que sera, sera | blaze

[Howlfire]

Howlpaw had missed the most recent gathering. Although she had wanted to go, she needed to be resting due to her recent fall, and she had a feeling Dawnglare would only chew her ear off if she begged to leave. She always liked to go if she could, mostly so she could spy on her ThunderClan family. Then again after the last encounter with her siblings who still resided in ThunderClan, she wasn't exactly keen to repeat that interaction anytime soon.

She was surprised when the SkyClan cats returned seemingly early. Howlpaw couldn't actually tell if they had left early or if the gathering had been short, but regardless she knew something must have happened. She heard several clanmates muttering among themselves as they returned, and the apprentices weren't exactly quiet this morning either. After getting a once over by one of the medicine cats, Howlpaw went in search of her father. She knew he hadn't gone on any patrols that morning and as she couldn't see him in camp she knew there was only one place he could be. His den.

Most cats would announce their presence before barging in, but Howlpaw never did. She was of the opinion her relationship to Blazestar allowed her a free pass in that regard. She slipped into the den quietly, looking around for the familiar form of her father. "Hello? Dad? Hi! It's me!" A string of words are hurried out, rising in a friendlier tone when she spots him resting within. "Mooorrnning," She says as she plops down next to him, dragging the word out for effect. This close to her father she would smell faintly of her herbs of Dawnglare and Fireflypaw. "Did you come back from the gathering early last night?"

@BLAZESTAR ​

 

[BLAZESTAR]

Blazestar's sleep is troubled, and when the sound of Howlpaw's shuffling paws catch his ears, he stops fighting the pull of the waking world. He props himself up, seeing the patchwork pelt, the bright, round hazel eyes, and her scent -- still with a touch of the oak forest, with a touch of her mother, even beneath the pine needle and the herbs. "Are you cleared to be out and about yet?" He asks her suspiciously as she nears him. Howlpaw's mood is normally infectious to him -- even as gloomy as he can get, his youngest daughter's spirit is dangerous.

Not today. Looking at her reminds him of the Gathering. And it's indeed what she had come to ask him. "Did you come back from the Gathering early last night?" Blazestar's brows draw together. "Yes, we did." He wonders if he should spare her the news, but has to remind myself Howlpaw isn't a kit. Nearly nine moons, fierce and capable in her own right.

After a moment, Blazestar puts a paw on her head. Once, it had threatened to engulf her tiny body. Now she's nearly full-grown, and her father's paw is a crown rather than a mock-threatening weight. "ThunderClan and RiverClan spent the evening bickering," he murmurs, the weariness weighing his voice down. "And then ShadowClan..."

He falters for a moment. "Well. Emberstar is dead." He's not sure if Howlpaw had heard this before the returning patrol had gone to rest. "Your grandmother is ThunderClan's leader, now. Howlingstar." His daughter's namesake. It's a jarring thought.​

[ PENNED BY MARQUETTE ]​

​

 

[Howlfire]

It is rare that her father seems so troubled, or at least that's how it feels to Howlpaw. Perhaps he has been troubles more but has done a good job of hiding it from his children.

His news of the gathering makes it sound as though not much was achieved, though truly how often did the leaders speak civilly towards each other. It seemed like every gathering Howlpaw attended seemed to come on the tail of a conflict between one or more clans, or some insinuation of a wrongdoing. Hearing that ThunderClan was one of the clans arguing caught her by surprise though. Emberstar was usually one of the more calmer, rational speaking leaders alongside her father. To hear they were bickering and with RiverClan of all clans made her curious and a little nervous.

And then her father reveals that Emberstar had died and that her grandmother was now leader. "Howlingstar..." She says in a mystified tone. A moment passes before she asks, "Who did she pick as deputy? Did she seem alright?" Well as alright as you could be after losing your leader and friend. Speaking of Emberstar, Howlpaw wondered what had happened. Blazestar had mentioned her passing on the heel of a comment about ShadowClan, which made her wonder if the marsh clan were somehow involved. "How did Emberstar die? Was it ShadowClan? She was your friend did you call them out for their wrongdoing?" Oh, if only Howlpaw knew how deep it all went and that this was not some fight gone wrong.​