the water is sweet but blood is thicker - fireflypaw

[Howlfire]

Howlfire could remember once, not long ago, when she had perhaps unfairly resented Skyclaw and Duskbird for their existence as her half-siblings. For a long time she viewed them in a cold light, thinking of them merely as replacements for her and Fireflypaw.

And then the truth had come out. Blazestar had pulled them aside and told they were in fact full siblings, with their younger siblings being born after the code had been established. It had been a shock to say the least and whilst reassuring to know their mother hadn't immediately found comfort in another tom, it had irritated Howlfire to know that the truth had been kept from them. She had understood the reasoning of their parents wanting to keep the secret safe from the majority of their clans but their kits? Had they not deserved to know before then?

Time had passed and Howlfire had accepted the news for the most part. Out of respect for her family, she had not spoken a word to another, not even Coyotecrest or her children. So it is a surprise when she hears the gossip floating around camp, her father's name spoken in hushed whispers along with secret kits and Fireflypaw's name mentioned alongside these whispers. Curious to know the full story, she goes in search of her brother, knowing her brother would not lie to her or hide the truth.

"Fireflypaw," She mewed, poking her head into the medicine den and spotting the point tom working away. "What have you done?" It's not an angry question but one of genuine curiosity, wanting to know what has been said to bring up their family again.

@Fireflypaw ​

 

[Fireflyglow]

Fireflypaw hated gossip.

It was always common knowledge that he hated rumors being tossed around, for cats to make their own assumptions and opinion's based on what they heard. It was none of their business, Fireflypaw thinks to himself. He is angrily shuffling through herbs when Howlfire sticks her head into his den, the fur along his spine sticking up instinctively at her probing question.

What have you done?

"I spilled our father's secret out of anger and sadness. Shall you curse me too, for the decision I've made? I am already suffering." Fireflypaw replies curtly, his tone shifting into one of irritation- not at his sister, but at himself for the mistake he's made. "Skyclaw was just so.. Cold. I told him I thought I could learn to love him, too, because of our relations. I shouldn't have, I know grandmother is angry with me. But what's done is done, I will reap the consequences of my mistake." He bows his head momentarily, before he turns to face his sister finally. His pawsteps are quiet, well-placed as he makes his way over to her.

"I just wanted to know how Moonwhisper and Burnstorm's kits were. He caught an attitude, I got angry, and we both said things we shouldn't have. It was a mistake, Howie. And our father will scold me when I see him next, I'm sure of it."​

SKYCLAN MEDICINE CAT APPRENTICE ✦ 21 MOONS ✦ CHUNKY, BIG-FOOTED SEAL POINT ✦ TAGS​

 

[Howlfire]

"Curse you?" Howlfire echoed, before chuckling slightly. "Fireflypaw, why would I do that?" Howlfire leaned into him slightly, trying her best to offer him some form of physical comfort.

She listens to her brother speak quietly, nodding along even though he would not see it. She is curious what might have been said from Skyclaw's side to elicit such an angry response from her big brother, but she doesn't press for now. "To be frank, I'm not sure Skyclaw would ever be willing to accept us as he is now," She mewed softly. "Not when he has Moonwhisper and Raccoonstripe likely whispering in his ear about how we're softheared traitors." Her expression softens when she thinks of their grandmother being angry at him. It's a hard image for her to draw up, not even recalling many occasions in the past when she had seen their grandmother angry. "I'll admit that probably yelling that across the border wasn't the wisest idea," Howlfire mewed. In some regards, now they both had some form with that. "They shouldn't have gotten angry with you for such a simple question in the first place. No matter how some of our kin may treat us they are still our kin, we shouldn't get our ears chewed off for asking after their kits."

Howlfire shook her head, already picturing how awkward things might be if they met at the gathering. "Do you think any of our kin would say anything if we saw them at the gathering?"​

 

[Fireflyglow]

"We are not traitors. We made a choice, and we stuck with it. I do not regret leaving ThunderClan to be with our father. He needed us." He blinks, leaning forward to press his nose into his sister's cheek affectionately. With his guilt eating at him like a hungry snake, it was hard for him to get past the emotions he felt towards Skyclaw. "Edenberry and the others got their fur ruffled when Skyclaw made a cruel comment about me being blind, that's probably where the rumors started. It will die down soon, I so hope." He mutters, though her next question causes him to frown a bit.

"You do not have to tolerate them if they do. Our parents made the decision to keep it a secret, and I ruined it. If they have anything to say, they will say it to me. Trust that I will come to your defense if they stray from that path of action, little sister. Awkward or not, they would do best keeping their mouths shut and tongues tied." His gaze darkens a bit for just a moment, but then the light returns and he smiles towards her. "How are you? Your kits? After our half-siblings became warriors, I have been looking forward to seeing my niblings grow."​

SKYCLAN MEDICINE CAT APPRENTICE ✦ 21 MOONS ✦ CHUNKY, BIG-FOOTED SEAL POINT ✦ TAGS​

 

[Howlfire]

Howlfire warms at his reassurances that they weren't traitors. Even after all this time, the ostracisation they had faced from their own family still hurt her emotionally. It was a deep wound and one which she wasn't certain if it would ever truly heal. "At least there were other warriors there to explain what happened, if anything should come of it," Howlfire mewed, in a somewhat grim tone. She didn't think anything would but it was nice to think there were others who had seen what had happened and jumped to Fireflypaw's defense.

"You worry too much, big brother," Howlfire purred, bumping his shoulder playfully following his comment about what he would do if something was said. "Do you not think with the fiery spirit for which I was named, that I would stand by and let them talk down to you or me?" It was said in a jesting manner but Howlfire was serious all the same. "I might be your little sister but I'll always have your back."

As the topic shifts to a lighter topic, Howlfire's mood eases at the mention of her kits. "I am doing well enough. Nothing to complain of, at least," Howlfire responded. "And my kits...ah, they do not cease to amaze me every day. It is strange sometimes to look at them and think of them as the tiny scraps of fur they once were. All three of them appear to be handling their training well and I'm sure they'll make fine warriors in the moons to come." Howlfire sighed softly as she said that, already knowing where her mind was wandering. "I do wish our parents could have seen them made warriors but I am sure they are looking down fondly from the stars."​