i watch the moon | slateheart [𓆟]

[Gladefrost]

It had been a couple days since her and Slateheart had been forcibly kidnapped by twolegs, and she's noticed other captives arriving in the distance. She sat on the table and stared out camper's window, a soft blink following and she sighs. “Do you think we'll escape soon?” She murmurs softly neither directly nor indirectly towards the dark furred tom, an lonely gaze flicking across the dark sky. The moon was out, but it was painful to look at it from the angle she was from and she glances at Slateheart and stares at him with chambray eyes. The realistic moon may be hard to see, but she also had a moon beside her.

A bright flicker in her peripheral catches her attention, watching as twolegs in the distance gather around a bundle of wood and her eyebrows furrow. What were they doing? One of them have something in their hand, a stray piece of paper and a spark comes from the other. Mere seconds later, the paper catches on fire and they toss it in the center area of the bundle of wood they gathered around. Did they just make fire? Dark chocolate ears pin back slightly as she glances at Slateheart nervously, her plumed tail wrapping around her paws. “A f-fire? Slate? Did you see that?” The spotted warrior would stutter as she hopes that he saw it also, and she feels her stomach turn at the thought of a fire rampaging across Riverclan similar to Windclan over a moon ago.

Trout presses her forehead against the glass for a moment, heavy heart missing her family and Robinheart. How were her kits doing? The last time she noticed, they had just begun to open their eyes. They had eyes bleary just as deep as the ocean blue that would eventually grow to different shades differently or similarly to Brookstorm and Robinheart. She could be alone, but she had the moor runner with her by her side. Their friendship had grown in the days they've been trapped in this monster, and she'd grown quite used to having him as an companion. Afterall, that would be the worst part of this all was that once they eventually escaped: he would return to the moors. Her heart tanged for a moment and she can only think of the consequences that he would face once he returns home, as it most likely seemed he disappeared without notice or anything.

“If we escape... I can walk you back to the moors and tell them you were kidnapped by twolegs.” Troutsnout murmurs softly to the Windclanner, her ears twitching as it would probably help his punishment. He didn't do anything wrong. He didn't cross the border, he didn't betray his clan, he just had a conversation on Windclan's side of the bridge and he was punished for it. How stupid was she? Why didn't she listen to Robinheart's warning? But... Slateheart wasn't like the other Windclanners that tormented their home, stole kits and killed Smokestar before. The tom-cat was passionate, hard working and cared for his clan just like her and learned through the difficulties of life that Starclan laid before him. Her claws dig into the table for a moment and she feels a heavy guilt in her heart, after all it was her fault.

It was selfish of her to want to be close with the tom-cat, and it could end horrible for both of them. Was it so horrible to want to spend more time with him? Was this Starclan's secret blessing of them spending more time before the inevitable demise of them? “Ah... Forgive me, Slateheart. I got you into this mess.” Trout murmurs sadly, her head bowed down slightly in sadness and sorry for the tom-cat. If she didn't invite him to the bridge to spend time with him, he would be running the moors like he loved. Her love for the moon extended to her friend, and she wished to spend her own time with her personal moon. He was a forbidden aspect in her life. A star too far to touch, the moon in the sky that disappeared during the day and a thought that lingered on her mind during the night.

@slateheart ​

 

[slateheart]

cw - refusal to eat, mentions of burning & death


Days had passed since Slateheart last saw the moors. The cold and artificial scent of the Twolegs' small den had stung his nostrils day after day; the ground beneath was hard and unnaturally smooth, making his paws ache with each gradual step. At dusk, the Twolegs grew loud, cackling between warped words that he couldn't begin to understand. It was so... overstimulating.

In those couple days, Slateheart had become a shell of himself. Hissing towards any stranger - Twoleg and kittypet alike - he had frequently withdrawn to the hidden corners of the den, under tables and behind open doors. It was only when Troutsnout returned to his side that he felt even a morsel of safety in this strange place. The food presented to him, kittypet slop, was formed in hard pellets that only reminded him of rabbit droppings. In two days, he had not eaten. Once, even, the Twolegs had approached and attempted to wrap a thin snake-like object around his neck - not even the stars would recognize him for the fury he had retaliated with that day, hissing and spitting and lashing out as if possessed by a wild beast.

The Twolegs were outside today, but Slateheart paid them no mind. It seemed that each time they returned to the camp, a new RiverClanner was held in their arms. Once, he even swore he saw a kitten. But unlike Troutsnout, who watched intently, Slateheart felt himself shrinking even further into his fear.

The molly's voice shakes him out of his sorrowful trance. She mentions fire, and in that moment Slateheart's fur rises along his spine. Slinking out from underneath the table, he jumps up and joins her, staring through the pane of glass with round eyes and thin irises. Just as Troutsnout had mentioned, across the invisible wall started an ember.. rising into a flicker, until it rose several tail-lengths tall. Around it, the Twolegs chattered casually amongst themselves, oblivious to the danger that they had fed.

"No.." Slateheart whispers. In his mind's eye, he sees the moorland of newleaf, decorated with wildflowers and flourished with felines that danced among them. A time of renewal, of rebirth - WindClan had picked a gorgeous time to celebrate their new beginnings. Then, seconds later, he sees red - he can feel the lick of flames at his paws and nose. He can see his mother in the burning barn, Dimmingsun's lifeless body after he failed to rescue the foolish tom who ran in to save his mother. He can see Sunstar's golden figure limp from the dog that ravaged him - the nursery in ashes, along with his littermate who had went to save Periwinklebreeze's kits. They had been damned by these creatures, every last one of them.. perished, as they were meant to. "The Twolegs.. they're after RiverClan next.. they.. they will not stop until they've burnt us all," the warrior choked out in between heavy breaths of air.

Slateheart feels the touch of a soft tail against his. Beneath the ringing in his ears and the crackling of fire, he hears a serene voice made of silk. For a while, his eyes do not tear away from the fire - but when he dares to look elsewhere, to let down his guard, he meets chambray eyes full of concern and empathy. He remembers.. that WindClan did not fall. Slateheart remembers meeting Troutsnout in RiverClan's territory, recovering from his wounds with Dimmingsun alongside him. Sunstar, who came to bring them home despite his injury. Gravelsnap, who confided in him days after about their love for another. The comfort of his companion brings him home to the present - it reminds him that despite their trials, they have not yet fallen.. and he will not see himself fall now.

She's speaking again, and it takes him a great mental effort to listen. Troutsnout offers to walk Slateheart home. He hesitates for a moment, considering his options.. but eventually shakes his head. His voice comes out strained and raspy - when had he last spoke in words other than passing comments to Troutsnout, and her alone? "No.. WindClan will not do well to see me return with a RiverClanner. This is something I must do alone." Sunstar, in Slateheart's eyes, had always been noble, kind and empathetic. Surely he would understand, and welcome Slateheart home with open paws. He would return home and announce the truth of his absence - to save his friend, he was captured by Twolegs, and that is why he had gone missing. It was simple and straightforward - there was no reason for his loyalties to be questioned. Right..?

Slateheart would follow Troutsnout's eyes, to see what she saw as her head pressed against the window, but he cannot bring himself to see the creation of the foul two-legged beings. He would relive his fears in those smoldering flames - from this, he would never recover. Instead. forest-green eyes trail down to Troutsnout's paws, and then to his. An apology comes from his friend, and again he shakes his head; this time, without hesitation. "No, Troutsnout," Slateheart's voice is firm now. "I.. I knew the risks. I got myself into this mess." In hindsight, he knows the consequences of his actions; but he realizes now that, in the moment, they were not in his mind. When he leaped for Troutsnout and the Twoleg that held her, he thought only of her safety - he thought if he didn't intervene, he may never see her again.

Perhaps he would never see WindClan again. The thought of both outcomes makes his heart twist. It was strange, how quickly Slateheart made that decision that could very well be permanent - to be with Troutsnout in captivity, or back home in WindClan and never hear her voice again. "At least.." he hesitates, again. The words sit on the tip of his tongue, but he cannot get himself to speak them. At least we're together. Is this a choice he can live with?
​

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

• 

  slate slatepaw slatetooth SLATEHEART
  ━━ MOOR-RUNNER WARRIOR of WINDCLAN
  ━━ 23 MOONS,, ages every 6th
  ━━ LYNXTOOTH xx ADELAIDE xx SILVERFOOT
  ━━ SIBLING to GRAVELSNAP and ASHPAW
  ━━ MATE to none | PARENT to none
  ━━ MENTOR to BEEPAW | MENTORED by LYNXTOOTH​
  ━━ HEALTH ♥︎♥︎♥︎♥︎♡ | generally healthy, but experiencing shortness of breath.
  
• 
  
  
• speech is #bbbb88​

 

[Gladefrost]

Often when the twolegs tried to mess with them, Troutsnout would show true feral feline behavior: lashing out at them, loud growls and hissing. Anything she could do to prevent them from bothering Slateheart or her more, he was taking it worst than her. Riverclan was decently far away from Windclan but now he was in the furthest bounds of their territory, stripped from his homelands and they tormented him. He was practically starving himself and when they tried to put on the collar that she saw the daylight warriors (kittypets) wear on Skyclan, he had the ferocity of a lion himself at that moment.

Her chambray gaze watched as she watched her peers, friends and the young from her clan be brought to these massive monsters every day. Hazecloud, Turtlepaw, Eveningkit were just a few that she saw. Trout tried to be brave for Slateheart and herself, but the inevitable feeling of dread and doom clouded her mind. She would comfort the black tom-cat whenever and tried to seem as if everything would be okay, but she was terrified. What if they would never return home? Would she ever see Magpie, Freckle or Kestrel again? What if Slateheart was tormented by the twolegs and something worst happened to him?

His reaction to the fire had her blood run cold, and she could only attempt to comfort him. A touch of her plumed tail and her voice seems to soothe him, and she allows her tail to rest on his and put a paw on top of his. “I'll keep you safe, Slateheart.” The spotted warrior would meow while his forest gaze meets her own chambray that swirled with concern, empathy but also determination. The savagery of the twolegs would never fully extinguish the fiery spirits of the clans, and they would support each other just like Riverclan did Windclan. She would do her best to protect Slateheart from those haunting memories, torment and these twolegs.

Slateheart's voice was raspy and she hadn't properly heard him talk besides subtle comments, he was a shell of his former self. Their first interaction in the Beech Copse, sitting on the bridge under the midnight sky and talking away the night, and other subtle interactions. He was nothing like them and her heart shatters thinking of how the brave and hardworking tom-cat before her, was now an mouse being hunted by prey. “Slateheart...” She murmurs for a moment as her chambray gaze drips empathy, concern and affection for her friend. He declines her offer to walk him to Windclan and she can understand in retrospect, but she didn't want more consequences to happen.

Actually... Windclan hated Riverclan. What was she thinking? Of course the consequences would be worst if she came with him. It would prove him disloyal to consider saving an enemy, and what about the punishment he would receive? Her throat feels tense almost as she swallowed a rock, and her gaze falls sadly thinking of her statement. It was her fault he wasn't lively anymore and terrified, starving and in horrible condition. Her ears flatten against her crown as she attempts to gently rest her forehead against Slateheart's shoulder, eyes closing for a moment. “Thank you, Slateheart...”

Troutsnout would whisper softly as she takes a deep breath as she feels relieved as he reassures her and it wasn't her fault. But it was... She sourly wants to say until he states he knew what he knew the risks of attempting to save her, and it causes her to bite her lip. “I'm glad you're here with me...” The chocolate toned female would murmur as she glances off out the window, an gentle sight parting her lips. If only these twolegs made a single mistake... Forget to close the cage door or the area they kept them locked in, open the door too wide or something. Anything. Her sleep schedule had practically reverted back to before she first met Slateheart, and she barely slept and the once obvious eye bags were an similar replica when they first met.

A wide yawn parts her jaws as she leaps from the table and scuttles off to a corner where the twolegs couldn't grab her if she fell asleep, slowly settling on her side as she uses a paw to call Slateheart over. “Will you sleep with me?” Often back at home, on restless nights- she would head to the apprentice den and cuddle her siblings, or Frecklepaw would often find herself in the warrior den seeking comfort from Troutsnout. It takes her a moment to realize what she asked of the tom-cat and her ears feel hot, laying her chin on her tail in embarrassment, “I mean-” Trout sputters over her word as she tries to think of what to say, exhaustion pricking at her eyes. “Forget what I said...”

Are you a fishbrain? The spotted tabby asks herself as she tucks her paws under her chest, a long plumed tail curling up to her chest as she slightly hugs her tail. A part of her is thanking that she had a fake replica of her memory of Riverclan, and it brought her comfort in a manner. Her eyes feel heavy but her body is tense and alert for any sense of danger that could happen, ready to spring to action in case the twolegs walked in at any moment and tried to hurt her or the moor resident. How many days had it been that they spent in these cramped cages of the twolegs? The days felt endless and she couldn't remember newleaf being anything similar to this. This was an replica of the Dark Forest, it had to be.

Did Riverclan do something to upset Starclan, and how could they fix this? Could she appease their anger and fix everything? The thoughts were demoralizing and draining, she just wanted to be strong for the two of them but it felt hopeless. Everything felt hopeless when it came to twolegs when they had no respect or care for anything but their own goals. They were similar to Sootstar and the former rogues that harmed Riverclan and others with a care for consequences and more.
​

 

[slateheart]

Troutsnout's words of comfort have been getting him through the past few days, admittedly. Even in the sight of fire, he finds himself believing the words she says; she'll keep him safe, and they're okay.

But the uncertainty and fear plagues his mind nonetheless. The Twolegs are a threat, no doubt, but there's the pressing matter of WindClan as well. Slateheart wonders; how long until they noticed he was gone? Did they track him to RiverClan's border? What did they think happened to him? He had hoped that he's proven himself loyal to WindClan, that nobody would question it.. that running away was not a consideration. Maybe they thought he died - what would Gravelsnap and Blizzardpaw think? What about Dimmingsun and Snowglare, his friends? StarClan, please don't let them mourn.. I will return..

Troutsnout thanks him, and he lowers his head in response. He can sense the guilt in her; from her posture, her mournful gaze and her whispering voice. He saw it in the sleepless nights and their hunger. "Please, do not blame yourself," Slateheart reaffirms. If she had any fault in this, it was not her own; there was much at risk when he chose to visit her, each time he did. And, of course, the overarching blame belongs to the Twolegs, who only know to take. "I'm glad you're here with me, too. I don't know.. how long I would last here on my own." He can't bare the thought of watching Troutsnout be taken away on her own, either. Returning back to WindClan after watching his friend get kidnapped.. the thought tugged sorrowfully at his heart.

Troutsnout leaps off the table with a yawn and it's contagious. Slateheart isn't sure when he last slept, similarly to when he last ate. It was hard to let his guard down with so many uncertain dangers around them. It was hard not to play the guardian when Troutsnout was ready to rest. He stays on that table for a moment, watching the Twolegs dance around their fire like wild things, until Troutsnout's voice rings again, requesting his presence.

He opens his mouth to respond but is interrupted - Forget what I said. Slateheart's gaze trails down to the corner that she rests in, hugging her tail as if to make herself smaller, less visible. Wordlessly, the black-furred tom jumps down from the table with a light thump and joins her. Light-stepping paws place themselves in the small space behind her and he settles down, lifting one arm to rest over her side while the rest of him conforms to the corner. If any other cat saw him like this, so vulnerable and careful, he'd melt into the cracks of the earth in his own embarrassment. But, here.. they are scared and alone, with only each other for comfort and company. He can't find any shame in this now.

As he settles in, Slateheart finally recognizes how heavy his eyelids feel. To fill the silence, he speaks, though his voice grows groggy with sleep. "WindClan does not sleep in dens like the others," he mumbles, adjusting his chin to rest on Troutsnout's side. "Besides the vulnerable and sick, our warriors and apprentices sleep beneath the stars.. our rightful place under StarClan. In colder weather, some of us retire to old burrows - but others sleep like this." He closes his eyes tight, picturing his own nest out in the open, as it always been - he was close to StarClan in this way, always under their eye. He wonders if StarClan is watching him now, separated from their warriors by these artificial den walls.

Wrought from an old memory, Slateheart then lets out a dry chuckle. "But I was a.. 'stubborn' apprentice, you could say. I've never shared my space with another. Not even in the most bitter of leafbares." He was a different cat then, in his apprentice days; carefully isolated by his father, he didn't trust any others his age, not even his own littermate. Vulnerability was not something he'd learn to show until his recent warrior moons, when Sunstar became leader.. even then, it was shown sparingly, and most still knew him as the awkward, lonely apprentice he was before. At least now, he didn't have his old prickly temper..
​

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

• 

  slate slatepaw slatetooth SLATEHEART
  ━━ MOOR-RUNNER WARRIOR of WINDCLAN
  ━━ 23 MOONS,, ages every 6th
  ━━ LYNXTOOTH xx ADELAIDE xx SILVERFOOT
  ━━ SIBLING to GRAVELSNAP and ASHPAW
  ━━ MATE to none | PARENT to none
  ━━ MENTOR to BEEPAW | MENTORED by LYNXTOOTH​
  ━━ HEALTH ♥︎♥︎♥︎♥︎♡ | generally healthy, but experiencing shortness of breath.
  
• 
  
  
• speech is #bbbb88​

 

[Gladefrost]

There is a lot of questions running through their mind and it all resorts back to their home. What would certain peers think? Why would he/she be with an Riverclanner/Windclanner? Was there anything disloyal or inappropriate happening between the two of them? Why would a Windclanner save a Riverclanner with their given history? They were countless, endless and were 'what, why, what if' and more. It was exhausting in a manner and just hoped that maybe they just believed Slateheart was on his side of the border when the twolegs saw him after they grabbed her, and he was just an innocent bystander.

He was loyal. She was loyal.

They did nothing wrong.

He comforts her with words and also feels the same as her, he was glad she was with him as well. It wasn't a single-sided thought and they both found a comfort of safety and peace of mind with each other. Trout doesn't respond back to his comment as a weak bittersweet smile fits her lips and enjoys the silence between the two of them. They were just two birds who were caged against their will and wanted their freedom once more, to spread their wings and watch the night sky once more without having their wings clipped. It was a bittersweet situation but better being together than alone in this suffocating place.

Despite her last statement, Slateheart still makes his way over and conforms into the small corner they were in. A forearm rests over her side with a chin resting on her shoulder, and her sides heave up and down with each inhale and exhale. His deep voice tickles her ear tufts as chambray gaze closes, listening to the tom-cat talk about Windclan. He seems to be reliving the memory of his home underneath the stars where they laid, always watching the moon and the silverpelt above them. They were under the grateful gaze of Starclan, ancestors and loved ones. She'd noticed the barren camp when she arrived to help evacuate, but she didn't necessarily take the time to observe and look- but it was obvious how different it was from Riverclan.

Riverclan was on a large land surrounding by the rivers they loved and nature, though newleaf was typically a pain with all the twolegs that came. He moves on the conversation talking about his apprenticeship and his nature then, and he mentions never sharing a space with another no matter how harsh the weather was. She was the first. She was the only cat that he ever felt comfortable enough to lay or get this close with. The thought makes her ears turn hot and they give a flick, a gentle smile on her face at the thought. “Really?” Trout whispers softly after he talks about his experience, glancing slightly over her shoulder at him- her face close to his before noting how close they were. Oh, how embarrassing!

Troutsnout quickly lays her head down on her front paws, her face hot in embarrassment and her ears feeling like an campfire to the touch as his words brushed against them. “When I was an apprentice... my dad was killed by rogues during the takeover and my mom followed after.” The spotted feline would murmur as she reminisces on her life as an apprentice, her eyes closing as she thinks back on watching her father's death before her eyes. “My mom loved my dad more than anything. She barely smiled anymore and she seemed so empty, and she asked me...”

She pauses for a moment as her chambray gaze closes and feels herself back in small paws, a sickly mother before her while her siblings were out exploring the nursery. A weak smile reflected on Minnowfang's face and she looked at the eldest daughter of hers, “If I go... will you love and watch them?” she would repeat the words that haunted her, as her mother practically asked for her permission to join their father in the silverpelt and her watch over her siblings. “I wanted to say no so she would stay but... my mom was more in pain here with us than without dad.”
​