sensitive topics no regret, no sorrow | eagle attack + death

MIDNIGHTASH

run, baby, run
Apr 28, 2024
112
27
28
જ➶ tw: parental verbal abuse, cat death, blood

Early in the morning before the sun has barely breached the horizon the apprentice finds herself within the Elders den. Her ears slightly pulled back as she listens to her go on and on. The other couldn't sleep because the moss wasn't soft enough. The food was terrible because her daughter didn't give her the best piece of freshkill. It is a wonder if Midnight can do anything right when it pertains to her blind mother. A frown pulls at her maw then as she looks at Eveningnight, jaw flexing before she rolls her eyes. How long has she sat here and tried to please her mother, tried her hardest to do everything the way she has wanted it. Honestly if she thinks about it, it has been too long. It's tiring honestly and she wants nothing more than to go and lay back down in her nest. But Evening wants to go on their usual morning walk and so she stands up. "Ready to go, Mom?" Her question lingers in the air before the older molly snaps. "Of course I'm ready. I've been waiting on someone who doesn't know how to be proactive. Hurry up." The voice of her mother is cold, like a spear of ice in her chest but she says nothing as she helps the other leave out of the Elder den. Her steps are precise and caring. Easily directing her blind parent out of camp and into the territory. Her burning amber orbs focus on nothing as they walk together because she already knows what the other will talk about. Her progress. "So how come I haven't heard anything about you doing well with your training? Then again I always expected you to fall behind. You can't even seem to get simple requests right "

Eveningnight shifts her head slightly, inclined towards her daughter as she speaks to her. Ever since her mate perished she is always reminded of her shortcomings, of her mistakes. Her daughter the embodiment of all of it, she should have never had such a weak willed mate like him and Midnightpaw flounders just like he does. Shaking her head she turns her head away knowing the excuses that will come. "I'm trying, mom, I swear. My hunting is really good now and I'm catching some big fish for the clan. Plus my battle skills ar-," She is cut off though before she can say more with a whipping smack of a tail against her flank. "Your battle skills are nothing. I heard you let yourself get pummeled by Beepaw. Pathetic."

Midnight falls silent then, clenching her jaws. It's not fair. Beepaw is further along than she is but her mother brings it up as if it is her fault. The young molly turns her head to the side then, releasing her breath as she keeps pace with her mom. "Sorry...." Is all she says as they keep walking, falling into a tense filled silence. Her paws stay steady with her mothers as they venture up along the river near thick reeds when the apprentice tilts her head up. A soft breeze blows but that isn't what catches her attention, no, it is a bigger shape in the sky. One with large wings and at first she thinks it to be just a carrion eater. But soon she can tell it is not just that and her breath catches. For a moment she thinks to call out to her mother and warn her so they can hide but her mind twists. If only to just never hear her again. And so slowly and carefully Midnight backs up, she slinks down low and into the thick reeds. Hushed and quiet as the dark shape sweeps over the area. Her mother is still talking but soon she notices the silence and stops. "Midnight? Midnightpaw where have you gone? Get back here this instant!" Evening hisses sharply as she twists around trying to hear for her daughter. But she hears nothing but the movement of the river and wind. The silence starts to worry her and she slowly takes a step forward only to pause when she feels like something passes over her.

"What is tha- AHHHHH!" The woman lets out a screeching yowl as talons dig into her body. Paws scrambling to stay connected to the ground, only to be torn from the earth. "MIDNIGHT! MIDNIGHT! HELP ME!" The eagle pulls the cat up into the air and Midnight watches with wide eyes. She feels a twinge in her heart and it makes her paws move as she bursts from the reeds. Yet her hesitation and inaction have already sealed her mother's fate. The apprentice can't take it back. This is what she wanted, right? "MOM!" She tries to rush after the large avian, huffing as her mixed colored paws hit the ground before what she sees next makes her eyes widen. High up the eagle opens it's talons and drops the feline. She can hear her mother scream before the subsequent crushing thud of her hitting the ground. The sound seems to fill Midnight's ears as she races forward on shaking legs. Her breath painful heaves as she gets to the twisted and contorted figure of what was once her mother. Blood seeps from the older molly's mouth and it's very clear she fell from too high to save herself.

The eagle twists and seems like it will come back only to fly over the river and towards the lands where the loners dwell, annoyed at how difficult it's prey was. Now silence reigns again and she sits there staring. Her muzzle twitches and a smile pulls at her maw as tears fill her eyes. She is both horrified and relieved at the same time. Shaking and trembling she is quick shake off her broken smile, taking in deep breathes.
 


( ) they've let midnightpaw have the day to herself. the girl has trained harder in the past moon than ever before, improving with staggering efficiency before willowroot's very eyes. it's nice to see their sullen apprentice so motivated, nice to feel the stretch in their own muscles after a hefty battle training session, or see the expanse of the prey pile after midnightpaw comes home from the river. over all, the dark dappled girl is excelling in her training, inching ever closer to warriorhood. it's a delight to watch.

so, midnightpaw has earned a day off, and willowroot tells their apprentice to spend it however she'd like, with the note that of course the girl should not leave camp entirely alone. they know their apprentice knows this, and so they've left her to her own devices. willowroot meanwhile, does not have the day off, something they don't mind too terribly. newborn sunlight filters sweetly through the bowing branches of their namesake as the feline leads a small patrol along the riverbank. dawn patrol is always a struggle to attend, but they've found that padding along the river is the best way to spend it, the soft rushing of water calming to those agitated early risers. it's quite peaceful out, just them, their patrol, and the birds. the shadow of an eagle floats by, causing the smoke to glance up, watching it soar over the river. the thought to remind the queens to educate their children on bird-of-prey safety comes up, and they tuck it behind their ear for when they get home.

carrying on, the long-furred tabby thinks about turning away from the river for the last part of the patrol, and she is about to do so when a shriek is heard. a familiar name, accompanied by the words help me. willowroot freezes. one tufted ear swivels to catch where the sound comes from, as the yowl of "mom!" echoes through the air. she flicks her tail, taking off in a run towards the scene, trusting her patrol to follow.

by the time the former lead-warrior reaches the clearing, the deed is done. she pushes through the undergrowth with strong shoulders to find her dark dappled apprentice bent over a crumbled body. willowroot's heart leaps to her throat and she moves forward to recognize the crimson stained, broken and bloodied body of her apprentice's mother, eveningnight. her body is mangled as if she's fallen from a great height, no bite marks or claw tears visible save for holes in her scruff reminiscent of talons. "midnightpaw!" she gasps, rushing to her apprentice's side. "darling, what happened?"


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  • WILLOWROOT ☾ SHE / THEY, WARRIOR OF RIVERCLAN. MENTORING MIDNIGHTPAW. PENNED BY LAVS
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    a long-haired black smoke oriental with sage-green eyes. smoky long fur coats the length of willowroot's lithe body, cut through with dark ghost stripes. friendly sage green eyes that narrow in an almond shape, and her muzzle and limbs are thin and long due to her oriental heritage.



 
The sight of the large bird was enough to send panic in her heart and the screaming of Midnightpaw's name, and she can only assume the worst. Had Midnightpaw been taken by the large eagle she spotted in the distance? Ivory ears are pinned back as she anxiously darts through the territory and the voice was now screaming for Midnightpaw's help. If Midnightpaw was okay, then who was captured by the eagle? Mothpaw manages to find the other apprentice and the sudden crunch followed by a thudding of a corpse hitting the ground, making her stomach churn.

M—Midnightpaw?” The black tabby whispers out as she notes the momentarily smile gracing her lips and she wonders if she's imagining things, blinking green eyes until a smokey figure comes on the scene. There wasn't a way that the other apprentice watched her mother fall from the skies and die on impact to smile, right? Yeah! There was no way, who would smile at death? Mothpaw glances at Willowroot with nervous green eyes watching the former lead warrior before glancing at the dead body of Midnightpaw's body, her stomach twisting sickly. “Are you okay, Midnight? I'm sorry about your mom...
 
જ➶ The scent of her mentor surrounds her but it's hard to pull her gaze away from the broken body of her mother. Too hard and yet at the same time she feels this strange giddiness at the fact that she will no longer be belittled. A part of her wonders if this makes her a terrible individual. If Starclan will look upon her and frown. It takes her a little longer to realize that Mothpw is there too and she angles her head to look at the other apprentice with her tear stricken gaze. No words want to leave her throat. So she takes in a deep breath and just focuses on Willowroot's question. What happened? She can't tell the whole truth, she knows better than that and so she looks away from them and takes a small step back before collapsing on her rump. "We...we were just out for our morning walk. I...the bird came and it grabbed her. I tried to stop it but it was too big. It just flew so high up and th-then..." And then she watched her mother fall after taking too long to make her own choice. To save her or not to.

By the time she had decided it was much to late. Her maw clamps shut as she swallows thickly and she shakes her head. Sorry about her mother. Midnight knows personally that she is not sorry for what had happened to the woman. She had always been awful to her, never once said she loved her or gave her anything other their grief and derision. "Yeah....me too..." The girl speaks softly and she buries her head into her mentor's shoulder feeling much more tired than she ever has.