development why now? ♡ confrontation

[wrenflutter]

"ALWAYS"​

Wrenflutter had a small routine she's established for herself. She'd frequently be in the nursery, feeding and cleaning Marigoldkit and shooing off Acornkit and Oakkit off to play. And then she would often tidy up the den, not that it needed frequent cleaning or that the apprentices couldn't do so. It kept her paws busy. After, she would go in the the bustling camp, checking in on her children and siblings, usually settling down to share tongues with her beloved brother and sisters. It was calming, and it was peaceful. Though it equally made her mood less than pleasant when her routine drastically shifted. She had been in the midst of tidying up the den, when she heard pawsteps approaching and the thump of either moss or prey hit the ground. "Oh thank you, I'll get that shortly." She had responded without turning, since it was common for prey or moss to be donated to the nursery. "We should talk, Wrenflutter." The voice spoke and it made her freeze. Why was he here? He avoided the nursery like the plague. "I don't think we have anything to say to each other." She responded politely, continuing to neaten up the nest she was working on. "We do, and you know it. We… We can't keep pretending what happened between us didn't happen." The tabby continued, causing the queen to grit her teeth and exhale heavily before she turned to him. "Oh really? Because you had no problem doing that before, why the sudden change?" She asked with a light hiss slipping through her lips. The tom stared at her sharply, continuing on as if her inquiry meant nothing. "Do they even know?" He asked, and she didn't need any explanation. "No, why would they? You were never there and they never needed you." She snapped. She considered it a blessing every night that she had her siblings, that her kits had more family beyond her and that they never needed the love of an absent father. "What about you? Have you even spoken to them? Or do they only know you as a distant clanmate?" She hissed after as she stepped forward, causing the bobtailed tom to step out of the entrance. "You chose to not want to be involved with them, to not be involved with me! You don't get to change your mind when they're apprentices and question my decisions on telling them nothing about you, Cedarwhisker! You. Weren't. There." She added with a deeper hiss, not even allowing him to answer. While her kits were getting to the age they may keep secrets from her, she knew they'd tell her about a tom claiming to be their father. She knows he hasn't said a word to them. "Just leave it be Cedarwhisker. If you want to be their father, talk to them, not me. I think I made my feelings about you clear." She sighed after, this confrontation draining her. Perhaps she was bitter, and perhaps that was why she withheld information, granted the kits never questioned it, now did they? As far as she knew, her children were happy without their father, but if Cedarwhisker suddenly wanted to be involved, she wouldn't stop him as long as he actually stepped up.

//originally meant to be a one shot but i decided to make it an open!
​

დ ♡ დ​

 

[crowflower]

Crowflower's routine revolves around the most important things in her life: her family, her apprentices, and Thunderclan's forest. Especially after the...interaction (conflict? clash? catastrophe?!) at Berryheart's den, she has sought refuge within the comfort of the ancient oak trees or in the company of her siblings while she agonized over her social blunder. It seems that every time she manages to get the confidence to speak her mind, it's with the wrong words at the wrong time to the wrong people. She admires Killdeercry for standing her ground, but she is also mortified at how her sister gloriously, bravely, foolishly added fuel to the fire. A part of Crow is content to accept the consequences of trying to do what she thought was right. Most of her wishes that she could kick herself for opening her mouth in the first place.

Desperate to escape the agony of her endless thought-loop, she had just decided to seek the company of Wrenflutter and the kits when she noticed an abnormality: Cedarwhisker. Former friend, Parental Failure, and the cause of her sister's woes.

Wrenflutter's raised voice is distressing. She is loathe to engage in another emotionally-charged interaction, but this is her sister. And Crowflower can do for Wrenflutter what she cannot for most others. Although she cannot bring herself to hate Cedarwhisker, she wants to prevent her sister from further suffering. Remembering her earlier missteps, the dark-furred molly is careful to choose her words wisely. "Do better," she tells him. There is much that he has to make up for if he seriously wants to be a part of this family again. She ignores the urge to impart her personal beliefs of atonement upon the Absent Father and instead focuses on her sister. Wrenflutter possesses a special kind of strength to be loving and tolerant despite everything that afflicts her. Crowflower strives to be like her.

"You've been holding that in for a while," she observes in a soft voice. "How does it feel?"​

 

[RACCOONSTRIPE]

Raccoonstripe keeps his eye on things going on about camp. He takes note of who exits and enters the nursery—who are they visiting? Is it because they’re visiting a friend or kin? Or is it because they’ve sired kits and are coming to view them? He sees Rabbitnose exit the nursery often, and Flycatcher had once been a regular. His sister’s visitors, of course, were strictly family.

Wrenflutter’s had been the same, until now. His eyes narrow as Cedarwhisker stalks toward the nursery with purpose. He’s never seen him take any interest in the dust-colored queen or her kits. Her voice raises at the warrior, sharper than he’s ever heard it, and Raccoonstripe thinks he understands why Cedarwhisker’s first visit to the nursery has caused such a reaction.

He does not enter the nursery, but he stands just outside, watching Crowflower comfort her sister. His eyes dart from Cedarwhisker to Wrenflutter, wondering what the tom’s intentions really are. “Your kits are apprentices, Cedarwhisker,” he says mildly. “You can get to know them when they aren’t training.”

Does he have ulterior motives for visiting Wrenflutter to ask about his kits? Is he trying to win her affections back after abandoning her and his litter? He snorts, but he only offers Wrenflutter a sympathetic look. “Is everything okay in here? Anything I can do to help?”
​

[ PENNED BY MARQUETTE ]​

 

[DOVEPAW!]

.you want a battle —————————

————————— i'll give you war.

▵ ———————— ◮ ———————— ▵

THE BLACK-AND-WHITE FELINE HADN’T BEEN PRESENT DURING THE commotion, having just returned from training, muscles sore from overuse. Not that the apprentice minded. It made him believe he was getting better, even if hunting continued to be a total sore in his hind.

Dove winced, biting his inner cheek, ears flattening against his helm as failure pooled into his stomach, owlish blue optics remain unblocking until his gaze shifted. Oh—He frowned, wondering what was happening, catching sight of his mama which sent a perk in his step, wiggling over to the gathering cats. Is everything alright–? That bubbling sensation of failure changed to that of worry, gripping his heart like ice.

What happened? Was his mama alright? The kits? A nervous chitter escaped his maw as he drew near. “Mama?” He called, standing beside Racoonstripe as he peered into the nursery, owlish optics bleeding with worry until they landed on Cedarwhiskers, brows furrowed. “Is everything alright..?” He mewled, unsure of what to do. He wiggled into the nursery, shuffling as he got closer to his mama, peering up at her. “Y, Your not s, sick are you?” He shuttered nervously, tail twitching until it tucked around his hind leg. His gut churned at the thought, wondering just how bad of a son he’d been if he’d never noticed.

thoughts speech​

​

​

 

[Chicky]

Chickadeepaw is two hops behind her sibling, flicking her remaining ear in a curious response to the clamor she had heard. Words had been garbled from distance, masked by the nursery walls. Chickadeepaw had a sneaky suspicion that she missed something important, some context that the adults had, some context they were unwilling to share. Your kits are apprentices, Cedarwhisker. Racoonstripe had said - huh. Who were Cedarwhisker's kits then? Maybe Sleekpaw? Goldenpaw?

"Uh, the apprentice den is that way." Chickadeepaw raises a non-existent brow at the tom who was now obviously bothering her mother, her fluffy tail flicking dismissively towards her and her littermate's shared den. "If you're gonna be stupid, you shouldn't do it to Mama. Acornkit and Oakkit aren't yours, dummy. Keep moving!"​