You Feel Your Sins Crawling Down Your Back (OPEN - Ivystar needed)

Brightpaw looked at his brother, lost for words. Could he even call him brother anymore? He seemed to be voicing everything Brightpaw inwardly worried about. The feeling that everyone hated him, the feeling of loneliness, the feeling of always being wrong. He gazed almost unseeingly at Spotpaw, as if he was looking right through him. Part of him wanted to claw him there and then, part of him wanted to break down and cry, part of him wanted to make up with him. Brightpaw knew there was no chance of any of these things happening now. He drew in a deep, shuddering breath, in an attempt to calm himself. He felt the beginnings of tears prick his eyes, but he blinked them back. No cat would ever see his weakness. He was determined that no cat would ever witness him cry. Brightpaw’s emotions were barely readable, but if you were to look closely, you might just see a glimmer of hopelessness in his eyes. He knew know that his fears had been confirmed. Spotpaw hated him now. What was he to do about that? Nothing. He would do nothing.

OOC: It's not completely frozen but most of it has ice and is harder to find prey. The eagle was luck and consider that the Sunningrocks is also a large shore where Riverclan can go and fish. It's still a good source of food.

IC:
The silvery she-cat hissed even loudly and she puffed up her chest, so she would look bigger and more intimidating. "It doesn't matter if Viperstorm has nine lives or not. She's older and more experienced than you and you're right, it's not your fault but that doesn't mean you should disrespect her rank as a warrior while you're still an apprentice that is waiting to be one. I had a similar fight before the battle with Sweetheart..." She mewed, glancing briefly at the brown-furred warrior before continuing.

"Sunningrocks may not be our only source of food but it's one of the largest thanks that is next to the river where we fish. Have you forgotten that you were one of the supporters of keeping the bunch of rocks. because if we didn't, then the rest of us will starve." The last words were said with a sarcastic tone as she growled, containing part of her anger. "No one here thinks you're a monster but I'm almost completely sure that most of them are looking at you like a spoiled brat that doesn't want to hear other opinions at all and keep circling around using the same lame argument: Riverclan is going to lead Thunderclan to destruction only because we don't give them the Sunningrocks. You talk about your own opinion and don't even care about Viperstorm's, Brigthpaw's, Ivystar's or mine. Are you deaf or what? Ivystar never wanted Thunderclan's end and no of us want it too but we must care about OUR clan, not theirs. I'm only trying to teach that not everything is black and white, bad and good, but you don't care at all. I'm not forcing you to think what I think but I'm only telling you to show more respect to your clanmates and listen and understand other's arguments. However, you keep defying the authority of your leaders and disrespecting the work of your clanmates."

Silverfang dug her claws into the snow as she continued listening to her son when he talked about his brother. Now he was going against his own family... "If you say you said things that weren't don't just point it and apologize for everything you did bad! The only thing that I agree with you is that they shouldn't have attacked you but you must understand why they did it: because you were offending Swanpaw without reasons and you himself admit it was wrong and I apologize to her. If you keep that stubborn attitude even after what I said and telling lies about your own clanmates and clan, then I'll drag you myself out of it. You must understand how and when you must speak your mind and have a decent arguing with others because... this is not an arguing anymore. Is just you being childish and not know the basics rules of the clan. The leader's words is the Warrior Code and Ivystar didn't break the Warrior Code."

Spotpaw couldn't help but snort. "I don't give a whisker about Sunningrocks,
it's keeping a warrior and medicine cat hostage that seems wrong to me! I listen to everyone else's opinions, you know. That's how I forged my own. I just don't find your opinions compelling me to change my mind. And, if I am spoiled, how is that my fault? This is who I am, and this is my opinion." He continued to listen. "I'm sorry, but who offended who first? I believe it was not me. I know that a leader's word is law and I did nothing that she told me not to do if I remember correctly. I didn't free the prisoners," He spat out this word like it was bitter on his tongue. "I didn't refuse to fight for Sunningrocks, I didn't refuse to hunt for my Clan!" He was so close to bursting into tears and running from it all. But he couldn't run from his problems, and he couldn't imagine living without the Warrior Code. Why did I get myself into this? He inquired of himself. Now I'm too in deep to escape, and I have to follow through.

Sweetheart was just returning from delivering the prey to the two ThunderClan cats when she heard Silverfang's words and saw her shooting a nasty glare at her, and her ears drew back a little. She didn't hear much of what was going on, but it was clear that the argument between defending ThunderClan and standing up to Ivystar versus staying true to the code that stated Clan leader's word was law was beginning to spiral out of control. She sighed heavily. None of this should have ever happened. Why did there have to be so much hate between all the Clans, not just the ones that affect RiverClan? But of course she'd only be scolded for saying such things because having any opinion that wasn't Ivystar's would be seen as traitorous and disrespectful... It just wasn't fair.

She never did like fighting, but she hated it even more when it was within the very heart of her Clan. She didn't want it to continue any longer, so she padded up to the quarreling cats, her voice small and quiet; the responses she had gotten from voicing her opinions and trying to offer alternate, more peaceful solutions to these current events killed off her confidence, making her feel like she was right back at square one at not being allowed to have any voice at all, just like a kit who was just born a couple sunrises ago.

"There are cats who agree with Ivystar's choices and cats who don't, but what's done is done and what will be done is set in stone, too. We apprentices and younger warriors have no true say in anything as important as this because we aren't experienced enough." Or we aren't important enough. Sweetheart kept that thought to herself. She didn't want to sound passive aggressive during a time like this. "No matter what we say or do now, it won't change anything, so why keep fueling the fire? I still don't agree with Ivystar, but the opinions of the less experienced won't change anything. Perhaps someday when we've gained more knowledge on warfare we'll stand a better chance with reasoning with her, but that someday won't be today. Please, can we just let this go?" Her desperate question was no more than a pleading squeak, her gaze feebly scanning the gathered cats and resting on the rebellious Spotpaw the longest.

Brightpaw drew in a deep breath, then exhaled with force. ”No, Sweetheart is right. As much as I disagree with you, Spotpaw, I am mature enough to leave this issue alone. And you know what? I don’t care what you think about me anymore.” That was a lie. He cared deeply about what his brother thought. ”I still consider you my brother, even if you don’t consider me yours.” Another lie. He was too upset to call Spotpaw that anymore. ”It’s best if we move on and forget this.” Lies. ”That’s what I want to happen. “ Lies, Lies, Lies. Brightpaw couldn’t bring himself to look Spotpaw in the eye. He didn’t truly know why he was lying to his own brother, but right now he was too upset to even care if Spotpaw knew he wasn’t telling the truth. What did it matter anymore? His own brother hated him now. What’s done is done.

A groan of frustration escaped the dusty tom's lips as he rose from his nest and padded out into the clearing. His eyes were dark from lack of sleep. What was everyone shouting about?

As he pushed through the crowd, he found a tense group of cats. Silverfang, Sweetheart, Brightpaw, Spotpaw. The old tom rolled his eyes and put himself in the center of the mess. "Why don't you all just be quiet? ThunderClan shouldn't be pitied. They've ravaged our clan before, and from the looks of things, they'll do it again. They've always been selfish fox-hearts. Thinking they deserve Sunningrocks more than us as if we don't need the prey it gives us, albeit a small amount." Rainstorm let out a deep sigh and lashed his tail back and forth. "Taking a hostage is leverage. It's part of war. It's something your leader decided to do, so you all should be quiet and accept it. Isn't Ivystar's word part of this code you're so in love with? So respect it and shut up." The warrior glanced around at everyone before turning to his apprentice. He would be a pawful from the looks of things.

"Spotpaw, we're going on a patrol." With that, he stepped towards the young tom and grabbed him by the scruff, nearly dragging him away from the kerfuffle and out of camp.

ooc: i'll pm you a patrol topic shortly but now spot is gone from this topic good day everyone calm ur tiddies

Wolfpaw were about too agree with Spotpaw but when he saw him getting nearly dragged out of camp he lowerd his head and mumbled quietly "But Honeyspark's a medicine cat you mouse-brains".

OOC: You can have someone hear him saying that

Sweetpaw nudged her former denmate's flank, nearly unbalancing him. "Thank you, Wolfpaw, but the discussion's over now. I don't want you getting into any trouble like Spotpaw did."

Swanpaw looked at the camp of the Clan where she had been born, where her family had once lived and then hadn't any longer. There were so few good memories here... It wasn't her home anymore. It was, once, in what felt like another lifetime. Being here, feeling so out of place... Everything about this felt wrong.

"...Just pretend I never came back," she said, sounding too tired to be angry anymore, her decision made as she left the camp for what she could only hope would be the last time in her life. "Just... Just go right back to assuming I'm dead."

She was leaving this place behind, along with all the painful memories it held. Maybe she could leave her bitterness behind, too. Despite her tired, bitter state... She found herself looking forward to the future.