pafp SUGAR-COATED HOME \ questions

[BERRYHEART]

His expression was as level as ever as he sat outside his den, fixing the moss at his feet with a concentrated expression. Usually he would strip pieces of moss in the confines of his den, but the sun had leant on the side of kindness today and gleamed down upon ThunderClan with great warmth. It would be no surprise to anyone who knew him that Berryheart had chosen to sit in a dappling patch of sunlight, the flecks of ginger on his ebony pelt glowing like fire-light. Eyes half-lidded, he almost looked as if he might fall asleep, pleasant and peaceful...

Until a patched pelt wandered into his periphery. Blinking a few times, Berryheart allowed his attention to settle on no-one other than his niece. After the initial surprise of her arrival had subsided, is expression faded into one of subtle happiness. "Hello, Whispers," he hummed softly, greeting her kindly. Did she want a word with him, perhaps? He was often glad to let his nieces and nephews occupy his time.

\ pls wait for @Moonpaw ! ​

PENNED BY PIN ☾​

 

[Moonwhisper]

Her uncle seemed tired lately, so it was good to come across him resting. She'd be lying if she didn't say she worried constantly for his health, given his quiet nature he was not the type to make a fuss over anything at all-even his own ailments and that in itself made Moonpaw increase the frequency of her visits. She happily volunteered to bring him moss and nesting material, paused her own duties to drop prey off at his den less he get distracted and forget to eat, and even just a simple hello in passing on occasion. Raccoonstripe ran her ragged at times, it was a wonder she didn't see Berryheart more often given their training but unlike some warriors her other uncle knew restraint. They were really quite different. Sometimes she longed for a mentor like the spotted tom, gentle and understanding rather than the sharp-tongued arrogance of the black tabby she followed dutiful today.
The tortie point smiled to the greeting, her nickname was one she had a fondness for but also a small part of her wondered if that was all she would be; a whisper, a remnant. An echo of what once was.
"Hi Berryheart! I brought you some more moss since I had to take some to the queens too." The greeting was said in a low muffle as she turned to set the wad of greenery to the side for him to move where he'd like, "...are you doing alright today?"
​

 

[Falconpaw]

Falconpaw considered what it might be like to follow in the pawsteps of Berryheart when he was a little younger, Medicine cats were important after all without them the entire clan would wither away dying of infection or sickness. He'd always liked taking care of his family and his clanmates but the more he thought about it the less desirable it became, he'd be confined mostly to camp and there was so much to learn so many herbs to memorize and urghh... He knew he'd crumble under that sort of pressure, training to be a warrior was enough for him and he was meant to run through the dense forest chasing after squirrels and mice. He could provide for his clan like his mother and father did; that's what was expected of him and while the path of a medicine cat was a honorable one it just wasn't the one for him and he'd abandoned any dream he had of walking it moons ago.

It did not stop him from being interested in learning more about their medicine cat himself however, he was such a mystery to Falconpaw and sparingly did they cross paths he didn't often get into scuffles to warrant seeing him nor was he often told to fetch anything for the tom. Other apprentices like Moonpaw took care of his needs, he'd watched her carry moss towards the den and he figured that was as much of an excuse to talk to Berryheart as he could get - maybe he needed more then just moss to be fetched. His paws carry him over, head ducked dutifully as it almost always is as he comes to stand just a few mouse-lengths from Moonpaw. He spares a glance towards the other apprentice in a silent greeting before his attention turns to the spotted tom.
❝Just umm❞ he shifts on his paws uncomfortably ❝Thought I'd ask if you needed anything else and to say hi❞ he waves his tail in greeting. ​

( ✦ )

 

[BERRYHEART]

Shrewd eyes of green settled patiently to hear her answer; they fell to the moss as she settled it upon the ground, and he shuffled the greenery closer to his paws, offering his niece a nod of gratitude. How kind of her to think of him, when she was undoubtedly busy with her training... he did not imagine his brother was an easy mentor. Though he knew Striped had a good heart, he equally had an iron fist and an expectation for respect. One he had earned, of course.

"I'm well," he murmured, his subtle smile statuesque as a long blink covered his eyes. Tedium of work had begun to set in with this Star-written duty, if he was to admit it to himself... and it was becoming tiring, tending to cats after battle by his lonesome. Light-fire was not long to approach, either- it was strange that Blue and Sunset's kittens were so large now, apprenticed and growing. He met the young tom with a dip of his head, flicking his own tail slightly in a small movement of greeting. "Well tended to," he followed on, admitting no need for aid.

Olive eyes swept the pair, settling mostly upon Whispers as he returned her question. "How are you?"​

PENNED BY PIN ☾​

 

[LIGHTSTRIKE .]

❝ WE HAVE YET TO CRASH ✧°.☀ —————————————————————————————
Lightpaw had been fiddling with the weaving of a den as per request when the pale fur of Moonpaw caught his eye, pausing to watch her approach Berryheart, soon followed by Falconpaw. White paws kept moving, brushing over the den but not really working, too fixated on the group in his curiosity to properly work.

With a cursory glance around, the tom made sure there was no one watching to scold him before slipping away to approach. "You guys talking about something interesting?" he piped up curiously once he stopped. Then, looking to Berryheart, a figurative brow quirked. "You seem like you're in a good mood. I guess it is a nice day, huh?" he added with a squint up at the sky.

[penned by its_oliverr - ☀]

——————————— ☀.°✧ BUT WE STILL MAY AS WELL ENJOY IT ❞ ​

​

 

[Moonwhisper]

Moonpaw turned, smiling to Falconpaw with a polite nod and whiskers quivering in delight at the medicine cat's quiet compliment; she was glad to help, it was a nice break from training seeing him anyways so any moment she could spare to seek him out and busy herself with tasks that did not sully her pelt was more than welcome. Raccoonstripe was rough, to say the least. Ice blue eyes widened briefly to the pale cream, glowing pelt of the other apprentice wandering over to join them and she raised her spotted plume of a tail high in a greeting. Their duties kept them very busy, she didn't get to see her fellow apprentice soften but when she did she was happy to know they were all doing well.
"It's a lovely day actually. You're in high spirits, Lightpaw. I'm glad." It seemed like not to long ago the other was in such a state her crossed her as morose and withdrawn and she couldn't blame him, at the same time Moonpaw herself had been still grieving. But the world moved forward and so did they.
​

 

[BERRYHEART]

He nodded at Sandy's allusion to his mood, the soft smile upon his maw a pleasant curve, comfortable and tangible. It sat there as if his maw had permanently shifted, but- he could not hide his gladness that, despite his duties, some would still put time aside to talk to him. Apprentices, especially... he had always enjoyed imparting wisdom on those younger than him, acting as guidance whenever he was needed. Or, simply... someone to speak to. "Very." he replied, glancing to the azure sky that peeked through the gaps in the leaves.

Whispers noted Sandy's good humour, and... was yet to express her own. Though it was a microscopic shift, Berryheart's smile faded a little, giving way to the slightest twinge of concern. "My brother isn't working you too hard, is he?" Of course, there was a balance to be struck... he did not expect warriors to be soft with their apprentices, and he knew his brother was far from cruel, but Whispers had in early apprenticeship been a reluctant fighter, to Berryheart's memory. Had anything changed? ​

PENNED BY PIN ☾​

 

[Moonwhisper]

A smile lights her face in greeting to Lightpaw, whiskers twitching at how many of her clanmates were kind enough to take a moment and say hello to her overworked uncle in his secluded den.
She hesitates at the question, perhaps too long, perhaps too obviously and she realizes it enough to give a laugh that is a touch too forced to be genuine. Moonpaw isn't stupid enough to think Berryheart didn't notice her quiet, uncertainty but she shuffles her paws and tries to smile along all the same.
"He's a little rough around the edges, but you know that of course!" Berryheart probably knew more than her, given Raccoonstripe was his littermate.
"I bet its nice and peaceful in here compared to what I do all day." While she was still mourning her sister she was left to her devices, unbothered and allowed to rest in the apprentice den where she fell behind in her training to the point she often wondered why bother. What was the point anyways if she had to fight twice as hard? But now Moonpaw didn't have the luxury of grief keeping her off the battle field, nor on mundane patrols; she served ThunderClan like any other apprentice.
​

 

[BERRYHEART]

Whispers' response did not surprise the medicine cat, particularly. The observation burrowed within her speech was an astute one; he of course knew the rougher streaks his brother had, but he had never let his faith in Stripes waver. He knew the tom had great conviction, a vision for an ideal apprentice- though it could not be an easy image to live up to. A smile set on Whispers' face, a subtle wobble within her laugh... he missed it not.

She wagered peacefulness, and Berryheart could not deny the reprieve that having a den to oneself could offer. Less cats, less bothersome sleep... and a schedule entirely his own. Among fleeting moments of stress, life as a medicine cat was generally lonesome but peaceful. Sometimes fleeting meant a days-long endeavour of toiling over a patient, but it was not relentless training every day. Was she... unhappy?

"It gets dull. I think I need a student," he admitted after a moment. Company would be nice... and his knowledge needed to be passed down to someone. His askant gaze was scrutinising now, as he looked directly at her. "If it would interest you... perhaps you could find out for yourself what it's like." Who better for him to teach than his own kin? The option was there, of course...​

PENNED BY PIN ☾​

 

[Moonwhisper]

"...to..learn medicine? To be a medicine cat like you?" She was taken aback, surprised at the offer.
Isn't this what she wanted? To not have to fight? To never be another body bloodied on a border like her sister? Moonpaw faltered, unsure; if Berryheart had asked her this several moons ago, when the wounds were still just healing, when she was still uncertain of her path, she might have jumped at the chance immediately. Why now then did she hesitate? It was not fear of drawing Raccoonstripe's ire as she thought it might be, as surly as he could be he would not have eventually relented to the decision if she chose it: disappointed as he might be. It was not that she didn't like the idea either, to simply learn to heal and mend rather than tear and destroy as the path a warrior often took. Moonpaw tensed, felt her claws in their sheathes reflexively twitch from the tightness in her chest now.
No. She remembered the anger at Sunnyday crowing his morals while turning on his kin, she remembered RiverClan's taunts and insults and their flagrant disrespect for what was rightfully her clans. She thinks of facing off against Sharpeye, traitor to his clan yet unaccepted by the other he sought to defend.
ThunderClan blood ran more fierce in her veins than any drop of SkyClan did, she had long since pushed down her kittypet heritage in favor of something more wild. To just turn her head from her training now...
She didn't think she could stand the idea of it. As respetable as her uncle's duty in healing was, as much as it was something she might have once wanted. She'd changed. She'd changed too much. She'd felt battle, she'd cut her claws to flesh, she'd howled in the face of those who might harm her clanmates. She was too dirty for it now and for whatever reason...it didn't bother her.
A smile, soft, tired but not forced, crosses her maw, "....thank you for the offer and I'll happily keep visiting and bringing you moss and whatever else you can describe for me until you get an apprentice worthy but..." The tortie point lifts her head just a touch higher, "...I'm going to be a warrior."
Moonpaw would never be the soft, tearful and quiet apprentice she was slowly trailing her sister like a shadow. With no Morningpaw before her, she had to cast her own now.
​