Open to Join Waves and Reminiscing

Not even the strongest warrior can save every cat

·: ¨༺ 𓇼 ༻¨·

His paws thumped on the ground along side the other Riverclan feline. He would be lying if he didn’t feel a bit tense he had heard of the passing of Goosesongs father Stoneclaw, he didn’t want to make anything worse he couldn’t imagine losing his mother. His ears drooped at bit at the thought of how the tom was feeling keeping his muzzle shut was the best he could do. He continued walking slightly speeding up to catch up to the silver warrior.

His copper eyes drifted to the tabby a bit surprised as the tomcat spoke to him, his ears fell as soon as the feline finished “ah I forgot about that” he sighed “so far it’s been alright but my eyes have been a bit watery.” He blinked a bit of moisture coming down, he groaned at the thought of new-leafs return while it was an excellent time for the clans it with pollen at it’s highest Clams immune system failed him causing sneezing and his nose watering. It was what it was known for however Clamsneeze wasn’t given to him for no reason.

“Though it wouldn’t be horrible to get out of this cold” he remarked. Fur didn’t offer much help against the cold though he couldn’t imagine the other tom having a problem with that. His eyes wandering to the long fur the tom had wrapped around his body

What are you afraid of losing if nothing in the world actually belongs to you.

~･ﾟ: *~･ﾟ:* 🫧 *:･ﾟ~*:･*

Goosesong's ears twitched at Clamsneeze's remark about his watery eyes and nodded, nodded in a way that seemed like he would be genuinely listening to how his clanmate was doing. He was trying to make a point to do that recently, but Stoneclaw's death threw him into a mental circle somewhat, it was nothing like Reedpaw's nothing close to it, but there was always something disturbing about losing kin.

"That's good, I'm sure you'll be spending some time with Nettleplume when new-leaf rolls around." The statement was supposed to be joking, an amused addition of sort, but his usual stone face gave very little away, one would only really tell the light-hearted lilt if they would look close enough.

Clamsneeze's mention of getting out of the cold didn't get left disregarded, but simply dismissed with a nod of agreement. To Goosesong, the complaint wasn't really something worth going into conversation about. 

It was then, that Goosesong had remembered something about Clamsneeze, he had been Lilyriver's apprentice. The nursery queen, Lilyriver. He recalled Clamsneeze entering upon invitation not long after the kits were born, it would take a close friend for a cat like Lilyriver to invite Clamsneeze into her den. "Say, have you seen Lilyriver's kits recently? How are they doing?" he asked, not out of innate nosiness but with the care and wellbeing of his clan in mind. He liked the idea of a full nursery, however little he'd like to admit that.

Not even the strongest warrior can save every cat

·: ¨༺ 𓇼 ༻¨·

His ears perked at the mention of his mentors kits “Oh the kittens” he meowed “they’re just the cutest, when I had first seen them they were a little unpleasant to look at but now they really look like their mother.” He smiled softly thinking about them how small and sweet they were. At first he was scared wanting to give both the queen and her kits space to get comfortable he wasn’t too experienced with kits especially ones of the age that Lilyrivers were though he wanted to do his best to give them enough time. “You should have seen them Goosesong! They were so small and they looked almost exactly like their mother with their fur” he joyfully his walking turning into skipping.

“When their eyes opened I almost fainted right there! Skykit has the most amazing blue eyes exactly like Lilyriver!” He purred “and Galekit has the longest fur I’ve ever seen on a kit! Well.. I don’t really look at much kittens but they’re just the best kits!” The tom was happy to see Lilyrivers kits though nervous about it at first, he didn’t know what to say if he should congratulate Lilyriver or be concerned for her. He hadn’t had time to speak to the kittens while he wanted to he could really only make time for small visits, he wished to change that perhaps he would have to stop visiting Fogpaw to make time he didn’t want to but there were more important things to worry about.

“But I’m happy Lilyriver is doing well, when she said she was going to be a queen I was nervous I mean she wasn’t the youngest she-cat but after she had them she seems just like her old self” he spoke. He blinked for a moment his skipping slowing back to a walk, he felt silly speaking about the kits and Lilyriver for so long, clearing his throat “Sorry uh just happy” He meowed. He didn’t want to only talk about them, Goosesong deserved a turn to speak about something

What are you afraid of losing if nothing in the world actually belongs to you.

~･ﾟ: *~･ﾟ:* 🫧 *:･ﾟ~*:･*

Goosesong listened in steady silence a the younger tom chattered beside him, all bounding paws and bubbling excitement. At first, his ear merely twitched at the sudden shift from walking to skipping, but he didn't interrupt. Goosesong rarely interrupted anyone, unless they were doing something dangerous or stupid. Talking a lot didn't qualify as either.

By the time Skykit's blue eyes and Galekit's long fur had been described with such unhidden enthusiasm, a faint, warm rumble stirred in Goosesong's chest. Not quite a purr, that didn't happen often. But it was close enough. "You don't need to apologize." He said at las, voice low and even. "If anything, it's... good. Kits should bring happiness."

He slowed his pace so the tom's skipping could slow naturally. His expression remained firm, but his gaze softened around the edges, and almost unnoticeable shift, but unmistakably gentle. "And you're not wrong." He added after a moment. "Skykit and Galekit are coming along well. Three moons until apprenticeship, and they're already nosing after every patrol that passes the nursery. Definitely a pair of innocent kits if I had to describe them." A short exhale left him, not quite a laugh, but something like it. "They'll keep their mentors busy."

He flicked his tail lightly against the tom's flank, barely a touch, but purposeful, reassuring. "It's good you care." Goosesong said, tone returning to its usual blunt certainty. "The clan needs warriors who look after more than their own paws." His mind flickered to Bloomfire, then... his lip twitched, as if something crept beneath his hard face of stone then vanished like it had never been there in the first place. "Don't be embarrassed over that." His gaze shifted forward again, steps steady and sure.

"If you want to visit them more, then make the time. The nursery isn't going anywhere, but kits grow up, they'll never be this young again." Goosesong paused, letting the words settle, a hard truth but then, something softer. "And Lilyriver would appreciate the company. Even the strongest queens get tired." A heartbeat passed, Goosesong's eyes softened a little more as his gaze continued forward "…Besides. I wouldn’t mind listening to any stories you bring back."