all the colors run red [c]

Poppyshine

Things moved swiftly each day, which made it hard to keep up with things. Poppyshine was busy with so many things and then the war and then the losses…It was a shame to admit that she had been so busy that she had barely spoken to Scarletpaw after he had managed to find his way back to the clans. She was grateful that he had been able to, but she didn’t really know what had happened that had caused him and Pigeonpaw to get separated from the clans for a while. She wanted to make sure that he was doing alright—and also get those details that she lacked.

Poppyshine put herself and Scarletpaw on a patrol together so they would have time to talk. After she caught a fish swimming lazily in the river, she looked over at him. “Scarletpaw, can I ask you what happened when you were separated from the clan for a while?” Her voice grew softer. “Are you doing alright after all that?”

RiverClan • Tier 5 • Deputy • She/Her • 70 | 160 • #669966

Credits: code inspiration - 1 2 |  image 1 | image 2 | image 3

Scarletpaw flicked one ear in acknowledgement as the deputy approached him--he'd expected these questions, but he'd expected them so long ago that it felt kind of strange to actually hear them. He'd thought he wouldn't have to think about it again, could put it out of his mind and pretend those cold, wet days had been nothing more than a bad dream.

(A nightmare it seemed he often couldn't wake up from.)

In the moment, though, he nodded slowly. "It was... When the storm came." He spoke vaguely, not needing to elaborate for what he meant to be clear. That torrent of rain that was more of a flood, seeming impossible to traverse. "We were falling behind already--making sure to keep the rest of the Clan in sight, at least--but we couldn't keep up when the rain hit, and it swept us away. We couldn't see to follow after."

His voice was low. It was the sort of story he imagined warriors and elders told to terrified kits, but he had lived it, and it was so much worse.

"We ran as long and fast as we could, but we couldn't see where we were going... And then something attacked us. I don't know what it was. It was big, and loud, and it hurt." He lowered his head slightly, enough to draw attention to the scars atop it. "It grabbed Pigeonpaw, and its claws got me, but we managed to scare it away."

He lifted his head again, wondering what he would find in the deputy's expression. Anger, for falling behind in the first place? No, that didn't sound like Poppyshine; everything he knew of her was warm and bright, a contrast to Perchstar's respectable chill. Pity, maybe? He didn't want that, either.

"We kept running until the rain stopped. And then we started searching for signs of what way everyone had gone. It wasn't easy... But eventually we found our way to the lake, and you know what happened after that."

you just show love || code (c) kieer

Poppyshine

The tale that Scarletpaw told indeed reminded Poppyshine of stories she heard from elders when she was a kit. It made her heart ache to hear that the two of them had gone through something so frightening. She wondered if the creature that had attacked  them was the same as those vicious beasts that had attacked them when they retreated from the lake…She was glad to hear that they had gotten away without too many injuries.

“I’m sorry you both had to endure that,” she said, her ears lowering. “But I am very impressed that you both survived such a difficult situation. You did well, looking out for each other.” Poppyshine’s expression softened and warmth entered her voice again. “You have the makings of a great warrior in you, Scarletpaw.”

RiverClan • Tier 5 • Deputy • She/Her • 70 | 160 • #669966

Credits: code inspiration - 1 2 |  image 1 | image 2 | image 3