GONE ASTRAY ♡ starlingheart

[sneezeduck]

Sneezepaw never knew Magpiepaw, not like some others. But there was a notable shift in the camp's atmosphere without his presence, even if it were subtle.

Sneezepaw was always empathetic, used to sensing distress in his siblings and diffusing their quarrels since they were kittens. After the disappearance of the medicine cat apprentice, there was an undeniable aura of sorrow about the medicine cat that was left. Starlingheart wasn't any more familiar to him than her apprentice was, but Duckshimmer - Sneezepaw's mother - seemed quite fond of her. He imagined them as friends, and by extension, a friend of his. So, his curiosity of her well-being was persistent, and he finally took it upon himself to check up on her.

To lose so much in such a short time was a pain that Sneezepaw couldn't fathom. First her mate, and now her apprentice.. he wouldn't wish such a fate on anyone. With a lizard in his jaws, Sneezepaw ducked into Starlingheart's den, stopping with his head just inside to clear his throat, announcing his presence. "'Somet'ing fo' you," he'd mumble around the morsel of prey, glancing about the den with warm, yet nervous, eyes.
​

CHARACTER INFORMATION — ♡ ˗ˏˋ ꒰ ♡ ꒱ ˎˊ˗ ♡ — OUT OF CHARACTER

• sneezekit SNEEZEPAW
  ━━ APPRENTICE of SHADOWCLAN | 6 MOONS ,, ages every 2nd
  ━━ DUCKSHIMMER xx NPC | SIBLING to SINGEPAW and SWALLOWPAW
  ━━ MATE to none | PARENT to none
  ━━ MENTOR to none | MENTORED by SHARPSHADOW​
• 
  
  
• speech is #ffcc8a​

 

[Starlingheart]

Tw: Depression and brief mentions of suicidal ideation in the first paragraph

Starlingheart hears it all the time. Adamantiums of how strong she must be to have endured so much. Right now she doesn't feel strong. The only reason why she keeps going, keeps pushing though her loss and grief is because she has to. If she laid down with the very same berries that had been the end of her brother and gave in to the stars then she would be no better than her aunt. No, she could not and would not abandon her clan in that way. But the weight in her chest weighs so heavily sometimes.

It is easy to find her when one is looking. Most days following Magpiepaw's death are spent curled tightly in her nest. Not sleeping but not quite fully awake either. She allows her mind to drift in some in between state where thoughts are like a heavy fog. It is easy enough to pull herself out when a cat comes to her den. She can let her training take over, can give in to the part of herself that is reasonable, the part that is safe. Loosing herself in her job is easy, and perhaps one of the only escapes that she still has left. "Good morning Sneezepaw" she says, lifting her head from where it laid heavy on her paws. "Oh f-for me? Thank you." she doesn't quite have the heart to tell him she's not hungry. "You can-can put it down ove-over uh- over there" she motions with her tail to a spot near a pile of herbs, decaying and rotten. They needed to be tossed but... She would get to it eventually.

( ‧₊˚❀༉‧₊˚. ) fly me up on a silver wing

• 
  
  
• 
  STARLINGHEART SHADOWCLAN MEDICINE CAT; SHE / HER ; SISTER TO PITCHSTAR, CHITTERTONGUE, NIGHTSWARM, SKUNKTAIL, AND LILACFUR. MOTHER TO NETTLEPAW, FLINTPAW AND GHOSTPAW.
  

  A skinny she cat with short black and white fur littered with scars and one singular green eye.

  ✦ Easy in battle + has little to no formal battle training
  

​

 

[sneezeduck]

Sneezepaw expects to see Starlingheart resting in her nest, as she has been since Magpiepaw's disappearance. And yet, his heart still sinks to see her exactly there. She's up by the time he enters, but he can tell in the weariness of her eyes that she had been curled up, wasting the day away. the way she isn't quite as well groomed as she usually is.. and the scent of rot battering his nose from a nearby pile.

His gaze follows her tail towards the pile of herbs. A combination of brown, shriveled leaves and grey flowers that were once vibrant and lovely. Sneezepaw's teeth clamp a bit tighter around the prey he holds, and his eyebrows furrow with uncertainty, but he does not object.

The lizard rests now with the rest of the rot. He can only hope it does not become one of them. Then, he turns back towards Starlingheart and grasps for words. Was she expecting him to drop off his prey and leave? Did she want that? If she was really Duckshimmer's friend - Sneezepaw can't, in good conscious, leave after seeing such a disarray. The hunting patrol was already out, the nests have been refreshed.. maybe it's the least he can do to offer.

"Would you like me to.. dispose of these for you?" Sneezepaw suggests meekly, as if the very possibility rejection might dishearten him. As he speaks, he cocks his head towards the pile of herbs. "The food might seem more.. appetizing if it wasn't surrounded by.." he clicks his tongue to the top of his mouth. To call it rot felt rude, an attack on her work ethic. "..such strongly scented herbs. I hear.. if you smell something as you eat, it changes the taste. Might.. ruin it."
​

CHARACTER INFORMATION — ♡ ˗ˏˋ ꒰ ♡ ꒱ ˎˊ˗ ♡ — OUT OF CHARACTER

• sneezekit SNEEZEPAW
  ━━ APPRENTICE of SHADOWCLAN | 7 MOONS ,, ages every 2nd
  ━━ DUCKSHIMMER xx NPC | SIBLING to SINGEPAW and SWALLOWPAW
  ━━ MATE to none | PARENT to none
  ━━ MENTOR to none | MENTORED by SHARPSHADOW​
• 
  
  
• speech is #ffcc8a​