You Are My Sunshine [C]

Twistpool

Twistpool sat up, waiting expectantly for Sunkit to come with a fish for them to share. It had become something of a ritual with the two of them. It was…something that Twistpool rather enjoyed. He hadn’t been happy to be in the company of another cat in so long. He enjoyed Sunkit’s company, with that kit’s infectious happiness. He liked making sure that Sunkit was happy and comfortable as well, given all of the tragedy that had struck his short life.

And so, Twistpool sat and he waited, even as he grew tired and longed for a nap. He forced his eyes to stay awake and watched the entrance of the elder’s den expectantly.

RiverClan • NPC Elder • He/Him • 60 | 80 • #006666

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Sunkit approached the Elder’s den with a cheerful pep in his step. He’d begun recovering his cheer as time went on, looking forward more and more to the future. He poked his head into the Elder’s den, holding a fish in his jaws, and offering Twistpool a big, goofy grin around it. “Good afternoon~!” He sang cheerily around the fish, trotting further inside.

He put down his fish in front of Twistpool and flopped against Twistpool’s side with a content purr. “Hungry? You look tired.” He smiled up at Twistpool, overgrown teeth showing themselves as he did so.

Twistpool

Twistpool relaxed when Sunkit finally entered the den, and he allowed himself to lay down again. He replied, “I am tired. But I knew you would wake me up if I tried to sleep before lunch, so now you have me.” He shifted so Sunkit could lay comfortably against him and he even gave Sunkit a little lick on top of his head to try and flatten that infuriating cowlick atop his head, but to no avail. Twistpool huffed and then began to eat the fish that he had delivered.

“You’re getting far too big for the nursery,” Twistpool grumbled between bites. “You need to hurry up and become an apprentice already. You’re just about the only cat I’ve actually wanted to see be a warrior and you can’t do that from the nursery, blast it.” It was encouragement in his own way. He liked seeing Sunkit get more pep in his step, and Twistpool was certain that he would be on his way soon, but Twistpool still had to give him a gentle kick in the rear.

RiverClan • NPC Elder • He/Him • 60 | 80 • #006666

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Sunkit wrinkled his nose and sank into his fur as Twistpool licked his cowlick, making a little face at the sensation and giggling, but pleased at the affection. He hummed and then leaned over to take his own bite of the fish.

Despite Twistpool’s grumbling tone, the words made a huge grin split Sunkit’s face, making him look goofy when he still had food in his mouth before he remembered to swallow before trying to speak. “Awww, Twistpool, you wanna see me be a warrior!” He said with a happy purr. “You think I’m sooo cool, no-take-backsies.” He lifted his chin with a pleased purr, then burst into snickers. “But don’t worry, I’m gonna become an apprentice any day now! You were right before. I wanna move forward.” Sunkit said with a small incline of his head.

Twistpool

Twistpool could not fight the wry smile that wormed its way onto his ugly face when Sunkit teased him. Something about this blasted kit was so charming. He wished he could still keep up his grumpy exterior, but dang it, he just couldn’t while Sunkit chatted. He replied, “Well, good. If I had to go another month with seeing you continue to outgrow the nursery, I was going to lose my mind. You’ll outgrow your future mentor at this rate.”

He leaned down and finished off the last couple bites of fish. His fatigue was pulling more urgently on him now. He hasn’t needed a nap this badly in a while. He stifled a yawn. “Anything else is going to have to wait. I’m beat, kid.” He yawned again and settled down in his nest. He mumbled, “If yer gonna spend time in here again then you may as well get comfortable.” Twistpool was used to Sunkit sharing naps with him and tucking against him, like Twistpool was his own father. It used to annoy him. It didn’t anymore. It was rather comfortable, and reminded him of sleeping beside his brother in his youth.

When the both of them were settled down, Twistpool laid his head down on his paws and rested his tail over Sunkit. He closed his eyes, quickly falling into slumber. He felt so relaxed lately, in a way that he hadn’t since his youthful days as a warrior. It felt like ever since his brother died, Twistpool had never felt relaxed or at ease. He always found something to grouch about, something to hate, something to ruin his day. The only thing he seemed to look forward to day to day was the end of it, when he could get a full night’s sleep again. But now with Sunkit, he had something else to look forward to during the day, and something to help ease him into relaxation. The tension left him bit by bit and today, with Sunkit curled at his side and the warmth of newleaf heating the elder’s den, he felt at peace.

“…Twist.”

Twistpool blinked a few times and his same gnarled look planted on his face at being interrupted from his nap. He lifted his head, blearily expecting Perchstar to be interrupting him even when he knew that she was missing. Instead, he was met with a face he had not seen in years.

“Sparrow…!” Twistpool gasped as he quickly lifted to his paws. A smile broke out on his face and he moved forward to press his forehead to his brother’s. His brother looked as noble as he did in life, with his beautiful pelt and strong features. He looked younger than he was when he died. Stars decorated his fur and trailed behind his tail. He was truly a sight to behold—and Twistpool realized all at once that a cat from StarClan was not a sight that a cat like him should be seeing, unless…

He looked over his shoulder. His body lay behind him, as though he were just sleeping, with little Sunkit snoring away against him. Twistpool’s heart squeezed and he looked back at Sparrowclaw with a flash of anger in his eyes. “You lot always do pick shoddy times to whisk us away, don’t you?”

Sparrowclaw shook his head. “You know that we do not choose when souls relinquish to our realm, Twist. Do not blame me for this.”

Twistpool’s nose wrinkled and his whiskers quivered. He looked to Sunkit again, walking to him and lowering to press his nose against the kit’s flank. “I could not even say goodbye.”

“One never knows when goodbye will come. You know that. I regrated not saying it to you either.”

Twistpool huffed. He pulled back from Sunkit and looked at the oblivious kit. Tears burned in his eyes and he stubbornly blinked them away. The last time he had cried had been his brother’s death, and he would not cry because of his own. “He was just getting better, Spar. He was going to get his apprentice name.”

“He still will.”

“No, he has put off his name for moons because of his father. You think he’ll dare to take it now that I’m gone?”

Sparrowclaw stepped up to him and his tail rested against Twistpool’s. “He will move on, just as all cats do. He is young, but growing. He has known a missing cat, but not a dead one. It will be hard for him, but he will be alright. There is nothing you can do.” Sparrowclaw looked to Sunkit and then turned, silently requesting Twistpool to come with him. “He will make a good warrior. You taught him well, brother.”

Did he? Twistpool did not think so. He mostly grouched and grumbled and napped. That did not feel like a good guiding paw. He wondered if there was more Sunkit would have wanted to say to him today…Twistpool had put it off for a nap. What if there was more to be said, that now never could?

“Twist.” Twistpool finally looked away from Sunkit and back at his brother, who was already several paces away, drifting towards StarClan territory. “You will see him again, but you cannot linger. There are so many waiting for you.” His expression softened. “Say your goodbye if you must, but then we have to go. Okay?”

Twistpool watched his brother for a second longer, as though he could prolong this moment if he just stubbornly refused, but he knew his brother was right. Sparrowclaw always was. Twistpool sighed and looked back at Sunkit again. He resisted the urge to nose unseeingly at his flank again. He instead murmured, “See ya kid. I’ll be watching, and you better not doubt that…And if you put off your ceremony again for my sake, then I’ll have your pelt. Mark my words…Take care, Sunkit.”

Finally, Twistpool turned and slowly walked after his brother. With every step they took and ascended into StarClan, Twistpool felt the fatigue and aches melt away. His body felt lighter, and his body rejuvenated with energy like he was a kit again. He grew closer to the land of the stars, saw faces he had missed for so long, and as happy as it made him, it didn’t cure the ache knowing that he left someone behind.

Twistpool has joined StarClan.

RiverClan • NPC Elder • He/Him • 60 | 80 • #006666

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