Is this what it's like?

Sprucebark paced back and forth thinking a bit to himself. He always had his day planned out and right now he actually had some free time before his next task began. He didn't really know what to do with himself.


Glancing around camp he did see mum nearby and he as he thought through the schedules he realized that she should be free right now too.

Going over to join her he purred a little and gave a typical formal greeting, "Good afternoon mum, wanna go for a walk? Catch up a little?"

Sprucebark watched as his mum fused a little over his fur and pelt like mums do. He gave her a friendly nuzzle back. Rain paw is alright, he’s been through a lot losing his parents.. I’m trying to be there for him. Recently though I think he’s starting to get sick, I sent him over to check in with minnow

(Minnow is spruces affectionate nickname for sandy)

Not to worry, I’m sure minnow will know what to do he meowed confidently. All the same, he worried for his rain paw, is this what mum felt when he and his siblings got into trouble?

As they left camp the air was a little cooler but ok, not all that bad.


As they neared the river, Sprucebark was no longer visibly nervous or fearful of it like he had been prior. He had recently gotten a hold of himself more and although he would always miss minksplash he had finally gotten over his fear of water.

How was he fairing? Pretty good. I got a lot better from things overall. I was tryin set up a fight club with a good friend over in skyclan ya know, the one that saved me from those badgers and all, but auntie perch has reservations about all that.

What else was new with him? Surprisingly enough it had been kinda quiet with not much trouble, maybe for once it would remain that way

And what about you mum? You doing alright?

[oh no :(  poppy guessed it so correctly... I'm sure the next topic we have of them will be famine filled
:(... I guess I will try and make him as happy as possible now... here comes my best attempt at a happy spruce post before we dive into the sitewide chaos   ]



Sprucebark gave a deep happy purr nodding.  "very peaceful indeed" he agreed.  The sun peaked through the clouds warming their pelts and added to the enjoyable day.

Sprucebark had more pep in his step now than he had in a long long time.  His mum was right, different cats grieved for different lengths of times and in different ways.  He had lost a lot of siblings and for a long time he had been scared of the water that gave their clan life.

But now, things were beginning to mend.  His bond with Rowansong was now stronger than ever and he finally once more felt like this was where he truly belonged.  Getting time with his mum was a blessing and he couldnt be happier from it.  A wave of overjoy smacked him and he fell behind a bit taking it all in.  

For once, he stopped by a patch of flowers and looked at them for a long while, usually his patrols and schdeules would not allow for such a waste of time as to look at them but as he stared he noticed more and more detail they had, the intricate petals all overlapping one another, the way it moved in the wind, the colors of them, he knew well enough that the cold weather would claim that but for now it was nice to slow down for once and exist in the moment as things were.


Catching back up he gently pawed her shoulder getting her attention and then gave her a big hug.

Sprucebark had always been open with his emotions especially to her,

although more logical than poppyshine yet more emotional than perchstar, he was a mix somewhere in between the two when it came to emotions vs logical thiking.  Recently however, he had been shifted closer to his emotional side.


He nodded , "maybe you are right, perhaps the peace will not last forever, but I know what ever comes next we will face it together, I promise you, I will be more careful this time, I will not be taken from you again.  While the most clear interpretation of this was not being taken by twolegs, he also meant taken in any form of the word, including death.  He promised himself here and now that if anything bad happened he would remain catutious.  Poppyshine was a good soul and devoted mother, she did not deserve to lose any more kits, he wouldn't let that happen.