Ask to Join Silent Ember

Though my soul may set in darkness, it will rise in perfect light; I have loved the stars too fondly to be fearful of the night
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Palestar padded back into camp, the faint tang of vole and sparrow clinging to her jaws. She deposited the prey onto the fresh kill pile, her whiskers twitching as the breeze tugged at her pale pelt. It had been a steady patrol, enough to ease the borders of her mind, and now the weight of the day pressed at her shoulders. A brief rest in her den would be well earned.

But as she turned toward the familiar arch of thorns, she caught sight of a small, smoky shape at the threshold. Her steps slowed. "Wolfkit." She greeted, voice even but touched with the faintest note of surprise. He sat there, so still, those orange eyes alight with curiosity yet guarded in their quiet way. Palestar’s blinked as she drew closer, her pawsteps quiet against the earth. 

"Have you come to inspect the leader's den?" She asked, a wisp of amusement threading through her tone. She dipped her head to peer past him at the den beyond. "f you’d like to see, I suppose I could make an exception."

I’m not different. Am I?

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Palestar's appearance didn't come as a shock to Wolfkit, quite the opposite actually, this was her den after all. The dark-pelted tom turned to face her, bright orange gaze moving as high as it could go to meet the mismatched eyes of his leader.

He addressed her with a strangely formal dip of his head and a slightly out of place smile. He didn't feel much need to speak greetings and he asssumed now it wasn't really expected of the tom to greet his clanmates in the assumed kit-like manner that his sisters might. The true oddball of his litter.

A small 'mhm' sound escaped him at Palestar's question, not quite a verbal yes, but a positive vocalization non-the-less. It was true, he had come along to visit the leader's den, in the hopes he'd be able to see it more at some stage in his life, or just to know what it looks like to he isn't taken aback by it in future. Who better than Palestar to show him?

Wolfkit nodded, a bit of enthusiasm travelling into his eyes and that subtle smile that was still sitting calmly on the silvery tips of his face. 

However, Wolfkit didn't make any particular advance first, it was Palestar's den, not his own, he wished for her to be a guide, not an accomplice like his mother was on most of these camp tours that he didn't really need much anymore. Wonder how different this tour will be.

Though my soul may set in darkness, it will rise in perfect light; I have loved the stars too fondly to be fearful of the night
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Palestar regarded him in silence for a heartbeat, mismatched eyes taking in the way he dipped his head with a composure that felt far older than his moons. No chirped greeting, no fidgeting paws or bouncing tail—only that small, reserved smile. So unlike Sootbounce or Dazzlepaw at his age.

"You don't take after either of your parents." She murmured, voice thoughtful, not quite meant as praise nor admonishment. A flick of her ear dismissed the shadow of memory before she motioned with her tail. "Come then."

She stepped lightly into the den, the scent of bracken and bramble thicker here, shadows folding around the moss-lined nest at the center. Despite her words from before, the space bore a modest dignity of a spartan leader.

Pausing near her nest, she let her gaze fall back to Wolfkit. "It is not much to look at." She said softly. "But every choice I make for ShadowClan begins here. That is what gives it weight.'

I’m not different. Am I?

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Palestar's words seemed to strike a string in Wolfkit's heart, a deep part that hadn't spoken to him for a while, a glimmer of admiration lit up his orange eyes as he glanced around the den, Emberdust's sire used to keep ownership of this den before he was born, at least that's what he was told. 

Dunestar, that was his name, Palestar would have been his deputy. Wolfkit didn't have the honor of meeting Dunestar, but he was given the honor and privilage to be in Palestar's presence, in this den that held more secrets and weight than it did moss. 

Wolfkit stayed a safe distance from the leader, not feeling that being all cuddly with a strong leader like her would be any way to communicate with her, it might work with Emberdust and his sire but Palestar was different, he knew that. He had to do something he didn't do very often if he wanted to know about Dunestar, and he really did.

"Who..." he began, licking his maw as if speaking tasted odd on his tongue, even if he had slowly, very slowly started to do more of it "...who was Dunestar?" he asked, simply, the words holding more weight than it might have seemed to another due to how silent he was, he wanted to know everything about Dunestar, about all the leaders Palestar knew, but that wasn't quite possible, at least not yet.

Though my soul may set in darkness, it will rise in perfect light; I have loved the stars too fondly to be fearful of the night
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Palestar’s whiskers twitched at the question not from surprise, but from something almost nostalgic. It wasn’t often that any cat asked about Dunestar anymore. Fewer still asked with such quiet sincerity.

She sank down to her haunches, tail curling neatly around her paws. "Dunestar was a wise cat. Wiser than many ever gave him credit for. He was insightful." She exhaled, tone carrying both warmth and ache.

A faint, fleeting smile crossed her muzzle, her gaze drifting to the den walls as though she could see him standing there, tail flicking in that easy, self assured way. "But he was also... a trickster. He had a habit of lightening a mood when the rest of us were knotted tight with worry."

Her gaze slid back to Wolfkit, one corner of her mouth lifting in faint amusement. "I used to think it made him careless. A leader shouldn’t joke or tease or grin when the world was falling apart. But that was how he kept us together. Dunestar had this… spirit about him. He could be serious as stone when duty called for it, but he never lost the part of himself that knew how to live. All nine of his lives."

For a moment, her tone softened to something that almost resembled fondness but then it was neutral again as she studied Wolfkit. "I always admired that about him. It seemed so easy for him to connect with cats..."

I’m not different. Am I?

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Wolfkit nodded along to the tales of Dunestar, while he didn't say a word, that didn't mean he wasn't listening his eyes held an attentiveness that may have very well trancsended his age as Palestar spoke of how she had called his trickery and method of lighting up a camp careless and flicked an ear. 

The words, the questions, they built up in Wolfkit's mind, but he didn't say them, not all of them, the only words that came out was, "He sounds nice." three little words that may have meant little to nothing coming from the rest of the clan, but meant everything coming from silent little Wolfkit.

His whiskers twitched into a soft smile, remembering his mother, how much of Dunestar she saw in her from what Palestar was explaining in his dam, the bright spirit that couldn't be so easily extinguished, the way Emberdust doesn't seem to let anything effect her. perhaps she is just a smaller version of Dunestar... well to an extent.

Once his gaze had drifted from the nursery, it landed back on Palestar, she would be giving him a mentor in a few moons, he wondered if he would get someone that could turn him into someone great, like Dunestar, or Emberdust, or more importantly, and best of all, Palestar.

Though my soul may set in darkness, it will rise in perfect light; I have loved the stars too fondly to be fearful of the night
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Palestar’s expression stayed the same as she studied the young tom.

"He was." She said quietly. "Nice. And clever. And difficult." Her whiskers twitched, the faintest shadow of humor in her tone. 

She dipped her head slightly, gaze thoughtful as it drifted toward the nursery where Wolfkit’s mother rested. "Your mother has that same spark." She went on, her voice turning low but refused to elaborate further.

Her eyes returned to him then, steady and assessing, a faint, almost proud glint behind them. "When your time comes, you’ll have a mentor who will foster your own spirit and we will see what kind of cat you become, but for now... there is no rush." She didn't think she needed to remind the kit who seemed full of patience already.

Dunestar probably would have thought Wolfkit a joy and taken him on as his apprentice himself. As for Palestar she appreciated the time she had to run a clan without having to worry about a young cat's itenerary.

An ear flicked. "How have you been otherwise, Wolfkit? And your siblings?"

I’m not different. Am I?

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Wolfkit didn't give much of a response, he hardly ever did, but the consistent twitching of his ears told of a kit listening deeply like one that was engaged in a particularly interesting elder tale. Wolfkit had never been of many words, he had hardly said a word when he should have been chattering like a starling. The quiet was just who Wolfkit was.

At the mention of him gaining a mentor in a couple of moons time, ears perking, not in excitement, but more in fascination. "My mentor?" he asked, simple and clear, but with much to let the mind interpret. That is how he liked to form his words, however litter there may be.

As much as he'd like to know who'd be mentoring him, it was unlikely that Palestar would even give him a sliver of who she was thinking. He could make his guesses, and he knew who he wanted it to be, but there was no telling what Palestar was thinking, and a small part of him wanted the secret to stay a secret.

When his sisters welfare was brought into question, he looked down at his paws "Good" he answered "we're good." he added even softer, as if talking this much would get him in trouble.

Though my soul may set in darkness, it will rise in perfect light; I have loved the stars too fondly to be fearful of the night
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Palestar’s whiskers curved faintly, though not quite into a smile. She’d grown accustomed to his mannerisms and the quiet pauses. She herself wans't the most personable, or the most chatty.

"Your mentor." She replied with a light hum, as if testing the word on her tongue. "Yes. Every cat has one waiting for them, though they never know who until the time is right." Her tail tip flicked, brushing the ground in a slow rhythm.

Her next words were small and simple. "Good." She said, tone warmer now. "That’s what I like to hear."

She let a beat of silence pass, only the soft rush of wind through the clearing breaking it. Then, with a quiet amusement threading her tone she added. "I may have to rely on you to tell me how they are from time to time. Like a warrior report."

I’m not different. Am I?

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As he thought, his mentor will be shown to him on the day his name would change, the day of his ceremony, however that or near to his reach that day was to him. Like Palestar had said prior, there was no need to rush and he knew that whoever his mentor was, it was going to fit him, he trusted Palestar with that judgement. He just hoped his mentor didn't force him into speaking when he didn't want to, that is all he silently prayed for.

Wolfkit's bushy tail flicked the scruffy fur sticking out at odd angles, never really keeping still for very long, possibly due to Emberdust's grooming methods, she got the job done, sure, but there was always a patch of fur missing or some strands that fell in a weird direction. But Wolfkit wouldn't rather it any other way, he loved his family. He wouldn't change it for all the prey in the territories.

At the request of his leader, the way she offered it like she was speaking to him as a leader to a senior warrior, made his fur stand on end and his chest puff out in pride. The life of a warrior had always been a dream of his at least that is what he imagined for himself.

He nodded, a movement of acceptance as he shuffled a little closer to Palestar, testing the waters to see if she would curl her tail around him in an affectionate gesture or push him away, he had his guesses but he wouldn't take either into offence. After all, without testing something first, how would any cat ever know what would happen?

Though my soul may set in darkness, it will rise in perfect light; I have loved the stars too fondly to be fearful of the night
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Palestar’s gaze lingered on him for a moment, unreadable as ever. When he crept closer, she neither pulled away nor welcomed him outright only shifted slightly, allowing her tail to rest near his flank without curling it around him. It wasn’t affection so much as permission to stay.

"You think too much for a kit." She said softly, though there was no reproach in it but merely observation. Her eyes followed the flick of his uneven fur, the small movements that betrayed more thought than his words ever did. "That isn't a flaw, just something to keep in check."

She nodded to herself. "Patience will serve you better than questions most days. You seem to understand that already."

Her attention drifted toward the camp entrance, where the wind stirred the reeds and brought the muted hum of voices that lingered in camp. She looked back at him, mismatched eyes calm but distant. "Keep listening, Wolfkit. You learn more that way."