Private Above The Clouds Of Pompeii ☁ Timberfrost

[Sealpaw Sealpaw]

{$title} A still grieving Sealpaw opens up about her mother to Timberfrost

┍❆

Sleep did not come as easily as it had when they were the colony instead of Shadowclan, Seal...Seal..paw..? quickly learned. The nursery did not feel as warm and safe from the world as the burrow between tree roots at Fourtrees that her mother had dug out herself had felt. She wasn't sure it ever would- her nest felt so impossibly large without Leopard to share it with her and a new wave of grief came over the kit as she slowly stood to make her way outside on silent paws. Sealpaw took a breath as if it had been her first in moons as she sat outside the nursery, nose wrinkling uncomfortably at the humidity of this new place that she still wasn't quite used to. Idly she wondered if her mother would have liked this new place, remembering how the molly had enjoyed rain.

With a brief shake of her head blue eyes drifted upwards, to the stars above. A faint memory of a story from when she was still but a nursing kit barely able to walk tickled at the back of her mind. What had it been again? That every star one saw was a cat who had lived before them and was watching over them all..? "Are you really up there..? Are you watching? ...Are we doing the right thing, mama..?" It was a barely there whisper, ears pricked despite knowing there would be no answer from the stars.

It felt like an eternity before Sealpaw finally let her gaze drop to the mud at her paws. ...What a silly kit's tale....

❆┙

*•.¸❆

─WAVING THROUGH A WINDOW─

❆¸.•*

• @Timberfrost
• 
  Sealpaw
  — Shadowclan Apprentice
  — She/They
  "SPEECH", 'THOUGHTS', ATTACK
  — Grey, Rosetted Tabby With Blue Eyes And A Bobbed Tail.
  #4c66bf

 

[Timberfrost]

—————————————————— 'Till I can't run no more ✦

It was late and, as per usual, Timber was wide awake. He had been making his final rounds on checking that everything was well within the nursery before attempting to settle down, the white figure of his daughter curled up somewhere deeper within the nursery, oblivious to the world. That terrified him, the fact that she had grown so used to the nights where he wouldn't be home, where he couldn't curl around her. She was so young, how could she already not need him? He shook his head to clear these thoughts real fast—it was one thing to be up late, it was another thing to spiral entirely. If he was going to lose her, he best not lose his head, too. He only had control of one of those things, and the only way he knew to reign in his thoughts was to go on a walk.

He didn't get very far. The tom stopped in his tracks at the opening of the nursery, golden eyes trained on a gray figure not far from where he stood. The young cat looked familiar—this was the young one he saw when he first joined the group... the one that was asking for her mother. "It's a rather clear night, isn't it." The tom started softly, taking gentle steps towards the other as he stepped around growing pools of muck. "The stars sure are brighter out here than where I'm from." Ever so slowly, he sidled up next to her. "D'you mind if I sit here for a while? It'd be nice to have some company, if you'll have me." Timber searched the others face, looking for any hint that the apprentice, hardly older than the kits he looked after, did not want him here. For just a moment, he pondered over asking the young cat if she was alright—but he knew the answer. Loss like that only gave one answer.

It's true, I want to be with you tonight

But I'm a little too late

• 
  Timber
  ✦—Shadowclan Caregiver
  ✦—He/Him
  ✦—"SPEECH", 'THOUGHTS', ATTACK
  ✦—A large chocolate tabby with pale gold eyes
  #9A775A

 

[Sealpaw Sealpaw]

┍❆

She had heard Timber shuffling around in the nursery but had not expected him to come out, glancing up at him as he spoke. There was a small hum of agreement from her as she shuffled over to give the tom room to sit.

"...It's nice, I like it better when it's not raining like it was the night we met you." She confessed after a moment of thought. The stars could be...dimmer..? That didn't sound right to her. A pause. A moment of hesitation before Sealpaw nodded slowly, muzzle pointing back up at the nightsky. "You can, if you want. I don't mind."

Tiny paws shuffled in place for a moment as the two sat in silence, unsure if she was to break it or Timber was before- "My mama, Leopard, she told me a story about the stars once-" The tabby blurted out. "...my papa used to tell her that every star in the sky is a cat that lived before and was watching us."

If only that were true, then perhaps Leopard hadn't had to die.

❆┙

*•.¸❆

─WAVING THROUGH A WINDOW─

❆¸.•*

• 
  Seal
  — Shadowclan Apprentice
  — She/They
  "SPEECH", 'THOUGHTS', ATTACK
  — Grey, Rosetted Tabby With Blue Eyes And A Bobbed Tail.
  #4c66bf

 

[Timberfrost]

—————————————————— 'Till I can't run no more ✦

At the mention of the night that they had met, Timber couldn't help but shudder. "Oh believe me, I wasn't happy with the rain either. It takes forever to get Stoat dry, much less myself." The chocolate tabby tried to say this with some gentle humor, and he hoped the smaller grey apprentice could see it twinkle in the familiar way in his golden eyes. At her response, the smile on his face grew. "It's better than sitting alone, I think." Timber purred, sidling up next to her on gentle white paws and lowering himself to the ground, long tail still strewn out behind him. He didn't break the silence, nor look at Sealpaw again, instead feeling content to copy the younger cat's lead and instead stare at the stars high above. It wasn't often he got to do this, it was far, far too important to him to keep Stoat warm at night. The stars seemed to wink and twinkle back at him as he stared, almost as if they were taken aback by his presence.

He had to say, they were nicer than he last remembered them. The night had always been a scary time for him in the past, perhaps now... now things could be different.

Timber only looked over towards Seal ever so slightly, glancing at her with golden irises. "Leopard..." He echoed, making a mental note as he nodded. If he strained his memory, he swore he could remember some mention of that name back when he had met the clan. The story about the stars... sounded vaguely familiar as well—perhaps some cats back at the shipyard that he had long since forgotten had the same ideas, it seemed very much the sorts of stories they would've told—but he purposefully didn't let himself think too hard about the implications. Night was already nerve-wracking enough, he was happy to let the stars mean just pretty lights to him. "That's a lot of cats, isn't it..." The tom thought aloud, gazing back up at the stars. "How many do you think are related to you? I mean, if it was every cat that lived before... that's a lot of watchful eyes from cats that would care about you."

It's true, I want to be with you tonight

But I'm a little too late

• im so sorry for how late this is i owe u my life
• 
  Timber
  ✦—Shadowclan Caregiver | 23 Moons
  ✦—He/Him
  ✦—"SPEECH", 'THOUGHTS', ATTACK
  ✦—A large chocolate tabby with pale gold eyes
  #9A775A

 

[Sealpaw Sealpaw]

You Say That You Are Close

Is Close The Closest Star?

x

A small giggle leaves the kit at Timber's lamenting, and for a moment- just briefly- the world doesn't feel like it's been turned on its head. "My mama loved to listen to the rain, she said it reminded her of my papa. He was named um... Pet... Petree.... Something."

She frowned, it was a name her mother had murmured in sorrow often but Sealpaw had never been able to get a straight answer of what had happened to him. Just that he had died not long after she was born. As well as her brother. She had been far too young to remember any of that, with eyes and ears still closed off to the world when it had all happened.

"He was named after the rain, I think. He must have really liked rain to be named after it." Her nose crinkled slightly as she let her tiny body lean against the tom. Rain wasn't the worst but it was certainly not her favorite kind of weather.

Once more staring up at the stars, Sealpaw paused at the question. How many... "W-Well... There's my mama and papa, and... and my brother. And maybe my papa's papa? Or my mama's mama..?" The concept of grandparents was... Odd. She'd never met them nor been told about such cats so the kit had no idea if they were still alive or had passed long ago. As each star above blinked overhead another question came to mind.

So many stars... Far too many to count... They couldn't ALL be related to her. "How far back does it go until you're not related anymore..? How many cats do you think are up there watching you and Stoat?" A small moment of hesitation as another question springs to mind. "...Do you think me an' Stoat can be friends? Do you think she'll like it here with us?"

You Just Feel Twice As Far

SEALPAW

— Shadowclan Apprentice
— She/They
"SPEECH", 'THOUGHTS', ATTACK
— Grey Rosetted Tabby With Blue Eyes And A Bobbed Tail.
#4c66bf

 

[Timberfrost]

—————————————————— 'Till I can't run no more ✦

Timber giggled in turn with the kit, a smile wide on his face as he looked away from the stars. "Petree works. I'm sure he'd be happy you tried." He chuckled, but his smile lessened as the kit continued to talk, and his eyes wandered back towards the sky as she spoke. "...Then maybe the rain isn't that bad." He said finally, tilting his head as though he was imagining clouds covering the stars. "If it reminds you of someone you loved—and it must, since I'm sure your mother loved him. That love can still live on in you, just..." The tom gestured with a paw, as though he was grasping for words he didn't know how to say. "Y'know. Through stories. There's lots of ways to love someone, and stories is one of them."

He nodded at his own words, it had rung true for him for so very long. "There's lots of people I still tell stories about. I remember them, and in that way I love them. I might not see them anymore, or they might not be around anymore, but that doesn't change that I remember and love them." A tightness in his throat wobbled for just a moment, and he swallowed roughly and looked at his white paws, focusing on the gentle weight of the kit leaning on his side. "My brother is one of them. I do what I can to remember him. To love him."

Timberfrost let the memories fall from his mind—it was far too much to reminisce about on even a good night, and especially not in front of such a little thing. Sealkit was new to the world... it hadn't been kind to them, but Timber didn't want to add to the cruelty of it if he could help. At Seal's next question, though, he found himself chewing on his lip in thought. "I think... there's no point where you stop." He said thoughtfully, he hadn't considered that before... "You might not remember that you're related to someone, but you're still connected..." Curling his fluffy tail around the kitten, he smiled down at them. "We might not remember that we're related, but me and you are still connected. I'm sure if we go far back enough, my brother could have been your mom's mom's brother." He shrugged. "Or however far back you need to go. I'm sure they're both watching us, and everyone inbetween too."

He found himself blinking in surprise at Sealkit's next question, but after a moment of thinking the smile on his face once again grew wider. It was nice to be wanted like that, and he was so, so very happy Seal wanted to be friends with Stoat. Maybe, just maybe... she'd find a place in this clan. "Of course you can." Timberfrost purred reassuringly. "She's nervous, but she's been the only kit she's known for a very, very long time. She'll come around, I promise you." The tom chuckled to himself, envisioning a much, much younger Stoat, one that had closed eyes and folded ears. How time flies.... "I sure hope so..." An idea popped into his head, and he nodded happily at it. "You can help me make sure of that, if you'd like. Just... be nice to Stoat for me, that's all you need to do. She's been through a lot, and sometimes a little kindness can mean so much." The tom looked back towards the kit, taking a large, white paw and patting her on the head gently. "You're already doing wonderfully. Thank you for that."

It's true, I want to be with you tonight

But I'm a little too late

• im so sorry for how late this is i owe u my life
• 
  Timber
  ✦—Shadowclan Caregiver | 23 Moons
  ✦—He/Him
  ✦—"SPEECH", 'THOUGHTS', ATTACK
  ✦—A large chocolate tabby with pale gold eyes
  #9A775A