private ONE LAST KISS // SLEEKSERPENT

[badgerstripe]

Battle roars around her. Badgerstripe is on her paws in an instant, upon her rightful leader's call for action. She weaves through the crowd, finding herself easily able to slip between friends and foes that have much bigger threats to focus on than her.

Until she finds herself face to face with an enemy. Or, someone who is supposed to be her enemy, rather. Soft features, pink fur, baby blue eyes- the beautiful feline that Badgerstripe could have fallen head-over-heels for.

If only it weren't for the rotten ideals inside.

" Sleekserpent, " Badgerstripe gasps out, finding herself with more fear than she could have ever imagined feeling towards her friend. He looks at her with concern, but as she hears Skyclaw and his followers roar around them, she can only think pitifully that she is not on her side.

When Skyclaw took over, she thought Sleekserpent had time to repent. When Palefire questioned her for sticking around, she proclaimed she could turn them to their side. And when Flamewhisker made her intentions known to take back their home, Badgerstripe vowed that she would save this boy.

It had all been empty. It had all been for naught. There is one last chance, she thinks.. she will give them one last chance.

" It is time to bring our home back to normal, " Badgerstripe mews urgently, meeting Sleekserpent's eyes. What is she thinking, right now? That she could be useful to Skyclaw? That they could rip out Badgerstripe's throat? That they could agree, and come with her to guard the nursery? The molly feels she can never know, these days, what is truly going on in Sleekserpent's mind - for her own is too riddled with hope and desire to see the truth.

" I'm not.. I'm not fighting. But you could. You could fight for ThunderClan - for us. " A black tail sweeps protectively over her belly. " You need to do the right thing, Sleekserpent. " In Badgerstripe's eyes lies the burning, daring question. Will she?

BADGERSTRIPE ( she/her )​

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[✧ Sleekserpent.]

CAN YOU TELL ME HOW LOVE WORKS
SO I DON'T EVER MAKE THE SAME MISTAKE ?​

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sleekserpent & 19 moons & genderfluid & he/she/they & thunderclan warrior ​

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When Flamewhisker calls for battle, Sleekserpent does not move to immediately take to Skyclaws aid - no, the pink hued tom has other priorities. It's far easier then it probably should be to find her in the crowd, relief filling baby blue eyes as they meet green - the pale tabby quickly bounding over to make sure she's okay. " You're alright, "

And then she speaks, and pelt bristles. No - not this again. " Badgerstripe-, " he starts, meaning to shush her, to wrn her from saying anything she will come to regret. Not just for sleekserpents own sake either, the girl glances at still growing stomach, and can only think of the danger the molly would be putting their kits in. " Normal? This is normal, " he snaps.

' You could fight for ThunderClan - for us. '

" I am - I already have! Stars, why is it that you can't see it? Skyclaw is only making thunderclan stronger! " what can she say to make her understand? Head shakes as they continue, jaw set and frame radiating determination. " Thunderclan needs to be free of weakness - of cats like Pebblestep who couldn't even put up a proper fight! What kind of warrior can't even call for help when they're fox lengths away from a den full of warriors? " it would've been so easy to get caught - even if the warrior hadn't lived, surely the other could've outed them if only they hadn't been soft as a kittypet and raised the alarm.

" The right thing? This is the right thing, "

━ actions & " speech, " & 'thoughts/quotes' ━

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D I D ━ I ━ L O V E ━ Y O U ━ T O O ━ M U C H ━ ?

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[badgerstripe]

The attempt to hush her is noticed, but completely ignored, as Badgerstripe continues to speak over him. Stars, she is so tired of being hushed! " This is normal to you? " Badgerstripe echoes, dismayed. Annoyance flicks over her features, and she challenges her again. " What's so normal about it? Constantly provoking each other? Executing our Clanmates? " They are all sicker than she thought, if all this chaos was normal - but it pained her to think of her dear friend as sick.

Badgerstripe's head shakes as Sleekserpent continues to explain herself. It's everything she thought she'd hear, but feared it all the same. The mention of Pebblestep raises an alarm in her mind, and she lifts her head to give her a glaring, scrutinizing look. " What do you know about Pebblestep? Do you know how horrifying it was to stumble upon that? " the molly retorts. Of course not - Sleekserpent was nowhere to be found, not until the next morning. The image of his mangled body still stains her mind, just like Sunfreckle and Batwing. If she had been a moment sooner, if she had been awake to hear that anything was amiss - could she have saved him and found his murderers before they all took reign?

There's not much that can hide her shock now. Sleekserpent had spoken outwardly on this subject before, but had never so openly disrespected the dead to her face before. With her true colors out in the open, Badgerstripe feels like she can hardly recognize her - she looks at her now like she's staring at a complete stranger. " You're unbelievable. Pebblestep shouldn't have died. None of them should have. What kind of warrior slaughters their Clanmates so ruthlessly and for - for what? Where they were born? " A sneaking suspicion of just who was behind it raises in her mind - but the very thought of it shakes her to her core. The less she knows, the better.

With her plumed tail wrapped protectively around her belly, Badgerstripe shakes her head again and takes a step back. This conversation is painful, but she must stay strong enough to move past it. Fury boils her blood and furrows her brows, and yet sorrow ebbs her eyes with tears. " You're wrong, " she answers determinedly.

She repeats herself. " You're wrong. And if you won't see that.. " Badgerstripe closes her tearful eyes tight, takes a deep breath, and then opens them again to stare straight at those murderous, baby blues. " .. if you survive on the wrong side of history, I will personally see to it that not a single one of your bloodied paws will step foot in the nursery. Am I understood? " What kind of influence would Sleekserpent be on their kits, with all they've stood and fought for? Deeper than that, though, is a cruel punishment she hopes that will reach Sleekserpent. She remembers the joy in their eyes when she first announced her pregnancy.. how much if it remains after this?

Without waiting for a reply, she ducks her head and swerves aside Sleekserpent, careful not to let their shoulders touch. " I cannot fight tonight. If you change your mind, you know where to find me, " the molly mews gruffly. But that is the last of her energy spent on being tough - what Sleekserpent cannot see as she passes by is the shake of her chest as she holds back a choking sob. Quickly, the molly continues, disappearing back into the crowd, in an urgent beeline for Stormywing in the nursery..

BADGERSTRIPE ( she/her )​

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