private the forgotten // junco

[cottonsprig]

Her visits to the prisoner’s cavern have been frequent. In the mornings she checks on Junco’s dressings - and more recently, tests her friend’s eyesight to see if there’s any saving it (it… doesn’t look likely.) She brings a measly meal and chats for a bit before attending to her duties. This past morning, she’s late - someone else finds Junco in her hovel, cleans her wound with little care, gives her a morning meal, and leaves without a chat.

Cottonsprig doesn’t arrive until the sun has passed its peak.

“Hey,” she murmurs around a songbird, assuming her usual spot by the tunnel. “I’m… sorry, I didn’t expect to sleep in so late,” the gray she-cat apologizes. “We visited the Moonstone last night and - oh, Junco, Wolfsong deemed me ready! I’m Cottonsprig now!” Her excitement is palpable and yet tame, all while she waits and hopes for her friend’s returned enthusiasm. She knows, however, that the other may hold disappointment too.

@juncoclaw ​

 

[juncoclaw]

Junco misses the company of the medicine cat this morning. She wakes somewhat cheerfully, expecting to see vibrant
blue eyes and a chirping voice like morning birds - instead, she is met with a gruff warrior who quickly goes about his duty and leaves without so much as a word. The contrast is staggering, and she is quickly reminded of where she stands in this Clan - without Cottonpaw's knowledge of her residence in Horseplace, the warriors view her as no more than a cowardly traitor to both WindClan and DuskClan both. She finds herself missing her friend's company, but quickly adapts to feeling betrayed and hurt instead.

When Cottonpaw finally arrives, Junco's mood had been all but soured. She ignores the molly's first 'Hey', pretending to be too distracted grooming herself as best she can in the cramped burrow to pay attention to her. After all, that's why Cottonpaw was gone, wasn't she? Too busy with something - or someone - else to take care of her old friend, huh? She's hurt by her absence - and even the apology of such goes almost unnoticed as Junco's petty inner monologue consists of trying to convince herself that she's too good for Cottonpaw, and the insecure and fearful side that knows she's not good enough.

Then comes the explanation following, toned with excitement in the gentle way that Cottonpaw perfects, and Junco's composure breaks. Only a little, of course. She pauses her grooming to finally look her friend in the face and, though her brows are furrowed and gaze uninterested (poorly masking the hurt that lies below, that she had been left to the paws of a stranger this morning), there is an undeniable relief when Cottonpaw speaks.

The Moonstone. So that's why Cottonpaw missed her this morning; she was up all night conversing with the dead, or whatever else they do at Highstones. Cottonpaw announces her new name, Cottonsprig, and Junco's demeaner finally changes. "About time," she replies with faux exasperation. Medicine cats trained forever, it felt.. it must've really sucked to have her first name revoked only for moons more of the same menial tasks. "Cottonsprig.." Junco says aloud, testing the sound on her tongue. It doesn't quite have the same ring to it, but.. "Sure fits you better than Cottonfang. It's for your.. err.. like, plant knowledge and stuff right?" Kinda lame meaning, she thinks, reminiscing on the fighter that Cottonsprig was once named to be - but she wouldn't dare say it out loud, and instead wears a toothy smile. She's happy for her, truly.
​

CHARACTER INFORMATION — ♡ ˗ˏˋ ꒰ ♡ ꒱ ˎˊ˗ ♡ — OUT OF CHARACTER

• juncokit juncopaw JUNCOCLAW "JUNCO" ━━ penned by ixora
  ━━ BARNCAT
  ━━ 14 MOONS,, ages every 21st
  ━━ CASSO xx BUDGE
  ━━ MATE to none | PARENT to none
  ━━ MENTOR to none | FORMERLY MENTORED by mockinggrin
  ━━ HEALTH ♥︎♥︎♥︎♥︎♥︎ | junco is healthy.​
• 
  
  
• speech is #6a7d8a​

 

[cottonsprig]

Even as she rambles on, she notices. The other has all but turned her back to her, soured by her lack of a presence in the morning. Had the warrior she asked to help been unkind to her? Had they come by at all? Surely Junco would be complaining of hunger and - even if that, Sunstar isn't cruel enough to let the silver furred cat starve. Her ears crane backwards for a sparing moment, just as Junco looks towards her, face devoid of any positive expression.

And in a moment, with a simple explanation, her friend shifts. She's not warm or kind, not necessarily, but the coldness and tension in the air evaporate all at once. Cottonsprig slowly breathes out a sigh of relief as it seems that there are no hard feelings for her absence that morning (she does, however, make a note to always visit, even if she mustn't need to anymore.) "I know," Cottonsprig agrees, tail lashing. "All of the cats around me were getting their names like - Scorchstorm, Bluefrost, Foxglare," Snakehiss... Blue eyes hold to Junco, who's name had been given by a rogue leader. Does she hold to the 'claw now, or does she truly only like 'Junco'? "... It was getting weird to still be a 'paw, y'know?"

She lays the bird in front of the prisoner, shifting her weight so that the light can filter in on Junco's face. Whoever came in did a well enough job with the dressing that she doesn't feel she has to fix it right away. "I think so, too," though she won't admit that she almost misses having a piece of her mother with her. It's a long, dragging feeling scoring through her chest, and she ignores it. "Kind of. Wolfsong called me compassionate and persistent, like... like the grass in the moorlands, even! After all that fire," all that soot, "there are still blades of grass popping up. Does that make sense?" Did she really just compare herself to grass? She supposes so.​

 

[juncoclaw]

Junco remembers that feeling all too well, though, from a more aggressive lens. Her denmates were her competition, even if they did not see it themselves, for Sootstar's favor. She had watched others excel for moons where she could not. Their tongues and claws were always sharper; and her eyes were always more on them. The corners of Junco's lip quiver as they fight between frown and smile.

She thinks that's why she was neglected so. In the depths of Sootstar's madness, secluded in her den, Juncopaw had been all but forgotten then. "I know how it feels," she comments in response. "I wonder what Sootstar would have named me if she survived." Junco stares at Cottonsprig intently as she speaks of her mother so blatantly, gauging a reaction. Is it insensitive, or does Cottonsprig still long for the same thing? Moving on nonchalantly, Junco answers the companion's own hidden question. "Granitepelt named me instead. It held no meaning to me. We were no longer a Clan; we had no need for warrior names." At least, in her eyes. She would've never fell to the whims of a ShadowClan coward.

The bird set in front of them draws her attention, as most food does these days. She'd truly spoiled herself in the Horseplace, helping herself to the mice as she pleased so long as they weren't depopulating them. Any other cat might as well bring her scraps and bones, but Cottonsprig has always treated her better than her peers. Though her attention is on the prey now, her ears remain listening for Cottonsprig's explanation, and soon her half-sightless eyes raise to hers again in acknowledgement. Thoughtful, she muses, "I see. Determined.. hopeful. It makes sense. It suits you." A blade of life growing from beneath the ashes, like a beacon of light when all is lost. That is what Cottonsprig is to Junco now.

Speaking of hope. "When I get out of here," Junco says suddenly, abruptly changing the subject. What remains of a casual smile has now turned serious and urgent. "I cannot go back to the barn." They had been to the barn, once - slain a queen and stole her kit, little Harvest, as she soon came to piece together. They'd come again, soon, and this time they'd know exactly where their little runaway resides. "DuskClan knows I'm around here somewhere. It's only a matter of time.. and I - how am I supposed to survive like this?" Even with Pollenfur at her defense, if the older molly would even put her paws into another cat's affairs, this loss of vision would debilitate her greatly in battle without the adequate time to train and get used to it.

"I.. want to stay here. With you." Cottonsprig was the last shred of hope in this place - her chance at safety. Adjustment to Sunstar's rule would take a lot of adjustment, but she would make it easy. They trusted each other, after all; Cottonsprig was the only cat that Junco felt truly seen and known by. It had to be reciprocated, surely.. why else would she be visiting her like this? "If you tell Sunstar that.. do you think he would consider?" Oh, if little Juncopaw could see her future self now, betting her fate on the very tom who took everything from her.. it takes all she can to keep the disgust from entering her hopeful, pleading look she gives Cottonsprig.
​

CHARACTER INFORMATION — ♡ ˗ˏˋ ꒰ ♡ ꒱ ˎˊ˗ ♡ — OUT OF CHARACTER

• juncokit juncopaw JUNCOCLAW "JUNCO" ━━ penned by ixora
  ━━ BARNCAT
  ━━ 14 MOONS,, ages every 21st
  ━━ CASSO xx BUDGE
  ━━ MATE to none | PARENT to none
  ━━ MENTOR to none | FORMERLY MENTORED by mockinggrin
  ━━ HEALTH ♥︎♥︎♥︎♥︎♥︎ | junco is healthy.​
• 
  
  
• speech is #6a7d8a​

 

[cottonsprig]

This is a test that Cottonsprig has been given too many times. The name of her mother will slip between calculated lips, and a perfected sweep of the other's gaze would hold to her for moments before passing. It's to gauge if she is saddened by her mother's passing or failure, emboldened by her very own persistence to not only survive, but thrive despite Sootstar's passing. Cottonsprig has long since grown tired of the effective pop-quiz, but when Junco paws it towards her, she trembles. Her friend saves her from having to form a true reply, moving on to the notion that whatever Granitepelt runs is no longer a real Clan. After a beat, the blue smoke offers a smile.

"I... think I would've named you Juncoblossom, because you've grown so much since we were kittens. Or...! Juncostrike, because you're pretty good on the battle field. I mean... you saved me," Cottonsprig leans closer to the other - a minute shift in her weight, if anyone was truly paying attention, "I owe you for that, I think. Even if it's just... hypothetical valor and honor." The meaning behind her own name trickles from her maw and Junco receives it with kind agreement. She wants to leave it at that, and it seems her long time friend does too, shifting the conversation.

I want to stay here, she says. With you, and Cottonsprig feels everything in her chest nearly explode. She's too quick to overanalyze words, too quick to search green eyes no matter how sightless for unseen details. Her ear twitches as she listens to the other continue, as if they are more than happenstance friends. Something sorrowful builds in her bleeding chest shortly thereafter, as it seems her tabby prisoner wants to utilize their connection for a safe ticket to stay. The medicine cat can't even be upset about it - if roles were reversed, she, too, would beg Junco for help.

Cottonsprig leans forward purposefully this time, pressing her cheek against Junco's for a moment, "I'll talk with him. If he wants to keep boasting his plentiful medicine team - he'll come to see reason...!" She laughs and grins, pulling away from the affectionate gesture. She can only hope that she's not speaking out of her behind. Sunstar wouldn't 'obey' her for any reason, but maybe if she properly sits him down... She tucks it into the back of her mind for now, deciding to enjoy the rest of her afternoon with Junco.​