I AM WHO I AM ;; praying.

[Fireflyglow]

Fireflypaw found that the marshes were Mother's lands as well, with the way the plants twisted and turned all around him like a sanctuary for those cast away from the moon's light. It was dark here, though Fireflypaw didn't really care- it wasn't like he could see anyways. Maneuvering through the Carrionplace was easy, his paws easily carrying him around corners and avoiding the shrieking of rats when he could. He finds himself back to the Burnt Sycamore soon after, paws building a shrine of vines and mud that he sat in front of quietly.

"May Mother lead us through these hard times.." He leaned his head down, pressing his forehead to the ground momentarily before lifting it up. "Everything is going wrong, Miss. So, so wrong. Is this your Plan? Is this a test for the Clans?" He asks, lifting his head to the treetops above. Blind blue eyes water up as emotions overwhelm him. Say something, anything! Please! Give me a sign that everything will be okay! He begs Her with desperation in his eyes.

The sound of squelching catches his attention, and Fireflypaw snaps his head owlishly in the direction of the pawsteps. "Have you come to pray, too?" He asks, blinking.​

SKYCLAN MEDICINE CAT APPRENTICE ✦ 15 MOONS ✦ CHUNKY, BIG-FOOTED SEAL POINT ✦ TAGS​

 

[BLAZESTAR]

◇────────────【☆】★【☆】────────────◇​

XXXXXBlazestar does not find beauty in the marshes and finds he can hardly blame the marsh colonists of yesteryear for wanting to expand their territory. Mud squelches cold around his massive paws. His thick golden pelt is like a sunburst amidst gray, green, long and dreary shadows cast by willows hanging with moss. Everything is damp—not because of the river, but because of the swamp muck threatening to suck them all under. Still, he is grateful for what little hospitality ShadowClan had permitted them—Howlfire and Butterflytuft are safe in camp, as well as their sickest cats. He cannot fault Chilledstar for their caution, after all. Housing four Clans in a territory barely big enough for one hadn't been an easy decision to make, he's sure.

He finds his son, close to the earth, whispering prayers. The phrase Mother, one he still sometimes is subjected to from Dawnglare's lips, greets him. Blazestar pauses near Fireflypaw and then grazes his firstborn's jet-black ear with his muzzle. "I will pray with you, yes. To StarClan. May they guide us through these troubling times." Wearily, he settles his bulk beside the medicine cat apprentice, his blue gaze soft. "How are you holding up?"

─────────​

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[Sparkwing]

Sparkwing has no idea who Mother is, he sits amongst the clan cats believing that Fireflypaw is talking about his mother, Little Wolf. It makes the most sense to him. Things are horrible right now. He never imagined he would leave the oak forest... Never thought he'd set foot so deep into Shadowclan territory. He's not sure he likes it. He can appreciate nature and its many different biomes, but this one is not his favorite. The marsh is....So wet and soggy and slimy.....

He prays inwardly that they can return home soon.

Looking to Blazestar and Fireflypaw as they pray, he decides to open up a little and offer prayers as well.

"Perhaps this is just a test from Starclan, to get us to work together and stop fighting." He says. "I pray that we can come together, united, and overcome this obstacle." He continues. "This forest is ours, and only together will we be able to get it back."

He believes this with every fiber of his being. Only by working together will they get their homes back. If they succumb to their hatreds and bitterness towards each other now, they will destroy themselves for sure. He doesn't like most of the other clans, but he'll swallow his pride if he has to.​

 

[ROEFLAME .]

ROEFLAME — break the air to feel the fall.
As the dust began to settle and the chased clan cats found their comfort within their own, Roeflame found herself wandering, exploring what little section she could have half her families history, both blood and adoptive. When she spots Sparkwings fire-kissed pelt, Roeflame makes her way over, Blazestar and Fireflypaw coming into view only a couple of pawsteps too late, and the tabby Thunderclanner almost pauses. She barely knew either, Fireflypaw only a distant memory from her young apprenticehood, while Blazestar she had never spoken to. It is the weird and sudden sensation of something akin to loyalty that hits the molly, a loyalty to Burnstorm and Moonwhisper. Burnstorm had never directly expressed his discomfort surrounding his Skyclan kin, but it had become painfully obvious over the time she had gotten to know the Raven-furred tom, gotten closer to him.
Feeling to awkward to suddenly duck out without a word, she turns to Sparkwing instead. "They can't take us all on, not together." The metallic warrior hums in agreement, knowing her dreams tonight would be made of sinking her claws into ragged pelts, the ragged pelt of Dewfrosts murderer- Flycatcher would have no reason to stop her then.
"speech"

tags​

 

[Fireflyglow]

His body sways with the wind as it gently graces his cheeks, the touch to his ear a momentary anchor to reality. He was so tired, so exhausted- the bags under his eyes could have bags at this point. He really wishes he could just sleep for one moment, but the fear of another falling sick.. Fireflypaw couldn't take that. His body aches as he lowers his head back down to the ground, forehead pressing into mud momentarily before he lifts his head up once more.

"StarClan has not forsaken you, pa." He begins, a look of determination in his eyes as he turns milky blues towards his father's own. "Nor have they abandoned us. This is a test, to see how we work together as one. It must be." He finds himself agreeing with the two cats that join them, scooting over a bit to allow them some space to pray with the medicine cat and leader. "What are your names?" He asks, tentatively- he'd met one of them before, back when she was Roepaw. But she was a friend of his brother's, he thought. Perhaps it was never good to push boundaries when his brother had such a big disliking for him now.

He misses his family, he thinks.​

SKYCLAN MEDICINE CAT APPRENTICE ✦ 15 MOONS ✦ CHUNKY, BIG-FOOTED SEAL POINT ✦ TAGS​

 

[BEEFANG]

₊· ͟͟͞͞➳˚❥ Beepaw feels a little awkward being the only Riverclanner present but it subsides seeing as Blazestar and Fireflypaw are present, the golden tom having been kind enough to let Riverclan stay even if the rogues had gotten greedier and had followed them before chasing both Riverclan and Skyclan from their homes. It seems that they're all praying to Starclan or rather "Mother" as the medicine cat apprentice refers them to. If they were even the same thing to begin with, she does not know. Her eyes look up to the Burnt Sycamore and a frown is present on her maw with her ears laying flat on her head "Please bring back Cicadastar safely to Riverclan... To Smokethroat. To my littermates... To me," She dips her head as she utters this under her breath and closes both of her eyes trying to swallow the sorrow that was beginning to build inside of her. A part of her holds onto hope that he's still alive, he can't be gone.

As the other clan cats start speaking about how they must work together to overcome the rogues is when her snout scrunches up in the slightest, she could imagine everyone helping except Windclan as they meant nothing except trouble for all of the other clans. "Do you really think all of the clans will work together?" She asks after wrapping her tail around her paws only having doubts for those who lived in the moorlands, a single ear flicking as Fireflypaw starts asking for names. She didn't really get to introduce herself completely over in Skyclan is what she realizes but admittedly, she and her littermates had kept to themselves during their short stay. "I'm Beepaw," She begins with a slow nod of her head.

𓆟. ° .• . WHEN DOES A RIPPLE BECOME A TIDAL WAVE?

• 
  ❥ 4 moons old
  ❥ riverclan apprentice
  ❥ sexuality unknown; single
  ❥ daughter of cicadastar and smokethroat
  ❥ sister of cicadapaw & starlightpaw
  ❥ "speech", thoughts, attacking
  ❥ easy; still learning how to fight
  ❥ peaceful powerplay allowed

​

​

 

[SILVERSMOKE]

Pain accompanied each of the Lead Warrior's steps, his unholy companion a reminder that he was still alive, that SkyClan was still alive so long as he and the rest still breathed. Delirium had passed for the most part, replaced with a frigid anger that burned coldly in his mismatched eyes. He felt misled by RiverClan, he felt betrayed by the Daylight Warriors, and the wind's howl was StarClan's silence in it all. He listened to his leader and medicine cat apprentice intently, ears falling to the sides of his skull. They held onto hope that the stars would be the ones to guide them, not knowing how much power each of them held in their own paws. More clans joined in the conversation and the spotted tabby moved back, paws tucked close to each other, limbs tensing like a cornered hound ready to lash out. "It won't last," he huffed in reply to Beepaw, in reference to the clans potentially working together. It would be an alliance of convenience if nothing else. None had raised their paws to help SkyClan in their time of need, not allies, not enemies, it had been SkyClan that had dragged themselves out their own mess. The standard of apathy had been set and the Lead Warrior would commit to it until he died. "It is the pragmatic thing to do, afterward, we will turn on each other again," he spoke as if it were inevitable, his gaze subconsciously falling on Roeflame.

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[ROEFLAME .]

ROEFLAME — break the air to feel the fall.
Roeflame would be lying to herself if she didn't admit that Fireflypaw was wise, comforting his father and speaking words of inspiration in just about the same breath.
When his attention turns to both Roeflame and Sparkwing, the cinnamon warrior is glad Beepaw and Silversmoke arrive and speak first- well, almost. When Silversmokes eyes settle on Roeflame, ominously admitting something they all knew was true, there is a sense of unease that settles in the pit of her stomach.
Oh, how she wished to be back home.
Giving the lead warrior a hard stare back, a silent "stare at literally anywhere else, buddy." Her pastel optics eventually find their way back to the pointed tom. "Roeflame" the Thunderclanner hummed in response, not returning the question, she already knew his name remained the same. Medicine cats took far longer to fully train.
"Any unity, no matter how temporary, is good enough for me. As long as it can get us home."

"speech"

tags​

 

[BLAZESTAR]

◇────────────【☆】★【☆】────────────◇​

XXXXXTwo ThunderClan warriors join Blazestar and Fireflypaw, one offering his voice in prayer and comfort. The she-cat has a fiercer look to her—she only says, "They can't take us all on, not together." The Ragdoll regards her for a moment, blue gaze narrowing in thought. "Perhaps," is all he says, wondering if the conversation will cease there while Fireflypaw dutifully asks for their names. "StarClan has not forsaken us," the seal point promises, and Blazestar, despite their hardships, is still inclined to believe his son.

XXXXXA small young she-cat with crimped, blown-out black fur and mismatched eyes approaches. Her frown is stark with grief, and as she prays—for Cicadastar's safety—Blazestar can see the glaze of tears in her golden and blue eyes, the tremble of her lower lip resuming to its stoic position. His heart aches for her—one of Smokethroat's kits, forced to watch her father die. The SkyClan leader offers his head in prayer, then his voice: "I pray for Cicadastar's safety, too. Let him return to RiverClan." For young Beepaw's sake, for Smokethroat's sake, for their Clan's sake.

XXXXX"Do you really think all the Clans will work together?" She asks in the earnest voice of youth. Silversmoke settles nearby, a cool distance kept despite all that troubles them, and tells her even if the five Clans do unite, they will become enemies again. Blazestar looks to his lead warrior, sees the wariness in his face, and offers a small smile. "Perhaps it's not meant to last." He flicks his tail in agreement with the ThunderClan she-cat who calls herself Roeflame.

─────────​

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[BEEFANG]

₊· ͟͟͞͞➳˚❥ She curls her curly tail around her paws and winces for a second when it brushes against her wound, her eyes heavy with exhaustion and wishing that she could lay down to rest but she does not feel comfortable here within the marshes. This isn't her home nor are her littermates nearby so when a larger tabby makes his way over speaking about how the clans would resume as enemies, well, it doesn't necessarily surprise her. She's certain that Windclan is too prideful to ever consider staying chummy with any of the other clans and the other groups would much rather shovel a mouthful of worms in their maw than ever consider Windclan as a worthy ally to keep.

She agrees with what Roeflame says next with a slow nod and pipes up "Same. I appreciate the hospitality that Shadowclan has given us but-" A snowy paw lifts to flick some mud off of her paw and shakes her head in brief disgust "I prefer Riverclan over the marshes any day." A sheepish grin pulling at the sides of her mouth for a heartbeat or two only to turn to look at Blazestar hearing his prayer after her own and it makes her heart throb for a moment before nodding to him. It makes her think, she pulls her eyes from him and looks down to her paws. Blazestar is a father too.

The molly's gaze lifts once more and can't help her gaze from wandering to Fireflypaw only to turn away again. How many times had he seen Blazestar die? Had it been just as gruesome? Her small body trembles at the memory once more... At Cicadastar being ripped into by several heartless rogues. Please Starclan... Let him be alive. She thinks quietly to herself and closes her eyes not uttering another word unless she's spoken to.

𓆟. ° .• . WHEN DOES A RIPPLE BECOME A TIDAL WAVE?

• 
  ❥ 4 moons old
  ❥ riverclan apprentice
  ❥ sexuality unknown; single
  ❥ daughter of cicadastar and smokethroat
  ❥ sister of cicadapaw & starlightpaw
  ❥ "speech", thoughts, attacking
  ❥ easy; still learning how to fight
  ❥ peaceful powerplay allowed

​

​

 

[Honeydapple]

Honeydapple took her place, not too far from Silversmoke, and carefully chose a less swamped patch of moss to sit on. As she listened to the words of the growing bunch, her throat tightened with forced silence.

Belief in spirits and starry ancestors was something she hadn't grown into, at least not in the same way as the others in her clan. Superstition had played a major role in her silent admiration for the concept of starclan, but it was a belief system she could connect with in her own way.

Raised by parents who taught her that family leaves an imprint on cats in your current life, guiding others until it was a cat's own turn to pass it on. Honeydapple held onto the idea that family and connections remained across lifetimes. Omens, praise, and roles in StarClan were different, but still familiar.

There was a part of her that hoped she could truly join a clan of stars, to remain close to those she spent her life with. Having the opportunity to be reunited with the ones she loved, perhaps even seeing her lost little ones again. Said thought was comforting, like a field of soft grass, gentle enough to cradle her in security, much like the way Grizzlyjaw wrapped his bushy tail around Honeydapple with confidence and adoration.

Bowing her head similarly to Firefly's earlier action, she in turn emphasized the tuft of stark cream on her nape, leaning into her own silent prayer. Unable to muster the overwhelming feelings out loud. I know we don't talk a lot, but... a part of me hopes I can still get through. Addressing the mollies silent prayer to the universe. Let my little stars know I miss them and grant me the strength to keep going. It's hard here, and I thank the heavens above that none of them ever had to go through such pain.

Her eyes squeezed shut, and Honeydapple exhaled slowly, squared body relaxing into a saddened slump. It's silly to talk in my own head, but a part of me has to believe something or some cat can hear us. We're trying so hard to survive, but it still feels inadequate. Please, grant every clan the strength to get through these dark times.

- - - -

With her internal cry to the stars concluded, Honeydapple blinked blue eyes open, gaze cast upwards, looking at the sky. Her prayer had brought a small spark of hope, easing the earlier bundle of nerves that had gripped the pointed she-cat.

Taking a moment to reorient herself to the scene around, her ears caught the tail end of the conversation nearby. A sudden push of courage urged her to speak. There wasn't any malice or hurt shown in her cooled volume. "It may not last later on, but we will die without one another now." Honeydapple directed the soft murmuring towards the clouds.

It was rare that she allowed her more morose ideas to slip out but she couldn't help it. She meant each word, an affirmation of her determination to believe in herself and in these cats, despite her doubts about the outside clans and her fears of the rogue's prowling every border.​