An Appeal to the Snow Queen [Closed]

Anticipation whirled and danced in his stomach like the flakes of snow that had dusted the marsh not long before. Now the territory had been left with a sulking hue of dull green and grey, all soaked in foul-smelling water. But despite the staining of his pure white paws, Burntstag was in a particularly giddy mood. There was a spring to his usually steady step and a cocked half-smile across his maw. After mulling over the next course of action, he had determined it would only be right to do with the proper cats at his side. This was by no means a solo endeavor. Already he could picture several of Shadowclan's strongest willed and brightest warriors at his flanks. Although, of course, Flintfang stood directly at his side as they face the opposition of the forest. And another cat, one whose stunning and untainted white coat was unmatched by any other, would stand at his side. Even in their few moments together, silent perhaps due to a combination of nature and an unspoken bond, Burntstag knew that Silentpaw was a brilliant cat. A hidden will, a fire that could be tamed and used to help lead them all into the impending future that now sat just over the horizon, was masked by the choice taming of her tongue.

"Silentpaw." He dipped his head in a greeting, stretching forward and almost bowing to her in a greeting, "There isn't much in the territory now, but I was wondering if you'd join me to gather some materials to line the nests. I'd appreciate the company." Burntstag locked eyes with the she-cat and offered her a warm smile. Their conversations had been few and far between but after the flood and through all of the events they had already overcome together, he knew this would just be another hill of the challenges to come. She'd faced twolegs and found her way home. Stood through a flood. Few knew of the soft, yet strong spirit the young she-cat possessed. And it was a marvelous thing. He hoped that she saw that gentle spirit within herself and the tom hoped to coax is out as he faced his own challenge of potential leadership. That depended on Scorchstar. But he believed he already knew the answer. Now, it was time for the Shadowclan leader's daughter to decide her allegiance. If he gave a foxdung about Starclan, he would have been praying for their aid in this. Silentpaw was one of the final pieces to a puzzle that had slowly been coming together over the moons. Now, was the time to add another pawprint into the shores of change.

Her voice was both inviolable and a whisper all in one breath, comprising a mere syllable that caused his ear to twitch ever so slightly in response. To hear her speak was so rare that such a delicate moment was one that he paused to savor. Even the feverous sensation budding up within him was momentarily cooled to accommodate the occasion. He blinked and a slow grin peeled back his teeth to reveal a fanged smile as he realized that he'd been staring at the she-cat. Burntstag's head dipped slightly in an apology, one he was sure she understood and easily accepted. He'd been so enamored by the voice that he had failed to notice the affectionate brush of her tail until afterward which caused his own tail to flick at a spark of... something within him. With that, he turned. Their trek into the forest, true intentions masked by the promise of purpose, would take their paws further than she likely knew. But something about that brilliant glistening in the back of her gaze spoke of a perception that a cat only of Silentpaw's caliber could possess.

"I'm still not used to it," he mused to her as he padded along, "the state of the territory. It's so, different, new. Do you think that things will ever be the same as they were?" There was a tone that stuck to the back of his throat and resonated throughout the words, one that hinted at the many things he wished to say. But Burntstag's nature demanded something far more tactful than a blunt declaration of what he had to say. For the many moons of his life, he had done something that very few other cats seemed to understand, drinking in the responses and expressions of other cats as they spoke, studying and knowing them for who they were as individuals. Silentpaw saw it too. She had to. Her disposition spoke of such acknowledgment to such intricate details. The flicking of his feathery tail increased ever so slightly, hinting at the eagerness buried within his chest. Clarity was all he had seen for the past many moons, specifically during the flood, but as he stood here too he saw something else for the future as he peered down at the she-cat. Silentpaw. It was the reason he had asked her onto this walk, soon, their paws would be guided by the same path, and they would walk side by side into a revolution.

It was the most she had ever spoken to him, each sentence was breathless and easy. But there was something more, pressing, a cognizance that only this particular she-cat could possess. Burntstag wanted to reply. Words clawed at the back of his throat in an eagerness that was almost irresistible. And yet it seemed as if his speech was caught there as if a single word threatened that which had come from his companion's maw. So he paused. His eyes stared down the bridge of his nose as he stared ahead into the territory. This was perfect, beyond perfect in the way it far surpassed his expectations. Although he was not surprised. Silentpaw was a cat of many talents and the keeper of an almost surreal perception. The pair of them were not similar in every way but there was something that bonded them, intellection and perception that they shared were unlike that of most cats of the forest. She was more than simply a worthy companion; Silentpaw was the perfect partner for the trial ahead. With her and Flintfang, they would be unstoppable.

He sucked in a deep breath, one of both clarity and relief.

"So you understand... I knew you would." He could see it on the horizon as he glanced up to the stars, eying the useless ancestors that were no doubt narrowing their eyes at him from above. But he had long since spat on their precious code and their way of life. Something needed to happen, and it needed to happen now more than ever. The forest was going to regrow and the clans of the forest had to regrow with them. Burntstag felt as if a weight was lifted from his chest, more of the burden was lifted with the declaration, a shared future that would bind them all together and lead the clans into a glorious future they'd never imagined, starting with Shadowclan. Another flick of his long tail as his voice grew more grave and he met her gaze, "The clans cannot go back to the way they were. For the moons of my life, I have seen more tragedy than a cat could ever bear. Code breaking, stories of war, death, and tragedy. Starclan has brought some of it upon us, even my own father, and we need to break this endless cycle of violence and pain... I cannot rest until this forest is made safe for the cats I love." As the sentence finished, he locked eyes with the she-cat, vibrant emotion sparkling within the intense green stare.

"This is my burden to bear, Silentpaw, and I no longer wish to carry it alone."