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Things had been changing recently among the stars. The main change visible to little Rosekit being the new addition of a cat she knew from long ago, Greyleaf. She was old, Rosekit knew, but she also knew that part of her death was ruled in by the tiredness that had stolen the clans during the great sickness that plagued them all.
Her concern, though, was not Greyleaf. For that grey she-cat had be reunited with her love and seemed pleased with her new situation. Her attention was on her father, a cat quite a few moons older who had suffered and lived the same illness that lead Greyleaf and her mate Badgerclaw to their graves. When she saw Greyleaf amongst Starclan fields, she felt a spark of terror.
Her father.. how much time did he have? Was he going to come join her tonight..? Sooner? Later? As much as she longed for him to join her in the stars, the thought of the painful release of dead ravaging her father's body brought tears to her eyes. She wasted no time in searching for him that night, determined to check in on Flamingrose.
As night passed over the clan, and Flamingrose lay to sleep, it wasn't long before he awoke amongst Starclan fields. He visited his daughter often, so he wasn't surprised, hobbling to his paws with a large yawn, clamping his jaw shut. He was about to call out for his daughter, when he heard her calling instead.
"Dad?! Dad are you here!" Her voice yowled from just a little ways away. "I'm over here!" She began hopping over the grass as she moved her way towards him.
His excitement twisted to concern as he hurriedly rushed over to her, laying himself to the ground. "Rosekit! Rosekit what's the matter?" He asked, covering her head in reassuring licks, nuzzling against her cheek. "Tell me, what's wrong?" Flamingrose purred in an attempt to calm the small panicky kit.
Rosekit shoved her face into her father's fur, leaning against him in her entirety now. "You can't scare me like that, you hear me?! Greyleafs here now, you know that?! That's terrifying!" She yelled up at him, seemingly angry despite the fact she had melted against him.
Flamingrose seemed confused, lifting his head as he tilted it to the side. "Rosekit.. I don't see the problem.. Greyleaf passed, yes, but I'm alive, aren't I?" He insisted. "Think rationally, my kit."
"How was I supposed to think rationally?! You could have left Sweetbriar behind!" She accused, glaring up at him.
"Now now, Rosekit, you know I could never." Flamingrose was firm with his statement. He never got angry, really, but he could be serious even with his kits. "Do you truly think if I had died I wouldn't have come and found you? Or you find me? And when I die, we can still see Sweetbriar, can we not?" He reasoned gently.
Rosekit had begun to calm down while settling herself against her father's ever so familiar pelt. "Yes.. I suppose that's right." She kept her eyes fixated on the ground, not daring to make eye contact.
"See, come on, now." Flamingrose sighed, nudging her head up with his paw. "Can we be rational, Rosekit? For a moment?" He asked.
And this was her breaking point. Her eyes welled with tears and her mouth quivered. "I'm TIRED of being rational, dad..! I'm tired of.. all of it! Im tired of helping every cat that comes my way! Why don't I get to cry..?! Why can't I be irrational and wail that you're old and dying! Why can't I?!" She accused, her fur bristling on it's ends. "I was just so worried.. I was so scared.. I knew it didn't make sense! But it didn't HAVE to!" Rosekit insisted desperately, her soft mews cracking as she tried to hold herself together.
Flamingrose didn't speak, rather wrapping his body around the small kits, flicking his tail to pull her close. Once she had settled into a comfortable silence, he decided to cut in. "You know you don't have to. I'm proud of you whether you help cats or not." He whispered. "But I think you enjoy your work, don't you?" Flamingrose asked, which got a soft 'mhmm..' in response.
"Sometimes we just need a good cry and some cuddles. And you know I'm always going to be here, don't you?" He nuzzled against her cheek, giving it a swift lick.
"Yes.. yes dad, I know." She sighed, curling against him. "Can we just.. lay here, for tonight..? I haven't seen you in a while.. and.."
"Yes, I missed you too, Rosekit." He lay his head on the soft grass, closing his eyes as he stay curled up with his daughter. He could nap anywhere, even the stars.
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