Revel — 02/09/2022
Brghtmoon was still getting used to being Deputy, it was an honor, something he hadn't ever expected or strived for really, he'd been content in his role as a warrior but since the attack that caused them to lose what little territory they'd clung to in the first place, and losing poor Hazelleaf, he was determined to do what he could to protect the rest of the clan, if that meant accepting his new role, well, then he'd be the best damned deputy he could be. In fact he was out on yet another patrol, he wasn't sure which one this was anymore, just that he was relatively uninjured and healthy so took up more than his fair share.

As he reached the river he was instantly aware that there was another cat nearby, unfortunately the wind was blowing in the wrong direction but he'd heard the soft padding of paws, very close by. He crouched, tucking himself behind the last tree before open space and waited for the cat to get closer before leaping out, claws spread "STOP RIGHT TH......" he stopped short, his paws actually skidding on the dry ground "Oh Mistyswirl it's you" he breathed, relieved it was just one of his clanmates "What are you doing out here?" had he assigned her to a hunting party? he couldn't actually remember, he'd been keeping himself so busy lately he didn't have time to think.

@Luna
Luna — 02/11/2022
Mistyswirl had been lost in her thoughts lately, letting her duties slack. They had lost her home yes, but she felt like she had lost a lot more. Not only had her mom abandoned them mid battle as their only medicine cat, but her sister had lost her life as well. Any time she tried to sleep she couldn't get the vision of that red and grey tribe cat out of her mind, his fur looking almost stained with blood. Furs wrapped around him and some kind of owl head strapped to his hind quarters. If the tribe cats weren't intimidating enough with their trophies....

She needed fresh air, out of the way of her clanmates, just to breath and think. Everyone was still confused and panicked and it wasn't helping her think straight. She had thought she was a lone until someone came springing at her and she found herself leaping backwards, her fur raised, tail bottle brushed.

"DON'T COME NEA----" she hissed and spat before she realized it was Brightmoon, the tom she very unsecretly had a crush on as she was growing up. Except somehow right now she couldn't find it in herself to focus on silly kit fantasies. Now he was their deputy which put the thought further out of her mind, he'd be too busy for her now. She was probably also about to get an ear ful. "I'm ....sorry... Brightmoon I uh.... I..." she fumbled for an answer.

She had none.

@Revel
Revel — 02/13/2022
Brightmoon was still flustered, his fur on edge, so he sat and smoothed it down, grooming himself quickly before turning back to Mistyswirl "Where's your patrol? or are you hunting?" he asked her, "i don't remember assigning you to either task" he added, he'd wanted to give her time to grieve, not only had her sister died in the fight, but her mother had turned coward and fled, but she had bravely stayed and fought. He'd admired that, she could have left, with her sister and mother gone, it would have been easy for her to slip away but he admired that she'd stayed. Loyal to her clan. His clan, he was deputy now, he had to be responsible for everyone now, it was .. a lot, especially when he hadn't been expecting it.

@Luna
Luna — 02/13/2022
"Ah....no." the grey shecat shook her head, sighing. "I can't..." she frowned, her cheeks puffing up before she let out a breath, her eyes looking moist. "I can't think straight Brightmoon. I am missing all my pounces and when were near the mountains I can...I can smell their borders and I freeze. I'm useless Brightmoon, you all would be better off banishing me I think...." she said, turning her gaze to her paws, shivering a bit. Nighttail kept trying to tell her it would all be ok...eventually....but right now she didn't feel like any of it would be ok. Some cats already whispered about how Swiftfire left, her own mother. What did they whisper about herself while she wasn't paying attention?

@Revel
Revel — 02/13/2022
Brightmoon frowned as he listened "hey.. hey it's ok" he comforted her, he understood her frustration "Mistyswirl, take a breath, calm down, it's ok, no one's going to banish you" he said softly, edging closer to her until he was beside her, wrapping his tail around her the best he could. "You're not the only one, we're all adjusting, many of us are scared" his tone implying, without saying so, that he too had moments where it overwhelmed him too "unless you want to leave, no one, and i mean NO ONE will ever make you, i promise" he gently leaned into her, licking the top of her head "If anyone says anything, you come to me, i'll deal with them, it will be ok" he would make sure of it "I swear on my life that no one is going to take THIS home from us, ever" @Luna

Luna — 02/13/2022
If cats could cry, she'd be doing so right now, though she did her best to try and hold it in in front of not only the cat she's had a crush on since a kit, but now her new deputy. All of Fireclan needed to be strong right now and here she was, being pathetic. Part of her did feel it was unfair that her sister was the one that lost her life. Why did Starclan have to take Hazelleaf? And why did those brute cats have to come and drive her and her family from their home?

Mistyswirl couldn't help but lean into the male, pressing her face into his fur. It was so soft and comforting, even now after the battle. "NO....no... I don't want to leave. I can't do that to Nighttail....." she shook her head softly, curling her tail tighter around herself. "But I don't understand Brightmoon.... why? What did we do to deserve that? Why Hazelleaf? Why..... why did mom abandon us? Did i do something wrong?" she peered at him, her pale ice blue eyes staring at him, hopeful for some kind of answer that made everything else make sense.

Though she knew that answer wasn't possible, it didn't seem like there even was one.

@Revel
Revel — 02/13/2022
Brightmoon let her express her emotions, her face in his fur felt... good. He sighed as she asked her questions "I... don't have all the answers and i don't think Starclan does either" he said "i don't blame your mother for running, not anymore, she had been outnumbered and afraid. Sometimes saving your own life has to come before anything else" he frowned "I don't agree with her decision but i understand it" he added "It's definitely nothing you did Mistyswirl, it's not anything anyone did, except the tribe and treeclan" His claws dragged on the ground in front of him "you're a great clan member and a lovely cat Mistyswirl, you are NOT to blame, i...failed to protect her, but it won't happen ever again, i swear it" @Luna
Luna — 02/13/2022
His words felt good to hear but they also hurt more. As she knew it, and as he had said, there were no answers for those questions but it still didn't stop her yearning to know why. "I just.... did she not love us then? She doesn't even know Hazelleaf is gone..... and with the Tribe and Treeclan now where we used to live......" she let out a soft wail and shook her head. "I can't go see her... to ask why.... to let her know Hazelleaf is gone." she sighed, stomping a foot in frustration, biting down on her bottom lip, enough to draw a small drop of blood. "That big grey one. It's his fault. The one that looked covered in blood. He kept chasing mom.....I kept trying to stop him but he acted like I wasn't even there!" she growled, her eyes wide in a tired rage, her fur standing on end along her back. "Like I wasn't ....wasn't even worth his time....." she uttered, upset at herself that she hadn't been strong enough. She glanced down at her claws, flexed them in and out, staring. "I'm no good like this..." @Revel

Revel — 02/13/2022
Brightmoon was doing his best to comfort her but it didn't come easy for the spotted tom. He just never seemed to have the right words. "I'm sure she does love you and i bet she'd say so herself if she could" he wished he could make it better for her "I don't know what she was thinking but what matters is you were here for Hazelleaf, i know you tried, it's just hard to say what we'll do in any given situation until it happens" ugh he was saying it all wrong he was sure. "You're worth it Mistswirl" he whispered @Luna

Luna — 02/13/2022
"I don't feel worth it....not right now." she sighed, pulling away from him a bit, rubbing a paw across her face as if to try and wipe away all her emotions. She glanced back at Brightmoon, thankful he was at least here to listen. She leaned back against him, shutting her eyes. "I'm sorry....to do all this to you." she pressed her face into his shoulder. "Thank you." she whispered, though it was also muffled against his fur. She managed to let out the faintest of purrs, though it was weak and tired. "Will....um..... c-can.... can I stay with you.....for a while longer...." she asked softly before almost regretting it. "You are probably busy though I shouldn't...be in your way..."
@Revel

Revel — 02/13/2022
Brightmoon felt a strange new sensation in the pit of his stomach, he was sad when she moved away for a moment. "Well i don't feel worthy of being Deputy, not yet anyway, i couldn't protect our clan" he sighed and leaned into her a little "You can stay as long as you need to" he swallowed hard "If...you don't want to be alone, perhaps you could join me on patrol? two sets of eyes are better than one" he suggested "You're definitely not in my way Misty...."
@Luna

Luna — 02/13/2022
For the first time that day, Mistyswirl managed to let her self smile, though it was a small one it was a smile none the less. She pressed her head into his chin and purred, crossing one of her paws gently over his. "Thank you....." she whispered. She really had no words to describe how much that meant to her in this moment, just letting her get that all off her chest. "I'll do my best to not let you down, deputy." @Revel

[End]