I'VE BECOME A VISITOR ✦ GLADEFROST

[EVENINGPAW]

Just like with Lichenstar, Eveningpaw had been avoiding Gladefrost ever since the incident. The whole ordeal fills her with shame for a variety of reasons; aside from the obvious, she can't even imagine how her mentor feels to know that her own apprentice had done something this dumb... and now, not only did she get the same apprentice reassigned, but her warrior duties have taken a backseat in favor of pregnancy. She had witnessed the vague bits of sickness that ultimately landed her within the nursery, and yet-

Eveningpaw had not even asked her how she is.

Just like with Magpiepaw, Eveningpaw opts to an offering of prey alongside her visit. A water vole dangles from her grasp; caught by herself, of course. She would not allow herself to take somebody else's success and turn it into an olive branch without their knowledge... not even with their permission.

"Gladefrost," she says in lieu of a hello, vole quickly dropping before those chesnut-tipped paws. It is an odd sight... Gladefrost has always been a hardy she-cat — still is, of course, but it's unusual to see her amongst soft moss. Her little ones deserve the downtime however. Eveningpaw can easily imagine little replicas filling the nursery... nostalgia is palpable, but she wills herself not to get too lost in it. Now's not the time.

She struggles with an opener. Somehow, Magpiepaw had been easier; she had been ultimately at fault, so an apology had come easier than expected. Gladefrost however... Eveningpaw cannot simply say sorry. "I, uh... haven't visited you yet. Since you moved to the nursery." She thinks of Hazecloud's grace, and instinctively, Eveningpaw follows it even without a proper presence; sits back onto her haunches and wraps her tail around her paws.

"How are you feeling? Ha, I bet you're restless in here."

@Gladefrost

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[Gladefrost]

A soft yawn leaves her jaws as she rests in her nest as her long plumed tail drapes around her forepaws. Her chin rests on her paws until the motions of steps catch her attention as her chambray gaze flicks to catch the familiar coat of her former apprentice. She'd heard of the accident with the fox with her sibling and Eveningpaw, yet she held no anger or shame towards her. "Ah, Eveningpaw." Gladefrost muses as she is gifted a water vole, and she offers a soft smile of thanks plus soft reassurance. "Did you catch this? You've made a lot of progress." The umber tabby would compliment as she watches the daughter of Lichenstar with a gaze of a hawk, noting her nervousness. Did she feel ashamed?

"That's okay, Eveningpaw. I'm sure you've had a lot of your mind recently with your mentor reassignment and the fox attack." Glade would respond to the lynx point as she takes a small bite out the fresh-kill and watches as the apprentice settles before her. The next words from Eveningpaw make her chuckles and she nods in agreement. She had always been a restless worker that never stopped regardless of how ill she was (except for incidents that landed her in the medicine den for weeks). "You're not wrong about that, it's strange but I'll get used to it in time. I'm okay, how are you?"
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[EVENINGPAW]

Gladefrost greets her back with an opened mouth first, stretched to accommodate the yawn that no doubt comes without warning. Eveningpaw can't help the amused smile that flicks across her features; so even someone as mighty as Gladefrost gets tired?

"I did," she affirms with an additional nod. "I learned from the best." Will flattery get her anywhere? Only time will tell. It's not like she planned on coming here with too-sweet compliments to relieve Gladefrost's ire... if she feels any, anyway, but Eveningpaw doubts she would take it well, were the roles reversed. All of this just feels terribly unfair to the queen.

Gladefrost hits the nail right on the head, too — Eveningpaw does not know if she is successful in keeping a flinch at bay, as if she had gotten struck. Of course the topic would come up; it will remain something unavoidable for the foreseeable future. At least her former mentor does not appear saddened or even angered by the whole ordeal. Evidently, Gladefrost is miles more mature than her... if her own sibling had gotten injured in a way that could be easily avoided by simply thinking things through, she would be furious. Does that make her a hypocrite?

Eveningpaw swallows past the bile of her throat; fails, swallows again. "I mean, I'm... I feel really guilty, you know? But it's not like I can turn back time, so..." A beat. Does Gladefrost hear the beats of Eveningpaw's heart, relentless in their pace and ferocity? "I thought you'd be angrier at me, actually. You didn't teach me to be so reckless... and Magpiepaw's your kin."

Honesty spills easier than Eveningpaw could have ever anticipated. Surely, it is a good thing, but she is still a young girl — instantly, she feels the need to backtrack everything she had just uttered.

"Stars, look at me. I didn't come here to complain... if you want to take walks around the territory, I could accompany you!" Sheepishness bleeds into uncertainty with each passing word. Perhaps her former mentor would wish anyone other than her to guard her and her unborn babies.
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