ROSE IN THE THORNS // trying to clean the nursery

[Sunnyday]

☀ - WHILST MY HEART STILL BEATS
There was lull in the day so Sunnyday decided to spend his moment of free time tending to the nests in the nursery. Normally it would be work more suited to that of apprentices but he fancied having an excuse to be in the cosy den. At least for a little while. A part of him still liked to imagine that one day he would get to slip into the den to greet a mate and some kits. A mate that was his, and kits that held his blood in their veins. Just a dream though.

Work was going well with freshening the beds, that is until he overheard the chattering going on nearby. A queen telling her kits a scary story, likely to keep them in line and to stop them from straying onto a dark path. But the villain in the tale? Cinderfrost. The effect was immediate as his fur began to bristle with deepening unease as he was forced to hear all the bad things being laid out so easily for the kits to soak up. No mention of the good things, nor the whys behind some of the actions. Lost in his thoughts he began to feel his frustrations building, and as a result his claws began to tear apart the neat looking nest he had just finished preparing. He hadn't even realised what he had done until one of his claws caught uncomfortably against the dirt below.

"Bugger." Wrinkling his nose in irritation, he moved to prowl out of the nursery with a dark glower fixed firmly to his features. He left the nest torn up and in a state with no clear intention of coming back to fix it either. Standing himself outside the den he tried to steady his rate of breathing before his anger could get the better of him. It wasn't like he wanted such things to rile him up so much, but it was what it was and he truly did continue to miss her. There had still been a kind cat behind all the horrors, one he had been blessed with knowing, and the one he continued to pine for.


//Prompt: Every mention of Cinderfrost is whispered like a curse, Sunnyday overhears a queen telling her kits to behave or the murderous ex-medicine cat may show up to gobble them up. It is something he realizes he may have to live with hearing..
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[crowflower]

If Crowflower was not wandering the woods in search of intriguing stones and strange, sun-bleached bones, she was usually lurking about the nursery. She made a habit of visiting her sister, Wrenflutter, and the kits as often as possible. Though her eldest nieces and nephews were nearly old enough to begin their apprenticeships, there were still some new, younger additions who required much attention. Crow enjoyed bringing back baubles like feathers and snakeskin sheds for the kits to inspect. rendering them a captive audience while Crow chattered about songbirds migrating through the area and the differences between venomous and nonvenomous snakes. Around most people, the reserved young warrior hardly uttered a word unless spoken to, but she blossomed into a bright, chatty creature around her sister and the children.

Errant twigs snarled in the tangles of Crow's long onyx fur alluded to her adventurous activities (and disinterest in grooming) as she trotted into the nursery with a scrawny spring mouse clamped in her jaws. She passed Sunnyday on her way to Wren's nest, casting the older warrior a sidelong glance before delivering the meal to her sister. She tried to pay attention to the queen's warning tale to the kits, but Sunnyday's brisk exit distracted her. Crowflower was a very young cat when her family joined the clan and she struggled to recall who Cinderfrost was, but Sunnyday seemed affected by the mention of her name. On instinct, she got up to follow the sandy hued tomcat out into the clearing, though she immediately regretted not taking the time to think about what she wanted to say before she was standing awkwardly beside him.

"Are you..." nervous, she faltered, but tried again. "Are you okay, Sunnyday?" Her voice sounded thick, like she had spiderwebs caught in her throat, which made her wince. She was nearly as upset as the tomcat, though her discomfort was borne from shyness. Crowflower couldn't remember the last time she actually spoke to Sunnyday, which was a shame because she always thought he had a kind heart. Unfortunately, Crow's social circle had never extended very far beyond the safe confines of her family.​

 

[WOLFWIND]

Wolfwind could never simply standby when Sunnyday was in the nursery. The guy has a penchant for finding kids spawned in from bum-fuck nowhere, and seemed overly eager to intrude on the personal space of both them and the queens. Could you blame Wolfwind, really, for eyeing him like he's a damn ShadowClanner on their territory right now? Or for creeping closer when he angled himself in a way she couldn't just look from afar anymore?

And why wouldn't ThunderClan's first medicine cat be the perfect subject of a spooky story for kits? A woman who broke into crazed rants practically any second she could, and who snatched away Their leaders lives as soon as she got them, and abused her kindness to remain lurking in their ranks like a dull shadow behind the flame that was Emberstar. And then she tried to kill ShadowClan's (to be fair-ish, apparently traitorous) medicine cat before they even had any problems with those guys. It had been clear then she was crazy; finally acting out on that crazy only proved it for a fact.

So why, oh why, did their resident dumbass seem to be bothered by this? So much so that he walks away grumbling and leaving the queens with a nest shittier than anything Wolfwind's ever made, and that's saying a hell of a lot. Wolfwind takes the opportunity to stride over, a critical brow risen in curiosity. "Oh yes. Whatever is the matter, Sunnyday? You left the nest worse off than it already had been," she points out​

 

[Sunnyday]

☀ - WHILST MY HEART STILL BEATS
Solitude was what he wanted at that moment, more so to allow himself time to process his emotions and thoughts back into a more manageable state, but that wasn't always an option when living in a clan. Though he couldn't bring himself to show any ill towards Crowflower. She meant well and she certainly wasn't among the number who got under his skin, so he mustered up what little inner strength he had left in order to flash a brave smile her way. "Oh, I'll be alright. Just had a little lapse in my state of mind, though I'm sure a little walk will help clear my mind." He explained in the hope of downplaying the situation as a whole.

However, a feline he didn't feel so warmly about arrived and began to push his buttons. It was honestly a fight to subdue the growl from rising up in his throat but he didn't want to make a further scene. Ultimately he avoids making eye contact with Wolfwind as he musters up some form of reply. "It's none of your concern. I'll fix the nest after I've cleared my head with a bit of fresh air." Not wishing to have his personal history aired out so freely for all to hear he decided to get moving before she could attempt to push further, especially in front of Crowflower.
​

 

[crowflower]

Something about Sunnyday's assurance rang untrue, but Crowflower decided not to press the issue. Though a mixture of curiosity and concern sparkled in her eyes, she was not the sort of cat to pry. Secrets were sacred. And none more so than that of the heart. "Okay," she said casually. "Let me know if you spot any wildflowers. I've been looking for a trout lily." It was a pretty white flower with petals that curled toward the sky though the face of the flower pointed toward the ground. There were a few spots that she checked regularly, though she had yet to see any sign of the blooms. Crow didn't really expect Sunnyday to go looking for wildflowers on his "walk." She just wanted to relieve the tension that pulsed through the air, promising conflict the way that thunder foretold a storm.

Then Wolfwind appeared like lightning, striking at Sunnyday's composure with harsh truths. Crowflower turned her face away, physically cringing with discomfort. She began to duck away on impulse, but was struck by a sense of justice. Wolfwind was being unkind; her tone lacked any sincere concern and seemed to have spoken with the explicit intent to upset Sunnyday. It reflected poorly on both of them. "I can tidy the nest for you," she interjected, voice wavering slightly. "I don't mind." She wished she had something better to say. Something that would soothe Sunnyday and remind Wolfwind to be less antagonistic. But this would have to do. Crowflower was uncomfortable enough as it was. She felt sorry for the tomcat--his distress was palpable--but part of her wished she had minded her own business in the first place.​