[META] Chapter One: Casting Stones [FIN]

[Nym]

Palepaw felt her spine twitch as she heard that tone. Slowly, with great effort, she turned and locked eyes on her mother, her own ears flattening. She hated this feeling -- absolutely hated knowing she was hurting her family and that her own mother was trying desperately to hold it in long enough to try and reason with her. Grief struck Palepaw as she watched her mother and spotted her father leaping to her side. ​

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And then she just listened.​

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Her mouth tightened as her mother told their story, fighting every urge to speak. She knew. She knew. Well, as much as any apprentice not from those times could. What truly bothered her was the focus on Littleflower -- did they really think she was doing this to be like the medicine cat? It was a cool story, sure, but she wasn't trying to follow the steps of an idol, she just wanted the same respect Littleflower had been given when it came to her choice.​

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Her choice.​

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"It's not like I don't know I can die," she answered, voice wavering. She hadn't once argued with Deadeye directly. She was a good kid. Still... "The famine never ended when we were born, the clan just got better at hiding the bodies. I understand what I want to do is dangerous. That it might very well send me to Sun Clan before the month is over. And I'm sorry, mama, that you were hurt when you were just trying to help the clan." ​

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She paused, still nervous as she stared down at her parents. "But I can't avoid something because I can die, or get hurt. That isn't me. I could very well die on the trip leaving here, too. I could die a horrible and painful death either way, but one way wouldn't make me feel like I wasted an opportunity. I'm old enough to know what I want to die for."​

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She hated everything leaving her mouth. It wouldn't comfort her sister, or her parents. Hell, it wasn't even comforting herself. But it was true and honest. ​

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"I feel like this is my calling." And if she was wrong she'd be the first to angrily stomp around as a ghost and damn her decisions. But, either way, she knew she would never move on from the grief of not following her heart. What could she have done if she just stayed with the rest? That'd echo forever, and while she was young she wasn't dumb. She knew herself.​

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"I know this isn't what either of you wants," she added, nodding to both her parents softly. "And I love you very much. I'm sorry."​

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@Tigeria ​

 

[kovak]

Buzzardstrike just stood there, taking in everything her family was saying. Finchchirp staying to protect the most vulnerable of cats. Dustfeather saying how he doesn't want her brother to endure his fate without family, but still leaving. Duskwing leaving but mentioning that warriorhood is always filled with dangers and how some find home where they are born, while others find their homes somewhere else. Sparrowtail leaving, but noting both Finchchirp and Buzzardstrike's assets. She really wanted to leave and take care of those who were leaving, and to be with her family.

She gave each of her kin a soft brush, pressing her cheek against each of them before walking over to the stones. It took Buzzardstrike a while to decide, but now she was confident in herself and her capabilities. Each of her kin even reassured her. She moved a stone to the side of the mountain, and returned to her family, shoulder bumping Finchchirp, eyes enthused.

"I'll be staying to watch over Finchchirp and help teach Mountainclan's future generations of your treewalking," she looked at Dawnbreak. "This fledging is not yet ready to leave the nest, but maybe, one day, we will."

And then to Dustfeather. "You said that Finchchirp shouldn't endure this without family, and so I am staying. You said we will suffer, but mom says that the way of the warrior will have its hardships. Mine and Finchchirp's will be to stay behind and protect and take care of a dying clan, but with death, there's always hope for a new opportunity of life. And your hardship will be to find a safe place for you, mom, and Sparrowtail."

And then sweet Sparrowtail. "Take care of mom and dad, as well as our new siblings if mom and dad raise another litter." She batted her sister's ear playfully.

And then to Finchchirp. "Sounds like we are finally free of mom and dad," she joked. "We'll protect Mountainclan together, and live in honor of the code as well as always wishing those leaving a safe journey through the unknown."

Back to her family. "Who knows? Maybe one day we will all meet again, whether here or walking along Sunclan."

Buzzardstrike is staying.

@belloblossom @Tigeria

 

[Tigeria]

Petalpaw looked between her leader, deputy, mother, father, and sister..... Her ears twitch at a random thought running through her head. She overhears what Duskwing's daughter says. Family can be siblings, and we'll see each other again.
"If I stay Palepaw isn't without family, but papa and mama can't stay...." She looks at her them with Deadeye leaning slightly against Mothwing. She was strong, but she couldn't do another famine event that much was obvious. She spots Palepaw's mentor she slowly creeps away from the intense stare down between Deadeye and Palepaw hoping not to be discovered.

"Hi Damsonflower, Can you help me for a minute!" She puts on her cute face. "Can you maybe go and stand by my mom and Palepaw? I have a plan to settle the tension." She doesn't wait for an answer she takes off toward Duskwing. "Duskwing! I need you come with me I have an idea!"

She races back towards her family. Palepaw better appreciate this
To Damsonflower she asks "My sister is the best at pouncing practice right?" She stares him down like his answer means his life or death. She might not have gained much of her mothers personality, but she did inherit her stare.

To Duskwing she poses "I'm the best tracker when it comes to apprentices right?" she knows what duskwing will say. She always says it anytime Petalpaw asks if her tracking was done right.

To both Mentors she asks "and when we work together we were able to track down a tiny bird. If we work together like this you won't have to worry about us!"

To Mothwing she quietly says "I know you and mom can't stay, and don't say that you can." She looks over at Deadeye who is still visibly not her normal self. "Mom doesn't want to be here for another famine, but Palepaw wants to stay. I wanted to follow along and find new prey to eat, but If I don't stay Mom will stay."

She looks at Deadeye who is just about to say something. "Mom I'll stay with Palepaw! We can work together as a team." She rubs her head against her mothers. "I promise to stay safe, and keep Palepaw safe too. We'll find each other again I'm sure!"

[With that she quickly tosses her stone for those that are staying.]

Duskwing is mildly amused and concerned when her apprentice came bolting up asking for help, breaking her away from her little family. Listening while standing next to Petalpaw speak, it was clear the speeches run in the family.

When Petalpaw asks her the question she answers truthfully. "Your nose is worse than a mouse, but your ears and eyes do most of the work. When you put your mind to it you can track everyone in the camp without them knowing." sensing where her apprentice was taking this. "I'd be hard pressed to keep either of you from staying put even if you were leaving with us, you'd just find your way back here."

She shakes her head as she heads back to her own family.

@Nym @Subducting

 

[Nym]

Oh, absolutely NOT. He shook his head instantly as Petalpaw began her... whatever this was. He wanted to scream -- wanted to claw at whoever caused this bullshit to find his family and clan. Honestly, honestly -- he could care less about the clan right that second. He had joined out of love, he could leave for it, too.​

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His teeth grit and his eyes narrowed, nails digging deep into the earth under him. It took everything in him to support Deadeye and not just grab both of his children by the scruff and yank them backward. He visibly bristled as Petalpaw tossed her stone into the staying pile. No!​

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"Damn anyone else," he found himself hissing. "We're a family. We stay together."​

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And what? Drag Deadeye to stay? No. He couldn't, she'd die. She'd either die from starvation or from the grief of watching her family wither away. She had already been through so much, and the smile she had when they first had their children had been one of the happiest ones he'd ever seen. ​

He was about to lose that smile.​

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"What if we never see you again? Can you do that to us? Your mother?"​

@Tigeria ​

 

[Tigeria]

Whisperstep just calmly listens to all the family drama. She really couldn't care less what the other clan cats do. She's not staying here not when she feels hunger every night. Sunclan or what ever the others believes is Sunclan. She's just trying to survive here. She might have grown up here, but even she can tell that this mountain is trying to kill them slowly.

She tries to keep out of the way of the now warring? family on her way to vote.

[she just scooches her stone the leaving pile.]

 

[Tigeria]

At both her daughter's words her face softens, then cracks her true emotions on display as a grieving mother. She promised herself she couldn't stay, not this time she swore to Sunclan and back.

"Mothwing, we can't force them to go." She rubs her cheek against his. "I don't know what to do, I want them safe with me, but I don't think I can stay here." She rubs her nose against both of her kits.

"you both are certain?" Her voice sounds defeated. She doesn't look like the fearsome mother, she looks like a shell of herself.

@Nym

 

[Nym]

She felt defeated. Felt absolutely and utterly like her soul was sucked from her body. She watched her parents and sister, eyes locked right on Deadeye.​

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Her mother wasn't okay.​

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Her mother was so not okay that Palepaw was certain her staying would destroy her. She wanted to stay -- wanted to do what she felt was right, but she didn't want to kill her mother while doing it. Her entire body deflated as she watched Deadeye's expression shift, revealing exactly how broken Deadeye was.​

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Fine.​

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She padded back to the stone pile and sought her stone, rolling into the leaving pile. With that done she padded past her family and into the depths of the crowd, dejected and heartbroken.​

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Fine.​

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@Tigeria ​

Palepaw has changed her vote to leaving.​

 

[Nym]

Palepaw relented. His shoulders lowered and he heaved a shaky sigh and nuzzled into Deadeye's side. Whatever came next he could handle. He could fix anything else, he just needed his family together.​

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"I love you," he whispered, voice shaking at the edges. He nudged his partner to the pile gently, rolling a stone into the leaving pile.​

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It'd be okay now.​

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@Tigeria ​

Mothwing votes to leave. ​

 

[PeterPan_da144]

Poppypaw's tail quivered. While she was, admittedly, very glad she wouldn't lose Palepaw and Petalpaw now, she still felt absolutely devastated for her friend.

Quickly, she darted off to follow after Petalpaw, hoping to just... Be reassuring somehow.

@Nym (no interaction needed, just wanted you to know that she's going to just try and be near Palepaw)

While Thistlefur had bristled at the thought of an apprentice staying behind, the more Palepaw spoke and stood up for herself, the less Thistlefur would have fought against it. The prouder she became. Palepaw proved she had the heart of a warrior, even if she wasn't old enough to be labeled as one.

So now, she cast a very dark look towards Mothwing, even though she doubted he would see. Much less actually care. She felt for Deadeye, the she-cat had been through so much. Leaving both her kits behind would have undoubtedly been hard. But they were wrong to have manipulated the pale cat in such a way.

Her vote had been cast, and nearly every other cat had voted now. So Thistlefur silently picked herself up and returned to the elders den. A tilt of her head was given to Dansomflower, the only acknowledgement she would give for the moment that the tom cat had cast his vote to stay. She felt reassured with him staying behind, even if she thought it silly for any of them to stay, too.

@Blinded By Silence @Subducting (no interaction needed, just letting you know Thistlefur is moving back to the den)

Nutpelt had pressed closer to Branchtail as she listened to everything. She didn't have the heart to speak up, even if she did, in the end, support Palepaw's decision to want to stay. Petalpaw jumping on it was a stretch, but then the pale silver apprentice changed her mind. No doubtedly for her parents.

A sigh left her as she slowly turned away, tail flicking against Branchtail's shoulder. A little thank you for his support and help.

@belloblossom (no interaction needed, just letting you know she's moving away)

 

[Tigeria]

Petalpaw watches as Palepaw changes her vote, her heart hurts. Her sister wanted to stay her sister should have her choice, but Deadeye.... Mom couldn't withstand this heartbreak. She watches as her father casts his stone as well. She looks up towards the sky, it was still the same sun shining up there.

Sunclan watch over us please. This isn't over not by a long shot.

She rolls her stone over to leaving and crowds next to her sister. "I knew mom couldn't stay, but I thought and hoped both of us being here would let them be ok. I'm sorry." She tries to comfort groom palepaw.

[Palepaws vote has changed to leaving.]

Deadeye wasn't happy, why would she be her daughter is heartbroken, she wasn't strong enough to let go or to hold tighter. She's never strong enough. She should have just stayed here too, but she looks at her mate. He wouldn't have let her stay. She stares at the stone, no pebble at her paws. She doesn't even pick it up she just paws it. It lands barely on the leaving side. Her vote doesn't really matter, not to her at least.

She curls around her kits heart full of despair because this isn't what she wanted she wanted them happy, she wanted them safe, she wanted the mountain to be bountiful again. Clan life is starting to be too much, but she has a duty to her clan, no not her clan her kits. The right thing to do is to let them go, but she is so weak. Her first and perhaps last litter after that terrible famine, she can't let them go.

"I'm sorry, I'm so sorry my kits"

Her face is buried in Palepaw's fur. She hopes her kits will forgive her one day.

[Deadeye is leaving, even if her vote is stuck closer to the middle than the rest.]

@Nym if you wanna continue posting, but deadeye is done for the night.

 

[belloblossom]

Dustfeather had been waiting for Finchchirp's reply, expectant green eyes fixed on his son, but instead, it was Duskwing who approached. While he was reassured that she was going with him, he opened his mouth to protest when she gave her blessing to Finchchirp and his choice to stay. Swallowtail was leaving with them and surely Buzzardstrike would too - he had no doubt, but then again... he hadn't a doubt that Finchchirp would stay. He flexed his claws uneasily and listened faintly to the drama surrounding Mothwing's family.

He felt so betrayed by his kin, by his own son - but he didn't want to leave things badly. He looked over the rocks around him on either side, before sighing deeply and starting over towards Finchchirp - only to whip his head around and look at Buzzardstrike in disbelief.

"B-Buzzardstrike?" He echoed, despair evident in his voice. A quick glance around - Mothwing's family had all changed their minds, but he could see the set determination in his son and daughter's faces. They were not changing their minds and his heart felt like a hawk had grabbed it by its sharp talons.

He stood there still as could be, until he finally dipped his head, brushing his pelt against Duskwing's as he started towards his kits, blinking warmly at Swallowtail as he passed.

"I'm... I'm not going to change your minds, am I?" He mewed hoarsely, before he came forward to rasp his tongue over first Finchchirp and then Buzzardstrike's heads. "I will miss you, so incredibly. I'll... I'll leave signs of our trail, should you change your mind and follow later. I will always welcome you back into the family nest - eh, I don't have your mother's talent for bird metaphors." He blinked affectionately at the two of them and straightened up a little, determined that if this was among the last times he would see his kits, that he would give them a final memory of him - strong and supportive, just as a good father ought to be.

"Take care of each other. Stay safe. And... please, be happy." A rough purr rumbled out of Dustfeather's throat as he looked at his two kits with gleaming eyes. With a final meaningful look, he turned away and padded with heavy paws back to his mate and his remaining daughter. Rubbing his cheek against Swallowtail's, he sat close to his pale daughter, anxiety tingling in his pelt like ants, as though Swallowtail would suddenly leap up and leave him, too. @kovak @Tigeria

 

[Subducting]

Damsonflower winced as Petalpaw verbally dragged him over to she and Palepaw’s father, opening his mouth to protest his inclusion only to be interrupted repeatedly by the unfolding conflict he was suddenly stood awkwardly in the midst of. He closed his mouth and gazed at Deadeye, fighting the urge to stand up for his apprentice in spite of everything. He hadn’t wanted her to stay, but he worried hugely about the consequences of this manner of convincing her- if that was even what Deadeye was trying to do. He couldn’t be sure, but his pelt prickled uncomfortably as he watched Palepaw move her stone.

He sighed as the apprentice - no longer his, he realised sadly- loped off into the crowd, following after Deadeye. He was going to try and offer some reassurance to the heartbroken apprentice, but her mother was already wrapping around the two ‘paws and he turned away, heart heavy. He hoped she’d get over this some day and become as strong a warrior as the apprentice who was willing to give up everything for the sake of her clan.

 

[belloblossom]

Finchchirp had felt stuck between his choices. At first, he felt vindicated when it was announced that another apprentice, Petalpaw, would be staying with her sister. Then, he felt reassured even more by his mother's pride and acceptance of his choice. It was only when Buzzardstrike announced that she, too, was staying that things seemed to come crumbling apart. Finchchirp stared at his sister, open-mouthed at her confidence and eventually, he buried his nose into her shoulder.

"Thank you." He whispered to her. It was embarrassing, but he was grateful, so, so grateful that one of his family members were staying, even if the apprentices he'd been determined to protect were leaving. For a moment, he considered doing the same, but he felt his paws rooted to the spot. Then, raising his head from her shoulder, he looked to his father, to his mother and to Swallowtail.

"I love you all." Was all he could manage, before his throat seemed to close up, swallowing any further words with it. @kovak @Tigeria

 

[Blinded By Silence]

"Well," She said, her voice hollow as she watched the last cat place their stone in its pile. Two left. "I guess that's that then." She hopped down from her ledge and picked up her stone with her teeth, decisively placing it on the larger pile. She stared at it for a moment. She never thought Sunclan would ask her to leave her home. With a small nod to herself, she stepped back. So be it.

His heart was impossibly heavy. He looked to the sky with empty eyes, once more hoping to maybe at least be able to see where the sun was in its trek across the sky. But no. Still nothing. He sighed and shifted forward, raising to his paws. He inched them to the edge, tentatively about to step into nothing. Sunseer hesitated and sighed.

"Skysong, help me down." He couldn't do this without her, he realized and wondered if that was by design. Was this Sunclan's plan? Force Skysong to be by his side, learning what it took to be leader faster? Accelerated study seemed to be their go-to, these days. 'As you wish,' he thought as he felt the white she-cat land upon his perch.

Slowly, they made their way down, one ledge at a time. Once on the ground, he had her lead him to his stone. With a final movement, he set it down on the leaving side and turned to face his clan.

"This choice has all cost us something today. Some of us will be leaving family behind, others, friends. I leave behind my sight. But our sacrifices will not be in vain." His voice raised, "By leaving, we relieve pressure on what little the mountain has left to offer. I believe that Sunclan will make sure it is enough to sustain those who stay."

"It has been an impossibly long day for everyone. We will take today to rest and prepare. Tomorrow at dawn, we leave."

 

[Nym]

She didn't want to be touched, especially not by her family. She knew deep down that if she hadn't taken her stone back that her mother would suffer, but...​

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She felt manipulated, almost.​

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Everyone else made their choice from their heart, except her. It felt like her autonomy was taken, but what else could she do? She wasn't going to be why her mother died-​

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Except maybe her not being here would be why someone else died.

She knew she'd never be okay with today. That she'd toss and turn and feel like something was taken from her. She should be grateful, shouldn't she? That her parents had pushed and pulled and her sister pulled every trick so she might live longer. ​

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Then why didn't she feel happy?​

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Why did she feel a burning anger she had never felt in her life start to boil inside her? Why did she feel utterly and completely suffocated by those she loved the most? It hurt, but she had moved her stone already and it was final now. ​

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She didn't want to be with her family right now.​

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"Sorry," she shouldered her sister and mother off her. "I just need time..."​

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She made herself as small as possible and vanished into the crowd.​

Palepaw is no longer open for interaction!​

@Tigeria ​