upon a pedestal, a goddess reigns [c]

When looking towards the sky as a kit, it was impossible not to be filled with a strange concoction of awe and wonder. Thoughts of just what it was like to exist among the stars had filled her imagination. How her parents fared, what they thought of her and who she had become. Daydreams had turned into silent prayers, into countless mindless thoughts and dreams that she had simply walked through her life with. As she looked to the stars tonight, it was sinking into her just how much that had changed.

A small frown tugged at the edges of her maw as she looked at the stars that night. What had once been blind faith had been tested, time and time again, and had turned sour. Though she firmly believed it was the will of the stars to lead them away from their homes, a strong part of her cursed at the fact it had come to this. What had they done to bring such a wrath down onto their homes? What could they have done to repent-to prevent this travesty? She looked towards the skies to see the flicker of light. Some sort of confirmation that Pricklebush, Morningsun... anyone who was on her side and looking out for her was up there. But there was no signal. She doubted there would be for a long time.

So she acted without the direction of the stars. Moved towards the way she thought was the best regardless of their confirmation. She had to keep her Clan alive, and this was the best choice that she knew. However, it also meant exhausting decisions. Choices she was questioning herself on every step of the way. It left her particularly deep in the throes of her mind, only to be pulled out by a singular voice calling towards her.

Whipping her head quickly in the direction of the voice, it took minimal effort to recognize just who it was. An unmistakable golden-tinged fur that spoke in a slightly off tongue. "Of course, Vinecrawler. You seem to have a question on your mind... prey for your thoughts?" Her head tilted. It took her only a moment to be able to nudge a small vole his way, motioning for him to sit or lay near her.

It was the universal sound of either self-soothing or joy to hear such a rumble come from a cat's throat, and judging by Vinecrawler's body language, she would have bet the rest of her lives on the purr being of the latter emotion. She could not help but let out a joyous chuff of her own to see such excitement rise to her clanmate's face. Truth be told, it had always been a love-language of hers to give gifts to her clanmates. It was an easy way to get them to trust her, yes, but she also simply loved seeing the joy that registered on their features whenever she provided such a gesture. What hadn't registered into her mind until moments later, however, was just how important of a gift prey was. Her stomach silently rumbled at her in protest for giving away what should have been her meal, but thankfully, it couldn't be heard over her own purr of satisfaction. She would have much rather given it to one of her clanmates. After all, she had a spare life or two she could pull on if she absolutely had to.

She was more than used to being dwarfed by the cats she was around. Thunderclan was not filled with as-large of felines as Skyclan was, but ever since Aurelia, Hank, and Sleet had spent their time in Thunderclan, she'd gotten more used to it. Spending time training Quailprowler and Crocuspaw in particular meant she was used to being in their company. But for what she lacked in her own size, she certainly made up for in mutual respect. After all, it would have been painfully easy to use their size advantage against her if they wanted, but she had never ran into such an issue. There had been times she'd come close... dark times that she did not want to think much about. Times she hoped she moved on from.

Her whiskers twitched at the quiet crunch! of the vole's bones. It was simply a sound that she did not often hear, but given how little nutrition they had to go around, it was probably smart to take advantage of whatever could be gained from consuming every part of the creature. She simply didn't have the jaw strength for such a feat, unfortunately. But her eyes still glowed with a happiness of her own. It was a gift certainly well-received, and that was what mattered more to her. Mottlestar's head tilted to the side as Vinecrawler spoke his thoughts, upholding his side of the bargain they had struck. Their native tongue? She had perhaps heard it muttered under their breaths a time or two, but had never put too much thought into it. Crocuspaw had come a long way in learning the Forest language, and Quailprowler had taken to it naturally.

"Truth be told, I have not heard it much from either of them." She admitted. Her head stayed tilted, and she nodded at what he implied. "Though, I would lie if I said I had not been curious myself. I had wanted to learn your tongue. Still do, truth be told, but I worry because it is not my heritage, it is not my place to encroach." Thinking aloud, Mottlestar allowed herself to be open. It was a hard lesson learned for her that it would be easier in the end. "I strongly hope I have not made any actions to make it seem as if any of you cannot use your mother tongue. If I have... I truly apologize. I do not want any of you to feel you cannot uphold your culture." Sincerity thickly wove itself into her words as she looked right into the brown eyes that had looked at her with a semblance of expectation of their own. If anything, she was enamored by the idea of another culture existing-one that could be passed onto their kin, and coincide with their forest life. So many different personalities culminating under the singular path of Starclan had been particularly interesting before, she was surprised that an event like this hadn't happened within Thunderclan sooner. Or perhaps it had, and it was a time it was less accepted.

That was a future she did not want to entertain. If anything, she wanted to allow her Clanmates to speak in their tongue, and honor their lineage, whether it be Thunderclan or that of beyond the forest.