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."

Not even the strongest warrior can save every cat

·: ¨༺ 𓇼 ༻¨·

He smiled at Goosesongs words he was right they weren’t going to stay that young no matter how much he misses Fogpaw he wasn’t getting any older. The tom. Walked along with the senior warrior his paws growing a bit tired due to the skipping, maybe he shouldn’t have gotten that carried away “I should visit, though not too much I don’t want Lilyriver to get tired of me” he chuckled. He wouldn’t be able to say no to those cute big eyes, that would probably be a problem for Lilyriver depending on what they want hopefully nothing outrageous like taking them out of the camp but even then he questioned if he would be able to say no “Then I’ll be happy to tell you any time I visit” he meowed.

Clearing his throat he looked over to Goosesong “But how about you anything you want to ramble to me about? It’s only fair” he purred. He would be open to anything or anyone that the tom wanted to share. His tail swaying as he walked he was happy to talk to Goosesong about cats he loves though he would be lying if he didn’t want to hear about who Goosesong did, he wasn’t very nosy so he didn’t know much about his clanmates other than the obvious.

His happy smile faltered for a second thinking of Stoneclaw would that be who Goosesong wanted to talk about? Well Clam wouldn’t be scared to hear about him his passing was a surprise to clan or in better words Clam he felt uneasy with the tom around, no he shouldn’t think that the feline passed to starclan that would be rude to think but… could he really be the only cat to feel that way surly not or hopefully not he didn’t think of himself as a cat that most would dislike.

He shook his head better not to think ill of a cat who passed not even a moon ago especially not when the cat in questions son is right next to him

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

*~･ﾟ:* 🫧 *:･ﾟ~*

"I'm not really the type to 'ramble' about things." Goosesong replied, slowing his pace to flank Clamsneeze so the patrol wouldn't separate. "At least, I'd like to think I'm not. I think about things, but they aren't worth speaking aloud." He added, taking a onwards glance into ThunderClan territory, he wondered for a moment how their clan was doing, had they lost any cat as well? Had any other clan lost another to this venomous rogue? Perhaps RiverClan was just unlucky.

Goosesong's tail brushed against the ground, making a soft shushed whisper against the grass as he continued to walk. "But there has been something a little less... pleasing on my mind I suppose." he added, one of his aqua eyes moving towards his clanmate, a soft kind of indifference that he always seemed to carry with him. "Stoneclaw is the last of my direct kin. I outlived my littermate and both my parents." he admitted, pawing at the ground "For the most part, no cat was at fault. But Stoneclaw's... stubbornness... it didn't help things for him."

The silence that followed felt heavy and strong, as if it were trying to crush Goosesong under it's weight, it had never been this quiet, not with Stoneclaw's criticisms around... never. Perhaps he is looking at him from StarClan. He would be surer of that. 

"There will never be another day of Stoneclaw's complaints I suppose. Some may get a little peace of mind. But all I can think is how he looked when I found him." Goosesong paused, mostly for effect. "He was covered head to tail in wounds, I'm surprised he was able to make it back to camp in his condition, we attempted field medicine but he didn't even allow that. He barely aloud us to help him back to camp." Goosesong's voice got quieter, but there was a soft grumble beneath it. He couldn't believe that Stoneclaw would have rather died than been helped by his own son, and now he was gone. Forever.

Not even the strongest warrior can save every cat

·: ¨༺ 𓇼 ༻¨·

"Ah well that's fine, I don't really like to unless I get carried away!" the tom chuckled. This tail swayed relaxed 

The toms paws patted through alongside the older warrior watching as he stared at the thunderclan territory, clamsneeze wanted to question but decided it was better to let Goosesong speak about what has been bothering his mind. His ears fell at the mention of the late warrior's name, while he was happy the tom was comfortable to speak of this with him, he felt saddened for the other warrior, he didn't know much of the tom's kin he thought for a long moment trying to think of the name of his littermate Redpaw? No Reedpaw she was older than him when she passed most of what he heard was old stories.

The tom stayed silent even when the silver tabby stopped speaking. all that could be heard was the soft sound of wind between the two.

The toms smile had dropped only staring at the other feline listening, he slightly grimaced at the description of Stoneclaws injures. Clamsneeze sat there for a second before deciding to speak "I'm so sorry Goosesong, I guess there's no changing a tom who doesn't want to be changed, you were good to him though you stayed by his side and one day… Maybe he'll thank you for it" closing his muzzle he wasn't sure he chose the right words. They didn't hold much as he avoided watching cats be brought to the medicine den not after that fateful leaf-bare

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

*~･ﾟ:* 🫧 *:･ﾟ~*

Goosesong didn't reply at first, for a moment, it might have seemed like he hadn't heard Clamsneeze's unnecessary apology. But when he responded, there was something deeper that emerged from deep in his chest. Something that was much more sincere.

"Don't apologize for something you're not faulted for." Goosesong paused, glancing over at the long-legged tom before flicking his tail to pause. "We'll place some markers here." he added, rubbing his scent against a stone that sat at the edge of the river before taking another glance at Clamsneeze, eyes narrowing in a quiet thought that was of a tom older than Goosesong was.

"Stoneclaw. He wasn't kind." He admitted before meeting at the other warrior's side again, leaving about a few pawsteps between them. "I suppose there was a time where he could have been. But he was after his own version of perfection to the point he didn't see what was in front of his eyes." Goosesong didn't pause, not yet, but he did take a fleeting breath before speaking again, something that was followed by a defeated sigh. "I tried to tell him, that not everything was going to be up to his standards, it never would have been. He demanded perfection, but I think..."

This time the pause was longer, the tom trying to find the words to make this easier for the younger warrior to understand. "I think Stoneclaw wasn't as sure of what he wanted than he tried to make others think."

"Part of me think's he would never had been satisfied. That was Stoneclaw."

"Run. That is an order."

⋆﹥━━━━━━━━━━━━━━﹤⋆

Cinderwisp was restless. She had been since the news of the very first death last moon. She was paranoid and anxious, never sending out a patrol with less than three cats. But when she realised she had made a mistake of only sending Clamsneeze and Goosesong out she trailed after the two, following their scent. It wasn't that she dictated what cats did. If somebody wanted to clear their mind and go out on their own she'd let them. But this patrol was something she set up. She had to make things right.

The molly eventually found the two, letting out a sigh of relief when she saw that they were safe. She padded over with the smallest of smiles. One out of politeness rather than any actual emotion. "Good. I found you two. It was a mistake on my behalf to send you out on such a small patrol. Are you guys comfortable with me joining you?" She hadn't meant to interrupt their conversation but with all the deaths she couldn't help but worry. Especially with what seemed to be bloodlines dwindling.

Not even the strongest warrior can save every cat

·: ¨༺ 𓇼 ༻¨·

He sighed, it did sound like Stoneclaw “well at least you have cats here that will appreciate you more than he did” he smiled. Though it bothered him he didn’t know his sire but from his perspective it wasn’t that hard to be there for others, he tried his best to be kind to everybody not just only Riverclan, but those were other cats he couldn’t fathom being that way to his own blood, Stoneclaw was a strange tom.

He opened his muzzle to speak again before his ears perked at an approaching sound of paws hitting the ground. He blinked turning his head, his fur raised before falling as the deputy emerged, his left ear falling confused, was everything alright? She had been the one to send the two on the patrol “that’s fine with me!” He meowed at the silver mackerel. He was fine with another cat added after what happened he couldn’t blame the she-cat for being a bit on edge.

“Is everything alright Cinderwisp?” He questioned. Wanting to make conversation with the she-cat continuing to walk at a steady pace with the two

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

*~･ﾟ:* 🫧 *:･ﾟ~*

As he observed Cinderwisp approach, Goosesong twitched his ears. He didn't give a verbal word of his approval but he didn't refuse either, Cinderwisp didn't need his approval to join the patrol, she was the deputy, she could just join if she wanted to. Goosesong wouldn't try to stop her. Especially not him or Clamsneeze, but he did understand why Clamsneeze had responded to her, silence from Clamsneeze could have been considered ruder than silence from Goosesong.

However his paws remained resolute, he didn't care to evesdrop on any conversations with Cinderwisp and Clamesneeze, he wasn't that kind of cat. If he wasn't invited into the conversation, he wouldn't speak in it. Some conversations were better without him, most conversations, actually.

Goosesong then took a glance at the ground, the grass was thick with new-leaf freshness and a light of approval flickered in Goosesong's eyes, seems Green-leaf was ready any moon now. He'd have to think about how he would be staying cool along with a few other clanmates of his if it got too hot. That was a thought for another time though. For now, the patrol was what mattered.