Winter Flower [Closed]

Stormbringer didn't know what to think or what to do about Riverclan's current situation. Rather she didn't know what to think about what Torrentstar had down. The feeling of betrayal settled deep in her stomach, and wouldn't leave her no matter how hard she tried. Like others, she hadn't taken the news well at all. Honeytongue is who she was concerned about the most. The she-cat was betrayed by her own father, one she had sworn to follow. If the heavy weight of betrayal was this bad for the gray warrior, she couldn't imagine how Honey tongue was feeling.

Stormbringer pushed her cold paws through the snow. While the setting sun was shining brightly, what would have normally seemed like a warm day was completely cold. Like the sun's warmth no longer reached them. She had yet to find her friend. She didn't know what to do. She knew Honeytongue was suffering from all of this, and she could understand the she-cat's actions.. but she needed her friend around.

So lost in her thoughts she hadn't noticed the scent that was swelling up around her as she approached the icy broken pools. It wasn't until she felt a harsh bite on her tail that she noticed the scent of fox all around her. Letting out a loud yowl the warrior whirled around on the creature, her claws lashing out.

Fox used Iron Bite dealing 30 damage, -20 SP

Stormbringer:
30/60 HP
200/200 SP

Fox:
90/90 HP
260/280 SP

Stormbringer used Rending Front Paws dealing 13 damage, -25 SP

Stormbringer:
30/60 HP
175/200 SP

Fox:
77/90 HP
260/280 SP

It was like her entire world had come crashing down... Honeytongue sat at the bank of one of the many pools, staring at her warped reflection in the frozen pond. She felt confused, angry...Broken. In the wake of the truth coming out, she wasn't sure how to act, but it felt impossible to put together the mask of happiness she always wore. That had been shattered that night in the Gathering... She had spent the rest of her night sobbing in her nest until she felt to tired to do that - and it was like that tiredness hadn't faded with sleep. Her paws felt heavy, it felt impossible to crawl from her nest every morning but she had her duties. She...She just never felt like doing anything else, thought.

Her eyes slipped shut as she lowered her head, a shaky breath escaping her. She wasn't sure what had brought her out here, she normally tried to spend her time in the safety of her camp when she wasn't busy but...She supposed she was getting tired of cats bothering her, asking her how she was doing. They all knew the answer, but none knew anything to help her. ...She wasn't even sure what would help her anymore. Nothing felt the same and she just felt lost on how to move forward when the one thing that she thought she could always rely on was now a broken foundation.

Her eyes flickered open as the sound of a yowl broke the quiet, frosted air. She glanced off in the direction of it, barely making out two shapes on the edge of the pools. She recognized one of them as Stormbringer. The other...A fox. Her heart leapt to her throat as she suddenly found herself moving despite the heaviness that had weighed her down for so long, sprinting forward as she rushed through the ponds - ignoring the slightest sounds of ice cracking beneath her when she chose to take the direct path over one of the frozen pools. With a soft growl, she threw herself at the fox's side. At least when it came to battle, she was muscled-trained at this point and barely had to put a thought into it as she slashed her claws down its side before leaping back to make her next move.

Honeytongue used Run-and-tackle on Wild Fox, dealing 13 damage and costing 10 stamina. (Regular 10 + 3 for opponent not being focused on them)

Honeytongue:
60/60 HP
190/200 SP (-10)

Stormbringer:
30/60 HP
175/200 SP

Fox:
64/90 HP (-13)
260/280 SP

The fox had released her tail as soon as another cat came to her rescue. She didn't know who it was until a sweet familiar swept over her nose barely recognizable because of the fox's scent. Amber eyes widened. Honeytongue. She hadn't expected anyone to come to her aid. Now she had a chance of not returning to the camp a bloody mess.

If a certain thing of news wasn't revealed she would have normally joked in this situation. It seemed that the golden cat was always coming to her rescue. First Houndpaw now this? She couldn't imagine how much longer this trend would continue. The fox moved first before she could. Attacking her friend without hesitation.

Fox used Iron Bite on Honeytongue dealing 30 damage, -20 SP

Honeytongue:
30/60 HP (-30)
190/200 SP

Stormbringer:
30/60 HP
175/200 SP

Fox:
64/90 HP
240/280 SP (-20)

Stormbringer used Scruff Shake on Fox dealing 5 damage, -25 SP. Fox is stunned for one turn.

Honeytongue:
30/60 HP
190/200 SP

Stormbringer:
30/60 HP
150/200 SP (-25)

Fox:
59/90 HP (-5)
240/280 SP

The member 'Reaper King' has done the following action : Dices roll

---

'Effect Dice' : 1

Honeytongue's eyes widen as the fox's attention suddenly turned onto her, a gasp of surprise turning to a blood-curling yowl as fangs dug into her shoulders. Her claws dug into the ground, desperate to get a hold as it started to pull her to perhaps thrash her around...Only for it to suddenly let go with a yelp. Her eyes focused to see that Stormbringer had managed to get a grip on its scruff, tearing it off of her. Blood pooled from her shoulder, her breath coming in startled, panicked gasped but she forced herself forward and slashed at the fox's belly while it was stunned and exposed.

Honeytongue used Belly Rake on the fox, dealing 12 damage and costing 10 stamina.

Honeytongue:
30/60 HP
180/200 SP (-10)

Stormbringer:
30/60 HP
150/200 SP

Fox:
47/90 HP (-12)
240/280 SP

Stormbringer was thankful to have Honeytongue there to help her fight the Fox. If she was on her own she didn't think that she would have survived this. The fox was still stumbling around from her earlier attack so she quickly went into the fray again. The sounds of the fight with the fox filling the cold wasteland that Riverclan territory became over the few days.

Fox is no longer stunned.

Stormbringer used Jumping Strike dealing 12 damage, -20 SP

Honeytongue:
30/60 HP
180/200 SP

Stormbringer:
30/60 HP
130/200 SP (-20)

Fox:
35/90 HP (-12)
240/280 SP

The fox couldn't take any more from these two cats. If it was just the one like it had originally thought it would have been able to finish it off, and keep the territory it was trying to establish. It wasn't worth it anymore. Limping and beaten the Fox quickly rushed off.

Stormbringer watched as the fox ran off. She slumped to the ground from the damage in her tail. She would be surprised if it healed with a slight kink in it from the damage it had. She could still feel the the fire like pain spreading up her spine.

Panting, she looked over at at Honeytongue. "Thanks." she muttered out a bit too plainly than she intended but she didn't have it in her to correct it at the moment. "I either have the worst luck because I always seem to run into something or the best because I have a talent for finding you when I really need you." Stormbringer mentioned.

Honeytongue took a stumbled step back as the fox suddenly made a run for it, watching as it disappeared from sight. She sighed heavily as she slowly sank onto her haunch, glancing at her bleeding shoulder. Her ears twitched as she heard Stormbringer start to speak, letting out a soft huff in acknowledgement. "Hm," she hummed as her friend questioned her luck, not feeling up for making a joke in return. She gave her injured shoulder a link, lip curling at the taste of her blood. She gave it a few laps to try to clear the sight of the wound before she gave up and sank to the ground, pressing her shoulder into the snow with hopes that the cold would be of some aid to lessen the pain until the two returned to the camp. "...What were you doing out here in the first place?" she asked, her voice listless as she curled tightly onto herself as her gaze focused to study Stormbringer's face.

She could tell just from this one interaction just how affected Honeytongue was from the news. She could only guess before but it was clear to see it was so much worse. Stormbringer stayed sitting in her spot not willing to get further in the snow than what was necessary.

"I was out here trying to find you. You have been out of camp for a while and I thought something bad.. well something worse happened." She was being honest. She knew that things weren't the best right now for everyone in Riverclan, more so for her friend. She hoped that she wouldn't go out in the territory and find Honeytongue's body dead to a predator. "I know things are hard right now but that doesn't mean that I don't care about you." Stormbringer stated.

Honeytongue had feared that was the answer, her gaze flickering away as Stormbringer explained how she was worried about her. She...Honeytongue knew she couldn't deny that her friend had a good reason to, she knew how she wasn't herself but...She wasn't sure how to fix that. To be...Happy again. "Sorry," she sighed, ears slicking back on her head as she curled her tail tightly around her. "I just...I didn't want to be in camp. In case I saw him and...And I was getting tried of hiding in my nest and..." she drifted off, a heavy sigh escaping from her. She had been pathetic since the Gathering, unwilling to even try to talk to her father and was doing everything she could to avoid him. She rested her head on her paws, unsure of what else to say.

Maybe she didn't want Stormbringer to worry about her. She wasn't worth it, and maybe she would just...Maybe she would betray her somehow as well. Everybody else that she loved was finding a way to do it. But slowly her gaze slipped back to Stormbringer, drinking in the sight of her friend sitting proudly in the snow, gray fur gleaming in the sunlight. "...I'm sorry," she finally repeated, shrugging her good shoulder as her gaze dropped. "For making you worry. I just don't know what else to do. I don't know how to feel about...Anything, now."

Stormbringer quickly shook her head. "There isn't a need to apologize." She understood the anger, the hurt.

A sigh escaped the gray warrior. "I understand wanting to avoid him. I honestly have been too.." She lifted her head to the sky, her eyes meeting the clouds. "I don't even know how to approach the situation without getting overwhelmed by betrayal.." She honestly wanted Ivybrook to step up and take over, cast Torrentstar out for what he did, just like he did with everyone else. She knew others wouldn't agree with her way of thinking.

"There is just too much to thinking about, too much to deal with.. I can't imagine how it must be for you." She stated softly as her head turned to the ground but her eyes were focused on her friend.

Honeytongue was quiet as she listened to her friend vent, a little comforted by the fact that they were both on agreement toward their feelings toward Torrentstar. But...She wasn't sure if she was truly angrier by his actions. Just...Shattered. She couldn't be angry, he had at least a night of happiness. There hadn't been enough in RiverClan recently but... Why couldn't she have been enough? Why did he have to break the vows he had stood by as he ran Dappleshine from the Clan? Did she just not matter to him anymore? "...I made a promise to never leave him. To stay loyal to RiverClan so he never had to worry but...I've already lost the rest of my family, why did he have to..." she could feel the hot tears bubbling at the corner of her eyes, drawing up a paw to cover them from Stormbringer's sight as a soft sob raked her body. "What do I even mean to him anymore?"

Stormbringer shook her head. She understood the promise but at this point the leader couldn't even keep his own promise. It wasn't even a disagreement with her friend but more so trying to keep her head clear the best she could. "It doesn't matter what he thinks of you at this point.." She began not sure if what she was going to say was the best choice but hopefully this will help and not make it too much worse.

"You are loyal to Riverclan.. and Riverclan is your family. You don't need him to make who you are." Torrentstar's choice was something that the whole clan was going to suffer from, they needed to help each other. "I just.. I understand he is your father but at the same time.. If this how he shows he cares then I wouldn't want to keep a promise I made to him.. I would keep a promise I made to Starclan and to the rest of the clan." She hoped that her words made sense.

Honeytongue was silent for a long while, staring at her paws. ...How better was RiverClan? Her Clanmates kept leaving her, how long she could trust Stormbringer or Ivybrook to have her back? How long until they left her just like everybody else? But...She didn't voice any of this. Stormbringer would express that it wasn't the case, that she wasn't going to do that but she was sure her siblings would have said the same thing up to their death. She... She bit back another sob, forcing herself onto her paws. "...We should get back to the camp," she finally murmured, turning to pad away.

"Wait!" Stormbringer shouted suddenly, standing to her paws as well. She didn't want to go back yet. She knew there was still more on Honeytongue's mind. Something that she wasn't sharing. Stormbringer could feel a tight pain in her chest from seeing her friend suffer like this. "Was it something I said?" She asked quietly. Her amber eyes shining with sadness.

She didn't want to think she did anything to hurt her friend but she needed to know if she did. "Please Honeytongue.. If I did something... Please just tell me.. She wasn't good at any of this. She wasn't good with words. She bit her tongue to prevent her from saying anything else, from saying anything bad. But she couldn't take seeing the golden she-cat keeping things to herself.

Honeytongue halted as Stormbringer spoke up, turning to look at her with her dim eyes. Her broken heart sank even deeper at the fear and hurt that was so clear across her friend's amber eyes. She hated it, she hated seeing that look on her face - she wish she knew how to make Stormbringer smile but...She couldn't even make herself smile after everything. "...No," she finally breathed after a moment, taking a step toward her friend as she gently pressed her head against the crook of Stormbringer's neck. "...It isn't you, it was never you. You are amazing, Stormbringer, its just...It's me," she admitted, feeling the warmth of tears prick at the corner of her eyes. "Its all me. I'm just...I'm not okay. Was I ever okay? ...I just don't know how to be myself anymore."

There was so much more to it, all of her fears and doubts - but Stormbringer herself played no part in it. Stormbringer and Ivybrook was perhaps the only safety she had, even if she doubted how long she could trust it. But...That was all on her. T-They wouldn't do her wrong. She had to have hope in that. Because if she didn't...Then what else she did have to live for? She finally drew away, hanging her head. "...I'm sorry. I wish things could go back to how they were but...I just..I can't pretend to be okay anymore. I don't know how I could manage a lie like that. But none of this is your fault. Know that..." Her voice died as her gaze fell to her paws, ears slicking back as she waited to hear Stormbringer's response to that all. She wished she could offer up a solution, at least an answer of how Stormbringer could help her but she just didn't know how to be...Herself anymore.