Pride and Prey-judice (Cherryspot & Crookedwing)

[Deleted]

Dark clouds covered the skies over Windclan this early morning, but no cat feared rain at this point because that weather had already come and gone. Over night a constant down pour showered the camp, and left only the rarely used dens dry. The top layer of the fresh kill pile was soaked, to wet to be enjoyable for anyone, but the large hares kept the prey underneath relatively dry thankfully. As cats began to exit their shelters and venture out into the clearing they took note of the puddles of water and muddy grounds. Two borders patrols where created and sent out to remark the scent divides that most definitely got washed away in the storm, the hunting patrol was created as normal, and those left in camp began to do menial tasks or share tongues. 

Cherryspot having been a part of the dusk hunting patrol was allowed a time to relax this morning, especially since her siblings Lionleap and Rowanwing had been assigned to one of the patrols. The camp otherwise was relatively baron spare for a few other warriors including herself, Honeydapple and her kits, Mintcloud, and some apprentices including her own Ashpaw. The poor tom always so selfless worked extra hard during dusk patrol, chased a rabbit and almost caught it when the creatures managed to make a quick turn and enter its burrow. He was so tired when they got back to camp that he almost fell asleep just as they entered camp. Poking her head into an old rabbit burrow the apprentices used she saw the small grey apprentice was still asleep even when his brother had left long ago with Longstride for border patrol. 'I'll wake him at sun high if he isn't up already, then we can practice' 

Walking back to the makeshift warrior's den to go see if anyone else was still asleep she watched as a brown figure slinked out with a familiar walk. With a smile Cherryspot approached the familiar she-cat, the cat who was more of a mother to her and her brothers than Antstep ever way, Crookedwing. Taking to the larger cats side Cherryspot spoke, "Would you like to share a rabbit with me?"

Glitch

[Crookedwing]

Crookedwing

I WISH THAT I COULD FLY

The morning was dreary, cold, and wet. Crookedwing had retired to her nest the night before, isolated several fox lengths from the rest of the warriors, under a spindly old gorse bush that now boasted fat spring leaves and bright yellow flowers. The foliage had shielded her, for the most part, from the down pour of the night before. Once, near moonhigh, she had roused from her sleep and glanced around the dark, seemingly vacant camp. Her clan had fled to the relative safety of the old burrows, leaving the above ground where she still rested, somewhat damp and certainly chilled, alone. It had been a lonely realization, knowing she was unwanted among the warriors, remembering the funny looks and snide comments she had received the one night, shortly after her warrior ceremony, when she had attempted to make a nest among her clanmates.

It was as jarring as the few, fat drops of rain that snaked though the leaves and dripped in to her fur. For this reason, the utter isolation is caused, she hated the rain, though she was pleased that the drab grey sheet hanging low in the sky didn't seem to promise more unpleasant weather. I wonder if Dewstar would permit me moving to the tunnels. She mused this thought as she stared at the sky, her heart thudding in her chest. Ever since her leader had brought her to the source of all her dreams, she had moved about the camp in a daze, her mind muddled with thoughts of the winding labyrinth beneath much of WindClan's territory that, in being revealed to her, tossed her world upside down. Suddenly StarClan- and perhaps even them allowing her to be born such a deformed cripple, were a real thing. She was unsure if this brought her comfort- Heatherpool and Rabbitpaw were watching over her, always with her- or if it brought her more searing pain and general disdain with life. She had been born like this, why did they allow that? Could they ever even control that? She was unsure, and that made it all the worse. Emerging fully from the bush, she briefly contemplated making a break for the tunnels- certainly that central cavern with it's pool that glittered and reflected the sky so perfectly would bring her the necessary calm. Her paws even started moving her in that direction, but her heart cracked as she realized that no, she still had duties to the clan that didn't want her, but at least fed her and kept her safe. She had duties to Dewstar, one of her few comforts, one of the few cats that made her heart move, the only cat that perhaps brought her a new purpose.

And so, her foray out of camp had her gathering bedding for the rarely used dens, which she was certain held the humid dampness the night had afforded, and besides, newleaf was notorious for it's sudden rainstorms, and some fresh bedding shoved in to the dens would afford the cats more comfort the next time they had to retreat. With a mouthful of sweet heather, she returned to the camp and cautiously slid into the old badger set that held the warriors. She sent a silent prayer to StarClan- how weird to now understand their existence- that the warriors had already cleared out, so she could work in peace without any funny stares of irritated expressions at her early intrusion. Thankfully, her prayers were heard and the den was mercifully empty. She hesitated briefly, inhaling deeply. The thick scent of WindClan of course permeated everything, aside from the pungent heather in her jaws, but under everything was the heavy, earthy scent of soil on all sides. For once in her life, it brought her intense comfort. This may have only been the old, abandoned home of some burrowing creature, but the close, dense push of earth on all sides made her feel secure, it reminded her of her now favorite place. Dropping and spreading the heather quickly, before anyone potentially returned, she now moved with renewed haste out of the den and back in to the cool, windy morning. Her eyes were locked on the edge of camp, her paws surprisingly quick as she headed out once again, telling herself it was to gather more heather, now for the Elder's den, and then the Nursery, but she could taste the lie in the back of her throat as her brain focused fully on heading for the tunnels. Just a peek, just to make sure they were still there.

"Would you like to share a rabbit with me?" She yelped and nearly rocketed out of her own pelt, spinning awkwardly and barely keeping herself from crumbling down on her bad shoulder. The ginger and white she-cat seemed to have appeared from no where, though Crookedwing was certain she had simply just been too focused to have noticed. Gathering herself she swallowed hard, throwing a glanced back out towards the moor, before looking at her friend. Cherryspot. She felt a pang in her chest, offering a small smile. After their mother had decided she wanted nothing to do with the pretty she-cat and her siblings, Crookedwing herself had moved in to fill the void, keeping the kits company and giving them the necessary advice to grow up without a gaping hole where their mother should be. This had continued through their apprenticehood and Cherryspot in particular had kept as close of contact as the skittish Crookedwing would allow, and although she loved Cherryspot and the others, now that they were warriors, she felt a constant nagging concern in the back of her mind, that they stuck around out of a feeling of requirement, as few cats actually wanted to share her presence, she felt similarly about Honeydapple. Mostly, Crookedwing remained to her own devices, refusing to drag the young warriors down with her bad blood, with the funny looks they continued to get from clanmates when they wandered too close to their surrogate mother. It hurt her heart to see. "I, ah, I would." She swallowed again, dipping her head, "B-but I was, ah, going to go fetch bedding for the Elder's den." It was only partially a lie, as that truly was what she should have been doing, but there was no way she would reveal the tunnels. Not yet, not until Dewstar was ready. She couldn't completely blow off one of her few supporters, however, she was not entirely self-sabotaging, "Maybe after? Would you like to help? There is some fine heather right outside of camp, nearly growing within." She flicked her tail to motion towards a clump a dozen foxlengths or so behind the warriors den that she had noticed earlier, but in her haste to go towards the tunnels, was in the opposite direction she had been heading. 

 

1,144 words

@cherryspot

NOTES

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