The first to stroll over is his sister, smelling so familiar and welcoming that he leans into the affectionate brush of her cheek against his own. He nuzzles her happily, her words like relief washing over him. To know that he had made her proud, as well as their parents and family above proud of him.. He could finally take a breath of air. Milky blues blink in surprise as she begins to chant his name, others soon joining her.
"It means the world to me to hear you say that, little sister.." Fireflyglow admits with a soft, gentle smile. His voice croaks as he speaks, wavering with emotion. His tail waves happily behind him, his head lifting from his sister's own to peer towards the others as they saunter over. His name is chanted loudly, proudly; they were never ashamed of him, never having judged him for his lineage. Not once did any of his clanmates judge him for being part ThunderClan, never once did they shove him out of the way with cruel words because of his father's kittypet lineage. Never once did they bully him, and though he cannot see it, they now look upon him with newfound pride and excitement.
He instinctively looks back towards Dawnglare, listening as Mallowlark congratulates him before joining his mate's side in support and admiration. He lowers his head in reverence to the high priest, gratitude in his ghostly pale eyes. "I wouldn't have come this far without you, Dawnglare. Thank you." He rumbles deeply, lifting his head as Figfeather praises him; telling him that he deserves this. There used to be doubt in his heart when somebody would tell him those words, but now there was a wholeness inside of him that fills with happiness. He dips his head to the lead warrior in thanks, smiling up at her with a shininess in his eyes that makes it look as if he might cry from the joy he felt.
Mallowlark questions him, asking if he might have a feast. "I.. Do not think that it is necessary to have a feast." He laughs softly, grinning at the stark-white and black tom. "I only wish to share tongues with everyone and tell the stories of my adventures so far. If that is fine with everyone here?" He suggests with a wave of his charcoal tail, sweeping it over soft grassy grounds. Nightcrawler arrives, speaking words he does not understand- but he smiles nonetheless, laughing softly when Eggshellbloom mutters a confused 'bless you' to the tom. He snorts, shaking his head. "I am thankful to all of you, as well. Please leave your trust in me from now on." He chuckles, lifting his massive paw to touch his chest in gratitude. He leans forward, butting heads gently with Eggshellbloom. His friend had helped him learn new things, and had trusted him even when he barely knew what he was doing when he was experimenting with dock. With that trust, Fireflyglow knows he would never betray the anxiety-riddled tom. Nor any of his other clanmates, in fact.
The chanting of his name continues, Cherryblossom joining into the shouts and cheers as she smiles towards him. He dips his head in respect to the deputy, waving at his face with a paw as a flustered feeling overcomes him. Embarrassment, a happy kind. "C-C'mon, you guys.. You're gonna make me cry." He laughs softly, his throat tightening as another wave of strong emotions wash through him. Orangestar's voice cuts through the rest, and Fireflyglow makes a point to trot closer to her, lowering his hulking head to gently nuzzle his cheek against her own. Since his father died, she had become like an aunt figure to him, watching over him and caring for him. She had always kept her words simple, to the point- but Fireflyglow knew that she was proud of him, she didn't even need to say it. A nagging feeling soon fills him as he touches her, an unfamiliar feeling- his brain registers it nearly instantly, however. Eight flames, flickering and strong. He blinks, pulling back to look blindly towards Orangestar with a strange stare of knowing. She had eight lives left, and he would do everything to keep her alive through the seasons. He couldn't avoid the inevitable, but he could help to keep her safer; preventing illness, healing any wounds to prevent infection. He fixates her gaze with a look of reassurance, before his attention moves away.
His little brother arrives to chime out his name in celebration, and Fireflyglow smiles happily down at his little sibling. He is a combination of Blazestar and Bobbie, a culmination of love just as he himself was. In the shining light of the sun, his kind eyes shine with a resemblance to Blazestar. He was the tom's eldest child, and he swore to protect all of his family in honor of his father's legacy. He leans down, affectionately nuzzling his little brother's cheek with his own, his massive paw lifting up to ruffle the top of his head with a grin. "Isn't your big brother just so cool, Lionpaw?" He teases with a bubbling feeling of pride inside of him, his paw lowering to the ground.
Dogbite's voice carries in the wind, charcoal ears twitching in happy recognition. He nods in greeting to the other tom, mutual respect reflecting in his shining, pale eyes. He leans forward, bumping his head against the tom's in friendly gratitude. The lead warrior had become a close friend of his, as had the rest of his clanmates. Everyone here was like family to him, family that he had sworn himself to love as his own kin. "You have my thanks for the kindness you all have shown me." He turns to the rest of his clanmates, his eyes softened with admiration for everyone present. There is no sorrow for his ThunderClan blood beneath his skin, he had made the right choice- and the stars had rewarded him in kind for it.
A voice melds into the excitable and loud cheers of his new name, a voice that his brain picks up instantly out of the crowd. His head snaps to turn to the direction of it, the smell of clover and pine overwhelming his senses as a frosted nose presses into his shoulder. He freezes for a moment, his heart rate spiking at the familiar scent, a favorite of his since kithood. Greeneyes and Fireflyglow had grown up together, been closer than anyone else since they were young enough to train together before he had become Dawnglare's apprentice. His tongue feels dry as Greeneyes says his new name; his heart throbbing painfully in his chest. There is a certain selfishness inside of him that aches to allow himself to embrace the intense love for the tom before him. Once upon a time, Fireflyglow had convinced himself that he couldn't permit himself to love anyone openly. He had loved his best friend from a distance for moons upon moons, secretly and painfully mourning the loss of a love he felt that he could never have. His heart squeezes again at the thought.
In an act of rebellion against his own self-promise, his own long-term resilience against his feelings- Fireflyglow leans in and wraps a large paw around the back of Greeneyes' neck. His claws withdraw, not sinking in but instead weaving through the long orange and white fur until it rests just under Greeneyes' chin. He pulls Greeneyes' emerald gaze to his own, then presses his forehead to his best friend's, his voice hoarse with emotions that threatened to flood over and consume him. "Thank you." He says softly, words spoken only for Greeneyes. His nickname warms his closed-off heart, cracking open the door and filtering in the light of intense love and admiration he felt for the other tom. Dark eyelashes flutter open, intense blue eyes staring sightlessly into Greeneyes' own. He holds his gaze, summoning up the courage needed for this moment. "When you return from your outing with your apprentice, meet me by the river near the Sandy Ravine." He whispers softly, blinking slowly. "I'll be waiting for you when the moon reaches it's peak." He pulls back finally, their moment of intense closeness ended momentarily. His clanmates could clearly see that something was going on, but he doesn't give them a peek into his own thoughts just this once. Possessive over his feelings, selfishly holding onto them until he could confess them to the other tom when they were alone, only the moon above in witness to their shared moment tonight. All his life, he had lived in service to the cats around him- just this once, he would allow himself to be selfish.
When he turns back to his clanmates, it's as if the intimate moment between the two best friends had never happened. He smiles towards his large family, gesturing over to a throng of long grass not too far from them. "Shall we share tongues? I have much to tell all of you.." He grins, tail sweeping behind him. This was his home, and he never once doubted that he belonged here. Now, he was a pillar of the clan- and he wouldn't be disappointing anyone here. Their trust in his abilities were well-founded, and he would forever do his best to match their expectations of him.
