The future's in your paws. Shape it well.Roleplay in a cat Clan of warriors. Based off the Warriors series by Erin Hunter. Takes place in an AU before the cats in the books existed.
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Subject: move onward, not there yet [c] Sat 15 Apr 2023 - 18:00
Thalia led her former apprentice out of ShadowClan's camp with the promise of a pleasant walk, in part because she herself had wanted to gather the freshly-growing flowers of the new season. Mostly, though, her cause was concern; Pineblossom had been through something she couldn't comprehend, and she had promised herself- once upon a time that felt so long ago now, when the world was shrouded in a far more literal darkness than the one that hung over them now- that she would do all she could to be there for her.
"Pineblossom," she forced herself to speak, knowing that if she didn't stumble through the words she wouldn't say anything. This was something that couldn't be left unspoken. "I won't ask if you're alright. I just wanted to make sure that you knew, I'm here for you. More than anything, I want to support you in any way I can. I would have said something sooner, but..."
Her own anxiety, her insecurities, had held her back. She had never known that sort of loss. Oh, she understood the pain of grief as well as any other cat, but lost kits... No, she had only ever been the vanished daughter. If she thought about it, the closest attachment she'd ever had to a ShadowClan cat was Iceheart herself.
That made her inability to do anything sooner sting just a little more.
"I thought... That maybe I should keep my distance, since I couldn't understand what you were going through. I'm sorry that I didn't say anything before."
Characters : [P]oppyshine; [Pi]neblossom; [L]arkspring; [Wi]llowwisp; [R]ashoumon; [B]lazekit Clan/Rank : RC T5 Deputy; SC T5; RC T5; RC T5; Rogue T1; WC App Number of posts : 3162 Gender : Any Pronouns Age : 26
Subject: Re: move onward, not there yet [c] Sun 16 Apr 2023 - 11:37
Pineblossom
It was nice, getting out of the camp. Pineblossom was essentially fully healed, and just needed to be assigned to patrols by Leopardsun again. She was out of the nursery now, thankfully, though she found herself spending a lot of time there anyway for Silverkit’s benefit. But it had been so long since she had spent time with Thalia, and Pineblossom found herself at ease as they walked through the territory.
She looked at Thalia as she spoke. “I understand…I have done the same before,” she replied. “I hold no ill will. Honestly, I am not sure what I would have said if you had come sooner…I am just glad you are here now. I do enjoy your company, Thalia.” Walks like this together reminded her of her apprenticeship. As awful as that time of her life was, Thalia was a bright spot in it. “How have you been doing, though? I’m afraid I’ve been so busy even before…this all happened. I have not caught up with you.”
Subject: Re: move onward, not there yet [c] Tue 25 Apr 2023 - 13:48
She was glad to know that Pineblossom didn't resent her for her silence, and in fact openly enjoyed her company. "Well, I'm happy to hear it!"
As for not being sure what she would have said if she had approached her earlier... Thalia could understand that. The not knowing what to say, or how to respond. It wasn't the same at all, but she had struggled with lacking confidence in herself for so long, and even now she often second-guessed herself.
She was pulled from those thoughts by Pineblossom questioning how she had been, given that even before all of this the younger warrior had been busy. "Oh, I've been alright. For the most part, it's been quiet since I found my way back... But that's not necessarily a bad thing. Everything that happened with Redice dragged up some memories I would rather forget," she acknowledged, "but even something like that just reminds me how much has changed."
Characters : [P]oppyshine; [Pi]neblossom; [L]arkspring; [Wi]llowwisp; [R]ashoumon; [B]lazekit Clan/Rank : RC T5 Deputy; SC T5; RC T5; RC T5; Rogue T1; WC App Number of posts : 3162 Gender : Any Pronouns Age : 26
Subject: Re: move onward, not there yet [c] Thu 27 Apr 2023 - 16:34
Pineblossom
Pineblossomshifted closer to Thalia and brushed against her pelt sympathetically. She did not know everything, of course, but she still recalled the stories that Thalia had told her about Asylum and what had happened while she was there. Pineblossom could not imagine that a public execution would bring about anything but bad memories. She still agreed that it was the necessary thing to do with Redice, but she still did not like that her mentor had to deal with what it brought.
“Things seemed to have settled since then, at least,” she murmured. Besides the occasional incident, of course, such as with her kits—but nothing grander like executions or murders or the like. She hoped that ShadowClan could have some more quiet moons. There always seemed to be too much going on for her liking. “I know you enjoy the quiet, though. Like when you teach other cats how to make those flower crowns.” Her eyes crinkled with a smile. “It’s always a bit too crowded for my taste, but I would love for you to teach me some time.”
Subject: Re: move onward, not there yet [c] Tue 16 May 2023 - 21:39
"And I would love to teach you," Thalia assured her. "All you've ever had to do was ask. We could go for a walk like this to do it- there are some spots that are dry enough to stop without getting everything wet and muddy, few and far between as they are. It also means we're not as likely to be interruped."
It was true that she enjoyed the quiet peace of life in ShadowClan lately, but it never seemed to last all that long. "What quiet we get is often short-lived, isn't it? I suppose it should make me appreciate the peace that much more, and it does, but I find myself wondering what everyone I used to know is doing now."
She smiled, soft and a little bit sad. "I wonder whether my father and my sisters are well. If they're happy, if they miss me at all. How Roe has been since I last heard anything of him. Whether Katana is still out there, somewhere, if she ever found what she was looking for. It's strange, isn't it? I've lived almost my entire life here in the forest- other than what happened with the Twolegs more recently- but so much of what I used to know is so far away... And it's not new or sudden, but I don't think I ever really got used to it." There was a short pause as she gathered her thoughts. "And I suppose I should have accepted that distance long ago, if I ever wanted to be a warrior, but what is it they say? You can't change your spots, I suppose. I might be ShadowClan, and I wouldn't change that for anything, but I was theirs first- and I wouldn't choose to change that, either, because it led me to where I am."
Thalia took a deep breath, sighing softly. Pineblossom deserved to know her plans, as distant as they were, didn't she? That faintest hint of a plan she'd had since she chose to stay, so many moons ago. She would stay, repair what she could and build something new, and then she would go; just as she shared what she had learned from Asylum with the forest, she would share what living in ShadowClan had taught her just as freely.
Perhaps it wasn't the best time, but... Well. Thalia had never been known for good timing, outside of the battlefield. She'd gotten better at speaking, less anxious, but she'd never entirely grasped how to handle these sorts of things.
"I think... Not now, not anytime soon, but eventually... Someday, I think I'd like to go and stay with them, if they'll still have me. I'll miss everyone here, but... It won't stop tugging at me, no matter what I do. If I go, I'll worry about all of you. If I stay, I don't know how long I can live with that uncertainty. I suppose it's selfish, isn't it? I never took a warrior name, or a warrior's oath, but... I am ShadowClan, and I have been for quite some time now."
Another pause. "No matter what I do, I know it won't ever feel quite right. I really am sorry to say something like this so suddenly, but I didn't want you to be blindsided by it, even if it doesn't happen until seasons from now. I hadn't thought I would get too attached to anyone once the cats I was raised with were gone, and that was some time ago... But here we are, walking together now. Life is filled with surprises, isn't it?"
Characters : [P]oppyshine; [Pi]neblossom; [L]arkspring; [Wi]llowwisp; [R]ashoumon; [B]lazekit Clan/Rank : RC T5 Deputy; SC T5; RC T5; RC T5; Rogue T1; WC App Number of posts : 3162 Gender : Any Pronouns Age : 26
Subject: Re: move onward, not there yet [c] Wed 31 May 2023 - 12:36
Pineblossom
Pineblossom listened to Thalia’s rambling words and she felt a tightness in her chest. Pineblossom was never great at getting to know other cats, either. She had made a few close relationships, such as with Honeylight and Forestbreeze, or even some nice friendships, such as with Nightstar. Yet, she knew that she was not the closest with many cats in her clan despite what she had once wished for herself as a kit. She understood how Thalia felt in that regard. She couldn’t imagine wanting to leave ShadowClan, though. This was Pineblossom’s home despite the hardships and tragedies that she had endured…but she was not Thalia. Thalia was not originally from here, and there were many cats that she lived with before being accepted into ShadowClan. Pineblossom could not blame her for the desire to leave and find some of those cats that she had left behind earlier in life. Sometimes Pineblossom found herself wondering whatever happened to her father, and if she could ever find him one day. If Thalia needed to do that herself, then Pinblossom would not fault her.
She looked to Thalia. “I must say, I will mis you when you go,” she meowed. “But I do want you to do what makes you happiest. I hope I can see you again when you leave, and you can tell me whatever you find…You mean a lot to me, Thalia. I do hope that you will at least grant me a final goodbye when you decide it is finally time for you to leave.”
