The future's in your paws. Shape it well.Roleplay in a cat Clan of warriors. Based off the Warriors series by Erin Hunter. Takes place in an AU before the cats in the books existed.
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Characters : [P]oppyshine; [Pi]neblossom; [W]hisperear; [C]rookedlight; [L]arkspring; [Wi]llowwisp Clan/Rank : RC T5 Deputy; SC T5; WC T5; SkC T5; RC T4; RC T4 Number of posts : 2953 Gender : Any Pronouns Age : 25
Subject: after-school counseling [c] Tue 26 Mar 2024 - 18:45
Pineblossom
Time moved quickly after Lilyvalley’s ceremony. They had more patrols and duties they had to get done while Lilyvalley prepped for her vigil, and so Pineblossom busied herself. It was a couple of days later, late at night while everyone was getting their meals, when Pineblossom found herself wandering over to where Nettlepaw sat with his food. She took a seat at his side and observed him for a moment before she spoke. “How have things been with you? Quieter since Lilyvalley moved out of your den?”
There were still a lot of complicated feelings she felt about the entire situation, but Nettlepaw had made it clear that he had not gotten to speak with an adult who sympathized with him during the entire situation. She didn’t think Lilyvalley had been solely to blame, but she could not help but feel some pity for Nettlepaw who had felt so alone in facing a cat he deemed a bully.
Nettlepaw lay on his belly, a paw placed a top a frog as he dug in. He was completely engrossed in his meal, chomping angrily in attempts to forget the slight on his honour dealt by Leopardstar. Apprentice drama. That was what she had called it. He growled and took another bite of the frog. It tasted like nothing, he was too upset to focus on the taste as he chewed fervently, jaw working overtime. Lying, endangering clanmates, repeated targeted attacks. Another bite, his claws unsheathed. Apprentice drama. Of course the ones who had stood up received the worst punishment too, and that wretch had the nerve to look pleased about it. He had embarrassed himself in the name of justice and had been punished as a result. The white apprentice opened his maw, ready to take another massive bite until a gentle voice stopped him.
Where were his manners? Nettlepaw's tongue swiped over his maw, banishing the remnants of his haphazard feasting. Eyes glossed with tears of anger, looked up at Pineblossom. Hedgepaw's words came to him, this was her mama and she had said Pineblossom would be his friend. He glanced anxiously from left to right, afraid those who thwarted him at every turn would snatch away his new friend. Or who he hoped would be a friend. Swiftheart was his only grownup friend, but latley she wasn't a good friend. He could tell she didn't believe him, or trust him anymore. She'd taken her sister's side, and left him, her apprentice, alone. No one, but his den mates believed him, those who had shared a den with Lilypaw. Funny how everyone else denied the truth, but they didn't have to spend any time with her truly. Pineblossom was the exception, and here she was approaching him with kind eyes.
"I would rather we still be denamtes. She doesn't deserve to be a warrior." he finally mewed, venom on his tongue though it wasn't directed towards Pineblossom. "I'm more upset now than I was when she just bullied me and my denmates! Leopardstar made me look like a liar in front of everyone, and she made my friends look bad too , and I'm not a liar and they're not bad! Why would she do that? No one will think I'll make a good warrior now, and she called it apprentice drama!" he hissed the last part, he couldn't get over how invalidating it was. Lilypaw was basically an elder, and she'd started it. It wasn't his fault, he was a victim.
There were aspects to this spat between Nettlepaw and Lilyvalley that Pineblossom thought was still kittish…but she was much more willing to be patient with Nettlepaw about it than Lilyvalley. After all, Nettlepaw was the young cat in this situation. And admittedly, Pineblossom was not terribly happy with the resolution either.
“I do think that some things could have been handled better,” she admitted. “However I don’t think Leopardstar intended that. She was trying to defuse things from getting out of hand. Sometimes leaders must make difficult compromises to keep things from growing worse.” Her mind flashed back to Nightstar and she grimaced before the look disappeared and she turned towards Nettlepaw again. “I don’t think cats will think you won’t make a good warrior—nor that you are a liar. It is an unfortunate reality that sometimes clanmates need to let things go for the sake of moving forward, even if it may not be fair. I’ve seen it happen several times in my lifetime, and it never leaves anyone satisfied.”
Nettlepaw turned away from Pineblossom, he was relishing in his own self hatred, and while he appreicted that she was mostly on his side, he didn't want to listen to her voice of reason. He wanted a grownup to fully agree, to support him. Swiftheart should be that cat, but she didn't care about him anymore. She was too caught up with her newfound rogue kits, and supporting everything her long lost idiotic sister did. Why did she even like Lilypaw? She left her! She betrayed the clan, and she had contributed nothing since returning! Nettlepaw stood up abruptly needing to expel the rage, lest he explode from his own feelings. "I don't want to let it go!" he snapped, mismatched eyes on Pineblossom as he marched back and forth. "And it is not a compromise! I have to pick ticks out of elders for a moon for standing up for myself, and she got her warrior name and gets day watch duty with Leopardstar for a few sunrises. My friends are being punished worse than Lilypaw for sticking up for me. This behaviour... It... It doesn't support any values that make a good warrior! Where is honesty? Where is companionship? Where is trust? Where is compassion? Where is loyalty? Certainly not here!" his voice was shrill and loud, and he didn't care how kittish and dumb he sounded now. There was no lower he could sink than what was now assumed of him by everyone thanks to Leopardstar and Lilypaw.
The white apprentice having expelled some of his energy in the rant, slid back to the floor suddenly ravenous. He snatched the frog closer and took another large bite, manners be damned. He was irate. "I bet you don't think I'll be a good warrior after that rant." he mewed "Why do I have to let it go and be the bigger cat, that's not fair. None of this is fair, and if I say anything Leopardstar will make my life worse, and my friends life worse. Why should I give up my integrity so they can be happy and ignore how hurt I am? Lilypaw lied in her apology, what's to say she wasn't lying when she pledged her life to ShadowClan?" his voice trembled s he spoke, and he took another bite, but this time he chewed slower.
Pineblossom didn’t argue or cut Nettlepaw off while he ranted. It did feel like kittish behavior, but that was to be expected from an apprentice every once in a while. She just let Nettlepaw ramble on until he started to slow down, having released the energy. Only then did she speak.
“I don’t think a bout of anger means you won’t be a good warrior. It is necessary to learn to let some things go even when it feels unfair, though. I understand it is frustrating. I don’t think Lilyvalley was ready to become a warrior, but it is Leopardstar’s choice, ultimately. No amount of frustration or calling her Lilypaw is going to change what is already done.” She watched him for a moment, considering his words. It was an unfair situation no matter what, but she didn’t want Nettlepaw to lose faith in the clan over this.
She said, “When I was your age, there was another apprentice that grew alongside me. Snakepaw. He was…” She trailed off and her expression visibly soured. “He was like a big kit, honestly. Getting into trouble, breaking rules, and being rather annoying. I did not like him in the slightest. Were it up to me, I would have insisted he never become a warrior. It was disappointing when he did.” There were a lot of circumstances around that, given the state of leadership at the time, but her stance remained. “However, he was a clanmate. Like it or not, he would remain so unless he did something outright to the clan. So I had to learn to work with him, as little as I wanted to. I know the situations are not the same. Snakebite got me into trouble a couple of times but it was not like he was being outright hostile. But still—when I complained of it, especially when I was pulled into his trouble, I was told to let it go and learn to work with him. It is a part of growing up, and a part of being a warrior. There will be clanmates you don’t get along with, or possibly outright dislike, but they are still your clanmate at the end of the day.”
Pineblossom relaxed, letting go of some of her senior-warrior-monologuing-air. She looked to Nettlepaw. “I know you have only known Lilyvalley as she’s been since she returned to ShadowClan. I knew her since she was a kit; we grew up together. We did not exactly get along either, but she is not a malicious cat. I truly don’t believe that she would do anything to purposely harm ShadowClan or the cats in it…but I know her faults. She speaks without thinking, acts without thinking of the consequences. I think she is a little better about it now than she was when we were children, but I still see some of the old her shining through. If you see that she does something concerning, you should tell someone rather than dealing with it yourself. It is unfortunate that the way one presents a transgression can impact the punishment. If you are wronged then you should be allowed to be visibly upset about it, but that can be taken the wrong way sometimes. So if that happens—tell Leopardstar or Sablestrike calmly. Or, if you think that won’t work, tell me and I’ll see about getting the information to them. Lilyvalley is a warrior now, but that doesn’t mean she will not be watched and scrutinized, especially after what happened at her ceremony.” Pineblossom put out a paw towards Nettlepaw. “All I ask in turn is that you try to get along. You do not need to like her and you do not need to spend more time around her than is asked of you. But if you are the bigger cat and you do not antagonize or meet any misdeeds to the same level, then there will be less grounds for a cat to stand on against you. That goes for Lilyvalley or any cat that tries to pick on you—though I hope no cat does, Nettlepaw. Truly.”
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