hermit the frog / brightshine

with a sigh, littlepaw plopped down underneath the four great oaks of fourtrees. the night sky was shrouded with dark clouds that had promised rain after a drought that seemed to last forever yet had never delivered, only bringing with them bitter cold temperatures. today had been humiliating. he'd flunked a training session in the middle of a spar with another npc apprentice, basically tripping over his own paws while performing one of the battle moves his mentor had taught him. everyone had told him that, there was no reason to be upset over making a mistake. everyone makes them. yet, though he knew that they were only trying to help... it had only made him feel worse. like the feelings he was experiencing was somehow invalid or incorrect. so, he'd sought solitude from his clanmates, at the only solitary place he could think of; fourtrees. the clearing beneath the towering oak trees was really only used for gatherings. tonight, the moon was a mere sliver hidden behind the clouds. it was far from the time for the next gathering. so, no one should be here. or, so he'd thought.

there he sat, his inky pelt blending into the shadows of the night, save for the snow white dapples on his muzzle and paws. his twitching tail was wrapped tightly around his fidgeting paws, his eyes turned upwards to the dreary heavens. was starclan watching him now? were they as disappointed in himself as he was? or, could they even see him through the thick veil of clouds, just as he could not see them? "a-are you.. still w-watching over u-us?" his voice cracked, fearing for the answer he knew he would never receive from his warrior ancestors. "s-shatteredsong?" the deceased parent he'd only ever met once- though he still sometimes thought that those starry spirits that had touched the earth for a short period of time had been a figment of his imagination, some kind of cruel fever dream- yet he still grieved for them. it was odd, how he felt the pain of loss for someone he never truly knew. it had been a small comfort to know that shatteredsong was still with him, in some way. not physically, but instead, watching over him from above. but could shatteredsong watch over him now? could shatteredsong watch over tansyface, and his siblings?

all of this thinking and worrying was signalling another headache to flare up. with a sigh, he brought one paw to his temple, shaking his head.

// BRIGHTSTAR

he was so caught up in talking to the dead that he failed to notice the fresh windclan scent on the chilly night breeze, nor the figure that approached in his peripheral vision, until another stronger voice sounded out. littlepaw practically jumped out of his skin, whirling around to look into the green gaze of an unfamiliar she-cat. that's when the scent of windclan hit him. she's a clan cat, she isn't going to hurt you. you're on neutral territory, it would be against the warrior code for her to attack you. his rapid heartbeat slowed enough for him to actually answer her, his fur lying flat once more. "u-uhm.." his voice was small, forepaws shuffling around. how long had she been here? how much had she heard? "i... i'm sorry.." what was he apologizing for? he hadn't done anything... had he? "i-i was just... l-looking a-at the st-stars... i-i s-suppose..." a small sigh escaped him at the end of his sentence, turning his gaze onto his paws. "...i-if you w-want m-me to l-leave, i-i will.." he wasn't sure why this other cat had come here tonight. maybe to mope, like he was? no, no. that didn't seem right. she didn't seem at all saddened or worried over anything. he wondered what that was like, to not be worried? he couldn't begin to imagine the freedom that those people must have. nevertheless, whatever she had come here to do.. he didn't want to interrupt her.