if Butterflytuft would be enough for kind company as she spent the next few moons in the nursery. Applefrost had once considered herself a fond acquaintance to Bobbie but now it felt like they were worlds apart. While the Lead went on a grand journey with her sister and returned with the trophy of lungwort and gained a mate, Applefrost had found herself living the same day over and over (not that she would complain, routine was a blessing). The chaos felt like a rift she couldn't quite jump over.

"I have a patrol to twolegplace, soon. I can try to bring you back something from there." Her offer was that she was willing to steal or persuade one of the daylights or kittypets to cough up a catnip toy, but she couldn't say that part out loud.

"Speech"​

---

I KNOW SHE LIES ALONE, SHE'S MY CALLER​

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[butterflytuft]

The holly entrance rustles, drawing Butterflytuft's attention away from her kits and towards Bobbie as she pokes her head in. Her ears prick and her tongue feels stuck to the roof of her mouth, her heart suddenly beginning to pound. She hasn't spoken to Bobbie since before Blazestar's death. She can only imagine the pain the other is feeling - If she thought she was mourning her mentor, how would it feel to mourn one's mate? "H-hi, Bobbie," She is finally able to muster at a whisper, ears folding backwards. Softpaw and Applefrost are there to immediately offer help, and Butterflytuft finds herself shrinking backwards in her natural shyness.

But when she catches Twitchbolt's gaze, she finds her brows tenting with a worrying realization. She's got to help Bobbie. She's a queen, and she'll be living with Bobbie for some time. It's got to be up to her to make sure she's comfortable and supported. Swallowing down her nervousness, the meek she-cat creeps forward until she's near Bobbie's face and offers the older she-cat a sweet but small smile. "Want some help making your nest? You can, uh, pick our where it goes. Close to me? Or...or over there?" She doesn't know how close she's going to want to be to others, after all.​

 

[DOEBLAZE]

The first to approach her is a young apprentice bearing an open, friendly smile, much like those Bobbie herself had once unabashedly worn. Softpaw joins her in peering into the intimidating depths of the nursery, greeting her with cheer and offering to help her. Bobbie drops the scrap of Blazestar's old nest, still fragrant of elderberry and pine, that Orangeblossom had permitted her to bring with her—first to the medicine den, and now to here. Perhaps, if it doesn't fade too much, the kits will be able to smell their father when they sleep. The thought aches.

" Umm — sure, thank you, Softpaw. " the queen murmurs, jumping ever - so - slightly when Twitchbolt gives a small bow and offers his assistance as well. Single pupil jittering twitchily, she barely notices Blazingpaw's quick arrival - and - departure. Applefrost joins them and her chest tightens—one, two, three. Three new cats joining them. She's tired, so tired, and she wants nothing more than to pick out a nest by the back wall and collapse into it. " If you'd like, Applefrost, thanks. "

Blessedly, Butterflytuft creeps forward, and Bobbie's grateful for her meek demeanour and sweet smile, even if her proximity sets the fur along the tabby's shoulders rustling. " Err — I suppose I'd like it to be by the back wall, there. " She nods, voice cracking on the final syllable, and clears her throat. " Not that I don't want to be near you, I'd just like — I'd just like a little space. Thank you, Butterflytuft. "

" speech "

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