Black and Blue [OPEN]

'Stay off your paws,' 'don't aggravate your wounds' Mistyfalcon could admit that it was perfectly sound advice. Even reasonable advice. That didn't mean he needed to like it. Or not complain about it. The scarred tom stretched out in front of the medicine den, head resting on his paws. From the way his ears twitched, picking up the comings and goings of camp, and the way his eyes narrowed, it would be clear to any onlooker that sitting around doing nothing was anything but restful, however. His fluffy tail twitched as a cold breeze swept through camp.

It was better than being curled up inside the medicine den, despite the chill. There were, Mistyfalcon thought, simply too many cats crowding the den at the moment. It was a little quieter outside, at least. He really would've rather been out hunting, stars knew Shadowclan needed every bit of help they could get with so many warriors injured, but he was reluctantly following orders to stay put.

Of course it probably made it easier that his injuries actually did hurt... Not that he'd admit that if someone asked.

Swiftheart paced around camp it was so hard being cooped up until she healed fully. Sighing she walked toward the medicine den to see how everyone was... If it wasnt for the twitching of his tail Swiftheart may have accidently stepped on poor Mistyfalcon who was laying there his dark pelt blending in perfectly with the shadows.

Luckiuly, right before she almost accidenlty trampled on him underfoot his tail twitched and she jumped up and back in completly suprise adkaaaa she yelped in suprise/shock

blinking rapidly a couple of times she calmed down realizing who it was.

hey she meowed to him. She sounded exhauseted and she was. The defeat had her spirits that were usually so high pretty low... it didnt help that she had alot of other things on her mind... mostly being rejected by her crush... the combination of the two had her feeling pretty down and sad. Her usual talkative self and eagerness were severely dampened. Adding onto this she winced seeing how hurt her father looked... starclan he looked so bad and her heart broke seeing him like this... she looked up to him alot and seeing his legs all scratched up and sore like this was a nightmare for her. Growing up she had incorrectly belived her whole kithood and apprenticeship that he was un-defeat able so seeing him so hurt really made her even more sad than she already was.

she sat down next to him laying her ears back as she shivered slighly when the cold breeze mentioned blew through camp again. She glanced at him with bloodshot eyes

her first instinct was to start talking... but what was there to say even??

OOC: italitcs are her thinking of things to say she is not actually saying them speaking parts will always use color

"hey dad guess what? I got totally destroyed in battle? hmm didnt quite roll of the tongue easily

or how about

I found out my crush likes someone else? hmm also was not exactly a topic she was eager to dive into...

hmm what other news was there?

I cant belive what they did to Burnging and Amber?
nope talking about or even thinking too mcuh about that would drive her to tears and she was too exhausted to even want to go there.

I hope they dont come back while this was a true statement why would she even say this? The mood was bad enough as it was.

Basilbloom still is not back... hope she is ok? ... ok so maybe there was no good news to focus on after all. She was worried sick for her sister however and wondered quietly if Mistyfalcon was as well even if he would perhaps never admit it.

Everything about every subject seemed bleak at best ... even she could not find a positive spin for anything.

The usually so positive energetic cat slumped down resting her head on her front paws and closing her eyes... she truly for once had nothing to say to her hero and father... it felt weird but the chain of bad events was making everyone a bit off so she shrugged. She wished that everything could go back to normal soon she wished she could go out hunting with him but they were both beaten to a pulp and put under camp arrest until further orders.

He'd hardly noticed Swiftheart pacing until she'd nearly tripped over him, and Mistyfalcon hissed in reflexive annoyance. He'd been laying outside the medicine den, sure, but really? She needed to pay attention. Still, his annoyance faded a bit upon realizing that she wasn't chattering at him like she usually did. Swiftheart was being oddly quiet. Too quiet. It was a little disconcerting.

"Hey, yourself." Mistyfalcon lifted his head, glancing up at his daughter in concern. "What's wrong?"

Swiftheart flinched as he hissed out... he was rightfully so she had literally almost stepped on her poor dad.

What's wrong? ... his question lingered in the air.

She sighed ... how did he know that something was bugging her? probably just a parent instinct thing in general she guessed. Maybe one day she would have that same instinct. or perhaps it was because not just one thing was bothering her but a multitude.... then again she was sure she also looked terrible battle bruised unkept and all as well.

She closed her eyes it felt a bit crude to tell him a simple "everything is wrong dad" but that was the brutal truth of it... it's probably how he would respond ... he was a honest cat to a fault even, and told things as they were no sugar coating... but she wasn't like that. She had to spin things to make them positive because thats who she was... positive perhaps even to a fault.... more acuratly though he would not tell her if something was bugging him... he would probably keep that to murky or bat.

Still the shift in his tone when he asked made her know he did care.

Tears formed in her eyes but she did her best not to openly let them flow in front of him... she had cried in front of everyone before sure and she didnt mind... she was an emotional cat to say the least ... (for instance when loudnose came back to camp all twisted and hurt)

Still the words struggled to form in her mouth which was a very unusual issue for her to have to face.

Dad... you know I think the world of you right? she started quietly the usual energetic tone replaced by a far more somber quiet whisper.

She alowed for quite a long silence after this to continue... he didnt need to answer that but he could if he wanted.

sighing she slowly continued
What do you want me to say to that? Everything is broken right now...We got destroyed she shuddered face downcast.

Another long pause of pure silence passed as she closed her eyes... she debated talking about the next part... but she trusted Mistyfalcon so much he was her hero and by her could do no wrong...

Dad?... What do I do when someone does not love me the way I do? she spoke it more in a faded whisper than anything else, the pain was clear and unmasked in her question and she did nothing to try and change it.

Do I try and wait? but knowing that it will never be?

She closed her eyes shut tight

Why are you troubling your already hurt father? Dont you think he has enough to deal with other than his whiny kits fluffy emotions right now? she screamed at herself.

Grow up!! you are a warrior now! act it if nothing else her self doubt continued on inside her head.

... why cant you be more like your brother???

she got to her paws shakily and began to slowly walk away .... no... she shouldnt have bothered her father at all right now it was not the correct thing to do... even if its what she wanted he did not want to have to deal with this surely.

"Shadowclan will survive, we always do." They'd bounce back from this defeat, just as they had before. Swiftheart was young and naïve still, blind to the ways of the world. She'd learn and grow used to it in time.

His response was flippant and more automatic than anything to her next words, hardly noticing the shift in tone as she spoke. "Accept it and move on," Probably, because what else was there to do? Rejection was a part of life, though he'd been spared that with Murkystar, something he'd always be grateful for.

...Wait a foxing second. Dark eyes narrowed as his head lifted, sharply glaring up at Swiftheart. She couldn't possibly be... No. "Anyone I should know about?" His tone was perfectly neutral as he spoke, though his eyes remained narrowed and focused on his daughter.

Mistyfalcons answers were short and a bit dry but Swiftheart knew they would be and had expected that somewhat. The advise was still not easy to follow however... just move on?... but ... how can I just move on? If I am able to just move on it would mean I didnt love him... but I do love him and I can't just stop that immediately no matter how many tell me to, or who tells me to.

Deerpaw had said the something similar and now her own father, the one she looked to the most during these times was saying the same thing... move on ... part of her wished she could. It would be alot easier if she just stopped caring but that was not who she was.

In her inner most thoughts she knew they were both right, as raw and painful as that was... the truth was the Ratrunner had told her straight up that it would not be. She still hoped he would find happiness with her brother and wished him the best as much as it hurt to do so.

She snapped back to reality a bit from her sidewinding thoughts. Her father was glaring at her his eyes narrow as if trying to look into her very soul.... He asked a simple question.

"Anyone I should know about?"... his voice rang in her ears.... was it really even fair to Misty or rat if she answered this?

hmm probably not what good would that do? It would just make things awkward between rat and misty which she did not need at all.

On the other paw(hand) she saw Mistyfalcon as an absolute hero... he could do no wrong in her eyes.

But Mistyfalcon had not asked directly for it... it was not a "who is it?" it was a "is this a problem I need to get involved in"

and no it was not his problem it was hers, she had gotten herself into this mess and she needed to get herself out, it was not fair to ask that of him, she already felt that she was bugging him to much just by what was already said. So she decided to keep it short and direct as possible perhaps he would understand that better?

No she finally replied and with her one word answer she got up fighting off tears as she walked away from him.

... she realized perhaps Mistyfalcon was not the best to talk with this about... she wished so much that basilbloom was back home for a multitude of reasons. Her sister was so caring and uplifting and the clan needed that so much right now... she needed that so much right now.

She wished to sit in the med den chattering back and forth with her caring older sister as she listened to Swiftheart ramble on about all this gossip ... she closed her eyes come home soon sis... be safe she whispered