With a quiet hum, Honeywish padded into camp carrying a mouthful of flowers, Dovepaw trailing behind him with his own mouthful, looking nervous, but no less excited to learn how to make flower crowns. A specialty of Honeywish’s. One that made his heart swell with pride, something he hoped would be passed long after his death.
The tri-colored tom glanced over his shoulder, gesturing towards the freckled tom to follow him further into the bustling life they called home, lime optics crinkling with warmth. Honeywish settled down with an elegant swish of his, settling down the flowers with Dovepaw nestled beside him, adding his own collection to the growing pile. “Ah! Thank you, my dear!” He hummed, shuffling the clump of flowers with a delicate paw, sorting them by length and color, not quite colorful, but certainly not monochrome.
Glancing up from his spot with a twirl of his willowy tail, tucking the sensitive appendage around his front paws, calling out in a soft, monotone voice. “Would anyone care to learn the art of making flower crowns?”
SkyClan and its frivolties are something she so deeply opposes and despises, the way they adorn themselves in two-leg garbage and prance around as if any cat wanted to see or smell that. She considered anything similar the same way, naturally made or not. A cat should focus more on their duties over presentation and she juggled both with a skill that hardly many of her peers shared. Coat prim and proper, groomed and tidy and the few decorative things she cared for being the blue flowers she often found near the edge of camp that reminded her of Morningpaw. She wore them often in her sister's honor, but they were easy to tuck into her pelt and keep going with. None of this...sit down and prepare an entire thing for nonsense she was witnessing here.
Would anyone care to learn the art of making flower crowns? "No." She stares, incredulous and annoyed at the display. Moonpaw liked flowers fine, but if you wanted to wear one simply do as she did and tuck it in your fur rather than waste all this time and effort making what were essentially kittypet collars you wore on your head. "Does a warrior not have anything better to be doing?" She asks, tone cool and collected but her disdain quite obvious.
She imagines what Raccoonstripe would think if she were to sit and go about weaving stems together for a cute little floral arrangement and she's pretty sure he'd make her eat it as a punishment.
Sky-blue eyes sparkled as Shinepaw spotted the duo of walking gardens enter camp, flame-tinted tail swishing back and forth at speed. The boy remembered doing something similar in the nursery, weaving errant blades of grass together to kill both time and some of his boundless energy. Of course as a kit his knots achieved roughly the same effect as politely asking the grass to stick together, but the cat was curious if his handiwork could be improved.
As Shinepaw stood and began to approach, Moonpaw’s remark made him freeze. Was she right? Wasn’t weaving something for children? Maybe Honeywish only meant for kits to approach, and the apprentice would embarrass himself if he stepped forwards. Eyes sparkling with panic assessed the situation. Dovepaw was with him, that meant the lesson wasn’t just for kids, right? But now that the idea was lodged in the boy’s head, it refused to let go. Shinepaw didn’t want the other apprentices to whisper that he belonged back in the nursery! What he needed was an excuse.
“I think it’s good practice!” Shinepaw said cheerfully as he finally made a move towards the group, looking at Moonpaw. “Weaving takes a lot of coordination, so it must make you better at using your paws for fighting and stuff. If it’ll help me with that, then I’ll learn!” Shinepaw sat, satisfied that he was focused on adult endeavors like fighting and wasn’t just doing this because he thought the flowers were pretty.
Honeywish hummed, peering at Moonpaw with a curious expression, helm cocked. He understood her disdain, but why must something be associated with something else? Can’t others enjoy something purely out of interest? He sighed, smiling at the other, lime optics crinkling. “Perhaps.” He began, rotating his paw, weaving stems without batting an eye. “But can’t warriors enjoy the simple things in life? Or would you like to see us collapse from exhaustion?” He inquired, watching the apprentice with curious optics, tone holding no malice. She was, after all, valid, but Honeywish believed there was more to enjoy than hunting and patrolling. “I think there is more to life than our duties. But all in good faith.” He hummed. turning to Shinepaw with a nod.
“Everyone deserves rest. Pushing yourself is never beneficial to anyone. It certainly would give Berryheart a run for his mice! Such things can be avoided—” Dovepaw nudged his mentor’s side, cutting off his ramble. Honeywish laughed, nodding in greetings to Shinepaw. turning to Shinepaw with a nod.“Oh my. It seems I’ve gotten sidetracked! Do ignore me, if you wish. I see no trouble in bringing others joy, even if it's making silly flower crowns.” He mused.
“But of course!” He grinned, lime optics crinkling. “You are certainly right, my dear!” He nodded in approval, tilting his helm for the other to join him. “Of course, there is no shame in seeking something that is fun and interesting.” He mused. “Come. Come.” He patted the ground, nudging three flowers in the apprentice’s direction. “Let me teach you how to start! Always the trickiest for beginners, but can be therapeutic after a stressful day.”
જ➶ The youngster is watching from across the way with wide open eyes of moss. He is curious, ever so and he wants to know what on earth they are doing. What they are talking about. He has no idea and he wants to he in the know. If he isn't in the know then how can he know? His little maw is slightly parted, huffs leaving his throat as he cranes his head forward. But no such luck. So instead is sitting where he is the young kit suddenly launches himself across the camp. There are a lot of things he is learning, and this is surely one of them. Flowers in a ring. He has never seen such a thing before. He catches the tail end of what the warrior says and tries to replicate it. "Theru-thera...putic? What's that? What are those?" He knows that they are flowers but the shape.
It's so funny. He scrunches up his nose then as he sniffs at them before trying to paw at one.
Lime optics flickered, peering at the small kit with a curl of his lips. “Therapeutic?” He inquired, helm titled. “That my dear, is when something is good for one’s health!” He began, gesturing towards the half-made flower crown he’d been working on. “Like this!” He laughed, voice airy. “Like medicine, but this one is much sweeter.”
“Just don’t try eating one.” He warned.
He glanced at Dovepaw with a knowing expression, causing the apprentice to flush, ducking his helm behind his tail. This will do you some good. He mused, pivoting to gesture towards the crown nestled between paws. “These my dear, are flower crowns! A bit of beauty to brighten someone’s day. You’ll need skilled paws to make, but I’m certain with practice you’ll be a natural.”
He finished with quick paws, settling the small crown upon Coalkit’s helm, optics crinkling. “How about you keep that one?” He gestured, turning to help Dovepaw begin his own.
Sky-blue eyes warbled while watching Honeywish, a rare spell of silence falling over Shinepaw as he watched the warrior work, confused. Was was causing the conundrum inside his rather empty head were not the physical aspects of it - he could hardly keep up with the deft and dance-like movements of the other, but he was doing it - it was the social side of things.
Warriors were supposed to be big and tough, yet here one was toying with the very symbol of fragility. Honeywish looked more like a monk than any master of combat at the moment. Was this okay? Was this allowed? Shinepaw spent a sizable portion of every day stressing about how others saw him, yet here Honeywish was without a care in the world. The socially-conscious cat opened his mouth for a moment, wanting to voice his confusion, before snapping it shut. To ask would be to appear ignorant.
Instead, Shinepaw scooted forwards slightly, still scared that someone would appear from nowhere and tell him that he was doing something wrong. Yet as cautious claws began to clumsily follow along with Honeywish, a pricked pelt settled as no sirens wailed. Maybe this was another way the shaft of sunlight could show his worth? Maybe this would make people like him?
as the whelp worried over a bundle of weeds, it seemed Honeywish’s emphasis on relaxation was forgotten. “I keep messing up” the cat muttered after a few minutes, frustrated as another crown fell apart before him.
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