Private Thread A Grassy Hideout

Believe that life is worth living and your belief will help create the fact.

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The absence of Flickerkit didn't float past Emberdawn's nose and he had begun his search from the moment he noticed she wasn't in camp. He had been following her scent all morning, surely Cloudflare would have his hidee if one of his kits were hurt. Especially his only daughter. For a moment, Emberdawn had thought he'd lost the trail. But it was when the sun hit its peak above them that he could see a small form curled beneath the shade of an overhang. 

Emberdawn's ears flattened, he had a feeling as to why she was out here, it had barely been a few days since Aspenberry's unfortunate passing and guilt plagued his heart. He was in the battle against the rogue, he felt he could have protected her, but instead of helping Petalsnap apply herbs, his anger brought him to battle with the rogue. That won't happen again, I won't let it, he thought to himself as his paws marked a trail towards the boulder.

His chest tightened with an ache that Aspenberry left behind, he had noticed that Beewhisker seemed to be less of themself, less bouncy and chirpy. That was understandable... Aspenberry was their best friend. But they didn't disregard their duties, he just felt so much heartache for Aspenberry's family and close friends. And her kits. I could have done more...

For a moment, when he arrived to where Flickerkit was laying he didn't rush to speak, to comfort her, to tell her everything was okay, that wouldn't help, her dame died not two days ago, nothing would help with that ache but learning to live with it, most warriors experienced that pain, but she wasn't a warrior, no kit deserved to suffer like this. "Afternoon, Flickerkit." He greeted gently, not coaxing her out, just making his presence known to her. He wanted to be there as a pillar in this time, even if he had taken her mother's place before her time.

Never be bored and you'll never be boring

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Flickerkit had her face buried in her tail and her eyes shut, milky back to Emberdawn as he approached. She tensed as the sound of rustling grass reached her ears but did not move. Was it something come to eat her? A rabbit? StarClan forbid, a WindClan warrior looking for her? Whatever it was, it did not immediately begin scolding her, so she considered the final possibility eliminated. 

Then Emberdawn spoke, and she started at the sound of his voice. Ugh… She stole a glance at him before slumping back into her previous position. 

“Go away,” Flickerkit mumbled sullenly, and shoved her nose under her paws. Her voice came muffled though them as she added, “I’m not going back to camp.”  She was too big now, she figured, for Emberdawn to carry her back. 

Believe that life is worth living and your belief will help create the fact.

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Emberdawn was not surprised by Flickerkit's avoidance, in fact, he expected it. How could a cat live in a camp that was missing a cat so important, so memorable. So utterly her world that it would feel like it is crassing down around her. He would want to feel secluded as well. "I didn't come here to take you back to camp." The WindClan deputy replied, though the title didn't feel real yet, it felt like he was filling in until the clan had found someone better, until Aspenberry came back, but no. Aspenberry had been buried not so long ago, the ache in his chest settled but didn't vanish, it just... felt more real.

"But that doesn't mean I'm going to leave without you either. I'll stay here with you. Even if you won't be leaving, not kit deserved to be alone forever." Emberdawn emphacized his words, deepening their meaning in every breath to ensure that Flickerkit knew she wasn't alone, she didn't need to come out, she didn't even need to speak with him, he simply wished for her to know that he was there instead of somewhere in camp forgetting about her. "Even warriors need company sometimes, even if it's quieter than usual."

And from there, Emberdawn lay in silence beside the overhang that Flickerkit had found herself so everpresently content beneath. He wasn't intending on leaving, not without her by his side. As much as their clan needed a deputy, they needed a cat that knew them better than anyone else did, from old and young, kits included.