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: The Path Forward [Honeydew] Tue 12 Mar 2024 - 10:10
Wolfstar had hung around as Honeydew assigned patrols, intending to talk to her once everything had been taken care of. Now that she'd returned to camp with her lives and name, the real work of being in charge of the clan was only just starting. Honeydew was a young deputy, Wolfstar was... Well, she wasn't as young as she'd like to think, but the position of leadership had been sudden and mired in conflict. So much conflict, and not just the war that had thrown her so suddenly into the position.
If they were to work as a team, they would have to communicate and be on the same paw, Wolfblossom knew. So the two walked, Wolfstar silently contemplating how to begin before she finally spoke after several quiet moments.
"I know we're both new to this... I should have considered talking to you before making you my deputy rather than throwing you to the wolves, I'm sorry for that." That thought had only crossed her mind after, in truth. "You seem like you've adjusted well, though. And I meant what I said at your ceremony." She added, glancing back at Honeydew.
Subject: Re: The Path Forward [Honeydew] Sun 17 Mar 2024 - 6:51
Honeydew
Honeydew knew that this would be the discussion she had longed for for several days since being appointed deputy. She walked in silence with Wolfstar, her grandmother, mother-figure, and now leader. Her blue eyes were locked onto the she-cat's pelt, realizing how many roles she had filled during her life so far, and how suddenly the two of them were a team.
She had done her best in the days since being promoted to adjust to her new role, mirroring what she had watched Wolfstar do when she was a deputy. Standing where she once stood felt odd and out of place, but her clanmates listened to her, for the most part at least. Still, so many questions whirled around in Honeydew's head.
The silence was broken first by Wolfstar. Throwing me to the wolves? Honeydew tilted her head. "That's an ironic choice of words," she purred, her whiskers twitching. "Thankfully our clanmates are nothing like the wolves that chased us away from the lake." She blinked, taking in the rest of Wolfstar's words, considering how she may have reacted if she had been approached about becoming deputy before the ceremony. Would I have been able to accept it as easily, if I were given the chance? she wondered.
Finally, she shook her head. "No need to apologize, Wolfstar," she mewed softly. "It was the last thing I expected to happen, that much is true, so soon after I became a warrior. There's so many senior warriors that would have made more sense, if not for what you said." She met Wolfstar's eyes as she glanced behind her. "I'm honored to have been chosen, and I have been doing my best, but sometimes it feels like I am just pretending to be someone else," she admitted. "I just try to do what I watched you do for so many moons. It feels like I'm filling in for someone else, or waiting until you come back. I don't think it's fully sunk in yet."
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"I hope that we can meet again one day, you and I," she mewed, "under peaceful skies."
Subject: Re: The Path Forward [Honeydew] Mon 18 Mar 2024 - 14:10
"Not like wolves? They certainly make enough noise..." The leader gave her head a shake. "They will adjust, in time. So will we." Hopefully. "That feeling of pretending... I understand it. You're no longer just a warrior among your clanmates, you have authority over them, and we're not the cats who were leading the clan before. Things will change by necessity as we move forward and adjust to holding this leadership." She murmured. The weight of leadership, she was finding, was very different to being just a deputy to Birdstar. Now, organizing patrols every day seemed like the least of her worries.
"That's somewhat why I dragged you out here." She admitted, "Briarthorn made a lot of good policies that my sister kept in place, and added some of her own as well. I intend to keep most of those the same... To start with, at least. The sky patrols, limb patrols... Those have become ingrained in the clan even before we were born. Her acceptance of cross-clan relationships too - I'd be a hypocrite not to continue that and push for outsiders to join if they find themselves involved with a Skyclanner. And if one of our own finds they are more loyal to another cat than the clan... I won't have divided loyalties. It's not fair to the clan or to them." She shrugged.
"Those aren't the policies that we're struggling with, though. Since I can remember, the only counsel Skyclan leadership has ever relied on is their own. Our mother was brought back into the clan after exile - look where that got us. That was Birdstar's decision, and Plumleaf and I supported it when our own grandfather and aunt had pleaded for her return. Knowing the risks, knowing the consequence. We... Announced her return as she was standing in camp, and nobody objected at the time. Even knowing the reasons for her exile." A soft snort escaped her. Not that their objections would have done much, but the leader did wonder if tensions within the clan itself might have been different if cats had cared during that first meeting. "I'm... Not sure if I'm supposed to say this or not actually. But one of the Starclan cats at my leader ceremony cautioned me about relying just on myself. Skyclan has a history of that with our leadership, I know that much. From some of the stories I've heard it seems like there's a pattern of that not ending well for the cats in leadership. I don't intend to end up like them if I can help it." She'd heard the tales of Wolfstar, of Bloodstrike and Beechfang. "I don't want to make the same mistakes if I can avoid them." The question was, how to go about it? The leader frowned pensively, gazing up at the branches crisscrossing the sky above.
"For all the chaos, I think a few of our clanmates are trustworthy enough that they can be leaned on, outside of just us high ranks. Briarthorn was leader before Birdstar even, taking over after Bloodstrike left in exile with Beechfang. I wasn't there to witness what happened, but she avoided war and led the clan well until being captured by twolegs. I know she wants no part of real leadership, but..." Her voice trailed off as she thought, tail tip twitching.
There was more she wanted to find her deputy's opinion on, but this seemed like a good starting point.
Subject: Re: The Path Forward [Honeydew] Fri 22 Mar 2024 - 21:05
Honeydew T2 Warrior | SkyClan Deputy | she/her
Honeydew nodded as Wolfstar spoke of their clanmates adjusting to new leadership. Her ears perked, then, as the leader continued about the clan's policies. She listened carefully, not to miss a word. She found herself naturally agreeing with Wolfstar's choices. Until she mentioned Beechfang. Oh. Honeydew's shoulders tensed and she had to keep her fur from spiking up. The deputy took a deep breath.
"I would have disagreed," she interjected. "I know Beechfang was kin, and our blood ties us together and forms strong bonds within SkyClan, but..." she considered the alternative future SkyClan may have faced if they had made better choices. "Look at what it's cost us now," she mewed with a heavy voice.
She looked up again when Wolfstar spoke of StarClan. Her pale blue eyes rounded and the young she-cat felt mystified... the idea that Wolfstar had communed with StarClan - many StarClan cats - it reminded her of her moonstone journey, where she had been allowed to meet her mother, Thornstalker. How many cats did Wolfstar meet that had such an impact on her?
"Of course you don't have to rely on yourself," Honeydew replied, "You'll always have me by your side." She shook her head. "No... we can do better, and reverse the mistakes of SkyClan's past leaders. I believe in you, Wolfblossom," Honeydew purred. "I believe in us. In our teamwork, and in SkyClan."
"I think that leaning on our clanmates..." Honeydew began, choosing her words carefully as she recalled the words her own mother had spoken to her, "...as supports, is wise. The clan would be nothing without those cats, and we need the support of those who are level-headed for our cause." She nodded as the words seemed to tumble out of her mouth too quickly for her to think about them. "Confiding in Briarthorn would be useful," she agreed, her expression thoughtful. "And what about Mistflower, and Bubblebeam? Myrtlebloom as well." Honeydew stopped in her tracks, her eyes sparkling with excitement. "They would do well. Bubblebeam is only a few moons older than me, and Myrtlebloom is a bit young, but they all share the same thought process and goals as us. I rely on them," she admitted. "I've always leaned on them, and they have always been reliable. And their hearts are pure." She found herself purring as she spoke of her clanmates.
Subject: Re: The Path Forward [Honeydew] Sat 23 Mar 2024 - 14:19
Honeydew voicing that she would have disagreed hurt, but Wolfstar understood why, as well. Much as she didn't like it, their actions had put the clan in danger. Cats had died to protect her, and the old she-cat had died anyways. Her mother had gone as she lived, fighting. But so had Birdstar, and the bitterness still stuck in her throat.
"Reverse them? No." Wolfstar mused, "But we can avoid making them in the future. Briarthorn has lived through a lot, she has experienced a lot first-paw that many of our younger cats haven't. Including me." She was the oldest cat in Skyclan and had lived through more leaders, not just from the clan she had joined as a warrior. "Creamsky and Crookedlight, perhaps... They are both sensible and our more senior warriors. Falconmoon too, I think, has a good head on his shoulders." Odd perhaps, to some of them. But a good cat. His nightmares weren't her story to disclose. "Sunfire is a good cat at heart, but not someone I can trust with important decisions. Stormwatcher has grown more responsible but after his outburst too..." Wolfstar shook her head. "I think dissenting opinions are important too. But not to such an extreme. Perhaps when the battle wounds are less fresh in everyone's minds. Graywind is too likely to cave to the wishes of others rather than hold her own, I think. And Stoneheart will follow her sister." All candidates she would have to reject, even if they were good natured. "Mistflower is a good idea. Jumpy, but a solid warrior I think. Bubblebeam... I am unsure. She seems so unhappy. In everything. But I think she needs to feel like she has a voice in the clan. And I don't know Myrtlebloom all that well." She admitted that last bit with a frown. "I'll be speaking to all of them before making a final decision on who should be included. See where their heads are at." She decided.
"A council isn't the only thing I wanted your opinion on," Wolfstar continued, "I have been... Lenient. Maybe too lenient, as of late. Part of it is just how much has happened recently. Sunfire... I know I'll need to speak with him about his actions. Both previous ones and more recent actions. I believe most of his outburst after the battle was simply the emotion and stress of it... Stormwatcher's too, I hope. Other actions..." The new leader grimaced. Oh, how she hoped it was just the emotional and physical turmoil that had caused those arguments after the patrol had returned home. How she desperately hoped. "I can tolerate heated arguments. I cannot tolerate anything that takes it further than words."
"Shatteredsky, however... He's threatened to kill me... Twice now? And is unpredictable enough I do not understand where his head is at." A frown settled onto her expression, Wolfstar wasn't sure and wasn't sure she wanted to know, if she was being honest. But he was someone who needed watching. "Skyclan has exiled cats for acting out those threats, and it has not gone well for the entire forest. An unpredictable cat is a dangerous cat... But I think he cares deeply for you and your siblings, in a misguided way. I'm... Not sure how to address it, if I'm being honest."
Subject: Re: The Path Forward [Honeydew] Sat 23 Mar 2024 - 19:10
Honeydew T2 Warrior | SkyClan Deputy | she/her
Honeydew became thoughtful at Wolfstar's suggestions for the counsel. Just as she was unfamiliar with the younger cats, Honeydew was less familiar with the older cats like Crookedlight and Creamsky, but she knew they were good, solid warriors, and she trusted her leader's judgment about them. She couldn't blame her for wanting a meeting with Bubblebeam or Myrtlebloom. And she was right, after all... Bubblebeam did seem downtrodden recently.
"Hmmm," she considered, weighing their options. "Thank you for considering them, Wolfstar. They are really good cats, and I would trust them with my life. Mallowpaw and Yewshade too," she added, her eyes flickering away. "There is one thing that worries me about assembling a counsel like this. What will our clanmates think - the ones who aren't chosen?" The last thing she wanted was their clan to think they didn't trust their own warriors. It was a delicate balance.
Honeydew's ears flattened to her head at the mention of her uncle's name. It left such a bitter taste on her tongue these days, and she couldn't stop her mind from being thrown back into the battle, reliving it over and over again, every time his name was mentioned or she saw his pelt in the clearing. Ever since she was a kit, she distrusted the tom, but she wanted to believe his actions were all for the sake of the clan. But how could they be, when those actions perpetuate the war that causes so much death? Honeydew's nose wrinkled distastefully.
"Sunfire fights without honor," she mewed plainly. "There is no honor in attacking a medicine cat. And there should be punishment - if not from StarClan, then from us," she spat. "He is ill-tempered and quick to jump into situations with his claws extended, and seems to have no regard for settling anything peacefully. If you want my input, Wolfblossom, I would say we keep an eye on Sunfire and avoid putting him on any border patrols for the time being." The deputy was idly shredding a leaf between her paws as she spoke, sinking her claws deep into the bracken at their feet. She couldn't meet Wolfblossom's eyes as she spoke of punishment for Sunfire's actions. She was unsure if her leader would agree, or perhaps she would think she was being too rash. But to Honeydew, it made sense. The further from the borders he is, the less likely he is to be able to stir up trouble with the other clans.
Her ears perked back up at the mention of her brother's name. Shatteredsky. But Wolfblossom was right. Honeydew had witnessed her brother threaten their grandmother's - and their leader's - life, on two separate occasions. The deputy couldn't make excuses for her brother's actions, no matter how protective he was of her. It was wrong to declare such things in front of the entire clan. Certainly it is against the warrior code? she wondered, tilting her head.
"You're right," she admitted shakily. "Shatteredsky is very unpredictable, and I cannot excuse his actions, either. He has yet to act on his words, but it is beginning to feel like only a matter of time..." she trailed off sadly, shaking her head. "The issue I foresee is that if we allow this to slip by, other cats will follow his example. Loyalty will mean nothing to them. They will think we are weak. We have to do something."
She sat where she was, curling her long, feathery tail around her paws. A beam of sunlight shone down and ignited her fur, her blue eyes shining with thoughtful determination.
"I have tried talking with my brother," Honeydew mewed. "Words don't seem to get through to him, not even mine, sometimes. It wouldn't be as easy as just having a meeting with him. If anything, I believe it may only make things worse." She flicked her tail. "We need to show him, and the clan, that that kind of behavior isn't to be tolerated."
Subject: Re: The Path Forward [Honeydew] Sun 24 Mar 2024 - 16:55
"In an ideal world, all of our warriors would have a say in things. But if that were the case I suspect nothing would ever be decided on. We have one leader and deputy, too, that is inherent to clan structure. The council will bring in more voices than just ours... Hopefully with better results than just two or three cats acting for what they think is best without speaking to the clan." Wolfstar sighed, "Perhaps if our more hot-headed ones can learn to speak without threatening and screeching..." A snowball's chance in the dark forest, probably.
Honeydew's words about Sunfire stung, but Wolfstar hated to admit that the deputy wasn't entirely wrong in some respects. "I think a few of the cats who were involved in that battle could do to stay away from the borders for a bit. Sunfire included. It won't be the first time patrols have been carefully managed and it won't be the last. They are good hunters and know how to deal with the wildlife... You are simply putting them where their skills would work best for the clan." She said, "Sunfire is stubborn... He needs patrolmates who will not immediately cave the first time he speaks. When Stormwatcher was younger, I would pair him with cats I knew were energetic and weren't fans of napping the day away. He grumbled. Often. Worth it, though." Different situation, but perhaps the insight could be of use to Honeydew. "I still need to talk with Sunfire, too. I think that will be a conversation best heard from me. He is predictable... Even if he's foolhardy. I should have had a conversation with him well before now." Wolfstar hated feeling like she had failed in one of her duties, but with Sunfire it felt as if she had.
"Yes... I'm unsure of how to handle Shatteredsky, either." Wolfstar shook her head. "He needs to be kept close I think, not pushed away. He is unpredictable enough without causing him to mistrust us or explode. He isn't happy about you becoming deputy, but screeching and threatening isn't going to change my mind. And killing me would only put you closer to what he doesn't want to happen. Do you think he understands that much, at least?" With Shatteredsky it was impossible to tell. "As I said, pushing him away won't work, but he must be dealt with somehow. He is someone who must be vindicated at all cost, in his mind. He seems to look down on most of the clan, even his own apprentice. You and your brothers are the only ones I have seen him have a positive reaction to... And I hesitate to call his outbursts positive." Wolfstar was thinking out loud, and by her tone she wasn't happy about where her thoughts were headed. "If he does act, there will be only one answer to this. But our goal is to keep him from that. Ostracizing him gives him that freedom." A heavy frown of malcontent settled onto her expression.
