Prey Animal [C]

Pineblossom

Pineblossom earned another brief reprieve looking after her kits. Wolfkit especially has been a pawful; he keeps seeing messing with other cats in the clans as a challenge and she was worried he was going to mess with the wrong cat who would snap at him. Thankfully Forestbreeze and Silver was looking after the kits for now, so she could walk around and perhaps take a nap before full sleep later.

However…her eyes caught sight of Hawkpaw. He was resting on his own and she felt a brief pull towards him. She remembered the last conversation they had, where Hawkpaw spoke of his father, and in that time, she had noticed the arguments he had with his father a lot. Hawkpaw helped her family a lot, and it pained her to see those arguments take place constantly. She had left to take a nap, but instead, switched her direction towards him.

“Hello Hawkpaw,” she greeted as she sat in front of him. “Have you been taking care of yourself enough? Eaten your share of prey?” Catching prey had been both easier and more difficult on the path to their new home. Prey was more plentiful, but it was also unfamiliar territory that made it more difficult to hunt…still. She needed to make sure he was eating and not letting himself continue to starve.

ShadowClan • Tier 5 • She/Her • 70 | 160 • #6699ff

Credits: code inspiration - 1 2 |  image 1 | image 2 | image 3

Hawkpaw was not surprised by how much this overwhelmed him, but that did not make it any easier to bear. Gatherings were already agonizing enough to sit through, and that was just for a night, and not even the full population of each clan. This constant press of bodies made Hawkpaw want to start snapping his teeth at every little irritation and at the same time made him feel very small and worn down. He was nearly a warrior. He felt irritated with his emotions being so far out of his control, making him seem so weak.

The cool brush of evening was a welcome reprieve as all the clans began to settle down for the night. Hawkpaw found the quietest spot he could, as far away as he could justify, and sat staring into the unfamiliar distance, tail curled over his paws and eyes glazed over. He wanted to stay awake for a while yet, experience the comforting press of the night once more when everything was quiet. He really couldn’t quite stand being awake during the day. The light hurt his eyes.

His ears flicked and he was suddenly brought back to himself with a harsh blink of his eyes at the sound of his name. He turned his head, teeth beginning to bare on simple instinct to snap at whoever approached him. But, when he saw it was Pineblossom, and she greeted him with soft, gentle questions, he drew his anger back immediately and packed it away. He forced his fur to lay flat and relaxed again. Pineblossom was one of the few cats Hawkpaw actually, well. Liked. He respected her as a powerful senior warrior, found her company soothed him down to something soft around the edges, and it was… nice. She was. She was nice to him. Even when she had her own children to worry about, she took a minute to care for him. It made him feel…odd.

He swallowed down the bile that had been stuck in the back of his throat since this journey began, and nodded a polite greeting to her. “I have eaten, yes.” It wasn’t technically a full lie. He had taken a few bites of his prey, and wanted to feel overwhelming relief at getting a steady meal again, but he ended up asking Silverhawk to split it with him, and barely nibbling anything else off of it. “I have been taking care of myself as well. Thank you for asking.” He’s not sure what qualified as taking care of himself, but he wasn’t really acting any different from usual in regards to himself. “How have you been?” He has been traveling largely alongside Pineblossom’s family, partially to stay close to Silverhawk, partially to assist with the gaggle of kits that they had to transport, partially because he’d grown a soft spot for Hedgekit in particular… and partially to avoid being close to his father. But the travel didn’t afford much opportunity for casual conversation. And he spent most of it either bickering with Silverhawk or answering Hedgekit’s frequent questions as she rode on his shoulders.

Pineblossom

Pineblossom nodded, accepting Hawkpaw’s words as truth. She knew that he was not doing well, exactly, but then again, no one was. She gave him a smile and settled down. “I am tired, but well. I did not anticipate having to travel with so many kits, but they are holding up well. I’m grateful for your assistance during the day to get them transported. Hedgekit especially seems to enjoy having you around.”

Pineblossom was surprised at how attached her only daughter had become to her son’s friend, but it was not unwanted. She was glad to see Hawkpaw get along with more of her family. He seemed to have trouble in the clan as a general rule of paw, so him having someone else to get along with was good by her.

“I just wanted to make sure that you were still doing well. I know how difficult it could be to have to leave your home; especially not knowing if you are going back.” Pineblossom was hopeful that they would return to the forest one day, but she did not want to promise anything to her children. She would not provide broken promises.

ShadowClan • Tier 5 • She/Her • 70 | 160 • #6699ff

Credits: code inspiration - 1 2 |  image 1 | image 2 | image 3

Something in Hawkpaw’s sour mood brightened a little at hearing that he had both been useful to Pineblossom and had made Hedgekit’s mood improve with his presence. It was always a good feeling, feeling needed, feeling wanted. He looks at Pineblossom, golden eyes considering, and spares a moment to think that Silverhawk truly is lucky, luckier than he may even realize, to have someone like Pineblossom looking out for him.

Then, Hawkpaw swallowed hard and looked away. He had not allowed himself to consider the what if of never returning home. The thought was so overwhelming it made him feel as small as a kit, so he simply did not consider it. He shuffled, pulling his paws closer to his chest and staring out into the foliage surrounding them. He peers into the dark, as if he could see their home if he just looked hard enough.

“I’m alright. Thank you for checking on me.” Hawkpaw said, significantly more polite and demure with Pineblossom than he is with most cats. “It is…hard, I guess.” He said, uncertain why he even lets himself say that much. “It’s mostly just the crowd that’s annoying me right now.” His nose wrinkles with distaste, expression shifting into a scowl that's more common on his face. “Gatherings are already awful enough. This is like a constant gathering.”

Pineblossom

Pineblossom nodded sympathetically to him. “The kits don’t really like the crowds either, and I can’t blame them. There’s a lot of cats, and it can get quite overwhelming. I’m sorry we have to stick to the center of the crowd every time we get moving again. I don’t want to risk losing track of one of the kits on the edge of the crowd.”

She looked up at the sky, watching the stars twinkle high above them. “I do wonder what StarClan is planning, with this type of move.  I don’t know the specifics, but I know medicine cats have received prophecies of some kind that influenced the leaders’ decision to leave. The forest was growing uninhabitable, but I hope that they are not expecting us to be gone forever.”

She thought about what they left behind; not just their place of living, but also the dead that had been buried there. Pineblossom had hoped to bring her children to see Honeylight’s grave when they were old enough to understand. If they were not going to be able to go back…She would only have memories and stories to tell them.

Pineblossom looked at Hawkpaw again. “Regardless…Home is where we are all kept together. I’d be happy to have you at our side however often is comfortable to you, Hawkpaw.”

ShadowClan • Tier 5 • She/Her • 70 | 160 • #6699ff

Credits: code inspiration - 1 2 |  image 1 | image 2 | image 3