- Jan 15, 2023
- 608
- 168
- 43
Their family has been rocked, half-destroyed by what occurred. Not only had Badgermoon and Curlewnose left WindClan, they had… they had done something terrible. They attacked Sootstar—attempted to kill her, Scorchstreak assumes. The smoky-furred leader hadn’t seemed injured when she declared that the two toms had attacked, but Scorchstreak has learned that the shadows of nighttime tend to hide more than they let on. Either way, they did much more than simply curse themselves when they decided to throw themselves at Sootstar; they cursed every living kit that Scorchstreak has. All four of them, now children to a traitor. Badgermoon should have known better than to jeopardize them like this.
Scorchpaw has already drawn suspicion to herself, as though being the former deputy’s daughter and his apprentice wasn’t enough. She’d spoken out against Sootstar’s vision, against the leader’s very word, and Scorchstreak can only hope that her own position as lead warrior is enough to keep her kit from slipping into the space that Periwinklebreeze had once held. An outcast, child of a traitor who’d once held a position of power, who’d used it to turn on their leader. She cannot let Scorchpaw fall into the same trap. And so she seeks out her daughter at the first chance she gets, approaching her with only a half-formed plan in mind.
Normally, it is easy for Scorchstreak to tell when she needs to be a mother and when she needs to be a lead warrior. Gentle reassurances are best to offer comfort with, but a firm paw is needed as well when her kits get out of line. Now, though, the calico isn’t so sure of what she should be. She can understand Scorchpaw’s hesitation, her unwillingness to accept that her father and Curlewnose could do such a thing. But Scorchpaw hadn’t been there to see Dandelionwish do the same thing, turning his back on his clan—and Sootstar had received a vision then, as well.
"Scorchpaw," she greets her daughter, who comes so close to herself in appearance and yet hovers so far from her reach. In the young calico she sees Dappledsun, and she grits her teeth at the thought. She settles onto her haunches beside the apprentice, hoping to sweep her tail around Scorchpaw—but backing off if the touch isn’t welcomed. "What Sootstar said… I understand how difficult it must be to believe. Curlewnose was my best friend, and your father… well, he was your father. I wouldn’t have believed it, either, were I in your place." Even having lived through such an event before, it is hard to believe that caring, sweet Curlewnose and loyal, gentle Badgermoon would have committed such an act.
Curlewnose, who had curled beside her as she laid in the nursery preparing to bear the litter of the tom he was in love with. Curlewnose, who had remained at her side even after she’d told him the identity of her litter’s father. Curlewnose, who she felt closer to than any other cat. Curlewnose the traitor, who’d chosen Badgermoon over her. And Badgermoon, the tom with whom she has raised her kits, despite the lack of affections between them. Badgermoon, who had done his part as a father rather than leaving her entirely on her own. Badgermoon, who showed his care for the clan not only with claw and fang but with gentle support, with words of encouragement. Badgermoon, who above all else had strayed from the path of morality and fallen into the trap of ambition, of a hunger for power. Attacking Sootstar like he had—what other reason could there be?
She straightens, sighs. "But I’m not in your place. Sootstar has had warning visions before. The last was before you were born, so of course you wouldn’t know of it." Her muzzle curls into a snarl at the thought of Dandelionwish, teeth bared as though she were looking at him now. "The last time a plague struck WindClan, Sootstar had a vision about our medicine cat. A warning. She was correct; he betrayed us, and ran off to SkyClan." She straightens, a sigh rolling through her chest. "I don’t want it to be true any more than you do, but… StarClan tends to be correct when it comes to their visions."
// @SCORCHPAW
Scorchpaw has already drawn suspicion to herself, as though being the former deputy’s daughter and his apprentice wasn’t enough. She’d spoken out against Sootstar’s vision, against the leader’s very word, and Scorchstreak can only hope that her own position as lead warrior is enough to keep her kit from slipping into the space that Periwinklebreeze had once held. An outcast, child of a traitor who’d once held a position of power, who’d used it to turn on their leader. She cannot let Scorchpaw fall into the same trap. And so she seeks out her daughter at the first chance she gets, approaching her with only a half-formed plan in mind.
Normally, it is easy for Scorchstreak to tell when she needs to be a mother and when she needs to be a lead warrior. Gentle reassurances are best to offer comfort with, but a firm paw is needed as well when her kits get out of line. Now, though, the calico isn’t so sure of what she should be. She can understand Scorchpaw’s hesitation, her unwillingness to accept that her father and Curlewnose could do such a thing. But Scorchpaw hadn’t been there to see Dandelionwish do the same thing, turning his back on his clan—and Sootstar had received a vision then, as well.
"Scorchpaw," she greets her daughter, who comes so close to herself in appearance and yet hovers so far from her reach. In the young calico she sees Dappledsun, and she grits her teeth at the thought. She settles onto her haunches beside the apprentice, hoping to sweep her tail around Scorchpaw—but backing off if the touch isn’t welcomed. "What Sootstar said… I understand how difficult it must be to believe. Curlewnose was my best friend, and your father… well, he was your father. I wouldn’t have believed it, either, were I in your place." Even having lived through such an event before, it is hard to believe that caring, sweet Curlewnose and loyal, gentle Badgermoon would have committed such an act.
Curlewnose, who had curled beside her as she laid in the nursery preparing to bear the litter of the tom he was in love with. Curlewnose, who had remained at her side even after she’d told him the identity of her litter’s father. Curlewnose, who she felt closer to than any other cat. Curlewnose the traitor, who’d chosen Badgermoon over her. And Badgermoon, the tom with whom she has raised her kits, despite the lack of affections between them. Badgermoon, who had done his part as a father rather than leaving her entirely on her own. Badgermoon, who showed his care for the clan not only with claw and fang but with gentle support, with words of encouragement. Badgermoon, who above all else had strayed from the path of morality and fallen into the trap of ambition, of a hunger for power. Attacking Sootstar like he had—what other reason could there be?
She straightens, sighs. "But I’m not in your place. Sootstar has had warning visions before. The last was before you were born, so of course you wouldn’t know of it." Her muzzle curls into a snarl at the thought of Dandelionwish, teeth bared as though she were looking at him now. "The last time a plague struck WindClan, Sootstar had a vision about our medicine cat. A warning. She was correct; he betrayed us, and ran off to SkyClan." She straightens, a sigh rolling through her chest. "I don’t want it to be true any more than you do, but… StarClan tends to be correct when it comes to their visions."
// @SCORCHPAW
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