camp Ghosts & Empty faces (RTA)

[~Deersong~]

( ♬ ) Paws of cream wisps and silence would haul the cream and tan molly from the confines of the nursery, aqua eyes scanning the clearing of camp. How long had it been since she last gazed, truly looked, at the place she had called home? She had been a ghost here, a name whispered here and there, but she had disappeared the day she entered the nursery and never stepped outside again.

Her clanmates left her alone, both a blessing and a curse as she savored the peace and yet felt her soul rotting each day in solitude. Deersong knew she had no cat to blame but herself for her isolation. Thistleback and her children had tried, to coax her out of the darkness that had consumed her after her failure as a deputy. It was to say that the cream and mocha molly felt more shame at her disappearance than anything, and yet no matter how she tried, nothing motivated her after that day, that meeting.

So she had watched from the darkness of the milk-scented den as her clan moved on around her, smiling only when Coyotepaw had returned to them and when her kits and mate were doing well. She would not blame the looks of surprise or even disdain as she took a silent seat beside the nursery entrance, having begun living there even with her kits earning their apprentice names and leaving themselves. She knew that her act of hiding away from everyone had been cowardly, and honestly only added to her shame. But what could she even begin to say to excuse it? Nothing. She knew that much.

Deersong took a deep breath, the new-leaf air brisk despite the sun's warmth, but she was glad for it as it filled her lungs and blessed her with energy that she had not felt in many moons. Her half-tail barely skimmed the ground as she seemed to close her eyes in order to bask in the sunlight, but actually, she was listening for whose pawsteps or voices she recognized. Perhaps no cat would approach her, and why should they? She had shut them all out long ago, it was only right that she would be a stranger to them all now. Still, any cat who met her half-lidded gaze would be met with a smile, warm and whimsical, a sight that happened been seen on her maw in so long that the muscles in her face twitched in protest at the sudden work.

But she wanted to at least try, try to mend the bridges she had burned or at least tend to them enough that they could be closed in a peaceful manner.

​

( LET YOU BREAK; MY HEART AGAIN )

 

[ThistleBack]

A silence and isolation had fallen over Deersong, that drove both a stake and bitterness into Thistleback’s heard that he as of late- hadn’t even had the emotional capacity to recite on. He had occasionally come to bring her food or flowers, a small reminder that she and him shared love and children but other than that he was training furiously or reflecting painfully on his life.

Earthsoul and Johnny, they were keeping him afloat. An older father figure, and a beautiful soul and minded daylight warrior with a koi pelt. It was safe to say, Thistleback has been pinching other parts of the metaphorical skin as to not feel the ache in his chest so deeply.

The mauling of Kuiper haunts his dreams, macabre images floating behind his stern eyes. He hid it well, at least from most- was able to fit his paws back into his duties even if he hadn’t quite been sleeping in the warrior’s den. The fevered muscles in his shoulders didn’t quite thank him for that.

Deersong’s depression, was a deep pit of tar he had tried to pull her from but she was consumed and he could only feel- distant and angry with himself. All of the pressure of his life was breaking his back, and he willed his attention on Snowpaw’s training.

Thistleback’s dirt covered coat shakes with every step as he carries fresh moss from the edges of territory for the apprentices to make into nests. He drops it and dull eyes lift in time to see the foreign sight of his mate sitting outside of the nursery. It’s a sight, he feels too fragile for his touch. He hadn’t seen her since he killed Kuiper, since Quillstrike and Twitchbolt’s kidnap. He feels like his heart is bleeding into his throat, that he’s choking but he just stands there staring. A hurt in his eyes, morphing from shock to pain like a storm.

" welcome back, Bird " he voices hoarsely, looking away as he slowly approaches her side.

​

OOC INFO REF

• —
  
  
• 
  
  
  
  Thirty-three moons EVENT TRACKER | IMPORTANT INFO
  — Lead warrior of Skyclan since 12.22.22
  — Devoted to Deersong 9.29.22 | polyamorous
  — Father of Coyotepaw, Pricklepaw, and Eveningpaw.
  — mentoring Snowpaw graduate(s) Quillstrike
  — very muscular piebald black and white tom with spiky fur and cold silver-grey eyes.
  — voice & accent
  — biography･ﾟ✧​
  OPEN for Dice battles | stine#3004
  
• 
  
  

​

 

[Johnnyflame]

​

LIVE AS IF YOU WERE TO DIE TOMORROW​

---

With each passing day spring seemed to settle a little deeper into the territory. Life seemed to be blooming in every corner of the land, and even with the recent losses and hardships Skyclan had been foced to endure as of late, Johnny couldn't help but find himself in a good mood that day. Thing had been blessedly quiet in the days since Quillstrike and Twitchbolts abduction- save for the Windclan cat that had shown up at the border a few days prior, that is. For Johnny though the days had been fairly routine, filled with morning runs around twoleg-place and patrols and attempts at hunting that always ended in failure. Still, it didn't seem to take the spring from his step, because he knew that eventually he'd succeed.

Today though it wasn't hunting that was on his mind. No, the bobtail wanted to practice his climbing, maybe even learn a few of those cool skyclan patented moves. And so, when he'd spotted Thistleback coming back into camp with a mouthful of moss and was on his paws almost immediately. He knew the other tom was an important figure in the clan, and that between his duties a warrior and his responsibilities as a father and mentor that Thistle didn't really have much time to waste on trivial things. And because of that, Johnny usually tried not to bother him, but he didn't spot Snowpaw in tow and it looked like the piebald cat was returning from his chores already.

Maybe he had some spare time?

So he made his way over, not noticing that another cat had caught the others eye.

"Thistleback!" he called, lips pulling into a familiar, lop-sided grin as he made his way over with an energetic bounce in his step. "I'm about to go practice my tree-fightin'- you wanna come with? I still have to learn that one move you showed me back at-"

He paused when he noticed the molly sitting on the other side of Thistleback, amber eyes flashing in surprise as he realized he'd probably just interrupted a conversation. He honestly hadn't seen her though, and he was quick to offer up an apologetic smile, ears flicking back sheepishly.

'Oh! Sorry! I didn't see you guys were talking." he chuckled, hoping he hadn't come off as rude by just blabbing over them like that. "I'd have Dawnglare check my eyes, but quite frankly the guy scares the hell out of me." he joked as he took a step back, not wanting to intrude. He knew Thistle, sure, but he hadn't met this shecat before and if she was outside the nursery then the last thing he wanted to do was stress out a queen with kits. "Just uh, come find me later if ya feel like training, aye sir?"

​

---

 

[Fireflyglow]

Gossip travels far, it seems- before he knows it, word is given to him that Deersong is out of her den and out walking. His paws carry him outside, ears swiveling forward to listen out for her voice. Silky and warm, it'd always been- her accent one of his favorites. Though, he merely kept his distance as he waited for a familiar voice to confirm the rumors. Was she really outside? Had she finally finished grieving, or whatever she had been doing? Firefly could respect that, the distance.

When Thistleback and Johnny exchange words, Fireflypaw makes his way over to greet the Queen now that it was confirmed. "Deersong, you're outside. How do your eyes feel, ma'am?" He asks softly, sincerity in his tone. Surely being in the dark nursery for so long wasn't the best for ones eyes. Everyone needed some daylight for longer than a few seconds. Johnny leaves a feeling of awkwardness in the air as he announces his arrival and then departure, Firefly feeling oddly out of place in this situation.

"Uh.."​

 

[~Deersong~]

( ♬ ) A mix of onyx and alabaster would catch her eye, aqua pools turning slowly to spot her mate, her love, and was swallowed by soul crushing guilt and longing. She had been so terrible to him, so buried by her own failures that she had not been there when he needed her.

Deersong had heard plenty in her dark days within the nursery, how her love ended the life of a Tom who not only confessed to horrible acts, but seemed to even brag about them while on trial. And then hearing that Quaillstrike and Twitchbolt had been taken....The heart that was slowly beating once more only felt pain for him at the news, the weariness that seemed to claw at his shoulders and throat as he looked at her, Deersong catching the pain and hurt that shimmered in his gaze before he came over and greeted her, sitting beside her and looking away.

It made her chest constrict painfully, but she would take it in stride, she didn't deserve to be looked upon by those seas of molten silver. "Gem..I'm so-" She had lifted a paw as if to reach out for him until a voice called out to her mate and she startled. Her paw quickly returning to earth and she looked over to the one who had spoken. She blinked once, twice, trying to sort through her murky memories to place a name to the face, and yet came up with nothing.

But they clearly knew Thistleback and she would simply offer her usual dreamy smile as she tilted her head, "No worries, brotha'." Her voice just as hoarse from the moons of nonuse, but she tried nonetheless.

Another figure would appear before them, this one familiar and now smelled of herbs and cobwebs. Fireflypaw, he had become Dawnglares apprentice since her fall. The Molly would offer him a smile as well, and at his question she would blink slowly as of testing out her vision before answering, "Blurry...the nursery is dim so I need to....readjust."

​

( LET YOU BREAK; MY HEART AGAIN )

 

[Coyotecrest]

Angry at all the things I can't change

Time waited for no one. There were moments when he wished he could turn back the hands of time and do things differently. He never would have gone to windclan thinking he was doing everyone a favor. He would have grown up with his adoptive siblings. He wouldn't have lost so much time. But he was trying to make up for it now. Word of Deersong's emergence from the nursery caught flaxen ears and his head swung around to notice her familiar fawn pelt. Cream paws lope toward the group, cautious to give Fireflypaw more space than necessary as he eyes the healer warily for a moment. Turning his attention back to Deersong his shoulder lightly brushes Thistleback's before he takes a step forward to touch his nose to her cheek. "It's nice to see you out and about, mom..." Coyotepaw voices softly, wearing a rare smile reserved only for those closest to him. ​

when you're lost in the universe don't lose faith​

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[~Deersong~]

( ♬ ) "It's nice to see you out and about, mom..."

Those words alone and the touch of her sons' nose to her cheek were enough to cause a sprinkle of tears to touch her aqua gaze, leaning forward to return the gesture as she simply nodded, throat too tight now to speak. She took a deep breath, both to steady herself and to fill her senses with the comforting scents of her family before she pulled back and blinked slowly at them all, "I'm sorry I've been such a bogart with myself lately..." Her gaze settled on Coyotepaw once more before she sighed and raised a paw to lightly touch his cheek, "Jeepers Creepers you've grown...and I missed all of it..." The tears again, but she let one slide before she gathered herself and meowed softly to Thistle, "And the kits? Where are they?"

A horrible mother, not knowing where her own flesh and bone was or who their mentors had ended up being. She wouldn't be surprised at all if they had shunned her these last several moons, she deserved it and much more disappearing as she had. Many other names flashed through her head then, Snowpaw being at the forefront. Her old apprentice she was sure hated her the most after failing him so much. But she still cared, still wanted to make sure that he was doing well and hopefully given a mentor that could actually do him some good. ​

( LET YOU BREAK; MY HEART AGAIN )

 

[eveningsun]

"ma!" almost perfectly on cue, eve's greeting rang out as she trotted towards the nursery. she had come back into camp only a few moments ago, but the familiar flash of fawny fur had instantly caught her eye. the apprentice momentarily thought she was seeing things, but the whole family surrounded deersong in a warm embrace. the tortie was quick to brush past the others, taking a seat next to her mother and moving to let their flanks meet. it has been a while since she was last sat this close, much bigger than she had been when she would take the same spot as a kit. it didn't matter much, she was happy to see deersong step out once more into skyclan's heart once more.​

[ FALLEN STAR ]​

 

[ThistleBack]

Hasn’t spoken to anyone in moons, slipped through my paws like sand and drowned in her thoughts and heart. How had Thistleback dealt with it, like he dealt with everything of course. Duty first, emotions for when you had the time- luckily, he never seen to it to have the time.

He had slept in the warrior’s den since, while he mourned her warmth he had decided to give her time. Time become a numbing and blinding thing, and he was fortunate to be icy enough to handle it. It was strange, their past before children almost seems a candlelit dream. What had happened? he grew callouses on his heart, and learned to stay steady on his paws. His muscles ached, his heart ached, his soul was damned. She reached for him, but it’s interrupted. He feels his hackles shiver.

He still loved her, she was his very first love. Of course he feels an ache in his throat as he looks at her though she was a skeleton of herself, trying to pretend he wasn’t ripped from the roots he had gotten used to. That he didn’t wish to pull her into a tight hug, her ribs would probably crack she was so brittle looking. Coyotepaw’s smile emerges just as foreign as his god-mother from the nursery.

Johnny is speaking to him with offer, the familiar voice bounces easily in the air like the promise of spring. He greets the other with a distracted smile, but it’s faded and tense on his maw. Fireflypaw speaks with her now, the piebald tips his chin to the other as he jests lightly about Dawnglare. Johnny eases him from his dark thoughts, completely unaware aye, sir?, Thistleback’s brow lifts, he’s stirred from his mental war and finds his voice. Cracked as it may be.

" Johnny- … this, is my beloved mate. Deersong- she’s… the mother of our beautiful children. She’s been-… " he introduces her, noting the tears in her eyes and glancing away to scowl into the sunlit pines. " Bird, this is Johnny. " Thistleback clicks his jaws back together and doesn’t move, he stopped himself abruptly. She’s been, what? Johnny could piece that together with rumors if he wished. Thistleback didn’t have the words for it now.

He felt himself tense, luckily Eveningpaw appears. Gods this must be a sight for her. Thistleback settles in a loud silence. " Our little scorpions are all grown up. " he mutters, feels his fangs slide together. " Johnny- please, I’d like you to stay if you wish. I hope you know you are welcome. This is my family- " he invites the koi coat to stay. He needed him, in that moment.

​

OOC INFO REF

• —
  
  
• 
  
  
  
  Thirty-seven moons EVENT TRACKER | IMPORTANT INFO
  — Lead warrior of Skyclan since 12.22.22
  — Devoted to Deersong 9.29.22 | polyamorous
  — Father of Coyotepaw, Pricklepaw, and Eveningpaw.
  — mentoring Snowpaw graduate(s) Quillstrike
  — very muscular piebald black and white tom with spiky fur and cold silver-grey eyes.
  — voice & accent
  — biography･ﾟ✧​
  OPEN for Dice battles | stine#3004
  
• 
  
  

​

 

[Honeysplash]

.°☀ But every time I see you cry

---

Depression was a rather serious thing to deal with. While understanding how and why was rather difficult for a tawny and white cat, she could feel empathy for Deersong. Though part of her chest was panged with hurt as Quillstrike wasn't here to see her come out. Oh how he would be so proud of her. Bananapaw knew how much the she-cat mattered to her best friend and his absence made it all the more real. What where the twolegs doing with them? What could they possibly do to get them out? There was no solid answer and that was what was more terrifying than anything else. She gave a small sniffle upon watching the interactions of the family and Thistleback now that Deersong had returned. The world started to blurr a bit as Bananapaw sat outside the apprentices' den, watching from afar.

"SPEECH"

---

With these wings of mine I'll stay awhile .°☀

⟪ OOC ⟫ ⟪ INFO ⟫ ⟪ REF ⟫

• //​
• BANANAPAW named by her mother Alice
  — she/her, 12 moons, single
  — skyclan daylight apprentice, mentored by Sharpeye.
  — self-doubtful, overlaying smile, very closed in
  
  primary character, high activity. penned by wolf_.​
• 

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[Johnnyflame]

LIVE AS IF YOU WERE TO DIE TOMORROW​

---

It didn't take much for Johnny to realize he'd tumbled into something more.. personal than he'd first assumed, not just interupting a conversation, but what appeared to be an entire reunion. And Johnny caught on quickly, had an undertanding of the situation before the words even fell from Thistles lips. This was his mate. Golden eyes blinked in surprise, because while Johnny had known that the piebald warrior surely had one, he'd never heard her mentioned by name or seen her in camp anywhere.

Had Thistles mate been unwell, keeping her away from her family? For a moment he was struck by guilt for having never asked about how she was doing, but she'd emerged from the nursery, not Dawnglares den...

His curiosities, as lively as they were, went no farther than that. He had too much respect for Thistle to go making up stories in his head about him and his family, and if he was meant to know any of it then one of them would speak to him of their own accord. Still, even without speculating, there was no misinterpretting the mixture of eagerness and uncertain anticipation that coming off of those around him, as if they were happy to see her but unsure of what to expect.

"No worries, brotha'."

Ears would tip toward the shecat as she spoke, her voice a little rough, but the odd, lilt of her words appealing. She didn't seem to mind that he'd interupted, though Johnny still felt as if he probably shouldn't have come over if this was a family moment of sorts.

" Johnny- … this, is my beloved mate. Deersong- she's… the mother of our beautiful children. She's been-… Bird, this is Johnny. "

Every crack in their words left a fissure in Johnnys chest. He wanted to comfort the inky enigma, fight whatever monster was breathing down their neck so they could have a moment, but he didn't know what inner-demon Thistle was at war with just then. And while he knew it was associated to this moment, Johnny couldn't bring himself to think ill of any of the cats here, least of all the ones his lead warrior considered family.

"Ya didn't tell me you were mated to one of the prettiest shecats in camp, Thistle." the bobtail replied with a playful lilt to his voice, leaning over to give the other a nudge in the shoulder, hoping to help lighten the mood before his gaze slid to meet the shecats.

"It's nice to meet you, Deersong. You picked a good day to be out and about- the suns nice today and the preys runnin." A good sunny day always helped Johnny find a little bounce in his step- maybe it could help Deersong out as well? After the horrible winter they'd all just gone through it probably couldn't do any harm.

" Johnny- please, I'd like you to stay if you wish. I hope you know you are welcome. This is my family- "

He turned to look at the tom beside him, molten gold meeting cool silver, and while his paws itched to give the family space, he hesitated to move even an inch from where he stood. Thistle wanted him to stay. Did the other understand what a gift those words were? That he was welcome here among the others family- the ones he considered most precious?

Johnny wasn't sure if that senitment stretched to all of those who were present. He couldn't even begin to imagine if Coyotepaw or Eveningpaw or Deersong were okay with his intrusion, but he hoped it was something he could earn eventually. Thistle was an amazing cat, after all, someone Johnny couldn't help but admire and aspire to be like, and it meant a lot to be trusted with his family like this.

But more than his desire to be liked by Thistles family was his reluctance to leave the others side when they seemed so.. raw. It left him wanting to cover the others blind spots to make sure nothing took advantage of it.

"Of course I can stick around for a while. The trees'll still be there waiting for me later on, right?" he assured them, his smile gentle.
​

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[~Deersong~]

( ♬ ) The sound of her daughter's voice would seem to bring in the rest of the light back to her half-lidded gaze as she turned her head, blinking affectionately as Eveningpaw settled down beside her. Deersong did her best to wrap her half-tail around her, an attempt to pull her daughter closer to her as if worried she would melt away at her next blink. "Hey there, pretty kitty." She would coo softly as she nuzzled the top of Evenings' head, "Been behaving for everyone?"

She knew she didn't really have to ask, since she hadn't heard anything bad about her kits through the rumors that had swirled within the nursery the last few moons. When Thistleback finally speaks it is cracked and raw and grinds against her soul like poison-dipped claws. She turns to face the cat he was introducing her to and she offers Johnny a soft nod and warm smile before Thistle seems to shut down and turn away from them, only giving a small statement about their children before asking Johnny to stay. Deersong watches her mate for a moment, the urge to reach out to him stronger than ever but then Johnny was speaking again, saying-

Thistle hadn't...

Her gaze follows the new face as they move over to nudge her mate's shoulder and she watches them both in silence, her expression unreadable for several heartbeats before it fades into her whimsical expression once more, but she fidgets ever so slightly closer to Eveningpaw and Coyotepaw. As if the darkness that had clouded her mind for moons had noticed something before her and was whispering those findings in her ear. "Trees?" She would say in a voice barely above a whisper, seeing Bananpaw in her peripheral but as they didn't approach she returned her attention to the group.

Her mind dragged backward, finally registering the words that Johnny had spoken when they had first approached and she continued, "Tree-Fighting...I haven't done that in moons. Are you figuring it out, alright?" ​

( LET YOU BREAK; MY HEART AGAIN )