99 Problems (closed for Acorn)

Smokeface had been constantly thinking about Sqiurelltuft's outburst since his arrival back in camp. He and Morningfog had made up, but his eldest daughter was still spiteful and avoiding him. So he had been thinking, and one day, it came to him. So he send her a message through another cat and asked her to meet him at the beech copse. He clambered there up a stone and waited for her, constantly thinking she would never come.

But when the smokey warrior spotted his daughter enter the clearing with a rustle of bushes, he coughed slightly, readying his voice. "All cats old enough to catch their own prey, gather beneath the Beech Stone for a Clan meeting!"

Squirreltuft made her way out of the undergrowth, eyes narrowing as she caught the yellow gaze of her father.

Tawnystorm had told her to come here, and respecting slightly the older warrior, eyes brightening for adventure, she couldn't refuse a mystery.

Though she was angry, beyond angry at that, there was something in Smokeface's eyes—something that drew her to grudgingly sit down, far away from the rock as would be allowed at Riverclan Meetings, and watch.

He was trying, and though she didn't know what in Starclan was happening, she guessed that she would try, too.


ooc;; eeee late reply sorry D; school

When his daughter appeared, he mentally thanked Tawnhstorm for her persuasive manner. He realized he was beggining to drift away from the point, so he returned to his speech with nervous glances. "Sqiurellpaw, please step forward." he meowed, slightly afraid of her reaction. Would she reject me for saying her apprentice name...?

The pale tabby hesitated. What is he trying to get at? She frowned, confused. But if Morningfog had taught her anything, it was forgiveness.

She took three steps forward, the pause between them lengthening. But she did it, and was only a few tail-lengths away from the stone, heart beat quickening.

Smokeface's beatf lifted limply with a pale phantom of courage. She was doing it, but he could see the doubt in her eyes and the limp way she moved, frowning. "Sqiurellpaw, do you promise to make your father and mother proud, to serve your Clan loyaly and to protect your siblings at the cost of your life? You can be mad at me for an eternity, but that won't change my love for you..."

Finally, she felt her heart swell, and the teasing mischief whirl up back in her eyes again.

He was forgiven.

"I do," Squirrel replied, and grinned, unable to conceal a purr. She'd understood why Smokeface had left; it hadn't been right, but he was here now. Unlike her siblings, he'd come back. It was almost like that time, just before she became a warrior, that they'd spent with Tawnystorm in the reeds. She felt content.

Her grin and her words gave Smokeface a hpoeful glow in his eyes, and he abandonned his vantage point to rub his cheek lovingly to hers. "I'm so sorry, Squirelltuft, I'm so sorry..."