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Post by berryjuice on Jan 10, 2024 4:08:43 GMT -5
As Brightfrost watched Rosepelt walk away, she started to wonder if she had made a mistake. Her goal was to get the WindClan cats to trust her, and she was sure that this hadn’t helped. Autumneyes and Stoneheart were always warning her about her temper. In most ways, the two she-cats couldn’t be more different, so the fact that this was something they agreed on was obviously significant. But she couldn’t help it- sometimes it was so obviously necessary that she needed to fight. And seeing Jasminefur be so upset, and to be on the receiving end of such hard words…she couldn’t just let that happen. When Rosepelt had started an angry retort against her, Brightfrost hadn't wavered at all. She had only looked back at Rosepelt with the same brilliant fire in her eyes that was always there when she knew she was right. ThunderClan cats were known for their reckless and stubborn behavior- yet even still, Brightfrost's confidence was of a unique tone.
So, while there was a part of her that knew that she may not have made the right move, she couldn’t truly regret it. Thinking about what Rosepelt had said to Jasminefur still made her angry. Brightfrost had never had any littermates, but she thought they were meant to be close allies- to look after each other even more than one would normally look after a Clanmate. Yet, Rosepelt treated Jasminefur like crowfood. Moons ago she would have assumed that that’s just the way things were in WindClan; she had always been told that they had no honor and no loyalty. But she could never imagine Jasminefur acting this way towards Rosepelt. It made her wonder just how bad things had been for him in WindClan. It made her wish that she had been there to stand up for him then.
She realized that this was an odd thought as soon as she had it- she couldn’t imagine having been born in WindClan, but she could almost imagine Jasminefur in ThunderClan. Perhaps they could have trained together, and gotten along better than the denmates they had had, and could enjoy each other’s company without all these strange feelings mucking everything up.
What am I thinking? We could never be Clanmates- we would never want that. He’s WindClan and I’m ThunderClan; that’s the way that it’s meant to be!
Yet, she found herself pressing her flank against his, although not as closely as before as she was aware that they were being watched by both Applewing and Cricketpaw. But she felt like she needed to comfort him; he didn’t deserve to feel this way. “I don’t know if she understands- but I’m sure that most cats would. If ThunderClan had been the ones targeted by the dogs, I’m sure that any of our warriors- even then ones who hate WindClan the most- would’ve run to the moor if it meant that one of our kits stood a chance.” She paused, thinking about what Autumneyes had said. “I’m sure deep down, Rosepelt does understand. She’s just clouded by feelings- about everything that’s happened.” — Cricketpaw stood nearby, listening to but not acknowledging the conversation. He agreed with what Rosepelt had said- although perhaps his loyalty to her was partially because, in a way, she was replacing so many of those he had lost. He had no mentor and no family to guide him; and he was still a young cat who desperately needed that guidance. But…something did feel wrong about the only remaining WindClan cats turning on each other when they should be closer than ever.
“Okay…fine. Let’s talk to your medicine cat. Maybe she can make Specklestar realize that Fernkit belongs on the moor with us and it’s wrong to make her a ThunderClan warrior,” Cricketpaw growled. He was reluctant to deal with any ThunderClan cat at this point, but he could remember a time when he was a kit and one of his littermates had gotten sick with something that WindClan’s medicine cat had never dealt with before. Nightsong had, so she visited camp to help. Cricketpaw’s mother had explained to them that since she was a medicine cat, they could trust Nightsong even though she wasn’t a WindClan cat.
Of course, ThunderClan cats were much less trustworthy than ShadowClan or RiverClan cats. Or even rogues. Maybe he would even rather trust a fox. And while medicine cats had the approval of StarClan, leaders were supposed to as well- and Specklestar had shown his true colors. So he wasn’t sure what advice his mother would give in this situation. His emotions rose as he thought about how she wasn’t here to offer him that support and would never be again. And he thought about his sick brother; it had taken Nightsong’s dedicated care and likely a miracle from StarClan, and none of it mattered now. “I’d like to know what StarClan really has to say.”
The apprentice walked towards the medicine den; even in his haze of grief and anger he stopped by the nursery. When he saw the nest- admittedly a pale imitation of what they had had in WindClan, but impressive considering the circumstances- Cricketpaw mustered his best smile for Fernkit. “Wow- you did a really good job. Better than I did when I was first made an apprentice.”
Fogfoot smiled and nodded. “See, it’s perfect. Now let’s enjoy it- you’ve all had a lot of excitement today.” She pulled the kits in close and groomed them gently, ignoring Badgerkit’s complaints that they didn’t need a nap. Thornkit purred softly as he made himself comfortable in the nest. Though Fogfoot and Cricketpaw’s animosity regarding members of each other's Clans was no secret, and neither was happy to be in each other’s company, they were willing to suppress those feelings for Fernkit’s sake. After making sure that Fernkit was able to settle and appeared safe enough, he continued on to talk to Autumneyes. – Brightfrost followed with Jasminefur, a few tail lengths behind Cricketpaw. She really hoped that Autumneyes did have answers, or at least some good advice. And she could talk about the omen, how obvious it was that that beam of sunlight had been sent right from StarClan. That had proven just how important Jasminefur was to the fate of both of their Clans. And maybe Cricketpaw was right, at least about her talking to Specklestar. Surely between the two of them, they could figure out what StarClan’s intentions were.
She got unconsciously closer to Jasminefur when she noticed Applewing and Bristlebark staring at them. She wasn’t surprised that they had noticed that something was going on- Brightfrost was rarely subtle, and the two guards were currently meant to be as alert as possible. Bristlebark seemed to dismiss it as just bickering and returned to watching for any actual threats. But something in Applewing’s gaze was irritating. He seemed much more curious, and she just knew that anything he witnessed between her and the WindClan cats would somehow be used against her. It would at least get back to Paleheart, who was already a persistent thorn in her paw.
She looked to Applewing with an annoyed flick of her ears. She wanted to make sure he knew that she was always staying aware of him and the other troublesome cats. She wouldn’t let her guard down, especially after the warning she had received from StarClan. Her Clanmates had had their eyes on her for as long as she could remember anyway- this was nothing. “What do you want? You’re supposed to be listening for dogs, not private conversations.” She stepped towards the medicine den, making it clear that she wasn’t bothered enough to waste much time talking to him- but of course, she was more than ready to retaliate if he said something that called for it.
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Shadowstartheleader
Friendship Rank 4
~The world may be dark, we may be lost forever, but we stand a chance as long as we're together~
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Post by Shadowstartheleader on Jan 10, 2024 11:15:05 GMT -5
Jasminefur struggled to believe that Rosepelt understood what he had had to do deep down, given how she had just exploded at him. Nonetheless, he noticed how, even after defending him from his sister, Brightfrost still tried to offer a somewhat sympathetic explanation for his sister's behvior -- it surprised him, given Rosepelt had made a pretty bad first impression. He swallowed, hoping that would take his strong emotions with it, and he gave an unconfident nod, though he tried to hold onto the possibility that Rosepelt's rage had just boiled over -- that she didn't hate him for coming here when it seemed the only choice. If he answered Brightfrost, it would only have been a sheepish hope that she was right. Instead, this time, he pressed his doubt down inside, not saying anything.
Before all of these thoughts, Brightfrost had pressed gently into him, and Jasminefur found himself reciprocating and drawing a little closer. Despite the fact she was ThunderClan, and she was supposedly meant to support her leader's decision, Jasminefur hoped that she would try to help where she could as far as keeping Fernkit within his and his clanmates' reach. He noted to himself that he would need to gently bring the matter up when they had a chance to speak, alone...along with discussing his dream.
Jasminefur cast a glance with a light dose of anxiety towards the apprentice as Cricketpaw conditionally accepted going to the medicine cat's den. He wanted an answer which would make it obvious that the leader was in the wrong. Jasminefur understood; he wanted to hear that too, truthfully. But he also knew that a medicine cat was supposed to advise and reach an understanding with a leader, not necessarily contradict them; Jasminefur wasn't sure if they were going to get the answer Cricketpaw, and to a mostly equal extent, Jasminefur wanted.
"Let's speak with her then," He softly mewed. "She'll tell you about the omen, and her interpretation. And...I guess we can ask about Fernkit being held here, as well..." he trailed off, a bit uncertain. He glanced at Brightfrost; he wished he had gotten to speak about Fernkit with her before going to consult with Autumneyes. Nonetheless, Jasminefur felt it was a worse idea to tell Cricketpaw he needed to wait. "But Cricketpaw...please be respectful of her. Autumneyes is a medicine cat, and worthy of respect no matter what Clan she hails from. And..." He thought about his arrival to ThunderClan, and how Autumneyes had supported Brightfrost and helped them plan around her own absence, so he would remain protected, while he stayed in her den. "She patched me up very well and helped keep me safe. She is a good cat to have on our side," His tactical mind shone through his shaken demeanor in this moment, as he tried to gently assuage the apprentice's anger. He decided to make one more comment. "If we want the situation with Fernkit to change, she is definitely a cat we want on our side." He repeated the point, this time a lower whisper, though he obviously made no attempt to hide it from Brightfrost's ears.
Applewing picked up on the closeness of Brightfrost and Jasminefur rather quickly, and he knew he had to jump at the opportunity. He waited for them to come closer after another thirty seconds or so of their deliberating. He was about to speak up when Brightfrost's gaze locked onto him, and beat him to the jab.
His eyes flashed with annoyance at her comment, as he felt it was certainly good guarding to keep an eye on loud foreign cats -- especially one from WindClan. But he quickly searched his mind, trying to think of the best way to jab back at her. It took him a couple moments, almost making it clear he was finding the right way to get back at her. Finally, he spoke up. "I'm listening for any danger...like a rogue WindClanner!" He called back, setting up for the punchline. "But he's no threat, I guess. But why do you have to turn to WindClan to get all that attention you're so desperate for?" A smug grin finally spread across his face. Paleheart was going to like that one when he heard it.
But Applewing let out a surprised cry as he was smacked sharply across the ear. He turned with astonishment to Bristlebark, who had half-stood up to gain access to her limbs so she could thwack him. "Shut up and do your job, Applewing! You should be guarding the entrance, not jeering at cats like a gossiping apprentice!" She let out a quiet, annoyed hiss. "Is that really how Goldenspots trained you?" It was a rhetorical murmur, not something she was looking for an answer to.
Applewing went silent after that, clearly not bold enough to challenge a senior warrior chewing him out. He turned away from Brightfrost quickly, trying to hide the cowed look that was now on his face.
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Post by berryjuice on Jan 11, 2024 4:48:05 GMT -5
Cricketpaw clenched his jaw as Jasminefur reminded him of what he already knew but was reluctant to believe: that he needed to be respectful of medicine cats. And of course, he hated to be reminded that in many ways, they were at the mercy of ThunderClan cats. “I know, I know,” grumbled the apprentice, resenting the idea of having to be polite to cats who may as well have their teeth on his throat.
Brightfrost hoped that Cricketpaw would be reasonably polite. Even though she knew that Autumneyes would be understanding, Brightfrost hated the way that some cats seemed not to give her the respect she was due.
She knew that she and Jasminefur could benefit from speaking privately with each other. There was a lot to discuss, and it was difficult to really communicate openly when they were being watched by their angry Clanmates. But she wasn’t even really sure what she would say. Would they disagree? Jasminefur was right that if they wanted to take Fernkit away, then Autumneyes would be able to offer useful support. But Brightfrost didn’t like the idea of trying to use her in any way- though she told herself that that wasn’t what was happening. The WindClan refugees simply needed allies within the Clan. Brightfrost had always known that. Everything would be easier if there was less animosity towards Jasminefur and the other refugees. And Autumneyes was a kind and reasonable cat- she would understand. Though, Brightfrost wasn’t sure how she would feel about Fernkit’s situation. She suspected that she would feel similarly to Specklestar- that allowed the WindClan cats to come and go with the kit as they pleased would lead to her being put in danger. Autumneyes was very aware of how dangerous the moor was- she didn’t even like the idea of Brightfrost, a full-grown warrior going there.
It occurred to her that Fernkit’s situation may have some similarities to Brightkit’s- at least from Autumneyes’ perspective. While Brightfrost was lucky to still have a whole Clan to look after her, where it was certain that she would be safe, she had been a kit who had suddenly found herself with no real family. Autumnpaw had stepped in to fulfill that role in many ways even though they weren’t directly related. But both were full ThunderClan cats. What if she and Brightfrost had been born into different Clans? Would they still have the same sort of bond? Could someone truly love an outsider the way that one loved their own kin?
Of course, sometimes one’s own kin weren’t exactly loving. There was plenty of evidence of that: StarClan’s warning about hidden enemies, Rosepelt’s hurtful words towards her own littermate, and Applewing’s choice to bother Brightfrost at every turn. Why did some cats have to make things even more difficult than they already were? “Why would I need attention? I’m already getting plenty from you.”
With a dismissive flick of her tail, she continued on her way, smirking when she heard Bristlebark’s reaction. She was glad that at least some of her Clanmates understood that even if they were angry at the WindClan cats’ presence in camp and thought that Brightfrost’s interest in them was a betrayal, there were far more important things to worry about. While she knew she couldn’t rely on the older she-cat to defend Jasminefur, she could at least rely on her mother’s old friend to defend ThunderClan.
Though she walked with her usual swagger, her thoughts did linger on Applewing’s words. She knew that many of her Clanmates thought she was an attention-seeker. That she wanted to be special. She could remember the Clan having their eyes on her even when she was a kit. Though she was too young to remember it much, she knew that she was an oddity from the start- a kit that had been born seemingly out of nowhere, and who didn’t look like they belonged in the forest. Then, Icestorm had been slain. The senseless killing of a nursing queen who had never been anything but honorable, even when battling her hated enemies- and the orphaned kit she had left behind, who now would always feel alone in some ways. The situation was a perfect storm that represented all the anger and pain that ThunderClan felt regarding their rival Clan, and Brightfrost was a symbol of it.
She knew that her Clan had genuinely cared for her, feeling sympathy for the most direct victim of a tragedy. And many of them had respected Icestorm and felt they had a duty to look after her daughter. But…she also knew that they had always hoped that Brightkit would grow up to be a great warrior because it would be another way to spite WindClan.
Brightfrost’s success represented her Clan’s fighting spirit. That WindClan could take everything from them, but ThunderClan would always come back stronger.
So, unlike Jasminefur, she couldn’t imagine what it was like to feel like another face in the crowd. Even if she hadn’t been chosen by StarClan, she would always have expectations to live up to.
However…the attention she received from Jasminefur felt far different than what she received from her Clanmates. It was like he appreciated her for who she was, not what she represented. He didn’t even know her story, and maybe she liked it that way. Even still, she knew there was a lot she take on for him. She would keep her promise to protect him and to guide him. That promise wasn’t just to him, but to StarClan- this wasn’t simply an attempt to get the WindClan cat to like her. That wasn’t the important part.
She wished she could have a moment to clear her head, but there were more difficult conversations ahead. She poked her head into the medicine den and looked around for Autumneyes. She didn’t want to interrupt if the medicine cat had injuries or illnesses to worry about. Brightfrost felt she had already troubled her too much. “Hey- are you busy?” She glanced to Jasminefur and Cricketpaw. “We wanted to talk about everything.”
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Shadowstartheleader
Friendship Rank 4
~The world may be dark, we may be lost forever, but we stand a chance as long as we're together~
Posts: 617
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Post by Shadowstartheleader on Jan 20, 2024 20:01:04 GMT -5
Jasminefur picked up easily on the resentment in Cricketpaw's voice, expression and demeanor. Even though he was cautioning the apprentice against outward displays of hostility, Jasminefur's expression was still taken by sympathy for him. He frowned, not a frown of anger, but one of understanding. His eyebrows lowered slightly as the parts of his face relaxed. He gazed at the apprentice for a few moments, considering that even as angry as Cricketpaw was, the apprentice could still whip up the maturity to acknowledge that, at least with ThunderClan's medicine cat, they needed to show respect. Jasminefur didn't struggle with this problem -- but he was well aware that that would have been challenging for many WindClan cats.
His sympathetic gaze held firm on Cricketpaw as the apprentice followed after Brightfrost, though Jasminefur didn't know of any words to express his approval of the apprentice. He wasn't a mentor -- He didn't know how to moralize a young apprentice, being that he had been one himself only a pawful of moons earlier.
As they headed towards the medicine cat's den, Jasminefur cast a glance towards Brightfrost, unsure if he would be able to catch her gaze. Unfortunately, he was left to worry about seeing Autumneyes alone, as she was preoccupied rebuttling Applewing; he saw the proud strut she employed as she padded past the midpoint of the camp, leaving Applewing behind. As he turned back to the path ahead of him, he felt a longing for just a little bit of comfort from her, from some part of his soul, that he was at least attempting to do the right thing. He felt a little colder.
Bristlebark had hoped the kit-like matter was over, but an angered expression overtook her face as Brightfrost bit back at the young warrior beside her. Her previous comment was left relatively useless as Brightfrost refused to take the high ground and act more mature.
Bristlebark was briefly reminded of her old friend - a fierce she-cat who refused to stow whatever thought she had about a situation. As soon as this thought entered her mind, even though she wanted to be angry at the young she-cat's immaturity, Bristlebark found it impossible not to feel a sense of familiarty, and a pang of longing. When will I see you again?
Bristlebark gazed out past the camp entrance to the swarm of trees that lie beyond. She wanted to be there to watch over her old friend's kit, but she doubted the fierce young warrior would ever listen to her. As she thought about Brightfrost, her mind blinked back to a short time ago to relieving Stoneheart of her duty, and Bristlebark wondered if Brightfrost's old mentor might have some way to counsel Brightfrost about her need to meet every single challenge.
But Bristlebark also questioned whether Stoneheart would have the tact and heart to carefully address the issue with Brightfrost. To be fair, Bristlebark knew that she, herself, wouldn't either. She wasn't soft and sensitive like these younger cats; she didn't know how to meet most of them at their level.
With a quiet sigh (and ignoring the questioning gaze she received from Applewing), Bristlebark continued monitoring for threats.
Upon entering Autumneyes' den, one could see the stores were still almost meticulously organized, like the last time they had been in her den. Just a couple leaflets of herbs lie open, half empty.
Upon a cursory scan, Autumneyes could be seen in the left side corner of the den, appearing to be treating some wound that Sandclaw had obtained. The warrior winced and let out a squeak as Autumneyes pulled a thorn suddenly form the pad of her left hind paw, before she heard Brightfrost speak up, and she quickly rose to her feet.
Autumneyes seemed about to say something to the warrior, but before she could finish, Sandclaw quietly mumbled a thanks to Autumneyes. Then, the warrior began heading towards the exit of the den. She made a particular point of circling around the far side of Brightfrost so that her right flank passed by Brightfrost, Cricketpaw and Jasminefur; she was trying to make no issue of it, but it was a mere attempt to hide the limp she had as she traveled upon a hurt pad which definitely needed one of Autumneyes' salves.
Autumneyes said something not very religious under her breath as the warrior left her den without letting her complete her healing measures. She heard Brightfrost, but she was a bit ticked off as the mere presence of these other cats seemed to so irrationally affect the warrior.
She turned to Brightfrost, her irritation showing in her expression and drippng in her voice, even though she didn't really mean it towards Brightfrost. "What? What is it?" She blurted out, before her gaze traveled over the cats that Brightfrost was escorting -- not just Jasminefur, as per normal, but the young apprentice, too. "Oh!" She took a few quick steps towards the group. "Hi there," she murmured quietly as she gazed at Cricketpaw. "I'm Autumneyes, and...well...I'm glad you're safe." Her mew rang with sincerity -- to a cat who wanted to see the good in her. She was genuinely glad to see the little cat safe and sound, among their ranks -- but she wasn't fully aware of how bitter Cricketpaw was about the whole situation.
Her gaze shifted briefly to Jasminefur. She seemed to pick up on a tense and fragile air. "Is something wrong? Is...Where is your sister?"
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Post by berryjuice on Jan 21, 2024 5:03:27 GMT -5
Brightfrost felt a bit of dread when she realized that there was a warrior being treated in the medicine den. She didn’t want to bother Autumneyes if she was busy, and she knew that most of the warriors of ThunderClan were not terribly receptive to the WindClan cats. She felt even more dread when she saw that it was Sandclaw. Sandclaw, who was clearly itching at the chance to make the WindClan cats miserable. Who had tried to attack Jasminefur- the thought of it still made Brightfrost angry. She was relieved when the warrior left in a huff rather than be forced to share space with WindClan cats for even a moment.
Brightfrost hesitated when she saw the irritation in Autumneyes’ expression. “If you’re busy, we can come back later.” She was already aware of the trouble that she was causing the medicine cat. If she was already having a bad day, she didn’t want to make it worse.
Speaking of making things worse, she wasn’t sure what to say about Rosepelt’s whereabouts. She still didn’t truly know how Jasminefur felt about everything, and he seemed distant- she wondered if he was unhappy with the way that Brightfrost had handled that conversation. And what was Rosepelt thinking? Did she just need time to cool off, or should they be more concerned? “Rosepelt’s resting in the den.” She paused, knowing that it was obvious that wasn’t the full story. But there was still so much to discuss in regard to everything that happened, and some of these discussions should not happen in front of Cricketpaw. “There was an argument with Specklestar.” She decided not to mention yet that Jasminefur had turned on ThunderClan’s leader. “And then…”
Cricketpaw rolled his eyes. “And then you yelled at her until she left. Some guard you are.”
“Anyway, Cricketpaw wanted to talk to you.”
“I guess,” said Cricketpaw. He looked Autumneyes over, seeming to be unsure about her still. But he was at least less hostile towards her than he was towards the warriors of the Clan. “Was there really some kind of omen about Jasminefur? Is he going to save WindClan or something? And are we really supposed to hang around ThunderClan?”
Brightfrost hoped that these questions wouldn’t offend Autumneyes. She had already dealt enough with her Clanmates not believing how important the WindClan cats were and that ThunderClan must take care of them. “And…we also wanted to talk about Fernkit’s destiny. Specklestar won’t let WindClan take her back to the moor if we’re not sure that it’s safe. And he wants to have her train with a ThunderClan mentor.” She paused. “With me.”
“StarClan would never want a kit to be forced into a Clan they weren’t born into,” Cricketpaw spat. He looked to Autumneyes earnestly. “They made four separate Clans for a reason, didn’t they? None of us should be here. If Jasminefur is supposed to save WindClan, then that means he’s supposed to keep his Clanmates together in our home. Not another Clan’s camp.”
Brightfrost didn’t respond to Cricketpaw’s words. It was clear that she had quite a lot on her mind that she wouldn’t even know how to begin explaining. There was so much that needed to be addressed and all of that was more difficult with the two additional refugees. A storm of different feelings, many of them conflicting, brewed in her mind.
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Shadowstartheleader
Friendship Rank 4
~The world may be dark, we may be lost forever, but we stand a chance as long as we're together~
Posts: 617
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Post by Shadowstartheleader on Mar 21, 2024 18:35:55 GMT -5
Jasminefur wasn't eager to speak as silence crept through the den, as Brightfrost justified the whereabouts of Rosepelt. His chest ached a little as he thought of how angry his sister had been, but he shoved it down further inside himself, trying to throw away those feelings. It wasn't important right now, and he didn't have time to deal with his own guilt. He glanced at Brightfrost awkwardly, then back at Autumneyes. The medicine cat, after watching Brightfrost for a pawful of seconds, turned her gaze to Jasminefur. Even though he wasn't trying to convey anything, Autumneyes seemed to understand some kind of message from his face.
Jasminefur awkwardly shuffled on his paws as Cricketpaw spoke up. Autumneyes looked to the apprentice, but her gaze didn't hold anything but gentlility to them. She put a note in the back of her mind to check in with Brightfrost - privately - about whatever 'yelling at Rosepelt until she left' meant....but it wasn't the most pressing thing right now, as long as the warrior was safe.Truthfully, Autumneyes, for as little time as she had known the warrior, worried less about Rosepelt's ability to defend herself. She was certaintly more built than Jasminefur, but more than that, she had a standard ferocity that oozed from her that was leagues beyond Jasminefur's meek demeanor. For a moment, Autumneyes seriously wondered if, perhaps, Jasminefur should have been given the chance to be a medicine cat. Perhaps it would've been a better place for his sensitive nature. Rosepelt, at least from the little time she had known her, seemed more of the warrior type by far.
Autumneyes started with a concentrated and even demeanor as Cricketpaw asked her a set of important questions. As he spoke, she gently nodded along as she processed what he wanted to know. She was used to cats who hadn't seen the sign doubting it -- she could clear that up confidently. Autumenyes knew that Cricketpaw likely wouldn't be keen to hear that Jasminefur's destiny was interwoven with that of a ThunderClan warrior, and that that meant he likely needed to remain within the clan--but Autumneyes also knew that, sometimes, StarClan's plan wasn't going to leave every cat feeling pleasant every day of their lives.
All this was clear to Autumneyes, and she was prepared to address it, in addition to any protests that a frustrated, cast-out apprentice might have. But when Brightfrost pitched in, adding another element that she hadn't expected...Autumneyes seemed taken off guard.
Her expression fell visibly, her eyes widening as it was reported to her that Fernkit was to be held in ThunderClan. She could already imagine Specklestar arguing that Fernkit wouldn't be safe in a nearly empty WindClan camp for moons to come, but she was starkly aware of the pain having a clanmate torn away from them must've been causing.
Autumneyes' gaze reflected the pain that she heard in Cricketpaw's voice. I can't imagine losing dozens of clanmates, and then being told my closest clanmate in age would be taken away as well.... She sympathized as her silent gaze was fixed on Cricketpaw, leaving the air heavy and uncomfortable.
She gently padded closer to Cricketpaw, settling down gently in front of him to address him directly. "There is a lot going on," She murmured to start with. "Let's take it one step at a time. Yes, StarClan did give me a sign about Jasminefur..." She held her gaze to his evenly and with certainty. "I can tell you exactly what I saw. If you look up above our camp, you'll see the shelter of many tree branches which harry the rain and the wind. Well...the day of this sign, the sun shone through them as if they didn't exist. It shone upon Jasminefur, as if it were a guiding beacon-" Jasminefur shuffled about on his paws uncomfortably. "-along with Brightfrost, who was within the edges of the shining beam of light. It was an impossible display of dazzling light, unless the paws of StarClan reached down to make it so." Her voice shook gently with a genuinely reverant mewl. For a time, Autumneyes had wondered about the possibility of her misinterpreting the sign....Autumneyes wouldn't deny the possibility, but so far, Jasminefur had been a force of good in the camp, and them encountering the lone survivors of the clan, even given the disaster they had seen....she was nearly certain of the importance of Jasminefur.
Jasminefur's gaze was absolutely filled with discomfort, hating the fact that he was such a topic of discussion between one of his own clanmates and the medicine cat of another clan. Almost out of instinct, his gaze turned towards Brightfrost for help-- but he was quickly reminded that Autumneyes was practically a sister to Brightfrost. The warrior probably wouldn't heed his wish for the uncomfortable discussion to stop -- that was, if she even picked up on his discomfort. Cricketpaw was such a strong force in the den at the moment, and Jasminefur imagined he wasn't the first thing on the warrior's mind.
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Post by berryjuice on Apr 3, 2024 3:21:36 GMT -5
Cricketpaw still looked doubtful, but it was obvious that the medicine cat was swaying him. He was more inclined to believe authority figures in ThunderClan than he was to believe one of its random warriors. And the way that Autumneyes described the scene…it would never be the same as having seen it for himself, of course. Only those that were there could fully understand how spectacular it was. But Cricketpaw could sort of get an idea. “Okay, so…maybe there was an omen. And Jasminefur’s going to save the Clans from the dogs or something.”
Had Jasminefur really been chosen by StarClan? And chosen for what, exactly? He thought back to the other point that Specklestar had made- that if WindClan were to be rebuilt, it would need a leader. To Cricketpaw, Rosepelt was the obvious choice. She was a skilled warrior, and in their time together in the wake of the massacre, she had proven time and time again that she had the confidence and instincts of a leader. She had certainly gotten a follower out of Cricketpaw.
Jasminefur, on the other hand…he was nothing special. He also hadn’t shown the kind of decision-making skills during times of crisis that Rosepelt had, what with him taking himself and the last WindClan kit straight into the belly of a beast. And what was he doing hanging around a ThunderClan warrior? At least the omen might explain that; Jasminefur probably just didn’t want to anger StarClan. “But we still don’t everything exactly. We don’t know that Specklestar’s right- no one knows WindClan's destiny for sure. Until we have a leader and everything of our own again.” Despite the skepticism, it was meaningful that he was willing to admit that there could be some truth in the words of the ThunderClan cats. His eyes kept drifting to the spot in the sky that Autumneyes had mentioned.
—
Brightfrost did notice Jasminefur’s discomfort. Though she was giving Autumneyes most of her attention, she was alert to the WindClan cats as always. Especially Jasminefur. And though she knew that she still didn’t understand him perfectly well, she was starting to get to know him and become able to pick up on some of what he was feeling. The shifting of his paws, the twitch of his whiskers…as subtle as it was, she could pick up on it the way that she could detect the signs of prey or threats in her territory. And StarClan had shown her that Jasminefur was no less important than those things.
She gently brushed her tail along Jasminefur’s flank, the same gesture that Rosepelt had taken notice of before. But Brightfrost didn’t think of it as being particularly intimate, even though it appeared to represent a feeling of familiarity between the two cats of different Clans. To her, it was simply a gesture that meant she was telling him to follow her. She spared a look at Autumneyes, hoping to communicate that she and Jasminefur needed a moment to talk- he had, of course, been through quite a lot over the past sunrise.
She didn’t have them stray far from the medicine den; she didn’t want to leave Autumneyes and Cricketpaw entirely alone. But far enough to be largely out of earshot, and hopefully out of the range of Applewing’s obnoxious judgemental glare- but of course, some of Brightfrost’s Clanmates always found ways to cause trouble.
Brightfrost took a small breath before looking to Jasminefur. Her eyes were intense even when they were caring. “What do you think about all this?”
She hoped that her fears- that Jasminefur would see her as another enemy within ThunderClan- would not be confirmed. There was always that nagging feeling that he didn’t trust her, and she wasn’t sure she would ever shake that. After all, it would be strange if he did fully trust a ThunderClan cat, even if they were both serving StarClan. “I don’t know what Specklestar is really thinking. Everyone says he’s got thistledown for brains. But…I don’t think he wants to hurt anybody. And we have Autumneyes on our side still, and the medicine cat is basically as important as the leader.”
She hesitated before resting the end of her tail on Jasminefur’s side, seeming not to know whether he could still be okay with the physical closeness they had exhibited previously. “I know that Fernkit will be okay, with so many cats that care about her. And…with us working together, everything will turn out the way it should.”
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