private I LOOK AT THE FLOOR AND I SEE IT NEEDS SWEEPING — starlingheart

[MARBLEPAW]

Twilight has brought a merciful cool curtain to ShadowClan. Marblekit pads slowly away from the nursery, feeling the warmth embedded in the squishy floor of their camp as though some fire burns low in its belly. Crickets begin to cry, while cicadas rattle through the pines in the distance. Somewhere, a crow shrieks; in response, an owl hoots its disapproval. Camp is winding down, and Marblekit just barely catches a white-splashed shadow moving toward the medicine cat's den.

Starlingheart. Marblekit is watchful. Starlingheart has had little time to converse with her or the other kits today. Orchidbloom had returned to camp with her face battered, her eye replaced by a bleeding void. "WindClan," the cats were saying, and Marblekit had first realized how dangerous the life of a ShadowClan warrior could be, that you could leave camp looking one way and return looking very different.

She supposes it can happen to anyone, warrior or not. Starlingheart's eye was taken, too, after all—by her mate, by Marblekit's uncle Granitepelt. Chilledstar had lost their eye saving Gigglekit from a winged predator. Marblekit cannot escape injury by making choices; injuries are part of Clan life, of living feral, away from a Twoleg's nest with the comforts and safeguards kittypets live with.

That is not why she enters the cave. She is silvered by the moonlight, pale and washed-out. "Starlingheart?" She can hear the exhales of Starlingheart's sleeping patient, the rustle of her aunt's paws against her herbs. She hesitates, but then walks further into the den, her eyes blinking against the sudden darkness.

I know what I want to do.

Her mother had left ShadowClan with a mouthful of blood. Her uncle Granitepelt had sullied his claws with his leaders' lives. But she has the chance to undo all of that misery, doesn't she? She has the chance to heal where Siltcloud had hurt, and she feels in her bones that she's making the right choice when she sits before her aunt and bows her head.

"I want to be your apprentice." She's quiet, then adds, "I want to be a medicine cat, like you. I want to help ShadowClan the best way I can..." She trails off, remembering the bite in Betonyfrost's voice, the regret in Lilacfur's, the solemnity of Chilledstar presenting her with the stone she keeps in her nest.

This is what I can do.

『 out of character. 』 ✧･ﾟ:* 『 about. 』

• ooc: —
• 
• Marblekit, she/they w/ feminine and non-gendered terms.
  — “speech”, thoughts, attack
  — 5 moons old, ages realistically on the 1st.
  — mentored by n/a ; mentoring n/a ; previously mentored n/a
  — shadowclan kit, formerly a rogue. siltcloud x lilacfur, gen 3.
  — currently mated to n/a.
  — penned by Marquette.
  
  
  sh fawn tabby with dull green eyes. courageous, curious, introspective, observant, judgmental, snarky.
  
  

​

 

[Starlingheart]

Living in the medicine cat’s den by herself wasn’t as bad as she first feared it might be. Sure, there were some nights where it was empty and it was just her and the shadows that danced in the corners moonlight would not touch and in those nights sure, it could be lonely, but as time went on it grew less and less uncomfortable. Even so, she finds she sleeps so much better when she can hear the gentle rise and fall of another’s breath, her patients gentle snores lulling her into a deep, peaceful, sleep.

Today has been busy. A yawn splits her maw as she takes her place in front of her herb wall to take stock and figure out what she needed to go and forage more of the next morning. Twilight, in her opinion, is what her clan had been named after. In the soft evening light and after the sun sets behind the horizon is when her clans territory surely comes to life. There is a gentleness to the shadows that she swears cannot be found anywhere else, of the cicadas humming, the frogs singing and the crickets chirping all accompanied by the gentle glow of fireflies. It is easy to see what made her ancestors fall in love with their home because despite its imperfections, the territory could be beautiful. So pacified by this symphony, she almost misses the quiet voice at the mouth of her den calling her name. "Hey Marblekit" she says, her voice gentle but betraying the tiredness that weighs heavy in her very soul. She regrets she had not had as much time to spend with the kits today, but surely they understood and surely they would forgive her, right? All the same, she is not exactly surprised to find one of them venturing into her den looking for her and she can’t lie and say she isn’t glad for the company. "Wh-what can I do— what can I do for you?" she asks, glancing at the mouse-furred kitten sitting next to her out of the corner of a single green eye.

She expects a dinner request, expects a prompt to come play, anything except what actually leaves her young nieces mouth. Her whiskers twitching betrays her shock, but she merely pauses for a long second, thinking it over. I do need to train another apprentice eventually.. she thinks and then her single gaze is raking over the kit in front of her, taking her in, considering. "It would a… challenge" she admits, her expression growing solemn, her voice taking on a more serious intonation. "You would have to learn a lot and work very hard. And you could never have kits" she explains, forest green eye glowing in the pale light "Are you- are you absolutely certain this is something you would want? "

""

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

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

  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
  

​

 

[MARBLEPAW]

At first, Starlingheart regards her from her profile, but at Marblekit's request, the medicine cat twists her body, single green eye scrutinizing, studying. There is silence between them. The she-kit's heart begins to trip as her aunt speaks again. "It would be a challenge," she says. Marblekit nods their head, ears flicking obediently. "I know." As ever, the idea of the challenge that lays before her does not waver. "I see you work very hard, and I..."

Marblekit swallows. "I want to help you and Chilledstar. I want to help ShadowClan." Help—it is so nebulous, so vague, but she grasps at it like a kitten chasing after a butterfly.

"I promise I'll work hard," she continues, pressing. "I'll do anything you say, I promise."

『 out of character. 』 ✧･ﾟ:* 『 about. 』

• ooc: —
• 
• Marblekit, she/they w/ feminine and non-gendered terms.
  — “speech”, thoughts, attack
  — 5 moons old, ages realistically on the 1st.
  — mentored by n/a ; mentoring n/a ; previously mentored n/a
  — shadowclan kit, formerly a rogue. siltcloud x lilacfur, gen 3.
  — currently mated to n/a.
  — penned by Marquette.
  
  
  sh fawn tabby with dull green eyes. courageous, curious, introspective, observant, judgmental, snarky.
  
  

​

 

[Starlingheart]

It is hard to look at her niece and see a cat who was nearly not a kitten anymore. Hadn’t she been so close to her age when she herself had agreed to the same thing? Even though it had come with its own set of trials, she would not trade it for anything. She searches the kits face for another moment and in those leaf green eyes she sees the same fire and determination there that she had seen before in eyes as cerulean as the pools that dotted their marshland home.

It is for this reason that she finds herself nodding, her mouth opening to say "Okay" softly, her mind racing with images of training under her own aunt "I’ll talk to- talk to Chilledstar then" she would not fail her, not in the same way Boneripple had failed her when she had been younger. Her lips quirk upwards in a smile once more, but the faraway sad look does not leave her eyes "In the meantime go- go be a kit while you can" she says, gesturing with her paw to the clearing moonlight was starting to bathe where the kits were settling down with their littermates and mothers to share fresh-kill for the night.

She refuses to rob the girls childhood from her.

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

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

  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
  

​

 

[MARBLEPAW]

Starlingheart searches for something in her face, single leaf-colored eye boring into Marblekit's sundried-moss. She holds her aunt's gaze, fearful that if she looks away, Starlingheart will find her unsuitable. But after a heartbeat or two, her kin begins to nod. "Okay." Marblekit's ears flick, surprise expanding her expression. "I'll talk to Chilledstar then." Marblekit is quick to dip her head to her would-be mentor. "Thank you. I won't let you down!"

Her heart hammers in her chest—what to do first? Would Starlingheart start training her right now? But to her slight disappointment (and relief), the black-and-white she-cat lifts her paw and gestures to the camp's clearing outside. "In the meantime, go be a kit while you can," she says, voice both gentle and firm. Marblekit hesitates, then nods. "Okay, Starlingheart. But if you want help with anything, I can stay," she mews, determination unfurling flag-like in her voice. I'm going to learn everything you know. I'm going to walk with StarClan.

『 out of character. 』 ✧･ﾟ:* 『 about. 』

• ooc: —
• 
• Marblekit, she/they w/ feminine and non-gendered terms.
  — “speech”, thoughts, attack
  — 5 moons old, ages realistically on the 1st.
  — mentored by n/a ; mentoring n/a ; previously mentored n/a
  — shadowclan kit, formerly a rogue. siltcloud x lilacfur, gen 3.
  — currently mated to n/a.
  — penned by Marquette.
  
  
  sh fawn tabby with dull green eyes. courageous, curious, introspective, observant, judgmental, snarky.
  
  

​