Acceptance (CLOSED for deer)

Shrikesong looked around ThunderClan camp, searching for her mom. She knew that Cedarheart was being more distant every day, and the young warrior felt like she knew why. The day flashed back into her mind. She was there, with her littermates, accompanying Cedarheart to Fourtrees. to meet Smallbean. Cedarheart was so excited to show them their father. Because she loved him.

And then he spoke.

The words stumbling out of the WindClanner's mouth, Smallbean made something in Cedarheart crack. Shrikesong couldn't identify all of the emotions Cedarheart was feeling back then, but she did know that somewhere inside was heartbreak. Ever since then, Cedarheart began going on more hunting patrols, talking less and less with the other cats. When ThunderClan went to the gathering a couple sunrises ago, Cedarheart didn't attend. The joy of becoming a warrior was numbed after a couple days, just because Cedarheart was still upset. Even though she was trying to hide it, it just made it worse for Shrikesong.

Eventually, she found Cedarheart. "Mom," she said, walking down to the brown she-cat. "I know you're still upset about him, and I want to help in some way." She didn't know how she could help, but the younger warrior was going to try her best.

Cedarheart had been lost in thought. After her being nearly-drowned in the river, she had been fussed over quite a bit. She had been glad to leave the medicine den, with all of its herbs and being constantly watched. Two of her kits had already become warriors, and she was so proud of the both of them. Her mother had became an elder. So much had changed in so little time, get everything felt the same, in an odd way.

She looked up, seeing her daughter, Shrikesong. Smiling, she flicked her tail. "Hello, darling." She greeted. Maybe a nice conversation with one of her kits would cheer her up. But the newly-named warrior didn’t hesitate, jumping right into the conversation. Her breath caught and she closed her mouth, sighing softly. "Shrikesong, you don’t need to worry. I’m fine. There’s nothing wrong, really." More lies. Everything had become a lie lately, and now she was telling them to her own kin. "I can handle myself, I don’t want you wasting your time fussing over my problems."

Shrikesong expected Cedarheart to say something like that when the brown tabby approached her like that. But the warrior had seen her mom, and she wasn't the same ever since Smallbean left her. "Mom, you can't just say something like that and expect me to just... leave," the young warrior said. "I want you to be happy, mom, and I can tell when you aren't. I can see it." The young she-cat paused, looking at her mom. She was trying to hide the pain, and to someone who didn't know her, it worked. But Shrikesong knew that she was having a hard time. "Please, tell me how I can help you," the newly-named warrior pleaded. Most likely, Cedarheart wouldn't say anything about her problems, but Shrikesong had to try.

Cedarheart pressed her lips together. She sighed again, softly. The stubbornness that her daughter had certainly came from somewhere, and the tabby had an idea of where. Shrikesong and her were so similar in so many ways, it was almost laughable. And come to think of it, if she had been in her daughter’s position, the warrior would have done the same thing. "There’s not much that can be done. " she explained, a bit bluntly. "The best thing to do is move on. I’m working on doing that." she smiled, lacing her tail with the younger she-cat’s.

"Trust me, you just being here is more than enough." She looked into Shrikesong’s eyes, exhaling slowly. "Thank you for reaching out, though. I love you." Cedarheart nuzzled the warrior softly.

Shrikesong listened as Cedarheart spoke. It seemed that, while the older she-cat was by no means completely healed, she wasn't lying to Shrikesong anymore, which gave the young warrior hope that someday, the healing process will begin again, that Cedarheart was healing. Her tail twining with her mother's, Shrikesong nodded, the slightest of smiles breaking her face. When Cedarheart was unhappy, Shrikesong was unhappy, and the fact that the older warrior was trying to move on was great news for the both of them. After Cedarheart nuzzled Shrikesong, the younger she-cat smiled, fully this time. "I love you too, Mom."