private WHO IS SHE? ♡ Iciclefang

[Petalnose]

Had they not had any good news to share in return? All went to doom when the journey cats left. Before they had, the beavers were an issue ontop of it. She wondered if the water thieves would place themselves back into their territory once more. Hopefully her call to action would be passed on for generations to assist Riverclan. Petalnose only hoped she was smart enough to drive the rouges away earlier too. It seemed to drive the clans closer, however the molly seemed she couldn't care less. Allies or not she only worried about her clan and her hostility hadn't faultered when they had made their home again.

Petalnose couldn't help but wonder how it made the journeyed cats. She may had worked together with the clans but not nearly as close and long. Friendships? It was bound to happen in some. Maybe even more than that.

Even if there wasn't a perceived leader among the journeyed cats she knew Iciclefang was a confident paw in keeping them in line. She was curious how each of them viewed the journey. Was there joy.. positivity during those time? She remembered her talk with Moonpaw, both of them wondering how they are and questions falling from her maw while she tried her best to give a satisfying answer. Wisdom. It was hard to tell if she hadn't known, heard or seen.

She heaved herself from her spot in the sun as her eyes caught Iciclefang, approaching on sore muscles. "Hey." She addressed simply, "How are you feeling?" Iciclefang had seemed to take the news better than her counterparts. However, as experience of hiding her pain- she was sure Iciclefang was hurting just as much inside. Maybe even more.

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[iciclefang]

The journeying cats’ homecoming had been less than warm. She wonders, still, how many of her Clanmates feel they’d failed their mission. Reedflower, Stalkingpaw, Riverwhisker, and Steepsnout surely have nothing to thank them for. Iciclefang’s doubts have begun to surge around her like the river’s strongest currents, threatening to sweep her off her paws. When Petalnose approaches her, she bows her head, every gesture stiff as though she’s covered in frost. The tabby warrior’s expression is neutral, and her question is inviting—How are you feeling?

Still, the tortoiseshell’s own muscles stiffen. She’s on guard. “I’m feeling fine,” she murmurs, lowering her face in a gesture of respect. She finds she no longer knows how she needs to act around her superiors. Do they find her lacking now? She pauses, surveying the wounds littering Petalnose’s white-streaked pelt. “Looks like you were in quite a fight. I’m sorry to have missed it.” Her mouth quirks at one side for just a heartbeat, and she gives her shoulder scar a self-conscious lick. “My own battle scar is from a rock. A little less exciting.”

It had not been less exciting, in reality. She remembers the warmth of Stormywing’s breath on her muzzle, pressing her against the rock face and shielding her with her body. She remembers their rib cages pressed together, their heartbeats mimicking one another in mad dances.

Iciclefang closes her eyes against the memory. Stormywing is as lost to her as Steepsnout is—she will not truly be with either of them again until she goes to join StarClan herself, after all. The desperate cold feeling that leaves behind is enough to cause her to internally flinch.

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[Petalnose]

The tension in the others body was something she had picked up upon, blinking inquisitively as of to herself. Petalnose had decided against to question it, the things the she-cat was going through was rather prevalent. The quick switch in topic yielded enough information for her not to press. It was best to pull away from it, respond to boundaries. Her shoulders rolled at the point of her wounds, stifling a chuckle, "Yeah, but it seems we came back with more of a swat. I avenged my ruined face by more. Poor soul didn't deserve a life anyway…Your apprentice did well too as you heard. He seems to be willing to please, which will be a breeze to teach." She pointed, remembering the eerie feel as she had pulled away from the rouge. She had almost felt guilty for the amount of satisfaction it filled her, but didn't they feel the same way as they watched each life fade from their beloved leader? Her kill had gone unnoticed; it was blanketed by the dark pelt of Starclan, then washed and forgiven by Riverclan's waters. The rouge was left to be forgotten, as they all should have been.

The patched feline glanced over Iciclefang's own scar with a hum, "Hm, I believe you can get away with excusing it for a battle. If you told me, I'd believe you. Maybe you can see how far you can get away with it with the kits." She joked, tipping her head in the direction of the nursery. She was sure most of the youth would believe anything, especially the confidence and seriousness Iciclefang and her had radiated. "I was pestered by Skyclan's apprentices about it, shouldn't have been so honest with them." A roll of her eyes was made as she remembered Plaguepaw's statement, assuming her clan was weak. As horrendous the situation was, she hoped he had learned his lesson and changed his mind.

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[iciclefang]

Iciclefang finds herself somewhat surprised at the lackadaisical way Petalnose admits to taking a life. She tries to picture it, pinning another cat to the ground and drawing her claws across the soft flesh of their belly; she tries to imagine the rush of blood filling her throat, and finds she can’t—not reliably, anyway. Her battles thus far have ended in draws, more or less, and she and her opponents have always escaped with their lives. She hadn’t been present, of course—she can’t imagine how violated she would have felt in her Clanmates’ place, being forced from their StarClan-given hunting grounds. Still, the tortoiseshell’s ears flick at the mention of Cicadapaw’s successful kill. “Yes, he told me about that.”

She hums, smile withering into the stark smirk she often wears. “If there’s one thing I learned about them while on the journey, it’s that SkyClan is full of bold cats,” she murmurs, thinking of Bobbie, of Chalk, of Cherrypaw, of the commanding deputy and the feral lead warrior, of Duskpool with his injured shoulder, of bright Figfeather and warm Greeneyes. “How was that, by the way?” She had shared prey with cats of all five Clans, had slept and fought beside them, and in a way, it seems her Clanmates had somewhat done the same thing. She had not stepped paw inside enemy territory, however—she supposes that must have been strange.

She frowns, turning to stare into Petalnose’s hazel eyes. “Tell me about Cicadastar.” She knows, by now, that their leader had died to the rogues who’d invaded their camp. “I never imagined he’d be one of the cats I would not see again upon my return.” She mentions nothing of Steepsnout—that wound is still too raw.

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[Petalnose]

"Bold they are, too bold for their own good at times." she scoffed with a shake of her head, "But I guess saying that is a tad hypocritical." She pointed, reflecting upon her own traits. Bold she was the same, however the point of a clan's weakness she knew would get her paws stuck in the wrong mud. The inexperience of apprentices had surprised her at times and reflected concern upon her own. At least, the triplets had seemed to possess intellect and respect.

Iciclefang's question made her pause, remembering the stress she had felt. Stress had overclouded her to the point of losing her control of temper upon Aspenhaze, a patient mate she had been blessed with. The bittersweet memory lived within her mind; thankfulness, sadness and guilt glued upon the moment. The feel of their warm fur pressed against hers was enough to tame the fire within her. "Miserable, but it certainly was better than the Carrion place. Prey was scarce in both but we were less weak when homed in Skyclan of course, I give gratitude to both despite it. Skyclan's traditions are indeed odd, however. There are some that still wear collars.. I believe that is a symbol of disloyalty. " She creased her brows in confusion, "The daylight warrior.. thing too." Don't get me started on that vent.

Blackened lips fell at the question, memories of their former river king flooding her mind. Petalnose looked to the sky with a pained frown, sighing in a long fashion, "He was an opportunity to drive us out I believe. Even when we were outnumbered most of us fought, we tried our hardest not to conform. Cicadastar called to keep the attack going and jumped in the battle, even when many were already falling back. Aspenhaze was convincing me to retreat as well. Before we could intervene or truly respond to the command, they moved in and crowded him... Then ripped each life from him." Her fur rose as she remembered the details, seeing flashes of the scene through her own flow of blood. "Sick dogs deserved what came for them." she snarled quietly with a lash of her tail.

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[iciclefang]

Petalnose says SkyClan is too bold for their own good at times, and the tortoiseshell smiles. “RiverClan is bold in our own way,” she agrees. The tabby tells her about spending time in SkyClan’s camp, about the strange traditions, seeing kittypet accessories adorning their throats, about daylight warriors. She thinks about Chalk, about her needle-sharp questioning of his loyalty to his Clan, thinks about Bobbie before the eagle’s talons has scored her throat.

“There was a daylight warrior on the journey, and one who still wore her kittypet collar,” she murmurs. “I thought as you did. But the daylight warrior helped us climb the mountain. The she-cat who wore the collar helped us avoid a Twoleg trap, and she was there encouraging us to climb, too.” She shrugs. “That isn’t to say their customs aren’t strange, though.” Just that they are warriors worthy of their rank, just as we are.

Petalnose’s lips tremble and turn down at the corners as Iciclefang asks about Cicadastar. She does not budge during the story, but her eyes darken with anger. “I never imagined he’d be truly gone someday. Thank StarClan he died fighting, at least.” She bows her head, memories of his stoic grace surging around her like the river’s current. She’d looked up at him from the nursery, had seen the strength in his long limbs, in the jut of his jaw. Let me pray Cicadapaw has that same strength, even at the very end.

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