Gathering 2025 Private just wanna tell you that you're really pretty girl ✿ — rowanpaw

[Meadowpaw]

"Stop…." she hissed through her teeth, struggling to keep her face from contorting into full-blown panic. Heat flared in her cheeks as she turned her head sharply away, trying—desperately trying—to pretend her friend wasn't being an absolute menace. Meadowpaw silently thanked StarClan that no one else could see him. He was being ridiculous—sticking his paw through the heads of passing cats, pulling exaggerated faces, flopping dramatically to the ground whenever she so much as glanced in a certain direction.

He wasn't going to stop. Not until she went and said hello to the very pretty, very competent, extremely composed she-cat she'd been stealing glances at since the gathering began. It had become Ragwort's favorite game lately—messing with the living cats around her when she got too comfortable in her shell.

Her eyes flitted across the clearing to where Rowanpaw sat beside her mother, Serpentberry. The red-furred apprentice looked nothing short of beautiful—firelit fur catching the moonlight, cheeks softened in its silver glow. Meadowpaw shrank a little. She's so pretty it's unfair. Rowanpaw wasn't even doing anything, and Meadowpaw could already feel her lungs tightening.

Whatever this feeling was, it was new and strange. She didn't know how to carry it, let alone function normally. It felt all fluttery—like there were dozens of butterflies trying to escape her stomach.

She turned her face away, ears burning. "I guess I could… talk. Apprentice to apprentice. That's all. That's fine... I can do that." Her voice pitched unconvincingly. She inhaled slowly, trying to collect the fragile threads of her confidence.

One more look at Ragwort. He was now pretending to swoon, flopping on the ground like a dying bird. Meadowpaw scowled at him or rather, the ground. Anyone who was watching may have wondered what offensive it committed to earn such a look. "Stars above." She muttered, tail swiping sharply in his direction—not that she could hit him even if she tried.

But she didn't cross the clearing just yet. The apprentice stood for a breath, claws pricking the dirt anxiously. She could be brave about a lot of things but somehow, this—talking to her fellow medicine-cat apprentice, not so much.

Maybe it was the scars that left her discouraged. The way her ears stood ragged in the breeze or patches on her face where fur refused to grow, but most of her mangled leg... She looked so... and Rowan paw was... She didn't like being looked at, not anymore. So she spruced herself up, used flowers to hide her scars. Unfortunately, there was no way to hide her leg, even if she tried.

Still… she wanted to talk to her. Even if just for a moment. Just to stand near her. They shared the same burden, so surely they could talk about that if nothing else. She might even learn something fro mthe other apprentice. Meadowpaw could almost imagine the two of them getting lost in conversation, talking until the dawn broke.

Finally, she urged her paws to move. She limped through the crowd, whispering soft apologies each time she bumped into someone.

Stopping at a respectful distance, Meadowpaw dipped her head toward the red apprentice and her mother. "H-hi again, Ro–Rowanpaw." She purred, her voice warm despite the stammer. "I was thinking… maybe we could talk, i-if you're not busy? About herbs. And… and stuff o-or just whatever you want I mean." A nervous smile curled on her face, but stars she felt like she was about to pass out. Was she really doing this right now?

______________I believe that there is a courage ✿ but its burnin' like ash in the wind_____________

• "speech" - thoughts
  
  @rowanpaw
• ​
• Meadow she/her & windclan
  ✿ Three-legged black and red tortoiseshell with green eyes.
  ✿ A light crisp-sounding voice
  ✿ Loves flowers and always has some woven into her fur
  ✿ Peaceful and healing powerplay permitted. All others DM.
  ✿ Fur smells floral and mildly sweet.
  
  
  penned by Scarlet​

 

[rowanpaw]

☆ Rowanpaw is sitting near her mother, who's hovering next to Juniperstar. She's nervous. She can't remember being this on edge since the great battle, but then, this is where they fought. And Shadowclan is here, a constant dark cloud hanging over them, stubborn and cruel. She already disliked most if not all of them, but now, after hearing about what they did to poor Jinglemoon and the other Riverclan cats… she grimaces, still staring down at her own paws. Her leg hurts. The walk from the camp to fourtrees wasn't that bad if she walked, but she'd had to keep pace with everyone else. She could've taken a poppyseed before leaving, but… after what happened with Juniperstar and Stilldream… with the risk of Shadowclan coming to steal their herbs… she didn't want to ask. She'd just be a burden. There were more important things than her leg.

When Meadowpaw appears next to her, she startles slightly, blinking up at her in surprise. She'd been too caught up in her own world to notice anyone approaching.

"Oh, hi Meadow!" She says, offering a somewhat weak smile.

She throws a glance at her mother and Juniperstar, then turns back to Meadowpaw. "Yeah, of course we can talk. How… How have you been? Did you make the journey okay?"

She studies Meadow's face for a moment. "You're not in any pain, right…? I… I hurt my leg too, once– obviously not as bad as you, but– I fell out of a tree and it– it still hurts sometimes. Like when I make long journeys." She shakes her head, and her cheeks heat up for a moment so she looks away. "Sorry… you probably don't want to talk about it, right? But– lamb's ear… lamb's ear is good for aches, it gives you strength. Although I don't know if it grows in Windclan territory… I could bring you some on the next half moon if you want."

☆ ROWANPAW. 14 moons
mentored by serpentberry,
adopted daughter of serpentberry and thornstar
peaceful powerplay allowed
ooc -