FRIDAY NIGHT DRESSED UP IN YOUR SUNDAYS BEST — magpiepaw

[Starlingheart]

She cannot believe she is here again, crouched in the confines of this tunnel and staring empty eyed out onto the Thunderpath. Most of the clan is sleeping, though she isn’t so certain on how. She can see movement, every now and again. Mostly restless twitching, cats tossing and turning as the wind howls around them. Those strange lumbering creatures had done a number on them, split them apart and sent them running from their dens, from their home. But in her mind, ShadowClan was a family, and family stayed together. They would not be beaten by this.

She takes a deep breath, long and shaky. This tunnel, this path, it was a source of great discontent for her. When she closes her eyes she can almost see the scene play out in front of her. Can hear someone saying ‘don’t look Starlingkit, come here’ they tried to shelter her from it but she still can hear Pitchstar crying out for their mother, can still hear the sobs of the clan ring out around her.


These thoughts make her worry about her own infliction, the thing or things that press against her ribs. She does not want to fail them or lose them but today, running from the bears and almost getting stomped by one, it had made her realize that she was just as temporary as the next cat. Her life could be snuffed out in an instant and then what? The clan would be left with no healer, no one to guide them and to treat them. It was time… and she had the perfect cat in mind for the job.

She makes her way through the throng of sleeping bodies to a familiar shape. His pelt is as dark as her own, tipped with white like hers too. She remembers fondly when she had found him on the side of the thunderpath. How she had named him and convinced her brother to please let him stay. She watches him sleep for a moment longer, finding peace in the gentle rise and fall of his sides. "Magpiepaw" her voice is a whisper as she reached out with one snow tipped paw to gently prod the apprentice in the side "Magpiepaw wa-wake up there’s some-something I need to- I need to talk to you about" she hated to disturb some much needed rest but this was important, it was something that had been weighing heavy on her mind for a while now.
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[Magpiepaw]

His sleep is restless, unused to strange places beneath him and longing for his nest in the apprentice den he had kneaded and pried apart until it suited his comfort. So when first a light paw touches him he is already awake, head lifted in a slow but jerking movement and blue-violet gaze widening in the dark; reflective pools staring forward in the direction of the offending touch only to blink once and soften into a less critical stare when he makes out Starlingheart's own dark pelt in the shadows. Why she was rousing him, however, was still an oddity. It wasn't like her to pull cats from slumber, often times she guarded them while they rested back in her aromatic den but out here he was safely tucked between makeshifts nests next to friends and out of harms way so if she was waking him anyways it must surely be important. Magpiepaw shuffles in place, slowly wriggling his way into an upright position so he can better focus, head tilting to the side in confusion when he finally sat up enough to address her, "Is everything alright?" He trilled, tone touched in worry and gaze briefly flickering past her to the other sleeping forms of clanmates settled into their tar and gravel spat throne.
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[Starlingheart]

The look on her dear friends face gives her pause, and for a second she has to wonder if she is doing the right thing. If yanking him from his path was truly what was written in the stars. She almost wishes she had waited for a sign, but what if the stars waited too long to show her who was meant to take her place after she was gone? A small voice also -worries that she had chosen wrong or that he would say no but she takes a deep breath and steels herself. "E-everything is- it's fine ju-just come over here a-a second" away from prying ears, pretending to sleep. What she had to tell him, the rest of the clan would find out soon enough but for now, she only wanted Magpiepaw to hear what she had to say. She flicks her tail as an indication to follow before making her way to the entrance of the tunnel, where the wind would carry away their words from unwanted eavesdroppers.

She settles down with her paws tucked underneath her, shuffling nervously for only a moment before she forces them to still with a heavy sigh. "Mag-Magpiepaw... I'm expecting kits" her pregnancy was a source of great excitement for her, but also a source of great dread. What if she became too wrapped up in her duties to care for her kits properly? What if she wasn't a good mother period? She would be better than Betonyfrost at least... but by how much? She cannot say "And-and I- You know- I might not always be around- the clan needs someone in case I-" she pauses, all the what ifs running through her head threatening to consume her. What if she died during childbirth like Viridianskies had? What if she got sick and perished before she could train the next medicine cat? She had waited a long time, too long, to pick because she had been young and selfish. "I need to- I need to train someone to- to take my place when I- for when I cant be around or- or if I- If I ever am called to join my brother and my m-mother in the stars" she is rambling and she knows it but she has to explain, she couldn't ask what she was going to ask and not at least explain. "So I was- I was thinking maybe its tuh-tuh-time I took an uh an apprentice and Magpiepaw, I was thinking it could be you" He already knew some of the basics from spending so much time with her anyways, from gathering herbs with her and helping her sort her collection. She could think of no better cat for the job. She turns her attention to him now, green eyes focusing on that shadowed pelt as she awaits an answer.
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[Magpiepaw]

He stands stiffly, back arching to stretch but dutiful plods along after her with his swaying gait; teetering and tottering from side to side with uneven steps on the unfamiliar area before coming to a stop away from the prying ears and eyes of their clan. The secrecy and brisk walk in whirling winds had fully oriented him awake; he was alert as he ever could be now and he sat down with an awkwardly shuffle to listen intently.
Expecting kits.
Violet-tinted eyes widen more, his gaze darts down to her stomach as if he could tell when really he wasn't even sure what he was looking for. Cats got bigger around the midsection; Halfshade had been hard to notice with her long fur but the black and white daughter of Briarstar was slim coated. Did she look just a touch larger? It was hard to say, Magpiepaw didn't often pay attention to such things but he nodded slowly to the news. Most cats would congratulate, he'd never done so before, but by the time he managed to form a proper reply she had already danced forward to the next topic; or rather THE topic. Why she was telling him. Her mortality and concerns, all cats died-it was just how life was truly but hearing Starlingheart remind him she too followed the same slow march onward to StarClan like any other prickled his fur uneasily. It was an honor to soar to the skies, but he wouldn't want her to go so soon.

Her apprentice. Magpiepaw's expression changes, perplexed. He'd never thought to consider how a medicine cat chose their student. That they had students at all was a fleeting memory...
"...it can be taught? It can be taught." He'd forgotten because he had been so young at the time, that Starlingheart had not simply come into being with all of her knowledge; that another had shown her. He was never familiar with the white-jawed traitor whose name is hissed often as a curse among their clanmates but he knows she abandoned the medicine cat when she was still around the age he was now if not a touch older. Cruel. Did she think him able to? He had always thought the ability to heal was something innate, like his understanding of the birds. That medicine cats could see who was capable of doing their job, honing in on the skilled ones to educate. Apparently, this had been wrong. The white-throated apprentice mulled it over quietly, more time with Starlingheart-his beloved older sister figure, less traipsing about the territory marking borders and failing hunts. It was a touch selfish his mind immediately reeled into the things he enjoyed being selling points when in reality he knew it was a tough duty, a struggle at times. He'd seen her cry over lost cats, had seen her panicked over injuries she was not familiar with. He could help though. He was sure of it.
"...yes, I'd like to learn. I want to help carry it."

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