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Post by Warrioress on Jun 22, 2019 10:46:47 GMT -6
Echostar felt her nose twitch slightly, she was still getting used to the new rhythm that was being leader but it was surprisingly similar to being deputy at points, especially at the moment. She couldn't help but sometimes wish she had declined the appointment to deputy but other times she believed that it had been one of the better things to happen to her. Her gaze scanned the clearing from where she sat in the shadows beside her den, watching cats move back and forth, from one den to the next or leaving camp on patrols or solo hunting. With leaf-bare approaching, and it hitting mid leaf-fall she had put priority on hunting, she wanted everyone to be as healthy as they could be before leaf-bare came, give them all a better chance of having an easier time.
She wondered whether Rubyspark had gone out on a patrol or solo hunting, she hesitated a moment before standing and moving forward, her steps easy and familiar towards the warriors den, though she noted the looks given by those around her. It was one of the major changes, the way others treated her. It had changed when she became deputy but it was as big as now, she imagined as new kits were born and apprentices promoted it would get even more of a gap, with the younger cats in awe of the leader or nervous of messing up.
Slipping into the den, she scanned the nests, noting the few cats that were still sleeping, probably those from the either the dawn patrol or that had gone on a night patrol. She looked to see if her daughter was one of them, unable to bring to mind if Rubyspark had been on either ventures.
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Post by niftyshark on Jun 27, 2019 9:29:00 GMT -6
Rubyspark had gone out, but it wasn’t for any kind of hunting. She was out of camp to get fresh air and to think. She was admittedly still crushed by Peatblossom’s rejection even though it happened moons ago—what had she done wrong? She thought she had something with the she-cat. How could she lose it so swiftly? Why wasn’t she enough? She still couldn’t come up with an answer, no matter how she thought about it, and she struggled with the feelings of dejection. Rubyspark was herself, of course, but she felt more... muted, than usual. She never could have expected a broken heart to be so mind-numbingly painful. A scratch or thorn in her paw she’d take any day.
The calico returned to camp feeling no better than when she left it. Russetgorse was distant, Ashfang was dead, and Echostar was busy with her new appointment, so the feelings of loneliness were potent. Just as she walked into camp, she saw Echostar disappear into the warriors’ den. Almost a little hopeful and more than a little desperate for attention, Rubyspark turned and jumped on the leader’s speaking rock. She draped her paws over the edge and called out, “Looking for me, Echostar?” She hoped her mother was.
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Post by Warrioress on Jun 28, 2019 14:16:48 GMT -6
Echostar flicked her ears backwards as she heard her name being called from the clearing and exited the den, her eyebrow raising at spotting her daughter on the speaking rock. She trotted over, feeling amused at the display from the young warrior, knowing that she probably would have done something similar. "yes actually" she said with a smile "wanted to see if you wanted to take a walk? I know I've been busy and want to make up for it, at least a little bit" she mewed as she came to a stop near the bottom of the rock, wondering what picture they made but not really worried about it.
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Post by niftyshark on Jul 10, 2019 11:10:32 GMT -6
The relief she felt was immediate. Her mother was actually looking for her. Rubyspark peered down and watched Echostar for a long moment. Then she stood up and hopped down from the rock, then faced the leader with a smile. “A walk sounds great.” She could only assume that Echostar needed one with the increased stress, but she also did too. They’d been apart for a while, focusing on their own lives, so it would be nice to catch up... The thought made Rubyspark wince. Should she tell her mother about her falling out with Peatblossom? She wasn’t sure. She didn’t want to worry her any more than was necessary. Shrugging to herself, she nodded towards the camp entrance. “Lead the way?”
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Post by Warrioress on Jul 10, 2019 11:29:24 GMT -6
Echostar felt her own swamp of relief when Rubyspark agreed, she knew that she and her daughter butted heads occasionally but she did enjoy talking and keeping up to date with her daughters life. She started towards the entrance, no particular destination in mind. "Everything okay?" she asked, getting the ball rolling.
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Post by niftyshark on Jul 27, 2019 8:55:32 GMT -6
Though perhaps she should have expected it, Rubyspark wasn’t prepared for such a pointed question. “How do you mean?” She kept her tone neutral, hoping she appeared more oblivious than not. The trees passed by without her realizing it, and she came to the conclusion that Echostar would find out eventually. Wouldn’t it be better to get it out of the way? Maybe...
She shook her head to clear her thoughts. Compared to everything around them, her issue was small. Common. She wished she wasn’t as bothered in light of that, but nothing made it easier.
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Post by Warrioress on Jul 29, 2019 23:55:18 GMT -6
Ears flicking, Echostar altered her walk until she was able to walk beside her daughter, slightly worried at the question that answered hers. "I just mean if you are doing okay? nothing bothering you?" she mewed, her head tilted "I just want to help if there is, maybe share the burden"
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Post by niftyshark on Aug 3, 2019 20:07:13 GMT -6
Echostar was annoyingly persistent, and Rubyspark didn’t like that it was working. She was of half a mind to keep stalling, but it was pointless. Her mother could see right through her. “I guess I can be honest about something...” she admitted at last, nose wrinkling like she swallowed a bitter herb. “It... it’s about Peatblossom.” She had to blurt it out before she thought too much about it. Once the words were out, Rubyspark felt stupid, but now she had to go on. “We aren’t talking anymore. I think I messed up, and she doesn’t like me now. Not... not like how she used to. But it’s not so important of an issue, since I know you have much more to worry about.” The calico spoke as quickly as she could, barely pausing for any breath. “We can continue our walk now.” She turned and started to trudge away, hopelessly expecting that would be the end of it.
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Post by Warrioress on Aug 3, 2019 20:25:02 GMT -6
Echostar felt her heart squeeze at Rubyspark's words and just as fast dismissal before she moved forward, touching her tail to her daughters shoulder "Rubyspark, you are my daughter, nothing is ever going to be more important than you and your brother." she mewed softly "I'm sorry about what's going on with you and Peatblossom, I wish there was someway I could help but unfortunately I can only be here for you" her eyes were soft as she looked at her daughter.
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Post by niftyshark on Aug 3, 2019 21:00:13 GMT -6
Rubyspark paused when Echostar moved to comfort her, and she was stuck in indecision. “You can’t play favorites even though I’m your daughter. You have to be there for Peatblossom too.” She shrugged then, as if it wasn’t somethingb that could be readily helped. “I guess having a partner is hard. Maybe I’m not cut out for it. It seems like there’s way too much to handle for someone like me.” It was easy for her to get attached, and incredibly hard to let go. She wondered if she got those problems from her mother, but then she wasn’t sure. Maybe she got them from her father—for all she knew, he could have been someone random that Echostar didn’t know at all. In that case, maybe she got it from both.
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Post by Warrioress on Aug 3, 2019 21:12:25 GMT -6
Echostar felt her nose twitch "I'll never play favorites in terms of patrols, or punishments, but in terms of family, I can't beat that. Peatblossom has her family to be there for her" she mewed softly, her tail tip flicking back and forth behind her. She had been thinking for moons about whether she should tell her kits the truth, and it was becoming harder for her to hide. "Rubyspark, I know you've always been curious about who your father is, I've kept quiet about him to both protect you and because of who he is" she mewed softly, her ears flicking. "He's Shrikestar of Willowclan, Shrikewind then. I thought I loved him but he betrayed me and I sought to keep you safe and protected."
"I'll never regret what happened between me and him because it gave me you, I'll always love you my daughter" she mewed softly, worried and waiting for the reaction.
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Post by niftyshark on Aug 3, 2019 21:34:03 GMT -6
The revelation was so unexpected that Rubyspark was dumbstruck. It was something she never thought she’d learn, and to hear it so abruptly was hard, especially in her current mindset. Not to mention just who it was.
“So I’m half-WillowClan.” She said it quietly, without really registering it. “And he’s the leader of it. Why... why did you keep it from me? What would knowing have changed?” Her voice was pained, even though she tried to hide it. Did Echostar think she was going to run off and look for him? Did she not trust her with the knowledge? And what did it mean for the knowledge to be revealed now, of all times? “And why do you say he betrayed you? ...What happened?”
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Post by Warrioress on Aug 3, 2019 21:47:07 GMT -6
Echostar felt her ears flick at the questions "I didn't know how to tell you at first, and then I didn't wish to cause you pain or doubt about who you were." she said softly, knowing that the answers wouldn't do much to soothe any hurt. The next questions though had Echostar giving a slight flinch as her mind thought back to what she had learned and the pain that it had caused. "He took another mate, from RavenClan and had kits there. I don't know who it was or who his kits are. I don't know what I thought or expected but I didn't expect that." she answered after a few moments, making sure to keep her voice steady, though it was practically devoid of emotion.
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Post by niftyshark on Aug 3, 2019 21:55:23 GMT -6
Echostar’s answers didn’t satisfy Rubyspark. She wasn’t sure anything could. Nothing could replace the fact that she should have known countless moons ago. Many things came up in her mind after that—how did Echostar know about Shrikestar having another mate? Why didn’t Shrikestar even make an attempt to visit his kits? Did he even know? Did Echostar keep the knowledge from him too? But one question came forefront and center, and she cast a wary gaze on her mother. “You broke the warrior code. And so did he. Yet you’re both... leaders? StarClan was fine with both of you breaking the code?” Her brows furrowed in a mixture of confusion and disappointment. Her own mother cast the code aside, just like that? There were so many secrets under the surface that Rubyspark began to wonder if there was another side to Echostar that she didn’t know at all.
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Post by Warrioress on Aug 3, 2019 22:10:25 GMT -6
Echostar winced fully this time, her mind casting back to Ashfang's death, she had been angry at Shrikestar for that even though it hadn't been his fault. It took a few moons for her own anger to turn inward, seeing his death as punishment for her breaking the code. "No, I paid for it in blood" she mewed hoarsely, pain dripping in her voice. It had been further cemented in her mind when Ashfang hadn't even spoken to her during her nine lives ceremony, giving her a smile before giving her the life and stepping back into the crowd of cats.
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Post by niftyshark on Aug 14, 2019 19:10:53 GMT -6
Rubyspark wasn’t able to hide her recoil fast enough. Paid for it in blood? What did that mean? Echostar was physically unharmed, as much as she saw. What could it mean then? She didn’t know, but then out of the blue she did. Echostar wasn’t harmed. But someone else was.
Ashfang was gone. A sad, suddenly knowing smile crossed her face. That was probably why Echostar didn’t try to clarify. “Yeah. I… suppose you’re right.” It was the worst punishment of all, for her brother to pay the price instead of her mother. He was entirely innocent. The topic was so heavy that Rubyspark didn’t know how to address her mother’s silence. “I’m glad I know now… I just hope that’s all StarClan had in store for our family.” She shrugged with some uncertainty, preparing to leave Echostar alone. It looked like she needed the solitude after all.
(fin?)
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Post by Warrioress on Aug 23, 2019 10:10:24 GMT -6
Echostar nodded, reading the signs that Rubyspark wanted to be alone "I regret my actions but I don't regret having you" she mewed softly, hoping that eventually it would go back to some semblance of normal. She hesitated a moment before brushing her tail against her daughters shoulder before she stepped away, heading towards the small stream that ran thru the territory, a popular place she would visit when seeking her own solitude.
~fin~
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