IT'S A BROKEN HALLELUJAH ✶ stormywing

[SQUIRRELSONG]

It had been about a day since Squirrelpaw had woken from her unconscious state, and her friends had been quick to update her on what happened while she'd been out. A whole lot, apparently. The revelation that Pinepaw, her near-murderer, was actually Stormywing's daughter... Does that make her my cousin? The thought made her uncomfortable. She was still trying to wrap her head around the fact that the cat who had tried to kill her was now her family, when the grey warrior appeared suddenly in the mouth of the medicine den.

A mouse was clutched between her jaws and she bore an expression that the apprentice couldn't interpret. Maybe her head was still a bit foggy… But the guilt was plain as day. "Oh... thank you…" she murmured quietly as the prey was placed at her paws. Had her older kin come to check up on her? The blue torbie had heard how Stormywing had helped carry her home to safety. Silence stretched between them for a long, awkward moment, and Squirrelpaw felt compelled to say something but could not form the words.

As the warrior turned to leave, Squirrelpaw suddenly panicked, jolting upright in a move that pulled at her wounds and drew a pained groan from the girl. "Stormywing... wait!" If the silver tabby listened and stopped, Squirrelpaw would struggle to shift into a sitting position, her emerald eyes bright with emotion. "I um…." How was she supposed to say this? "It wasn't... your fault." Her voice croaked hoarsely, the words broken and stuttering like sandpaper in her bruised throat, but they were warm with sincerity.

"And…. I forgive... you." It was obvious that most of their clan was taking her revelation poorly. She would probably be shouldering their distrust and resentment for moons. Flamestar especially seemed alight with fiery anger. But Squirrelpaw, the unwitting victim of Stormywing's forbidden child, could not find it in herself to be mad. She understood, more than she had a right to, how her cousin must have felt.

A pair of brilliant blue eyes flickered briefly through her mind, bringing with them a wash of feelings she knew she wasn't allowed to feel. It must've been hard to love someone she couldn't be with. To live with having kits on the other side of the river that would never know her. Tears pricked the girl's eyes, but not for herself. "If you want... to talk about it… I'm here... for you." It was a rare moment of maturity for the apprentice, one that wasn't likely to be repeated often, but she meant it. They were still family, and that mattered.

---

‎‎ooc ✶ info

• [ @STORMYWING <3 ]

• 

• 
  SQUIRRELPAW ✶ she/her, apprentice of thunderclan, 10 moons
  ⭃ lh blue torbie with low white and green eyes // slender but fluffy
  ⭃ single, bisexual, crushing on no one // flamestar x flycatcher
  ⭃ sister to bugpaw, ravenpaw, sunpaw, falconheart and stormfeather
  ⭃ mentored by lightflower // adoptive sister to sparrowpaw
  ⭃ peaceful powerplay permitted // underline and tag when attacking
  ⭃ penned by limerence ↛ @limericks. on discord, dm for plots

 

[STORMYWING]

Stormywing pauses mid-step, the mouse having just left her jaws to rest at the edge of Squirrelpaw's nest. Her nose wrinkles at the sharp scent of herbs in the den. She purposely chose a time the medicine cat and his apprentice weren't around to bring this to her cousin…she doesn't really want to have to talk to anyone right now. Guilt still gnaws at her heart, clawing relentlessly as she makes herself meet Squirrelpaw's gaze. "You should be sleeping," She chides half-heartedly, a bit of her old self twinkling in golden eyes.

Her next words make the tabby's breath hitch, though. She feels wobbly, and wants to look away but forces her gaze to remain steadfast even if it feels like the ground is falling away beneath her paws. The sincerity in Squirrelpaw's emerald depths is more than she deserves and she knows it. For a moment, Stormywing can't even find her own voice. Emotions surge within her…relief, sorrow, disbelief, and an aching gratitude that almost knocks her off her paws. She swallows hard, her throat tight, and takes a hesitant step closer. "Squirrelpaw…" The name comes out hoarse. She struggles to keep her composure, but her eyes shimmer with the tears she hadn't allowed herself to shed yet. "I-I'm so sorry for everything. You're my kin…I'm supposed to be an example and…if I could change any of it I would."

She glances away, shame coiling around her as she thought of Flamestar's anger and the fury she'd seen in the eyes of her clanmates. The Warrior Code is the clan's guiding star, and now she's just an example of how far one could fall. But her cousin gives her forgiveness so freely…it's an ember of hope she hadn't expected. That maybe she can still be respected by clanmates, trusted by them.

Taking a deep breath, she forces herself to meet Squirrelpaw's eyes again, this time with a small, grateful smile. "Thank you. I love ya, kid."
​

 

[SQUIRRELSONG]

Watching the flurry of emotions that washed over Stormywing's face was difficult. The pain in her eyes was palpable, and it broke Squirrelpaw's heart. Her own aches were forgotten as she struggled to straighten up more, reaching up as far as she could to gently press her nose against her cousin's cheek. "I know... and... it's okay." It was Squirrelpaw's own recklessness that led to her injuries; the fact that Pinepaw was apparently now her family only complicated the situation; it hadn't been the cause.

"But…. You are… a role model… for me. A good one... And... I love you... Too." She smiled softly up at the older molly until an idea dawned on her. "Actually…. If you still…. Want to… make it up… to me…" Star's above, this was exhausting. Her throat was beginning to feel strained, she wasn't sure how many words she had left in her. "Could you…. Teach me…. To fight… better..?" Lightflower was a wonderful mentor in many ways, one that Squirrelpaw looked up to as a beacon of kindness.

But the silver tabby was too gentle, and her apprentice would never be able to become a force on the battlefield if she didn't find some more help. She was determined to ask her mother as well, but between their own apprentices, Stormywing and Flamestar would only have a limited amount of time to spend on her. She was resolute in her decision to spend every waking moment until her warrior ceremony training to be stronger. Her forest gaze pleaded with her silently.

---

‎‎ooc ✶ info

• 

• 
  SQUIRRELPAW ✶ she/her, apprentice of thunderclan, 10 moons
  ⭃ lh blue torbie with low white and green eyes // slender but fluffy
  ⭃ single, bisexual, crushing on no one // flamestar x flycatcher
  ⭃ sister to bugpaw, ravenpaw, sunpaw, falconheart and stormfeather
  ⭃ mentored by lightflower // adoptive sister to sparrowpaw
  ⭃ peaceful powerplay permitted // underline and tag when attacking
  ⭃ penned by limerence ↛ @limericks. on discord, dm for plots

 

[STORMYWING]

Stormywing's breath catches in her chest as she feels the soft, unexpected touch of her cousin's nose against her cheek. Even for just a heartbeat, her guilt and regret fades, replaced by a rare warmth, familial love. Hearing Squirrelpaw's strained words, the tabby's eyes widen, emotions flickering across her face. A role model? Her? Even still? It strikes a chord with her that only makes her eyes shimmer with more tears. She had assumed her mistakes had erased any respect she had left.

"That…means more than you know." Her voice wavers, but she doesn't really care. When her kin then requests training, Stormywing's sudden surprise swiftly shifts to resolve. A spark ignites in her eyes, pride and determination mixing within them. The idea of helping Squirrelpaw become stronger - to make sure she could protect herself - reawakenes a purpose that the warrior hadn't felt in moons. "You really want me to help train you?" She asks, a genuine smile breaking through as a brow raises. She nods firmly then, and shifts her stance to be one of confidence. "Of course I will. I'd be honored. We'll take it slow while you're still recovering, but I promise, we'll get you stronger together." Taking a step closer, her yellow eyes lock onto green, filled with a newfound resolve. "And...thank you, for believing in me." She dips her head before stepping back and letting a moment of silence settle over them.

Her eyes still aren't taken off of her cousin, and finally a playful spark returns to them. "Now get some rest, pipsqueak, before I send your brother in here to sit on ya till you do." With a snort of amusement, she turns to leave, whipping her tail in farewell.
​