camp MATTER OVER MIND 𓆩♡𓆪 reuniting with pebble

[DARKWHISKER]

ੈ♡˳ . ° ✦ The rogues had not only taken his home and his leader's remaining lives, but his pebble, too.

In the midst of fleeing, Darkwhisker hadn't been granted enough time to retrieve his pebble from where he'd tucked it away in his nest, believing it'd be safest there. Another warrior had shoved him, told him to help the queens with their kits, and Darkwhisker didn't have any other choice but to comply.

It hadn't been the first time his pebble had been left behind. But this time, Smokethroat could not run back into their camp to retrieve it.

Darkwhisker felt its absence almost as strongly as he felt his littermates' and father's. Curling up at night without the comforting coolness of it beneath his chin, fearing that StarClan could not bless his dreams or hear his prayers when his pebble was so far away.

Maybe, if he'd had his pebble, things would've turned out different. Maybe Cicadastar would've been brought back alive. Maybe Steepsnout, Riverwhisker, and Reedflower wouldn't have succumbed to yellowcough. Maybe, maybe, maybe.

Darkwhisker rummages through the warriors' den with these maybes floating around in his head the morning after their return. And the more they repeat themselves, the more he's certain that they're true… If only he could rewind time, go back and fix things, he would. But he couldn't. All that he could do is find his pebble and ask StarClan to forgive him for his mistake… for letting RiverClan fall into despair.

"…Where…? It's somewhere. It must be somewhere…" Darkwhisker mumbles to himself. The longer he spends searching, the more he fears that the rogues have discarded it… No, he tells himself. He would find it. He has to.

Something suddenly catches his attention from the corner of his eye, something small and gray at the very back of the den. Darkwhisker's head whips around. "There…! Stars… Thank you…" He moves to the pebble with the most energy he's displayed in days, crouching down and rubbing his cheek against the smooth stone… How it got to the back of the den, Darkwhisker has no idea. He's just grateful to have found it.

"I'm sorry," he whispers to the pebble, and by extension, to StarClan. Steepsnout, Cicadastar, Riverwhisker, Reedflower… I'm sorry.

✧　°　.　✶　.　°　✧​

ooc information

• takes place the morning after riverclan’s return & two days before the journeying cats return!
  
  spoiler alert: that is just some random pebble that looks similar to his pebble. but don’t tell darkwhisker that.
• 

  DARKWHISKER — HE/HIM ･ 17 MOONS ･ RIVERCLAN WARRIOR ･ PENNED BY NICO

  tall, lithe dusky brown tom with splashes of white. a cheerful tom who tries to put a smile on the face of everyone he talks to, darkwhisker's life is devoted to spreading positivity in a world full of negativity. though his words may be fanciful— and coated in the sugar of white lies, at times— he is a well-intentioned, albeit overly idealistic, young warrior.

​

 

[lichenstar]

⋆ ✧　 　 · 　 ✧ ⋆ ✧　 　 · 　 ✧ ⋆ ✧　 　 · 　 ✧ ⋆

---

It felt like she was seeing double... hadn't she just been diving around in the river looking for a specific rock long since taken by the relentless currents? Darkwhisker... Lichentail narrowed her gaze trying to scry through her memories for anyone the young tom might be fancying enough to find a mating stone for. There was just no way that was what he was up to, right? Tail flicking nervously, they think about all the ways they might mess up asking something so sensitive- that was Snakeblink's area of expertise, it would be rude to overstep his favorite job. But he isn't searching the river... He's rummaging around in the warriors' den like she had hurriedly the night the rogues had broken through the camp's walls.

"Everything alright," the blue point asks, watching the boy lurch eagerly towards a rock at the back of the den (it didn't look particularly decorated or important...) and mutter at it as if it had feelings to care for. "You um... Find what you're looking for?"​

 

[Stoneskip]

He is glad to be home. All his stuff is here. Every funny rock, every shiny shell....All strewn about camp, but still. He can start over again, it was fine. Perhaps he can salvage some of his collection. But most importantly, he is home. He shakes his fur and lets out a content sigh, not looking forward to all the work needing to be done to clean it up, but such is life. Sometimes you have to do boring things. Like cleaning. He was never good at it either.

His own collection may be scattered or lost, but it seems Darkwhisker has found his most prized possession! Thank goodness, Darkwhisker found his pebble! Riverclan's most sacred artifact is secure!!

"You've found your pebble! Thank goodness!" He chirps.

Lichentail doesn't UNDERSTAND. Its okay. He doesn't blame her. She doesn't have a Star blessed pebble. Neither does he, but he absolutely believes Darkwhisker when he says its blessed. He just does.

Hearing Darkwhisker quietly apologize makes his smile waver. They have lost much...And its not even leafbare yet. He dreads the future, no matter how hard he tries to remain optimistic. He has faith, though.... Riverclan can make it through this. He decides not to speak anymore, letting Darkwhisker have this moment.​

 

[DARKWHISKER]

ੈ♡˳ . ° ✦ Voices come from behind. Darkwhisker’s head pops up, ears swiveling back a heartbeat before the rest of his body follows. Two pairs of eyes rest on him, and he wonders if they’d been in the den prior to his search or if they happened across him just now… He hadn’t been paying attention to anything aside from finding his precious pebble in the moment.

Lichentail asks if he’s alright, and in the back of his mind, he knows the answer should be no. Not after everything he— RiverClan has lost. But the truth leaves a bitter taste on his tongue, and he’d rather feed his clanmates something much sweeter, even if it’s fake.

“Yeah, everything’s fine,” Darkwhisker replies. And maybe it isn’t entirely a lie, because he did find his pebble… There’s always a silver lining, even in the darkest of storm clouds, right? He runs a white-toed paw over his pebble, trying to find StarClan’s strength in its smooth surface.

Stoneskip brings much needed cheerfulness. His ears perk, a smile gracing his maw. Thank goodness, indeed… But, if only-

No. Darkwhisker cuts the thought off before it could erase the smile from his face.

“The rogues couldn’t steal this gift; StarClan continues to watch over us.” He chooses not to think about everything else the rogues stole. So tired of grief, Darkwhisker just wants to cling onto whatever shreds of light he could find and shut out the darkness.

✧　°　.　✶　.　°　✧​

ooc information

• —
• 

  DARKWHISKER — HE/HIM ･ 17 MOONS ･ RIVERCLAN WARRIOR ･ PENNED BY NICO

  tall, lithe dusky brown tom with splashes of white. a cheerful tom who tries to put a smile on the face of everyone he talks to, darkwhisker's life is devoted to spreading positivity in a world full of negativity. though his words may be fanciful— and coated in the sugar of white lies, at times— he is a well-intentioned, albeit overly idealistic, young warrior.

​