He was still hesitant about this. Last time hadn't gone that well although he would admit it was partly himself to blame for that. Shallow could admit when he had made a mistake, when he had judged wrongly. Maybe skyclan even had have good intentions when bringing him in but he had also seen the opposite. Wherever he went rogues were not welcomed. Not even other rogues would take him in. Shallow was an outcast so he did what was needed to be done to survive...just to feed himself since in the end he couldn't relay on anybody else beside himself. Skyclan would have been perfect for his plan but then Sunnyday had stepped in and turned his world upside down. This old man believed there was something good in him. That he could become something more than a rogue. They didn't hate or shun him for being something he never had asked to be born as.
Shallow had ended up with a change of heart. He abandoned his plans and had run away from the clan that had brought him in before he could do any real damage. It had been a foolish decision but he refused to regret it. At the end of the day he was better off alone. The life on the streets hadn't been easy for a kit on three legs...in fact he had barely made it through but, like fate had something to do with this the two had got brought back together again.
Shallow hadn't agreed to come along at first when Sunnyday had asked him to come back with him but somehow he had got convinced because otherwise he wouldn't be here right now, following the cat that shine like the sun back to the forest. He made sure to follow them close behind, letting them show the way. He had come this far so there was no point in turning back now. All he could do was keep on walking forward to a future he was uncertain about beside one thing. He knew what type of cat he wanted to be.
☀ - WHILST MY HEART STILL BEATS
The temptation to seek out Salamander again had grown strong. Strong enough to cause him to throw caution to the wind and to head out alone. The tom might have strayed out into the loner lands once more if fate hadn't thrown him a curve ball. Shallow. The kit had been firmly on his mind for some time, worry and concern never quite leaving him whenever he failed to get an update on the youth's condition. The kit had endured a rough start in life, but with luck those days would be done. Opportunity to protect the youngster would not be shunned. His desire to meet with Salamander would have to wait until another day.
The hassle came when he was faced with Shallow's initial reluctance to follow, but he picked his words carefully and persisted until he achieved success. As he led the way through the ThunderClan forest he ensured to even his pace, not wishing to leave behind the three-legged kit. However, before coming any closer to the camp he came to a halt and raised his tail to signal for Shallow to stop as well. "I need to get the attention of the higher ranks before we can go any further." After the previous incident he didn't fancy attracting Howling Wind's wrath again. Still, he offered Shallow a beaming smile in the hopes that it would give him peace of mind.
Returning his focus to the forest ahead his expression became more serious. "EMBERSTAR! HOWLING WIND!" He yowled the names with a clear and thunderous voice, keen to catch their attention sooner rather than later. He just wanted to get Shallow past the hurdle of acceptance. "Then at last I can give him a better life."
The of her name send birds flying and mice scuttling into their burrows. The deputy, who had been out on a hunting patrol far off, stands upright immediately upon hearing it. Her head whips around in the direction - it seemed to be coming from towards the SkyClan border, on the other side of camp. With a call so loud, it must have been an emergency - what else could be worth scaring off all the prey in the forest? Her stomach sinks at the thought and she abandons her patrol in an instant, hoping they see her and follow. Is it a predator? Is someone in trouble? Her mind leaps to the worst possible scenarios as she runs and bounds and leaps over obstacles.
Finally, she arrives, sliding to a halt before the warrior. With twigs and dead leaves littering her pelt from the journey, she stands there, panting with wide eyes. He didn't look to be in trouble. "What's wrong? What's going on?" She asks in a panic, looking around for what the emergency could be before her eyes settle on a young cat behind the warrior. Still trying to catch her breath, confusion crosses Howling Wind's voice before she mews, "Who is this? Where'd you find him?"
Quietly she has been grooming herself, attempting to fix the stray pale white fur that has been running rampent for days now. It's much harder now though because her upwalker used to brush her long fur. It was so pleasant and it got all the knots and kinks out with such ease. Plus she can't really see if she is getting everything or not. It's bothersome, annoying, taxing and yet she keeps going for the sake of trying to be self sufficient like everyone else. She wants to be a hard worker and she wants to show Thunderclan something but there is a voice of fear. She'll fail. Closing her pink stained eyes she shakes herself and tried not to think about it. Tries not to worry too hard about it and then the shout happens. It jolts her and she jerks her head up suddenly. Her eyes widen just a moment and she gets to her paws, pushing her way through soke undergrowth.
"Sunny?" The newly dubbed Ghostpaw calls out as she scents that he is newrby. She also smells Howling Wind who she glances over to questioningly before turning her eyes back to the group of cats, just two. And one a complete stranger just like she had been. "Oh, hello. I'm Ari- uh...I mean I'm Ghostpaw." The snow white woman then sits down and tilts her head slightly.
Shallow noticed when the warrior suddenly stopped and so he would do the same. Slightly leaning his head back so he could glance up at the older tom he would give them an undersanding nod that they had to wait before contunie on from here on. Made sense. This clan cats seemed to be just as protective over thier land like the rogue group he had lived with, or the cats he had meet in the twoleg place. In the end it all come down to food and to protect what they thought rightfully belonged to them. It made him twitch his whiskers just thinking about it. That sunny smile that was given to him out of the blue had the kit stare at them before he eventually just looked away.
It didn't took long before they got company and Shallow would turn his gaze to look at whoever had approached them. The first one he come to pay attention to was a brown tabby with green eyes. She looked serious and alarmed like she was uneasy about something. He guess with how Sunnyday had called out to them it wouldn't be suprising if they had rushed over here in fear that something serious might have happened. Instead what they faced was him. Since the molly had been addressing Sunnyday and not him personally Shallow decided to remain silent without speaking a word to them. It was better to let the old man handle this, would save his words as well.
But this molly had not been alone having brought another cat with her. A white furred one with strange looking eyes. Shallow would briefly look at them next before he just withdrew his eyes away. " Shallow." Was all he would say. A simple name nothing more not looking special interested to share anymore information. He was not fond of talking with cats he didn't know. In fact he most of the times found it pointless to speak unless he had something important to say which he in this very moment hadn't. Sunnyday would be his voice for now.
// no he does not! he do smell like a rogue though!
i . information : he’s crouched. massive creature of ivory, too - pale tabby stripes rippling over the arches of broad, bony shoulders. before him, hidden just amongst a by hel of leaves, is a squirrel — scavenging bitterly at the frosting ground, tiny paws working at the dirt in search of acorns lost beneath icy dew. its scrawny, the warrior can see that much even from a distance, the sunkenness of its scrappy red - brown sides a sign of tough, stringy meat. a meal was a meal nowadays, however ; the burn of greenleaf giving way to icy, sodden tendrils of the changing season. the man was crouched, though — ready. if only the damned thing would lift its head, he would be able to pounce and . .
EMBERSTAR! HOWLING WIND!
what remaining birds litter their drooping trees take off in a flash, a cacophony of feather and brittle caws made amid frostbitten air. his gaze shifts upward sharply and the squirrel is gone nearly before he looks back to the ground. its bushy tail is disappearing behind a thicket and the looming ivory figure pelts after it, tearing through dew - dampened undergrowth and dying orange - red foliage.
the squirrel darts almost comically fast past the accumulating group and cobwebtail erupts from the undergrowth seconds later, ears pinned and long, thick - muscled limbs twitching with each aggravated flex off his claws, “ foxdung! “ web spats, lashing his long tail as he realizes fully that the scent is gone, muddled by . . the fur along his spine lifts, rouge stench ripping through his nostrils and he lifts his attention fully, pivoting his head towards the small, accumulating group. his mother is already present, chest still heaving, leaves still settling around her dark fur. before her is sunnyday — the sickly - looking tom, now that he takes a moment to mull the voice over, was the one to call . . and was clearly in no visible danger, though it was his ruffled coat that reeked of rogue, clinging offensively heavy. to top it off, however, standing pitifully aside the malnourished warrior, stood . . a child. roughly apprentice - aged, deep blue fur a riptide of shadowy silver along his extremities. or, which of those extremities remained. the small male was unassuming, scrawny and notch - limbed, reflecting all his escort’s rumpled demeanor. he reeked of wild lands, cats seeping with twoleg smog and it is a struggle to keep his nose from wrinkling because, most importantly, beneath that whisker - tred muzzle and tired azure eyes . .
one more damned mouth to feed.
“ yet another lost soul wandering into your open arms, sunnyday? wonderful. “ there is no audible bitterness — in fact, it would sound pleasant, should his words not drip a sing - songy, passive vitriol. the man even smiles, teeth too - ivory and he can almost feel the tackiness of squirrel blood streak across his maw . . but his alabaster features remain unmarred, expression as near blank as it often was. a small, pleasant smile quirks the ends of his pink lips, icy luminaries still slitted thin and dark down the middle as they flit down towards the kitten. young, missing a leg — it wouldn’t be able to pull its own weight even in age. wide paws bring him aside his mother, taking a place between the two to stare down his delicate - looking muzzle, flitting to the man’s paws and slowly drifting up to the tips of his ears. an ear twitches and suddenly he is alight, lifting a plumelike tail over his back to accentuate his tone despite the way it softens, melodic and prompting and hushed — and intended to be heard by howling wind and sunnyday alone, “ so — who’s share of freshkill will he be getting this leafbare? you must have some stashed away for the strays you pick up, hm? “
another one is present, in fact. poised neat a tail length away, non - clan name a breath away from her tongue. his tail twitches with contempt, but he flashes her nothing but a brief, polite smile.
− COBWEBTAIL ; he/him. twenty seven months old. howling wind x gray wolf.
− tall, handsome lh pale blue tabby w low white & dusty blue eyes.
− bisexual, biromantic ; open for brief romances and flings, penned by antlers.
☀ - WHILST MY HEART STILL BEATS "Why does she look panicked?" The thought crossed his mind when Howling Wind made her appearance, owl eyed and seemingly carrying half the forest in her pelt. Then the penny dropped as he realised that his cry might have been... misunderstood. Guilt racked his body but he tried to subdue it, he could give his apologies later.
Sunnyday didn't need to give a name as Shallow was capable of speaking for himself, which he did. The older tom nodded his head before he returned his focus to the deputy. "Yes, his name is Shallow. I found him wandering near our border. This... this isn't the first time he and I have met." He wasn't sure how to approach explaining the longer story, but if prompted he would likely share it. "I was hoping that he could join. He's young, the leafbare months will surely claim him if he continues to live alone. He's done well to make it this far, it shows determination and strength which could be useful for us in turn."
They were joined by others and he couldn't help but smile when he beheld the sight of Ghostpaw. She had been the reason he had gotten in trouble previously for bringing strange cats into the camp, but he had no regrets. He gave a soft chrrp of greeting to her, pleasant and polite. But his mood is soon soured by the arrival of Cobwebtail. A single ear would fold back as he began to feel a prickle up his spine, though he tried to maintain his composure. He refused to be rattled in terms of his choices in life. "What can I say, I just have a big heart." He remarked plainly with a shrug. "He's capable of hunting, he wouldn't have made it this far alone otherwise. And if need be I'll ensure he gets fed."
"AND THOUGH THE EMBERS ARE NEW, WHATEVER YOU DO DON'T LET THE FIRE DIE"
Emberstar liked Sunnyday. Welcoming new faces to Thunderclan was among her chief joys in life, and he seemed to have a knack for finding them. He had championed a few joiners now, and it gave her heart to see him do so.
The commotion drew her to the scene, and amidst all the conversation, she appraised Shallow. He was young, very young. Especially for the number of scars he bore. The patchwork of injuries across her pelt ached at the sight of them. She couldn't bear the thought of turning him away, even with the threat of leafbare looming over the clan.
Her ear flicked at Cobwebtail's words. She stepped forth, giving him a look as she did.
"Well," the leader began, with a bright smile. "With such a glowing recommendation, how could we turn him away?" She nodded to Sunnyday, then turned her gaze to Shallow. "Heya! My names Emberstar and I'm the leader of Thunderclan. Nice ta meetcha!"
Shallow would stand silently beside Sunnyday as he started speaking, to explain everything to them and why they had brought him into thier home. Observantly, the young kit would watch every single ones of thier reactions while the sunny cat put everything out there on the table for them until...he suddenly blinked. This old man really spoke highly of him. Was this his way of trying to convince them to let him stay?. He would cast a side glance at the tall warrior his eye almost glued at them for a brief second before he quickly moved his gaze away and the paws he would settle his attention to, a feeling of embarassment falling over the kit. This was his first time anyone had spoken about him in such high regard before. Like he actually had some sort of....value.
But then his attention went elsewhere....
Shallow would lift his head up to face the white cat. That was something he decided on straight away. The way he talked and looked at both him and Sunnyday...it brought back unpleasant memories. He had meet cats like this one too many times. He guess even in clans such cats like this one existed too. Weither he would have spoken up in defence or not, Sunnyway was quicker to step in to defend him. I guess i have a big heart. Now he was staring at the cat with unblinking eyes who shine like the sun again claiming such rare and unique words. Never had he meet a cat with a big heart before, not even close to the one this old man had. To anyone around him this might be nothing but to Shallow this meant everything to him. Sunnyday was...cool. That was something that hit him in that very moment. He had never meet an adult who was even close to be as cool like Sunnyday was. That spark again....of something brighter.
Slowly his attention got drawn back to the white cat, the one who not even had half a heart like Sunnyday had. This tom with that ghost white fur reminded him of something far more darker. " I don't wanna get feeded by a cat like you anyway." He made his case loud and clear, his eyes narrowing after he had spoken his truthful words. The white tom were just like his own parents who would abandoned thier kit in the forest to starve to death just because they thought he was an inability to them. Because they didn't want to have an extra mouth to feed in leafbare. That was fine with him. Shallow didn't needed food the white tom had hunted. He might rather starve then take it.
And then finally came the cat who had the final say here. Turned out it was to his own favor as well. Shallow's ears would perk up slightly when it got announced that he was accepted to join them. Blinking, he was a bit in disbelief how easy everything had gone. He wonderd if it would have gone just as smoothly if not Sunnyday had been here.
Shallow gave a nod to the leader, taking note of her beaming just as brightly like Sunnyday did. " Uh, yeah, thanks..." He would mumble, and glanced away almost shyly.
☀ - WHILST MY HEART STILL BEATS
Relief washed over him like a gentle wave when the kind visage of Emberstar came into view. Warm acceptance was extended to Shallow and it put an end to his worries of potential rejection. The tom bowed his head with grateful thanks towards the ThunderClan leader before he turned to look at the youth at his side, aiming to stroke his tail over Shallow's shoulders and back reassuringly. "Welcome to ThunderClan, Shallow." He couldn't stop the giddiness from infecting his tone, giving away his sense of joy at that moment.
"I should start showing you around, maybe meet some of the other cats who live here. We can probably start with the camp, that way you can rest your paws for a little while." He was eager to get Shallow settled in, though he wasn't sure if he should offer up any food. It wasn't like they had as much to give away. "I can easily go without for today... that way Shallow gets a full belly", he thought to himself. Yeah, that would be best. It wasn't like he could even eat all that much...
"This way." Sunnyday began to lead the way towards the camp, no longer plagued with worry.
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