I'm not okay || Flower Patch

[Rabbitnose]

Rabbitnose has not been well. News to nobody of course, but he shows no signs of getting better. Sleepless nights and skipped meals, lifeless eyes staring past cats and never focused. His fur isn't as well groomed as it once was, and he carries about his days like a lifeless drone. He hurts, and there is no cure, no way to fix the agony in his heart. It will be forever scarred and there's not a single thing anyone can do for it.

The woods are peaceful today, the air is nice and the sun is shining, a perfect day for a hunt. Rabbitnose always prided himself on his hunting skills, but with a weary, exhausted mind, they were less than stellar today. Mistakes not usually made were made, likely irritating his patrol. He didn't seem to care though as if he simply didn't have the energy to.

As he wandered, he came across a vibrant flower patch. He feels claws twisting into his heart as he remembers picking flowers with Sunfreckle when they were still new here. He approaches the patch, stepping into it and sitting amongst the freshly opened blooms. He trembles as tears fall from his eyes, staining his cheeks and dripping onto golden petals below. Casting his eyes down, he realizes the flower is a marigold.

Sunfreckles favorite flower.

A soundless sob escapes him as he gently settles down, the marigold between his paws. Tears keep falling as he finds himself unable to stop them. On a whim, he plucks the flower and tucks it behind his ear, weaving it through the tuft of fur on his head.

It's a small comfort, but one he desperately needed. Perhaps others would find this patch and do the same. There were plenty of flower lovers in the clan, after all. Maybe decorating the camp would help him feel better. He'll have to try to catch something before he returns to camp though.... That WAS the original reason he came out at all..... His patrol is probably wondering where he went.... Yet he can't seem to pull himself away. The simple act of putting a marigold in his fur has made him feel just a little better, and he selfishly wants to savor it a little longer.

 

[antlerbreeze]

The grief was heavy in camp.

Antlerpaw knew that- she knew it was heavy, and she shied away from it. She envied her sister, and how easily she stuck to Bravepaw, a genuine connection. But then, Antlerpaw couldn't envy her sister. Doepaw was good at that kind of thing, and she knew very well about that. Sleepless nights beneath branch canopy, pressed together, wondering how Fallow had died. She had suffered the grief of losing a sibling- but not that of a lover.

The apprentice had been sticking close to Leafhusk and Adderpaw on patrols, slowly opening up into her own strengths. Her stalking was becoming flawless, and that was something she took pride in! (Though, if you asked Leafhusk or anyone else that witnessed it, it was really more of a born-talent and not a skill she developed. Perhaps a weapon, in time.) Rabbitnose had been with them on their hunting patrol, and while Antlerpaw had been trying to hunt something, the grief-stricken warrior had all but disappeared.

Ears twitched as she returned empty-pawed to the patrol, and empty-pawed his how she wandered off after his scent trail. Sniffles, racked and quiet sobs shook his frame when Antlerpaw finally happened upon him, and she slowed to a walk, her golden eyes studying the warrior in silence. Her head would turn, if any of the warriors or apprentices on the patrol followed, worry heavy in her eyes. She looked back forward.

Antlerpaw didn't speak for a long time, but finally her muzzled opened, words soft and laden with empathy. "The marigolds are really pretty, aren't they?" She said softly, taking a tenative step forward. She didn't want to interrupt his grieving, but she... she couldn't bear to leave him there. A lover's loss is not like that of a sibling's loss. Your sister isn't even dead- but she was for a few moons, wasn't she? Don't you understand? A soft breath inhaled, and a weary one exhaled.

"I can collect some to bring back for your nest, if you'd like that." She offered, stopping at the edge of the flower patch- space given, not a paw dared lay on the very thing that were opening this gate of emotion for the warrior buried in their embrace.

✧　°　.　♦　.　°　✧​

ooc Information

• ooc: — @leafhusk as her mentor chaperone
  "yuh"
• 

  ANTLERPAW — SHE/HER ･ 7 MOONS ･ APP. & THUNDERCLAN ･ PENNED BY DALLAS

  a small, lh cinnamon lynx sepia still small, with a brown patterned pelt and bright orange-gold eyes. looks naive.

​

 

[Tinystorm]

She jumped, and with a snap of her jaws, the bird was caught. Hunting is something she'd typically enjoy, but all of Tunderclan carried a heavy heart, and she was not an exception. Hunting was just another thing she had to do. At least now she can get on with her day. Tinystorm was surprised when she scented the air that other cats were close. Perhaps she wasn't as far from the patrol as she expected. Her nose led her to two clanmates among a patch of flowers.


Tinystorm lay down along the edge where grass met flowers, placing the bird down by her paws. Tinystorm was not close enough to pry on Antlerpaw's words, but close enough for her presence to be felt. Opting to give a small nod of acknowledgment to the apprentice. "There is no rush." With three cats away, the rest will come looking for them soon. Plus, Rabbitnose wasn't looking so good; his tear-soaked face had haunted eyes.

The gray cat began plucking a few flowers and placing them on top of her prey. Wanting to take some back to camp. It was times like these that she wished she could believe in Starclan. Maybe she'd have something more comforting to say. 'So many flowers have been placed among the fallen' Tinystorm thought. She stop. Now the presence of the dead bird had twisted her stomach. "Can you take the bird and flowers back for me? I'm afraid my stomach isn't well." Tinystorm's words came out less cheerful than she would have liked. Rabbitnose didn't look to be in any condition to be hunting but there's no point in hurting his pride by saying so.

​