The small things in life [closed]

Sitting on the Lone Stump, Smokepelt gave a sigh, watching as his misty breath disappeared into the air. Behind him, the sun started to rise up further into the sky and the warmth from its rays felt great on his dark grey back. Unfortunately, he couldn't say that being awake this early was a "pleasure," for he would've honestly preferred to stay asleep in his wonderfully quiet and cozy nest. Once more, the tom had woken up a bit too early for his liking, so here he was; sitting alone on a dead tree stump, listening to the calming silence of the moor.

For a while, Smokepelt let his mind wander and didn't really think of anything in particular, until his thoughts landed on his father. Although he deeply loved his father, thinking about the dead tom wasn't exactly something he wanted to think about, for it usually ruined his mood. Of course there were memories that he enjoyed remembering, but in the end, they just left him feeling even more alone than he already felt.

Hearing the shuffle of grass coming from behind him, the grey and white tom turned his head around in an effort to see who was there. "Hello?"

The ginger apprentice's head popped up after Smokepelt said something to her. She was thankful, for once, for her tracking skills that Thunderclan had taught her. Moving silently here was a breeze compared to Thunderclan territory but Windclan didn't need to be silent they needed to be fast. Though she was still an apprentice so she was bound to screw up her silent following at somepoint like she just did. "Sorry.. I woke up and I saw you leaving the camp so I decided to follow.." Firepaw said to the deputy.

Seeing it was only Starlingpaw, the tom relaxed a bit. Having brought her and her sister in the clan, Smokepelt was closer to the she-cat than others and was honestly glad to have her company. "No worries," he meowed softly with a smile, flicking his tail for her to come and join him on the dead tree stump. "Couldn't sleep?" the deputy asked, hoping everything was alright.

The ginger apprentice shook her head. "No.. The deputy could probably already guess as to why. Visions of her brother's death haunted her dreams, it made her restless and paranoid. She couldn't stand it. She didn't like it one bit, and her name reminded her all about it.. "How do you deal with a name that constantly reminds you of bad things?" She asked softly looking down at the ground. Firepaw... She disliked her name. It reminded her too much of her brother... and her parents who left them.. She didn't like being called Firepaw anymore.

Sitting next to the apprentice, it looked to him like she was having a rough time adjusting and probably encountering some not-so-wanted flashbacks from her previous life, in which he felt bad for the young she cat. Praying to StarClan to give him the right wisdom for this situation, he let out a soft sigh. He was no medicine cat or leader, but maybe he'd be of some service. Well, whether he was a help or not, he was all ears and ready to help the best that he could.

Tilting his head and thinking about her question, Smokepelt had to admit that he was a bit confused. "A name that reminds you of bad things..." he echoed softy. That single statement rung through his head and after a few moments, he looked down to Firepaw, a soft smile on his muzzle. "Well, why don't you try to find thoughts that remind you of the good things in life?" the tom meowed but realized that wouldn't do any good. No one could replace bad memories, it just wasn't possible. If the apprentice was already fighting demons at this young of an age, there was no erasing those thoughts.

Looking up to the sky, he thought for a couple more seconds but kept his gaze to the thin blanket of clouds. "Well, in all honesty, there's no avoiding those bad things. If they've already happened, those thought's will never go away, no matter how hard you try," his words may have seemed a bit harsh, but it was the truth and sometimes the truth hurt.

"I can only really think of one thing that would be able to help you," the white and grey tom meowed, looking down to the she-cat. "Change you name," he finished. If she changed her name, then her ties with ThunderClan would be broken, right? Spoken aloud, he realized how crazy that notion sounded and hoped he didn't seem like a mousebrain. What was I thinking! the tom thought to himself angrily. At this point, she probably thought that he sounded like a crazy elder.

Although Smokepelt felt weird for even mentioning that idea, a question kept tugging at the back of his mind. Could it be possible that she'd want to follow his advice?

Change her name? Could she do that? She was named by her parents but they most likely wouldn't return.. so she could change her name right? But what should she change it to? "What should I change my name too?" She didn't have any idea. She didn't even know the first thing about naming. It seemed like something the queens and their mates had a specialty for.. She looked up at the deputy. "Can you change my name? I have no idea. She trusted the deputy to give her a good name. He was the only one she really trusted aside from her sister, so she knew he would give her a good name.

Surprised by her reply, Smokepelt know what to say and when she asked if he would change her name, he felt even more nervous on top of feeling somewhat honored that she trusted him with this. But could he really do this? Was it okay for him to rename a cat? Questions and thoughts raced through the tom's head but after a few moments that felt like ages, Smokepelt pushed them all aside. Yes, he would help her. If she had enough faith in him that he'd be able to help, then he couldn't just back down.

Looking from the apprentice to the open moor, the deputy needed a second to think. What name could possibly be worthy of representing such a cat as the apprentice that sat next to him? Not far off into the distance, a Starling let out its recognizable and happy call. Tilting his head, he watched at the bird glided gracefully through the air; flying upwards and dropping a few foxlengths towards the tall grass before extending its wings and taking flight once more. As if it were playing a game, the bird repeated did this and Smokepelt knew what he was going to say.

Turning his gaze back down to the apprentice, a soft smile sat on his muzzle. "Starlingpaw," he stated simply. "Through the good times and the bad, you're a cat who knows how to make things right. I know that your previous clan life has taken a toll on your emotions, but I have faith that you'll be able to get through it," the deputy meowed softly, hoping she agreed with him. The way that the Starling in the distance flew, it was as if it were a symbol of life. There will always be unfortunate events, but knowing that there's a way to get past them is what keeps you and your sanity afloat.

Firepaw didn't like the way that the silence sat between them. She didn't want to break it in case he was thinking but at the same time she felt if she did something wrong. But when he spoke again she wondered what had caused him to choose such a name. Then she had seen the bird fly away. "Starlingpaw.." She echoed. Yes. It was a good fit. She would use her new name correctly, and she would live up to it. And she would prove Thunderclan wrong. She wasn't just some rogue. She had a purpose in life, and she was going to fulfill that purpose. "I like it. That is my new name." She said sitting up straighter and puffing out her chest slightly.

Relieved that he hadn't said the wrong thing that might have put the she-cat off, Smokepelt relaxed. Well, that had gone better than expected. Looking from the newly named Starlingpaw and back to the moor, he wondered how her sister would take this new... revelation. Would she be angry that her sister had changed her name when their previous names were practically the same and showed how close the two of them were? Or would she congratulate her litter-mate? Wondering what might go down back at camp, Smokepelt couldn't help but ask. "H-how do you think your sister will react to this?" he meowed, unsure if it was his place to ask.

"She will be fine with it. As long as I am happy she will be happy." Her sister was the one she held above everyone else. While she was greatful to Windclan for their shelter, and kindness if her sister wanted to leave she wouldn't hesitate to follow behind her. She was the only one that Starlingpaw could fully count on even if her views differed from the normal clan views. "She will probably take a new name of her own, if she hasn't already." Starlingpaw informed the deputy.

Well that was good to hear. Having a good relationship with siblings was always nice to have and unfortunately for him, he didn't have any littermates since Sharppaw had died. Having strong willed cats like Starlingpaw and her sister were a great asset for the clan, and he knew that although they were half clan, they'd prove to everyone that they were just as equally great WindClanners as well. Though he wouldn't ever dare say it aloud, he never personally liked ThunderClan's alliance with the moor runners. If they were going to have a alliance, they might as well have it with a stronger clan...

Turning back to the apprentice, a smile occupied his usual stoic expression. "You know, I'm personally glad that you ended up with us. Whether it be fate or coincidence," the deputy meowed. There was so much more he wanted to say but that would have to wait till later.