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