The chimaera had yet to fully adjust to life in the stars, silvery pelts and a place of no pain. Prey bountiful and the cats polite; it wasn't Windclan, but it was comfortable. Nothing could mute the longing for their home, the sensation of claws in dirt and the safety of a hovel. Even in their death, they longed for the confined, but even more for their friends.
And so it seemed, he had arrived just on time.
A sorrowful smile spread across the maw of Molewhisker, seeing the golden pelt and confused eyes of the tom who had given and lost so much for his clan. They were the first to approach, tilting their head as Goldenroar got to his senses.
"My friend, not how I thought we would have met again, but hello, Goldenroar." It gave the tom a moment more to adjust, glancing for a breath to their fellow Starclanners, before speaking with more conviction.
"You're here to be gifted your lives, Goldenroar. And while I would have rather been in camp to see you return home with such merit, the gift I bestow upon you is a reminder that fury and rage are not always what a leader must bring forth. A leader must treat their fellow cat with grace, knowing that all share life and flesh. One must know when to be the kinder soul. For that, I give you the life of Mercy."
They took a breath before meeting the soon-to-be-leader's gaze.
"Hindsight will not save the cats lost; there is no foresight you can receive now to turn back what is lost." Molewhisker looks away for a moment before sighing.
"But neither will marring pelts of your fellow warrior revive the dead."
Their gaze is hardened, but holds no upset.
"Learn from the past, learn not to martyr those who are lost for the sake of some need to prove your strength. Any cat can unsheath its claws. Anyone can bring a life to an end. A leader's true strength is to know when to be merciful."
Their hardened gaze softened, another smile across their maw as they padded closer again to the tom. Molewhisker had to stand taller to reach the forehead of the tom, pressing their nose to soft fur. Smile widening across their maw, as they spoke again, softly.
"Give mercy where cats like I were never given the chance, old friend." The chimaera bowed their head to a leader they would never get to follow, but would respect all the same as one of their clanmates in life.
Finally, it stepped away, allowing for the next cat to give their gift, Molewhisker watching on with pride. Windclan would heal in the end; it would just take time, and Goldenroar would lead them to that peace.
-
-
Molewhisker
✦—Windclan tunneller Starclan Warrior | 29 moons
✦—They/It
✦—"SPEECH", 'THOUGHTS', ATTACK
✦—A soft-spoken, small, red and blue chimaera with overly long whiskers.
#9D9D9D