Post by Deleted on Dec 6, 2015 21:31:09 GMT
○ the sun was just beginning to peek over the tree canopy by now, golden rays piercing through a vivid cloudy pink sky. the chill of the morning clung to everything. it was in the breeze that tickled the birch leaves surrounding the camp, the remnants of frost that tipped the razor's edge of the grass, and the earth that was still far too hard against questing paws. according to the others, new-leaf had just arrived a few days before. the excitement in the camp was palpable for the change of season. talk of prey abundance, sunbathing and the return of the birds echoed wherever one turned in the campsite. though the harsh season - "leaf-bare" - still seemed to cling to the land with embedded claws everyone was sure it wouldn't last. sunhigh was getting warmer with each passing day and more and more clouds were beginning to coat the once crisp clear skies. even now, in the barest hours of the morning, there were clouds blanketing the heavens. tainted with the violet remains of the dying twilight that was slowly banished with the rising sun. in the silence, the drip-drop of dew drops that formed on the foliage with the temperature change was the loudest sound. gravity taking hold of each crystal drop of liquid to coax it down to the frozen earth.
○ the songbirds had yet to return to the skyclan territory from their leaf-bare migration. hawkpaw had been told by orchidfeather that in the height of green-leaf the songs of the finches and bluebirds could fill the forest with beauty. the young queen made it sound like an image straight out of a dream for the little leaf-fall born apprentice who had yet to experience so much the world had yet to offer. as it was, the start of new-leaf didn't bring much but the notion of hope. hope and slowly seeping warmth. for the moment, the quiet and stillness was what hawkpaw needed. the little rusty brown tom had been up before a majority of the camp and had wandered out of the apprentice's den. he'd not gotten much sleep the night before; the apprentice's den was so new compared to the nursery - he'd felt too exposed to properly rest. but then again he'd felt the same way the first day he'd been led into camp by the kindly orchidfeather. wired and ready to tense or bolt at the sightliest provocation. not that he could've gotten far in his condition. the queen had practically had to carry him back to camp for the most part. he'd been such a mess.
○ most of the clan still whispered about the sight that had graced them that cold leaf-bare day. when orchidfeather had arrived back from her hunting trip after a long while with the most pathetic scrap of fur in tow. it was in horror that most realized the tangled and filthy little ball was a kit, skinny as a twig, covered in healing wounds and shaking from the force of his coughing. he carried no scent from another clan, only the stench of neglect and sickness and the musk of forest. perhaps that had been a reason that helped the clan leader decide to let orchidfeather keep the pitiful sight when he could've just as easily told her to return him to where she'd found him. it was funny how one decision could change a life so drastically. in less than a day he'd gone from being constantly cold and hungry and battered to being constantly warm and fed and coddled. orchidfeather had even seen fit to give him a name of his own. an actual name too, not the shouted "you!' or "fox-dung!" that she had called him before. he could still remember the terrible darkness that fell over orchidfeather's face when she asked his name and gently explained that those insults were not names at all. till then, he'd not known any different.
○ now, he was no longer that nameless skinny and sickly kitten that had been dragged into a strange new world as an act of mercy. he'd been named after a hawk, the strongest and most dangerous bird to soar in the skies. a prayer for him to survive his abuse and give him strength to push forward. three moons later, a completely different youth now walked where that kitten had once. well, in someways a different youth. in others, he was the same. though he'd nearly completely healed physically, mentally was a completely different story. the abuse and neglect he'd suffered at her paws had forever stunted his growth. he'd be smaller than most of his clanmates for the rest of his life, a constant reminder of what he'd gone through. what he 'survived' as orchidfeather put it. and three meager moons wasn't near enough time to deal with a virtual lifetime of beatings and harsh words. just as he had been getting used to the nursery, small and enclosed and so safe, he'd reached his sixth moon of life and had been presented to the clan as a full member. with that came new duties that orchidfeather had tried to prepare him for in the short time she'd had him in her care. duties that could get hawkpaw in a lot of trouble if he didn't show he could complete them.
○ a slight tremor crossed over the small tom's body as he stared up at the slowly enlightening sky above, looking for a place to focus on and clear his clattered mind. he'd been thrown headfirst into the deep, given a new ending to his still new name and assigned to a warrior he'd not had any previous contact with as a mentor. to add more to the pile, he knew without a doubt that the higher ups in the clan - heck, everyone really - had their eyes on him in particular. watching him, waiting for him to slip up and make a mess of everything... just as he always did. a little whine escaped past a closed muzzle, his head lowering and eyes shutting in defeat and shame. he couldn't do this... and soon enough they would all see that too.
○ sooner or later, they'd see him for what he really was - a waste of space, just like she had said he was.
○ the songbirds had yet to return to the skyclan territory from their leaf-bare migration. hawkpaw had been told by orchidfeather that in the height of green-leaf the songs of the finches and bluebirds could fill the forest with beauty. the young queen made it sound like an image straight out of a dream for the little leaf-fall born apprentice who had yet to experience so much the world had yet to offer. as it was, the start of new-leaf didn't bring much but the notion of hope. hope and slowly seeping warmth. for the moment, the quiet and stillness was what hawkpaw needed. the little rusty brown tom had been up before a majority of the camp and had wandered out of the apprentice's den. he'd not gotten much sleep the night before; the apprentice's den was so new compared to the nursery - he'd felt too exposed to properly rest. but then again he'd felt the same way the first day he'd been led into camp by the kindly orchidfeather. wired and ready to tense or bolt at the sightliest provocation. not that he could've gotten far in his condition. the queen had practically had to carry him back to camp for the most part. he'd been such a mess.
○ most of the clan still whispered about the sight that had graced them that cold leaf-bare day. when orchidfeather had arrived back from her hunting trip after a long while with the most pathetic scrap of fur in tow. it was in horror that most realized the tangled and filthy little ball was a kit, skinny as a twig, covered in healing wounds and shaking from the force of his coughing. he carried no scent from another clan, only the stench of neglect and sickness and the musk of forest. perhaps that had been a reason that helped the clan leader decide to let orchidfeather keep the pitiful sight when he could've just as easily told her to return him to where she'd found him. it was funny how one decision could change a life so drastically. in less than a day he'd gone from being constantly cold and hungry and battered to being constantly warm and fed and coddled. orchidfeather had even seen fit to give him a name of his own. an actual name too, not the shouted "you!' or "fox-dung!" that she had called him before. he could still remember the terrible darkness that fell over orchidfeather's face when she asked his name and gently explained that those insults were not names at all. till then, he'd not known any different.
○ now, he was no longer that nameless skinny and sickly kitten that had been dragged into a strange new world as an act of mercy. he'd been named after a hawk, the strongest and most dangerous bird to soar in the skies. a prayer for him to survive his abuse and give him strength to push forward. three moons later, a completely different youth now walked where that kitten had once. well, in someways a different youth. in others, he was the same. though he'd nearly completely healed physically, mentally was a completely different story. the abuse and neglect he'd suffered at her paws had forever stunted his growth. he'd be smaller than most of his clanmates for the rest of his life, a constant reminder of what he'd gone through. what he 'survived' as orchidfeather put it. and three meager moons wasn't near enough time to deal with a virtual lifetime of beatings and harsh words. just as he had been getting used to the nursery, small and enclosed and so safe, he'd reached his sixth moon of life and had been presented to the clan as a full member. with that came new duties that orchidfeather had tried to prepare him for in the short time she'd had him in her care. duties that could get hawkpaw in a lot of trouble if he didn't show he could complete them.
○ a slight tremor crossed over the small tom's body as he stared up at the slowly enlightening sky above, looking for a place to focus on and clear his clattered mind. he'd been thrown headfirst into the deep, given a new ending to his still new name and assigned to a warrior he'd not had any previous contact with as a mentor. to add more to the pile, he knew without a doubt that the higher ups in the clan - heck, everyone really - had their eyes on him in particular. watching him, waiting for him to slip up and make a mess of everything... just as he always did. a little whine escaped past a closed muzzle, his head lowering and eyes shutting in defeat and shame. he couldn't do this... and soon enough they would all see that too.
○ sooner or later, they'd see him for what he really was - a waste of space, just like she had said he was.
TAGGED: ANY SKYCLAN ○ WORD COUNT: 1055 ○ MUSIC: 'BROKEN WING' BY THOUSAND FOOT KRUTCH
