Dew Shine's on Flickering Hopes (Open)

Dewshine watched Flickerpaw sadly from the entrance of the warrior's den. Her silver pelt warmed by the sun's gentle glow as she watched the apprentice once again mill around the camp. She seemed unhappy, and Dewshine could only see that as being the product of being trapped, not allowed to leave. A prisoner, a hostage, traded over without a thought to her own family. It wasn't that Fawnsong wasn't important... but this was enough. Moons had passed, and Dewshine finally stood. Her blue eyes held a firmness to them as she walked over to Flickerpaw calmly.

"Come with me." She meowed softly, then walked past Flickerpaw until they reached the small pool. She could see that Flickerpaw's coat was slowly gaining the shining sleekness of Riverclan that was so important to them in the water. "I think you've suffered enough... so I'm going to teach you what every Riverclan cat needs to know, how to swim." She explained, dipping her paws into the water and walking into it confidently before she turned around. "Walk into the water, up to your chest."

Flickerpaw stood up, assuming that Ivystar had sent Dewshine to do something. When Dewshine told her what she was doing, she almost refused. But swimming was a good skill. "Okay..." She carefully waded in. How hard could it be?

The silver she-cat waited patiently for Flickerpaw to walk in and smiled encouragingly. She stepped forward to place herself at Flickerpaw's side, her silver pelt pressed against Flickerpaw's ginger one.
"Take a slow step forward. When your paws are off the bank, don't panic." She explained slowly, moving only a pace forward to demonstrate with her own paw.

Using it, she pushed against the flow of the water. The rest of her body pulled back so she wouldn't leave Flickerpaw's side. Her tail brushed comfortingly against the former Thunderclan cat's.
"Take your time, and relax. I'm right here to make sure you don't drift."

Silverfang left the warrior's den calmly and yawned. Yesterday, she spent most of the day hunting with her clanmates but there was no rest for a healthy warrior like her. She had to be productive. And the better way to do that was to be in a good mood.

However, despite her effort to be less aggressive and more friendly, today was that kind of day that was predestined to start a fight. And that moment happened when her odd eyes met Dewshine body with that murderer. When she saw that the young Riverclan warrior was teaching that code-breaker the Riverclan's ways, Silverfang couldn't contain her rage. She ran to them hissing and with her fur bristling. The older warrior pushed Dewshine away from that former ThunderClanner and she grabbed her by the scruff, putting her in the camp once again. Then, she turned her whole body toward her clanmate, clearly angered. "What in Starclan's name do you think you're doing?!" She shouted.

For a moment, Dewshine thought her lesson would go on without interruption. That assumption proved to be completely wrong as Silverfang wrenched the poor she-cat out of the water. Her blue eyes narrowed at grey and white tabby. Her gaze meeting those blue and amber eyes head on, without fear. She had to stand up for what she thought was correct, not be pushed over at every moment.

"I am teaching Flickerpaw how to survive here." Dewshine spoke firmly. She didn't shout back, though her wet body tried to puff itself out. "She can't be a prisoner forever, and even if she was..." Dewshine took a deep breath to steady herself and steel her words. "It won't bring Fawnsong back."

She gestured to the camp around them.
"We are warriors. Sometimes, we don't make it home from battle, that's just the risk. Flickerpaw has paid for it in full. If some cat doesn't teach her how to swim, she could drown if the river swells."

Flickerpaw's small stature allowed her to skid a tail-length or two before stopping, shivering on the ground. What had happened? It processed in her mind. Silverfang. Fawnsong had been her sister, so by default the warrior obviously hated her to death.

The scarred warrior expression only hardened when the she-cat spoke and her rage grew when she spoke of her dead sister. Hissing, she stepped forward with an intimidating look. This fox-heart... how could Silverfang call her a clanmate after what was she trying to do? And using that pathetic excuse? Silverfang lashed her tail violently and contained herself from unsheathing her claws. "Are you trying to make me laugh?! That murderer scum doesn't need to know how to survive. She's a prisoner, for Starclan's sake! She can't leave the camp and we have to feed her every day even if I would prefer to let her die from starvation! She doesn't need any teaching because she just stay here, in the safest place of all our lands!" She hissed at the young warrior. That Flickerpaw was a murderer... she killed a member of her family... her sister... and Dewshine's clanmate. How was she even trying to help such a monster like her? She took away a young life. This punishment was soft compared to the one Specklefang's received. That ThunderClanner deserved death.

"Do you think I'm dumb?! I know my sister won't come back and it's all because of that piece of scum!" She snarled turning her head with fire in her eyes to the orange-furred cat. "I know death is a common thing but murder is breaking the Code. She shouldn't be in the clans but here she is. I think she should be grateful because of Ivystar's kindness to let her live among us as a prisoner. Because... if the choice was in my paws... we wouldn't be having this discussion. Flickerpaw's crime it's not paid. It will be paid once she dies as a prisoner, known to everyone as the killer she is. That's when Fawnsong's soul will rest peacefully."

Suddenly, the angered warrior approached the origin of her anger and smacked a leaf right next to her, violently. She looked down at her with disgust and despise. "I don't give a whisker of how sorry to might be. Your "I'm sorry" won't give me Fawnsong back. I won't forgive you and hear what I say: you'll never be a clanmate to me. You're a prisoner. A fox-hearted scum."

After saying those words, she didn't care for her reaction, instead, she just returned her focus to Dewshine with narrowed eyes. Imitating the gesture she did pointing the camp as sarcasm, she spoke to her one more time. "She doesn't deserve to know our ways, Dewshine. I don't know if you have noticed but that she-cat is NOT our clanmate. But if you're so concerned about floods that might drown this poor little thing who killed my sister and YOUR clanmate, you don't have to worry. Newleaf is the hottest time so the river won't swell."

At the intimidating look, Dewshine nearly flinched and backed down. She knew however, that just giving in wasn't an option. She had let the clan treat Flickerpaw badly. Had turned the other cheek on her like all her other clanmates had done. She had allowed the poor she-cat to come to this state. One where a simple act of kindness made her cautious and scared. The silver she-cat breathed deeply through Silverfang's hissed words.

She wasn't wrong.
"Everyone already knows she killed her." Dewshine replied calmly, refusing to raise her voice. Her stance firm as she stood her ground. "Do you really think that's what Fawnsong would want? For a cat to just suffer needlessly because you can't let go of the past?" Dewshine's blue eyes stared at Silverfang. The weight of Silverfang's spiteful words clung to her coat, but unlike the water, it wouldn't simply drip off.

"I will remember Fawnsong fondly as I knew her. Not as if she is in my ear crying for revenge. Flickerpaw deserves a second chance, just as much as Otterleap does." Dewshine looked pointedly at the warriors den for emphasis. The poor tom had a rough patch after his killing of the thunderclan apprentice. "Ivystar took her away from her birth clan, for our clan. Whether she is a prisoner, apprentice or warrior, she is ours now, and our responsibility to the code itself is to not kill another cat. Letting her die, would be breaking it just as much as dealing the final blow yourself."

Dewshine finally moved. She stared the silver tabby in the eye as she walked over to Flickerpaw and nudged her encouragingly.
"Flickerpaw? You're alright. I won't hurt you." She murmured, turning her attention to the shivering she-cat and licked her on the head to offer some comfort. Her gaze turned to Silverfang once more. "I won't let her hurt you either."

Flickerpaw winced deeply at Silverfang's words as she tried to hold back tears. In the back of her mind,  she knew Silverfang was right. "Y- you shouldn't be doing that for a- a cat like me." She wanted them to understand.  But she knew that they never could. "Might I ask, who's Otterleap?"

OOC: short mobile post

The bi-colored she-cat's head perked up as she noticed a flicker of movement at the edge of the camp. She had been dosing and enjoying the heat of the day. With the changing season, Starclan had blessed them with far more sun than through the cold days she had come to know. When her eyes blinked open against the sun and slowly adjusted, she was quickly able to pick out the pelt of her mother. Silverfang! Darkpaw rose to her paws and trotted after the warrior. Hopefully, they would have some time together. Warrior and apprentice duties alike kept them far too busy to be together as much as they were during her days as a kit. The young apprentice missed the moments with the respectable silver cat.

Her maw opened to let out a cheerful greeting but quickly closed as she saw there were more cats around. Dewshine, for one, who was also a great Riverclan warrior... and one more. Flickerpaw, the prisoner. Almost her entire life, the Thunderclan born cat had lived a life inside of their walls. Punishment for some crime against Riverclan, if she recalled correctly. But, Ivystar had forbidden her from leaving camp. Why was she out now? The long-furred apprentice cocked her head in confusion, although she continued to pad towards the trio. That was until a barrage of angry hisses left her mother. They seemed to be directed at the other two cats. Immediately, she felt like she did not belong there, but her mouth fell open and the words came tumbling out anyways, "What is happening?"

The she-cat anger decreased a bit but she remained with her eyes narrowed looking at the young warrior. She hissed softly, always keeping a piercing blue eye on her clanmate. "I wish I know what Fawnsong wants but guess what? She's dead. And because she was killed by that small rat you're trying to protect and raise as a Riverclan warrior. I'm not searching for revenge. I'm searching for justice." She stated firmly, keeping her pose straight and determined.

She looked at the warrior den for a second when she talked about Otterleap, remembering the case of the senior warrior. Silverfang sighed annoyed and returned her face to Dewshine. "Otterleap is still paying in some way what he did. But his case is different from this Thunderclan's scum. He killed a Thunderclan cat because Thunderclan invaded our territory and we were at war. Do you remember that? Just like most of us, he was trying to defend our home. What about this scum sitting next to us? She took away my sister's life when she was the one trespassing our territory! She has no excuses. Otterleap at least had a reason and he still regrets what happened." She mewed answering too at the apprentice watching the two cats arguing.

"Have you see me letting her starve? I must agree with you only in that point, Dewshine. I can't kill her. But only because I'm not like her. I won't be a murderer or a Code-breaker. I won't be at her same level." She snarled, clearly directing that insult the orange tabby she-cat.

When the Dewshine approached her and suggested that she might hurt her, Silverfang seemed to explode in anger one more time. But the voice of her daughter stopped her. She suddenly turned her eyes to her and she was surprised. The silvery warrior walked to her and licked her forehead, lovingly. "I'm sorry you had to see that, my love. I was just trying to make sure that Ivystar's order won't be broken. This prisoner you see killed my dear sister, Fawnsong, and as you know, she's forbidden from leaving the camp. And I believe she shouldn't even practice swimming since she won't ever be one of us after that murder. However, Dewshine seems to disagree." She mewed glancing at the she-cat with a mocking and arrogant tone of voice.

"Letting her drown because we could have taught her to swim and didn't is just as bad." Dewshine raised her silver tail. "Even if it's going to be greenleaf soon, there is no sense in her being incapable." Her ears twitched as she heard the small voice of Darkpaw. She smiled at the young apprentice. Her demeanour returning to it's softer side now that there was a young cat there.

Her gaze went back to Silverfang as the she-cat explained what she had seen, what Dewshine had been doing, and she couldn't help but feel a little sorrow. Did her own clanmate distrust her that much, that she thought Dewshine would take Flickerpaw far outside of camp? She blinked back her frustration, then turned to Darkpaw calmly.

"Hello Darkpaw." She greeted calmly, "Flickerpaw is too big to learn how to swim in the shallow pool, I was merely taking her to a place deep enough." She turned to look firmly at Silverfang. "It's not as though I was taking her on a territory tour. Our camp is on an island surrounded by water. I think that the water itself is part of the camp's walls since it helps protect us." As Dewshine spoke, she tilted her head towards where some of the river could be seen through the reeds of the camp.

"I think Flickerpaw deserves redemption. She has already been ripped away from her home and her family, the fact that she lives simply means she will bare the scars of that pain forever."


(OOC: Silverfang last post: https://youtu.be/uwr5NhcrH9E?t=20s You're welcome XD)

OOC: What would Fawnsong want? I think I know who has the answer XD

IC: Scorchclaw opened his eyes. When the first thing that appeared before him was not the dimly-lit interior of the warrior's den, he jolted up with a start. The tabby warrior was lying at the edge of RiverClan camp, under the shade of an overhanging tree. Upon recognizing where he was, Scorchclaw slumped down again. His last memories were of scoffing down a fish, and then he had set about to clean up his pelt. With his belly full and feeling comfortable, darkness had quickly come over him. He must have dozed off. He had just come back from a patrol, after all.

With a sigh, Scorchclaw sat up. Since he had both eaten and rested, he should go back out again. In leafbare, there was always work to be done, and he wondered if he had been missed. He was heading towards the camp entrance when he saw movement out of the corner of his eye. Turning his head, the fluffy tom saw Dewshine, Silverfang, Darkpaw, and... the ThunderClan captive. What was her name again? After a moment of thought, it came back to him. Flickerpaw. What were they doing? Certainly not having a friendly chat. Silverfang looked angry and agressive, and Dewshine was standing up to her. Just a moment ago he had been about to look for a patrol to join, but now the brown tom changed his mind. He walked over to the group and stopped beside Dewshine. "What are you doing?" He asked evenly, while glancing over the gathered cats.

OOC: "Almost her entire life, the Thunderclan born cat had lived a life inside of their walls." Ehrm... Flicker was nearly a warrior. Just a few days away from her ceremony. So it hasn't been THAT long... she's probably the same age as Spotfur, maybe a little younger. Unless "her whole life" refers to Darkpaw's life.

IC: Flickerpaw nearly cried. They didn't get it! "Stop fighting over me!" She shouted. "Stop trying to defend me, Dewshine, you're wasting your breath! There's nothing worth defending here! So shut up! Silverfang's right!" She tried to flatten her own fur. Everyone's hatred of her warped her mind to think that they were right.

ooc: yes it was referring to darkpaw's whole life, not flicker's. she grew up being used to having a tc captive in their camp, so it is just part of life to her.

Although she had simply come for a pleasant conversation with clanmates, and to see her mother, the apprentice was met with the opposite of that. Her ears flattened as the bickering, which was nearly yowls at this point, hit her ears. Silverfang licked her forehead and ducked a bit as a smile just briefly flitted across her maw. When she straightened back up again, the calico could only shuffle her paws awkwardly. Darkpaw didn't really have much of an opinion. Ivystar's word was law and to even think that was being broken bothered her. She also loved the clan leader nearly as much as her own mother. Dewshine was a good and reasonable warrior. And, this Flickerpaw did seem to lead a rather miserable life. The apprentice couldn't imagine being taken from her own family. And murder? Of her kin? As each thought bombarded her mind the she-cat looked increasingly uncomfortable.

But, she never left Silverfang's side. Her eyes betrayed her internally conflicted nature as she shot the other warrior and the prisoner an almost apologetic, but not quite sympathetic glance. These sorts of things confused her. How cats could be so black and white and convicted always escaped her. That was what always confused her about her mother. Inside, her stomach churned and her chest tightened a bit. Darkpaw could take on a predator without even a moment's hesitation, she could fight for her clan in the same way. Those were both givens. But, matters of justice always confused her. Bi-colored paws kneaded the ground. As Flickerpaw spoke up, she did feel a little prickle of sadness for the she-cat, but not enough to be convicted. Tail twitching just at the end, she finally meowed, "We... should probably go back to camp." Without giving an opinion, nor having one she could really pin down, the apprentice supported her mother.