Ready As I'll Ever Be [C]

Moonshine dispatched yet another rat under her claws. That would make three for the night. Their populations were exploding, and by Greenleaf their numbers would be even more out of control. Great news for Shadowclan, she supposed. She carried it off by it's tail and buried it in the hole with the other two. As Moonshine crept around the territory, her ears straining for even the tiniest noise, her mind wandered a bit. The talk with Mistyfalcon about her father had her thinking... maybe meeting him wouldn't be what she imagined it would be. She hadn't seen any of her siblings since the Asylum disbanded... or her mother. Maybe he would know what had happened to her, whatever outcome their meeting would have. Was it smart to intentionally seek out a murderer? Probably not... but she had questions that needed answering. Tornshadow... a pang of jealousy ripped through her... was loved more than Moonshine and her siblings ever were. Why? Was it really just because she was his Skyclan daughter? It wasn't fair... it wasn't right. She hoped that wasn't the case, but she would never know until she found him. She vowed to become a better fighter before she confronted Dawnhawk... if he was ever seen again. If he was going to try and pull some shady business then she'd bury her claws into his smug, arrogant face. Another rat ran by her and her claws slammed down on it. That would make four...

"Woah." Batglow commented as he approached the other Shadowclan warrior. "What ever did the rat ever do to you?" He asked a small smile on his face showing that he was joking. He could tell that Moonshine had been at it for a while, maybe something was weighing on her mind, though he wasn't too close with her, so he wasn't sure if he should ask. He stayed a little behind the other warrior to avoid getting in her way. The tall tom sat down, his tail curling around his paws. "Are you doing okay?"

Batglow's voice caught the she-cat of guard and she turned to face him. They typically made small talk here and there, but had never really dove head first into any real conversation. She liked him... she thought. "It's meaty and delicious, I want it in my belly." She responded about the rat. She offered him a smirk, but then her gaze went to the side when he asked if she was doing okay. Not really... I'm a little conflicted... a little hurt... insanely jealous and confused by it. The usual. When she put her eyes back on him, she gave him a shrug. "Uh... I'll be alright. Just a little stressed out is all. How are you? We're usually on opposite ends of the territory when we patrol. I haven't had a chance to really talk with you much, Batglow." She might get some of what was bothering her off of her chest at some point, but with how little she really knew Batglow, she wasn't trying to burden him with all of her problems in one night.

"Ahh you know just being my little ol glorious self." The lanky black tom said with a smile, obviously joking about his extra statement. "Not much really going on with me. Just you know the usual. Patroling hunting, bugging Mistyfalcon, and Murkystrike." He adjusted in his spot a little bit before speaking again. "Now what's got you stressed? Can't have one of Shadowclan's best feeling down." He said with a bright grin in her direction.

"I..." What? Shadowclan's best??? First off... Moonshine didn't know how to handle compliments, so the noises that came from her mouth after the initial I could have been her speaking in tongues. Or spastic involuntary mouth movements and her choking on something. After which... she shut her mouth immediately and felt her face get hot. Yep... that just happened. It sure did. You're an idiot Moonshine... Breathe before you try to talk again. She inhaled and tried to refocus her attention so she was at least semi-coherent.

"Thank you, Batglow." Her tail tip twitched. What did he ask her again? ... Oh right... stress. "It's mostly just... complicated family stuff. My family isn't in Shadowclan... but I mean I do consider Shadowclan family. But what I mean is my real dad is..." A massive jerk that has no reason to love my sister more than he loves me. She hesitated. Was it something she ought to burden Batglow with? It wasn't bothering her as much as it was before. She had come to accept it... sort of. The jealousy was still there. The hurt was still there. But at least it had dulled somewhat.

"Well my dad played favorites with his kids and I was not selected to be the favorite or even the second favorite. I found out and it's bothered me for a bit. My sister is actually Tornshadow in Skyclan... and I don't want to be jealous of her but I kind of am. She's the favorite... not me and not my brother... where ever he is." There. She told him. Not wanting to bore him with her problems, she tried to think of something else to say. The problem was she was still sort of tripping out over the fact that she had received an actual compliment from someone who wasn't her previous mentor. So she stood there. Awkwardly.

Batglow let out a soft chuckle at Moonshine's reaction to his words. Glad it seemed to take her mind off of whatever was bothering her for a moment, before turning rather serious as she spoke up about what was bothering her. "Ohh.. I get it. I understand complicated family stuff honestly." Thoughts of Vea, Pea, and Berry filled his mind, though most of it was from a long time ago.

A small click of his tongue sounded out as she finished speaking. "Your dad sounds like a real piece of work." He said looking at her from the corner of his eye in a weird manner trying to cheer her up. "I bet you he would get along with my mom swimmingly though. She played favorites too, though I always knew I wasn't the favorite so I guess I'm lucky in that aspect." He didn't really want to get into it. This wasn't about him. Maybe it would be enough to know she had someone to relate to.

The black tom's face quickly shifted into a soft pout. "Wait... does that mean I'm not your favorite?" Batglow was quick to let out a fake gasp as he prodded the other warrior softly with his paw. "How dare you betray me like this Moonshine! You wound me!" He hoped this would cheer her up, take her mind off of things for now. Though if she needed him to be serious then he would. He would help her figure out whatever she needed. He didn't like seeing his clanmates down.