Post by stag on Jan 8, 2016 18:36:03 GMT
Darkness was beginning to fall. Hours had passed, hours of much needed sleep for Magpiestar. And yet, since waking, he hadn’t moved a muscle. He sat, his shoulders slightly hunched in the darkness. The lichen curtain obscured his view of the clan that milled obliviously beyond the safety of his den. For them, they simply awaited in anticipation a moment they knew would come. It was whispered on breaths – who would attend? Magpiestar swallowed, hanging his head. His shoulders drew up around him, as if his own body could protect him from his ebbing dread. Almost as if to mock him, he could swear Willowbreeze's scent wrapped around him. He glanced around. The den, the camp, without her, it seemed abandoned now. And each Gathering, each day, Magpiestar was forced to admit it, to realize the truth of the matter. Willowbreeze was gone. His eyes fluttered closed, flashing images and fragments of sounds battered at his memory. There was Willowbreeze, sitting with a soft smile – illuminated in shafts of moonlight. She was glorious, strong, more beautiful than Magpiestar’s memory gave her credit for. He remembered that last night as she lay dying, the silence between them. It had gone on for unending moments. It had seemed almost irreverent to break the silence, as if he would shatter something precious and fragile. So he stood, his tail brushing his legs. And then, in an instant, it had been broken. It died on Willowbreeze’s quiet lips. The silence ebbed away gently, as if it had truly never been meant to be there. Magpiestar remembered the crack in her voice. It broke, a creaking weak sound. On any other, it would have sounded pathetic, frail. But on her, it made Magpiestar yearn to blink away a mist that had suddenly come over his eyes. But that moment, that breaking of something precious, had been moons ago. Yet on these nights, as he prepared to lead his clan to the Gathering, it seemed almost imminent.
Magpiestar opened his eyes, a sort of resignation hanging in the back of his gaze. He would see Willowbreeze someday, in the stars. Until then, she would reside in his mind where she would haunt him. She would be the vision he had seen every moment since that day. And his heart would break, it would shatter. He would be left to silently pick up the pieces. And she would stand there, at his side but miles away. She was so regal, so precious. And yet he couldn’t touch her, couldn’t allow his fur to brush hers. He couldn’t wrap himself in her scent, so that nothing else existed. She was untouchable. And the worst thing was, she was stronger. She had been the mother their children had needed. This brought up Dusthawk's image. He wondered if his son simply concealed his longing. Or perhaps, unlike him, his longing had faded. Perhaps that quiet love between them had melted away. Willowbreeze had always been the stronger one, empathetic, determined. Maybe it was only him who clung to dreams of her beauty, of a life they could have had together. And perhaps it was time for him to move on, to steel himself, to admit it was all over – well and truly over.
Magpiestar stood, pushing through the curtain that shielded his den from view. The entire clan was in the camp, many waiting in anticipation for the call they knew would come. Magpiestar felt a slight smile tug at his lips. Their anticipation, their excitement, well it made him happy – even if this brief happiness couldn’t compare to his sorrow. He bunched his muscles, leaping and scaling the high rock. The wind was strong tonight. It battered his fur, blowing it in all directions. There was something undeniably wild about him. He kept his head high, calling out in a strong voice – “Let all cats old enough to catch their own prey gathering below the river rock for a clan meeting!” He would not mince words, not tonight. They all knew what he had to say, what was coming. And he would not keep them waiting. His ears flicked back and a light filtered slowly back into his eyes. The clan was already beginning to gather below him. He called out again, “The gathering is upon us.” He looked out at the gathered clan, “Whitewater, Nettleheart, Blackpaw, Ashenfang, Miststorm, Smallpaw, Alligatoreye and Birchpaw will be attending." It was perhaps unusual to bring so many apprentices, and so few warriors. But the decision was his, and he would not fall back on it. He nodded his head once, bunching his muscles again.
Without another word, he descended from above. It was long past time when they should have left camp. He moved towards the entrance, not waiting to be followed. His clan would come, they always did. He led them, regally. Adrenaline coursed through his veins and he quickened his pace. They were Riverclan. They were meant to stream across the wetlands, to move with a speed and grace incapable of others. They neared the borders. The massive oaks that symbolized Four Trees stood high in the darkness. He paused, a moment at the top of the ravine. Below him, the small clearing was only just beginning to fill. The scents of Sky, Wind and Shadow assaulted his senses. He paused a moment, at the very edge of the ravine. His confidence wavered, but only in that brief second. Magpiestar took in a breath, a confident smile on his features. And with a bound, he led his clan streaming down into Fourtrees. A new vigor coursed through his veins, one pushed by pride. He would not come limping in, a frail creature waiting on a whispered death. He propelled himself forward, up into the air, onto the branch that awaited him. His claws unsheathed, anchoring him in place. It was a place beside Rosestar, beside her and all other leaders that had come before him. It belonged to him, as sure as the rain would return to the river. He turned his head in what he hoped was a regal manner, dipping his chin in a deep respectful nod to his fellow leaders.
Magpiestar opened his eyes, a sort of resignation hanging in the back of his gaze. He would see Willowbreeze someday, in the stars. Until then, she would reside in his mind where she would haunt him. She would be the vision he had seen every moment since that day. And his heart would break, it would shatter. He would be left to silently pick up the pieces. And she would stand there, at his side but miles away. She was so regal, so precious. And yet he couldn’t touch her, couldn’t allow his fur to brush hers. He couldn’t wrap himself in her scent, so that nothing else existed. She was untouchable. And the worst thing was, she was stronger. She had been the mother their children had needed. This brought up Dusthawk's image. He wondered if his son simply concealed his longing. Or perhaps, unlike him, his longing had faded. Perhaps that quiet love between them had melted away. Willowbreeze had always been the stronger one, empathetic, determined. Maybe it was only him who clung to dreams of her beauty, of a life they could have had together. And perhaps it was time for him to move on, to steel himself, to admit it was all over – well and truly over.
Magpiestar stood, pushing through the curtain that shielded his den from view. The entire clan was in the camp, many waiting in anticipation for the call they knew would come. Magpiestar felt a slight smile tug at his lips. Their anticipation, their excitement, well it made him happy – even if this brief happiness couldn’t compare to his sorrow. He bunched his muscles, leaping and scaling the high rock. The wind was strong tonight. It battered his fur, blowing it in all directions. There was something undeniably wild about him. He kept his head high, calling out in a strong voice – “Let all cats old enough to catch their own prey gathering below the river rock for a clan meeting!” He would not mince words, not tonight. They all knew what he had to say, what was coming. And he would not keep them waiting. His ears flicked back and a light filtered slowly back into his eyes. The clan was already beginning to gather below him. He called out again, “The gathering is upon us.” He looked out at the gathered clan, “Whitewater, Nettleheart, Blackpaw, Ashenfang, Miststorm, Smallpaw, Alligatoreye and Birchpaw will be attending." It was perhaps unusual to bring so many apprentices, and so few warriors. But the decision was his, and he would not fall back on it. He nodded his head once, bunching his muscles again.
Without another word, he descended from above. It was long past time when they should have left camp. He moved towards the entrance, not waiting to be followed. His clan would come, they always did. He led them, regally. Adrenaline coursed through his veins and he quickened his pace. They were Riverclan. They were meant to stream across the wetlands, to move with a speed and grace incapable of others. They neared the borders. The massive oaks that symbolized Four Trees stood high in the darkness. He paused, a moment at the top of the ravine. Below him, the small clearing was only just beginning to fill. The scents of Sky, Wind and Shadow assaulted his senses. He paused a moment, at the very edge of the ravine. His confidence wavered, but only in that brief second. Magpiestar took in a breath, a confident smile on his features. And with a bound, he led his clan streaming down into Fourtrees. A new vigor coursed through his veins, one pushed by pride. He would not come limping in, a frail creature waiting on a whispered death. He propelled himself forward, up into the air, onto the branch that awaited him. His claws unsheathed, anchoring him in place. It was a place beside Rosestar, beside her and all other leaders that had come before him. It belonged to him, as sure as the rain would return to the river. He turned his head in what he hoped was a regal manner, dipping his chin in a deep respectful nod to his fellow leaders.
WORD COUNT: 1040
TAGGED: just atlanta. (whitewater) , hallelujah (alligatoreye) , @lost (nettleheart), @mephisto (blackpaw), katnez (ashenfang), @dazed (miststorm), shanny (smallpaw/rosestar), @mustang (birchpaw), tikker ♪ ♫ (redstar), skyy and her socks (pinestar)
NOTES: and so it begins...
TAGGED: just atlanta. (whitewater) , hallelujah (alligatoreye) , @lost (nettleheart), @mephisto (blackpaw), katnez (ashenfang), @dazed (miststorm), shanny (smallpaw/rosestar), @mustang (birchpaw), tikker ♪ ♫ (redstar), skyy and her socks (pinestar)
NOTES: and so it begins...
